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Has Malaysia a Home Minister of “unsound mind” who could condone and absolve the criminal actions of people stoking racial tensions by declaring payment of RM1,200 to anyone who slaps woman MP Teresa Kok?

This morning the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department in charge of national unity, Tan Sri Joseph Kurup said those stoking racial tensions by offering a reward for slapping DAP National Vice Chairperson and MP for Seputeh Teresa Kok are people of “unsound mind”.

The more relevant and pertinent question is whether Malaysia has got a Home Minister of “unsound mind” who could condone and absolve the criminal actions of the self-styled “Council of Islamic NGOs” in stoking racial tensions by declaring payment of RM1,200 to anyone who slaps woman MP Teresa Kok.

The 30-odd people from six Muslim groups involved in the “slap Teresa” demonstration and the chicken slaughter and smearing of chicken blood on a banner featuring DAP and Pakatan Rakyat leaders are “sick” but what is shocking is whether we have a Home Minister who is equally “sick” as to be capable of defending and championing the “sick” actions of the ‘Council of Islamic NGOs’.

Thanks to the publicity given by the extremist NGOs and their sponsors in UMNO, Teresa’s video “Onederful Malaysia CNY 2014” has now exceeded over 450,000 hits on YouTube. Continue reading “Has Malaysia a Home Minister of “unsound mind” who could condone and absolve the criminal actions of people stoking racial tensions by declaring payment of RM1,200 to anyone who slaps woman MP Teresa Kok?”

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When will Paul Low follow Wathamoorthy and resign as Minister in Prime Minister’s Department as the Najib administration has evinced no political will to fight grand corruption and gross abuses of powerful

P. Waythamoorthy is set to resign as Deputy Minister and senator tomorrow because the Najib administration has “committed a historic act of betrayal to the Indian community by not honouring the MOU” with Hindraf to resolve the chronic socio-economic problems afflicting the Indian community.

It would appear that Waythamoorthy and the Persatuan Hindraf Malaysia (PHM) are the only ones in the country who do not know that Najib does not have the political will nor the courage to deliver on the promises in the MOU.

The question now is when Datuk Paul Low will follow in the footsteps of Waythamoorthy and resign as Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department as it is crystal clear except to Paul Low that Najib does not have the political will to fight grand corruption and gross abuses of power. Continue reading “When will Paul Low follow Wathamoorthy and resign as Minister in Prime Minister’s Department as the Najib administration has evinced no political will to fight grand corruption and gross abuses of powerful”

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Is Zahid seriously suggesting that it is perfectly lawful and permissible to organise public demonstrations to offer RM1,200 to anyone to slap the PM, DPM or Home Minister?

Overnight, Malaysians are asking whether the law of the jungle have replaced the rule of law in the country on our way to a fully developed nation status in six years’ time in 2020.

This follows the shocking statement by the Home Minister, Datuk Seri Dr. Ahmad Zahid Hamidi who dismissed calls to investigate the organisers of Thursday’s chicken slaughter protest against DAP MP Teresa Kok, and who dismissed the RM1,200 reward offered by the self-styled “Council of Islamic NGOs” who slaps Teresa saying “there is nothing to investigate as it is not a threat”.

He said: “Why do we need to investigate that?

“Slapping is not a threat. If they say murder, then it is a threat.”

Is Zahid seriously suggesting that it is perfectly lawful and permissible to organise public demonstrations to offer RM1,200 to anyone to slap the Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister or the Home Minister?

Is the Home Minister advocating the law of the jungle instead of the rule of law? Then we are not heading towards a fully developed nation in 2020 but down the abyss to a failed state by the end of the decade!
Continue reading “Is Zahid seriously suggesting that it is perfectly lawful and permissible to organise public demonstrations to offer RM1,200 to anyone to slap the PM, DPM or Home Minister?”

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Advice to All Politicians: Keep Calm, Cool and Collected

Koon Yew Yin
8th February 2014

When Theresa Kok’s video clip for the Chinese New Year first appeared, I saw it as a cleverly done piece of political satire. It was funny, original and thought provoking. I thought the references to various personalities and public issues of concern captured some of our recent political controversies in a refreshingly irreverent and comical way. The clip brought back to me memories of that hugely popular and successful British television series, “Yes Minister” which first ran in the 1980’s and has been recently revived.

At the same time that I appreciated the black humour and wit in the “ONEderful Malaysia!” video, I was concerned that it would be viewed the opposite way by the Government and UMNO’s political supporters and would become ammunition for them to hit back not only against her, but also the DAP and the opposition parties as a whole.

Clearly the video was intended to draw attention to issues of public concern. It was also meant to draw attention to Theresa Kok as a politician and to enhance her public image. But what if the Government or its supporters twisted it around and concocted elements of racial or religious discord to smear the DAP and Pakatan coalition? I was especially concerned that the targeting of the video to a Chinese audience and timed for the Chinese New Year period was strategically unwise and could backfire.

My worse fears have now proven correct. Continue reading “Advice to All Politicians: Keep Calm, Cool and Collected”

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Call on IGP to form a special team to investigate the incessant incitement of racial and religious hatred, conflict and tension to create another May 13 riots in the past few months and to nip the nefarious and treacherous plot in the bud

Today is the 111th birth anniversary of Bapa Malaysia, Tunku Abdul Rahman.

Sadly, there is nothing much to celebrate to mark the greater realization of Tunku’s Malaysia Dream – to make Malaysia a haven of peace, harmony and happiness – as 44 years after Tunku stepped down as the founding Prime Minister of Malaysia, the country has never been more polarized racially and religiously as today.

Nobody can now claim that Malaysia is a haven of peace, harmony and happiness?

In fact, Malaysia suffered the ignominy ten days ago when a Pakistani website gloated go that “Malaysia no longer land of peace and tolerance” after the latest outrages against racial and religious harmony in Malaysia – the Molotov cocktail attack on a church in Penang a day after the provocative banner, “Allah is Great. Jesus is the son of Allah” was hung outside five churches in Penang without the knowledge of church authorities and the vandalism of eight gravestones in a Christian cemetery in Kuantan.

Two days ago, some 30 members of six NGOs styling themselves the Council of Islamic NGOs staged a protest in Kuala Lumpur and conducted a pagan ritual where they slaughtered chicken and smeared their blood on a banner featuring Pakatan Rakyat leaders and offered RM1,200 to anyone who would slap DAP woman MP for Seputeh Teresa Kok and provide photographic evidence of their action.

Their actions were not only anti-women but anti-Islam as it is totally against Islam as the religion of peace and compassion. Continue reading “Call on IGP to form a special team to investigate the incessant incitement of racial and religious hatred, conflict and tension to create another May 13 riots in the past few months and to nip the nefarious and treacherous plot in the bud”

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When places of worship are turned into hatred factories

Zurairi AR
The Malay Mail Online
February 7, 2014

FEB 7 — As it is often with the government, the left hand rarely — if ever — knows what the right hand is doing.

How else do you explain that in the same week Prime Minister Najib Razak urged Malaysians to listen to the “voice of reason”, another government agency urged Muslims to do exactly the opposite?

In its Friday sermon last week — which came barely a day after the prime minister’s Chinese New Year address — the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim) had brazenly singled out Christians and Jews as the so-called “enemies of Islam.”

I say “brazen” because the sermon-writer in Jakim finally found the guts either by purpose or by mistake, to finally name the usually unnamed “enemies.” Continue reading “When places of worship are turned into hatred factories”

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Are we Turning into a State of Lawlessness?

Dato’ Mohd.Ariff Sabri bin Hj. Abdul Aziz
DAP MP for Raub
Friday, 7 February 2014

Is this country descending into a state of lawlessness? The chief executive is acting irresponsibly by allowing mobs to place posters making offers to people at large to collect reward money if they can assault Teresa Kok, a member of parliament. What if there were posters offering reward money to people if they can spit upon Najib or Rosmah? I am sure the police will come down swooping to arrest and jail whomsoever is responsible.

The police must act responsibly by going after the authors of the various reward posters offering money to assault Tersesa Kok. Surely these are invitations to the public at large to commit physical harm on someone else.

Causing physical harm or the threat of making one isn’t the same as making a parody of the country’s leadership and its management of the country. What if RM1200 is not enough and posters are put up to invite people to do more than slap?

The people of Kajang should take note of this. The unrestrained behaviour of the mobs acting under the cloak of Muslim NGO should be condemned vehemently. They should take this as indicator of the moral health of the BN government led by an incapacitate leader. Mob action and lawlessness appear to be popular medium of expression for UMNO supporters. This can only be taken as indicative of UMNO’s depraved religious, nationalist and racial sentiments. Continue reading “Are we Turning into a State of Lawlessness?”

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What Police would have done if a clutch of six NGOs had a demonstration which offered RM1,200 reward to anyone who dared to slap the Prime Minister and smeared the blood of slaughtered chicken on a banner featuring photographs of UMNO Ministers including the DPM?

Imagine what the Police would have done if there is a clutch of six NGOs which held a demonstration yesterday afternoon which offered RM1,200 reward to anyone who dared to slap the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak and provide photographic evidence of their action, followed by the slaughter of two chicken and the smearing of their blood on a banner featuring photographs of UMNO Ministers including the Deputy Prime Minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin?

If there had been such a demonstration, the entire force of the Royal Malaysian Police led by the Inspector-General of Police, Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar himself would have landed on the 30 odd demonstrators from the six NGOs like a ton of bricks and all the demonstrators would instantly be held under lock and key, subject to rigorous investigation and swift prosecution not only for violating the Peaceful Assembly Act in not giving police the minimum of 10-day notification of an assembly, but the more heinous crimes of causing ‘hurt’ to parliamentary democracy under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 [Sosma] and a battery of other charges under the Sedition Act, Penal Code, etc. which would probably keep them behind bars for the best part of their lives.

In actual fact, the clutch of six NGOs of some 30 people would not even be able to start slaughtering any innocent chicken, for they would have been packed into the “Black Marias” before they could gather, as the police would have got wind of their intentions well in advance.

The Malaysian Special Branch is undoubtedly one of the best of its kind in the world, thanks to the British colonial legacy and the primacy it has always enjoyed in the police hierarchy with collection of intelligence to protect the present regime as the top police priority when in a truly democratic society, the top police priority should be to promote and protect parliamentary democracy and human rights.

It would be completely inconceivable that media representatives from both printed and electronic media could be informed to give full coverage to the chicken-slaughtering and blood-smearing demonstration yesterday without the police having any inkling of the event before-hand – which could call for a complete shake-up of the Special Branch and even sacking of the Special Branch director. Continue reading “What Police would have done if a clutch of six NGOs had a demonstration which offered RM1,200 reward to anyone who dared to slap the Prime Minister and smeared the blood of slaughtered chicken on a banner featuring photographs of UMNO Ministers including the DPM?”

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Best way for Cabinet to commemorate 111th birth anniversary of Bapa Malaysia is to revive the Inter-Religious Council which Tunku Abdul Rahman set up in early decades to nationhood to resolve inter-religious differences and promote inter-religious harmony

This is the third day of a week-long world-wide celebration of “World Interfaith Harmony Week 2014” (Feb. 3 – 9) and Malaysia, as a microcosm of global multi-racial and multi-religious society, should be in the forefront to promote interfaith engagement where people of diverse faiths can undergo a process by which ‘tolerance’ develops into ‘understanding’ and eventually lead to unity of heart and meaningful relationships.

I want to remind the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak that on the first day of the World Interfaith Harmony Week last year on Feb. 2, 2013, he set the pace of the observance of the global interfaith harmony week and visited the places of worship of the nation’s five main religions in Brickfields in Kuala Lumpur, i.e. Sri Sakhti Karpaga Vinayagar temple, the Buddhist Maha Vihara temple, the Tamil Methodist Church, the Toaist Sam Kow Tong temple and the Madrasathul Gouthiyyah Surau.

On this day last year, he spoke about the need to hold on to the three principles of moderation, respecting those of other faiths, and fairness and being considerate.

But this year, not only the Prime Minister but the Department of National Unity and Integration in the Prime Minister’s Department, which is tasked with organising this year’s World Interfaith Harmony Week celebrations in Malaysia, lacks conviction and enthusiasm – which explains why the official portal of the Department of National Unity and Integration (http://www.jpnin.gov.my/home) is a blank about national-level celebration events of the World Interfaith Harmony Week 2014 featuring the Prime Minister when I just visited it on the third day of the world-wide week-long commemoration.

In actual fact, the government should have gone out of its way to ensure that the events to celebrate the World Interfaith Harmony Week this year should be on a grander scale and more meaningful than last year bearing in mind that inter-faith relations, goodwill and harmony had never been so sorely tested in the nation’s history as in the past eight months – resulting in the worst racial and religious polarisation in the country as a result of the incessant incitement of racial and religious hatred, conflict and tension by a small group of reckless and irresponsible people who seemed to enjoy immunity and impunity for their nefarious and treacherous ends to provoke racial and religious strife in the country. Continue reading “Best way for Cabinet to commemorate 111th birth anniversary of Bapa Malaysia is to revive the Inter-Religious Council which Tunku Abdul Rahman set up in early decades to nationhood to resolve inter-religious differences and promote inter-religious harmony”

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Najib should invite Teresa Kok to screen her “Onederful Malaysia CNY 2014” and give proper translation of the Cantonese-Mandarin dialogue and background at the Cabinet meeting tomorrow before more UMNO Ministers make fools of themselves

Another UMNO Minister has jumped into the fray over DAP MP for Seputeh Teresa Kok’s 11-minute video “Onderful Malaysia CNY 2014”, another UMNO leader to make a fool of himself as if he understands Cantonese and Mandarin, the languages used in the video dialogue.

He is none other than the Minister for Communications and Multimedia Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek, who weighed in on the subject today, denouncing Teresa’s satirical Chinese New Year video “unbecoming of a leader” and deploying a string of derogatory ephithets for the video: “annoying”, “more nauseating”, “more disgusting”.

How does Ahmad Shabery know? Has he suddenly understood Mandarin and Cantonese, or was it based on hearsay, and biased and prejudiced hearsay by MCA or Gerakan leaders? Continue reading “Najib should invite Teresa Kok to screen her “Onederful Malaysia CNY 2014” and give proper translation of the Cantonese-Mandarin dialogue and background at the Cabinet meeting tomorrow before more UMNO Ministers make fools of themselves”

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Comeuppance or deja vu, Najib feels the heat from old Umno hands

NEWS ANALYSIS BY THE MALAYSIAN INSIDER
February 04, 2014

Just after the 2008 elections, Datuk Seri Najib Razak watched as the then prime minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi got skewered for Barisan Nasional’s (BN) abysmal showing at the polls, with Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad leading the campaign to oust Pak Lah from office.

The constant hammering took its toll and in March 2009, Abdullah made way for Najib. Until today, Abdullah’s supporters believe that the so-called groundswell against the PM was not as widespread as painted by Dr Mahathir and his instigator-in-chief, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

But Abdullah had little drive to stay and fight, concerned that a war with his nemesis would mortally wound Umno.

Truth be told, he also never recovered from that day in March when BN lost five states and the two-thirds control of Parliament. Continue reading “Comeuppance or deja vu, Najib feels the heat from old Umno hands”

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Let all Malaysian moderates commemorate WIHW 2014 with resolve to save Malaysia from extremists and traitors who want to tear the country asunder with incessant incitement of racial and religious hatred, conflict and tension

Today, the world begins a week-long celebration of World Interfaith Harmony Week (3rd – 9th Feb) first proposed by King Abdullah of Jordan and endorsed by the United Nations General Assembly in October 2010 to spread the message of harmony and tolerance among the followers of the three monotheistic faiths and all the world’s religions.

It also seeks to promote the common basis of “Love of God and Love of the Neighbour, Love of the Good and Love of the Neighbour” among religions to safeguard world peace.

Malaysia was in the global forefront last year in the celebration of World Interfaith Harmony Week.

The Prime Minister not only visited the places of worship of the nation’s five main religions in Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur, but also addressed a gathering of religious leaders at his official residence in Seri Perdana.

At this gathering, Najib stressed that the “World Interfaith Harmony Week” sought to raise awareness and understanding between religions, for universal peace and drive the world to be more progressive and prosperous.

He said that all faiths in principle promote moderation, through conduct and words.

He also boasted that “if there is a country which wants to showcase itself as a model of multiracial unity, I don’t think there is a country better than Malaysia”.

Najib would not dare to repeat such a boast 12 months later in this year’s World Interfaith Harmony Week, as Malaysia has fallen from its pedestal as a model of interfaith harmony.

In fact, in the past weeks and months, Malaysia has become a sick example of “interfaith disharmony” in a multi-racial multi-religious country. Continue reading “Let all Malaysian moderates commemorate WIHW 2014 with resolve to save Malaysia from extremists and traitors who want to tear the country asunder with incessant incitement of racial and religious hatred, conflict and tension”

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Zainuddin’s infantile but dangerous gambit to racialise Kajang by-election is utterly irresponsible and cause of worsening racial polarization in Malaysia

Former Cabinet Minister Tan Sri Zainuddin Maidin is up to his mischief of communal politicking again.

He said in his blog that the Chinese community has a “golden opportunity” to regain the trust of the Malays in the wake of the so-called “Chinese Tsunami” of Election 2013.

He said: “The Kajang by-election is not the chance for Malays to repay the ‘Chinese Tsunami’ but must be seen as a golden opportunity for the Chinese community to overturn Malay views that the Chinese can no longer be trusted as political allies.

He said that “it is undeniable that this trust was broken by the ‘Chinese Tsunami”.

Zainuddin said a BN victory would also serve as a platform to rebuild Chinese-Malay co-operation that will benefit racial harmony, boost the economy and stabilise the political climate in the country.

Zainuddin’s infantile but dangerous gambit to racialise Kajang by-election by describing it as a golden opportunity for Chinese to regain the trust of Malays in the wake of so-called “Chinese Tsunami” is utterly irresponsible and it is prevalence of such racist attitudes in the corridors of power which is the cause of worsening racial polarization in Malaysia.

It is most deplorable that while the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak had used his 2013 New Year’s Message to try to clarify his unfortunate and inappropriate term of “Chinese Tsunami” on the night of the 13GE, which was downright racist, against his 1Malaysia signature policy and contrary to his talk of “national reconciliation”, Zainuddin wants to resurrect the spectre of “Chinese Tsunami” to racialise politics in Malaysia. Continue reading “Zainuddin’s infantile but dangerous gambit to racialise Kajang by-election is utterly irresponsible and cause of worsening racial polarization in Malaysia”

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Jakim’s Friday sermon yesterday a triple regret, going against Najib’s positive response to Pakatan Rakyat’s olive branch for national reconciliation, his advocacy of Wasatiyyah for ASEAN and world conduct of nations and World Interfaith Harmony Week 3-9 Feb

The Friday sermon of the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (Jakim) yesterday saying that the division among Muslims is not only caused by a weak faith but also because of the instigation of Christians and Jews is a triple regret as it goes against:

• The Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and Cabinet’s positive response at its Cabinet meeting on 29th January 2014 to the Pakatan Rakyat’s olive branch reiterated by PR leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on Sunday for a Barisan Nasional-Pakatan Rakyat Leaders’ Summit on national reconciliation to check worsening national situation in the country, in particular the worst racial and religious polarization in the nation’s history as a result of incessant incitement of racial and religious hatred, conflict and tension by a small group of reckless and irresponsible persons bent on destabilizing the country through lies and falsehoods, even to create another May 13;

• Najib’s advocacy of Wasatiyyah (moderation in Arabic) as important policy in ASEAN and world conduct of nations – affecting not only Islam but also in respect of all other faiths; and

• The World Interfaith Harmony Week (3 – 9 February 2014) proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly on 20th October 2010 as a way to promote harmony between all people regardless of their faith as “mutual understanding and inter-religious dialogue constitute important dimensions of a culture of peace”.

The question that needs to be asked is whether Jakim officials who prepare the Jakim Friday sermons are aware and support the Prime Minister and the Cabinet on inter-religious harmony and dialogue, and in particular to Najib’s promotion of the Global Movement of Moderates (GMM) and the “Wasatiyyah” concept as well as Najib’s support for the World Interfaith Harmony Week every February? Continue reading “Jakim’s Friday sermon yesterday a triple regret, going against Najib’s positive response to Pakatan Rakyat’s olive branch for national reconciliation, his advocacy of Wasatiyyah for ASEAN and world conduct of nations and World Interfaith Harmony Week 3-9 Feb”

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Najib must neutralise his enemy

Mariam Mokhtar| January 31, 2014
Free Malaysia Today

If Mahathir is allegedly trying to bring down the government of Najib, then isn’t this a coup?

COMMENT

Sometimes, leaders can be so silly. Najib Tun Razak, Malaysia’s prime minister, alleged to be the victim of a plot to oust him is desperate to cling on to power. Bizarrely he has done nothing to repel the attacks. He will almost certainly weaken his own position.

The bile must rise in Najib’s throat each time he reads allegations that former PM Mahathir Mohamad is plotting against him. If Najib were to arrest Mahathir for undermining his rule, his popularity rating which has dipped will soar to 97% overnight. The nation will be solidly behind Najib.

When groups of people like Perkasa react against Mahathir’s arrest, Najib should arrest them too.

Najib has the power, why does he not use it? Mahathir did, when he was PM. He used his sweeping powers to silence his detractors. In situations which could damage his career he would direct from behind the scenes whilst his deputy took the flak.

Of course Mahathir denies all allegations of plotting against Najib. Didn’t he claim that Project IC in Sabah was not his doing? Didn’t he say that he did not pull the trigger in the Memali incident? Didn’t he neuter the students (in 1975), with the Universities and University Colleges Act (UUCA)?

If Mahathir is allegedly trying to bring down the government of Najib, then isn’t this a coup? So, where is the IGP? Najib should use the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (SOSMA) to lock-up Mahathir. Continue reading “Najib must neutralise his enemy”

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DAP welcomes the Cabineet’s positive response to the “Love and Save Malaysia” overture by Pakatan Rakyat Leadership Council for a BN/PR Leaders’ Summit to promote national unity and scuttle plans by small group of traitors out to destabilize Malaysia by creating another May 13

DAP welcomes the Cabinet’s positive response to the “Love and Save Malaysia” overture by the Pakatan Rakyat Leadership Council for a Barisan Nasional/Pakatan Rakyat Leaders’ Summit to promote national unity and scuttle plans by a small group of traitors out to destabilize Malaysia by creating another May 13.

The Pakatan Rakyat Leadership Council had repeatedly made this patriotic call – as reflected in all the three Open Letters I addressed to the Prime Minister and the Cabinet on Jan. 8, 22 and 29 where the idea of a Barisan Nasional/Pakatan Rakyat Leaders” Summit “to love and save Malaysia” is the consistent theme.

As I ended in my third Open Letter to the Prime Minister and the Cabinet yesterday, I urged the Prime Minister and the Cabinet to reciprocate the act of patriotism of the Pakatan Rakyat leadership – to jointly endeavor and ensure there is continued harmony, goodwill and tolerance in Malaysia leaving the spectre of May 13 to the cobwebs of history.

The Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat parties and leaders have major differences about the political road that should be taken by Malaysia after more than half a century of nationhood, and these differences have to fought out in the democratic clash of ideas to be finally decided by the Malaysian electorate in the ballot box.

But one thing the BN and PR cannot disagree if both are patriotic movements, that is on the need to unite to save Malaysia from the machinations of a small group of irresponsible and reckless people who are no different from traitors who seek to destabilise the country to cause another May 13 by incessant incitement of racial and religious hatred, conflict and tension in the country. Continue reading “DAP welcomes the Cabineet’s positive response to the “Love and Save Malaysia” overture by Pakatan Rakyat Leadership Council for a BN/PR Leaders’ Summit to promote national unity and scuttle plans by small group of traitors out to destabilize Malaysia by creating another May 13”

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‘O what fun’ Malaysians will have for the rest of 2014

by Elizabeth Zachariah
The Malaysian Insider
January 30, 2014

An email calendar – titled “The Rise of Malaysia” – circulating in cyberspace spells out what is in store for Malaysians for the rest of the year.

While the source of the creatively presented calendar is unknown, it proudly claims to be “produced by Malaysians, for Malaysians”.

It breaks down the rising cost of living into 12 months – and each month with its own “theme”.

“This calendar was produced to share in our sorrow and help deal with our 2-week memory problem (our leaders say we can only remember bad events for 2 weeks, after that we forgive and love them again). “It (2014) will be a bleak financial year for Malaysians as we face an increase in toll prices, electricity tariff rates, public transportation, possibly further fuel subsidy cuts, impending GST, etc, etc”, it stated.

The “inspiration” was the ordinary Malaysians who had “vented their frustrations” on Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s Facebook page.

“All facts quoted in the calendar are accurate and reported in the mainstream news.” Continue reading “‘O what fun’ Malaysians will have for the rest of 2014”

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Taming the ‘pig-beast’

by Mariam Mokhtar
Malaysiakini
Jan 27, 2014

Umno Baru MPs are euphoric. They have successfully concluded the world’s longest animal behaviour experiment. Decades of living in a police state, run by a one-party system, have conditioned us to behave like laboratory rats.

‘Therapeutic’ methods are designed to make lab rats give up undesirable habits by associating them with unpleasant effects. In Malaysia, troublesome people – like those who dare to express an opinion, who design eye-catching T-shirts, or who interpret constitutional laws – will receive a nasty jolt, in the form of police harassment. Their lives are blighted by years of questioning, and the possibility of fines, jail or both.

These ‘gentle’ methods are sometimes supported by the action of thugs.

Like lab rats, our lives become devoted to pleasing the leaders who designed the experiments. We sacrifice our principles, our consciences and our children’s futures, because we are not prepared to do what is right, to question, and basically do what normal rats do best when in the wild – to live. Continue reading “Taming the ‘pig-beast’”

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Malaysia no longer land of peace and tolerance, says Pakistan website

by Elizabeth Zachariah
The Malaysian Insider
January 28, 2014

Malaysia’s global image as a moderate and progressive Muslim country is being tarnished by increasing racial and religious intolerance, and more recently, the attack on a church in Penang, a Pakistan online news website reported today.

Despite the millions of ringgit spent by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to promote this moderate image through his anti-extremist Global Movement of Moderates, the Allah row and incidents stemming from it show that this may not be the case anymore, Pakistan Today said.

The writer, Masood Khan, said for the rest of the Muslim world, Malaysia used to be an “island of peace and tolerance”.

“Sadly, it’s no more as an evil eye has cast its bad shadow on a moderate and progressive country,” he wrote. Continue reading “Malaysia no longer land of peace and tolerance, says Pakistan website”

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Kangkung? Watch it fry in cyberspace

Carolyn Hong
Jakarta Post
January 27, 4014

First, it was kangkung (Chinese water spinach), then came sotong (squid). And together, these two cheap food items made for an unfortunate two weeks for Malaysia’s Prime Minister Najib Razak.

It began when Najib lashed out at critics two weeks ago for blaming the government when food prices go up but not praising it when prices come down. He made the argument that the government could not control market forces, and used kangkung to illustrate his point.

It was an unfortunate choice that immediately stirred a backlash on social media. Kangkung is seen as a cheap vegetable that grows in unappetising places like drains.

Najib’s message was soon lost as netizens invented a huge range of jokes – from McKangkung burgers to kangkung-fuelled cars – to mock him for apparently asking them to downgrade their lifestyle.

Last week, sotong came into the picture as he sought again to explain market forces. Speaking at his monthly address to the finance ministry, Najib reiterated that the government could not control the price of every food item.

“When it is the monsoon season, prices of fish go up and even vegetables,” he said. “I had used the kangkung as an example of the supply-demand principle. My favourite foods are kangkung and sotong.”

This addition of sotong to the dish proved irresistible to netizens as “sotong” is colloquially used to refer to a person who is confused or weak, triggering a second round of jokes. Continue reading “Kangkung? Watch it fry in cyberspace”