Najib is now Prime Minister and the R.A.H.M.A.N. prophecy fulfilled. God help us.
His much-hyped new cabinet was supposed to be "lean and mean" and it turned out to be neither. The most talked-about decision is the omission of Khairy, the new UMNO Youth president. Najib is at once kow-towing to Mahathir (Mukhriz was elected deputy minister) while attempting to send Khairy into political oblivion along with his father-in-law Tun Abdullah Badawi. Whatever else he is, Khairy appears to be very smart and wily, and a fighter, so no way is he going quietly.
Days after Najib was sworn in, the tri-elections of Bukit Gantang (Kedah), Bukit Selambau (Perak) and Batang Ai (Sarawak) took place. The lead-up to the by-elections on the mainland had been very tense, with water bottles the new weapon of choice to be hurled to express one's displeasure. Election day was just as tense with the FRU notoriously resorting to their water cannons in one instance. The final result: Pakatan Rakyat won the two Bukits and BN retained the rural Sarawakian constituency. Not unexpected, but nevertheless a blow to the newly-annointed PM.
Tengku Razaleigh had this to say about the loss:
“It is a disgrace actually. Unlike before, we named a candidate, and as sure as a daylight they would win.
"But now we have to pray, we have to work hard, go back and forth, and throw a lot of money and still we do not win. So something is wrong,” he said.
(Malaysiakini, April 11 2009)
Money? Really? Hah. Mengaku pun.
Bridget Welsh put it succinctly: Voters take the money and vote independently.
Another dark cloud in Najib's horizon just refuses to go away. His former underlings, the two policemen who murdered Altantuya, were sentenced to death without their defence being called. I know nothing of the law, but this seems like a gross injustice to me. The hue and cry of course, is the fact that the Attorney-General's office considers the case closed while everybody and their grandmother knows it's not. Razak Baginda uprooted his family and relocated to England. PI Bala is still in location unknown. Najib is in his fancy new digs along with his lovely wife Rosmah, talking about One Malaysia, reform, and being humbled with his new post.
These days, when I start my day by checking the Malaysian news portals, I half-expect to see headlines about some politician or other getting shot at or assasinated.
Things are really that f'd up.
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Thursday, March 26, 2009
UMNO General Assembly Part 2
Badawi's best speech
Out-going UMNO president and PM Abdullah Badawi gave a farewell speech which critics judge his best ever, calling on UMNO to reform itself, saying clamping down on dissent and criticism were methods of old that would make UMNO obsolete. He suggested giving all UMNO members the power to vote for candidates vying for high positions as a way to eliminate money politics. FANTASTIC!!! Now, will anyone listen? Or is Najib only too eager to slam the door on his behind?
Open hearts
Former Selangor MB Muhammad Taib lost the race for No. 2 to Muhyiddin Yassin. Former Perlis MB Shahidan Kassim lost his Supreme Council seat. Current Melaka MB Ali Rustam was barred from contesting in the race for No. 2. All said the same : they accepted their fate "with an open heart," dengan hati terbuka. What does that mean, really? Magnanimity, generosity? That the loser does not begrudge anyone the fate which has befallen him? Or is it the canned response expected of a politician? Can someone come up with an original response, please? In the case of Ali Rustam, before he even spoke to the media about his inability to contest, Najib already told the press that he expected Ali to -what else- accept the decision "with an open heart".
Now we wait the inevitable, for Najib to officially be the Prime Minister. I am so sad for my beloved country.
Out-going UMNO president and PM Abdullah Badawi gave a farewell speech which critics judge his best ever, calling on UMNO to reform itself, saying clamping down on dissent and criticism were methods of old that would make UMNO obsolete. He suggested giving all UMNO members the power to vote for candidates vying for high positions as a way to eliminate money politics. FANTASTIC!!! Now, will anyone listen? Or is Najib only too eager to slam the door on his behind?
Open hearts
Former Selangor MB Muhammad Taib lost the race for No. 2 to Muhyiddin Yassin. Former Perlis MB Shahidan Kassim lost his Supreme Council seat. Current Melaka MB Ali Rustam was barred from contesting in the race for No. 2. All said the same : they accepted their fate "with an open heart," dengan hati terbuka. What does that mean, really? Magnanimity, generosity? That the loser does not begrudge anyone the fate which has befallen him? Or is it the canned response expected of a politician? Can someone come up with an original response, please? In the case of Ali Rustam, before he even spoke to the media about his inability to contest, Najib already told the press that he expected Ali to -what else- accept the decision "with an open heart".
Now we wait the inevitable, for Najib to officially be the Prime Minister. I am so sad for my beloved country.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
UMNO General Assembly
Some snippets from the current UMNO General Assembly...
Sharizat wins!
(Malaysiakini pic)
Are these ladies happy or what! Rafidah Aziz, aka AP Queen, was defeated by a big margin (280 to 507). She's like Mahathir; we won't hear the last of her, but her leadership of Wanita UMNO may be over for good.
KJ wins!
I cheer this news simply because he is not in Najib's camp. Najib has been busy in recent weeks removing people on Abdullah Badawi's side from contesting in the general assembly, namely Norza and Ali Rustam, and casting the money politics shadow over Khairy. (Obviously, he was very aware of the Anwar-Badawi meeting where Badawi was rumored to have said there wasn't any other choice for PM except Najib, and that Badawi had his people in place to keep Najib in check.) So battle it out, Team Badawi and Team Najib! May you tear yourselves apart.
There was intense competition prior to voting (the always-ungentlemenly lot of UMNO Youth screaming "Khairy Rasuah!" among other things), but the notorious KJ won anyway. Really, it was a contest between some of the most unsavory politicians we have : Khir Toyo and Mukhriz Mahathir being the other two.
Hishamuddin cries
Enough with the dramatics already! Gawd, anyone would think Malay men are such wussies! The politicians, especially! Sikit-sikit menangis. Tak larat!
UMNO admits to being the puppet master
(Malaysiakini, March 25, 2009)
So it wasn't the courts who decided the case, eh? Surprise, surprise.
Sharizat wins!
(Malaysiakini pic)
Are these ladies happy or what! Rafidah Aziz, aka AP Queen, was defeated by a big margin (280 to 507). She's like Mahathir; we won't hear the last of her, but her leadership of Wanita UMNO may be over for good.
KJ wins!
I cheer this news simply because he is not in Najib's camp. Najib has been busy in recent weeks removing people on Abdullah Badawi's side from contesting in the general assembly, namely Norza and Ali Rustam, and casting the money politics shadow over Khairy. (Obviously, he was very aware of the Anwar-Badawi meeting where Badawi was rumored to have said there wasn't any other choice for PM except Najib, and that Badawi had his people in place to keep Najib in check.) So battle it out, Team Badawi and Team Najib! May you tear yourselves apart.
There was intense competition prior to voting (the always-ungentlemenly lot of UMNO Youth screaming "Khairy Rasuah!" among other things), but the notorious KJ won anyway. Really, it was a contest between some of the most unsavory politicians we have : Khir Toyo and Mukhriz Mahathir being the other two.
Hishamuddin cries
Enough with the dramatics already! Gawd, anyone would think Malay men are such wussies! The politicians, especially! Sikit-sikit menangis. Tak larat!
UMNO admits to being the puppet master
| 'Umno silap bebaskan Anwar' | |||
| Jimadie Shah Othman | Mar 25, 09 6:51pm | |||
| Beberapa pemimpin utama Pakatan Rakyat - termasuk tokoh utamanya Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim - menjadi sasaran lepas geram pembahas dalam persidangan Pemuda Umno hari ini. Pembahas dari Pulau Pinang, Mohd Zaidi Mohd Said berkata, Umno melakukan kesilapan "kerana membebaskan Anwar" dari penjara. "Anwar ini boleh janjikan bulan dan bintang... Cukuplah sandiwara Anwar Ibrahim ini. "Kesilapan kita kerana membebaskan Anwar Ibrahim, inilah akibat yang kita tanggung hari ini," katanya ketika membahaskan usul, menyentuh isu-isu ketuanan Melayu dan Pakatan Rakyat. Tambahnya, Presiden Umno Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi berusaha bersungguh-sungguh menumbangkan Anwar dalam pilihanraya kecil Ogos lalu tetapi belum berjaya. |
(Malaysiakini, March 25, 2009)
So it wasn't the courts who decided the case, eh? Surprise, surprise.
Saturday, March 14, 2009
The Most Expensive Suit and Another Hole in the Head
Maybe I've been away for too long and kept silent for too long, hence the need to comment on news stories big and small...
Mara to pay RM185,000 for Dr Muszaphar's space suit
KUALA LUMPUR, March 14 — Mara plans to buy the US$50,000 (RM185,000) space suit worn by Datuk Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor Sheikh Mustaphar and put it on display for all Malaysians.
Spend RM185,000? During a global financial crisis? Kaya nye Mara. Don't get me wrong, I think the suit would be a great display in a museum, but you have to wonder why someone didn't think of it before? Why wasn't the purchase of the suit (or some other physical display of the trip) included in the whole package deal with the Russians? It's a short-sighted decision made worse by the current state of economics.
Malaysian Capital to have new mega-tower
By AFP | Posted: 13 March 2009 1349 hrs
The tower, which will include a hotel, apartments and a shopping mall, will be completed by 2012 despite the global economic crisis, developer Syed Yusof Syed Nasir told the New Straits Times.
The daily said the project, known as Four Seasons Place, was being built by a firm controlled by Syed Yusof along with Malaysian tycoon Ong Beng Seng and the Sultan of Selangor.
"We are committed to the project even during the downturn," Syed Yusof said.
The daily said the 140 apartments in the project would be sold for about 2,500 ringgit (677 dollars) per square foot.
(Channel News Asia, March 13, 2009)
We need another high-rise like we need another hole in the head. Must we build yet another skyscraper? Does that make us more "developed"? Closer to first-world nation status? Why do we keep kidding ourselves? There are so many, many buildings in a sad state of neglect, disrepair and abandonment. If they really are unsuitable for whatever project a developer has in mind, then those buildings should be torn down and another built in its place.
I used to live near Detroit, which was once the 4th largest city in the US. Now the Motor City is the 4th poorest in the nation (2004) and the most dangerous (2007) due to its high crime and high unemployment. Home values have plummeted so much and living conditions deteriorated so badly that some people are simply packing up their belongings and abandoning their homes. Detroit is a city with severe urban decay. While I don't foresee KL becoming anywhere as bad as that, city planners in the government need to bear in mind that urban decay is a real disease. Throwing up a fancy new building whose appeal will only last 20-30 years may bring in money in the short-term but bodes trouble in the long-term.
Mara to pay RM185,000 for Dr Muszaphar's space suit
KUALA LUMPUR, March 14 — Mara plans to buy the US$50,000 (RM185,000) space suit worn by Datuk Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor Sheikh Mustaphar and put it on display for all Malaysians.
Entrepreneur and Cooperative Development Minister Datuk Noh Omar said he had instructed Mara to buy the costume as a symbol of the institution's success in producing the first Malay spaceman.
"Dr Muszaphar had a discussion with me and he hoped someone would buy the space suit.
"The government is not going buy it but a local company has shown interest, so I've asked Mara to get it," he told reporters after launching the 2009 Mara Education Carnival and Mara Day celebrations at the Putra World Trade Centre today.
(The Malaysian Insider, March 14, 2009)Spend RM185,000? During a global financial crisis? Kaya nye Mara. Don't get me wrong, I think the suit would be a great display in a museum, but you have to wonder why someone didn't think of it before? Why wasn't the purchase of the suit (or some other physical display of the trip) included in the whole package deal with the Russians? It's a short-sighted decision made worse by the current state of economics.
Malaysian Capital to have new mega-tower
By AFP | Posted: 13 March 2009 1349 hrs
| |
KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia's capital Kuala Lumpur will see a 65-storey Four Seasons building rise up alongside its iconic 88-storey Petronas Twin Towers, a report said Friday.
The tower, which will include a hotel, apartments and a shopping mall, will be completed by 2012 despite the global economic crisis, developer Syed Yusof Syed Nasir told the New Straits Times.
The daily said the project, known as Four Seasons Place, was being built by a firm controlled by Syed Yusof along with Malaysian tycoon Ong Beng Seng and the Sultan of Selangor.
"We are committed to the project even during the downturn," Syed Yusof said.
The daily said the 140 apartments in the project would be sold for about 2,500 ringgit (677 dollars) per square foot.
(Channel News Asia, March 13, 2009)
We need another high-rise like we need another hole in the head. Must we build yet another skyscraper? Does that make us more "developed"? Closer to first-world nation status? Why do we keep kidding ourselves? There are so many, many buildings in a sad state of neglect, disrepair and abandonment. If they really are unsuitable for whatever project a developer has in mind, then those buildings should be torn down and another built in its place.
I used to live near Detroit, which was once the 4th largest city in the US. Now the Motor City is the 4th poorest in the nation (2004) and the most dangerous (2007) due to its high crime and high unemployment. Home values have plummeted so much and living conditions deteriorated so badly that some people are simply packing up their belongings and abandoning their homes. Detroit is a city with severe urban decay. While I don't foresee KL becoming anywhere as bad as that, city planners in the government need to bear in mind that urban decay is a real disease. Throwing up a fancy new building whose appeal will only last 20-30 years may bring in money in the short-term but bodes trouble in the long-term.
Friday, March 13, 2009
Matematik dan Sains dalam Bahasa Melayu dan Prime-Minister-non-elect Najib
Topic: PPSMI
Helen Ang made a good case for teaching Science and Math in Malay. Among the facts I had not been aware of were that the decision was made unilaterally by the out-going PM, Dr Mahathir in 2003, and that no studies nor consultations had been carried out prior to implementation. Considering that the decision affected millions of school teachers, administrators, school children and their families, it's mind-boggling that the order of one man could be carried out with no extensive preparation beforehand. Malaysia Boleh.
The majority of Malaysian teachers do not have a good enough command of English to be teaching it to anyone. As a product of the city, it's easy for me to forget that, having been immersed in the language to the extent that Malay has not been my primary language since I was 3 years old. But most Malaysians don't live in cities and many are doubly disadvantaged by having to learn difficult subjects in a foreign tongue. At the moment, I think it may be better to revert to teaching the subjects in Malay for most, but retain the option of learning the English terms and answering exam papers in English.
Topic: Najib
The International Headline Tribune published a brief but interesting article today. Najib's wife, Rosmah was interviewed about the upcoming power transfer and had this to say:
Obviously, she believes it is Najib's right to be Prime Minister. (Don't we wish we had the right to elect our own Prime Minister??) And apparently they had expected to be in power when Mahathir stepped down but Abdullah Badawi was chosen instead. I actually view her words as a veiled threat. Don't you dare stand in our way, or else. Is anyone thinking of a certain Mongolian lady here?
Helen Ang made a good case for teaching Science and Math in Malay. Among the facts I had not been aware of were that the decision was made unilaterally by the out-going PM, Dr Mahathir in 2003, and that no studies nor consultations had been carried out prior to implementation. Considering that the decision affected millions of school teachers, administrators, school children and their families, it's mind-boggling that the order of one man could be carried out with no extensive preparation beforehand. Malaysia Boleh.
The majority of Malaysian teachers do not have a good enough command of English to be teaching it to anyone. As a product of the city, it's easy for me to forget that, having been immersed in the language to the extent that Malay has not been my primary language since I was 3 years old. But most Malaysians don't live in cities and many are doubly disadvantaged by having to learn difficult subjects in a foreign tongue. At the moment, I think it may be better to revert to teaching the subjects in Malay for most, but retain the option of learning the English terms and answering exam papers in English.
Topic: Najib
The International Headline Tribune published a brief but interesting article today. Najib's wife, Rosmah was interviewed about the upcoming power transfer and had this to say:
"Let's not do anything unethical to stop it. It is his turn," Rosmah said in her first interview with an international news agency.
If "God says it is his turn, it is his turn," Rosmah added. "That is the thing we all have to accept, because when (Abdullah became leader) ... we believed that it was his time, his destiny and we went on with our lives."
(IHT, March 13, 2009)Obviously, she believes it is Najib's right to be Prime Minister. (Don't we wish we had the right to elect our own Prime Minister??) And apparently they had expected to be in power when Mahathir stepped down but Abdullah Badawi was chosen instead. I actually view her words as a veiled threat. Don't you dare stand in our way, or else. Is anyone thinking of a certain Mongolian lady here?
Thursday, March 12, 2009
One Year Later
It has been a year since the biggest political upheaval in Malaysia. On March 8, 2008, Malaysians historically denied the Barisan Nasional coalition a majority in parliament - a first since the country's independence in 1957. Extreme disgust with the ruling parties' practices coupled with the great hope placed on the opposition parties led by Anwar Ibrahim contributed to the seismic change in the political landscape.
Perhaps great hopes were meant to be dashed. Anwar promised the Pakatan Rakyat would take over the government on September 16, 2008. The droves of BN MPs crossing over to PR never materialized. Ironically, one of the MPs who did cross over, went right back to BN and UMNO's arms not 2 days later. This sparked the meltdown of political authority in Perak and the loss of a PR-ruled state to the BN, courtesy of the sultan.
My opinion is that the royalty is overrated. While I agree that the Malay sultans are needed to preserve part of our culture, I cannot agree with them being treated as gods. Why should we agree with a sultan's rulings just because he is the sultan? Such a shame that of all the royal houses, the Sultan Perak's family was the one to let us down. They had been the most respected, the current Sultan a former Lord Justice, and the Raja Muda an intelligent and thoughtful person. A far cry from the gangsters in the Johor royal house, for instance. Yet, Sultan Azlan decided to grant power to UMNO/BN instead of the people. The matter continues to play out in the courts but until and unless the people of Perak have their say at the ballot, whatever government they have lacks authority.
The DAP-ruled Penang government seems to be the most stable, at this juncture. Lim Guan Eng has been praised for flying in economy class instead of first or business, and criticized for failing to get his MPs to declare their assets. A friend working with many of the new leadership laments that things are no better than in the days of BN rule. Once PR came into power, they got busy doling out positions to "their people". Different faces, but things were still the same. My mother remains a "government servant" in name, and is very much looking forward to the end of her contract. Perhaps her current bosses are somewhat comforted by the fact that she served under Lim Chong Eu back in the day. The man credited for building Penang into a major manufacturing hub was a former DAP supremo himself, and now counsels the current Chief Minister on the down low. And if it weren't for the federal government sabotaging the state, withholding funds and blowing off requests from the state, Penang could see major improvements in infrastructure and public transportation. It's frustrating seeing Penang's potential stunted by UMNO/BN's self-interests.
This past year has seen blatant displays of UMNO/BN's power hungry maneuverings. As a result, Malaysian politics has sunk to despicable depths. Perak aside, UMNO targeted Selangor. Elizabeth Wong was forced to resign as MP over some very private photos. Why have we not heard more about the perpetrator, her ex-boyfriend? Selangor's Menteri Besar was pronounced guilty by the "independent" MACC (new anti-corruption outfit) after a brief investigation. Anwar's legal problems continue. For every judge that is willing to be impartial, there are more who let themselves be the tool of the status quo. The IGP and former Attorney General were cleared of any wrongdoing when Anwar was beaten up 11 years ago. Apparently, assault is only worth 2 months in jail for the actual perpetrator. We are to believe everyone else is innocent, which led to Dr Mahathir making the innocent suggestion that Anwar beat himself up to garner sympathy.
Systemic failures in the country are also more obvious now. Anwar was beaten up during police questioning. A robbery suspect, A. Kugan, died from repeated beatings while in police custody. Those are just 2 cases. Raja Petra was jailed under ISA and told by prison guards that they could not guarantee his safety; those who wanted to keep him quiet over the Altantuya case might quiet him for good. So do we trust the police to keep us safe? Hell no.
One police chief is no fan of democracy. He called it "demo crazy" instead. That was following the incident where hundreds of people turned up in support of Gapena's push to preserve the teaching of math and science in Malay. I am no supporter of this movement but I can appreciate their purpose of upholding Malay as the national language. I don't believe, however, that making up Malay terms to fit the advancing terminology in math and science will be of benefit to students beyond sekolah menengah. That aside, the police accused PAS and PKR leaders of "politicizing" the situation and thus justified spraying the crowd with chemical-laced water. It was very disheartening to see our 70-something Sasterawan Negara (National Laureate) A. Samad Said, already looking frail and ancient, trying to get the sting out of his eyes. Where were the water cannons when UMNO Penang marched to Karpal Singh's house to accuse him of treason against the Sultan Perak?
The inanity continues. Ambiga Sreevanesan was awarded the International Women of Courage award by Hilary Clinton and Michele Obama for her work fighting for justice and religious and gender equality in Malaysia. Here is our government's response:
"Malaysian women are now recognised in the international arena for taking a firm stand on national issues such as judicial independence, gender equality and good governance, said Wanita MCA chief Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun."
(Star Online, March 12, 2009)
Does Madam Chew not realize she is part of the system that perpetuates judicial non-independence, gender inequality, and bad governance?
Here's another gem.
"Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has rubbished Universiti Malaya’s findings of a recent survey on the public’s choice for the Umno deputy president’s post.
Our learned Minister of International Trade has told the world what Malaysians already know: that our universities aren't worth a damn. Anyone can attend a Malaysian university and "concoct" studies to prove any theory. Research and statistics can be manipulated. What university did this man go to? UMNO's University of Good Governance? Another study by the Merdeka Center suggests he is 40 percentage points ahead of his closest rival. Was that study concocted too?
March promises more excitement and despair. The military officers accused of Altantuya's murder will hear the court's ruling while Najib "I-never-met-her (Altantuya)"becomes the Prime Minister. The campaigns for the 3 by-elections will begin. Will the phantom voters return with full force when Abdullah Badawi is gone? We shall see.
Perhaps great hopes were meant to be dashed. Anwar promised the Pakatan Rakyat would take over the government on September 16, 2008. The droves of BN MPs crossing over to PR never materialized. Ironically, one of the MPs who did cross over, went right back to BN and UMNO's arms not 2 days later. This sparked the meltdown of political authority in Perak and the loss of a PR-ruled state to the BN, courtesy of the sultan.
My opinion is that the royalty is overrated. While I agree that the Malay sultans are needed to preserve part of our culture, I cannot agree with them being treated as gods. Why should we agree with a sultan's rulings just because he is the sultan? Such a shame that of all the royal houses, the Sultan Perak's family was the one to let us down. They had been the most respected, the current Sultan a former Lord Justice, and the Raja Muda an intelligent and thoughtful person. A far cry from the gangsters in the Johor royal house, for instance. Yet, Sultan Azlan decided to grant power to UMNO/BN instead of the people. The matter continues to play out in the courts but until and unless the people of Perak have their say at the ballot, whatever government they have lacks authority.
The DAP-ruled Penang government seems to be the most stable, at this juncture. Lim Guan Eng has been praised for flying in economy class instead of first or business, and criticized for failing to get his MPs to declare their assets. A friend working with many of the new leadership laments that things are no better than in the days of BN rule. Once PR came into power, they got busy doling out positions to "their people". Different faces, but things were still the same. My mother remains a "government servant" in name, and is very much looking forward to the end of her contract. Perhaps her current bosses are somewhat comforted by the fact that she served under Lim Chong Eu back in the day. The man credited for building Penang into a major manufacturing hub was a former DAP supremo himself, and now counsels the current Chief Minister on the down low. And if it weren't for the federal government sabotaging the state, withholding funds and blowing off requests from the state, Penang could see major improvements in infrastructure and public transportation. It's frustrating seeing Penang's potential stunted by UMNO/BN's self-interests.
This past year has seen blatant displays of UMNO/BN's power hungry maneuverings. As a result, Malaysian politics has sunk to despicable depths. Perak aside, UMNO targeted Selangor. Elizabeth Wong was forced to resign as MP over some very private photos. Why have we not heard more about the perpetrator, her ex-boyfriend? Selangor's Menteri Besar was pronounced guilty by the "independent" MACC (new anti-corruption outfit) after a brief investigation. Anwar's legal problems continue. For every judge that is willing to be impartial, there are more who let themselves be the tool of the status quo. The IGP and former Attorney General were cleared of any wrongdoing when Anwar was beaten up 11 years ago. Apparently, assault is only worth 2 months in jail for the actual perpetrator. We are to believe everyone else is innocent, which led to Dr Mahathir making the innocent suggestion that Anwar beat himself up to garner sympathy.
Systemic failures in the country are also more obvious now. Anwar was beaten up during police questioning. A robbery suspect, A. Kugan, died from repeated beatings while in police custody. Those are just 2 cases. Raja Petra was jailed under ISA and told by prison guards that they could not guarantee his safety; those who wanted to keep him quiet over the Altantuya case might quiet him for good. So do we trust the police to keep us safe? Hell no.
One police chief is no fan of democracy. He called it "demo crazy" instead. That was following the incident where hundreds of people turned up in support of Gapena's push to preserve the teaching of math and science in Malay. I am no supporter of this movement but I can appreciate their purpose of upholding Malay as the national language. I don't believe, however, that making up Malay terms to fit the advancing terminology in math and science will be of benefit to students beyond sekolah menengah. That aside, the police accused PAS and PKR leaders of "politicizing" the situation and thus justified spraying the crowd with chemical-laced water. It was very disheartening to see our 70-something Sasterawan Negara (National Laureate) A. Samad Said, already looking frail and ancient, trying to get the sting out of his eyes. Where were the water cannons when UMNO Penang marched to Karpal Singh's house to accuse him of treason against the Sultan Perak?
The inanity continues. Ambiga Sreevanesan was awarded the International Women of Courage award by Hilary Clinton and Michele Obama for her work fighting for justice and religious and gender equality in Malaysia. Here is our government's response:
"Malaysian women are now recognised in the international arena for taking a firm stand on national issues such as judicial independence, gender equality and good governance, said Wanita MCA chief Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun."
(Star Online, March 12, 2009)
Does Madam Chew not realize she is part of the system that perpetuates judicial non-independence, gender inequality, and bad governance?
Here's another gem.
"Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has rubbished Universiti Malaya’s findings of a recent survey on the public’s choice for the Umno deputy president’s post.
“I also went to university. I can concoct a study to show whether I’m winning or losing,” he said, adding that academics had never before put forward their political views and expected the public to believe them."
(Star Online, March 12, 2009)Our learned Minister of International Trade has told the world what Malaysians already know: that our universities aren't worth a damn. Anyone can attend a Malaysian university and "concoct" studies to prove any theory. Research and statistics can be manipulated. What university did this man go to? UMNO's University of Good Governance? Another study by the Merdeka Center suggests he is 40 percentage points ahead of his closest rival. Was that study concocted too?
March promises more excitement and despair. The military officers accused of Altantuya's murder will hear the court's ruling while Najib "I-never-met-her (Altantuya)"becomes the Prime Minister. The campaigns for the 3 by-elections will begin. Will the phantom voters return with full force when Abdullah Badawi is gone? We shall see.
Thursday, November 6, 2008
The 2008 US Elections and Reflections on Malaysia
I don't usually get involved in US politics because I feel that - wars aside - no matter how bad people think this country is, the fundamentals are in place for a just society. The same cannot be said for Malaysia, and that is why I remain a Malaysian citizen, so that I don't lose my right to vote.
Barack Obama was elected the 44th President of the United States two nights ago. What surprised me the most was the joy and excitement displayed by people the world over. Africa delighted from having a "son of the soil" due to his Kenyan parentage. The Japanese in a town called Obama were thrilled. A woman in Jordan was moved to tears by Obama's acceptance speech. Indonesians in Barack's former primary school celebrated joyously. Americans in foreign lands found themselves spontaneously cheered just for being American.
That a black (or more correctly, half-black, half-white) man could rise to the most powerful office in the most powerful country in the world spoke volumes about how far America had come from its shameful racist past. People started to believe once more that America was the land of opportunity, where anything can happen. And they looked at their own countries, and started to dream that just maybe, such big barriers could fall where they live, too.
And so the question arose, could a non-Malay/Muslim ever be Prime Minister in Malaysia? Badawi replied, "Anyone can be PM." I, for one, don't believe it will happen in my lifetime.
First, is the racial balance. Demographic predictions have the current US minority groups collectively becoming the majority by the year 2050. That makes white America the minority; surely an unthinkable and unwelcome prospect by many Caucasians from the older generation. Will Malays be the minority in Malaysia? At 53% of the population, it seems likely, but for 2 factors. Our minorities are leaving Malaysia when they can, seeing no hope for equality for themselves or their children. Also, we do not have the immigrant influx that America does, nor are we anywhere as generous with granting citizenship as America is (heck, even my kids aren't Malaysians because I am a woman, which apparently makes me less Malaysian than a man).
Secondly, political parties are not created equal in Malaysia. For us to have a non-Malay/Muslim PM, UMNO needs to fall, and fall hard. Pakatan Rakyat, or some other color-blind coalition, needs to come into power. Their non-Malay/Muslim leaders need to prove their worth to the people. A lot of needs, which will take years to accomplish, particularly combined with our infamous tidak-apa, don't-rock-the-boat attitude.
Right now, I don't really care if a non-Malay/Muslim will be Prime Minister. I care about having laws that are just and creating level playing fields in jobs and education. I wish for Malaysians to be big-hearted and open-minded enough to be color-blind. If these are in place, then the dream of our non-Malay sisters and brothers to be Prime Minister can be reality.
We could learn some lessons from the US electoral process. First, set a firm date. Here, it is the first Tuesday in November, every 4 years. In Malaysia, it's whenever the PM feels it is advantageous to him staying in power. Second, limit the terms a premier can serve. True, if Mahathir had only served two terms, we would not have had the gleaming Petronas Twin Towers nor a thriving non-agricultural economy. Neither too, would we have had the wasteful Putrajaya nor the trivialisation of human rights. Third, let Malaysians vote. It should not matter if we are 10,000 miles away on the other side of the earth. We should have the right to vote in the country where we hold citizenship. If either parent is Malaysian, let their children have citizenship until they are 18, regardless of where they were born. If they choose a Malaysian citizenship, then they can vote when they are 21. And make it easy to register to vote. People should be able to register up to 2 weeks before voting takes place, and rules regarding which district one votes in should be simplified. If one works in KL and is registered to vote in Penang, make it easy for them to re-register in KL, or send in a postal vote.
What I didn't like about the US elections is the amount of money spent. Money in politics is a necessary evil. That's the way it is in the US; that's the way it is in Malaysia. Between Obama and McCain, they spent a mind-boggling US$1 billion on campaigning, breaking the all-time record.
What I found annoying about the US elections is the length of time spent campaigning. First, it was Hillary Clinton vs Obama in the Democratic nominee race that lasted 18 months. Then, 5 months of Obama vs McCain. I didn't follow the campaigns closely but I did watch the parts of the first 2 presidential debates and the Palin-Biden debate. By the time the 3rd presidential debate came around, I was sick of all the spin and truth-stretching. I no longer believed anything that either Obama or McCain said. That is why I was not in either camp, although I leaned towards Obama.
Speaking of camps, the political lines in America are clearly drawn. Generally speaking, if you are a Republican, you believe in conservative values which includes a small government that trusts people to make their own decisions, are anti-abortion and pro-gun-ownership. If you are a Democrat, you are a liberal who believes in a big government that makes more decisions for the people, are pro-abortion and pro-gun-control. If you are in between, you are a moderate or centrist.
I am a left-leaning centrist. I am pro-gun-control but anti-abortion in cases that don't include rape, incest or the mother or baby's health. I previously supported banning all guns, but having been around my husband's family, practically all of whom own guns, I am now pro-gun-control. Because of its history and culture, Americans will not totally give up their guns. My stance is, if you're going to own a gun, you have to be well-trained first. You have to earn the right to own a gun, not just walk into a Wal-Mart and pick one up. You have to go through intensive safety training, not just a background check. If one has to pass various tests to drive a car, why not set high standards for someone to own a gun?
As for big government vs small government, I'm not convinced either one works at all times . A big government makes you feel less in control of your life and basically tells you what to do more often. A small government gives you the latitude to make your own decisions but assumes that everyone will make rational, thoughtful ones. The reality is, every society has its share of crooks and crazies. The financial market collapse caused by greedy financial institutions and a lack or rules to govern them is one example.
And so when people asked who I voted for, the simple answer was, I couldn't vote. If I could, I probably would have voted for Obama. I only listened to a couple of his speeches before the acceptance speech, and it was obvious what an articulate, charismatic politician he is. But I was not going to be taken in by mere words. The truth was that he seemed quite inexperienced for the job, made obvious when he hedged on condemning Russia for invading Georgia.
On the other hand, McCain has a long track record and is a moderate. I like how he's not afraid to go against his Republican party to work with Democrats. I don't believe he is like Bush, and I don't hold being an "old, white man" against him. Unfortunately, he chose Sarah Palin. She energized the Republican base with her good looks and folksy attitude. She appealed greatly to the conservative religious right, a group which rejected McCain eight years ago when he took on George W. Bush in the Republican Presidential nominee race. She is also painfully inexperienced for the Vice Presidential post, displaying a spectacular ignorance of geography and global affairs. This is not to say she's not smart. She seems extremely intelligent, and held her own in the debate against the veteran politician Biden in the VP debate. However, she lost me when she said she supported teaching creationism in schools. That was the deal breaker. I don't mind McCain as president, but the thought of Palin taking over the job if something happens to the 72-year-old man with a history of cancer is simply scary.
I finally connected with Obama on the day before the elections. His grandmother who had raised him, died. That it came within 2 weeks of the 1st anniversary of my own grandmother's passing, touched some raw emotions. When Obama brought up his grandmother during his acceptance speech, I nearly cried. But his whole speech was powerful, and inspirational. If I wasn't on the Obama bandwagon before, I just may be on it now. Witnessing the joy that Obama's selection has brought makes me proud of my second home.
Barack Obama was elected the 44th President of the United States two nights ago. What surprised me the most was the joy and excitement displayed by people the world over. Africa delighted from having a "son of the soil" due to his Kenyan parentage. The Japanese in a town called Obama were thrilled. A woman in Jordan was moved to tears by Obama's acceptance speech. Indonesians in Barack's former primary school celebrated joyously. Americans in foreign lands found themselves spontaneously cheered just for being American.
That a black (or more correctly, half-black, half-white) man could rise to the most powerful office in the most powerful country in the world spoke volumes about how far America had come from its shameful racist past. People started to believe once more that America was the land of opportunity, where anything can happen. And they looked at their own countries, and started to dream that just maybe, such big barriers could fall where they live, too.
And so the question arose, could a non-Malay/Muslim ever be Prime Minister in Malaysia? Badawi replied, "Anyone can be PM." I, for one, don't believe it will happen in my lifetime.
First, is the racial balance. Demographic predictions have the current US minority groups collectively becoming the majority by the year 2050. That makes white America the minority; surely an unthinkable and unwelcome prospect by many Caucasians from the older generation. Will Malays be the minority in Malaysia? At 53% of the population, it seems likely, but for 2 factors. Our minorities are leaving Malaysia when they can, seeing no hope for equality for themselves or their children. Also, we do not have the immigrant influx that America does, nor are we anywhere as generous with granting citizenship as America is (heck, even my kids aren't Malaysians because I am a woman, which apparently makes me less Malaysian than a man).
Secondly, political parties are not created equal in Malaysia. For us to have a non-Malay/Muslim PM, UMNO needs to fall, and fall hard. Pakatan Rakyat, or some other color-blind coalition, needs to come into power. Their non-Malay/Muslim leaders need to prove their worth to the people. A lot of needs, which will take years to accomplish, particularly combined with our infamous tidak-apa, don't-rock-the-boat attitude.
Right now, I don't really care if a non-Malay/Muslim will be Prime Minister. I care about having laws that are just and creating level playing fields in jobs and education. I wish for Malaysians to be big-hearted and open-minded enough to be color-blind. If these are in place, then the dream of our non-Malay sisters and brothers to be Prime Minister can be reality.
We could learn some lessons from the US electoral process. First, set a firm date. Here, it is the first Tuesday in November, every 4 years. In Malaysia, it's whenever the PM feels it is advantageous to him staying in power. Second, limit the terms a premier can serve. True, if Mahathir had only served two terms, we would not have had the gleaming Petronas Twin Towers nor a thriving non-agricultural economy. Neither too, would we have had the wasteful Putrajaya nor the trivialisation of human rights. Third, let Malaysians vote. It should not matter if we are 10,000 miles away on the other side of the earth. We should have the right to vote in the country where we hold citizenship. If either parent is Malaysian, let their children have citizenship until they are 18, regardless of where they were born. If they choose a Malaysian citizenship, then they can vote when they are 21. And make it easy to register to vote. People should be able to register up to 2 weeks before voting takes place, and rules regarding which district one votes in should be simplified. If one works in KL and is registered to vote in Penang, make it easy for them to re-register in KL, or send in a postal vote.
What I didn't like about the US elections is the amount of money spent. Money in politics is a necessary evil. That's the way it is in the US; that's the way it is in Malaysia. Between Obama and McCain, they spent a mind-boggling US$1 billion on campaigning, breaking the all-time record.
What I found annoying about the US elections is the length of time spent campaigning. First, it was Hillary Clinton vs Obama in the Democratic nominee race that lasted 18 months. Then, 5 months of Obama vs McCain. I didn't follow the campaigns closely but I did watch the parts of the first 2 presidential debates and the Palin-Biden debate. By the time the 3rd presidential debate came around, I was sick of all the spin and truth-stretching. I no longer believed anything that either Obama or McCain said. That is why I was not in either camp, although I leaned towards Obama.
Speaking of camps, the political lines in America are clearly drawn. Generally speaking, if you are a Republican, you believe in conservative values which includes a small government that trusts people to make their own decisions, are anti-abortion and pro-gun-ownership. If you are a Democrat, you are a liberal who believes in a big government that makes more decisions for the people, are pro-abortion and pro-gun-control. If you are in between, you are a moderate or centrist.
I am a left-leaning centrist. I am pro-gun-control but anti-abortion in cases that don't include rape, incest or the mother or baby's health. I previously supported banning all guns, but having been around my husband's family, practically all of whom own guns, I am now pro-gun-control. Because of its history and culture, Americans will not totally give up their guns. My stance is, if you're going to own a gun, you have to be well-trained first. You have to earn the right to own a gun, not just walk into a Wal-Mart and pick one up. You have to go through intensive safety training, not just a background check. If one has to pass various tests to drive a car, why not set high standards for someone to own a gun?
As for big government vs small government, I'm not convinced either one works at all times . A big government makes you feel less in control of your life and basically tells you what to do more often. A small government gives you the latitude to make your own decisions but assumes that everyone will make rational, thoughtful ones. The reality is, every society has its share of crooks and crazies. The financial market collapse caused by greedy financial institutions and a lack or rules to govern them is one example.
And so when people asked who I voted for, the simple answer was, I couldn't vote. If I could, I probably would have voted for Obama. I only listened to a couple of his speeches before the acceptance speech, and it was obvious what an articulate, charismatic politician he is. But I was not going to be taken in by mere words. The truth was that he seemed quite inexperienced for the job, made obvious when he hedged on condemning Russia for invading Georgia.
On the other hand, McCain has a long track record and is a moderate. I like how he's not afraid to go against his Republican party to work with Democrats. I don't believe he is like Bush, and I don't hold being an "old, white man" against him. Unfortunately, he chose Sarah Palin. She energized the Republican base with her good looks and folksy attitude. She appealed greatly to the conservative religious right, a group which rejected McCain eight years ago when he took on George W. Bush in the Republican Presidential nominee race. She is also painfully inexperienced for the Vice Presidential post, displaying a spectacular ignorance of geography and global affairs. This is not to say she's not smart. She seems extremely intelligent, and held her own in the debate against the veteran politician Biden in the VP debate. However, she lost me when she said she supported teaching creationism in schools. That was the deal breaker. I don't mind McCain as president, but the thought of Palin taking over the job if something happens to the 72-year-old man with a history of cancer is simply scary.
I finally connected with Obama on the day before the elections. His grandmother who had raised him, died. That it came within 2 weeks of the 1st anniversary of my own grandmother's passing, touched some raw emotions. When Obama brought up his grandmother during his acceptance speech, I nearly cried. But his whole speech was powerful, and inspirational. If I wasn't on the Obama bandwagon before, I just may be on it now. Witnessing the joy that Obama's selection has brought makes me proud of my second home.
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