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Perspectives on national unity: heritage, home and hope

– Ramon Navaratnam
The Malaysian Insider
February 14, 2014

My perspectives from my generation.

A. Our heritage – past

Merdeka proclamation – I was there at the Merdeka Stadium.

We felt as “One Malaya” even then in 1957.

Tunku Abdul Rahman and later Tun Abdul Razak and Tun Hussein Onn treated all Malayans and Malaysians equally.

There was no name–calling like “pendatang”.

Political leaders were far more honest, polite and civil, and served the rakyat more faithfully on the ground.

Institutions like the judiciary, police, civil service, parliament and politicians were generally much more efficient and of higher quality.

We were much more united and a national happy family. Continue reading “Perspectives on national unity: heritage, home and hope”

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New MCA leaders led by Tiong Lai and Ka Siong are doing Malaysian Chinese and Malaysia the greatest disservice aiding and abetting the baseless perception that Malays and Islam are under siege because of Teresa Kok’s video

Wee Ka Siong has come out with a most pathetic reaction to my advice to the new Liow/Wee MCA leadership to stop being xioren 小人 but must dare to speak truth to power by declaring that Teresa Kok’s video is not anti-Malay, anti-Islam and anti-royalty.

Unless of course Liow Tiong Lai and Wee Ka Siong are of the view that Teresa Kok’s video is really anti-Malay, anti-Islam and anti-Rulers, then let them say so openly, and I will respect them for it – but they must be able to prove that Teresa Kok’s video is anti-Malay, anti-Islam and anti-Rulers.

Up to now, neither Wee nor Liow is prepared to say that Teresa Kok’s video is anti-Malay, anti-Islam and anti-Rulers but the duo also dare not say that the UMNO Ministers had been seriously misinformed to believe that Teresa Kok’s video is anti-Malay, anti-Islam and anti-royalty.

If MCA leaders are not responsible for misleading UMNO Ministers into believing that Teresa Kok’s video is anti-Malay, anti-Islam and anti-Rulers, what is holding them back from openly declaring that the five UMNO Ministers who are attacked the video as anti-Malay, anti-Islam and anti-Rulers are wrong to attack Teresa Kok as there is nothing in her video is anti-Malay, anti-Islam and anti-Rulers? Continue reading “New MCA leaders led by Tiong Lai and Ka Siong are doing Malaysian Chinese and Malaysia the greatest disservice aiding and abetting the baseless perception that Malays and Islam are under siege because of Teresa Kok’s video”

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Call on new MCA leaders like Liow Tiong Lai and Wee Ka Siong not to be xioren 小人 but dare to speak truth to power by declaring that Teresa Kok’s video is not anti-Malay, anti-Islam and anti-royalty

I am really intrigued as to how at least five UMNO Ministers could be tricked and fooled by the Chinese leaders in Barisan Nasional in MCA and Gerakan into believing that DAP National Vice Chairman and MP for Seputeh Teresa Kok’s “Onederful Malaysia CNY 2014” video is anti-Malay, anti-Islam and anti-Rulers as to publicly launch a ferocious attack on Teresa Kok and the video – when there is nothing anti-Islam, anti-Malay or anti-Rulers in the video.

For the past two weeks, I have challenged the detractors of Teresa Kok’s video to produce evidence that the video is anti-Malay, anti-Islam and anti-Rulers, promising to get Teresa to retract and apologise for the video if there is any such evidence, but there had been no takers by any Barisan Nasional leader, whether UMNO, MCA or Gerakan.

This is an “expensive” lesson to UMNO Ministers and leaders not to be so gullible as to believe everything the Chinese leaders in Barisan Nasional, whether MCA or Gerakan, tell them about the DAP is true, or it is their credibility which will be the biggest victims. Continue reading “Call on new MCA leaders like Liow Tiong Lai and Wee Ka Siong not to be xioren 小人 but dare to speak truth to power by declaring that Teresa Kok’s video is not anti-Malay, anti-Islam and anti-royalty”

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Months after GE13, Najib needs to get into gear

COMMENTARY BY THE MALAYSIAN INSIDER
February 14, 2014

How did Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak survive the last 10 months in office? No seriously.

It has been one C after another C since he led Barisan Nasional (BN) to a less-than-convincing victory at the general election on May 5, 2013.

For the record, C stands for crisis or calamity, and both can be used interchangeably to describe Malaysia’s dysfunctional political, religious, racial and economic situation post-13th general election (GE13).

Recent surveys show that more Malaysians are despairing over the rising cost of living and are convinced that national leaders are clueless about the economy and don’t have a plan for the country.

Worse yet, when Najib has had to make a strong decision for the good of the majority, he has opted for the wrong option. Continue reading “Months after GE13, Najib needs to get into gear”

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What kind of society are we becoming?

– A Malaysian
The Malaysian Insider
February 13, 2014

Some weeks ago, over a glass of wine, my friend told me excitedly that she was pitching for a government-linked project and when I asked how sure she was at getting it, she sounded confident.

A few days ago I bumped into her and asked how the progress was, she sadly told me that she had chosen to withdraw because someone who had the power to make the decision wanted something in return for awarding her the project.

Being a Christian, her conscience wouldn’t let the greed of another person get the better of her. Was I surprised? Like many Malaysians, I was not surprised that people asked for kickbacks.

However, upon further introspection, I was more surprised at the fact that I was not surprised that someone had asked for monetary favours in return for awarding a project. This seems to be the Malaysian way – corrupt, uncaring, unjust, insensitive, lack of transparency and unaccountable.

Today, we are bogged down with so many issues that to me camouflage the real issue at hand… what are we becoming? Almost every day our media is filled with issues of racial division and hatred that seems to be escalating.

From cow head delivery to chicken blood smearing, from effigy burning to reward for slapping, from buttock dancing to Molotov cocktails… where are we heading as a nation? There are so many “real issues” that those in authority do not want to address.

Corruption is so widespread that people don’t even blink an eyelid to offer a bribe. There was a time when people used the term “under the table money” but today it is no longer so. Money and favours are exchanged openly and “over the table”. Do we need evidence? Continue reading “What kind of society are we becoming?”