Posted on

Malaysia and the Perfect Storm

By Thomas B. Pepinsky | July 27, 2012
blogs.cornell.edu/indolaysia

Let’s say that you’re a pessimist about global growth prospects. If so, you’re not alone: Q2 GDP growth in the U.S. is weak, the U.K. is in a double-dip recession, and there’s no end to the Eurozone crisis in sight. Growth in China is softening too, and the rest of the BRICs aren’t registering the growth that we have come to expect over the past five years. If you also think that global financial markets remain fragile, then you’d be right to worry about a perfect storm in the global economy.

This is bad news all around for the big economies. But we should also pay attention to how global economic conditions will affect small open economies. By definition, these are economies that are dependent on trade and investment, and which therefore have harnessed themselves to the global economy as a basic engine for growth and development. This gives them access to markets for their exports and to investment, but by the same token, it makes them vulnerable to whatever ups and downs the global economy experiences.

Malaysia is a classic example of a small open economy. And a new report (unfortunately behind a paywall) from Roubini Global Economics argues that Malaysia is not only the Asian country whose economy is most vulnerable to a perfect storm, but also the country which is perhaps least able to do anything about it. Take note of the following: Continue reading “Malaysia and the Perfect Storm”

Posted on

National Day theme “Janji Ditepati” wrong and inappropriate as it is anti-national, divisive rather than unifying the people, presenting Najib as Prime Minister for UMNO/BN only and not all Malaysians!

The Information Minister, Datuk Seri Dr. Rais Yatim is defending the indefensible when he takes to Twitter to ask why “Janji Ditepati” cannot be used as this year’s National Day/Malaysia Day theme.

Firstly, Rais’ claim that “Malaysia has truly arrived as an achieving nation after 55 years of independence” is highly controversial and debatable, for if this is true, the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak would not gain the reputation of being the most indecisive Prime Minister in the nation’s history who keeps postponing his plan to hold the next general election to win a personal mandate for his premiership for fear of ending up in the Opposition benches or toppled within UMNO like his predecessor Tun Abdullah.

In fact, probably more could be written about how the slogan of “Janji Ditepati” had failed rather than succeeded in 55 years after Merdeka and 49 years after Malaysia – whether in building a united, harmonious, democratic, progressive and competitive Malaysia; or in fulfilling Najib’s three-year promises of 1Malaysia Government Transformation Programme (GTP) whether in reducing crime, fighting corruption or carrying out meaningful government, economic and political transformation for Malaysia to take her rightful place in international society and achieve the status of a normal democratic country.

I remember when I visited Sabah in 1978, I had warned that Sabah faced three grave problems – the illegal immigrant problem which I had cited had reached 140,000, the crime situation and grave problem of corruption. Continue reading “National Day theme “Janji Ditepati” wrong and inappropriate as it is anti-national, divisive rather than unifying the people, presenting Najib as Prime Minister for UMNO/BN only and not all Malaysians!”

Posted on

Kedah: Losers and victors

— Sakmongkol AK47
The Malaysian Insider
Jul 26, 2012

JULY 26 — The Umno strategists in its war room deserved to get Oscars for their clowning performance. We are kept hilariously amused. A few years ago, it was the 1 finger in everything — 1 Malaysia, 1 Klinik, Kedai 1 Malaysia, etc. Earlier on, Malaysians puked at the alphabet soup — NKRA, ETP, PDP, GTP. Then it was one million dreams, one thousand hopes leading to “Janji ditepati”.

A few days ago, I wrote, the PM doesn’t have to play hide and seek whether a bonus for civil servants is expected. I said it will definitely come. So it did, but when I heard the PM say “kita nak bonus raya ketidak”, expecting a rapturous response like a cheerleader does. That shows he has no class at all.

But then that is expected of someone who solves problems by paying his way through. Can we stomach his indulgent ways? After announcing the bonus, he says, expectedly, this is proof of the government’s sincerity. Then, likewise the Selangor government proves its sincerity by giving water free up to a certain level, is more sincere in refusing to let Syabas fleece the people, sincere in also giving Selangor civil servants bonuses. That is also further proof that if you manage the finances carefully, state governments can give bonuses. Let’s see if any BN-managed states can give its civil servants bonuses.

We can go on. The ability of the Penang state government in allocating RM62 million a year for Islam in that state must be proof of the state government’s sincerity. Correspondingly, the Negri Sembilan’s ability to provide only RM10 million a year proves its insincerity. The Kedah government’s ability to increase revenue from the timber and forestry sector must be proof of its efficiency and corruption-free government. The Kelantan government’s achievement in repaying all federal debts must be proof of its financial probity as opposed to Umno’s profligacy.

After pulling all the stops, scare mongering and other alarming and ominous stories what do they resort to? Got to have some intellectual respectability to its now fast disappearing legitimacy. It has called in some academicians to bolster its standing. On one fine day, the professors are assembled and directed to give good accreditations to Umno. What a pathetic move. Continue reading “Kedah: Losers and victors”

Posted on

Bersih decision, refreshing and reaffirming

— Proham
The Malaysian Insider
Jul 26, 2012

JULY 26 — Proham notes that it is refreshing to see a High Court decision re-affirming the time honoured principle that an executive decision must be based on a proper interpretation of the law and the application of reasonable and rational consideration of relevant facts.

On July 24, 2012, Justice Datuk Rohana Yusof allowed an application for certiorari to quash the Minister’s order made on July 1, 2001 under section 5 of the Societies Act where he had declared the Coalition for Clear and Fair Elections (Bersih) as a unlawful movement.

The decision illustrates the pitfalls of administrative decisions which are not consonant with provisions of the law and the Constitution but are made relying on faulty appreciation of the law and on unreasonable and irrational considerations of unverified or irrelevant facts supplied normally by aides.

Another important aspect of the case is the re-affirmation of another principle that in a democratic system of governance under the Constitution, the intervention of an independent judiciary able to make judicial decisions affecting aggrieved parties without fear and favour is of paramount importance bearing in mind too, that in our court system the right of appeal is not shut to parties dissatisfied with the decisions. Continue reading “Bersih decision, refreshing and reaffirming”

Posted on

‘I Choose Malaysia’ – selling a feel-good image

Clive Kessler
Malaysiakini
Jul 25, 2012

Congratulations on noticing and commenting upon this new promotional exercise by “the old national management team”.

I noticed it some days ago, and wrote to some friends about it.

I said: I saw an amazing new political ad on TV yesterday: an ad, I suppose, for the government, its re-election.

But interestingly, it provided no sight, sign or mention of Umno or BN or the “government” or “kerajaan”, no sight or mention of PM Najib Abdul Razak, nor of any of his cabinet ministers.

And no sign, sight, or mention either of any specific national government projects, no mention of government transformation plans, KRA, KPI.

None of that.

Instead just faces, most speaking rapidly, earnestly, with apparent conviction and quite authoritatively, even demandingly.

All set against a plain white background. Continue reading “‘I Choose Malaysia’ – selling a feel-good image”

Posted on

A Right and Significant Verdict on Bersih

By Kee Thuan Chye
Malaysian Digest
25 July 2012

THE High Court has declared that Bersih (Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections) is not unlawful. And rightly so.

Although this comes as a blow to the Government, and especially the Home Minister, the Attorney-General (A-G) should not pursue an appeal.

Doing so would hurt the Government’s image even more. It would appear to sensible Malaysians that the Government refused to admit wrong even when the evidence clearly showed it was wrong.

Furthermore, the Government had responded positively to the Bersih 2.0 rally of July 9, 2011, by setting up a Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) to look into electoral reform. If it continued to insist on the quibble that Bersih 2.0 is unlawful, it would contradict itself, call to question the sincerity of its PSC move. It would appear to act in bad faith.

After all, is it such a big issue to the Government whether Bersih 2.0 is unlawful or not? Continue reading “A Right and Significant Verdict on Bersih”

Posted on

Hamid cannot be more wrong, Hishammuddin should apologise for irrational, illogical and inconsistent ban of Bersih

Former Home Minister Tan Sri Syed Hamid Albar cannot be more wrong when he said his successor, Datuk Seri Hishamuddin Hussein need not apologise when the latter’s ban on Bersih as an “unlawful organisation” was quashed by Kuala Lumpur High Court as Hishammuddin was just exercising his powers as Home Minister. (TMI)

Hamid is not the most qualified to tender such an advice as he still owes a public apology for his gross abuse of powers in September 2008 when he was Home Minister and senior Sin Chew reporter Tan Hoon Cheng was arbitrarily arrested under the Internal Security Act “for her own personal safety” together with DAP National Organising Secretary and Selangor Senior Exco for Investment, Trade and Industry, Teresa Kok.

There can be no doubt that in the present case, right-thinking and rational Malaysians agree that with the judgment of the Kuala Lumpur High Court judge, Justice Rohana Yusof yesterday, the time has come for the Barisan Nasional government to end its petty, vindictive and vengeful attitude to Bersih, with Hishammuddin setting the example by extending a public apology for his irrational, illogical and inconsistent ban of Bersih on the baseless and ridiculous ground of being “prejudicial to public order and security”.

Hishammuddin and the Barisan Nasional should end their irrational attack of Bersih xanthophobia (fear of yellow), with the ridiculous standing instruction to the police at one stage that anyone wearing yellow, and not just the yellow Bersih T-shirt, as anti-national elements to be arrested on sight! Continue reading “Hamid cannot be more wrong, Hishammuddin should apologise for irrational, illogical and inconsistent ban of Bersih”

Posted on

Hishammuddin should initiate government action to compensate Asrul for life for police violence at Bersih 3.0 rendering Asrul “blind” and unemployable

Home Minister, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein should initiate action for the government to compensate mechanical engineer Asrul Wadi Ahmad, 27, for life as a token of personal responsibility, remorse and recompense for police violence and brutality in indiscriminately and wantonly firing tear-gas canisters at participants of the Bersih 3.0 rally in Kuala Lumpur on April 28, rendering Asrul “clinically” blind and unemployable.

Asrul, who testified at the Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) inquiry into violence at the Bersih rally, gave a most heart-rending account of his plight when he was hit by a tear gas canister during the Bersih 3.0 rally.

Asrul had perfect 20/20 vision prior to the injury but visibility in his right eye has now been reduced to 15 percent. As a result, he may become unemployable as a mechanical engineer though he graduated with a degree in mechanical engineering from Universiti Tun Hussein Onn in February.
Asrul has consulted doctors from two private and three government hospitals and been told that the injury to his right eye cannot be reversed via medical procedures.

Asrul recounted at the Suhakam inquiry his horrendous experience at the Bersih 3.0 rally. Continue reading “Hishammuddin should initiate government action to compensate Asrul for life for police violence at Bersih 3.0 rendering Asrul “blind” and unemployable”

Posted on

M’sian patriots, stand up to corruption and injustice

May Chee Chook Ying
Malaysiankini
Jul 24, 2012

Last year, there was a spate of burglaries at the apartments where my daughter lives in Taman Tun Dr Ismail.

I met a technician from a pest-control company there one afternoon and we got to talking about it. This was his take – times are so bad now, people don’t have enough to live on. They are desperate!

There are studies that have shown that the root of all social problems is inequality.

If at all it’s true that RM892 billion, which is three times our foreign debt of RM257.2 billion in 2011, (and second only to Nigeria) has been siphoned out of the country, don’t you think that this will contribute to a very huge and sinful disparity between the haves and have-nots? Second only to Nigeria?

I don’t know which is more shocking or shameful! Continue reading “M’sian patriots, stand up to corruption and injustice”

Posted on

Hanya BN yang mampu mencetuskan kekecuhan jika kalah PRU

— Aspan Alias
The Malaysian Insider
Jul 24, 2012

24 JULAI — Selalu saya terfikir yang negara perlu memulakan “facet” yang baru dalam politiknya kerana dengan isu perkauman yang sedang digendang oleh pihak pemerintah sekarang ini amat merbahaya untuk kestabilan dan keselamatan negara. Pihak BN tidak mahu menerima hakikat dan semangat demokrasi dan kekalahan dalam pilihanraya merupakan satu perkara yang mereka tidak dapat hendak terima sedangkan itu lah perkara yang biasa yang berlaku di dalam mana-mana negara demokrasi.

Nampaknya cita-cita negara untuk mendapatkan sebuah negara yang mencapai “national unity” tidak mungkin tercapai sampai bila-bila selagi BN masih memainkan isu perkauman yang terlalu besar. Isu perkauman ini tidak akan dapat diselesaikan sampai bila-bila kerana itu pun isu yang digunakan oleh pihak BN terutamanya Umno untuk meneruskan cengkaman terhadap pemikiran rakyat kerana tamakkan kuasa.

Umno tidak mahu menerima hakikat bahawa untuk memperbaiki diri, mereka harus dan wajib menerima yang mereka juga mesti melalui zaman dan waktu sebagai pembangkang. Umno harus menerima yang waktu duduk di kerusi pembangkang itu merupakan waktu yang terbaik untuk memperbaiki diri.

Perasaan saya begitu mendidih apabila pimpinan Umno membuat andaian yang negara akan menghadapi zaman kekecuhan jika PR memerintah. Saya tidak tahu bagaimana hendak mendapatkan rasional nya terhadap andaian itu. Pihak pembangkang khususnya DAP tidak pernah membuat andaian yang merbahaya ini tetapi hanya Umno sahaja yang membuat andaian ini semata-mata untuk menakut-nakutkan orang ramai dan memberikan sokongan terhadap parti yang sudah memerintah selama lebih lima dekad itu.

Sebenarnya pihak pembangkang telah menerima kekalahan setiap pilihanraya dan tidak pernah membuat kekacauan. Kita telah mengadakan pilihanraya sebanyak 12 kali dalam sejarah negara merdeka kita. Mengingatkan peristiwa 13 Mei itu merupakan kerja menakut-nakutkan rakyat untuk membuat pilihan secara bebas dan jika berlaku kekecuhan ia akan hanya dilakukan oleh pihak BN dan bukannya dari pihak PR. Continue reading “Hanya BN yang mampu mencetuskan kekecuhan jika kalah PRU”

Posted on

Implications when Najib not prepared to declare there would be no repeat of May 13

The three-day silence by the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak is deafening – his failure to follow up on Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s “We don’t want May 13 repeated” statement by declaring clearly and unequivocally that he would accept the verdict of the people in the 13th General Election and that he would ensure and facilitate a peaceful transition of federal power from Barisan Nasional to Pakatan Rakyat if this is the result of the general election.

This is the question I had posed publicly at a DAP ceramah at Sepanggar in Sabah last Friday following earlier online reports that Muhyiddin had told a national youth conference calling on the young generation to be united to ensure that the country remains stable and peaceful to avoid a repeat of the May 13, 1969 tragedy.

Malaysians were taken aback by Muhyiddin’s reference as they doubt the Deputy Prime Minister’s bona fides, with more Malaysians convinced that Muhyiddin raised the spectre of May 13 as a subtle threat to voters that there would be another May 13 bloodshed if UMNO loses power rather than as an assurance to Malaysians that May 13 was a tragic chapter of past history which would not and could not recur!

I had extended Pakatan Rakyat’s offer to co-operate and work closely with UMNO/Barisan Nasional to ensure that there will be no repeat of May 13 in the next general election, asking how there could be a repeat of May 13 tragedy if both political coalitions – BN and PR – sincerely pledge to work together in the national interest to prevent any such recurrence?

This was why I had issued the challenge to Najib as Prime Minister and President of UMNO/Barisan to declare his public stand. Continue reading “Implications when Najib not prepared to declare there would be no repeat of May 13”

Posted on

Moving on from May 13

— The Malaysian Insider
Jul 21, 2012

JULY 21 — May 13, now that’s a date that keeps cropping up although the racial clashes on that date happened in 1969, 43 years ago.

Can we ever let it rest? Can we ever move on? Can we ever get politicians to stop saying they don’t want it repeated, yet bring it up every now and then?

May 13 keeps popping up as a scaremongering tactic to keep various demographics united to support political parties facing an election, especially Umno.

There used to be some reverence and remorse for the darkest day in Malaysian history when blood spilled on the ground among us.

Now it is used with utmost disrespect by Umno strategists who believe that fear of trouble will persuade them to support the status quo – keeping Barisan Nasional (BN) in control of Putrajaya. Continue reading “Moving on from May 13”

Posted on

Najib/Hisham should explain why they are “scraping the bottom of the barrel” in giving greenlight to SB to go public with “cock and bull story” of JI terrorists and communists infiltrating PR parties as candidates

The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak and the Home Minister, Datuk Seri Hishammmudin Hussein should explain why they are “scraping the bottom of the barrel” in giving the green light to the Special Branch to go public with the “cock and bull story” of Jemaah Islamiah (JI) terrorists and former communists infiltrating Pakatan Rakyat parties and trying to be fielded as candidates in the coming general election.

The Bernama report yesterday of the “revelation” by the Special Branch assistant director of the E2(M) national social extremist threat division head Mohd Sofian Md Makinuddin at the National Young Leaders Convention in Parliament yesterday, claiming that JI elements were trying to infiltrate PAS while the communist elements were trying to infiltrate DAP, would have been laughed off and dismissed as the most sick and top political joke of the year if not for the gravity of having such wild, scatter-brained and crackpot ideas influencing and determining policy making at the highest government and security levels in the country.

With the resurrection of the Islamist terrorist and communist bogeys infiltrating the Pakatan Rakyat parties, is the stage being set for a special operation against the Pakatan Rakyat parties to remove the democratic and legitimate threat posed by Pakatan Rakyat to continued UMNO/Barisan Nasional hold on federal power in the 13th general election? Continue reading “Najib/Hisham should explain why they are “scraping the bottom of the barrel” in giving greenlight to SB to go public with “cock and bull story” of JI terrorists and communists infiltrating PR parties as candidates”

Posted on

Treating the ‘Selangor water crisis’

— The Malaysian Insider
Jul 19, 2012

JULY 19 — With the amount of water splashing around in Selangor these days, one would think any discussion about water would revolve around the abundance rather than the shortage of the liquid.

But this is Malaysia and today, we learn that Putrajaya has formed a special Cabinet Committee chaired by Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin to discuss the issue of the availability of treated water and the need for another treatment plant that will be ready at least two years down the road.

And that any shortage and rationing now is due to the recalcitrance of the Selangor government, run by Pakatan Rakyat (PR) – the political foes of Barisan Nasional (BN) which controls Putrajaya.

Add to the potent mix that could give votes to either side in the next elections is utility provider, Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor (Syabas) which is controlled by Tan Sri Rozali Ismail , who is also Selangor Umno treasurer.

The question is, is there really a water crisis or is it manufactured by Putrajaya in what is seen as an attempt to wrest back the country’s wealthiest and most industrialised state back to BN. Continue reading “Treating the ‘Selangor water crisis’”

Posted on

Malaysia The Unready

— Tota
The Malaysian Insider
Jul 19, 2012

JULY 19 — In English history there is King Æthelred The Unready. He earned this nickname because he was never ready for anything good or wise. Bolehland displays many similar characteristics to qualify to be called “Malaysia The Unready”.

The Umno-dominated BN government has shown a stubborn refusal to make Malaysia a truly democratic state where the rule of law, civil rights and liberties, equality and justice are respected and practised. The Umno-dominated BN government’s mantra is that Malaysia is not ready for so many things that are basic in all truly democratic and progressive countries.

Malaysia The Unready is not ready to:

● make Malaysia a truly democratic, secular state as enshrined in the Constitution.

● make Parliament democratically functional with an elected Speaker.

● have an elected Senate. Continue reading “Malaysia The Unready”

Posted on

Najib has lost best timing for dissolution of Parliament and his window to choose the best time for 13GE has closed

Firstly, let me pay tribute to Malaysians, particularly in Petaling Jaya and Selangor, for their public-spiritedness, powerful sense of justice and the ability to distinguish between public right and wrong, in their splendid one-week response online and offline in coming to the support of DAP MP for PJ Utara, Tony Pua, among the foremost warriors for the water rights of the people of Selangor, who had lost in the first round of the defamation suit by Selangor state water concessionaire Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor (Syabas) with the Kuala Lumpur High Court awarding RM200,000 damages to Syabas.

Tony is appealing against the KL High Court judgment but Syabas is demanding payment of the RM200,000 damages.

If Tony is finally vindicated and wins the defamation suit against Syabas, the collection will go to the Party’s national funds to be expended for the forthcoming general elections or other public interest litigation cases.

Tony’s defamation suit is one of the many tests and challenges DAP leaders have to face after the 308 political tsunami of the 2008 general elections, which saw an unprecedented change in the national political landscape with the formation of five state governments (Selangor, Penang, Kedah, Kelantan and Perak – although an unconstitutional coup subsequently robbed Pakatan Rakyat of the Perak state government but we are confident winning Perak in the next general election) and the unprecedented denial of BN’s two-thirds parliamentary majority).

The whole country and all Malaysians will be faced with two critical tests when the long-delayed 13th General Election is finally held, whether in another two or three months or next year. Continue reading “Najib has lost best timing for dissolution of Parliament and his window to choose the best time for 13GE has closed”

Posted on

Don’t be deceived, Malaysians

— Gomen Man
The Malaysian Insider
Jul 17, 2012

JULY 17 — Get ready for the wayang kulit to begin. Elections will be held after Hari Raya, probably in September. And how do I know?

Do I have a crystal ball? Definitely not but Najib Razak is doing what Abdullah Ahmad Badawi did when he also needed a mandate from the voters.

1) Get the authorities to charge a so-called big fish with corruption to show the “government’s resolve” in fighting corruption. Abdullah picked Eric Chia, Kasitah Gaddam, Ramli Yusof and a couple of others. Hey, did anyone remember that everyone was cleared!

Now we are told that ex-Sime Darby CEO is going to be charged with CBT. This case is going to be milked by Najib administration and the MACC, both bodies with little credibility. Will anyone remember if and when Zubir Murshid is acquitted, the same way that Ramli Yusof was cleared?

2) The Klang Valley water rationing. This must be the only country in the world where some private sector company can decide it wants to ration water and where the corrupt and imbecile mainstream media goes on a rampage again the state government which will not give in to blackmail and threats. Continue reading “Don’t be deceived, Malaysians”

Posted on

Umno itu sudah terlalu fakir dalam perjuangan

— Aspan Alias
The Malaysian Insider
Jul 15, 2012

15 JULAI — Muhyiddin menyeru agar Umno mempertahankan kerusi Gelang Patah habis-habisan kerana Gelang Patah merupakan kawasan yang menempatkan pusat pentadbiran negeri Johor dan mempunyai infrastuktur yang terbaik di negeri Johor. Di dalam kawasan ini jugalah terletaknya Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) dan berbagai-bagai infrastruktur terbaik di negeri Johor.

Kenyataan seperti ini yang datangnya dari Timbalan Perdana Menteri dan ianya membayangkan bahawa negeri Johor juga merupakan negeri yang sangat ditakuti oleh BN dalam menghadapi PRU yang akan datang ini. Kenyataan yang membayangkan ketakutan dari pihak BN tidak pernah kita dengar sebelum ini jika ia melibatkan negeri Johor kerana Johor sebelum ini merupakan kubu kuat BN sejak negara mengadakan pilihanraya.

BN dan Umno di negeri Johor sebelum ini hanya mengambil pilihanraya umum sebagai satu pesta sahaja kerana bak kata orang Umno semasa parti itu kuat dahulu, ‘calon Umno tidak payah turun berkempen. Hantarkan songkok untuk mewakili calon-calon-calonnya sahaja sudah cukup dan BN akan menang’. Tetapi kenyataan yang datang dari seorang Timbalan Perdana Menteri yang juga merupakan anak Johor ini, amat jelas yang BN di Johor tidak boleh lagi bercakap takbur seperti dahulu. Keadaan sudah berubah dan rakyat lebih fokus untuk mencari pemimpin dan parti yang lebih berguna dari dahulu. Continue reading “Umno itu sudah terlalu fakir dalam perjuangan”

Posted on

Day of infamy for Malaysian journalism – Utusan Malaysia defending the indefensible instead of apologizing for being foremost “Lies-paper” in Malaysia

Today is a day of infamy for Malaysian journalism – with the UMNO publication Utusan Malaysia defending the indefensible instead of apologizing for being the foremost “Lies-paper” in Malaysia in the past three years under the premiership of Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

At a forum on social media organized by Biro Tata Negara (BTN) of the Prime Minister’s Department and the 1Malaysia Social Media Convention secretariat, Utusan Malaysia’s deputy chief editor Mohd Zaini Hassan claimed that media practitioners are allowed to spin the facts to paint a “desired picture” to the reader and to launch a “gentlemanly attack” against the Opposition.

Claiming that there are three categories of “fact, spin and blatant lies”, Zaini purports to distance himself from “lies” but gives his approval to “spin”, saying: “Spin we can; no matter how we spin a certain fact to be biased in our favour, that’s okay.”

Zaini is insulting the intelligence of Malaysians in trying a “spin of all spins” attempting to pass off lies and blatant lies as mere “spin”!

Spin must clearly be delineated from lies and blatant lies. Spin occurs when facts are linked in a deceptive way that attempts to portray an individual or organization in the best or worst possible light.

But what Utusan had been most guilty off in the past three years is not just deception through “spinning” certain facts while omitting other facts, but the retailing of downright lies and falsehoods. Continue reading “Day of infamy for Malaysian journalism – Utusan Malaysia defending the indefensible instead of apologizing for being foremost “Lies-paper” in Malaysia”

Posted on

Selepas berjumpa PM, bekas wakil-wakil rakyat bersungut

— Aspan Alias
The Malaysian Insider
Jul 13, 2012

13 JULAI — Rupa-rupanya semalam PM Najib Razak telah memanggil semua bekas-bekas wakil rakyat Barisan Nasional seluruh negara ke kediaman beliau untuk meminta bantuan untuk BN menghadapi pilihanraya yang paling getir buat parti pemerintah sejak negara merdeka.

Dalam keadaan sebegini tentulah sebab kenapa mereka dipanggil itu ialah kerana Najib tidak begitu yakin meraih kemenangan apabila menghadapi parti-parti “alternative” dalam PRU akan datang ini.

Dua orang bekas Adun dan seorang bekas ahli parlimen telah menghubungi saya dan ketiga-tiga orang ini mempunyai cerita yang sama.

“Dah nak tergolek baru panggil kami,” kata salah seorang yang menghubungi saya itu.

Menurut kata ahli Mubarak itu, Najib mengakui yang tekanan terhadap Umno dan BN sangat kuat dan pihak Pakatan Rakyat begitu serius dalam usaha untuk ke Putrajaya itu. Continue reading “Selepas berjumpa PM, bekas wakil-wakil rakyat bersungut”