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Political ‘earthquakes’ that realigned Malaysian politics (Part 1)

— Liew Chin Tong
Malay Mail Online
September 25, 2015

SEPTEMBER 25 — In the wake of an earthquake, tectonic plates will shift and realign. It takes time before gradually stabilising. In the process of seismic shifting, instead of hoping for a more stable surface, it would be better to reflect on the possible changes after the earthquake.

The spectrum of Malaysian politics experienced three great political earthquakes that caused shifting and realignment. After each shaking, the scenario that emerged was a previously unthinkable one. Once the tectonic plates shift, the outcome is a change that will never be the same again.

The first pre-Merdeka pan-Malayan General Election in July 1955 saw the success of the Alliance, using the UMNO-MCA-MIC formula. Continue reading “Political ‘earthquakes’ that realigned Malaysian politics (Part 1)”

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Playing with fire

Economist
Sep 26th 2015 | KUALA LUMPUR

Race in Malaysia
A floundering government risks igniting ethnic tensions

THE close-packed shops on Petaling Street, a dim warren in a Chinese quarter of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia’s capital, often throng with bargain-hunting tourists. This month its mostly ethnic-Chinese stallholders faced crowds of a different kind. Riot police prevented a mob of redshirted protesters—ethnic Malays with a host of grudges—from marching down the street. They eventually dispersed loiterers with water cannon. One protester was filmed calling a journalist a “Chinese pig”. Some are threatening to return.

The unsettling scuffle took place on the fringes of a big pro-government rally held in the capital on September 16th. Some 40,000 ethnic Malays gathered at a park in support of the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), the party that has led Malaysia’s ruling coalitions for nearly 60 years. The day’s events were only the latest evidence of rising tensions between the country’s Malay Muslim majority and its ethnic Chinese and Indian minorities, who make up about one-third of its citizens. Battling allegations of corruption, UMNO seems careless of the risks. Continue reading “Playing with fire”

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PKR roasted in London

Mariam Mokhtar
Malaysiakini
21 Sep 2015

The remarks sounded like fingernails being dragged across the blackboard. They were made by a member of the audience, at a dialogue with two PKR executive councillors (exco) from Penang. The questioner was straight and candid. He did not mince his words, and judging by the nods of approval, a majority of the audience, shared his sentiments.

In a forceful voice, the man said, “I think you, the opposition, have missed three times. You are not able to exploit the current conundrum in the country, because you are fractured.

“So, what are you going to do, in order to strengthen yourself for what has to be done? You have missed big time, because of your situation. That is the focus. How are you going to get together, and fight them?

“Removing Najib (Abdul Razak) is not that difficult, if you are strong. He survives, because you are weak.”

These sentiments must have been echoed in a similar fashion, by around 97 percent of opposition supporters, both in Malaysia and abroad; “Najib survives because you are weak”. The words must have stung, but the PKR exco members’ faces remained inscrutable. Continue reading “PKR roasted in London”

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From candidate as Tiger Economy to candidate for junk bonds – how far Malaysia has fallen under Najib!

From candidate as a Tiger Economy in the early nineties to a candidate for junk bonds – this is an indication of how far Malaysia has fallen under the premiership of Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

In two decades, Malaysia has transformed from a “darling” to a “villain” of the international media in our “transformation” from a model nation into a rogue state.

What has happened?

We seem to have the most useless and incompetent Cabinet in the nation’s history, unable to deal with the grave issues of the state at its meeting yesterday, especially the Sept. 16 Red Shirts Rally organized by UMNO which in fell swoop desecrated the concept and vision of Malaysia on the 52nd Malaysia Day anniversary and Najib’s own signature policy of 1Malaysia on the importance of racial peace, social harmony and national unity.

Nor was the Cabinet brave enough (with Najib absent, as the Prime Minister had left secretly for his UN, US and UK trip) to deal with two current issues which occurred after the last Cabinet meeting on 9th Sept, viz: (i) the Al Jazeera 101 East current affairs programme on “Murder in Malaysia” on new evidence on the brutal murder of Mongolian Altantuya Shaariibuu; and (ii) the New York Times report that a US federal grand jury is examining allegations of corruption and money laundering involving Najib and people close to him under the Department of Justice’s Kleptocracy Asset Recovery Initiative. Continue reading “From candidate as Tiger Economy to candidate for junk bonds – how far Malaysia has fallen under Najib!”

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Why are Police treating Jamal who is continuing to undermine racial peace and social harmony with kid-gloves when they could be twitter-quick to deal with Opposition and NGO personalities even on non-existing offences?

Why are the Police treating the Sungai Besar UMNO chief Datuk Jamal Md Yunos who is continuing to undermine racial peace and social harmony with kid-gloves when they could be twitter-quick to deal with Opposition and NGO personalities even on non-existing offences?

Jamal was back in his old game of undermining racial peace and social harmony when he threatened on Wednesday morning about a possible riot by the “red shirts” at Petaling Street tomorrow, which is likely to result in the closure of business of many of the traders, as happened on the Sept 16 Red Shirts Rally, which caused great harm to racial peace and social harmony as well as damaged Malaysia’s international image as a safe destination for foreign investors and tourists.

There is no doubt that the police would have come down hard and fast if they are dealing with Opposition or NGO personalities immediately on Wednesday morning itself within minutes after Jamal’s press conference outside a police station, but there has been no action but only empty talk by the police up to now. Continue reading “Why are Police treating Jamal who is continuing to undermine racial peace and social harmony with kid-gloves when they could be twitter-quick to deal with Opposition and NGO personalities even on non-existing offences?”

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Cops on alert for possible Isis attack in Kuala Lumpur

The Malaysian Insider
24 September 2015 10:11 PM

Kuala Lumpur is now the target of a possible attack from terror group Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. – The Malaysian Insider file pic, September 24, 2015.

Police are on alert and have increased patrols in Jalan Alor and surrounding areas in capital city Kuala Lumpur following credible information on a potential terrorist attack following the arrests of several militants from the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (Isis) in the past month.
“Yes, we are on alert. More policemen have been sent to the ground,” a Kuala Lumpur police source told The Malaysian Insider.

“It is believed to be retaliation for the crackdown against the militants.” Continue reading “Cops on alert for possible Isis attack in Kuala Lumpur”