With whom will the army stroll?

by Azly Rahman

No man is an island, entire of itself;

every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main.

If a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less,

as well as if a promontory were,

as well as if a manor of thy friend’s or of thine own were:

any man’s death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind,

and therefore never send to know for whom the bells tolls; it tolls for thee.

– John Donne, English poet

We do not need an emergency rule unless we are still living in 1969. Those days are over. Majlis Gerakan Negara (MAGERAN) is history. This is a time for the natural state of things to unfold. A time to let a hundred flowers bloom. The semiotics of structural violence must not be paraded in front of Malaysians who now know how to protest peacefully.

They know what a totalitarian regime means. They now know what separation of powers means. They want to see an urgent evolution of this philosophy. Only those in danger of losing power want to maintain hegemony and will use the ideological state apparatuses to maintain power. Machiavellians included.

Emergency rules are for nations in desperation. For dictators facing an imminent and violent political death. For despots who refuse to detach themselves from power. For governments that allow prime ministers to rule for as long as they like. Ours is not. We do not have dictators. We have democracy yearning to break free.

Suharto, Idi Amin, Shah Reza Pahlavi, Somoza, Noriega, and Marcos were are all tyrants. Some fell from grace because of the greed of their women. Typical Marie Antoinette syndrome.

Police must maintain justice

We are evolving into a civil society in which civilians are beginning to speak up in the name of building our own civilisation from the possibilities of social and global justice, universal human rights, cosmopolitanism, and radical multiculturalism. A deployment of the army will kill this image of a civil society, right at its infancy.

Soldiers fight to protect external enemies of the people, not to protect corrupt politicians against their own people. The latter is philosophically wrong.

The police are supposed to be maintaining justice in a world of irrationalities and unjust behaviour. The police need no extra protection if they are true to their conscience and always available and reliable to protect the citizens, even against elected representatives who abuse power.

An image of the army on the streets will be a violent one – both in truth and perception. We need not go that route – the route of Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Uganda, or Burma. We are gentle people with gentle ways of dealing with conflicts. We are not a junta nation. We do not have Hutus and Tutsis.

A gentle people

Gently done, we know when to remove a regime that is no longer gentle to the people who voted it into power. Gently, the Internet will take its natural course in igniting mental revolutions first, and peaceful revolutions next. Gently done, we know how to protest loudly against the violent and sudden price hikes, massive corruption, death of the judiciary, and even unsolved murder mysteries.

We do not need the army on the streets. We need to instead arm ourselves with revolutionary ideals, to hold on fast to our dreams of a republic of virtue, and to use the Internet to voice our dissenting views and to engineer regime change.

We are already an army of intellectuals in our own way, patrolling the mindscapes of Malaysia, spreading the message of peace, policing against politicians that are corrupt to the core. We are an army and a police ourselves. We do not need the semiotics of violence to take root.

Malaysians are gentle people. Only the media is getting more and more violent, feeding our children with stories upon stories of sex, lies, murders, and political intrigues.

Forgotten, unheard stories

We have forgotten the more important news of the day: the rakyat suffering through the recession and possible depression, youth losing their moral compass, failing schools, sprawling urban poverty, continuing systematic spread of racist propaganda in schools and universities, breakdown of family values, siphoning of the nation’s wealth out of the country, declining standards of our universities and a plethora of other issues we should be addressing and finding solutions to.

And many more. Stories of the rakyat. These are the masses whose stories must be heard. These are not the elite whose stories are pushed daily to the forefront, shoved into our consciousness ad nauseum.

No, the army must stay home and meditate or at best be deployed as peacekeeping forces for the United Nations. The people must be trusted to express themselves freely, peacefully.

Malaysian rallies are becoming huge family events. People come in all shape and sizes, from all walks of life, from a hard days’ work to listen to music and their favourite revolutionary leaders, and to renew their commitment to regime change.

The people are armed with better knowledge of what will work for them as Malaysians and what has miserably failed. They want change because the only permanent thing in this world is change.

No, we do not need the army patrolling the streets. The family members of the army and the police are also suffering from the recession and the astronomical increase in the price of everything. They too are armed with the knowledge of why the country is messed up as a result of the messing up of global and local politics.

For whom the bell tolls

In the end, the bell tolls for thee. When the time comes for the truth to surface, no army can stop it from violently appearing from the ground beneath. No police can guard truth from appearing in the eyes of the public.

No army can defeat revolutionary forces that install better regimes through peaceful, silent, ethical and intelligent means. No iron bars can imprison the conscience and the yearn for one to speak the truth to power. The goodness in men and women will be the best police and the best army.

Man is born free yet everywhere he is in chains.

No army on our streets, please. We are Malaysians. We must let justice take it natural course.

72 Replies to “With whom will the army stroll?”

  1. Today a celebration of Nelson Mandela’s Birthday is on. It is pertinent to remind at this juncture of what that honorable man stated the day he became president quoted from BBC Mandela the president was running late on his way to witness south African football team and there he walked to an old police colonel, he put out his hand and stated ‘ Colonel, I just want to tell you that today you have become our police. the African National Congress won the election and I became the president. I want you to know there is no more more US and You and you are our police.’

    This country sorely lacks such leaders, not in the past, not in the present and probably never in the distant future.

  2. I agree with observer. Police and Army consists of Malaysian ppl too, and they suffer together with the rakyat. It is the Leaders that r to blame if anything!

    Of course if their leaders are corrupt, you can’t really blame them for following suit, can you?

  3. The job of the army is to fight enemies that come from another country whereas the job of the police is to fight enemies that originate from within the country. I hope Pak Lah does not get the job of the army and that of the police messed up!

  4. Malaysia, a civil society, we still have a long, long way to go. It is not because of lack of trying on the part of the rakyat, it is because, the corrupted BN leaders of this country chose not to care.
    We have a PM that encourages lies and corruption, a DPM, Minister
    of Defence, who is only capable of protecting his own criminal activities. A home MInister does not know what his talking about. The biggest joke of all, we have AG and IGP to be administers of the law and order of this land. How could we possibly advance to be a civil society that the rakyat are desperately crying for. Remove these BN, we will see the light shinning through!

  5. Face it, Malaysians, especially Chinese are afraid to see the army on the streets. Well, at the same time, I am afraid the Malays are also afraid they will lose more than just Malay rights if they allowed UMNO to declare the state of emergency. Yes, army is scary, war is very scary.

  6. Hope my pridiction does not materialize..i.e West Malaysia under military rule, Sabah taken back by the heirs of the late Sultan of Sulu, and Sarawak becomes independant with Singapore!

    Under the present political senario and climate, the PKR just cannot get the numbers they want and even if they do get that extra magical 30 nos, it will be a very2 weak government.
    Best solution is for the PKR to govern the five States well and show the rakyat what is posible under a new government. Come next election, the rakyat will response accordingly.
    What will be, will be!

  7. The authorities require a fresh DNA sample from Anwar Ibrahim because the sample extracted 10 years ago is too old, said Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi today.

    AAB is talking nonsense, a scientific fool trying to misguide people who are ignorant about forensic DNA. Whoever advised AAB is trying to pull wool over our eyes!

    Ask any forensic DNA scientist and they will tell you this: if AI’s DNA sample was properly extracted (from blood or cheek cells) 10 years ago and if the DNA markers (microsatellite markers) were properly typed and recorded 10 years ago, the results (comprising the various alleles typed at a number of microsatellite loci) obtained then will still be valid today!! We presumed that Jabatan Kimia Petaling Jaya should already have a record of the DNA types of AI, otherwise how was AI prosecuted then? Or was AI persecuted?

    There is absolutely no need to obtain fresh biological samples from AI to determine again his DNA types. Unless AI’s fresh biological samples are meant for something else?? Can we trust the chain of evidence will not be broken and unaccounted for?

  8. The very word, “elite,” denotes position, power and privilege. It is not a very good word to describe yourself when you are in the company of egalitarian Americans, Australians and Kiwis.

    There is actually an American sociological book on the Elites.

    Of course, to the politically connected in Malaysia, they think they own the world and can do whatever they like. Little do thy realise that if their political masters can favour them with something they can only favour others with the same thing, thus causing detriment to themselves.

    Idiots all.

  9. rainbowseahorse, fine until here. But what if another 4 or 5 years are just too long? If the damage done becomes unbearable? If we were talking about abolishing racial policies, I think we could wait until GE13. We’ve had those policies for 51 years now. But we also had some good governance, checks and balances. Under TDM at least we experienced huge development, and increasing wealth for everyone. Now the purchasing power is in decline, we have a tainted AG, a tainted IGP, a tainted Home Minster, a Minister of Defense who ponders about sending soldiers out to control the streets if his personal needs so dictate. With a powerless PM, who has taken to love the gravy train that comes with his office, and who is kind enough to support his son in law desirous to take over the premiership. In short, we are approaching the brink of a collapse of central power. Democracy is one thing not: the incumbent deciding on the succession plan, his successor. The average Malay is too much of a gentleman to likely take offense, and will, if need be, suffer silently. But he deserves better. The decline has accelerated in the last one or two years. What is the point, what could be your point, to accept more, worse? What could the best and most competent government do after 2013 with a country basically scorched?
    Why should we allow that, can you give a good reason why we should allow to be sodomised for another 4 or 5 years?

  10. The nation is indeed at a cross road , and at a cross road one has to make a choice on which junction and direction to take.

    It is imperative that the rakyat see the urgency to move as one entity so that we would reach a common destination.

    Of course the destination would ideally be one which everyone of us wishes for: Unity, Freedom of choice, Abundance, Equality, Prosperity, Law and Order, Tolerance, and all that bodes well for everyone of us. A Utopia of sorts, or at least something which is close.

    For that to happen, of course, there are preconditions and conditions which must be fulfilled.

    An objective could be reached either somewhat possibly or with much obstruction and difficulty, depending on the will and desire of the people. As the cliché goes: If there is a will, there is a way. Of course if the players remain focused and determined, the objective would be achieved at the end. On the contrary, if there are disagreement, disunity, lack of direction and focus, the results would be chaos.

    With the current political landscape, there is an urgent need to take a deep look at the set-up of the major administrative bodies, political agencies, policies and the constitutional charter, in order to cater to changes which are required for the nation to move with times. If this fundamental exercise is not done, then we would not be able to move ahead in a manner which would be desirable for the nation and people. And the dream of seeing a developed nation status would remain just a dream.

    Parochial tendencies and attitudes should be discarded so as not to stand in the way of progress. The nation need leaders from all communities who are sincere and determined. No less important are full commitment, persistence and perseverance, honesty, goodwill, and a common desire to achieve an equitable and fair destiny.

    Of immediate importance would be to do away with race-based and communal politics and political parties. The time has come for the abolishment of race-based political parties. All political parties should be open to all communities, without any consideration of religion, ethnicity, or creed. This would lead to the removal of race-sensitive policies and tendencies.

    Our country would then be spared the parochial squabbling which would drain away time, energy and resources could otherwise be put to better and more productive use.

    A new set of leaders, in the spirit of our founding fathers, is an important prerequisite. It should transcend narrow selfish interests and consideration, overcome archaic and unfounded fears, parochial thinking, and suspicion of any kind. The equal participation of all ethnic groups is imperative. And meritocracy in its fullest sense should prevail, without any reference to unfair and unnecessary quotas.

    Then and only then would we be ready for the next stage of nation building which we had hope for and envisioned all this while.

  11. Malays, Indians, Chinese, Kadazan or whatever races are all Malaysians.
    Make Peace Not War.
    Just ask anyone on the street if they would like to see the man in Blue and Green all over the place.
    I strongly believe now it’s 21st Century. We did not experience 69 and all of us would not want to. In fact , all of the older generations have horror stories to tell about emergency ruling period.
    Behind it, you would hear even more touching stories about this Malay family seeking shelter from Chinese family and vice versa.
    Underneath the colored skin, the blood that flowed is still red. Unless of course you are from Mars.
    For today it’s Nelson Mandela’s birthday, I hope that Malaysians can learn from his struggle against aparteid and fight for true democracy in Malaysia against racial biasness. For a nation will only grow and peaceful with total fairness.
    Long Live Malaysia

  12. Some people here are just talking senseless stuff. What do you mean by supporting Sarawak’s independence? We shall all working toward a more liberal and inclusive Malaysia where every state, every race and every tribe shall have its place under Malaysia’s sun. That should be our primary focus. Sometimes they are people here creating too many unnecessary distractions for our own good and giving reasons to whoever to impose emergency and probably army rule.

  13. I wonder the stupid MCA party and its members really know that they are now the kingmaker. UMNO and this UMNO government is a lost cause. I suggest all the corrupted Ministers, judges, high ranking officers who are on the take look for some exit road. If MCA can pull itself away from the big UMNO bully, they may still have some chance of survival. If not they will die as well. Don’t you know that you have been sodomised all this while, stupid MCA members. You sold your soul and your race for self-gratification. The time of reckoning is near. I like to see you shit in your pants when the ACA pulls you fellas out to give you what you deserve.

  14. Mr Azly,

    If you had come from the 69 generation, I thank you for persevering..We have come a long way since then…

    Idealistic as I may be hoping for change, I wish not to see troops along Jln Tuanku Abdul Rahman nor at Jalan Ampang etc..

    Whoever started with the army coming out thingy and now with this thread starting,have really got a twisted sense- while we all disagree with much of todays’s ills, sufferings and oppression, and of course the blame squarely on BN’s shoulders, the costs of the army running out onto our streets is something that we DO NOT want to see..

    Differences no matter how deep, interests no matter the value in billions or USD stashed away in SAN Marino or Switzerland, does not equate in value to the drops of innocent blood spilled on our streets.

    To those instigating and to those defending-Please take a step back and heave a deep breathe- surely there must be better ways
    Baling talks maybe?- I stay in KL-if anyone of those personalities involved want to come to my house incognito for talks, most welcome- at least in 30 years time, my living room can be pictured in the Sejarah books

    We struggled through 50 years together, 39 years passed us by without the need to see blood-why now the bugle call?

    Is it because some of us are getting old?
    Is it because 20 -30 years have simply slipped by and still not be able to helm?
    Is it because there appears now an oppurtunity with the addition of a great orator?
    A great stage performer?

    While it is intoxicating to feel the throb of being driven around with police outriders and special squad ESCORTING instead of ARRESTING, is it all worth it if there is spillage on the streets?

    Dear white haired former Lord President( I humbly urge you and your brethen pardon me, but not including SULU : )) , Dear white haired former BBC Chairman (I humbly urge you and your collegues to crack the whip) and to all those going white over the past few weeks.. my humble request to the 2 most powerful institutions that can make a change to all the circus going on today..

    What we see today if stripped bare to the bones- it is about personalities at odds, and with these personalities, they control a wide spectrum of our daily lives to the extent of influencing sexual and murders allegations-Are they then fit to lead us beyond 2013..or 2010?

    Leave them to their wits and allow them to slug it out and the fittest survive..Yes, well and fine…but it is just the handful of them. What about us? the rest of the 27 million of us? what about our interests? our economic interests? our future?

    Come clean and be honorable… how much longer do you guys want to perpetuate your legacy?

    You have $oooo much stashed away, leave us the little that is left so that we are able to live slightly comfortably for the rest of our breathing years..Please do not leave us with a scorched EARTH.. I am old, it is heart wrenching and torturous for me to build my life up again…and sad if I know that in the chaos I have lost my Malay and Indian neighbours…

  15. No compromise on fundamentals, remember, army or not.

    Better to be dead actively resisting arbitrary and dictatorial authoritarianism/fascism (but passively without the use of armed force) than to live dead lives in forced or self-imposed (even if gilded) cages of catatonia in self-denial as either human slaves or fattened cows and sacrificial lambs subject to the arbitrary will and whims of little Malaysian Hitlers.

    Far too many good people all through history have sacrificed and even died fighting for those human liberties and justice for the likes of you and I to enjoy, and which so many seem to take for granted nowadays and so show such scant respect for.

    I hope Anwar Ibrahim will stand firm and refuse pointedly to agree to give his blood/DNA sample to this corrupt regime and its deliberately corrupted systems of law and order where there clearly appears to be no guarantee whatsoever of anyone receiving fair and just treatment under the existing rule of law, and so gaining justice.

    Definitely not.

    Certainly not until the present institutionalised incompetence and endemic corruption – whether real or perceived – that seems to be so virulently rife and prevalent in the nation’s Government, the civil service, the MSM, the brutish police force, the EC and the unforgivably sycophantic-like AG and judiciary is changed once and for all so that these core institutions and prime office holders become once again seen and accepted by the people as honourable, professional and accountable models of good governance, and so deserving of the people’s confidence and respect.

    “Imagine Power To The People” John Lennon.

  16. Malaysia is at the crossroads – will the rakyat allow BN with collusion from the police and judiciary to continue plundering the nation’s riches and take the nation down the road of self-destruction? Words by 2 of the world’s great leaders who preached non-violence and civil disobedience should point in the right course of actions.

    Mohandas Gandhi:

    – First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.

    – Non-cooperation with evil is as much a duty as is cooperation with good.

    – There is a higher court than courts of justice and that is the court of conscience. It supercedes all other courts.

    Martin Luther King, Jr.:

    – Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed.

    – He who passively accepts evil is as much involved in it as he who helps to perpetrate it. He who accepts evil without protesting against it is really cooperating with it.

    – Never forget that everything Hitler did in Germany was legal.

    – The hottest place in Hell is reserved for those who remain neutral in times of great moral conflict.

    – The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.

    – The ultimate tragedy is not the oppression and cruelty by the bad people but the silence over that by the good people.

    Let’s hope there are enough MPs, police and judges with conscience who will act to prevent grave acts of injustice.

  17. I belief the army can be very professional, but I worry most is the police. Since the army has less skeleton in the closet for the PR government to dig.. But for the police, we all know what PR government can do when it takes over.

    The Minister (not sure whether he is voted in by the Rakyat or not.. I don’t think so.. but in what i know he was not voted in) thinks that the PR government in Selangor failed to control it people.. Hello… We are not here for you to control lah.. stupid! Minister of Back Door Entry.. or rather Minister of Sodomy and shamelessness

    Read here…
    http://shiokguy.blogspot.com/2008/07/failed-in-controlling-its-people.html

    Shiok Guy

  18. We can expect martial law in our country very soon.Malaysia will join the club in the name of peace.The rule of law has broken down and to save the majority, the army and the police have to be brought in.We are not prepared to see how democracy works.We just cannot accept any other parties except Umno and the BN; if the fail the solution is emergency.This will go on till another set of Umno/BN will appear.This will be the norm in our country.We must unite to get rid of this mentality once and for all.

  19. Dgard says: “..But what if another 4 or 5 years are just too long? If the damage done becomes unbearable?..”

    Yes indeed, 4 or 5 years is a long time in political time scale. But, as I said, under the present political scenario, what other choices do we Malaysians have? The opposition, if they ever get round to it, is just too fragile to be an effective government. I think 80% of Malaysians desire changes, but I don’t see us getting one anytime soon. Also most Malaysians are basically none violent by nature, and this was precisely what Pak Lah depended on when he allowed the hefty raises in the food & fuel prices. He must have said: ”Tk apa lah! Marah, marah sajah lah!” in making those decisions. I stand by what I said, and that is the best thing is for the opposition to give good governance to the five PKR States and show the rakyat what is possible under a PKR government. But I believe Pak Lah is also trying to reverse the fortunes of UMNO by cleaning out corruption (somewhat), and being more liberal (e.g.we bloggers are allowed to voice our opinions & feelings, live TV debate between DSAI & Shebery, etc) in an attempt to win back the rakyat’s support.
    So, for now, we just shall have to wait and see who will win our hearts and our votes in the next eletion.

  20. Malaysia will nevr get the desired two parties system under this administration. If the PKR EVER gets round to being the government, perhaps then we might, but only just might, get to that.

  21. ShiokGuy Says: “…I belief the army can be very professional, but I worry most is the police. Since the army has less skeleton in the closet for the PR government to dig.. But for the police, we all know what PR government can do when it takes over.”

    Is it possible that is precisely the reason Pak Lah why brought in the army with the intention of controlling the police? After the immigration shakedown, perhaps the police force is next? Hmmmmm, interesting!

  22. I think that the shadow of being criminally investigated and being thrown into jail makes those in power turn desperate and resort to the ridiculous antics we were subjected to in the last weeks.
    Perhaps gentle and forgiving Malaysians that we are, we could tell these ‘criminals in power’ that if they put down their weapons willingly we will let them keep tkeir money and leave the country without prosecuting them

  23. “For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled.” Richard Feynman

    For all the talk of technology, knowledge, human capital that is being bandied about by BN politicians and government, this fundamental idea seems to escape them. Their way is condemnation of ultimate equality with the best and highest standards, i.e., mediocrity in perpetuity.

  24. if feudalism is moving its end then the next phase is warring states

    simply it means rule of the warlords , a close model is in africa but they are moving away from that now, thanks to civilized people influences.

    So who cares who these nose-ringed people, they r supposed to listem to orders and may not wait to long to see some one would like to have a go to round up and become that Aspiring war monger from the crowd ..he had already been talking roused about past glories and claims

  25. Dear YB LKS,

    This is a very good posting “With whom will the army stroll?” – by Azly Rahman, in your Blog & very “Timely” indeed to address the “Downtrodden rayaat’s” (trying to make ends meet) plight & pleas to their National, State Elected Representatives, the Media, Bloggers, etc.

    You & your team including The Blogging community have struggled & persevered to voice the “Downtrodden rayaat’s” plight & pleas to the Powers-that-be at all forums & platforms but they are still in Denial.

    I had commented in one of your earlier Blogs including other Blogs: quote.

    1. G. W. F. Hegel quotes :

    “What experience and history teach is this – that people and governments never have learned anything from history, or acted on principles deduced from it.”

    Alex Haley quotes :

    “Unless we learn from history, we are destined to repeat it. This is no longer merely an academic exercise, but may contain our worlds fate and our destiny.” unquote.

    2. Quote : With the Powers-that-be still in “Denial” & maintaining their “Auto-Pilot Self-Destruct” mode path there is nothing much more that our new MPs, State Leaders, Aduns, Intellectuals, including DSAI, etc can do to change their “Paradigm”.

    Their motto has been, is still & will always be “Heads I win, Tails you Lose!”

    Maybe we should just give them more rope to hang themselves at every turn towards their Auto-Pilot “Self-Destruct” mode path !

    To all my fellow God fearing, Law abiding, Tax paying, Peace Loving Malaysians, please stay COOL & Do Not fall in their TRAP !

    Just reposition yourself & family, fasten your seatbelts Tight, be UNITED to ride this Political Tsunami & the fast approaching Financial Tsunami !

    Have no Fear….Have Faith as God will continue to “Bless & Protect” the Malaysian rayaat & their “True Defenders of Justice & Freedom for Malaysia & all Malaysians”. Unquote.

    3. MT Chatroom

    flyer168 (User)

    Aviator

    Fresh Boarder

    Re:Can the King solve the current UMNO leadership problem? 2 Days ago Karma: 0

    Not yet at this stage as DYMM Agong will be the Last Bastion for this nation & its people.

    First we all (all parties including the rayaat) have to “Walk our Talk” together with our newly elected representatives through Parliament, Dialogues,etc to do our own SWOT Analysis/Test – Strength-Weakness-Opportunities-Threats.

    Next to apply the CLEAR model for the nation & rayaat’s plight – Clarify-List-Evaluate-Action-Review at every milestone of accomplishment towards any By-elections & eventually at the 13th G/E.

    Should anything untoward happen in between with the fluidity of the situation, try to apply the Clear model to clarify/identify/list the root causes , then evaluate, apply the solution action plan required.

    If the intimidation by the powers that be continues to the point the rayaat is cornered & cannot take it anymore….& a standoff is imminent which could result in Brutality…..only then can we the rayaat Appeal to our DYMM Agong to exercise his Powers to bring in HIS armed Forces to Protect this nation & his rayaat.” unquote.

    With the “Daily” cat & mouse saga, just who is really taking care of the nation, its International / Domestic security, its International / Regional reputation which is fast eroding to equal Zimbabwe, our economy & its Downtrodden rayaat trying to make ends meet !

  26. Dear Azly Rahman,
    Hi there. Your article touched many important issues. Nevertheless, I’d like to discuss the following paragraph from your article:
    “Malaysians are gentle people. Only the media is getting more and more violent, feeding our children with stories upon stories of sex, lies, murders, and political intrigues”

    Let’s not worry whether Malaysian are a gentle bunch or not, rather, are we being critical with the happenings in the country. I disagree that the media is getting more and more violent, etc. I don’t call our media a media at all. I’d call our newspapers as tabloids. We are at an infant age where our media’s credibility is concerned. We need to find out first why the media is not free to report the truth and also why the government control the media that resulted in people not able to find out what the truth is.

    Can you talk about the freedom of press in Malaysia and it’s problem?

    Take care and God bless.
    Anba

  27. Some ppl here credited TDM for bringing “huge” development, but who cannot develop when one had so many tens (or hundreds) of billions oil money coming in during 1981 to 1997. Just anyone with reasonable capability can! In fact this TDM wasted so many billions, Putrajaya, KLIA, MEC (at Kuantan), Bakun, Twin tower, KL tower, etc all waste money only.

  28. It will really be a sad day if the Army is call to keep the peace.. I don,t want to sound racial.But when more then 85 % of soldiers are from one race.
    All it takes is, for one person to say or do something wrong.. All hell will break lose.Before that happens i hope the Agong will step in. I know all rakyat still hold true to King and Country…

  29. Restriction of the flow of information is a double-edged sword. The powers that be may think of controlling the people by denying them access to the truth – but it is this exact attitude that encourages and pushes the people into distrusting their government. It fans the flames of falsehood, rumors and lies.

    Our mass media is well-known to be controlled – during the SARS period nobody in this world (our leaders were from another planet) believes our nation was not affected. Rumors were here and there. A supermarket was rumored shut down due to SARS. Did this happen? Who knew?

    Recent riots in Guizhou, China showed this well. Rumors spread like wildfire with so many versions abound. It is Communist China’s own doing.

    Restrict the flow of truth? At your own peril. Nothing stops people power!

  30. TDM?

    History will judge that TDM did nothing of the sort. GDP figures from untrustworthy governments and accounting mean nothing. Check-out Mugabe strolling stores stock-filled with bread and sundry. Ironic and funny but not the haha kind. From the breadbasket of Africa to a basket case.

    Building useless gigantic skyscrapers on borrowed money or oil surplus is nonsense. Are we still waiting for Petronas to publicize its accounts? Or will it too be IPCMC v2? Even then, we want those accounts independently audited. Cooking books are way too common – even Enron does it. Use my taxpayer money for that cause. Not a Crooked Bridge, not a private jet for any PM of a 3rd-world country and certainly not for your cronies!

    Can we also have a public commission to investigate on how TDM’s 22-year in power weakened the very institutions of democracy? Rule of law? Independent ACA? Independent judiciary? The three branches of legislation, judiciary and executive?
    You see, when such a vacuum is filled by a weakling like Badawi, all hell breaks loose. Just take a look at Thailand 20 years from now – when there will no more be any King that can command the respect of the army and the army respects not the democratically-elected government…

  31. What can the army do when we lost Pulau Batu Putih to Singapore? The army did nothing. Under the corrupt and incompetent leaderships of UMNO, haven’t the Malays in particular realized they have lost some of its territory slowly but surely?

  32. If we look at the third world that is controlled by the army around us, what inference can we have? Chaos! Corruption! Suffering! And all kinds of ugly terms you can think of. People live on hand-outs from the first world. There is no real productive economic activities. They plunder their natural resouces for their own benefit instead of their countries.

    When the army is in power, there is no hope for the country. If you want hope for the country then change the self-centered government. Otherwise we just have to bear the consequences.

    Just look at China during the Kuomintang era. When the country’s economy was in the hands of only 3 families, the suffering was untold. What happened? It was chased away to Taiwan.

  33. quote article: ‘Soldiers fight to protect external enemies of the people, not to protect corrupt politicians against their own people. The latter is philosophically wrong.’

    Unfortunately for us, the ruling class of politcians is wise to the true and honest solider and have circumvented it – every top posts are political appointments. Take a look at the judiciary, the house speaker, etc. Every one of them supposedly honourable men are very conscious that they have to serve the political masters, and not the state.

    During the rioting aganst Suharto, people wondered how General Viranto would act, whether for the people’s wish for a change, or to up hold continuity of his boss Suharto. It is all history – people are never the top priority. In the case of Manila, the general took orders from the Cardinal. Is was not for the people atcually per se.

    Unfocused to the public awareness is the trainning given to the uniform units – obey and never question orders. This subconcious brainwashing is deeply rooted – and we can not hope for excellence in that perspective from the military or the police.

    See for yourself how they act against the public even as we all know that there is no cause at all to intimidate people. Top soldiers and policemen Know That There Is No Threat against the security of the nation- and if they be honourable, would have rejected the order by the Home Minister.

    Our greatest desire is the sacking of BN governance! We must settle for a first woman PM if Anwar is out maneuvered. State powers are immense and very difficult to overcome, if it is used as an attack dog.

  34. Why has China bought Mugabe a mansion?

    The Telegraph

    By Christopher Booker
    Last Updated: 12:01am BST 20/07/2008

    It may not be surprising that, as befits any mad dictator, President Mugabe is now the proud owner of a palatial £4.5 million mansion in Harare and a similarly lavish country hideaway, each fitted with the latest electronic security systems, including anti-aircraft missiles.

    But why should all this have been provided for him by the People’s Republic of China?

    The explanation lies in a deal struck in 2005 whereby Mr Mugabe handed over to China his country’s mineral rights, including the world’s second largest reserves of platinum, worth £250 billion.

    In return for allowing the Chinese to cart away more than half a billion pounds’ worth of minerals a year, Mr Mugabe not only makes a vast personal fortune for himself and his henchmen, but is given all the arms he needs to keep his criminal regime in power, including guns, jet fighters and military vehicles. (For further details, see my colleague Richard North’s EU Referendum website.)

    Contrast this with our own Government’s response to Mugabe’s tyranny. Since Zimbabwe is included in the 28 areas of “common foreign policy” we have ceded to the EU, we can do nothing except in conjunction with our EU colleagues.

    On Monday we saw the humiliating spectacle of Gordon Brown pleading with the EU’s President, Nicolas Sarkozy, to add 36 more names to the list of Zimbabweans on whom the EU has imposed pathetically ineffectual “personal sanctions”.

    Otherwise, the EU’s only contribution is to give Zimbabwe €25 million a year in aid, which Mr Mugabe welcomes as a way to give food to his supporters while the rest of his people starve.

    All this provides a remarkable parallel to what is happening elsewhere in Africa.

    In Sudan the tyrannical government is given full support by China in return for a monopoly on its large reserves of oil. Meanwhile, EU politicians wring their hands over the tragedy unfolding in Darfur, while a pitiful EU military force in Chad notably fails to protect a million helpless refugees from the genocide waged on them by China’s friends in Khartoum.

    In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, as we learned from an excellent report in The Daily Telegraph last week, China last January signed a “minerals for infrastructure” deal, worth £2.25 billion, under which it bought the rights to some of the world’s richest copper and cobalt reserves, in return for building roads, railways, hospitals, dams and airports.

    This is the country where, five years ago, the EU proudly sent its first military force bearing the ring of stars insignia – to achieve precisely nothing.

    We now learn that the Congolese government had first proposed such a minerals deal to the EU but, according to the country’s deputy minister for mines, the EU replied that it “did not have the muscle that was needed”.

    All over Africa we see a similar story. The ruthless but canny Chinese dictatorship props up equally ruthless and corrupt governments, as in Angola, in return for that continent’s fabulous mineral reserves. Britain, which once ruled much of Africa, has handed over its policy-making to the EU, which does little but make sanctimonious and irrelevant gestures.

    Yet this is the continent which, in 2005, both Tony Blair and Gordon Brown proclaimed was “at the top” of their international agenda. It was in the same year that, as the EU’s acting president, Tony Blair flew to Beijing to sign an agreement making the EU and China “strategic partners”. It is only too obvious which “partner’s” strategy is proving the more successful.

    A mad vision of a ‘green Gulf’ in the North Sea

    Anyone wanting final proof that Gordon Brown lives on another planet should consider his boast to last week’s EU “Mediterranean summit” that “Britain’s North Sea could be the Gulf of the future for offshore wind”.

    To help Britain meet its EU target of generating 32 per cent of our electricity from “renewables” by 2020, Mr Brown says he wants to see 3,000 giant wind turbines built round our coasts.

  35. Muchauraya said they did not report the matter to the police because
    “when an MDC supporter goes to report an incident he or she is the one who
    gets arrested, accused of inciting violence. In most police stations they
    actually refuse to attend to our supporters.”

    Police spokesperson Wayne Bvudzijena said he had not received a
    report, but dismissed MDC claims that the police were arresting opposition
    supporters who went to report cases of violence at their stations.

    “I have said this time and again that, we as the police are impartial
    and we arrest anybody who commits a crime,” Bvudzijena said. “Their
    statement is misleading and it’s not true.”

    Similar to Malaysia Police ?

  36. The mongolians travelling records to malaysia were deleted from the Immigration system.

    The second SD of PI.

    The whole family of the PI were dissapear from public

    The access to C4

    High level of manipulation at the higest authority?

  37. NewDAP Says:

    Today at 13: 16.47 (53 minutes ago)
    The mongolians travelling records to malaysia were deleted from the Immigration system.

    The second SD of PI.

    The whole family of the PI were dissapear from public

    The access to C4

    High level of manipulation at the higest authority?

    *****************************************

    Has anyone really pondered on why the enthusiatic ‘raid’ on Immigration’s top brass? This is unheard of as far as the top brass of a civil service dept is concerned unless they are ‘going against the grain’? or not on the same page? Remeber Ramli Yusoff of the Commercial Crime Branch? Do the top guns in Immy know something sinister about the personage (from a country formerly ruled by Ghenziz Khan) whose travel record to Malaysia goes ‘MIA’?

  38. I recall the incident back in 87, the rally by UMNO Youth led by NAJIB in Kampung Baru with placards carrying slogans like

    “May 13 has begun”, and

    “Soak (the kris) in Chinese blood”!

    Nuff’ said! Be afraid, be very afraid!!!

  39. Can YB LKS take up the challenge by Rais Yatim that the rule of law in Malaysia is unquestionable and he is willing to debate with anyone in the world about it? What say you LKS?

  40. It is important that we view matters in context instead of in a vacuum and be aware of other layers of threats to PR. We are all talking of an impending cross-overs of BN MPs to PR. But we have to be wary of efforts by UMNO to induce PAS to join them. UMNO is desperate to regain Malay support which is dwindling by the day. By being seen with PAS, UMNO can at least be gaining some credibility among the Malays. But more importantly should PAS team up with UMNO, BN has more in its majority in Parliament.

    However, the scenario or prospect of PAS leaving PR is like TDM and Anwar giving each other a bear hug with tears rolling, with TDM asking Anwar for forgiveness. PAS will NEVER be with UMNO or BN. PAS has a bad experience in the past when they were with UMNO and the former was played out. PAS is now wary of any overtures by UMNO and even set conditions to UMNO before any discussions. But UMNO is giving the impression that PAS and UMNO will meet for talks and become bosom buddies and MSM will work overtime in its misinformations.

  41. ‘the rule of law in Malaysia is unquestionable…..’

    ‘Can YB LKS take up the challenge by Rais Yatim that the rule of law in Malaysia is unquestionable and he is willing to debate with anyone in the world about it? What say you LKS?’

    Its a legitimate thing but it is used as a camouflage, it is a dress put on by people who ignored the rule of law.

    Don’t fall for it – it is a stupid gambit.

  42. “We are all talking of an impending cross-overs of BN MPs to PR. But we have to be wary of efforts by UMNO to induce PAS to join them.”

    Let us wake up to the fact that the MCA and the MIC played a horrendous role as abettors that tempted UMNO down the street of Malay destruction. I have often pointed to it out as a fact that the dire circumstance of our country Is The Work Of Three Men, a Malay a Chinese and An India!

    We all know who they are. We must also not forget the Gerakkan has a finger in there too – and Penangjites threw them out lock stock and barrel.

  43. Dear Kutlakut,

    Rest assured PAS wont join UMNO. Not that UMNO invited PAS.

    As for BN’s MP crossing to PR, it may not happen. Why on earth crossing to a weaker coalition. As for any UMNO MP tempted to cross, the definition can be considered as political suicide. You will be seen as betraying your constituents choice.

    Then you will encounter this life defining moment, aptly described in Malay as ” Baru tahu langit tinggi atau rendah”. It means that you will be booted out not by PM but by the rakyat themselves. Be prepared to be shunned in kenduri. Your wife must accept reality that womenfolk may not talk to her anymore.

    Sir , I see DAP as a chauvinist party which interests clashes weith that of Malays. And PAS members turn red faces when I ask them why on earth they becoime an ally of DAP when for 50 years they never fail to condemn UMNO in every oiccasion for its long lasting alliance with MCa, MIC, Gerakan. I know what I am talking about. I heard what they said . I saw what they did.

  44. if umnogoons are talking about army strolling the street;that would be jus putting malaysia into anothe zimbabwe!we could only see ‘100billion’ notes duirng 7th lunar month praying to the hungry ghost,but the world are seeing for real in zimbabwe right now!!

  45. In the movie Gladiator, the army remains loyal to the King, Emperor Marcus Aurelius, despite all his decadent activities that imperil the Roman state. In the final scene during the duel to death between their previous commander, General Maximus Decimus Meridius and the Emperor, they still remain loyal to the King despite the Emperor’s evil antics to ensure the death of the General. However when the Emperor looses his sword, and orders the Praetorian guards to hand him a sword, their commander and prefect Quintus tells the guards to stand down…..the stunned Emperor , now on his own is killed by Maximus.

    The army need not take sides. It only must ensure that the playing field remains level so that good always is a step ahead of evil….

  46. “Don’t fall for it – it is a stupid gambit” kulakut

    A gambit is a position in chess when you force your opponent to make his move or lose the game. He cannot ignore your last move. He cannot but make his move and usually it would be detrimental to him!

  47. raven77:

    Sorry, Emperor Marcus Aurelius was a good and wise emperor who was murdered by his jealous and deranged son, Commodus, the evil Emperor that Maximus kills at the end.

    “Imagine Power To The People” John Lennon

  48. petronas have said to have given the UMNO-BN Govt and cronies $380 Billion….BILLION…..

    Malaysian must be NUTS to think UMNO Racist and their cronies will give that up without a fight.

    UMNO-BN too are Nuts to think they will be free to carrying on their rapist corrupt agenda forever. It is intended that all cronies of UMNO-BN will suffer their due in time. The time of Charity & Goodwill has ended. Its time to Obliterate and Rid Malaysia of Racism, Corruption and respect Freedom of Religion….Nothing else matter.

    Wear Black on Merdeka to shame the nation Publically and to send a clear message to everyone….Rakyat wants to take charge…..Forget the Yellow Crap……!!Black signify death to UMNO-BN!!

  49. undergrad2 Says:
    quote: A gambit is a position in chess when you force your opponent to make his move or lose the game. He cannot ignore your last move. He cannot but make his move and usually it would be detrimental to him! unquote.

    Sorry I used the wrong term. I should have used a better word, say how about ‘ploy, or trick?’
    The trick was if anyone took up the challenge he will immediately on the wrong side the debate.

    If Rais was serious about ‘rule of law,’ then he must have stood up for Anwar when he was assaulted, for just one instance of hypocrisy. Naa, rule of law is a cloak, a dress the emperor wore. BN had never played by the rule! This is one of the reasons we reject BN.
    _____________________

    shamshul anuar Says: I see DAP as a chauvinist party which interests clashes weith that of Malays. Why on earth crossing to a weaker coalition.

    I am not in the circle of politicians and cannot know ‘whatis; but nevertheless, I have an observation to share.

    ‘Why on earth cross to a weaker coalition’ Is True To The Chinese Chauvinists and these are concentrated in MCA. They will side with the winners (sic) at any and all costs. And I will tell you why they are poisonous to UMNO and our beloved nation. They never say ‘no’ when UMNO chauvinists crossed the line of racial prejudice. MCA and MIC Provided The Slippery path of no resistance, became a cover if UMNO is taken to task, and thefore Malay chauvinists became increasingly bolder. And UMNO rotted, tempted by ill gotten financial wealth.

    DAP cannot really be accused of being chauvinstic partly for the perceived defence of discrimination against Chinese. I know that there was and still is racial discrimnation against Chinese, and other races too. Inevitably because of that (defense), it was made to appear chauvinistic. People say how can there be racial discrimination (BN) when a ‘major component’ party is Chinese! See? MCA serves that purpose, and nothing more.

    But are we blind that communal political parties must be chauvinistic? Let us not be fooled that the former alliance viz UMNO, MCA And MIC aren’t chauvinist parties of unequal partnership. They are the ones that implemented racial policies. And our nation remained disunited.

  50. Rais Yatim is putting out a promise he cannot keep.

    The next opposition to take up his challenge will get sodomy charge.

    Why sodomy? DSAI shows you. Barang Naik gov is so worthless it doesn’t have the creativity to drum up new charges.

Leave a Reply