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How long more, Malaysians?

by Lucius Goon
The Malaysian Insider
Jun 08, 2012

JUNE 8 — Question: when do we know that a government policy or decision is dumb and ill-conceived?

When Muhyiddin Yassin and Noh Omar are in agreement that the decision is brilliant!

I am of course referring to the decision by the Higher Education Ministry to freeze PTPTN scholarships to Unisel students. The Umno government thinks that this move will turn students against Pakatan Rakyat and lay bare the opposition’s plan to scrap the PTPTN scheme if it wrests control of Parliament.

The thinking (if you can call it that) is that the students and their desperate parents will be so upset that they will turn out in droves to vote against Khalid Ibrahim’s government.

The freeze is wrong on so many levels that it ultimately tells us that Umno is desperate, bankrupt of ideas, deeply vindictive and morally wanting. More shockingly, it shows us that this government will go to extreme lengths to cling to power, even stir up violence should poll results not go its way.

Khaled Nordin, Muhyiddin and Noh refuse to accept certain facts: they serve the rakyat; that when the opposition put up alternative suggestions, they must counter these ideas through persuasion and that government funds belong to the rakyat. Continue reading “How long more, Malaysians?”

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PTPTN/Unisel farce

Tweets @limkitsiang

Jun 07, 11:06pm
Utter shame UMNO/BN leaders victimising Unisel students with PTPTN freeze goo.gl/I5qJl S’gor stands firm, Unisel 2liquidate assets

Jun 07, 11:08pm
Let all voters in Selangor n Msia punish Umno/BN in 13GE 4such petty vindictive bullying tactics sacrificing Unisel students 4selfish ends

Jun 07, 11:12pm
PTPTN/Unisel latest example UMNO/BN must be voted out of power in Putrajaya in 13GE – lost moral right/legitimacy 2continue as govt

Jun 07, 11:22pm
After slashing PTPTN loans 4Unisel students? How irresponsible! goo.gl/3XwHB Gov’t mulls second round of RM500 handout (Mkini)

Jun 07, 11:27pm
No one in Cabinet 2speak up 4Unisel students n condemn criminal breach of trust in halting PTPTN loans?Will Saifuddin Abdullah take a stand?
Continue reading “PTPTN/Unisel farce”

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Umno and the reasonable Malay

— Sakmongkol AK47
The Malaysian Insider
Jun 07, 2012

JUNE 7 — The reasonable Malay doesn’t ride the Clapham Omnibus. He gets around on the LRT or the successor to Sri Jaya buses. He travels in his beat-up Proton. But he reads in between the lines. He knows the BS from the mainstream media. The reasonable Malay now reads Harakah, Roket and PKR news.

Why does the PM and Umno president procrastinate in naming an election date? He’s enjoying a good personal rating. Umno is flushed with cash. He says he feels like meeting HRH the Yang di-Pertuan Agong immediately on seeing the “huge crowd” assembled at Stadium Bukit Jalil. I hope he didn’t ask the minister of misinformation to do a headcount for that occasion. Are all lawyers bad at counting or is it Rais alone?

So why does he not name a date? He is the longest-serving PM without his own mandate. And if we were to go by the logic of the ex-MIC leader who says he will contest against Palanivel, then, Najib can also be described as an illegal government leader. Yes, he actually said that because Palanivel had the MIC presidentship handed to him and not ELECTED, so Palanivel is an illegal party president. He says he has support from thousands and thousands of MIC members just like the Umno president. Continue reading “Umno and the reasonable Malay”

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Kalau banyak melakukan kesalahan, memang liat hendak melepaskan kuasa

— Aspan Alias
The Malaysian Insider
Jun 07, 2012

7 JUN — Hari demi hari undang-undang ketat yang menghantui rakyat semakin jelas dengan hampirnya pilihanraya umum ke-13 ini. Nampaknya kartun tidak boleh digunakan dalam pilihanraya ini, itu kata Timbalan Pengerusi SPRM. Dr Mahathir pula meminta kebebasan Internet disekat dan seperti biasa Rais Yatim dengan pantas “merawikan” kata-kata Dr Mahathir itu.

Tetapi cerita tentang pengundi haram yang didaftarkan di dalam senarai pengundi tidak juga diselesaikan oleh SPRM. Pihak berkuasa dan pemimpinnya asyik mentelaah bagaimana hendak sekat pihak pembangkang, tetapi kerja dan tanggungjawabnya untuk membersihkan senarai pengundi yang merupakan asas demokrasi itu sampai ke hari ini tidak diendahkan.

Saya dan ramai lagi telah bercakap dan bertanya kenapa kali ini sudah mula timbulnya unsur-unsur menekan seolah-olah ianya membayangkan bahawa BN tidak mahu menerima keputusan PRU jika rakyat menolaknya. Dengan penekanan ini maka jelas yang sebenarnya yang akan mewujudkan huru-hara selepas pilihanraya nanti ialah pihak BN.

Zunar, kartunis begitu berang dengan kecenderungan kartun digunakan oleh sesetengah pihak sebagai alat kempen dalam pilihanraya nanti. Zunar akan tetap melukis kartunnya dan tidak ada apa-apa pun boleh menghalang beliau melukis kartun yang menjadi bidang kegemaran dan profesionalisma nya.

Jika seruan Mahathir untuk melakukan sekatan terhadap Internet sebagai alat penyampai maklumat bagi pihak pembangkang elok kita bertanya, bagaimana pembangkang hendak menyampaikan mesejnya kepada rakyat? Kerajaan buat apa lagi kepada pembangkang? Segala-galanya hendak disekat.

Kalau takut sangat dengan kebangkitan maklumat untuk rakyat, kenapa masih hendak menjadi kerajaan? Continue reading “Kalau banyak melakukan kesalahan, memang liat hendak melepaskan kuasa”

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Home ministry withholds its Bersih 3.0 clip

Malaysiakini
Jun 6, 2012

The home ministry has confirmed that it is withholding its video clip on the Bersih 3.0 rally violence, a move which have initially drew scorn from civil society.

In a press release today, the ministry said the video will not be released until after the ministry appointed panel investigate all the footages which they have been furnished with.

“The independent panel should be given adequate space and time to assess each video,” read the statement.

In addition, the ministry said it would acknowledge all views and advice from the panel, which will meet on Monday. Continue reading “Home ministry withholds its Bersih 3.0 clip”

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Selangor: Life is better after Umno

— Sakmongkol AK47
The Malaysian Insider
Jun 06, 2012

JUNE 6 — You will remember last month, when the Umno president visited Selangor and proclaimed boastfully that he was confident in recapturing Selangor?

He came with a thousand menacing and peace-disturbing motorcyclists in what was basically a show of force.

There is a famous quotation that says force works on servile natures, not the free. That would be an apt description of Umno people at the moment. Their servitude and muted acceptance of the excesses of their leaders is mindboggling. It suggests a terrible affliction of mental blockage.

That is why Najib Razak prefers the language of force and violence. He is a keen follower of the actress Katherine Hepburn, who once retorted: Why tap on their hands with feathers when you can knock their heads with sledgehammers.

The need for Umno in associating with disparate groups of dubious repute such as Perkasa, bikers aka Mat Rempits, martial arts groups, and the shadowy Pekida, exposes the real bully in Umno.

Umno is just a big bully organisation who likes to intimidate people and threaten them with the use of force. Continue reading “Selangor: Life is better after Umno”

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BN sedang berusaha rebut mandat rakyat daripada Pakatan

— Aspan Alias
The Malaysian Insider
Jun 06, 2012

6 JUN — Sesungguhnya pilihanraya kali ini ialah pilihanraya untuk mengalahkan Pakatan Rakyat. Begitulah situasi sebenarnya kerana banyak dalil yang menunjukkan yang Barisan Nasional (BN) sedang tercari-cari waktu yang sesuai sejak setahun yang lalu untuk menentukan tarikh pilihanraya umum ini.

Sesungguhnya jika PRU di adakan sekarang PR akan mendapat mandat rakyat dan hakikatnya BN sedang berusaha untuk mengalahkan Pakatan Rakyat dan Pakatan Rakyatlah yang sebenarnya yang sedang mempertahankan mandat itu.

Sebagai parti yang memerintah BN masih membelek tarikh-tarikh yang sesuai kerana jika salah tarikh mereka khuatir BN akan dikalahkan dengan teruk oleh Pakatan Rakyat yang kini mendapat perhatian rakyat sebagai satu-satunya pilihan jika hendak menolak BN. Inilah kali pertama kita melihat keadaan parti pemerintah tidak dapat menentukan tarikh pilihanraya walaupun segala usaha telah dilakukan untuk memujuk rakyat kembali kepangkuan BN khususnya Umno Baru. Usaha untuk membetulkan Umno Baru sudah tidak akan berjaya lagi kerana untuk membetulkan Umno itu ia mesti di lakukan oleh pemimpin Umno Baru yang tidak terlibat dengan pentadbiran sekarang.

Ia tidak boleh lagi dilakukan oleh pemimpin-pemimpin yang telah secara “collective” membinasakan Umno Baru itu. Baik Najib Razak, atau pun Muhyiddin dan semua barisan pimpinan pada hari ini tidak akan mampu untuk mengembalikan Umno ketahap yang pernah mereka alami dahulu. Bagaimana mereka yang merosakkan Umno boleh memperbaikinya? Continue reading “BN sedang berusaha rebut mandat rakyat daripada Pakatan”

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Undermining 1 Malaysia

— The Malaysian Insider
Jun 05, 2012

JUNE 5 — If there is any reason why Malaysians can’t seem to warm up to the 1 Malaysia concept, look no further than Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim’s comments today.

The Information, Communications and Culture Minister spoke at the 1 Malaysia Social Media Convention in Selangor that Malays must unite for a Barisan Nasional (BN) win in the upcoming general election to ensure their rights are not taken away by the opposition.

Fine. He is from Umno. He can say that and it is well within his right. But at a 1 Malaysia event? Really? Continue reading “Undermining 1 Malaysia”

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Hishammuddin’s assurance of “order during and after GE” quite meaningless if not coupled with public pledge by Najib and key UMNO Ministers that BN will leave Putrajaya peacefully if it loses election

After prolonged silence, Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein has given the assurance that the authorities would maintain peace and order at all costs should there be attempts to create chaos during and after the next general election.

He said the police would act impartially and according to the law to maintain order, declaring “Anyone who violates the law will be prosecuted to ensure the safety of the innocent. The safety of the people is of paramount importance.”

However, Hishammuddin’s statement failed to achieves the effect of giving full assurance to Malaysians for two reasons, viz:

• The inaction/indifference of the Prime Minister, Home Minister and the police authorities to the recent escalation of the political culture of aggression, thuggery and violence targeting Pakatan Rakyat and Bersih 2.0 leaders, including Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Lim Guan Eng, Nurul Izzah, Datuk Ambiga Sreenivasan, Datuk Seri Nizar Jamaluddin and most recently, the vicious attacks on DAP Selangor State Committee member V. Ganapathirao and his brother Papparaidu in Klang last Wednesday.

• The threat by the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak when invoking the language of “crushed bodies, lives lost” for UMNO to defend power at any cost in Putrajaya at the 2010 UMNO General Assembly. Continue reading “Hishammuddin’s assurance of “order during and after GE” quite meaningless if not coupled with public pledge by Najib and key UMNO Ministers that BN will leave Putrajaya peacefully if it loses election”

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Yang baik itu datang daripada Mahathir, yang tak baik itu datang daripada Pak Lah

— Aspan Alias
The Malaysian Insider
Jun 03, 2012

3 JUN — Dr Mahathir menyalahkan Pak Lah lagi. “sendiri punya salah, dia salahkan orang lain pulak” kata beberapa orang yang berhubung dengan saya dan orang-orang yang berhubung dengan saya itu adalah dikalangan yang hadir semasa perjumpaan dengan Dr Mahathir di Johor dulu semalam. Sebagaimana yang saya dan ramai yang lain berkata, Dr Mahathir dihujung-hujung hayatnya asyik menyalahkan orang lain terutamanya Pak Lah diatas segala kelemahan BN dan Umno Baru itu.

Beliau tidak pernah membuat salah dan segala yang baik itu adalah dibuat oleh Dr Mahathir dan semua yang buruk itu adalah kesilapan dan kesalahan orang lain. ‘Yang baik itu semuanya datang dari Mahathir dan yang buruk itu adalah diatas kelemahan orang lain terutamanya Pak Lah. Mahathir seolah-olah ada benda yang hendak beliau bersihkan dari diri beliau sehinggakan Pak Lah tidak terlepas dari bibir dan ingatan beliau. Disebaliknya Pak Lah yang tahu apa yang Mahathir lakukan terhadap segala sistem kerajaan, tidak berkata apa-apa dan berdiam diri sahaja. Itulah perbezaan di antara kedua-dua bekas pemimpin negara kita itu.

Mahathir sentiasa mencari alasan untuk mengalihkan kesalahan besar beliau terhadap negara kepada orang lain tetapi satu perkara yang kita mesti ingat yang sejarah akan menghakimkan Dr Mahathir Mohamad ini dari rasuah dan salahguna kuasa. Segala kata-kata dan tindakan beliau tercatat di dalam buku nota sejarawan dan akan sampai masanya ia akan tertulis dalam sebuah buku sejarah khas untuk beliau suatu ketika nanti.

Bak kata perpatah, ‘masakan bangkai gajah boleh ditutupi dengan nyiru’. Suatu ketika nanti akan terbongkar juga. Saya tidak mempertahankan Pak Lah, tetapi kita mesti berlaku adil terhadap beliau kerana beliau yang lemah itu dilantik oleh Mahathir juga. Beliau sebagai orang yang saya kenali, tidak pernah tergila-gila hendak menjadi PM walaupun pun beliau mengharapkan untuk mendapatkan kedudukan itu. Continue reading “Yang baik itu datang daripada Mahathir, yang tak baik itu datang daripada Pak Lah”

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The FGVH issue, again and again

— Sakmongkol AK47
The Malaysian Insider
Jun 02, 2012

JUNE 2 — This issue is not going to stand down.

I have to repeat this question. FGVH has not even been listed, the government of the day plans to give a total of RM15,000 to each FELDA household. The pop gets 5k first, then the mom and, finally, junior. Where did the government appropriate the money? Advances from the underwriting banks? From FELDA itself?

If the money is from FELDA coffers, then the FELDA folks must be suffering from a peculiar mental illness, the name of which I don’t know. But it entails a person feeling jubilant receiving his own money but given by another person.

If the money is not from the listing exercise, it must come from somewhere. So for what purpose was the money given? I have said it many times; Najib’s favourite way is to pay his way through. The FELDA settlers are no exception. Moreover there are 52 parliamentary seats to be won in FELDA areas. Sabah and Sarawak are almost certainly gone. FELDA is now the favourite political fixed deposit. Najib is pre-paying the interest amounts. Continue reading “The FGVH issue, again and again”

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Himpunan Hijau ke Putrajaya… Wah, lebih 100,000 hadir!

— Aspan Alias
The Malaysian Insider
Jun 02, 2012

2 JUN — Himpunan Hijau ke Putrajaya di Alor Star malam tadi adalah perhimpunan raksasa dan yang hampir sebesar perhimpunan Bersih 3.0 yang diadakan pada 28 April yang lalu. Himpunan Hijau itu telah menunjukkan kepada rakyat seluruh negara bahawa kedatangan lebih daripada seratus ribu pengunjung perhimpunan itu membayangkan manifestasi keseluruhan rakyat benar-benar serius untuk ke Putrajaya selepas PRU yang akan datang ini.

Himpunan anjuran PAS ini sangat berjaya kerana orang ramai sudah memenuhi stadium dari pukul 4 ptg semalam. Orang ramai bukan sahaja telah memenuhi semua tempat duduk Stadium Alor Star itu tetapi juga meliputi padang stadium tersebut dan juga di luar stadium. Ramainya peserta himpunan ini menunjukkan bahawa rakyat serius dalam perjuangan untuk menuju ke Putrajaya dan sambutan itu sudah cukup untuk memberikan gambaran sebenar akan kemahuan rakyat keseluruhannya.

Kejayaan ini amat membanggakan kerana mereka datang dengan sukarela dari seluruh negara tanpa dibayar tambang atau tempat penginapan dan tidak pula diberikan kemudahan perkhidmatan ribuan bas percuma seperti yang dilakukan oleh Umno. Bayangkan jika Umno menganjurkan perhimpunan tanpa wang, topi dan T-shirt serta tempat penginapan tidak akan ada siapa pun yang akan hadir kerana pergerakan Umno dan ahlinya memerlukan tolakan dengan wang ringgit.

Jika Umno hendak mengadakan perhimpunan sebesar ini secara “conservative”nya ia akan memakan belanja sekurang-kurangnya RM15 juta. Itulah sebabnya saya dan ramai yang lain selalu berkata Umno (baru) tinggal sejarah sahaja setelah wujud sejak 24 tahun yang lepas. Continue reading “Himpunan Hijau ke Putrajaya… Wah, lebih 100,000 hadir!”

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A country going rotten

— Othman Wahab
The Malaysian Insider
May 31, 2012

MAY 31 — Today is the day. If there was any doubt that Malaysia is ruled by the corrupt and assisted by the corrupt and that only regime change can save this country, today was the day where all the doubts were put to rest.

Today we saw the MACC give Shahrizat Jalil the all-clear, saying that she did not influence the RM250 million loan award to National Feedlot Corporation. But were her “expenses” paid by the NFC; did she benefit from the umrah packages bought by her family members aka directors of NFC.?

This probe was always going to be a whitewash because no Umno/BN bigshot is ever going to be convicted of anything, be it corruption or living beyond their means.

We knew that MACC was going to clear Shahrizat Jalil, and paint her as some aggrieved party. Poor thing. That they did it speedily while still investigating Taib Mahmud and Musa Aman should not surprise anyone.

The NFC case is a symbol of everything gone wrong with Umno and this country and the party elders believe that going to the polls with too many question marks over Shahrizat was untenable. Continue reading “A country going rotten”

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MACC’s cow sense

— The Malaysian Insider
May 31, 2012

MAY 31 — Here’s a question for the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC). Who accused Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil of being involved in the process of awarding the RM250 million government soft loan to the National Feedlot Centre (NFC) operated by her family?

Short answer, no one. Long answer, not one person ever did.

So, clearing the Wanita Umno chief of any involvement in the scandal is not even news because she wasn’t accused of that. And if MACC and Shahrizat are crowing about this, they have as much cow sense as the cattle in the Gemas farm.

Let’s be clear why Shahrizat’s name has been dragged into this and the government had to drop her from the Cabinet by not extending her tenure as senator.

Her family is accused of abusing public funds meant for a cattle-rearing project for their own shopping spree of luxury properties in Malaysia and abroad. They had admitted as much, saying the funds were being put to some use while waiting for the Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-based Industries to do its part of the deal.

Of course, it begs the question whether public funds meant for one project can be used in other ways while waiting for something else to happen. The short answer, no. The long answer, of course not. Continue reading “MACC’s cow sense”

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Di dalam bermusuh sesama sendiri

— Aspan Alias
The Malaysian Insider
May 31, 2012

31 MEI — Umno bukan sahaja bermasalah untuk menentang parti-parti pembangkang, parti itu juga sedang berhadapan dengan masalah dalamannya. Masalah dalaman Umno bukannya kecil. Ia melibatkan pergerakan dalam yang dilakukan oleh sekumpulan pemimpin Umno yang veteran dan yang muda untuk menyusun kembali hiraki kepimpinan parti itu.

Dalam situasi menghadapi pilihan raya umum, Umno juga sedang membuat persediaan untuk mengadakan perhimpunan agong parti dan perhimpunan kali ini melibatkan pemilihan kepimpinan di setiap peringkat. Gerakan-gerakan yang dilakukan oleh pemimpin-pemimpin tertinggi parti dalam isu pemilihan kali ini amat besar ertinya dalam menentukan masa depan setengah pemimpin tertinggi parti dan pemimpin muda yang tidak sabar untuk menongkah arus dengan cita-cita besar menjadi Pemegang tampok kuasa suatu hari nanti.

Sejak akhir-akhir ini perkembangan dalam Umno telah menampakkan bibit-bibit perpecahan kerana ada usaha untuk mengenepikan Muhyiddin agar kekosongan itu dapat diisi oleh pemimpin muda yang inginkan menjadi pelapis kepada Najib yang mereka jangka akan terpaksa mengakui yang beliau telah gagal dalam segala “avenue” untuk terus memegang tampuk pentadbiran negara dan akan meletakkan jawatan sebagai Perdana Menteri. Continue reading “Di dalam bermusuh sesama sendiri”

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Mahathir jangan dijadikan contoh dan ikutan

— Aspan Alias
The Malaysian Insider
May 28, 2012

28 MEI — Betulkah pandangan Dr Mahathir jika PR kalah dalam pilihanraya nanti negara akan huru-hara? Satu lagi yang menjadi persoalan ialah kata-kata Mahathir yang jika Umno kalah dan ditewaskan Melayu akan hilang kuasa politiknya? Kenapa Mahathir alih-alih terlalu sayang kepada Umno pula? Kenapa Mahathir alih-alih dan tidak semena-mena terlalu sayang kepada orang Melayu yang selama ini beliau pandang rendah? Persoalan-persoalan yang saya ajukan ini jangan di salah fahamkan.

Saya bertanya perkara ini, kerana orang Melayu telah hilang identiti asalnya oleh kerana Mahathir. Apabila Mahathir kembali bercakap pasal masa depan orang Melayu dan tentang ketakutannya kepada huru hara negara ini, ia amat bertentangan dengan apa yang beliau lakukan selama ini, terutamanya semasa menjadi Perdana Menteri selama 22 tahun dahulu. Segala yang beliau lakukan semasa sedang seronok berkuasa dahululah yang menjadi penyebab berlakunya apa yang berlaku pada hari ini.

Saya mempunyai keyakinan tinggi yang Mahathir sedang begitu panik dengan pergerakan perubahan yang sedang berlaku dalam minda rakyat termasuk minda orang Melayu. Yang pastinya Mahathir tidak mahu seboleh-bolehnya melihat Umno ciptaan beliau kecundang dihadapan mata beliau semasa beliau masih hidup ini. Kalau di nilai dari sudut mana pun, mahu tidak mahu Mahathir merupakan orang yang “accountable” terhadap kekeruhan politik negara kini.

Kecelaruan politik negara tidak akan menjadi begini buruk dalam sekelip mata dan tidak adil jika Mahathir dan konco-konconya meletakkan semua kesalahan kepada kelemahan Abdullah Ahmad Badawi sahaja. Malahan naiknya Abdullah Ahmad Badawi itu adalah kerana kesalahan Mahathir sendiri kerana Mahathir sememangnya mahukan Abdullah menjadi PM kerana beliau menyangkakan Abdullah boleh beliau pengaruhi dalam pentadbirannya. Continue reading “Mahathir jangan dijadikan contoh dan ikutan”

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Umno needs to rediscover its soul

— C.L. Tang
The Malaysian Insider
May 28, 2012

MAY 28 — Malaysia, or Malaya at that point in time, was fortunate that the pioneer leaders of Umno were a group of exemplary visionaries. It has the fortitude and humility to be inclusive and fair, mindful of the great urgency for all Malaysians of all races to be united as they embark on building a newly independent nation.

Not unlike the founding fathers of America who laid a strong foundation for the former British colony to thrive, Malaysia might have gone the way of other failed states had these Umno visionaries not forged a strong partnership among all its constituents, regardless of race and religion.

Indeed, it is no small miracle that we have advanced so much since independence. For a small nation made up of such diverse colours and ethnicity, we were the envy of many former colonies and new nation states that failed to replicate our stable, harmonious growth.

However, this golden age of Umno, and along with Malaysia, began to ebb and deteriorate along with the quality of its leaders.

The gentlemanly conduct, open mindset and non-confrontational nature, which was the soul of early Umno, is now replaced by a hawkish, non-compromising stance of Umno Baru “leaders”. Continue reading “Umno needs to rediscover its soul”

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Berjuang untuk perubahan memang susah

— Aspan Alias
The Malaysian Insider
May 26, 2012

26 MEI — Memperjuangkan yang benar itu amat susah dan tidak ada jalan yang senang dan mudah. Sebaik sahaja manusia itu ingin perubahan untuk kebaikan ia akan tetap mendapat reaksi serta merta.

Bak kata seorang ulamak yang muktabar, “jalan ke syurga itu berduri-duri dan beronak, jalan ke neraka itu penuh dengan roti dan keju”. Pejuang yang berniat untuk kebaikan itu selalunya akan merasakan kepedihan.

Itulah sebabnya setengah orang merasa hairan kenapa seseorang itu terus menerus berjuang sehinggakan menghadapi kepayahan dalam kehidupan mereka. Sesungguhnya yang paling penting ialah kepuasan dalaman dan jika kita pautkan usaha kita itu dengan beriktikad untuk ke addin dan agama itu ia amat menyejukkan jiwa seseorang itu. Continue reading “Berjuang untuk perubahan memang susah”

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We shall overcome

— Jacob Sinnathamby
The Malaysian Insider
May 26, 2012

MAY 26 — Can you hear it? Listen closely. Now can you hear it?

I am talking about the deafening silence from the prime minister downwards on the burgeoning violence and thuggish behaviour by Umno and its subsidiaries.

What happened at the PKR ceramah in Lembah Pantai, where blood was drawn after rocks, eggs and bottles were rained on PKR leaders by Umno Youth affiliates, was not the first show of state-encouraged violence.

It is not even the second or third time, but the umpteenth time in recent months that groups affiliated to the ruling party have shown disdain for the rule of law.

Nurul Izzah Anwar and Mat Sabu have faced stones and thugs before while speaking at Felda events, Lim Guan Eng faced thugs during the anti-Lynas demo in Penang recently, and Bersih organisers in Merlimau had their vehicles damaged. And the list goes on. Continue reading “We shall overcome”

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Instead of raging over Mahathir’s outrageous and preposterous blog, Malaysians should commiserate with him

Yesterday, former Prime Minister Tun Dr. Mahathir blogged that the Bersih 3.0 rally was a “preparation” and “warm-up” by Pakatan Rakyat for violent demonstrations to reject the results of the 13th general election should the opposition fail to win it.

He said: “Their defeat will be followed by violent demonstrations that will go on and on so that the election results are rejected and a new government is put in place, that is approved by the opposition.

“After that, they will attempt to hold an election again that they can manipulate.”

Mahathir must hold the Malaysian record of having made the most number of outrageous and preposterous statements in his political life, before, during and after his 22-year premiership (1981-2003) but what he blogged yesterday must rank as among his most outrageous and preposterous statements.

It was a complete figment of his imagination as there is no truth or basis whatsoever – like Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s ludicrous allegation that Bersih 3.0 was an Opposition coup d’etat attempt to topple the government (an idea probably inspired by the discredited Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Rahim Noor) when all that the peaceful protestors were armed with, if at all, were salt and water bottles to protect themselves against any indiscriminate police teargas and chemically-lacked water cannon. Continue reading “Instead of raging over Mahathir’s outrageous and preposterous blog, Malaysians should commiserate with him”