Wrong – mocking a woman whose political position one dislikes in derogatory terms based on her appearance (a fat lady) for the sake of humour without regard to her ability and brains displayed in domestic and international trade forums – now, that would be a paradigm of a sexist statement that is deserving of condemnation being no different from Samy Vellu’s picturesque analogy of the physical attributes of a 50 year old woman to a dilapidated building requiring repairs and maintenance ! :)

上梁不正，下梁歪

What is not sexist is when one says behind Malaysia’s Fat Lady who knows? You cannot see.

A good example is the international outcry over the Iraq “Oil-for-Food” scandal which reportedly involved the PM himself, apart from other seemingly “clean” and “incorruptible” leaders such as the former UN Secretary-General and the US Vice-President

The suggestion (of which kind of leader between the two is better) put is an extrapolation and not one that I have ever made in my posting. That is another question outside scope of this blog thread for another day!

All I am suggesting is that the statement “the media blackout or self-censorship of unpleasant or unfavourable news under the Abdullah administration is getting as bad or even worse than the 22-year Mahathir premiership” is inaccurate.

I am also suggesting that from the angle of freedom of expression, more people – and that includes the mainstream media people – are encouraged to speak up without being prosecuted (so far) under the present administration and that by itself (from perspective of development of grass root democracy) is good thing and a plus factor for the present as in contrast to the past administration.

Having said this, no one however disputes that it would be ideal if Pak Lah also acts more of what have been told to him (after he has told everyone to speak up), and that if he continues not to listen and act on what he hears, it would constitute a failing of leadership.

On April 20, ACA director-general Datuk Ahmad Said Hamdan (then acting ACA director-general) had said that the agency had wrapped up its probe into Johari’s alleged corrupt practice….. So why the delay in revealing the outcome of investigations into allegations that he corruptly received RM5 million to release three criminals held under the Emergency Ordinance. Or the sandiwara actors still not ready to perform?

“Surely there is a difference between an autocratic leader telling everyone to shut up and means it and that of a present leader who encourages everyone to speak up and tell truth to power, though whether or not he listens or means it is a separate and inconclusive issue.”

Are you suggesting that a leader who tells everyone to speak and tell the truth, but does nothing about them is better than an autocratic leader who wields the big stick ?

It is true you never know now who’s in charge, and hence opinions tend to generally fly everywhere but that’s only to an extent and relating to public statements of ministers or MPs on issues. It does not explain the phenomenon of the comparatively more critical commentaries or editorials appearing in our mainstream newspapers like NST, The Star and The Sun owned by the ruling parties and manacled by the Printing Press Publication Act. It doesn’t explain why opposition members and detractors were charged for ‘false news’ or sedition in TDM’s administration and none as yet under present administration.

Surely there is a difference between an autocratic leader telling everyone to shut up and means it and that of a present leader who encourages everyone to speak up and tell truth to power, though whether or not he listens or means it is a separate and inconclusive issue.

We should focus on the obvious – an administration that is corrupt to the core, that has little or no control over the government machinery, which begets even more corruption. An administration that is unwilling or unable to walk the talk and does not answer the demands of the public, as though we are non-existent. The only good thing that comes out of this is that the foreigners know the true situation – and in many cases, the foreigners know more than the locals.

If the govt. think tank can’t come up with the list, we the public will!

How do we Malaysian expect a clear and not corrupted goverment when PM, Deputy PM and the rest of the Ministers and family become rich once they have the position.

Is’nt it very very clear how the figures of 51% comes from.