By Clara Chooi | The Malaysian Insider | June 01, 2010
KUALA LUMPUR, June 1 — Pakatan Rakyat (PR) has invited Datuk Seri Najib Razak and all parties across the political divide for a roundtable talk this Friday to jointly condemning Israel’s attack on the Gaza-bound humanitarian aid flotilla.
PR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today issued the invitation to the prime minister, all Barisan Nasional and PR parties and all Islamic and non-Islamic NGOs to attend the talk, set to be held in Kampung Baru at 11.30am on Friday.
“We need to take a more serious stand in this issue and condemn this continuing violence,” he said after attending the PR secretariat meeting at the PKR headquarters here today.
Anwar added that following the roundtable talks, all invited parties would then march to the US embassy and submit a memorandum on behalf of all Malaysians, calling for an end to the violence.
“For this, we have also decided to invite the prime minister to join us in this special meeting,” he said.
He said PR parties had also jointly agreed to urge for an emergency parliamentary session to be held on Friday or latest by Sunday to allow all parties to give its united stand on the issue.
“We want Parliament to hold this special session so that we can speak out in one voice,” he said.
Anwar said it was in PR’s opinion that Israel’s “conceit and rage” had stemmed from the US government’s continuing support of the Zionist regime.
BBC video shows Isreali soldiers were clubbed and beaten the moment they landed on the ship.
@@http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/middle_east/10199862.stm
DAP shouldn’t take side as the video clearly shows that it was not Israel’s fault. Pakatan better ask the PM to watch the video and stop this hatred towards one particular race called “Yahudi” and one particular nation called Israel.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYjkLUcbJWo
Pakatan Rakyat shouldn’t politicize this issue for its political mileage.
All of us know that our media is biased when it comes to reporting news about Palestine-Israel conflict. As an opposition party, Pakatan Rakyat should know better how our local media works.
What if Najib decided to take harsher stand than the one demanded by Pakatan?
What if Najib decided to announce that Malaysia is at war with Israel?
What if Najib decided to send our troops to join other Arab countries in attacking Israel?
What if Najib decided to send those who had attended ‘Program Latihan Khidmat Negara’ to Israel?
Would DAP support Najib’s decision?
What if PAS and PKR support Najib’s decision in attacking Israel?
Would DAP join it’s partner in Pakatan so that it could appease certain group of voters?
As a staunch supporter of DAP, I would like to know what would DAP and Uncle Lim Kit Siang’s stand on this issue be if Malaysia decided to join other OIC countries in declaring war on Israel.
DAP is a secular party and not a religious party like PAS or a racist party like UMNO. As a principle-based party, DAP should not be biased when it comes to Palestine-Israel conflict.
Malaysia is going to be bankrupt in 9 years time! That is in 2019, 1 year before 2020.
And yet Malaysians are spending their time with countless marches towards US embassy, flag burning, anti-Jews slogans and and anti USA chanting.
Malaysians shouldn’t waste their precious time with this march (to the US embassy and submit a memorandum) this Friday.
Malaysians and the world should accept the painful fact that Arab-Israel conflicts will never end. This conflict has been going on for the past 1400 years.
Marching to US embassy and burning Israel and American flags ala KJ is not going to solve this Arab-Israel conflict.
Forget about being a busybody.
Concentrate on saving our country from bankruptcy! Work harder!
What can you achieve by marching and submitting a memo to USA and burning US & Israel flags?
After marching to US embassy, all of you are still going to use Intel microchip that is in all of your computers, Google (created by 2 smart Jews), use Internet (which was invented by American Jew), etc.
So what is the point?
It is better work hard like the Japanese and the Koreans than to waste time with Arab-Israel conflict!
Religion is and always has been the main criteria cause of human conflict.What is the good end result of this so called religion which most of us practice from generations if these wars of religion or race is still going on.Better be atheist if we still practice bias toward race,religion which is prohibited by god.Beh tahan!
Be smart like Brunei!
Never be a busy body!
Understand the situation first, if you need to poke your nose in.
Eventhough Malaysians are involved, see who are at fault first!
Those activists could be used by those Hamas unknowingly to spread their propoganda.
Otherwise, we’re no different than those cow head gang, if we’re to protest blindly.
Lastly, don’t mix it with our politics.
Our country and government does not qualify to talk about International injustices…especially about Israel and Palestine.
All our opinions…proposals and suggestions will simply fall into deaf ears of the super powers.
But as Malaysians….it will be nice to hear Najib’s comment on the incident.
One moment supports Palestine loss cause…and Israel is the only country…barred fro Malaysians to visit… next moment pally pally with the Israeli powerful kingpins.
We should not judge others…not Israel .not Palestine…as UMNO B have made Malaysia…filled with enough nonsense and corruptions…making any official conclusions…ignored by world leaders….including those super powers sitting on the fence..Yes .we have on brave busy body…who spoke non stop…condemning Israel for 22 years….hypnotized so many believe in him…until that man.. Mahathir was proven a great liar and dirtiest politician ..that stole from tax payers by the billions too.
Once this was known…go judge what is Mahathir’s reputation.
Now judge what is Najib’s reputation..to world stage.
When China used forces to crack down the people in Tibet and Xinjiang, why no body from Malaysian politicians stood up? When Turkey and Iraq used forces against the Kurds, all countries were quiet. Why are the Palestinians different?
It’s a downright…religious war…pulau-sibu…..centuries and on going.
That’s why Najib was react and respond with vigor and anger..since UMNO B sworn to defend their race and religion with their lives.
Why only in Malaysia…..I wonder?
Is that not strange too?
And PR is right….sort of..telling Najib……mean what you say….and say what you mean.
Najib should be please…PR is supporting him.
Hahaha, politics is the art of the possible. With so many injustices at home that we fail to address, we are fighting for justice without. Straighten our own house first and then we can talk about other people
bclp;
“Anwar said it was in PR’s opinion that Israel’s “conceit and rage” had stemmed from the US government’s continuing support of the Zionist regime….”
Malaysian not againt jews..
The only person consistent is Mahathir – in supporting NEP & condemning Israel/Zionism and of course the Flotilla attack! We now have PR’s top leaders including LKS to lead a mammoth rally (expectedly predominantly Muslim) after Friday prayers to US Embassy to protest the Flotilla attack! They even invite Najib to join (because they think he won’t) after his relationship mending visit to Washington in the recent Nuclear Security Summit in Washington. The idea is to paint Najib as Pro US and since US is pro Israel then he cannot be a champion of Muslims as (say) Anwar.
Like it or not ever since time of 1st PM Tunku, the centrality of Islam in Malaysian politics is undisputed. Malaysia played and still play a major role in OIC’s affairs for this reason. Not only Islam is official religion. Mainly because Malay Muslims are majority. The election lines are drawn (gerrymandered) to ensure their votes are given disproportionate weightage. And Islam is an inextricable part of Malay cultural identity. Ruling party cannot remain in power and Opposition has no hope to win election without this Muslim/Malay support.
That’s how Anwar came to political prominance through ABIM and together with Mahathir embraked on aggressive Islamisation for 20 years to capitalise on Islamic revival (since Iranian Revolutiuon) to out-islamize PAS. However when Mahathir was strident against US then, Anwar, after his fall from grace, would be pro American to leverage on their support (and need for moderate Ismalic friends) to buffer against his travails back here – leading to the dramatic Al Gore’s support for Anwar’s Reformasi before the host of APEC Summit in which the US was guest!
But now the leader of Ruling Coalition appears pro US : he signed the Strategic Trade Bill 2010 as Obama desired; Najib would stand with Obama and cut off oil supplies to an Iran – the hero of Muslim nations in defying so called US/Zionist hegemony- if it seeks nuclear weapons.
So Anwar has now to take the opposing stand : PR firm APCO hired by PM is Jewish affiliated, 1 Malaysis copied from 1 Israel and Israeli intelligence personnel inflitrated Police IT unit. Now the Flotilla issue is Godsend. Anwar even praised nemeseis Mahathir over his firm stance against US policies in Muslim countries (Source : HarakahDaily). Anwar now will march to US Embassy hoping to be able to say “I have invited the PM but where is he???”
Kit has to march as well. DAP is partner with PKR & PAS, the latter two Malay/Muslim doiminant. In partnership there is “give and take”. PAS “gives” in an Allah issue and helped DAP to leverage and win in Sibu! That’s why LGE also defer to this sector’s political imperatives to nurture Muslim sentiments by banning sports betting in Penang though no similar measures to ban 4Ds or Sports Toto in existence all this while. Following strictly secular ideology, though gambling is social vice, ifs its licensed its Ok as it mitigates harsher features of this vice (a like stance taken of late by Singapore). There’s freedom of choice – if one chooses vice its his funeral. This is not the stance of a paternal state or a government insistent on imposing morality or theocratic values.
if one does not qualify to teach then don’t teach. religion is good, only the people preaching is bad. It is boastful and a hypocrite for that preacher.
seen the video. they were clubbing the soldiers. It was a RIOT!! on the ship.
If Israel was replaced with an Arab state, it will just as messy. Iraq-Iran. Iraq-Kuwait. Syria-Jordan. Turkey-kurds.they will be at each others throats as well. Just Israel is more a convenient enemy.
(Continuing from preceding post) Voices of discomfort amongst some staunch opposition supporters have arisen here on why and how DAP, supported by them for “principles” could now show the other face of being governed by political expedience of appeasing Malay/Muslim sentiments over principles of siding the truth on what actually happened in Freedom Flottila raid, when video showed Isrealis commandos acted in self defence.
I can easily defend the DAP’s & Kit’s – and even Anwar’s inconsistent stand in on various grounds (subject to a caveat).
Grounds: Firstly it is reality that the politicisation of Islam has become a key feature of the Malaysian political terrain for over 50 years – one can’t change that – and Malay/Muslim sentiments are overwhelmingly pro Palestine, anti Zionist/Israel and by extension Anti US for backing its staunch ally, not to mention iits incessant interference in Muslim lands and affairs in Middle East by reason of its geo-political imperatives and super power status. If Malay/Muslim votes are indispensable for PAS, PKR and even DAP for PR to win how can they desist (from political pragmatism point of view) from not condemning Israel and by extension the US at its embassy???
Then a more pointed question: what about principles, DAP ? So flexible meh for power? How’s different from MCA?
For political success principles like these can be sacrificed for the bigger consistent principle of dislodging the Ruling Coalition or else the country continuing in patronage /race based/ Mahathir legacy will go bankrupt as Idis Jala said. Winning the Election to save the Country is the bigger Principle, that’s the DAP & PR’s position. So PR uses international issue (Flottila attack) for domestc political brownies points and mileage – but that’s exactly what BN has been doing all these while and everyone is playing the game, as it is given, by its rules to massage voters’ perception because that’s what counts and not the truth. Intellectuals – and even decent citizens vale truth – but politicians ? No : its power and the way to get and maintain it not nowadays by terror but consent by votes, meaning the importance of “persuasion”.
In international area its also that (just like domestic politics). The long and short of it, the Israelsi govt, whilst militarily superior, got outwitted by Hamas politically in propaganda sense! The latter have used human shields now by extension humanitarian shields.
Embedded amongst 700 activists from different countries are HAMAS’s agents. One just need 30 of them to bring out their hidden metal sticks and knives when the commandos raided, a raid totally anticipated because the organisers “The Turkish Humanitarian Relief Foundation (IHH)” (already infiltrated) had prior notice that the blockade would be enforced. They could bring the supplies to Ashdod Port, an Israeli cargo port, submit to a security check, and then unload their cargo but they deliberately challenged the blockage, provoked this incident for its international propaganda value to position themselves as the victims and the Israeli the Evil Empire to pressure the end of the blockade. Israel can’t do nothing else, without the blockage they have to invade Palestine to stop rocket attacks, and that too they can’t do.
Israel botched the operational aspects of the naval blockade. PR takes advantage to boot its political capital. Who cares of Israel (outwitted) or the Truth so to speak?
There’s violence alright but who started it first?
If those Israeli commandos were so bad, would any of those malaysian survived?
Pls act wisely and accordingly ‘cos this is an international crisis.
Any wrong move could label us as supporter of terrorist.
#6. It will also be nice to hear from Ros what she has to say. I hope not another full page advertisement to voice her anger on this incident.
PR cares for the necessary end result of its struggle – to win this election and rid the nation of our own Evil empire than the abstract truth!
(Continuing) Napoleon once said, when asked to explain the lack of great statesmen in the world, that “to get power you need to display absolute pettiness; to exercise power you need to show true greatness.”
When one is climbing up one displays pettiness (like what Anwar/PR doing if recent events are indicator) : so did Najib when on way up as Umno Youth leader he waved a kris but as Prime Minister he talked of “1 Malaysia’!
However PR – and Anwar in particular – should show some restraint here not to “hentam” the PM on his pro US style too much just for political capital and the reason is this:
Najib is doing the right thing to look for greater American support for his New Economic Model which is heavily dependent on increased trade and foreign investment to succeed…It is good for the country to avert the inexorable journey to bankruptcy. Unless PR does not think America is important to our economic well being.
Keeping the relationship with US on an even keel as what Najib is doing – as he is doing also with the Republic of China – is now more important than ever after Mahathir had with all his anti-Semitism to his anti-Americanism talk alienated America that benefited Singapore instead in nurturing that relationship in this Globalised world.
To many, including the business community, the realignment by Najib from anti semetic to pragmatic and mutual benefit relations with the US – US too needs moderate Islamic voices like Malaysia/Indonesia in its fight against terror – is sensible, beneficial and overdue.
If Najib, on advice of advisors, think it good for our country to mend relations with US – and PR does not really disagree on this – why leverage and “hentam” him by challenge to him to join protest with all of you against US at its embassy over this Flotilla affair?
Think of what Napoleon said.
By the principles of “pragmatic” politics, truth and what is right may sometimes be sacrificed (situationally) for sake of political goal and the imperatives of “petty” power struggle provided the goal of the power struggle is consistently the right one of ultimately to gain power to do right for the country and its peoples and evicting a failed regime. The vindication lies in not being traitor to the necessary end result which in DAP’s context is the abandonment of whatever secular principles left of national life and help to establish the “islamic theocracy” in this country by conceding endlessly to partner (PAS)’s unswerving objective pre-ordianed by the Almighty! My caveat to DAP – in transistion from a mere opposition party to a serious contended for shared power- is that its not easy to draw the line on the slippery slope in the face of enticements to power. The examples of MCA & Gerakan showed the truth of what lord Acton said about “Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely” in relation to one’s principles!
Israeli eyewitness account—
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/jun/01/israeli-soldiers-mavi-marmara
After all the previous and current postings and comments, is PR reading, listening and analysing the situation then? What’s YB LKS’s view on this? Pls be reminded that many of our family members r employees of american companies.
And the refusal to compromise one’s principles for political imperatives even at the time of petty climbing up to power is, exactly why Raja Petra refuses to join partisan politics or any of Parties. When asked why, he said that politics was “dirty” and out of partsan politics he reserved the right to “hentem” any side (whether BN or PR) if they talk C & B contrary to truth or national interest! Kudos to him – fighting the Malaysian cause without personal benefit of power etc – just a bit of respect when people treat him like celebrity, girls come forth to engage with him, which wife Marina said she was more proud than jealous!
Right you are …Chengho.
Like in Malaysia…other races are not against Malays.
We are against the government uses races to play dirty racial politics.
All understands Jews are like any human beings.
We are against Israeli and US governments…cunningly…take advantage over the weaknesses of the Palestinians.
For for the sake of religion and dirty politics too….USA government carry balls of Israel government…for Israeli controls the USA economy….and country indirectly.
US government is so corrupted…sold USA to9 the Jews long long ago…because other Americans a majority lazy braggart blokes.
Now all changed..when Alfro Americans proven to be contributing so much to the betterment of USA.
Today…the world is sick…and UMNO B makes Malaysia…..more sick….for mostly.. personal benefits.
I’m afraid either –
PR plays right into hands by the “organized group (financed by Iran???) who wish to push Israel into the sea, to wipe Israel off the world map”. This is just a blatant trap set by the group in the name of humanitarian aids to challenge & break the Israelis blockade. It is the same dirty human shield tactics to launch rocket attacks from inside crowded civilian areas.
Or –
PR is just trying to cash in on the issue to win some Malay votes, a cheap tactic I feel equally disgraceful. Surely Anwar can do better than that.
Go ask Anwar to challenge Najib to send the 2 submarines there to help break the blockade la. Action speaks louder than words mah.
Don’t people “look before they leap” anymore today? Why can’t we press for independent probe & wait for the result before we go for anybody’s throat?
How can this nation progress???????????????????
Malaysia, whether Islam centric or otherwise, whether playing a significant role in OIC or not, and whether matching to the US Embassy or not, is NOT going to make an iota of difference. The Palestinian question must go on ad infinitum so that the “freedom fighters” have jobs to do and corrupted money to take. The sympathy for Palestinians must be kept alive at all costs for politicians to keep their jobs. It is the so called freedom fighters, who live in comfort in distant lands and have not suffered a single day of misery in Palestine, that are causing even more misery to the Palestinians.
http://www.emmitsburg.net/humor/pictures/2010/ATT00008.jpg
As close as unmo and apco
Jeffrey has rightly pointed out that there are some supporter who are uncomfortable about sacrificing principles for political expediency. this is not new. He has also tried to articulate a defence for Kit’s and DAP’s position and behavior on this.
//If Malay/Muslim votes are indispensable for PAS, PKR and even DAP for PR to win how can they desist (from political pragmatism point of view) from not condemning Israel and by extension the US at its embassy???// – Isn’t this precisely the critic of sacrificing principles for political expediency? I thought this was a partnership of equals where one can have independent views and positions vis a vis DAP’s secular stance vs. PAS’s Islamic state? DAP has accused MCA of being under the hegemony of UMNO. So, who is holding hegemony over DAP? You be the judge.
//For political success principles like these can be sacrificed for the bigger consistent principle of dislodging the Ruling Coalition ..// Here we are rationalising that the ends justify the means – something I am sure Mahathir and Lee Kuan Yew can relate to. If principles can be so easily sacrificed for the ends, how do we know that once in power, that the principles will be re-discovered? For all we know, it can even morphed into a greater monster than BN as PR can be so intoxicated by having achieved control of Putrajaya. Once we start compromising on principles, we are on a very, very slippery slope. Recall, the failed 916 takeover attempt. PR has no moral standing once the frogs start to jump within their own ranks. After all, wasn’t this the same strategy they were trying until the tables got turned?
While a nice attempt, discerning and critical thinkers will not buy the justifications unless one is willing to get to power by all means regardless.
The margin in some seats between BN and PR is very thin e.g. in Sibu. So, don’t misjudge the independent voters or insult their intelligence as they will vote or not vote based on their judgement of what PR and BN offers or stands for.
MORE THAN 80 MUSLIMS WERE MASSACRED WHILE THEY WERE PRAYING IN A MOSQUE IN PAKISTAN !!!
http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2010/05/28/at-least-70-killed-in-lahore-attacks/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0F0JeGuCepk
Why there was no outrage in Malaysia?
Why Pakatan Rakyat leaders are not marching to Pakistan embassy to submit a memo this Friday?
Can Uncle Lim Kit Siang ask Anwar Ibrahim and Haji Hadi to march towards Pakistan embassy after submitting a memo at American embassy?
Ask Najib to join you guys too.
Najib: I won’t join anti-Israel procession
http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/fmt-english/news/general/6306-najib-i-wont-join-anti-israel-procession-
——————–
PR has better be extremely caustious of “meaningful people” being planted in the crowd marching to US embassy for they may have “instructed mission” to cause maximum unrest that BN can then casually pass the bug on PR.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/middle_east/article7142977.ece
Turkish charity that sent aid convoy to Gaza ‘has links to terrorism’
‘…Despite their claims to be an entirely peaceful organisation, The Foundation for Human Rights, Freedoms and Humanitarian Relief (IHH) has a history of involvement in Islamic extremism around the world and has been linked with an attempted bombing of an airport in the US.
The charity had 40 members on the Turkish-owned ship Mavi Marmara when it was boarded by Israeli Navy commandos on Monday. Nine people died in the operation.
Israeli security sources said that about 40 people set upon their commandos as they abseiled from a helicopter on to the upper deck of the ship, armed primarily with paintball guns intended for use in crowd control. The troops found themselves facing a crowd armed with metal pipes, knives and stun grenades.
The activists tied the rope used by the soldiers to a railing on the ship, in the hope of bringing down the helicopter, officials said — forcing the commander to cut the rope and leave four commandos on the deck below.
Security sources said that the assailants used a saw to cut metal bars from the ship’s railings.
The IHH, which Israel says has links with the Palestinian group Hamas, first gained attention in the 1990s. Jean-Louis Bruguière, a French investigating magistrate and an authority on counter-terrorism, has said that in the mid-1990s the group’s leader, Bulent Yildirim, made efforts to “recruit veteran soldiers in anticipation of the coming holy war. In particular, some men were sent into war zones in Muslim countries in order to acquire combat experience”… ‘
Solution: pass the flotilla-aid to the Gazans through Ashdod. That way, the Israelis and the Palestinians will both be pleased. If Israel does not pass all this aid to the Gazans, then the world can justifiably criticise the Israelis.
One should resist playing politics with humanitarian aid by trying to break Israel’s blockade, for the reason that the people who will be ultimately deprived by faulty activism would be the very Palestinians that the flotilla aims to help (knowing the intransigence of the Israelis).