When you are in power for over fifty years, every now and then there is that temptation to bend the rules and sometimes even the truth to suit the political needs of the moment. You can be forgiven if this inclination does come up once in a blue moon – though the colour of the moon can be said to be blue every month if you are powerful enough to want it to be so. So here lies the problem. When this inclination becomes the norm where does that put good governance?
Almost daily now we are subject to the painful and most uncomfortable sensation of having our leaders take us for fools. They boldly stand in front of us through the medium of their Television Stations, their Media or even at times in person and proceed to tell us what they want us to know – not what we should know. Is there nobody amongst them that can tell them that what they are doing is like peeing into the wind?
Have the educated, intelligent and rational generation of Malays all left UMNO leaving our nation without some of its best people in government even when we need them most? Najib is in a world of his own. He lacks the ability to make sense of what is happening around the country. Surviving day to day is hard enough for him. UMNO has sworn blood oaths that they will defend themselves from PAS, from DAP from Keadilan from everybody – no matter what. In desperation they have ventured into territory where they violate all democratic conventions almost on a daily basis. When we question the legality of their actions their answer is that ‘might is right’.
When the court initially finds in favor of the opposition as in Perak – they appeal its decision confident that the Judiciary is ultimately theirs to instruct and manage. When a death in custody happens the usual suspects are paraded. A commission, an inquiry, no stones unturned….and then slowly but surely nothing will come of it. They play the Judiciary as if it was their own – and why not when the Chief Justice is indeed their own. Whenever a situation arise that will give problems to them they no longer even have the decency to pay lip service to placate the Rakyat – now days it is deny, deny deny.
Deny there was ever any intention to humilate the Hindus in the cow-head incident. Deny that there was any reason to not renew the IGP again and again. Deny that there was anything wrong in the caning sentence of Kartika but nevertheless no less a person then the Prime Minister himself has asked her to appeal for a reduction in her sentence.
Arrest 16 people for carrying yellow candles and red and white roses who were seeking freedom of religion in this country and yet deny that Muslims stepping on the sacred head of a cow is doing anything to incite another race. They invoke the name of ALLAH at their whims and fancies and see no sin in promoting the very sins that Islam frowns upon. For surely corruption and greed is also corruption and greed whether in Mecca or Malaysia? That all this has become the norm for UMNO frightens me. This is the arrogance of power that I am talking about. Perhaps the most outrageous example of this arrogance is their inability to understand that there are another points of view to be considered other then their own. To them any deviations from their point of view is a conspiracy to undermine their ability to hold on to power – no matter what. I try to do this. By my writing if I can turn one person against UMNO – just one – then we are one person ahead towards our ‘brand new beginning’. Do as I do. Go talk to one person and bring him or her into our fold – then one by one we will slowly but surely build up our strength and strike down UMNO and Barisan. Go do it now!
Great patriotic piece by Hussien Hamid.
I am sure he can wake up few UMNO members to change their minds.
Yes…vote UMNO out is the and only solution.
Daily is getting worst and worst under Najib.
He is so cocksure people are rejecting PR….yet he dare not call for a snap 13th GE.
Any good general…will kill off the enemies..when they are weak.
Najib is such a low class double talking and twisting politician that can lie without a blink of the eye….to expose him .
But his words and actions are exposing him.
Now sit back and think of Mongolian lady.
Now observe and judge Najib’s character.
Yes….he will be the most dangerous PM we can hope for…but People’s Power is not afraid at all.
That balance things up…good against evil…who will win?
The arrogance of power is shown by TDM telling Malays that NEP has achieved its objectives, but he still wanted NEP continued though it has gone on 19 years beyond the termination date, of a original twenty-year programme.
Just before TDM stepped down in 2003 he said that he failed to change Malays’ mindset not to rely on crutches, and now he criticises Malays for ditching the crutches calling for an end to NEP. If TDM meant what he said before he stepped down, he should encourage those Malays who think that enough is enough. Obviously he pretended to honour the promise made by Tun Razak and blamed the Malays for being crutch-dependent. Certainly, being not classified as Malay before 1957 constitution was in force, he was not able to feel the desire of the late Tun Ismail regarding preserving the pride of the Malays. Malays wanted their efforts recognised for the achievement they attained. That is not possible if NEP or even Article 153 remains. Zaid Ibrahim was blamed for being ungrateful to NEP when he was honest with his thought.
The Malays are as smart as any other races in the world. Under real meritocracy for university admission, like the pre-NEP days, the successful Malays such as Zaid Ibrahim have no problems getting into universities. The poorer students are safe-candidates for study-loans which the government has no problem in setting up a revolving fund to finance them. The perverted meritocracy implemented through NEP only ushered into institutions for tertiary education those not suitable for entry in the first place, and having got into the institutions beyond their mental capacity, they ended up as unemployable graduates, through obviously scaled-down passing marks. In the process the institutions that conferred degrees to the substandard-graduates have soiled their reputation. The degrees awarded as an indicator fail to guarantee that the holders have attained the required standards. This causes other graduates, Malays included, to have their scrolls become a doubtful paper. Consequently, Malays graduates passing out from local universities are not readily accepted based on the papers they possess. Should the majority among the Malays suffer the crisis of confidence so that the minority of those who had not the aptitude for tertiary education occupied the places when those who are able to make use of them are denied opportunities for themselves, and for the nation to upgrade their human resources?
A Chinese who was adopted by Malay and accepted as Malay enjoyed the special favour which included government sponsored education abroad wrote to chedet.com saying that his four children who have completed tertiary education have remained abroad because Malaysia has become a low income equivalent of Myanmar. Other Malays, true or NEW have the same story to tell, no doubt. NEP is the main reasons why we have become a low income country. The emigration of two million Malaysians over the last four decades deprives the country of the critical mass of human resources that could make this a high income country. That resources have been squandered because the cabinets members and their families wanted to ensure continued hold to power but were lazy to work on the policies which would return them to power without having to resort to division of the population by race, and ruled through favouritism. Since that divide-and-rule formula seems to be infallible for those in power continue to remain in office while the nation slipping to the level of Myanmar or Zimbabwe, they have cultivated a sense of arrogance. Malaysia has to be recognised as the most capable government in the commonwealth which have turned neutral government agencies into UMNO branches. Party members and supporters of UMNO are the backbone of the government agencies. Government leaders are above the law, even though the royalties have to answer for their private actions in special court. We cannot blame them for being arrogance, they have made it.
Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men. — Lord Acton
The truth is that all men having power ought to be mistrusted. — James Madison
I think whoever comes to power will be the same. The only way is to have a check and balance so that no one has absolute power.
The check and balance will be the People’s Power….Malaysian voters.
Study and learn from USA.
One cunning Gerakan member suggested Gerakan pull out and be the “third force”….making it the most powerful political party with his suggestion.
I exposed that and was call an agent of some sort.
Now all are gunning this Gerakan cunning man.
To me….Gerakan is dead and gone.
Najib…went against voters and put Koh Tsu Koon back….as a minister.
That’s the “1 Malaysia” PM we are having.
Yes ekompute.
Yes and Vote Opposition. Put pakatan in power and have the two party-system in place. That way we would be able to move forward again. Our reverse gear has been engaged for far too long now. Come to think of it, we would be lucky if we caught up with zimbawe somewhere in the rear for before that happens our reverse gear could just break down (made in malaysia you see) and set us adrift and completely directionless. Actually we all do feel kinda of directionless for sometime already dont we all?
Yes , it is true that the Rakyat will vote the next General Elections, it is not Pakatan Rakyat that is going to vote. But even if the PR won, SO WHAT!!! Najis will rampas semuanya! Just like Perak! He just rampas keras-kerasnya. Others just keep quite. Tangkap sahja kalao berani bersuara… Kill da fella in custody… Malaysia ends up like Myanmar… never mind… let it rot!
How very true. First those directly holding political power are arrogance. Then the government institution also becomes arrgance. ( did you all see the video of the Brickfields OCPD shouting at the people holding a vigil, following the TBH incident?. How he shouted at peaceful people? How he arrested the lawyers who came to help their clients?. Then GLC CEO becomes arrogance. Sacking caddies without notice is crude, arrogance, and no regards for human lives who depend on them. Yes, this government is very, very arrogant. Just see how Nazri speaks. Then it filters donw to all the other institution and GLCs. They think that the whole country belongs to them, and that we are all here at their pleasure.
At the time of independence when I was a little boy we all knew what was right and what was not, what was legal and what was illegal, what was morally right, what was morally wrong and what was honest and what ws not. And when we did somethig right we told the whole world and when we did something wrong we knew it and told no one. Today with the advent of media consultants hired at great cost to national treasuries of Third world countries all that has been turned by these media gurus into gray areas. Throughout the Third World institutions of government are being emasculated and constitutions are being amended to allow Presidents to run indefinitely. In other cases the sons of the departed dear leaders are being forecd into power by those who think that they will benifit by maintaing the status quo.
It is very much like bringing up your child. If you do not teach him right from wrong from a very young age you will find that he will use force on you if and when you try to discipline him when he is 25 years old.
Now I am almost at the end of my use by date and I wonder what is there for my children and grandchildren.Seeing institutions being weakened is not the best example for anyone and particulaly for a person who is powerless to to bring about change.
PS Thirteen is an unlucky number but I do not know for whom.
Obviously for the incumbent. What has the challenger got to lose?
Hahaha…. the war chest is overflowing with ahem…. healthy-gotten gains.
All these show of lawlessness and power arrogance seemed to be a demonstration of the absolute power of the Umnoputras and the Utusans.
They are telling the people so what if we are arrogant and practise double standards ?
They were even threatening spilling blood !
What can you people do ???
You have kowtow, don’t you ? or face bloodbath ?
Are you prepared for these consequences ?
Well, I beg to differ. I think what is right, what is wrong, what is legal, and what is illegal, is even clearer today than in the past.
Anything that is done by UMNO and its BN stooges is right and legal. Anything that is done by the Opposition is always wrong and illegal. Very clear cut. I find the new defintion easier to follow, kekekekeeeeee
What has the challenger got to lose?
I think the cow was a clue.
A good time in Malaysia to be judges. You don’t need to crack your head to decide the case. Just look at who is the prosecution and who is the defendant. Then you work backwards to justify your answer.
It is like those days when taking the LCE multiple choice Mathematics questions. You substitute the variables into the various options and see which is correct. Very easy.
And in court cases, it is even easier. No multiple choice, just one straightforward answer. Buta gaji… I don’t mind even if I am paid half the salary, LOL.
Ramesh Laxman……”The Arrogance of Power” sums up some of your doubts.
Just declare you will vote for change of government and cease being confused…or trying to be too smart to pretend …you do not know the root cause of it awll.
Your message quoted by ekompute…..with his excellent respond. Do you agree?
Morality gone…because massive corruptions in.. ethic gone….because UMNO prefers to be hypocrites..illegal made legal…vice versa…all manipulated and created by UMNO.
When a party loves to divide and rule and play with race and religion…why are you so surprise…Malaysia is in a topsy turvey situation?
Focus on the root cause…and stop all these mumbo jumbo.
Cute for you to quote 13 unlucky number..to whom.
13th GE…unlucky to UMNO.
Have you any doubts?
Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. – This quote is applicable to both PR and BN.
This piece of article is totally out of whack. BN are not a bunch of angles by far, but so is PR. Both spin and manipulate to gain political mileage. Don’t be so naive and believe that one side is much better then the other! Put PR on a pedestal at your own peril as I assure you that they too will disappoint in some way or another.
LOL. Hahahahahahaaa… rightly said. We need both BN and PR to check one another. So vote for PR in GE13 and then decide who to vote in GE14.
BN badly needs to go now before Malaysia can be saved. We are sliding backwards fatally in time. Stop the bleeding before we become another Ethiopia… sounds like Utopia, but don’t be fooled.
We don’t even have to consider whether PR is good or not. UMNO is bad enough to make anyone looks good. So just vote for PR in GE13 without too much hesitation and mental masturbation. If anything, you will have a fully-renovated BN with a major facelift after that. BN will still be around for you even if they lose GE13, so don’t worry about that.
In simple words, UMNO today is rotten to the core, period.
In the past, we look forward to the government for protection. Nowadays, we have to run away for protection….
Of cos, Umnoputras are arrogant
Y not when they have everything in their power
The 3 separate branches of government, the executive, the legislative and the judicial, are actually 1 for all and all for 1
Every government agency is under the control of Umno
Umnoputras are not afraid of the royalties
So, like Mr Alfred E. Neuman, ‘What, me worry?’
Nothing to worry lah
We may see Umnoputras’ supreme arrogance again soon
They might have another crook, another cheat as candidate for the next buy election
They firmly believe that even if they put up a stupid cow there, it will win the buy election for them
Such is the Stockholm Syndrome love shown by a large % of rakyat for Umno
Imranj78…said both are corrupt….so lets vote UMNO again to be safe. Is that it….imranj78?
52 years proven …corrupt to the core…said by UMNO veteran…not by opposition.
Have you heard that statement …Imranj78?
Now where did you get the idea…..PR is corrupt too. Najib told you?
To find out, let’s vote PR for once and see… the rest are all hypothetical. To me, I don’t expect no corruption… less corruption is enough for me.
Wise words….ekompute.
There is no such thing as a non corrupted government.
Before Mahathir….corruptions not so bad.
Mahathir encouraged corruptions.
His 22 years was hell to Malaysians Chinese and Indians.
There are people in power who love to say kamu gila kuasa failing to realize that when others look at them, they themselves are also gila kuasa. Having power is like walking on a tightrope. On one side is being proud and thinks that one is God. On the other side is being humble and know that one has to use the power for the right purposes.
Well Written & Well Said !
UMNO and BN components are rotten by their greed, corrupted minds, abused power, injustice, arrogance, selfish, crony and nepotism system, etc after 52 years in power.
It is time to look “EAST POLICY” in Japan to kick UMNO and BN out in13GE. The Makkal Sakti People Power by Pakatan Rakyat to rule Malaysia soon.
Errr wot?
Let me guess.
More lembus will lose their heads Rojakman?
If pakatan is equally corrupt like umno (just as imranj said) I would still vote pakatan! That way we would have a two party system – one to check on the other. Corruption will not cease. But with the two party system in place horrendous abuse like the pkfz scandal would certainly be that much harder to execute. And one would certainly think long and hard before exterminating witnesses during corruption investigations or allowing their extermination to take place whether with intent or by omission or neglect.
But umno has a record of running the country whereas pakatan has none. That would immediately make pakatan the better choice. Having no record is anytime better than having a broken and absolutely rotten 50-yr record.
///Malaysians are mostly a bunch of UNGRATEFUL people, because the government had given too much easy life to the citizens.
Try STOP giving scholarships, MARA loans, 5% discounts to Bumiputras, special allocations and whatever aid to Bumiputras enterpreneurs….and see what happens in the next generation. Then the current Malay rebellious ungrateful bunch will truly know what HARD WORK truly means…to support and finance every kid they have, towards tertiary education etc. Serve them right.
Now, can someone look me into the eye, and say thay they are now rich because of their own doing?
It’s DEB and the government’s help(with the Grace of God), stupid!
Sorry Tun, forgive me for the outburst, but Malaysians mudah lupa,and tak bersyukur.
NK @ BANGI///–From chedet.co.cc
That was written by a doctor trained overseas, in her own words.
That is the result of NEP administered without a clear warning that it was time-bound, 20 years, meant to bring Malays to be competitive with other races. It was not offered as though Malays were selected by God because God makes them weak.
Obviously the writer like many others have been brainwashed by TDM. They have even lost the self respect, and are quite happy to stay as parasites.
One hopes that Malays returning from overseas training would learn about social development in other countries, and appreciate the virtue of equality. But the writer of the above passages shows that public funds have been wasted.
If Limkamput reads this, I would welcome his comment on the content but to repeat his earlier suggestion.
There are people who just cannot accept the fact that no political party can rule forever. The most recent example is the LDP which lost to the Democratic Party for the first time in 54 years. Imranj78 has to accept that B can be likened to a 52 year-old who has been diagnosed with an incurable disease (call it a certain koraap disease) and his days are numbered.
Arrogance of power? Najib arrogance as his intellectualism is pretence. Above everything else, he is a prodigal son. As are much of those who control UMNO now..Its natural for them to be in state of denial..
Who reality sitll arrives sooner or later and denial on makes the change harder but can hasten it eventually..
UMNO/BN is done unless something happen to Nik Aziz. So long as Nik Aziz is holding the lines of PAS away from UMNO…BN is finish
Hi YB LKS,
Malaysia certainly seem to be a forgetful nation. Many injustices has been committed but the rakyat will soon forget once the next “hot topic” comes along. I hope that you can take up this challenge to make those responsible pay for their crime…lest we forget and allow them to escape scott free.
1) The 2 cops convicted of the murder of the Mongolian Lady, what happened to them??
2) Teo Beng Hock’s death at MACC building. MACC must take responsibility!!
3) Al-Islam reporters spying on the Catholic Church!!! They have not been brought to justice
4) Cow Head protestors, the AG says that they will be charged. But will thier punishment befit their crime?? Or will it be another mokery such as the fine imposed on the UMNO youth who bullied YB Karpal a member of Parliament from entering the Parliament Building?? Send these cowhead bigots to jail …i say!!!!
5) PKFZ….all those involved have to pay for plundering our nation’s wealth for thier own!!!
Errr wot?
The fall back argument against opposition politics is the same as it has always been. Maybe Kassim Amat will be back soon to remind us.
In my view, Malaysian opposition politics will continue to have to (for a short time, it is to be hoped) walk a narrow path between convincing arguments and being so troublesome as to invite … ‘correction’ in the oldest of South East Asian traditions. I think there’s growing appreciation that “there’s a better way of doing things”, but I wonder when we’ll be past the tipping point, where challengers really do have nothing to lose.
I didn’t mean to dampen anyone’s spirits, just wanted to point out that the current challengers are not risking just a few ringgit and their membership of the local rotary club. If they sometimes seem a bit reluctant to ‘stick their necks out’, well, maybe the Shah Alam demo has served its purpose and the challengers are feeling cowed.
http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/cowed
All the talk about BN and UMNO etc and that PR is the best choice. Now we have LKS admitting that PR is in trouble:
http://mt.m2day.org/2008/content/view/26597/84/
This is truly sad. Why can’t PR just work together and stop trying to be 3 parties that are in the same boat but rowing in 3 different directions?
PR was given a Golden Opportunity after GE12, why can’t PR treasure it? This is just so so sad. LKS should voice out more as to who PR can be more cohesive rather than just always hammering BN or PM or MCA or OTK etc.
Time LKS puts his experience and wisdom into better use.
Best of all this arrogance is seen everywhere … look at this now:
http://mt.m2day.org/2008/content/view/26596/84/
TBH will be forgotten … Permatang Pasir will be forgotten … S23 issue will be forgotten …
When will PR be a real force to quell BN?
OrangRojak :What has the challenger got to lose? I think the cow was a clue.
The cow-head protestors had only got the freshness of the cow head to lose so far. Nothing much more serious loss can be anticipated unless they are truly being charged for allegedly committing a criminal offence in the judicial court!
I for one will not put my faith into a party (at least not yet) a.k.a. PR that can’t even get together to form a shadow cabinet, yet alone agree on a common direction and vision for Malaysia. PAS wants an Islamic country, DAP wants Malaysian Malaysia and PKR wants….. I don’t know. What does PKR want? Oh yes, it wants to put Anwar as the PM!!
BN is no where near perfect don’t get me wrong and I wish that their speed of change would be faster. But changing they are.
imranj78….Do not try to be too smart and cute.
DAP….LKS have said it is difficult to work with PAS too.
LKS have never hide the facts…PAS using religion may damage their relationship.
Malaysians are fully aware….PAS can handle a sizable Muslim voters…that value Islam religion…more that country and people. It is the 52 years UMNO jungle laws..to bring Malaysia forward….people backward. It is UMNO intentions to confuse Malays and control as many weak minds as possible. It s UMNO that is fooling his own race.
It is the Muslims that insult Muslims….not from other Malaysians. That’s the results of UMNO race and religion politicians…and only PAS can give UMNO a good fight to win Muslim votes.
DAP knows that and politics is very dirty in Malaysia….made so by UMNO…no one else.
Presuming DAP pull out…from the PR….it will still voting for oppositions to change the government…
Do not be too happy or sarcastic over the obvious differences between DAP and PAS.
The common force is still very clear and strong…..both want to kick UMNO out.
All you need is to observe how people are reacting.
People are in control…not UMNO anymore.
What do you think….people want change of government or vote UMNO forever?
imranj78…..you are just being too naieve. DAP finds it hard to work with PAS and vice versa……this is the truth and they have no qualms exposing this to the public. By doing so, they can work towards the middle ground with each party stating thier case and finding an amicable solution. I find this refreshing rather then hiding everything under covers like what BN does. I don’t see BN changing…if anything…they are going backwards. I would consider race relations during 1957 better than right now. From the looks of it, BN seems to be digging thier own graves. UMNO who keeps on piling up the racial rethoric (while on the other hand advocating 1Malaysia), MCA which continues to sack party members who do not toe to line….and MIC….err well MIC which plans to keep Samy at the helm forever!!! At this point of time…any party is better than BN!!!
Malaysia – Breeding grounds for JELLYFISHES, pure-breed, absolutely without SPINES!
Between a government which is inexperienced and untested and one which has been tested over and over again for over 50 years but is a miserable failure and proven to be very experienced in the art of lying and stealing from the people, I choose the former.