Posted on

3-hr Cabinet meeting on general election – a premiership quickly losing ability to differentiate between right and wrong

Speech by Parliamentary Opposition Leader and DAP MP for Ipoh Timur Lim Kit Siang at the launching of the DAP Pasir Pinji Election Operation Centre in Ipoh on Thursday, 31st January 2008 at 1 pm:

3-hr Cabinet meeting yesterday on next general election the latest example of gross abuse of power, lack of integrity and rapid degeneration of ethical quality of Abdullah premiership, which is quickly losing the ability to understand the difference between right and wrong

New Straits Times today carried an exclusive about the three-hour Cabinet meeting yesterday on preparations for impending general election under the heading “Get ready to face election, ministers told”, which reads: Continue reading “3-hr Cabinet meeting on general election – a premiership quickly losing ability to differentiate between right and wrong”

Posted on

Abdullah and Samy ignore Makkal Sakti at their own peril

Today’s press reported that Deputy Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak said in Seremban that the people must reject leaders who fail to perform when given the opportunity.

Apart from aiming his shots at the Opposition, many must be wondering who in the ruling coalition could Najib be directing his fire.

Could he be referring to Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu, who is fighting for his political life after being MIC President and sole Indian Cabinet Minister for over 28 years – and who was recently snubbed internationally when the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, M. Karunanidi refused to grant him “an audience” despite Samy Vellu waiting for an appointment from him for three days in Chennai or after following Karunanidi to New Delhi!

Or could Najib be referring to Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi who, to use Lingam-lingo, “looks like the Prime Minister, speaks like the Prime Minister, but nobody can 100% say is the Prime Minister”?

Abdullah has been Prime Minister for four years and his four-year report card is one of dismal failure.

Posted on

If Anwar not a factor, why Abdullah cannot wait less than 2 months for next general election?

“Tell it to the marines” – that will be the common response to the statement by the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi in CNN’s World News Asia telecast live from Davos, Switzerland yesterday that former deputy prime minister, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was not a factor in his decision on the timing of the next general election. (“Telling it to the marines” is the scornful response to a tall and unbelieved story/claim.)

Asserting that he was not pre-empting the former deputy prime minister from contesting the general election, Abdullah said:

“There are other factors in my mind that I have to think about before I recommend the dissolution of parliament and fix the date for the elections.”

If Anwar is not a factor in his calculations for the next polls, Abdullah should explain why he cannot wait less than two months to allow the former DPM to contest in the 12th general election?

Is it because Abdullah has been advised by his strategists and the Putrajaya fourth-storey advisers that the electoral prospects for the Barisan Nasional can only get worse and not better, especially if Anwar is allowed to participate personally in the hustings as a candidate?

The latest opinion poll should be a “shocker” for Abdullah and the Barisan Nasional leaders, as it found that the Prime Minister’s approval rating has hit a personal low, slipping from a high of 91 per cent when he took power in late 2003 to 61 per cent in December last month, the lowest since he took office in late 2003 and down by 10 percentage points from November. Continue reading “If Anwar not a factor, why Abdullah cannot wait less than 2 months for next general election?”

Posted on

Abdullah should emulate Tunku and take 2 months leave as PM in his nation-wide tour as BN Chairman

When he became Prime Minister more than four years ago, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi pledged that integrity and good governance would be the hallmarks of his premiership and towards this end he also launched the National Integrity Plan.

This is the time for Abdullah to set an example of integrity and good governance and I call on him to emulate Bapa Malaysia and the first Malaysian Prime Minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman by taking leave as Prime Minister for two months for him to go on a nationwide tour as Chairman of Barisan Nasional to prepare the 14-party coalition for the 12th general election.

The mainstream media have reported that after his return from Spain, Abdullah “kicked off his second nationwide tour in what many coalition members believe is the prelude to a soon to be called general election”. (New Sunday Times 20.1.08)

Abdullah should set an example of understanding and respecting the important distinction between government and party, as it is the abject failure of Barisan Nasional Ministers and leaders to appreciate and uphold this important distinction which is the root cause of the rampant corruption, abuses of power and rank lawlessness in the country.

As Prime Minister, Abdullah has no business to conduct any nation-wide tour to galvanise the 14-party Barisan Nasional to prepare for the next general election expected within 50 days. When he goes around the country to rally and mobilize Umno and the other Barisan Nasional component parties to shape up for the 12th general election, he is acting in his capacity as Chairman of Barisan Nasional which is completely different and separate from the office of Prime Minister. Continue reading “Abdullah should emulate Tunku and take 2 months leave as PM in his nation-wide tour as BN Chairman”

Posted on

Pak Lah’s announcement of Thaipusam as public holiday – Thousand pities

Thousand pities that Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s announcement yesterday of Thaipusam as a public holiday is seen as highly opportunistic and self-serving to salvage Samy Vellu’s political life and Barisan Nasional’s political fortunes in the coming polls than the start of a serious and genuine national commitment to end the long-standing marginalization of Malaysian Indians as the new underclass in the country.

Although the Prime Minister had said at his Ponggol speech in Bukit Bintang on Saturday that he would consider the call to make Thaipusam a public holiday, it was clear that he had decided to use the “Thaipusam a public holiday” as a gambit to restore the political stocks of Samy Vellu and the Barisan Nasional among the two million Malaysian Indians, which was why there was the front-page story in the Star on Friday “PM to hold BN council meeting on polls” which reported: “On Sunday, Abdullah will meet 20,000 MIC members and supporters at the Cheras Badminton Stadium where he is expected to make a major announcement.” Continue reading “Pak Lah’s announcement of Thaipusam as public holiday – Thousand pities”

Posted on

Three questions for Abdullah when he launches Sabah Development Corridor on Jan 29

Sabah Chief Minister, Datuk Seri Musa Aman was full of hype yesterday about the Sabah Development Corridor (SDC) to be launched by the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi on January 29.

Musa claimed that the SDC, which is to span an 18-year period from 2008 to 2025, is “special” and different from other regional corridor developments in the country in that it would extend to the whole of Sabah instead of being confined to only one area.

Musa has however not explained why the Sabah SDC is the last “corridor” to be announced and launched by the Prime Minister, when it should be the first as Sabah has the worst poverty rate in the whole country.

This is one of the three questions Abdullah should answer when he comes to Sabah on January 29 to launch the SDC, viz:

How the SDC will eradicate poverty in Sabah, which is the worst of all states in the country. In the 1994 Sabah state general election manifesto, Barisan Nasional promised a “Sabah Baru” to reduce the poverty level in Sabah from 33 per cent in 1994 to zero in the year 2000. Continue reading “Three questions for Abdullah when he launches Sabah Development Corridor on Jan 29”

Posted on

Abdullah – declare Wednesday January 23 as first Thaipusam national public holiday

The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi should immediately declare Wednesday, January 23, 2008 as the first Thaipusam national public holiday instead of just thinking about it.

Abdullah told a Ponggal Festival event at Bukit Bintang last night that he would consider declaring Thaipusam a national public holiday.

In the past decades, both inside and outside Parliament, DAP has been calling for Thaipusam to be declared a public holiday and not just a state holiday in Penang, Perak, Selangor, Negri Sembilan and Johor.

As there is nothing more to consider, Abdullah should immediately announce Wednesday as the first Thaipusam public holiday so that Thaipusam could be celebrated by all Malaysians throughout the country beginning on January 23, 2008.

Posted on

Malaysia First Family and new grandson Jibreil Ali Jamaluddin

by Dr Chen Man Hin

The first family is truly representative of a multiracial Malaysia which has Malay, Chinese, Indian and Indigenous communities.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has ancestors hailing from the MidEast of Arabic origin

His daughter , Nori Abdullah was born of a Japanese mother. His son-in-law Khairy Jamaluddin comes from a Malay ancestry. The new grandson, Jibreil Ali Jamaluddin, can be said to have ancestors hailing from Malaysia, Arabia and Japan. The blood coursing through his veins is a mixture of Malay, Arabic and Han ancestors. He is typical of the young Malaysian, who because of mixed marriages among the different races, is/ multiracial /a rooted Malaysian

From the genetic point of view, the true Malaysian is a Bangsa Malaysia.

Other terms like bumiputras or ketuanan Melayu has no genetic basis, but are the creation of misleading politicians.

Posted on

Abdullah’s shortest-lived guessing-game for any Prime Minister

Will the 12th general election be held in March this year or next year?

This is the guessing game the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi tried to provoke from Spain yesterday, but it is a guessing-game initiated by any Prime Minister which must go down in the Guinness Book of Records as having the shortest life-span, expiring the moment it was ventilated – as nobody is biting!

Abdullah, in Madrid for the First Alliance of Civilisations Annual Forum, had announced that he would be in Senegal in March to hand over the chairmanship of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference.

He raised the possibility of the next general election being held either this March or next March when asked if polls would be held before or after the OIC Summit. (The OIC website gave March 13-14, 2008 as the Islamic Summit Conference in Dakar, Senegal).

If Abdullah is serious that the next general election is not around the corner, then he should send out a clear and urgent message to the Cabinet and the whole administration to return to normalcy, as the whole government has ceased to operate normally but is on an election footing – making decisions and approvals “on-the-run” solely with voter support in mind although such decisions may only last for a few weeks until the next general election is over.

One good example is the announcement by the MCA President, Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting which made Chinese front-page headline news today but totally ignored by all English and Bahasa-language media, of a new Finance Ministry guideline to open school and other government contracts for supplies from RM10,000 to RM50,000 to all Malaysians when previously, all such contracts for supplies below RM50,000 were reserved only for bumiputras. Continue reading “Abdullah’s shortest-lived guessing-game for any Prime Minister”

Posted on

Royal Police Commission’s 125 recommendations – what happened?

The Prime Minister and Internal Security Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi should present a White Paper on the status of implementation of each of the 125 recommendations of the Royal Police Commission to create an efficient, accountable, incorruptible, professional world-class police service service to keep crime low, eradicate corruption and uphold human rights.

It is four years since the establishment of the Royal Police Commission and more than 30 months since the publication of the Commission Report and its 125 recommendations to create a world-class police service in Malaysia.

In the past two years, I had repeated asked in Parliament the status of the implementation of the 125 Commission recommendations and I can say with conviction that none of the two Internal Security Ministers, Datuk Johari Baharum and Datuk Foo Ah Kiow has any real clue as to the answer – as they just read out the reply that will be supplied to them by the police, without any understanding or authority over the subject.

This is one of the greatest flaws of the police system because there is no political authority over the police when this is the most important principle in an elected system of government – where the police is not a law unto itself, but under the political control and authority of the elected government of the day. Continue reading “Royal Police Commission’s 125 recommendations – what happened?”

Posted on

Abdullah’s anti-crime multiprong strategy – just general election gimmick?

The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s expression of “worry” about the rising crime index and his announcement of a multi-prong strategy to combat crime lack seriousness and conviction, as they appear to be just election gimmicks to give Malaysians a false sense of security that something is being done to fight crime with the approach of the general election.

New Straits Times front-page headline yesterday, “CRIME RATE UP 13.4% – PM expresses alarm Announces remedial action” understates the gravity of the crime situation in Malaysia during the four-year Abdullah premiership.

The crime rate rose by 13.4 per cent last year but in the four years of Abdullah premiership, crime rate shot up by an even more alarming 45%.

When Abdullah became Prime Minister in October 2003, the crime situation was already out of control which was why one of his first reform promises and measures which won him all-round plaudits and support among Malaysians was the establishment of the Royal Police Commission to reduce crime to restore to Malaysians their twin fundamental rights to be free from crime and the fear of crime, whether in the streets, public places or the privacy of their homes.

After four years, Malaysia today is even more unsafe to its citizens, visitors, tourists or investors because of endemic crime.

In the past four years, the crime index had worsened from 156,315 cases in 2003 to 224,298 cases in 2007 – a sharp rise of some 45% when it should have gone down as recommended by the Royal Police Commission. For the first time in the nation’s 50-year history, the crime index last year crashed through the 200,000 psychological barrier. Women in Malaysia are now more unsafe today than four years ago – as the incidence of rape had more than doubled from a daily average of four women in 2003 to 8.5 women last year!

Is the five-prong anti-crime strategy announced by Abdullah adequate to make Malaysia a safer country than just four years ago before he became Prime Minister?

One of the five anti-crime strategies is to appoint civilians to administrative positions and thereby release police personnel for their main duties.

This is actually Recommendation No. 78 of the 125 recommendations of the Royal Police Commission to create an efficient, accountable, incorruptible, professional world-class police service to keep crime low, eradicate corruption and uphold human rights.

The Royal Police Commission proposed “Civilianising or outsourcing functions presently performed by uniformed personnel in PDRM, and re-deploying the uniformed personnel to core policing functions”. It said that such a move would immediately release 35,000 uniformed police personnel for core policing functions, i.e. fighting crime and catching criminals!

The Royal Police Commission provided a time-line for the implementation of this proposal – “In phases. Completion by May 2007”

This is January 2008 and the Prime Minister is still talking about this proposal of “appointing civilians to administrative positions to release police personnel” for their core police duties to fight crime and catch criminals! What a shame and disappointment!

DAP has decided make crime, law and order the top national theme in the next general election – which will be a first in the nation’s 50-year electoral history.

Today, we are here to launch in Perak state the DAP’s “Good Cops, Safe Malaysia” campaign theme for the next general election, starting with the visit to the Kampong Simee market just now.

Together with other DAP Perak state leaders, I will take part in a two-day whistle-stop campaign to take the DAP message of “Good Cops, Safe Malaysia” to all Malaysians as it is the basic right and expectation of all Malaysians, regardless of race, religion or political beliefs to enjoy personal safety and property security. Among the places I will visit in the weekend two-day whistle-stop campaign in Perak will be Ipoh, Teluk Intan, Taiping, Sungei Siput, Pantai Remis, Kampar and Bidor.

(Media Conference in Kampong Simee, Ipoh Timur, on Thursday, 10th January 2008 at 10 am)

Posted on

2007 crime index crashed through 200,000 barrier – biggest failure of 4-year Abdullah premiership

The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s five-prong strategy announced yesterday to combat the rising crime index is not impressive at all – too little, too late and too indifferent in lacking seriousness and commitment by Abdullah to make Malaysia safe again for its citizens, visitors, tourists and investors.

Under Abdullah’s premiership, crime has reached endemic dimension with Malaysia gaining an international notoriety as a country unsafe for her citizens, visitors, tourists and investors.

When he became Prime Minister on Oct. 31, 2003, Abdullah pledged that one of his top priorities would be to reduce crime to restore to Malaysians their fundamental right to be free from crime and the fear of crime, whether in the streets, public places or the privacy of their homes.

Today, Malaysians feel even more unsafe from crime than when he became Prime Minister.

Abdullah had raised great hopes about his commitment to create an efficient, incorruptible, professional and world-class police service to declare an all-out war against crime when he set up the Royal Police Commission which came out with 125 recommendations, the most important of which was the proposal for an Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC).

All such high hopes of Malaysians for a world-class professional police service to keep crime index low to make the country safe for the people, visitors and foreign investors have been dashed to the ground in the past four years.

All these high hopes have come to nought. The proposal of an effective IPCMC has been killed, replaced with a clawless and toothless Special Complaints Commission proposal.

Under Abdullah’s premiership, the police fought a losing war against the rising crime index, which had worsened from 156,315 cases in 2003 to 224,298 cases in 2007 – a sharp rise of some 45% in the past four years.

The crime index crashed through the 200,000 barrier for the first time in nation’s history with rape more than doubled from a daily average of four women in 2003 to 8.5 women last year.
This means that under Abdullah as Prime Minister, women are even more unsafe from the crime of rape, with the risk of rape more than doubled than when Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad handed power over to him four years ago.

Abdullah’s multi-pronged anti-crime strategy announced yesterday has fallen like a damp squid as nobody believes that it will have any effect to make Malaysia at least as safe for personal safety and property security when he became Prime Minister four years ago. Continue reading “2007 crime index crashed through 200,000 barrier – biggest failure of 4-year Abdullah premiership”

Posted on

Najib, you are wrong

by Richard Teo

Yes the tide is turning in Kelantan but certainly not in favour of BN but for PAS. As a kelantanese I can safely tell Najib the true current political situation in Kelantan. How could Zubaidah Abu Bakar speculate in the 6th Jan.2008 NST that “there are many in Kelantan who want to see a change of government”?

This is farthest from the truth. The Malay psyche in Kelantan is vastly different from the psyche of Malays from the other states. The Malays in Kelantan are astute when it comes to politics. That explains why it is the only Malay state where the opposition party other than UMNO has ruled for a substantial period since Merdeka.

During BN’s tenure, pork sellers in the Chinese market were harrassed daily. They were confined to a small inconspicous space where pork could be sold hidden from public view. There was conditional and restricted time when pork could be sold. When PAS took over the government in 1990, they improved the Chinese market and pork was sold without any restrictions. In
short they were not harrassed.

Again, during BN’s tenure, Chinese could not buy houses built on Malay reservation land. Since most of the land come under the purview of Malay reservation, most Kelantanese Chinese could not own a home. But all these changed when PAS came to power.

Under the able DUN of Kota Bharu, Dato Annuar Tan, 30% of houses built on Malay reservation land were allocated for sale to the Kelantan Chinese.

Any doubts where the Chinese loyalty lies can easily be dispelled by visiting the Chinese enclave in Jalan Kebun Sultan. Ask any Chinese business community there and they will brazenly tell you that they will vote for PAS. Yes the Chinese votes in Kelantan are solidly behind PAS. Continue reading “Najib, you are wrong”

Posted on

Ring out 2007 “annus horribilis” and bring in 2008 with hope and change, starting with forthcoming general election

2008 New Year Message

Malaysians heave a sigh of relief at the end of 2007, a year which had opened with such great promise as it is to celebrate the 50th Merdeka anniversary of the nation.

I cannot think of a better term to describe 2007 than to borrow from Queen Elizabeth II in one of her most unforgettable annual messages when she said that the year that had just ended was an “annus horribilis”.

For Malaysians, 2007 had been an “annus horribilis” (a horrible year), a year which Malaysians would not look back with undulited pleasure and pride – but with great foreboding!

This is because 2007, the 50th Merdeka anniversary costing over RM100 million of taxpayers’ money in public celebrations, should be the year where Malaysians can look with pride and confidence into the next 50 years, founded on the fulfillment of the many great pledges which Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi had made on becoming Prime Minister and for which he was given the unprecedented electoral mandate of over 91 per cent of parliamentary seats in the 2004 general election.

But 2007 has proved to be one of the most divisive and troubled year in the half-a-century of Malaysia’s nationhood – with religious polarization assuming its most serious dimension in dividing Malaysians, compounding an already difficult problem of racial polarization in the nation-building process. Continue reading “Ring out 2007 “annus horribilis” and bring in 2008 with hope and change, starting with forthcoming general election”

Posted on

Herald controversy – Is Abdullah leader of Malaysian moderates protecting middle ground against extremists?

It is a great Christmas letdown and disappointment that the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi did not assure Malaysians that he will not allow the middle ground to be intruded and encroached by extremists in Umno or the civil service by striking down unreasonable, arbitrary and unconstitutional restrictions on Herald, the Catholic weekly.

I was expecting Abdullah to put to rest the controversy over the use of ‘Allah’ by Herald in its Bahasa Malaysia section when he attended the Christmas High Tea Reception hosted by the Christian Federation of Malaysia at Bukit Nanas, Kuala Lumpur yesterday, and I dare say that my sense of disappointment was not mine alone but of the entire audience with representatives from diverse religions in the country – Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, Sikkhism and Taoism.

In his speech, Abdullah reminded Malaysians not to allow extremist tendencies to take root and undermine interracial harmony in the country.

He said the moderates should play a role in ensuring that members of the public were not swayed by extremist propaganda which played on people’s emotions by raising sensitive religious and racial issues.

“I’m really concerned when issues involving religion are brought up from time to time and the attendant problems that all of us would need to address.

“If moderates don’t take centre stage, surely extremist elements will occupy it, making us fall for their extremist approach being touted as a religious or national approach.”

Abdullah cannot be more right that the greatest threat to inter-racial and inter-religious understanding, goodwill and harmony stem from religious extremists hiding in religious groups, political parties and the civil service who have been intruding and encroaching into the middle ground, edging out the moderates from the centre stage.

This is the main reason why religious polarization has surfaced in its most serious and dangerous form in the past four years in the 50-year history of the nation, gravely undermining national unity and the nation-building process. Continue reading “Herald controversy – Is Abdullah leader of Malaysian moderates protecting middle ground against extremists?”

Posted on

Losing battle for Pak Lah’s soul

The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi gave an excellent Christmas message when he called on Malaysians to move forward and put the country’s interest before any “narrowly-defined demands” as “over the past few months, narrow-mindedness and intolerance propounded by a small group has served to test our faith in each other”.

Ask the over two million Christians in Malaysia celebrating Christmas today whether they agree with the Prime Minister’s sentiments and I have no doubt that there will be a thumping unanimous “Yes”.

Ask them to cite a recent example of “narrow-mindedness and intolerance propounded by a small group” which had undermined the national interest with their “narrowly-defined demands”, I also have no doubt of a thumping unanimity of response by the Christians in the country – the narrow-minded decision by the Deputy Internal Security Minister,. Datuk Johari Baharum to disallow the renewal of the Bahasa section of the HERALD, the Catholic weekly and to ban the use of the word “Allah” by non-Muslim Malaysians and non-Muslim faiths.

Abdullah’s Christmas message this year has served to illustrate in a most vivid fashion the losing battle for the soul of the Prime Minister to convince him to walk the talk to project Malaysia as a world model for inter-faith understanding, goodwill and harmony. Continue reading “Losing battle for Pak Lah’s soul”

Posted on

Somnambulant Governance at work (2) – “Ban” of International Building Bridges Conference 2007 in KL

On Wednesday, I asked in Parliament whether the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi was crafting a new form of governance – somnambulant governance. Oxford Dictionary defines “somnambulism” as “sleepwalking”.

I posed this question when Abdullah’s public response to the proposal by the Malaysian Indian Youth Council (MIYC) for the establishment of a department for Non-Muslim Affairs to handle sensitive issues pertaining to religion resulted in two extraordinary developments:

Firstly, producing three different newspaper headlines the next day – that the government was setting up such a department, to the government studying the proposal and an outright dismissal of the proposal as “not necessary”.

Secondly, his “on-the-run” Cabinet appointments of MCA President Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting as Minister for Buddhist Affairs, MIC President Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu as Minister for Hindu Affairs and President of United Pasokmomogun Murut Organisation (UPKO) as Minister for Christian Affairs – which rate as the most highly-kept secret of the Abdullah administration as it is not only the 26 million Malaysians and the various religious organizations directly involved who are not aware of such Cabinet appointments.

I had congratulated one of the Ministerial trio on Wednesday for his additional Cabinet responsibilities but he was so embarrassed as he did not know how to react to the Prime Minister’s announcement when he knew nothing about it!

I will give another example of Abdullah’s somnambulant governance which is also pertinent to the problem of increasing religious polarization in Malaysia, worst under any Prime Minister in the 50-year history of the nation. Continue reading “Somnambulant Governance at work (2) – “Ban” of International Building Bridges Conference 2007 in KL”

Posted on

Religious polarisation most serious in 4 yrs under Abdullah as compared to four previous Prime Ministers

“PM: Religious festivals unite all Malaysians” is the New Straits Times headline today for Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s statement yesterday at an Aidiladha ceremony, where he said:

“Malaysia can pride itself in knowing that regardless of what religious celebration it may be, its ethnic groups will come together as one to honour the event.”

This was very true in the early decades of our nationhood, but it has become less and less true as increasing religious polarization in the country is undermining and even threatening national unity.

In fact, it is no exaggeration to say that religious polarization is most serious in the past four years under Abdullah as Prime Minister as compared to the four former Prime Ministers – Tunku Abdul Rahman, Tun Razak, Tun Hussein Onn and Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad.

It is most unfortunate that in recent years, there have been mounting instances of disrespect and insensitivity of those in power and authority for the rights and sensitivities of non-Muslim Malaysians.

The most serious example were the recent triple insensitivities during this year’s Deepavali – the Festival of Light celebrated by Hindus.
Continue reading “Religious polarisation most serious in 4 yrs under Abdullah as compared to four previous Prime Ministers”

Posted on

Abdullah plunging to new depth of shambolic government with “somnambulant governance”?

I wondered this morning whether the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi is crafting a new form of governance – somnambulant governance – making Cabinet appointments on-the-run, with the public and the Ministers themselves completely unaware of the existence of such Cabinet portfolios and responsibilities.

This is from Abdullah’s reaction to the proposal from a coalition of Indian NGOs asking the government to set up a Non-Muslim Affairs Department to handle sensitive issues pertaining to religion.

Malaysian Indian Youth Council (MIYC) president A. Rajaretnam suggested that such a department should come under the Prime Minister’s Department and should look into issues such as conversions and temple demolitions so that these problems are handled department-to-department and not between NGOs and departments.

The Prime Minster’s response is utterly befuddling and confusing, as no one can make proper sense out of it, as illustrated by the contradictory media headlines, viz:

• Kerajaan tubuh Jawatankuasa Hal Ehwal Bukan Islam – Berita Harian

• “Government considers setting up panel for non-Muslims” – New Straits Times

• “Non-Muslim affairs dept, if necessary’ – The Sun

• Non-Muslims looked after –We already have panels to handle their affairs, Abdullah – The Star

• Not Necessary For Non-Muslim Affairs Dept Now, Says PM – Bernama

How can Abdullah’s one response produce three different perceptions as to what he meant – from the government setting up such a department for non-Muslim affairs, to studying the proposal and an outright dismissal as “not necessary”.
I do not blame the journalists, whether reporters or sub-editors for getting three completely different versions from one response, as nobody really knows what Abdullah was talking about. Continue reading “Abdullah plunging to new depth of shambolic government with “somnambulant governance”?”

Posted on

Abdullah just don’t get it – that he has already disappointed Malaysians after biggest-ever electoral mandate 4 yrs ago

In Puchong Indah, Selangor yesterday, the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi declared: Support me and I will not disappoint you.

He said the support of the people give him greater sense of responsibility to strive even harder to ensure prosperity, harmony and development without leaving out any group.

Abdullah just don’t get it – that he has already disappointed Malaysians who had given him the greatest mandate ever secured by a Prime Minsiter in any general election in the nation’s 50-year history in 2004.

Is Abdullah’s denial so serious and even terminal that he is simply not aware of the widespread and deep-seated popular disenchantment over his failure to honour his catalogue of pledges when he became Prime Minister in October 2003 and during the 2004 general election to be the Prime Minister for all Malaysians, to hear the truth from the people however unpleasant, to wipe out corruption and abuses of power, to open up spaces for greater democracy and press freedom and to lead an administration of excellence and meritocracy towards a First-World Malaysia?

I cannot but ask whether the recent spate of unprecedented events had failed to make any impression on him whatsoever to shake off his denial complex – whether the nation-wide pickets of MTUC and workers for fair wage, the March for Justice of the 2,000 lawyers in late September to demand judicial independence and integrity, the 40,000-strong BERSIH demonstration on Nov. 10 for electoral reforms for free, fair and clean elections or the 30,000-strong Hindraf demonstration to end the long-standing marginalization of the Malaysian Indians? Continue reading “Abdullah just don’t get it – that he has already disappointed Malaysians after biggest-ever electoral mandate 4 yrs ago”