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Beng Hock’s bank account: It’s you, MACC, that’s broke

By Helen Ang | Oct 16, 09 5:21pm | Malaysiakini

I refer to the Malaysiakini report Ean Yong furious Teoh’s bank account revealed.

I’ve always wondered who it is that frequent five-star shopping malls like the Pavilion or browse in those posh bungalow boutiques. Now I know it’s not Teoh Beng Hock. He was a lot like me, an ordinary wage earner.

We learn from the MACC that Beng Hock had slim savings amounting to RM3,611.36. Counsel for MACC at the inquest, Abdul Razak Musa inferred this to support his contention that Beng Hock was in dire need of money to get married at short notice…to what purpose this insinuation by the authorities, I do not know.

But here is a case of Razak being unfamiliar with Chinese urban lifestyle. Of all the Chinese weddings I know of, every single one has made a profit from the reception dinner. The ‘ang pow’ collection, more often than not, generously exceeds the cost of the banquet. After paying the restaurant bill, the bride and groom hosts usually have change left over.
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Najib speaks with forked tongue

By Kee Thuan Chye | Malaysiakini

Najib Razak contradicted himself in his speech last Thursday at the Umno General Assembly. He spoke of the all-embracing 1Malaysia concept on one hand and of the need to retain the New Economic Policy (NEP) on the other. The Native Americans in old cowboy movies might have said that he spoke with a forked tongue.

How can you have the NEP and at the same time say that we are all 1Malaysia? The NEP is exclusive to a particular group of people, and such exclusivity sets them apart. There is no 1Malaysia; there are 2Malaysias.

Does Najib not see that or is his 1Malaysia idea merely PR spin or marketing hype?

This central contradiction is what makes many non-Malays sceptical of what he is touting. The only non-Malays who will buy it are those who are not discerning enough or who are easily bought.
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Malaysia, a land of growth no more

By Panglima Garang | Oct 1, 09 12:20pm | Malaysiakini

When I was at the KLIA airport recently bidding farewell to my family, the lingering thought in my mind was “Am I making a mistake leaving this country?”

The answer was just another question, “What good is there left in this country?”

I am not leaving Malaysia because I found something better. I am a bit tired of the social and economic mismanagement of Malaysia and racially anchored policies. I am already successful in Malaysia by any measure.

At the last count, I was in the top 1percent income bracket. I graduated from USM and joined the civil service just like any other Malaysian Indian did in the 1980s. I studied law at my own expense and time with numerous challenges just like many other Malaysian Indians did.

I awaited the first promotion you can get in civil service i.e. Senior Time scale A12.
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