‘There was a time when the rhetoric against the evils of colonial rule was justified and relevant. Now it is usually to divert the corruption of present leaders.’
David Dass: Two of the worst leaders in the world being welcomed to Malaysia. Zimbabwe’s Robert Mugabe has bankrupted his nation and impoverished his people. Sudan’s Omar al-Bashir is wanted for genocide. These are international pariahs.
There was a time when the rhetoric against the evils of colonial rule was justified and relevant. Now it is tedious and boring, and operates usually to divert and camouflage the corruption of present leaders.
Conferences such as the Langkawi International Dialogue could serve a useful purpose. But not with leaders like this. They are beyond redemption and deserve an early exit from leadership.
What do we hope to achieve by inviting them here? We have seen from our experience with Burma that constructive engagement does not work. We have given Mugabe timber for his palatial house in Zimbabwe. That was more than necessary.
Now we should give both of them the boot. Politely, of course, as is the way of our people.
Docs: I guess when the Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein said that Malaysia is not a terrorist haven, he may have been right. Malaysia is a dictator haven. That’s why Najib Razak and Dr Mahathir Mohamad are hosting these dictators.
Also, this may be a new strategy by Umno to bring in foreign investments. I’m sure Mugabe and Omar al-Bashir will invest million or billions of their ill-gotten gains or blood money in Malaysia.
I’m sure Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Muammar Gadaffi from Libya, Ali Abdullah Saleh from Yemen and Hosni Mubarak from Egypt would have loved to attend the Langkawi International Dialogue too, but they are all caught up with the Arab Spring rebellion and have their hands full.
I’m sure they would all love to learn from Mugabe and Bashir on how they rigged their country’s elections, brutally put down rebellions, and yes, how they mass murdered their citizens.
Cinaputra: This is the pits. A couple of dictators who are shunned worldwide are being hosted by this country (read: BN). What is the message here? That we should one day be like Zimbabwe?
Ridhwan Malek: While there were great protests by Umno when Al Gore and Tony Blair were invited to give speeches in Malaysia, there’s only complete silence when it comes to rogues and thieves who looted the nation’s coffers and killed the poor coming here to participate in dialogues.
What is your moral stand on this, Umno? Very inconsistent, indeed.
Opposition crafty at toying with perception, says Najib
Jiminy Qrikert: PM Najib Razak is truly at his wit’s end at how to kill off DSAI (Anwar Ibrahim) with futile attempts in Sodomy II and the botched sex video episode.
With each passing day, he sees DSAI consolidating his position as the rakyat’s PM-in-waiting. Meanwhile, Najib’s own position erodes as he loses credibility with the rakyat. He can’t shake off his Scorpene submarines or Mongolian baggage.
Even his own Umno team B marshalled by TDM (Dr Mahathir Mohamad) and Muhyiddin Yassin is sabotaging him by dismantling his 1Malaysia attempt at rallying Malaysians. He can’t even rally all of Umno behind him. Najib has lost Chinese support. Najib is losing Malay support. MCA is totally lost. MIC is impotent. The other mosquito Indian parties he engineered have turned out to be boils on his butt.
‘Save Selangor’ campaign was dismal failure. His One Million Youth rally was no more than a gathering of schoolkids. Nothing he does is achieving traction nor giving him the momentum he needs to call for GE13 soon.
Long: It’s embarrassing to read the PM’s comments about moral issues, calling people “jambu” and lament on how “communication is no longer controlled”. It really shows the lack of depth of his character, a man without dignity or intelligence.
I would respect a man much more if he will ignore such childish comments and touch on serious issues that actually matter to the rakyat, but he insists on empty rhetoric. How utterly embarrassing that we have such a PM.
Wira: Najib, unless you are transparent and open about those IPP (independent power producer) contracts, you are not going to remove the doubts and perceptions that the government is protecting those IPPs.
Years after this issue has been raised by the opposition, the arrogant government still wants to buy time to study all aspects of power supply. Hear this and get this right, Mr Prime Minister. The rakyat are the victims of the corrupt deals. Not you.
Gerard Samuel Vijayan: What has the BN implemented except for corruption and abuse of power. The IPP contracts are a clear example. Why so one-sided in favour of the crony capitalists?
If the government is incapable of even negotiating a fair contract that protects the rights of the rakyat, just like in the case of the toll concessions and now the water guarantees in Selangor, then it has forfeited its right to govern. The national interest is not served by enriching cronies and children of politicians so that they can reach the rank of the super-rich at such a short span.
All the while the people suffer through rising prices, lower wages and a declining standard of living. Najib should be the last to talk about morality when he and his wife are still implicated in the Altantuya Shaariibuu murder and other instances of immoral relationships.
Before you talk about Anwar’s DNA and Omega watch, first set up an RCI (royal commission of inquiry) to investigate the Altantuya murder and its connection to the DCN French submarine purchase scandal.
Loyal Malaysian: You do not see the dust in your own eye, Mr PM. You do not have the integrity to stay and answer the queries about your private cum business trip to Kazakhstan. No, the perception that you had misused your position as head of state has not be answered. Your officers can’t answer why an entourage of 200 was roped in.
StevenForMalaysia: Najib, look at the situation of the country first before you think others could not run the country better than BN-Umnoputras. Considering the wealth of the country, I could easily deliver three times better standard of living than what we have now.
Talking about Birds of Feather, the fact that Perkasa has thrown its lot with the likes of Zul Noordin to oppose Bersih, proof that Perkasa really fight for UMNOputra’s right (or wrong?) not for Malay’s right. Why is Perkasa oppose to free and fair election. Malay’s right does not include free and fair election.
Perkasa knows what goes at the highest echelon of power and clearly their action reflect’s Najib’s desperation to hold election even though its highly unfavourable..It does not take a genius to figure out why..
This meeting is to exchange ideas about how to hold on to power come what may.
Perhaps after this they may form a bloc called “Dictators of the world unite!”.
What they need to do is to collar in the ones from Myanmar and North Korea!