Monday 8 January 2007

Current Affairs : What Malaysians Are Saying

Malaysians United Against Govt's Highly Controversial Toll Hike
Read here on Colour-Blind -Ronnie Liu

See MORE Photos on the Anti-Toll Hike on Present Point Power blog

".... I was delighted to see that we have almost equal number of Malay and Chinese protestors, plus quite a good number of Indians. We also witnessed a big number of women and students of all races joining the protest enthusistically.

The demo was led by Syed Shahir, the President of MTUC. He is the Chiarman of the Coalition Against Toll Hike. He said TOL stands for “Tipu orang lagi” and Dr Hatta Ramli of Pas added his own version-”Tolak orang lemah”.

We were also encouraged by the courage and high spirit shown by the protestors. A friend of mine from the Keadilan even stood right in front of the FRUs, using the top of his voice to warn them not to use violence against the protestors. The police has refrained from using violence this time and no one was man-handled or arrested by them.

In my address to the protestors and the police.....I pointed out that all toll concessions were given to either Umno or Umno-related companies.

The leaders of NGOs and opposition parties(DAP, Pas, PKR and PSM) took turn to address the protestors.

The Press Coverage of the Anti-Toll Hike Demonstration

SEE PHOTOS OF THE DEMONSTRATION on Jeff Ooi's SCREENSHOT... Click HERE

Read here on Rocky's Bru

".....There were journalists and pixmen covering the people's protest against the toll hike in Sunway yesterday.

Unfortunately, a call to the editors at Utusan Malaysia and the Star ensured that their reports and pictures didn't make it to print.

Half a call to Hishamuddin Aun from the 4th floor operator was all it took to censor the entire news about the people's protest.

The Sun, however, had a picture and story headlined Anti-toll protest attracts Big crowd for its on-line.

Which shows that all you need to promote greater media freedom is the balls to say NO to the 4th floor (sic) Putrajaya operators. ..."


The Toll Hike

Read here on The Scribe -A.Kadir Jasin

"..... Tulisan saya yang lalu telah mencetuskan perbahasan yang hangat di kalangan pengunjung blog ini.

...Majoriti berpendapat bahawa kerajaan TIDAK sepatutnya membenarkan kenaikan tol dan tarif yang terlalu tinggi.

Secara ringkas, pendapat dan pandangan mereka boleh disimpulkan seperti berikut:
1. Kerajaan telah gagal menunaikan janji-janjinya walaupun diberikan mandat besar pada pilihan raya umum 2004;

2. Kerajaan
menjadi bongkak kerana menang besar pada pilihan raya umum itu;

3. Wakil Rakyat Barisan Nasional lebih mengutamakan kepentingan peribadi dengan memuji dan memuja pembesar-pembesar parti daripada bersuara dan bertindak bagi pihak rakyat jelata;

4. Yang perlu diubah bukan parti yang memerintah tetapi para pembesar yang menerajuinya;

5. BN masih berupa parti campuran pelbagai kaum yang terbaik dan paling “viable’;

6. Parti-parti pembangkang belum berjaya menunjukkan bukti yang meyakinkan bahawa mereka mampu menjadi alternatif kepada BN;

7. Barisan Alternatif lebih daripada mampu untuk menggantikan BN dan perlu diberikan peluang;

8. BN tidak akan dijatuhkan atau akan kalah pada pilihan raya akan datang tetapi majoritinya perlu dikurangkan supaya ia sedar kesilapannya dan tidak terlalu bongkak;

9. Cara terbaik mencapai matlamat ini ialah dengan tidak keluar mengundi atau memberi undi rosak manakala yang lain pula berpendapat cara terbaik ialah dengan mengundi pembangkang; dan

10. Umumnya mereka sependapat bahawa dasar, pendekatan dan tindakan kerajaan sejak pilihan raya 2004 membebankan mereka....."

- A. Kadir Jasin

The Murder of the Mongolian Girl in Malaysia
Roslan SMS Corner... Read here

"....Political analyst Abdul Razak Baginda was whisked away to prison after his RM1million bail was not extended...... Already people are questioning why Razak was freed on bail in the first place. Hopefully the court shall ensure that everybody be treated equally in its eyes.

Even the Kelantan MBs son was handcuffed when he was detained under the ISA, a law that blatantly denies justice.

Therefore in Razaks case we hope that despite being linked to people upstairs, no VIP treatment be accorded to him so long as he stands as an accused in this trial.

Justice must not only be done it must also be seen to be done...."

Stop calling the murdered Mongolian girl a model
Read here in Politics 101 Malaysia

....I wish a reputable news media like Malaysiakini would stop tagging Altantuya Shaariibuu as a “model” just like the mainstream ones are doing.

She’s a professional translator and secretary. If she had ever modelled, which is denied by a family, it was probably more out of fun than as a career.

Referring to her as a “model” is misleading, petty and inaccurate..."

Chief Justice Tun Ahmad Fairuz Trying to Interfere with Judge Segara's Decision
Read here in Cakap Tak Seruapo Bikin

".....Chief Justice Tun Ahmad Fairuz said there was a possibility of hearing being brought forward. "The March 2008 hearing date is too far off. I think what the judge did was to go on a first-come-first-serve basis. However, public interest cases should be given priority," he said.

The language used is funny? All cases involving those under remand (that is, detention without trial as yet) are construed as of "Public Interest" - That's the rule of law and the rule of natural justice.

How is it that "high profile publicised cases" are framed as to be "Public Interest" case? Does it mean that those cases which the Press gave front page attention are Public Interest cases?

Judge Segara was right:"The court is not here to please the public, the Press or anybody else. We want cases to be carried out in a fair manner. Hence I do not see any need or urgency to fix an early trial date for this case. Publicity is not grounds to give an early date...it is not fair for those cases not taken an interest in by the Press to be left in the cold."

Australian Universities in World Ranking
Read here in Malaysia Students blog

This is an extract from The Times Higher Education Supplement showing Australian's University ranking in the world.

  • 19 University of Melbourne
  • 23 Australian National University
  • 34 Monash University
  • 38 University of Sydney
  • 40 University of New South Wales
  • 40 University of Queensland
  • 67 Macquarie University
  • 80 University of Adelaide
  • 80 University of Western Australia
  • 82 RMIT
  • 87 University of Technology, Sydney
  • 98 La Trobe University
  • 101 Curtin University of Technology


    Blooper in New Straits Times.
    Read
    here in The Aisehman

    ".... If the people at the New Straits Times are looking for a reason, just one reason, as to why the newspaper is faring poorly, then they only have to look at their frontpage today:

    ' Strategies mapped out by the prime minister are excellent, a seminar on Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s three years in office was told. But his projects are sadly … HELD UP BY BLOOPERS'
      First things first. I know Umno basically “owns” NST, but don’t you think this is way ridiculous?
      And “bloopers”? A blooper is a clumsy mistake, a faux pas, unintentionally committed.

      The speakers at the seminar were NOT talking about bloopers; they were talking about fuck-ups.

      And what’s this bullshit about “before” Pak Lah’s “time”? Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has been in the Government, in one capacity or another, for so long that he’s become part of the furniture.

      After 22 years of Mahathir, we thought we were going to see a better way of doing things.

      We were all excited over the new guy. He was making all the right noises. We were going to work with him, not for him. But it’s clear to us now that beneath the disguise of so-called reforms, it’s still the same old shit. How utterly and bitterly disappointing.

      We made a mistake in the last General Election, and what a clumsy mistake he has turned out to be. ..."

    1. 13 comments:

      Anonymous said...

      Malaysia is already under economic siege. From one end, it is being squeezed out by low-cost mainland Chinese manufacturing that is getting better everyday. From the other hand - countries that used to be peers like South Korea and Taiwan are climbing so far up the value-added ladder in electronics that we now have little hope of catching up.

      The picture for Malaysia slow decline in manufacturing is Penang. This is why I blame the NEP. Some economists have called university education a 'signaling' tool to employers.

      In other words, an employer doesn't give a hoot about what a graduate has really learnt at university. The degree is seen as a 'signal' that the graduate is a person of higher quality than a person without a degree.

      When the government, in its aspiration to make the malays more competitive in the job market, forces universities to 'manufacture' a targeted number of graduates from a certain race, the whole 'signaling' mechanism breaks down.

      Employers now cannot tell if a malay university graduate is really of quality or if they were just the lucky by product of a quota system.

      So, no wonder there are accusations that certain employers are 'racist' - they hire non-malay grads more than malay grads. But of course - those non-malay grads are the only high-quality people that an employer can be sure of.

      In the end, the education quota policy hurts the malays more than the non-malays. Malays who would have gone on to university even if there were no quota system are now 'tainted' with the impression that they never deserved it in the first place.

      Malays who would not have gone had there not been the quota system still can't find a job after they graduate. In the meantime, these people have spent so much time and money only to be told they should work as overpaid maids or construction workers.

      If we really want to let market forces run, then let meritocracy decide who should get places in our local universities. Everyone and his grandmother has an opinion for or against meritocracy, but here is an example of how non-meritocracy has actually hurt the people it was supposed to help.

      The biggest economic threat to Malaysia in the next 20 years is not the rise of China and India. It is the NEP.

      Let us see how Badawi positions himself in this case - that is if he is going to take a stand at all. Otherwise he may go down as the prime minister who started with the most popular vote and ended up as the most unpopular prime minister.

      Anonymous said...

      One must be fair to minister for his intention to declare Selangor a developed state. In his opinion, Selangor is a developed state and the evidence is everywhere for all to see.

      Go to any large housing estate like Subang Jaya etc, and you can barely see any greenery. Only hot, hot concrete and asphalt. Who cares about the rise in temperatures? After all, residents can afford air conditioners, and it is good for the economy.

      And the water authorities just recently declared that one-third of Selangor's rivers are dead, heavily polluted, with industrial garbage, effluents, carcasses of animals like dogs and cats. These are definitely clear signs of progress and development.

      There is no need to wonder why the fireflies in Kuala Selangor, one of the very few in the world, are dying in large numbers. What has become of it?

      There are no squatters in Selangor any more, never mind the statement recently that all these will be 'resolved' by next year. Does this mean that big boards will be put up to block the views of the many ugly settlements and ghettos that line the roads all over the state?

      Aren't there many illegal settlements in the many hills and villages all over Selangor whose residents speak foreign tongues and who from time to time like to engage in vicious fights, not to mention indulge in their favourite past-time of crime?

      As for social life, well, what have we got? No cinemas, no liquor advertising, strict licencing, only entertainment suitable for the whole family. And to ensure compliance and good morality, there are the ever eager and zealous religious police.

      And Selangor ever 'efficient' bureaucratic civil service can be depended upon to make many and regular costly mistakes in land registration, monitoring of projects, inaction, etc.

      No need for punishment, just a lot of continuous learning curves, like from the belly dancers in Egypt while cruising on the Nile.

      But best of all, corruption is not prevalent in the state! No private allocation of choice plots to politicians, no allocation of low-cost houses to those who do not qualify, local council meetings are transparent, and politicians in high places did not receive gratifications like houses and plots of land.

      Selangor shamelessly claims many national infrastructure projects as its own - like the ports, highways and international airports - and takes credit for the trade that passes through them, never mind if they originate for other states.

      The list goes on. Given all these 'achievements', the good minister should set up a consultancy to offer his 'expertise' to other chief ministers on to how to achieve a 'developed' state status in double-quick time.

      Especially to minister whose Penang state, also the prime minister home state, is still painfully 'undeveloped' even after 20-odd years.

      Anonymous said...

      Having done business in Malaysia for donkey years now, I cannot think of another country that has such overt racist policies - stretching from education to entrance to government employment to politics to banking preferences.

      Up until now we could blame the mad doctor Mahatir, whom someone should bend over and he has always had it in for the Chinese, then Westerners and in the end anyone not malay or muslim - good riddance to him and more power to those that want to make Malaysia a more liberal and prosperous - based on merit - place.

      Anyone want to join in a class action defamation suit against Mahatir for his famous sentence that all Americans and Europeans practise buggery? Love to drag this guy through the courts. He has been venting his poison without consequences far too long - silly old bugger………..

      Anonymous said...

      As usual, Pak Lah has no backbones.

      The prime minister has degenerated to a pathetic figure, devoid of any authority and direction to bring our Malaysia nation of diverse culture and religion to a harmonious conclusion.

      Racial and religious harmony is being replaced in stages, by racial
      and religious animosity and insecurity.

      Can Malaysia afford to have its people facing these uncertainties over and over again without its attendant consequences?

      This is in fact a serious issue with magnifying effects that could determine the dynamics and the maturity of the Malaysia civilisation. Please someone do something. Where a Spiderman suit and then climb on to the top of the Twin Towers shouting Malaysia Boleh!

      In the past few months I have seen weakness seeping into Pak Lah leadership. He seems to be unable to resolve shortcomings in the Malaysia society. He seems to be all talk but when push comes to shove, he routes towards the usual malay Malaysian way to please all other relations.

      Why no change? Simple. No guts. The man has no stomach for real change. He is hopeless.

      In the era of no guts Pak Lah, you can't expect him to change what is culturally entrenched. He will cave, he don't have what way to lead these people.

      Their ambition grows everyday not less with the more that they have. Hence there is no way these people will change anything unless we ourselves are willing to sink into their level of abuse, self-destruction and unfairness.

      I am not into psychoanalyzing what the prime minister does or does not do. Suffice for me to state the guy is clueless as to what the issue is and what the fuss (according to him) is all about. He is more like the head of state of a third world country rather than head of the executive.

      The characteristic that Pak Lah portrayed only exists in pariah nation and third world. An advanced and respected nation does not have this type of people to lead a country. Bolehland at the moment fulfill all the requirements as a pariah nation. Give him a job with the snoop squad.

      They need to replace him - and soon.

      Anonymous said...

      Mahathir was telling half the truth when he said he tried for 22 years but failed to change the malay crutch-dependent mindset.

      The truth is the malay mindset is firmly rooted to NEP, and he is correct on that score. But did he change the malay mindset during his term? He shed his crocodile tears, yes; but changing the mindset of malays, no.

      He should in fact be credited or more appropriately discredited for making the malays formed their present crutch-dependent mindset. He used his book "The Malay Dilemma" for political advancement.

      During Mahathir regime, NEP has gone perverted. Malay millionaires and billionaires were created through monopoly and state funds.

      NEP should have ended after it has run its course in 1990, but Mahathir did not end the NEP. He did not bother to end NEP just because NEP protected his political interests. He left it as a baggage for Pak Lah.

      Pak Lah claimed to do the right thing, to be prime minister for all communities. He cannot deliver because he cannot be what he said he wanted to be if the NEP hangs over his head. What was worst be his son-in-law had supported the position of that keris welding imbecile.

      Was this a plan to make Pak Lah look weak? I wonder.

      Mahathir could have changed the malay mindset had he wanted to, by being fair to non-malays in ending NEP during his regime. He did not.

      He created enough problems for the country. Today per capita GDP of Malaysians is only one-sixth of that of Singaporeans.

      When the oil and gas run dry in this Malaysia in two decades, our Malaysia per capita GDP will at best be better than Burma, although some of the government companies CEOs might still travel around in helicopters.

      Mahathir should of course continue to voice his views, since Malaysians have freedom of speech, but nothing said about freedom after the speech!

      Anonymous said...

      Folks, I am not an opposition, I am a normal person, and I belong to no political party. I am very concerned about the welfare of my beloved country.

      I always have great respect in people - not that he is from the opposition party. Nobody could have taken so much of insults from BN party and still hold steadfastly to his principles.

      Truth is truth - nothing can change it. How it comes, and from where it comes, does not matter.

      As the No. 1 leader in the country, Pak Lah must be a transformational leader, to weather off all the storms. Technology and globalisation bring along radical changes.

      Malaysia cannot tell the world: You all go ahead, I can wait.

      The waves of disruptive changes will drown all of us and make Malaysia one of the poorest countries in the world, if Pak Lah adopts this stand. (Nigeria is one such good example.)

      After more than a year in office as premier of the country, my personal opinion about Pak Lah is: he has to be stronger. He must be fearless to institute changes, for the good of the country. He sure can silence all his critics, if he is sincere in doing the best for his country.

      Otherwise, the opposition will one day become the ruling party, and BN will play the role of opposition.

      So many living examples for BN - just look at our not-too-distant neighbours, India and Bangladesh.

      Ruling party, opposition party……….they are frameworks but not an excuse - if we so love this country, beautiful Malaysia!

      Anonymous said...

      True………. it is very true……….

      The malays are actually digging their own grave and they are trying to dig a deeper and bigger one now……….

      But all of them I have to see are being manipulated by certain top malay politicians so they will support them……….

      That shows there the general malays are quite stupid and can't think outside the box……….

      Anonymous said...

      It has become a habit for our ministers - when in or out of office - to display great wealth. Not long ago, if memory serves me right, we had an minister caught in Australia with a couple of millions in loose change trying to exit from an Australian city.

      Considering that he had only served one term as minister (and was still in office) the question that still remains unanswered till today is this: Where did he obtain his millions?

      The most scandalous of the lot must be the ex-minister of Sabah losing RM31.6 million to a casino in UK. What is most perplexing in this case is how did someone in his position accumulate such fabulous wealth?

      Frankly, it is not too difficult to trace where such wealth is derived from.

      If you require approval from the state government for any application, don't expect to get it as a matter of course. Without going through the 'proper channels' and without some agreed financial arrangement, it is most likely that your application will be rejected without any reasons given.

      Despite all these public displays of wealth by our politicians, the most glaring dereliction of duty must be the Anti-Corruption Agency. They seem oblivious to all that is happening. Maybe they are waiting for the culprits to make a public confession before they will take any action.

      By now, the citizens of this country must be immune to all this blatant acts of corruption. Each new leader comes to office with the promise of eradicating this scourge but each time we are left disappointed.

      Sadly, we must admit we just don't have the leaders that can exert the political will and determination to wipe out this menace.

      Anonymous said...

      It is very distressing to note that malays still feel they have been discriminated against by non-malay companies in the private sector.

      This is an old issue and it will go on until Malaysia is truly a fully developed nation practising true meritocracy.

      With a national policy in favour of the malays in general, lament of malays being discriminated against in the private sector seems too demanding, to say the least.

      When we analyse the background and history of non-malay companies, most of the present big companies started small and grew over the years because of the foresight and thrift by their founders.

      At the time when land prices were really cheap, they bought land whenever they had spare cash. Over the years, land prices have risen by leaps and bounds, especially in big towns like Kuala Lumpur, Penang and Singapore.

      Having established their companies, isn't it natural for anyone irrespective of race, to try to keep their organisations within the family? Here again, there are problems like no heirs or children who are not interested in running the business and children who cannot be trusted.

      If the business involves dealing with fellow Chinese businessmen, for instance, obviously someone who can speak the boss's Chinese dialect is preferred. In this case, even Chinese face problems as not all Chinese can speak a specific dialect. Not all Chinese, too, can read or write in Mandarin. Would a malay company employ a Chinese who cannot understand Bahasa Melayu?

      Instead of barking up the wrong tree and feeling embittered about what little the non-malays have for themselves, perhaps the malays should look into the unjust practices among themselves like Approved Permits issued to undeserving people?

      The crux of it all is whether allegations of bias towards malays and prejudice against non-malays are true. If they are, should we then keep quiet and pretend that all is well?

      All we are asking for is transparency and truth in all government policies including affirmative action ones. Is that too much to ask for?

      Anonymous said...

      Ask all malay pig go back to Indonesia.

      The malay pig make Malaysia become rubbish country. Without malay pig in Malaysia - Malaysia country will become same as Singapore or Taiwan.

      Where malay pig came from? Indonesia? Arab? Africa? What happened to our Orang Asli? They are the original settlers here, they should be the true real bumiputras. Not the babiputras we have here.

      What is wrong with the babiputras? Highest crime rates, highest divorce rates, highest number of criminals, highest number of drug users, highest number of rapists.

      A genetically flawed race (babiputras) cannot be fixed by politically.

      What have we got now?

      Brain drain, economic disparity getting wider, poor education system, racial segregation, widespread corruption, inefficiency and uncompetitive on the government departments and others.

      Sad. Sad. Sad. The question asked by many of my fellow Chinese is this - Why can't you just tell the malay pig to adopt Chinese culture which is superior?

      It makes no difference whether I am a Chinese, Indian or for that matter, anyone else, even a Mat Salleh. I am speaking as a human being to a malay pig like you.

      If you malay pig don't like the non-malays here, then go back to Sumatra, Jawa, or wherever your ancestors came from, and give this land back to its rightful master, the Orang Asli.

      If Malaysia is to divide into two countries with malay pig taking the east, and the west to the Chinese and the Indians - watch that the malay pig starting to migrate to the west illegally for a better future.

      It is no wonder Singapore is a country which is 50 years ahead of Malaysia.

      You know something - once outside the perimeters of Malaysia, these malay pig are so small in value even a dog has more value than them!

      Everything in Malaysia is a joke when it comes to the malay pig. They are laughed at by everyone in this world for being incompetent, lazy, useless morons.

      From research, this peninsular was part of the Siamese empire way before these malay pig from Indonesia invaded it.

      Still so thick skin, don't want to go back to Indonesia.

      Anonymous said...

      We must remind the members of parliament that they were voted in by their constituencies, and they gave to abide by the wishes of their constituencies, and not dictate to their constituencies.

      This would involve a change in the mindset of BN leaders. The citizens of Malaysia can think and not stupid. BN leaders must respect the people wishes.

      Secondly we should discuss race and religion separately. Not all Chinese are Buddhists, not all Indians are Hindus and not all malays are Muslims. Separate religion from race and then discuss the racial issues without getting emotional and overly sensitive.

      Learn to accept that Malaysians are made up of different cultures and races. We need to accept this fact. Acceptance is one thing but tolerance is another.

      I recall reading many posters that referring to their friendship with other races and how they get along well. So race relation is not dead and thus has to be encouraged and propagated.

      In Malaysia, talk of Ketuanan Melayu should be discouraged. What is Ketuanan Melayu? Can someone elaborate here?

      Every citizen of Malaysia have their right to peaceful existence in Malaysia, their rights to practice their custom and religion is protected under the constitution. Let that be the guiding light.

      Yes, we can have differences of race and religion but that exist everywhere, not just in Malaysia. So what makes us Malaysians so special? Nothing.

      Anonymous said...

      I think our national leaders have no moral right to call for national unity and integration so long as Barisan Nasional remains a coalition of mainly racially based parties. This charade has been going on since independence under the Alliance. Either do away with such parties or just live and let live. Any call for unity is just being hypocritical.

      The prime minister has said that Umno must gain political strength. Already in full control of the country, Umno is still not satisfied. The prime minister, no less, has been harping on Umno's strength and the need to maintain its political hold.

      If this is the case, why do we need the national service programme just to inculcate national unity and racial interaction? What about leadership by example? How do you expect the students to believe in the programme when their leaders have not integrated politically?

      Why is our country so concerned with national unity and integration? Is there an external threat? In our progress towards developed nation status, race and religion should not be part of the government's patronising policies. 49 years after independence, we are still worried about which race is dominating or losing its dominance.

      Meanwhile, the MCA, MIC and other coalition party leaders are happy to be part of the power- sharing arrangement even though there is no real power to share. The MCA president has to be one acceptable to the Umno president, not one whom is a real democratic choice of MCA.

      The MIC president has been involved in the privatisation of most public utility companies. His immense wealth and power within his party ensures there is no competition for his position, and his successor will be one of his choices, subject to the approval of the Umno president.

      The Gerakan president cannot even make a statement about religion in schools without censure from the prime minister. Is this 'BN power-sharing' or 'Umno-powered sharing'?

      Why can't the public see for themselves what actually happened? How else can we be more transparent? Malaysia has still a long way to go as far as true democracy is concerned.

      Malaysian Unplug said...

      aston
      Your highly irresponsible racial taunts and comments are uncalled for and do not contribute to a mature and objective discussion. It is comments like yours that aggravates the racial problems in Malaysia. You should keep your highly charged emotional and gutter language to yourself.