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Call on Najib and Cabinet tomorrow to initiate a virtuous circle of development to restore confidence by focussing on the issues of transparency, integrity and good governance

Former Cabinet Minister Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz could not have put it better to describe the grave crisis of confidence the country is facing today – that the “mess” Malaysia is facing today had nothing to do with race but with governance, transparency and integrity.

I call on the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak and the Cabinet at its meeting tomorrow to initiate a virtuous circle of development to restore confidence by focussing on the issues of governance, transparency and integrity and to end the drift aggravated by attempts by some irresponsible quarters to create racial diversions like the Red Shirts movement and the Sept. 16 Malay rally to counter a non-existing Chinese threat in Bersih 4 overnight rally.

Malaysia has lost two precious months in failing to address the confidence crisis, especially since the Wall Street Journal publication on July 3, 2015 about the RM2.6 billion “donation” in Najib’s personal bank accounts for the 13th General Election. Continue reading “Call on Najib and Cabinet tomorrow to initiate a virtuous circle of development to restore confidence by focussing on the issues of transparency, integrity and good governance”

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A call to Malay M’sians to reject red-shirt menace

Prof Dr. Mohd Tajuddin Mohd Rasdi
Malaysiakini
8th Sept 2015

I am writing as a concerned Malaysian and as a responsible Muslim against the overt threats of those I will refer to as the RSMM – the Red Shirt Malay Menace.

I have no idea what the official name of this group is, so I am using my academic licence to call them RSMM. Were this a Bahasa Malaysia article, I would dub them MMTM – Melayu Merah Tiada Maruah.

But strangely enough, this article is not about the RSMM but more about the deafening silence from the Malay political leadership, the Malay leadership of public universities, the Malay ulama who are muftis, and the Malay leadership in one particular political group which claims to be the sole warriors of Islam.

From the first day that the activities of this group were reported in the media and online videos showing them as ‘pahlawan’ or warriors getting ready for battle, I have kept a close eye on not their childish statements and loud bravado but on who amongst the Malay elites of this country holding the bastion of power socially, religiously and politically would say about this group and their more-than-clear intention. Continue reading “A call to Malay M’sians to reject red-shirt menace”

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Appoint Nazir Razak as honorary Ombudsman for “stupid things” by “Power People” with jurisdiction to summon miscreants to publicly lecture them for their stupid utterances or acts which undermine Malaysia’s national image

Two days ago, I had asked whether there was a competition in Najib’s Cabinet as to which Minister could say the most stupid things, which I had entitled:

“’Walking Dead’ – Is there a competition in Najib’s Cabinet as to which Minister could say the most stupid things?”

This was after the statement by the CIMB Group chairman Datuk Seri Nazir Razak who warned a fortnight ago that those he described as “power people” should stop issuing stupid remarks amid the worsening economic crisis in the country, especially with the decline in the value of the ringgit, which had plunged to levels unseen since the 1997 Asian Economic Crisis.

I noted that although Nazir, who is also the brother to prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, had urged the “power people” in an Instagram post to “Accept & adjust quickly” as “capital is super sensitive; bad news & bad signs amplified” and to avoid saying “stupid things”, the situation has gone from bad to worse, as if there is a total breakdown of discipline of the Najib Cabinet after the reshuffle of July 28, with the sacking of Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and Minister for Rural and Regional Development, Datuk Seri Apdal Shafie.

I pointed out that in the previous 12 days since Nazir’s advice, the “stupid things” uttered by Najib’s “power people” had increase by leaps and bounds, and I listed such 13 “stupid things” said by Najib’s “power people” in the past 48 hours, i.e. at the shocking rate of more than half-a-dozen a day!

The volume and velocity of “stupid things” uttered by Najib’s “power people” had not slowed in the least, as seen by the new list of such “stupid things” from the headlines of Malaysiakini in the 48 hours after the first list of “stupid things” on Sunday, viz: Continue reading “Appoint Nazir Razak as honorary Ombudsman for “stupid things” by “Power People” with jurisdiction to summon miscreants to publicly lecture them for their stupid utterances or acts which undermine Malaysia’s national image”

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Is Umno Baru the Malays’ defender?

Mariam Mokhtar
Malaysiakini
7th Sept 2015

In the past, Umno Baru used the battle cry, “Umno Baru is the only party in Malaysia which defends the Malays”, to try and win their hearts and minds. Not wanting to be excluded, PAS would claim, “PAS is the only party that protects Islam”.

Ironically, a highly divided Umno Baru and fragmented PAS can no longer claim to be defenders of the Malays, nor the protectors of Islam, but then, they never were. There will be Malays when both Umno Baru and PAS have been wiped out.

Today, both Umno Baru and PAS are in disarray. The leaders’ greed for power, selfishness, underhand tactics and their manipulation of the Malay mind, have brought about their own downfall, and that of their parties.

These leaders failed to lead. They were only interested in feathering their own nests and prolonging their power. Continue reading “Is Umno Baru the Malays’ defender?”

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Racism is the colour of Jahiliyyah Arabs

Nurul Izzah Anwar
Malaysiakini
Sept 7th, 2015

MP SPEAKS The planned Sept 16 red-shirt racially-based rally is deeply troubling, fomenting concerns of racial provocation in times when unity is sorely needed in facing Malaysia’s many adversities. It is especially disheartening to see a minister openly supporting this racist ideology. The Star Online reported Umno supreme council member Ismail Sabri Yaakob will be sending party members to join the rally in his capacity as Bera Umno division chief.

Just yesterday a police report has been lodged against this racially provocative protest. The police must immediately act to ensure such acts of provocation does not proceed with any sense of impunity. Continuing silence from the authorities is even more troubling when contrasted with the home affairs minister’s incessant urgings to hunt the few outliers who desecrated images of PAS and Umno leaders in the Bersih 4 rally.

Notwithstanding general disapproval and condemnation over such crude insults against any political leaders as well as their symbols ; the social harmony of our society necessitates priority. The police must act to stem any efforts to racialise events – as this is clearly an effort to further divide Malaysia along racial lines.

What’s worse, the posters being displayed in KL associated to the Sept 16th event is akin to inviting violence on one racial group by another. This is completely flouting existing laws and reason and cannot be allowed to continue. Continue reading “Racism is the colour of Jahiliyyah Arabs”