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87-Day Countdown to 13GE – Persistently dishonest, unprofessional and lying BN mainstream media may prove to be the final undoing of Najib as Prime Minister and ousting of UMNO/BN from Putrajaya in 13GE

It is not only ironic but simply unbelievable that on the night of KL112, the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak could host the Umno general assembly 2012 Media Appreciation Night and speak about the importance of the media to UMNO.

Rational and independent-minded Malaysians, including the four million middle-ground voters who will decide whether it is Barisan Nasional or Pakatan Rakyat which will form the federal government in Putrajaya in the 13th general elections, must be asking whether Najib is rooted firmly to the ground in reality or is living in a make-believe world of his own.

What Najib said about the media a few hours after the KL112, which marked an important turning point in a maturing democracy, is simply surreal.

How could Najib with a straight face urge the media to play the role of an intermediary that delivers the feelings and aspirations of the people to the government and which report the grievances and criticisms leveled at the government to enable improvements to be carried out when the Barisan Nasional mainstream media, whether print, radio, television or online, have been most guilty of the very opposite, completely unrepentant in fabricating and purveying lies after lies about the Pakatan Rakyat?

For weeks, the Barisan Nasional mainstream media had told a “Big Lie” about KL112 and they are still purveying the “Big Lie” after KL112, although the “Big Lie” had been completely pulverized and demolished as baseless and untrue! Continue reading “87-Day Countdown to 13GE – Persistently dishonest, unprofessional and lying BN mainstream media may prove to be the final undoing of Najib as Prime Minister and ousting of UMNO/BN from Putrajaya in 13GE”

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This is it

— Christine SK Lai
The Malaysian Insider
Jan 13, 2013

JAN 13 — How do you describe the feeling of being part of a historic moment in time? You can’t, you just have to be there. You can ooh and ahh over all the Instantgram and Utube downloads, but nothing absolutely nothing beats being there in person, to be counted as one of the thousands upon thousands who turned up for KL 112 Himpunan Kebangkitan Rakyat rally.

By the time my gang of 3 not-so-young aunties alighted from the LRT station at Pasar Seni at about 11 plus, the streets were already packed with people of all races and ages clad mostly in yellow and green, with bright splashes of some in orange and red. To their credit, police personnel stood around unobstrusively though watchfully. Kudos also to the Unit Amal folks who managed crowd control as best they could. As we finished lunch, the crowd had swelled noticeably, all moving steadily towards Stadium Merdeka. Mercifully the sky was overcast with clouds, offering some welcome shade from the heat of the afternoon sun. It even drizzled a little but the heavens held up as people streamed into the open-air stadium.

I thought we were early but by the time we got in, the stands were already 3/4 full with a huge crowd gathered on the centre field itself. The whole thing was like some mammoth family carnival, with colourful teams waving flags, banners and placards; the atmosphere noisy with the loud intermittent blaring of vuvuzelas ….And the crowd simply grew and grew and grew. It was an amazing sight from where we were seated on the stands — a vast colourful ocean of people as far and beyond what the eye could see. Apparently there was another sea of people milling about outside the stadium grounds. Doesn’t matter what’s the final count — even that one picture on a main-line newspaper’s front-page said it all… Continue reading “This is it”

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A rally for the mind and soul

by KSD
Malaysiakini
Jan 13, 2013

I want to be completely honest. I did not expect a large crowd at the Himpunan Kebangkitan Rakyat (HKR).

I wasn’t pessimistic because I thought that sentiment had changed; my worries stemmed from the fact that the police and the government had surprising agreed to let the rally proceed without obstacles.

It is the nature of people to push back when pushed and I thought that without roadblocks, physical and psychological; without the presence of policemen in riot uniforms and tear gas canisters and without the threats of the goons from Perkasa, the people who want change would stay home.

And so, because I did not want the rally organisers to face the ignominy of an empty stadium, I went to the rally.

Before I tell you about my HKR experience, let me tell you who I am so that you can understand how I felt yesterday. Continue reading “A rally for the mind and soul”

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Mainstream media’s epic fail

— The Malaysian Insider
Jan 13, 2013

JAN 13 — Going by Malaysia’s mainstream media coverage of the Himpunan Kebangkitan Rakyat rally yesterday, a television viewer or newspaper reader can assume the organisers failed to get its targeted crowd, overfilled a stadium and participants broke the law by bringing their children.

And, oh, for some media, it was actually the Himpunan Shamsidar.

In both the Malay and English-language Sunday papers, there was no coverage of the issues of the day that drew thousands to Stadium Merdeka for three hours, or for the speakers who wanted to highlight burning issues that will be part of the election campaign this year.

None.

How can the media be mainstream if it stops covering a major event in the capital city or even cover it honestly? Is it a wonder that the circulation and readership of some newspapers have dropped? Continue reading “Mainstream media’s epic fail”

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7,605 steps to freedom

— May Chee
The Malaysian Insider
Jan 13, 2013

JAN 13 — My husband wears a pedometer whenever he walks. It read 5500 when we left KLCC and 13105 when we stepped on the grass at the Stadium Merdeka. That meant he executed 7605 steps following the route taken by the Himpunan Kebankgitan Rakyat leaders leaving from KLCC.

As usual, we enjoyed the camaraderie prevalent in such rallies. People we met in the washroom in KLCC remembered us during the march to the stadium. They were from Terengganu, Kelantan, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, etc, from every nook and cranny of Malaysia. Just fantastic! Though the crowd was made up mostly of our Malay brothers and sisters, I believe there was more than adequate representation from the whole of Malaysia.

Clearly, from the banter we had all along the way, was this clarion call for Change. Ubahlah, Kali inilah, Undur BN, Undur Isa Samad and all accompanying chants pointedly showed Malaysians need and yearn for Change. As Ambiga rightfully reiterated, “This is it”, Change must come now.

BN has been given the mandate for more than 55 years to govern the peninsula and almost 50 years, Sabah and Sarawak. The land flowing with milk and honey they promised has since been inhabited solely by themselves and their ilk, leaving many others living in subhuman conditions. This is unacceptable. We were a blessed nation with vast resources. There’s no reason why some of us are expected to be resigned to a fate so cruel and not one of our own making but that of our corrupted and greedy leaders.

The exploitation, oppression and political repression by our modern-day overseers, mouthing reforms just smack of plain hypocrisy on their part. They behave as if they are an alien authority, flogging the common rakyat for more and more. Their greed knows no bounds. Stupidity, too, if they think they can continue in their avaricious ways. Continue reading “7,605 steps to freedom”

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88-Day Countdown to 13GE – KL112 the major turning point for maturing democracy in Malaysia

The peaceful and successful holding of the Himpunan Kebangkitan Rakyat at Stadium Merdeka (KL112) yesterday is a major turning point for maturing democracy in Malaysia.

It achieved many historic firsts in Malaysia, including:

• The peaceful gathering of 100,000 patriotic and visionary Malaysians of all races, religions and region, regardless of age or gender, coming together in hope, goodwill and unity for a better Malaysia where there is freedom and justice for all Malaysians and future generations;

• No playing of the race or religious card, no race or religious baiting or incitement to provoke hatred and conflict in any of the speeches whether by Pakatan Rakyat leaders or civil society representatives;

• No dissemination of lies or falsehoods, as has become the wont and modus operandi of Barisan Nasional leaders and their propaganda organs in their attacks on the Pakatan Rakyat;

• 10-point call by Pakatan Rakyat and civil society for freedom, justice and sustainable development representing all races, religions and regions to build a united, harmonious, progressive and prosperous Malaysia;

• Pakatan Rakyat pledge with Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim leading 100,000 Malaysians chanting “Merdeka” to continue the Merdeka legacy of Bapa Malaysia Tunku Abdul Rahman who shouted “Merdeka” seven times in Merdeka Stadium on August 31, 1957 – symbolising the new phase of the Merdeka struggle to free the country from local oppressive rule;

• At the end of KL112, never before in Malaysian history has the national anthem Negaraku been sung with such passion, hope and deep feelings by Malaysians of all races, religions and regions for democratic change to bring about a better Malaysia. Continue reading “88-Day Countdown to 13GE – KL112 the major turning point for maturing democracy in Malaysia”

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Winning by popularity: Can Umno rely on the prime minister’s personal standing?

— Clive Kessler
The Malaysian Insider
Jan 13, 2013

JAN 13 — “BN needs to milk Najib’s popularity harder, say analysts” reads a recent headline (The Malaysian Insider, 12 January 2013).

Sorry, but this is just delusional.

A strategy that seeks to use Najib’s supposed popularity to save Umno/BN, to pull its chestnuts from the fire at the last moment, will fail miserably.

Umno has been around, and in charge (though in recent times unconvincingly), for over half a century.

Najib has been PM for less than five years.

So, with reason, he is less unpopular than his now increasingly unpopular party. Continue reading “Winning by popularity: Can Umno rely on the prime minister’s personal standing?”

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Letter to Hisham

— Gobind Singh Deo
The Malaysian Insider
Jan 12, 2013

JAN 12 — Tens of thousands of Malaysians gathered today at Stadium Merdeka. Contrary to what the Minister of Home Affairs would like to believe, there was no unrest, no chaos and no violence which would go down in history to yet again mark this day with the likes of earlier demonstrations in the city.

The police were not required to assemble in thousands in the city. They did not have to stand in line in the sun up against their own fellow Malaysians. The water cannons didn’t have to be used. Not only that, there were no arrests. There was no makeshift police station specifically set up to house the thousands of people arrested. There was no need for the police to send out teams of investigating officers who would need to work tirelessly taking down statements from all those arrested.

There was also no need for lawyers to be lined up outside these stations all night waiting for access to those detained. There was no need for the families of those detained to worry about their safety not knowing their whereabouts or what was to happen to them next.

There were no incidents in which anyone was injured. There was no overturning of cars, no scenes of persons being shot at by water canons or running in fear or being chased or beaten by the police.

There were no scenes of people, old or young, drenched with chemically laced water, with their eyes swollen, having difficulties breathing. There were no reported incidents of people dying on the streets.

All in all there are no news reports published to the rest of the world wherein we the people of Malaysia are depicted as criminals who run riot in our own country in need of attack from our own police. Continue reading “Letter to Hisham”

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Why are we here today?

― Ambiga Sreenevasan
The Malaysian Insider
Jan 12, 2013

JAN 12 ― My friends, why are we here today?

Why have we chosen to give up our Saturday to gather here? Together. Again.

The answer is, we love our country. We care about Malaysia. We care about Malaysians. Our children, our parents, their future, our future.

And more importantly we are here because we have hope. We think that a better Malaysia is within our grasp. We know it is. I know it is. And it is all because of you ― a rakyat that cares enough to do something about achieving a bright future for our country.

As far as Bersih 2.0 is concerned, we just want clean and fair elections. If there is to be change in the leadership, we want to do it through the ballot box. Our objectives are clear and clean and fair. Our message to all the political parties is: Respect our rights as citizens, honour our vote, and, give us clean and fair elections!

Yet I have unhappy news ― by all accounts, GE 13 will be far from clean and fair. I will not go into the details, many of you know them. The recent fiasco with the overseas voters is yet another example. The suggested process is not clean, not transparent and the conditions that have been imposed on overseas voters are not, in my view, constitutional. Continue reading “Why are we here today?”

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Tweets after #KL112 #HKR — historic moment

Tweets on 112 Himpunan Kebangkitan Rakyat at Stadium Merdeka

HKR Stadium Merdeka historic success – 100k ppl all races religions gathered in peace goodwill hope 4change #KL112 Msian democracy matured
5:22pm

100,000 throng Stadium Merdeka for ‘Uprising’ rally – Mkini m.malaysiakini.com/news/218741
5:35pm

Msians can hold their heads high that democracy is maturing #112KL held peacefully successfully. Further maturity is alternation of power
5:51pm

IGP/police deserve credit 4making #112KL “historic moment” n delivering “no casualties” pledge – major 1st step 2restore public confidence
5:56pm
Continue reading “Tweets after #KL112 #HKR — historic moment”

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Tweets on #KL112 #HKR

Tweets on 112 Himpunan Kebangkitan Rakyat at Stadium Merdeka

1. Najib, ensure peaceful rally to prove ‘best democracy’ – Lim Kit Siang (Mkini) http://goo.gl/ySV1X 20m

2. Let all Msians be proud of today. We can differ but we respect each other’s right 2peacefully assemble n express our concerns #KL112 #HKR 11m

3. Day 4all Msians 2stand up 4democracy/justice. Everyone’s responsibility 2ensure #KL112 #HKR peaceful – PR, BN, police, civil society n all 6m

4. World watching. Ensure no provocations. Let #KL112 #HKR be harbinger Msia can aim 2b “world’s best democracy” w successful peaceful assembly 1m

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89-Day Countdown to 13GE – Will Johore MB Ghani Othman be asked to retract his prediction that PR can win the 13GE with 5% to 10% majority or majority of 12-22 seats?

Last evening, Bank Islam Malaysia distanced itself from its chief economist’s prediction in a Singapore forum that Pakatan Rakyat (PR) can notch a slim win in the 13th General Election.

Bank Islam managing director Datuk Seri Zukri Samat said in statement that the bank was not a party to the Singapore Regional Outlook Forum on Thursday , and “not related or involved in anyway in the event” and that the views expressed by its chief economist Azrul Azwar Ahmad Tajudin were “entirely his personal view and should not be linked or attributed to Bank Islam whatsoever”.

At the Singapore regional forum, Azrul had computed that Barisan Nasional was likely to win only between 97 and 107 of the 222 parliamentary seats – yielding for a Pakatan Rakyat federal government a parliamentary majority ranging from eight to 28 seats.

Never mind whether Azrul’s projection is an official or unofficial estimate of Bank Islam, the fact is that this is a projection which UMNO/Barisan Nasional leaders have also arrived at based on their own feedbacks, calculations and computations – indication that the 13GE is going to be a very close affair as to whether it is Pakatan Rakyat or Barisan Nasional which is going to win the race to Putrajaya.

The Johore Mentri Besar Datuk Abdul Ghani Osman gave almost the same scenario as Azrul when he spoke to Kulai Chinese organisations on Tuesday, conceding that Pakatan Rakyat could win Putrajaya in the 13GE, although he warned that the most the Pakatan Rakyat could win would be a slim majority of 5% to 10% of the parliamentary seats.

Pakatan Rakyat winning a slim 5% to 10% parliamentary majority would range from PR winning 117 seats to BN’s 105 seats with a 12-seat majority (i.e. 5.5% majority) to PR winning 122 seats to BN’s 100 seats with a majority of 22 seats (i.e. 10% majority). Continue reading “89-Day Countdown to 13GE – Will Johore MB Ghani Othman be asked to retract his prediction that PR can win the 13GE with 5% to 10% majority or majority of 12-22 seats?”

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With polls this year, whither PPSMI?

– Hussaini Abdul Karim
The Malaysian Insider
Jan 11, 2013

JAN 11 – What has happened to the circular MOE sent to all schools last year recommending a ‘soft landing approach’ allowing all national schools to continue conducting the teaching of mathematics and science in English until 2015?

That decision made by the Deputy Prime Minister/Minister of Education, I understand, was made to allow all national schools students who started learning those subjects in English to continue until they complete Form Five.

The people welcomed that decision and we thought, BN is more people-friendly than Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) that wanted PPSMI to be abolished immediately. Parti Islam Semalaysia (PAS) also do not support the re-instatement of PPSMI but Democratic Action Party (DAP) does and they both support the increase in the content in using English language at national schools to make our students bilingual.

In fact, they also support the learning of foreign languages, including vernacular languages, in national schools.

However, it seems that many, if not most or all, headmasters of national schools in the country, including Sabah and Sarawak, have made their own decisions to stop using PPSMI and have instructed their teachers to only teach those subjects in Bahasa Malaysia beginning from the new school term this year.

I understand that many other schools have also switched upon the directive of their respective schools’ headmasters and they are now teaching mathematics and science in Bahasa Malaysia.

Has the circular been cancelled or replaced by a new one or are headmasters now allowed to make their own decisions? Continue reading “With polls this year, whither PPSMI?”

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90-Day Countdown to 13GE – Let Najib prove sincerity in wanting Malaysia to begin journey to be “world’s best democracy” by ensuring peaceful and historic holding of 112 Himpunan Kebangkitan Rakyat at Stadium Merdeka tomorrow

Yesterday evening, while on the way to Pontian to launch the DAP Tanjong Piai 13GE operations centre, I tweeted the following:

“PR to give full co-operation. Call on all Malaysians to make 112 historic day http://m.malaysiakini.com/news/218605 Police aim for ‘zero casualties’ at weekend rally Mkini”

This was after I read the report that the Police corporate communication chief, Ramli Mohamed Yoosuf had declared at a media briefing at Bukit Aman that despite casualties which happened during previous rallies and protests, the police aimed to have “zero casualties” at tomorrow’s rally.

Ramli stressed that security is the police’s utmost priority, that the police are serious about the security and safety of everyone and that this matter was also discussed at the meeting between the inspector-general of police and organisers few days ago.

At the meeting concerned last Tuesday, the IGP, Tan Sri Ismail Omar told Pakatan Rakyat leaders that he wants the Jan 12 rally to be “a historic moment where the police can learn from their past weaknesses” and gave a guarantee that the police will merely take on a facilitatory role during the planned rally at Stadium Merdeka.

It therefore came as a shock and surprise that later in the evening, there were reports that the police did an “about-turn” when the Kuala Lumpur police chief Datuk Mohamed Salleh issued a press release, wanting the Himpunan Kebangkitan Rakyat to be held in Stadium National Bukit Jalil instead of in Stadium Merdeka.

This was clearly the result of unacceptable political interference with the police by the political leadership, in view of the demands by the Home Minister, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein and the Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office, Datuk Ahmad Maslan, who is also UMNO Information Chief that the Himpunan Kebangkitan Rakyat should be held in Stadium National Bukit Jalil and not Stadium Merdeka.

I am glad that good sense has finally prevailed and that the rally tomorrow will be held at Stadium Merdeka as had been agreed with the police authorities. Continue reading “90-Day Countdown to 13GE – Let Najib prove sincerity in wanting Malaysia to begin journey to be “world’s best democracy” by ensuring peaceful and historic holding of 112 Himpunan Kebangkitan Rakyat at Stadium Merdeka tomorrow”

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In tea leaves, economist sees slender Pakatan win

The Malaysian Insider
Jan 11, 2013

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 11 — Pakatan Rakyat (PR) will notch a slim victory over the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) in Election 2013, according to calculations by Bank Islam Malaysia’s chief economist Azrul Azwar Ahmad Tajudin.

In a report by The Straits Times of Singapore, Azrul’s computations found that BN was likely to win only between 97 and 107 of the 222 parliamentary seats — insufficient to reform the next administration.

But the result would also mean that PR will only gain a shaky hold over Parliament and far from the supermajority once enjoyed by its rival.

The outcome was considered the most probable during the banker’s presentation at the Regional Outlook Forum in Singapore yesterday, and took into account factors such as race and demographics. Continue reading “In tea leaves, economist sees slender Pakatan win”

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91-Day Countdown to 13GE –BN leaders are suddenly describing Malaysia virtually as “heaven on earth” because UMNO/BN leaders conscious they can lose Putrajaya in 13GE, likely to be held by end of March

Suddenly, UMNO/Barisan Nasional leaders are describing Malaysia virtually as “heaven on earth” despite the glaring failures of 1Malaysia Policy and various Transformation Programmes, because UMNO/BN leaders are very conscious that they can lose Putrajaya in the 13th General Elections which is very likely to be held by end of March.

Conveniently ignored are:

• the worst racial and religious polarisation in the nation’s history;

• the most irresponsible politics of hatred, conflict, lies and falsehoods perpetrated by the ruling coalition and its mainstream media (MSM) since Merdeka in 1957;

• the Transparency International Corruption Perception Indices which showed that corruption under the four-year Najib premiership was worse than under all the previous Prime Ministers;

• the latest Global Finance Integrity report which showed that on a per capita basis Malaysia is No. 1 in the world on illicit and corruption money outflow (whether in terms of black money siphoned out of the country for 2010 which is RM196.8 billion or for the past decade 2000 – 2010 which is RM871 billion); or

• the TIMSS (Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study) 2011 on the two critical subjects of mathematics and science which showed that Malaysia is providing an inferior education system whether compared to other countries or with our own past.

Even Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who distanced himself from Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s 1Malaysia policy declaring that he is “Malay first, Malaysian second”, is in the forefront singing praises for Malaysia – claiming that Malaysia has now become the “darling of investors” because of the various Transformation Programmes. Continue reading “91-Day Countdown to 13GE –BN leaders are suddenly describing Malaysia virtually as “heaven on earth” because UMNO/BN leaders conscious they can lose Putrajaya in 13GE, likely to be held by end of March”

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Deep despair in BN corridors

Toffee Rozario | January 10, 2013
Free Malaysia Today

For the Barisan Nasional government to fall, the majority of the Malays must vote the opposition and that is the definitive trend today.

COMMENT

The signs are there, it is just too many. The next general election is going to deal a huge blow to the Barisan Nasional government and it will be a blow that will take BN at least 20 years to recover.

The recent revelations, coming in spurts, are a typical Umno strategy, which Dr Mahathir Mohamad used so often and that explains the succession he has passed on.

Although I am convinced that former Inspector-General of Police Musa Hasan and carpet trader Deepak Jaikishan are telling us the truth, I doubt their sincerity.

I believe they are doing this because they were short-changed. They are revealing the truth in instalments in the hope that the big pay day will come.

That’s when they will decide whether to keep quiet or spill more. But when and if that big “pay day” comes, then I believe they will wait for yet another bigger pay day; after all, isn’t the current “strategy” just pay, pay and pay?

I doubt Deepak’s claims that he will tell all. He is waiting for the big payouts and he wants it as soon as possible.

He knows as much as Najib Tun Razak, Rosmah Mansor and Mahathir that the end is near and that the BN government is going to be dumped.

In fact, they all know that and are trying their level best to intimidate the people. But this time it will not work. Continue reading “Deep despair in BN corridors”

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Don’t politicise God

by P. Ramakrishnan
Aliran
9 January 2013

When God is politicised we are in big trouble. That is what is happening in Malaysia. And that’s why we are in such a big mess.

Religious zealots have come out with edicts that defy logic and override the supreme law of the land, the Federal Constitution.

They have paid scant attention to the High Court ruling way back in 2009 that the word “Allah” can be used by the Christians.

The government has appealed against this decision. But nothing has happened for more than three years. Seemingly it is meant to be so! There is no urgency to solve this matter as soon as possible. Most people think that the delay is deliberate and politically motivated.

The claim by some members of certain organisations who had aggressively demonstrated on the premise that Muslims and Christians will be confused if “Allah” is used by non-Muslims is ridiculous and laughable. There is no merit in their claim. There is no justification for this view. What is the basis for this ridiculous claim?

Why is the word “Allah” confusing? And confusing to whom? What is so confusing about the word? It had been in use for thousands of years; yet we have not come across anyone in any part of the world who was ever confused because the word “Allah” was commonly used by Muslims and non-Muslims. Continue reading “Don’t politicise God”

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92-Day Countdown to 13GE – Malaysia as “safest country in Southeast Asia” meaningless when Malaysians live in fear everyday of worsening crime

This is what a top Barisan Nasional mainstream media (BN MSM) editorial officer blogged yesterday:

“Why are these criminals still going about their merry way robbing and hurting people at traffic lights, at their homes and everywhere?

“Why are they still so bold?

“Let me tell you why — because THEY CAN GET AWAY WITH IT and NOBODY IS STOPPING THEM OR CAN STOP THEM ..or WANT TO STOP THEM.

“I’ll be honest — I am living in fear. My family is living in fear. And we are not the only ones.

“Not only residents of housing estates fear of being attacked anytime, anyday.

“People…people driving in their cars..people walking…

“You fear when you arrive at the gate of your home — if anyone has been following you or lying in wait.

“You are just so fearful. Continue reading “92-Day Countdown to 13GE – Malaysia as “safest country in Southeast Asia” meaningless when Malaysians live in fear everyday of worsening crime”

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Desperation in December

by Rom Nain
Malaysiakini
Jan 6, 2013

Desperation evidently does strange things to God’s creatures, including some already-anxious Malaysian politicians and their minions. And nowhere has this been more obvious than during the recent month of December; a period often hyped as the season of cheer and plenty, but this time around coming across as the season of fear and stupidity.

At least for some.

If pushed for a time frame, I’d say it all began barely a week before Christmas. Perhaps inspired by a previously silent (though certainly not holy) night and the medically recommended seven hours of sleep, not one, but two prominent individuals came up in the mainstream media on Dec 20 with what they must have thought were brilliant suggestions.

The fact that they are both Malaysians linked to BN, however, made many doubt their brilliance. After all, the days of cemerlang, gemilang, terbilang went out the window with the ‘retirement’ of poor Pak Lah (Abdullah Ahmad Badawi) and has largely been replaced, since late 2008 at least, by years of temberang.

In any case, on Dec 20, the media widely reported that Johan Jaafar, chairperson of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission’s (MACC) Consultation and Corruption Prevention Panel (CCPP) had “proposed that all parties send their list of candidates contesting in the 13th general election for vetting by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC)”. Continue reading “Desperation in December”