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Why Police investigating Wee Meng Chee for sedition when there is nothing seditious in his latest 3-minute rap against the Kulai secondary school principal for making racist slurs against students?

It has been reported that the police went to the Muar house of young Malaysian rapper Wee Meng Chee 15 minutes before midnight on the eve of the 53rd National Day, leading to the following posting on Wee’s Facebook:

“3 POLICE CARS FINALLY CAME TO MY MUAR HOME TO ARREST ME***** this happened 15 minutes before our 53rd National Day Celebration, YES, I’m still here but for how long more, I don’t know … my beloved MALAYSIA, where is our justice system?! (THIS IS NOT A JOKE)”.

This message has attracted more than 4,500 comments in 15 hours.

Johor Criminal Investigation Department chief Datuk Amer Awal has denied any police plan to arrest Wee, saying that they are still investigating Wee’s case.

The Federal CID chief Datuk Seri Bakri Zinin has however confirmed that Wee was being investigated under the Sedition Act

The question is why the Police is investigating Wee for sedition when there is nothing seditious in his latest 3-minute rap against the Kulai secondary school principal for making racist slurs against students while the school principal is still scot-free for her seditious racism? Continue reading “Why Police investigating Wee Meng Chee for sedition when there is nothing seditious in his latest 3-minute rap against the Kulai secondary school principal for making racist slurs against students?”

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The ultimate Malaysian debate: Malaysia or Malaysaja?

By Nurul Izzah Anwar

AUG 31 — Perkasa claims to defend Malay rights in a multi racial Malaysia. And these Malay rights are inalienable, non-negotiable and permanent. Those that disagree with their interpretation of these Malays rights are deemed treacherous and should leave Malaysia.

In the spirit of Ramadhan and Merdeka, I would like to invite Perkasa to a Constructive Engagement for a new beginning for Malaysia with me.

I would like to ask Perkasa, several key questions to better understand, and together seek real solutions for the crisis it claims the Malays are facing.

I believe that Perkasa is the current vocal, and not necessarily the majority voice of the Malays. And by all indication, Perkasa is the alter-ego of Umno.

If Perkasa can be engaged constructively and a resolution found, then we would have answered the acid-test of Malay concerns once and for all?
Continue reading “The ultimate Malaysian debate: Malaysia or Malaysaja?”

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Freedom! Freedom! Freedom!

By Richard Loh

I intended to use the post title Merdeka, Merdeka, Merdeka but someone beats me to it.

I was 3 years old when Malaya got its Independence and at that age I cannot recalled what actually happened, only to learn in later years from history books. History are written by men or historians but along the way depending on the whims and fancies of those in power, it can be rewritten.

What I learned in the sixties was that Malayan comprising of all races led by Tunku Abdul Rahman fought for our Freedom from the British rule. Following our Freedom the country had to fight the communist insurgencies and Malayan of all races fought off the communists.

The sixties, the time that I was a teenager, the country was peaceful and harmonious (other than the communist insurgencies, which have no effect on us civilians) with all the races mixing around each other without any inkling what racism is all about while religions were never a conflict.
Continue reading “Freedom! Freedom! Freedom!”

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Door to any house of worship open

by Azly Rahman

“I sincerely and genuinely reiterate that my visit to the Surau Al-Huda was not politically motivated, and had no motive to put into question the sanctity of suraus and mosques,” Serdang Mp Teo Nie Ching said on Saturday…

Teo explained that she had visited the Kajang surau on Sunday, Aug 22, as their MP, in order to hand over to them the state government’s monetary contribution for repairs to the surau fence… She had timed her visit in order to break fast with the surau’s committee members and congregation…

“Since I was invited to say a few words, I in all sincerity gave a brief explanation of the state’s education programmes that benefit the people of Selangor,” she said, adding that she welcomed advice from all parties on better execution of her duties… (Malaysiakini report, Aug 28, 2010)

The Perkasa panic over Teo’s visit to a surau in Kajang intrigues me. The latter had gone there in humility to present a state donation to repair the fence. She is now a sensation and forced to mend fences. She may be meeting with the biggest religious head of the state – the Sultan. There will be repercussions. There has already been.
Continue reading “Door to any house of worship open”

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Traitors – A Trademark & Tradition of Umno!

By Martin Jalleh

The Umno-dominated government stubbornly sticks to the same old tricks to try to sink the Opposition. One such stale attempt is to label as “traitors” those who refuse to suck up to its spent elite leaders.

And so Defence Minister Ahmad Zahid (AZ) who apparently ran out of steam to shut the Opposition up on the Scorpene submarines scandal, resorted to calling Nurul Izzah a “traitor”.

It seems that the Member of Parliament (MP) has stained the nation’s image by revealing on 4 Aug. 2010 in an interview with Kompas, a newspaper in Indonesia, that the country’s first submarine cannot dive.

Below are his comments (in bold) followed by a response which when added up points to the ironic conclusion that it is the Defence Minister and Umno who could be the real traitors after all!
Continue reading “Traitors – A Trademark & Tradition of Umno!”

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The Mahathir prediction

by Thoma Lee
My.sinchew.com
August 30, 2010

Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has predicted that racial tension would escalate if the New Economic Policy (NEP) type of policies is removed in favour of open policies which disregard the disparities between races in the interest of equity and merit.

The former prime minister has also warned that the time is not right for changes to be made to the existing pro-Bumiputera affirmative policies.

He said that the violent Communist revolution in Europe was caused by the disparity between rich and poor, and hinted that such a scenario could happen in Malaysia if the so-called economic gap between the Bumiputeras and the other races is not narrowed.

Hence, he suggested that the affirmative policies and programmes be continued infinitum, arguing that such a protection for the Bumiputera is still necessary and that a 20-year timeline is not enough for them to become economically on par with other races. Continue reading “The Mahathir prediction”

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I am Chinese but I want to be known as MALAYSIAN!

By Philip Yong

So, the day has arrived. The day we’ve all been patiently waiting for. Yes it is finally here!

This was the day all Malaysians regardless of race stood up together to shout ‘MERDEKA, MERDEKA, MERDEKA!’ from the bottom of their hearts. Even just by imagining the atmosphere at that moment, I can feel the joy. But today, I no longer have that feeling.

Tomorrow (31st August 2010) is our country’s 53rd National Day. Wow, we’ve got our independence for 53 years already, how amazing can that be? But you know what? I don’t feel a thing. I don’t feel proud to be a Malaysian at all. Well, if you’ve been catching up with the tabloids lately, you would know what I mean. 53 years is not very long but still a substantial number. Why are we the citizens of Malaysia not united? Our National Day is tomorrow but there are still people out there fighting and screaming ridiculously accusing others of demeaning their race. Why after 53 years we still can’t be united? Why do we have to fill in forms asking for our race? Why isn’t there an option for ‘Malaysian’ in those forms? Yes I am Chinese but I want to be known as a Malaysian, is that wrong?
Continue reading “I am Chinese but I want to be known as MALAYSIAN!”

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Mahathir — Malaysia’s enigma

By Jema Khan

AUG 30 — To make sense of the various ongoing debates on the NEP, one has to have a sense of history especially for the time when Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad was prime minister.

During his 22 years as PM, the main priority of the nation was to develop at all costs. The man worked 16 hours a day, was well-read, intelligent, soft-spoken and most of all, he listened well.

He was tenacious when it came to policy; it was often his way or the highway. His detractors would call him a dictator for undermining institutions such as the judiciary and using the ISA against his political opponents. Nevertheless, when he stepped down as PM in 2003, he was still largely popular among all the races in Malaysia.
Continue reading “Mahathir — Malaysia’s enigma”

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Quo Vadis Malaysia 18 months after Najib’s 1Malaysia slogan?

This year’s Merdeka Month celebrations with the theme “1Malaysia transforms the nation” should give all Malaysians a new sense of pride and worth of being a Malaysian.

Instead, the cacophony of the racist rhetoric had never been more raucous, discordant and divisive in the first year of any previous Prime Minister in the nation’s 53-year history – reducing Najib’s 1Malaysia policy and slogan into tatters.

The 1Malaysia Government Transformation Programme (GTP) Roadmap launched by the Prime Minister in January this year declared that “the goal of 1Malaysia is to make Malaysia more vibrant, more productive and more competitive – and ultimately a greater nation: a nation where, it is hoped, every Malaysian perceives himself or herself as Malaysian first, and by race, religion, geographical region or socio-economic background second and where the principles of 1Malaysia are woven into the economic, political and social fabric of society.”

This goal of 1Malaysia was rendered hollow and meaningless when the Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin declared that he is Malay first and Malaysian second, and no Cabinet Minister dared to contradict him!
Continue reading “Quo Vadis Malaysia 18 months after Najib’s 1Malaysia slogan?”

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Merdeka, Merdeka, Merdeka!!!

By Gayatri Unsworth
August 30, 2010

AUG 30 — We celebrate Merdeka tomorrow. And what do we have to show for it? Racist educators, intolerant politicians, bigoted pressure groups, xenophobic newspapers, crimes of vandalism against places of worship and other weird and not-so-wonderful things that can only happen in this nation. What a meaningful way to usher in Malaysia’s 53rd birthday!

If only our Bapa Malaysia, the late Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra, were alive to see the state of things today. To witness how the fruits of his labour have been utilised, and to observe how the unified Malaysia he dreamt of, still remain for the most part, a dream. To watch how we’ve spent the better part of the last half-century diligently dismantling piece by piece, the Malaysian unification he strived to hard to establish. To view the rapid extinction of the tolerant, empowered Malaysian, only to be replaced by one so blinded by prejudice that he is incapable of rational discourse towards his fellow countrymen. To hear words such as ‘pendatang’ and ‘penumpang’, to see protestors stamping on cow heads, to taste tear-gas and to smell the acrid odour of corruption, discrimination, oppression, and deception permeating Malaysian air.
Continue reading “Merdeka, Merdeka, Merdeka!!!”

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Talk Like A PM, Walk And Act Like Umno

by Richard Loh

I have no intention to blog these few days because I thought that I can enjoy the Merdeka celebration but it is not to be so.

The past weeks clearly show that the PM is no longer in control of running the country. The PM is wearing too many hats. The PM is wearing too many hats that he turns out to be the most ugly looking person.

One hat he wore represented him as the Prime Minister that can only talk with all kinds of slogan and rhetoric that contain no solid substance as it will be all blown away once he changes his hat.

Trying to balance his act, he will immediately change to his Umno President hat to walk and act like Umno, forgetting what he had said when he was wearing the PM’s hat. Continue reading “Talk Like A PM, Walk And Act Like Umno”

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Fully support Teo’s apology to Selangor Sultan over Surau Al Huda controversy

I fully support DAP MP for Serdang Teo Nie Ching’s apology to the Sultan of Selangor for any unintended offence caused by her visit to the Surau Al Huda in her constituency in the course of her parliamentary duties to help her constituents.

Malaysians are shocked however at the intemperate language being used by some elements to foment disaffection.

I refer to the Malaysian Insider report today that Perkasa chief Datuk Ibrahim Ali is calling for “strong action” to be taken against Teo, saying that she must be charged for “desecrating” the Surau Al Huda.

Even more shocking, the Perkasa chief “attempted to draw an analogy between Nation of Islam preacher Malcom X, who was gunned down at Manhattan Audubon Ballroom by three Black Muslims in 1965 and Teo’s surau visit which has been highlighted by Umno-owned Utusan Malaysia last Friday”.

Ibrahim was quoted as having sent the following SMS to Malaysian Insider: “In America, Islamic preacher Malcom X, who preached to Christians and entered their churches was shot dead but in Selangor an ‘unclean DAP politician’ was dragged into the surau’s prayer room”.
Continue reading “Fully support Teo’s apology to Selangor Sultan over Surau Al Huda controversy”

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Burma’s ailing dictator resigns military post

by Ben Doherty
Guardian
27th August 2010

Than Shwe and other generals quit military to apparently ensure they stay in charge as civilians after November elections

Burma’s reclusive and ailing dictator, Than Shwe, has resigned his military post, exiled Burmese media have reported, paving the way for him to become president in Burma’s government after the elections.

Shwe, the despot who has brutally ruled south-east Asia’s poorest country as commander-in-chief of the armed forces since 1992, yesterday handed control of the army to his adjutant general. However, the 77-year-old will remain head of the Burmese government.

More than a dozen other senior military officers also resigned, in an ominous sign for the country’s forthcoming elections. Inside Burma, Shwe’s resignation of his military role is being seen as a significant step towards ensuring he and his military cadres remain in charge after 7 November’s national elections, the first to be held in Burma for two decades.

“I think this means only one thing – he wants to be president,” a source inside Burma told the Guardian. Continue reading “Burma’s ailing dictator resigns military post”

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National Day on August 31 is deadline for Najib to prove he is serious about “zero tolerance” for racism in the country, particularly by public servants

The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak should have received public feedback that his declaration yesterday of a “zero tolerance” towards racism and pledge to take immediate action against those found to have made racial slurs had been received with great cynicism countrywide as another Najibism which is good for soundbites and publicity but never to be taken seriously – that it would be forgotten once delivered.

In fact, public cynicism about Najib’s political will and leadership after 16 month as Prime Minister in his various policy pronouncements because of the large gulf between proclamation and action has culminated in Merdeka month celebrations this year with the theme “1Malaysia transforms the nation” highlighting the failures of Najib’s 1Malaysia rather than celebrating the new Prime Minister’s signature nation-building programme.

The question now is whether Najib can inspire confidence in time for National Day on Tuesday, August 31st in his “zero tolerance” policy for racism by taking firm and decisive action in the next 60 hours against racists who had created inter-racial misunderstandings and tensions in the past weeks?
Continue reading “National Day on August 31 is deadline for Najib to prove he is serious about “zero tolerance” for racism in the country, particularly by public servants”

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Teo Nie Ching apologises to Sultan of Selangor

DAP MP for Serdang Teo Nie Ching has issued a public apology to the Sultan of Selangor over the Surau Al-Huda incident. Her statement reads:

Pada hari Ahad 22hb Ogos, saya sebagai ahli parlimen Serdang telah mengunjungi Surau Al-Huda, Kajang bertujuan untuk menghulurkan bantuan berbentuk sumbangan kerajaan untuk memperbaiki pagar surau, dan berbuka puasa bersama ahli jawatankuasa dan jemaah surau.

Oleh kerana saya telah dijemput untuk memberi sepatah dua kata, saya dengan secara ikhlas memberikan sedikit penjelasan mengenai program pendidikan kerajaan negeri yang memanfaatkan rakyat Selangor.

Saya menyesal bahawa perkara ini telah menimbulkan perasaan keresahan antara umat Islam negara kita dan isu ini telah diperhangatkan oleh pihak-pihak tertentu atas sebab-sebab politik. Continue reading “Teo Nie Ching apologises to Sultan of Selangor”

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Anwar Ibrahim again battles dubious sex charges

by Mark MacKinnon
Globe and Mail
Aug. 27, 2010

Prosecution appears to be thinly veiled attempt to ruin Malaysian opposition leader’s reputation and political career

There is an uncomfortable pattern to life for Anwar Ibrahim, the charismatic leader of Malaysia’s opposition. In 1998, shortly after he quit the authoritarian government of Mahathir bin Mohamad, he was convicted and jailed on trumped-up sodomy charges.

Six years after that conviction was quashed and he was released from prison – and just as it looked like he and his multi-ethnic coalition might finally oust the long-ruling United National Malays Organization from office – Mr. Anwar finds himself trapped in the most awkward of reruns, once more accused of “consensual intercourse against the order of nature.”

The charges again look to be a thinly veiled attempt to ruin Mr. Anwar’s reputation and sabotage his political career in this Muslim-majority country. The trial to date – dubbed “Sodomy II” in Malaysia’s unsubtle government-controlled press – has produced a succession of lurid headlines about lubricant tubes and stained underwear, while Mr. Anwar and his lawyers have been denied the right even to see the medical records of the man with which he is alleged to have had anal sex.

But instead of letting the scandalous court proceedings force him to the sidelines, the eternally optimistic Mr. Anwar has been using good humour and his ever-present BlackBerry to turn even the most awkward of headlines to his advantage, holding up the charges against him as proof of the absurdity of the system he’s trying to change. Continue reading “Anwar Ibrahim again battles dubious sex charges”

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Najib should walk the talk of a zero-tolerance policy for racism and religious incitement starting with Utusan Malaysia with zero-tolerance for delay in taking action

The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak has finally broken his silence, declaring a “zero tolerance” policy towards racism and pledging immediate action against those found to have made racial slurs.

It is welcome although belated – provided it is not an empty declaration. Najib’s belated declaration raised the question whether he means what he says for two reasons:

Firstly, it has taken him two long weeks to make his first public statement since the deplorable incident at the launch of the Merdeka celebrations of Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra, Kulai, where the school principal Hajah Siti Inshah binti Mansor said: “Pelajar-pelajar Cina tidak diperlukan dan boleh balik ke China ataupun Sekolah Foon Yew. Bagi pelajar India, tali sembahyang yang diikat di pergelangan tangan dan leher pelajar nampak seakan anjing dan hanya anjing akan mengikat seperti itu.”

In my statement on Tuesday 17th August, I had asked the Prime Minister and the Cabinet to put the issue on top of the Cabinet meeting the next day for two reasons: Continue reading “Najib should walk the talk of a zero-tolerance policy for racism and religious incitement starting with Utusan Malaysia with zero-tolerance for delay in taking action”

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Where has our leadership gone?

By Sakmongkol AK47

Sometime in 2007, Lee Iacocca, wrote a book titled ‘Where Have All The Leaders Gone?. In light of what is happening, I find the subject matter of the book, becoming more relevant by each passing day. We should now begin asking the same question- where have all our leaders gone?

In the early part of the book, Iacocca asks a question which we Malaysians should also be asking- where the hell is our outrage? We should be screaming bloody murder at what’s going on.

The level of corruption goes unabated. Ezam Mat Nor says he has got boxes and boxes of hard evidence against Rafidah Aziz and Mat Nor Yaakob and a slew of UMNO leaders. Why doesn’t he turn them over to the government? Rais Yatim should be arrested for concealing material that can help the government bust the 18 high profile corruption cases that he once loudly announced. Was that his pompous piety and righteousness that were on display? Where are the evidence? RTM itself should be investigated as to why only one company seems to monopolize all the advertising rights?
Continue reading “Where has our leadership gone?”

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Eh, Tun dah lupa?

By Art Harun

Every year, during the first two or three days of fasting, I suffer from headaches. That is because my blood sugar level drops. Thank God this will go away after the 3rd day of fasting.

Low blood sugar level may cause hypoglycemia. In some cases, symptoms of hypoglycemia include impaired judgment; irritability; belligerence; confusion; belligerence, combativeness and rage. Thankfully, as far as I know, I don’t have those symptoms.

When Tun DrM said yesterday that meritocracy and “meritocrats” are racists, my first reaction was one of irritation. Then I was bemused. Later I was amused. And finally today I think it must have been the fasting month and the obvious low blood sugar level which was affecting him.

Meritocracy as I understand it is the act of rewarding or awarding an individual or a body of individuals or any entity with anything based on merit. Like awarding a student who has scored 13 As in SPM a place in the university. Or awarding X Sdn Bhd a contract to maintain a submarine because X Sdn Bhd has successfully maintained 15 other submarines before this without any problem at reasonable costs as compared to any other company who were bidding for the job.
Continue reading “Eh, Tun dah lupa?”