On Monday, in the winding-up on the Information Ministry during the 2008 Budget policy debate, Information Minister, Datuk Zainuddin Maidin saw red at being called “monkey” in this blog.
At first he accused me for calling him a “monkey” — but when confronted, he backed down and admitted that it was a comment left on my blog. But he said I must bear responsibility as moderator of the blog.
I said I regretted that such a term was used but it was definitely not used by me. I did a search of the reference which he had objected to and found it was a post by ENDANGERED HORNBILL on 28th October 2007 in the thread “Zam – Info Minister under coconut shell or bidding to be Mat Rempit “Godfather”?”, viz:
“ZAM is behaving like a BN monkey that’s gone bananas over NUTs.”
ZAM has legitimate grievance at being called “monkey” but it is no justification for him to become the Cabinet’s premier anti-blogger, and this was why I told him in Parliament why he should not behave like a “frog under the coconut shell” in expressing satisfaction at Malaysia’s 32-spot plunge in the Freedom Without Borders (RSF) 2007 press freedom index, from No. 92 last year to 124, which is the nation-worst ranking in the RSF annual worldwide press freedom ranking since it was started in 2002.
From Monday’s parliamentary exchange, it is clear that although ZAM is the government’s chief anti-blogger, he reads this blog and I would urge all posters to use proper language to express their views hoping that they will have some influence on government thinking and direction.
I am surprised that RTM last night telecast the parliamentary exchange between ZAM and me. Those who have seen it may wish to offer their feedback.
#1 by raven77 on Wednesday, 7 November 2007 - 11:58 am
But he is a MONKEY……the whole world knows of his antics….
#2 by HJ Angus on Wednesday, 7 November 2007 - 12:11 pm
Bloggers should understand the difference between “you are a monkey” or other animal and “your actions are similar to those of a monkey”.
#3 by Jimm on Wednesday, 7 November 2007 - 12:11 pm
Sad sad sad …..
Now what are they trying to prove again ???
#4 by HJ Angus on Wednesday, 7 November 2007 - 12:13 pm
Did not see the segment but usually the show is always about trading insults – no serious discussion is shown on MPs debating any proposed laws.
#5 by oedipus on Wednesday, 7 November 2007 - 12:18 pm
ai say man, YB Lim, you have been called worst by YB Nazri like ‘bodoh’ and ‘kurang cerdik’ in parliament and in your face, and even worst in other blogs that is pro government!
while in is indeed a deplorable act to call and be called names, i guess YB Zainuddin is correct that perhaps your blog (and you being the moderator) should control the words being used in order to set an example on how civil ppl debate and discuss issues.
i guess it is not easy to watch over this blog incessantly, perhaps just a simple reminder from you every now and then will do the trick already. mind you, most of your audiences here are civil and law respecting/abiding citizens and i am sure some of us will do the ticking off ourselves (self moderating) if a racist or flammer comes into the scene.
#6 by Libra2 on Wednesday, 7 November 2007 - 12:39 pm
If Zam feels he has the right to insult bloggers, he must be prepared to receive similar comments in return. Every action has an equal and opposite reaction.
He does like bloggers and they don’t like him. What the problem, Zam?
Didn’t he say women bloggers were employed?
Sometimes he does behave like monkey on a hot tin roof.
#7 by Libra2 on Wednesday, 7 November 2007 - 12:40 pm
Correction: He does not like bloggers and they don’t like him
#8 by smeagroo on Wednesday, 7 November 2007 - 12:46 pm
Zam shld be grateful that he is only known as a monkey and not primate.
#9 by sj on Wednesday, 7 November 2007 - 12:52 pm
So Zam reads the blog? Good, let him know how dissatisfied we are to him. He sucks at his job, and deserves to be fired. So if not monkey then may people call him Katak Di Bawah Tempurung? After all the performance he gave us does deserve this term.
#10 by mendela on Wednesday, 7 November 2007 - 12:55 pm
OK, Zam is not a monkey…
#11 by k1980 on Wednesday, 7 November 2007 - 12:58 pm
… but is a chimpanzee. Satisfied?
#12 by DarkJustice on Wednesday, 7 November 2007 - 1:11 pm
Hi Zam, why so sensitive? If dont like monkey then ‘orang utan’ sounds better as it’s our country mascot and you should be proud of it otherwise our country won’t be using ‘orang utan’ to promote as icon.
I must say that you are trying to declare wars with bloggers and the Sun newspaper judging from your comments in Star newspaper two days ago. You mentioned why still harping on Zakaria whereas he had invited orphans to his Raya open house. What is that to do with his raya open house as you are very naived, Zam Zam.
Shame of you as ex editor of Utusan Malaysia and your behaviour as Minister of Information, it’s better you be known as “Minister of Anti Information” but propaganda to BN.
I must asked you why playing the “ini bukan cara demokrasi kita’ song at RTM 1 & 2 when showing the space programme. It’s shows that we are war torn country to the eyes of the foreigners and our police behaving the same as I have foreigner friends asking me. why showing only Palestinians and not Myanmar? Anyway, our police force also behave like Israelis soldiers firing tear gas at crowds with Special Branch officers arresting the crowd.
#13 by St0rmFury on Wednesday, 7 November 2007 - 1:21 pm
“Saya tak cakap dia monyet, saya cakap dia macam monyet, macam sahajalah†– Kayveas
“ZAM is behaving like a BN monkey that’s gone bananas over NUTs.†– ENDANGERED HORNBILL
Nope, no double standards here. UMNO is always fair to all. NOT.
Nice try Zam, better luck next time.
#14 by oknyua on Wednesday, 7 November 2007 - 1:23 pm
YB Lim, wasn’t he the guy that says bloggers are “goblok”, a degradatory Javanese term? Wasn’t he the guy that said bloggers and readers are youngstrers and do not have any impact on the opinion of the public?
I am amused that he reads your blog, YB Lim. I think all of them read yours and MT blogs. Good that they are watching.
As for the comment that the Minister “behaving like a BN monkey..,” I just had a good laugh. The fact he responded made me laughed more.
#15 by sean on Wednesday, 7 November 2007 - 1:23 pm
And i thought the previous Information Minister was bad.Gosh this is even worst…unfortunately being too obvious doing things a fair and responsible minister wouldn’t do.So this shows he is just the opposite of fair and responsible in disseminating real and true views.By the way……………it will be good to start showing live telecast for all parliament debates etc..instead of just showing “excellent” cuts here and there.Grow up zam……….if you and your Bn buddies doesn’t want to move ahead then just leave and let the nation and the true Malaysians move forward for the country sake.Ohh……..do not use RTM for BN propaganda…………its paid for by tax payers and not BN and you.If you can’t understand a simple phrase like this then it is better you step down and stop wasting tax payers money..unless you are there for your “self interest” lah…Well if that is the case then good luck and keep hiding behind your ministries and RTM.
#16 by siudidi on Wednesday, 7 November 2007 - 1:25 pm
So what’s new? They (BN) can called other people names but no one else can called them back. Now ZAM is getting a taste of his own medicine.
#17 by pkrisnin on Wednesday, 7 November 2007 - 1:32 pm
Looks like the BN is monitoring all forums. A link to NST article about Angaksawan at the UMNO meeting and the PM’s speech was removed after it was placed in the lowyat forum
#18 by lucia on Wednesday, 7 November 2007 - 1:34 pm
zam should read other blogs too and will realise that lots of other bloggers had also call him monkey or other names. well, the famous son-in-law who refer to bloggers as monkeys had himself been labeled a monkey too.
actually come to think of it, all BN MPs in parliament are monkeys. parliament is nothing but a circus. oops. sorry. that is an accusation so i take it back. i will say indeed “they are LIKE monkeys”.
#19 by ENDANGERED HORNBILL on Wednesday, 7 November 2007 - 1:36 pm
Hello Zam,
Use of ‘monkey in ‘BN monkey’ and use of frog as in ‘katak dibawah tempurong’ are metaphoric usages, mere figures of speech in which the word or phrase is applied to people, objects or events and actions that it does not literally denote in order to imply a resemblance, for example, “BN monkeys prancing around in Parliament with their worn-out antics and political chicanery”; whilst the monkey label is not literal, the connotation here is obviously that BN parliamentarians behaving much like irrational monkeys whose antics draw nothing but contempt from the populace whose interests they are supposed to represent.
And I thought Zam used to be some kind of an editor and so should understand the fluidity and versatility of language unless…of course, he was a third-class (or to borrow a cliche made famous and given a new breath by Tun M, ‘half-past 6″ editor?
Anyway, let’s not be carried away by such insubstantial name-calling and see what good Zam has done for the Information ministry? Nothing very prideful, sad to say, from a loud-mouthed, fawning and flattering sort of a politician.
Over to you Zam.
#20 by k1980 on Wednesday, 7 November 2007 - 1:41 pm
SING-ALONG WHEN YOU ARE CASTING YOUR VOTE IN THE GE
If I had a hammer
I’d hammer in the chimp’s head
I’d hammer in its teeth … all over its corpse,
I’d hammer it in the morn
I’d hammer it till night
I’d hammer out it out of shape
All over this land.
( Most profound apologies to L. Hays and P. Seeger to mutilating their original lyrics)
http://kids.niehs.nih.gov/lyrics/hammer.htm
#21 by oknyua on Wednesday, 7 November 2007 - 1:44 pm
Isn’t there an old wisdom that says you only respond to what people calls you?
If you don’t respond, it’s not yours!
#22 by Godfather on Wednesday, 7 November 2007 - 1:45 pm
Zainuddeen Maideen can’t take a little heat ? Wow, his boss KJ can call bloggers monkeys but we can’t call others monkeys ? Once a monkey always a monkey…
#23 by Cinapek on Wednesday, 7 November 2007 - 2:15 pm
Hey guys, enough!! Please do not insult the monkeys anymore by comparing our dear Info Minister with the monkeys. The monkeys do not go round calling bloggers “gobloks” and certainly do not make silly comments in the press.
#24 by sotong on Wednesday, 7 November 2007 - 2:33 pm
May be Badak is a more appropriate description……shameless and thick skin!
#25 by raverus on Wednesday, 7 November 2007 - 3:10 pm
Don’t those monkeys have great immunity in the parliament huh?
#26 by Jong on Wednesday, 7 November 2007 - 3:31 pm
Well, this Zam is an idiot. He started calling bloggers, “GOBLOKS” so now he’s offended that he’s called “MONKEY” . I’m glad he’s reading our comments on this blog. YB Kit, isn’t it a compliment?
I agree with Smeagroo, he should be called “Primate”, yeah the mamal with the enlarged brain – hardly used and not victim of wear and tear. Primate it is for you Zam!!!!!
#27 by dejected on Wednesday, 7 November 2007 - 3:41 pm
Zam is not only a monkey but a stupid one.
Check out the latest video but namewee:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cahuWDu8mxM
Basically, he’s outraged but that the gov is picking on the online community. He’s calling for a cyber war against the monkeys.
#28 by boh-liao on Wednesday, 7 November 2007 - 4:00 pm
Actually, not bad to be called monkey or frog – at least they are vertebrates which have backbone.
Actually, some bloggers are insulting monkeys and frogs by identifying certain politicains with them.
There are worse and more appropriate terms for these politicians and many of them don’t have backbone. Some are smelly too.
Be happy with what people call you for the time being.
#29 by ADAM YONG IBNI ABDULLAH on Wednesday, 7 November 2007 - 4:13 pm
fair comment.
not restricting the terminology of monkey to whoever is concerned, i would like to express my disgust at some homo sapiens as behaving worst than ANIMALS.
1. incest and rape among the father and daughter and eventually the daughter gave birth to a baby. probably only animals commit incest- i dont know.
2. raped , sodomised and murdered. read too many news about young children being raped, sodomised and murdered. recent case of poor Nurin ( May God bless her and her soul ). i cannot fathom, how we human, supposedly to have a built in conscience could do that. i am quite sure animals do not sodomised young or old prey and killed them later. – i dont know.
3.neither can i ,having view discovery channel and animal planets that animals ( whether a pack of wolves or school of fishes) goes rempit in any form of vehicles that may cause and did cause death to innocent parties. we have here in Malaysia Mat rempit, that zooms fear among others. is this an evolution of some form ?
4.as for name callings, why so sensitive about it ,if HE is to be tolerant and perceived to be an elitist among the rest. yes, i agree that we bloggers are called “monyet ” and “goblok “, unemployed females, and nothing better to do , but we BLOGGERS, to most degree catch the bull by its horn. we call a spade a spade. i am definitely not a female, and please the minister, should not underestimate the intelligence of our female of this world. they are great species, our mothers, our sisters, our daugther, our wives, our friends.
now,back to the issue of monkey. zam. please hear me, “RESPECT IS EARNED AND NOT DEMANDED”
show respect to others as you want others to respect you. otherwise, YOU REAP WHAT YOU SOW.
#30 by ngahc on Wednesday, 7 November 2007 - 4:41 pm
Education Minister advised people to desensitize on his action. So, Information Minister should also desensitize…
#31 by optimuz on Wednesday, 7 November 2007 - 4:50 pm
YB…its funny lar…are you trying to be politically correct, even though you know this post is going to result in more ‘monkey business’??
anyway, zam, you and all your cabinet ministers are monkeys! Hey! don’t blame me, I’m just referring to Darwinian theory…the only difference is, you guys haven’t evolved yet!!
#32 by ADAM YONG IBNI ABDULLAH on Wednesday, 7 November 2007 - 4:52 pm
about homo sapien mentality. we have so called members of Parliament, that commented that women” leak ” – “bocor”, every month too,when the issues of leaking ceilings were brought up in parliament.
lest, i am of the lesser mortals, i am certainly not as holy as those MPs, hei man, did you not insult your own mother, wife, sisters and daughters.?
without the ovalution and menstruation of the wowen in their cycle of discomfort and some cases pain, those so called eduacated mps, tidak di lahir di dunia ini.
there again, i apologise to all women, for the remarks of the two mps, whose uncouth language caused more irritation and disgust ,than the term ” monkey”. zam, where were you than to defend your mother and wife. ? as information minister. you should have provided them with proper information about the word menstruation.
if , zam, you feel so badly about such remarks, regardless of party, race, religion, you will defend your mother and wife and daughter from such simpleton remarks from your members.
there,i go again. sucikan batin first, than your zahir will be better.
#33 by mwt on Wednesday, 7 November 2007 - 5:46 pm
Zam holding the propaganda portfolio is all shaken up when news report circulate around the globe giving the country the poor image. He has the duty to counter such news and put the blame on bloggers for spreading the “rumors & lies†In particular when he accused the DAP of dragging minor issues to Parliament and they get blown up and highlighted & carried by the wire agencies. And like that Mat Taib (Muhamad son of Muhamad) he is confused about posting by blog owners and commenters. His anger has been building up and when he found Uncle Kit not moderating comments, he lashed at him for “abusive” words. More details at:
http://powerpresent.blogspot.com/2007/11/more-pics-video-heated-clash-zam-monkey.html
And a chance to watch the Video Clip of the Heated Clash (in BM, almost 19 mins)
#34 by hkh on Wednesday, 7 November 2007 - 6:17 pm
Zam zam ala kazam, thou cannot be called monkey no more.
That title is already taken by lesser political liveforms with IQ100 score Kampong Jaguh who went to oxford and the 3 KJJ-Kinabinatang Jasin Jerai stooges. [deleted]
[Come, come, lets stop the invective, let alone escalating it, or I will be accused again of failing my duty as moderator. - Kit]
#35 by borrring on Wednesday, 7 November 2007 - 6:18 pm
At least we know now he reads Uncle Lim’s blog
#36 by straight talk on Wednesday, 7 November 2007 - 6:19 pm
Hi zam, you sure act like a monkey….You are an insult to human race…
#37 by grace on Wednesday, 7 November 2007 - 6:40 pm
Mr Lim,
Respect is earned and not by forced or threat.
As far as I can see, none of BN MPs have my respect. Most of them are really no better than monkeys. Look at how Bung Monktar debate in the parliament. Worst than Pasa Malam ubat sellers. Look like he is asking for a fight.
We respect your request to be more polite in our languages, But sadly most of us could not oblige to your request. Simply, we could not find a more civil words to describe their behaviour!!!
#38 by k1980 on Wednesday, 7 November 2007 - 6:50 pm
The government is dead set on stopping the rally, which could be the biggest since Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi came to power in 2003. The premier rode a wave of popular adulation that has since soured by his failure to fight corruption and promote the rule of law…Another BERSIH demand is for the government to reintroduce local council elections, which were abolished in 1970 on grounds of “national security”. BERSIH also wants the election commission to be restructured to ensure it is truly independent and finally permit international observers to monitor the election and suggest changes.
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Southeast_Asia/IK08Ae01.html
#39 by dawsheng on Wednesday, 7 November 2007 - 6:56 pm
Strange, he claimed he was called a monkey but in the entire parliament session he never once deny he is not one. “Bukan! Saya bukan monyet” but instead he cried “Awak panggil saya monyet” to affirm that he is indeed one.
#40 by sec on Wednesday, 7 November 2007 - 6:59 pm
If he dislike to be call monkey; then we him donkey which is more appropriate
#41 by dawsheng on Wednesday, 7 November 2007 - 7:03 pm
“ZAM has legitimate grievance at being called “monkey†but it is no justification for him to become the Cabinet’s premier anti-blogger,…”
Legitimate grievance??? Uncle Kit, you are very good with words. Can he sue for damage?
#42 by bra888 on Wednesday, 7 November 2007 - 8:18 pm
Good job ENDANGERED HORNBILL.
Personally, I believe that there are some politicians that should be called anything but a politician. Their behavior and thinking does not match the characteristic of a politician and does not deserve any honorable title. Some really act based on their emotions. For example, shouting “Bodoh! Bodoh!”.
I believe that our politicians should act more carefully and think carefully of what they are going to say. In other words, they should reflect on their actions.
I imagine that, if there’s a politician does his/her job by shouting to get what he/she wants, it’s almost no different than a spoiled child crying to get the toys they want.
I am really really disappointed to see that there are such politicians that act without thinking. They act just like ENDANGERED HORNBILL mentioned. We must realize that they are politicians, not children. We expect better argument and more constructive one too. Their carrier is not about shouting madly.
You’ll never see George Bush, Sir Martin King Luther, Oprah, or anyone out of this country, that will shout like some politicians here.
To me, some of these politicians bring shame and insult the integrity our politics here. And honestly, if we were to send some of these politicians to other country, and they start shouting instead of arguing, it’ll shame this whole country and it’s people because we are the one who put them in charge. Politics in this country, to me, is no longer an honorable carrier if it’s all about acting based on emotions.
Another problem in which I believe is a problem with these politicians is that they hesitate or refuse to admit their mistake. They choose to put the blame on others. This blog is already an example. People like ENDANGERED HORNBILL and many more don’t like such politicians and choose to call them names, when it is the politician’s fault for ruining their own reputation in front of the people with their ‘special’ behavior. These politicians then blame other people than themselves that the people should not be calling him/her names and should be censored. What just happened here? Politicians call each other “Bodoh”, no, they yell at each other. And yet the people cannot call them names?
Maybe we call them named because we learn from them. I mean, aren’t they the one who give such a bad example? Why blame ENDANGERED HORNBILL? If it’s anything but our fault, it should be their’s for being very unprofessional in their job. If people look up to these politicians, our people will be the people who wins an argument using volume.
#43 by bra888 on Wednesday, 7 November 2007 - 8:33 pm
After reading this entire blog, it can be proven that some of our politicians act too fast and without thinking.
“On Monday, in the winding-up on the Information Ministry during the 2008 Budget policy debate, Information Minister, Datuk Zainuddin Maidin saw red at being called “monkey†in this blog.
At first he accused me for calling him a “monkey†– but when confronted, he backed down and admitted that it was a comment left on my blog. But he said I must bear responsibility as moderator of the blog.”
The accusation made was made without careful investigation. Also, note that this particular politician is no ordinary politician. He is the Information Minister. For a politician who is suppose to monitor information exchange with care, he certainly failed to act like his carrier depends on it and start pointing fingers at LKS. It looks so unprofessional for a politician to look for a fight with people like ENDANGERED HORNBILL. Did being called names made him feel so emotional, that he just have to act quickly without investigating? What ENDANGERED HORNBILL said does not threat national security right or anything in a bigger magnitude? Believe it or not, it’s a matter of his own reputation and feelings that I believe he’s protecting. This is hard evidence my fellow friends that prove my statement.
I believe I’ll rest my case for now.
#44 by undergrad2 on Wednesday, 7 November 2007 - 8:49 pm
“ZAM is behaving like a BN monkey that’s gone bananas over NUTs.” ENDANGERED HORNBILL
I don’t find the above repulsive or whatever. In fact I can just imagine how a cartoonist would depict the Minister. If a monkey does not go nuts over bananas then it is not a monkey, and I’m not referring to the honorable Minister. Hornbill does not say anyone is a monkey. He says someone is behaving like a monkey when he gets hold of a bunch of bananas (underscore “like”). Hornbill does what he thinks is a good characterization of the Minister. He should then say why but he didn’t. He is exercising his constitutional free speech right – which is what this blog and all other blogs are all about.
Another commonplace expression, is “Monkey see, monkey do” – ungrammatical as it is, it describes succinctly some public officials whatever their political affiliations.
I’m not about to go into the use of un-Parliamentary language in the nation’s highest legislative body which is routine. If the honorable Minster wants to address the issue of racist name calling, for example, he should begin with Parliament and among his own ranks.
What is he going to object next? The use of caricatures to depict the elected representatives by the very people who put them in power and now regret doing so??
As they say if you cannot stand the heat, do not go into the kitchen.
#45 by undergrad2 on Wednesday, 7 November 2007 - 8:59 pm
To: ENDANGERED HORNBILL
I wonder if there is a difference between a monkey that goes bananas over nuts, and a monkey that goes nuts over bananas?
#46 by mendela on Wednesday, 7 November 2007 - 9:12 pm
Only after reading above Kit’s article “Zam saw red at being called monkey”, I realized that Kit indeed is rather humorous too!
Let’s make this blog less serious, fun to blog in order to attract more bloggers!
#47 by undergrad2 on Wednesday, 7 November 2007 - 9:18 pm
“I am reminded of the Boiling-Frog Syndrome. If you put a frog into boiling water, the frog will immediately jump out. But if you put the frog in cold war and increase the heat of the water slowly, it will get accustomed to the increasing heat.†KIT
What next?? Is another good Minister going to jump up from his seat next to object to the use of the “frog” in describing a situation. Enough that animals are being insulted by us humans. Indians are called “snakes” and Chinese “babi” or pigs for those who have stayed too long overseas and may confuse “babi” to the likes of Britney Spears without her underwear climbing into her car.
Have our MPs run out of issues to discuss that they must give their precious time away discussing monkeys and nuts?
#48 by Godfather on Wednesday, 7 November 2007 - 10:07 pm
We suspected all along that BN politicians are fervent readers of our postings. Even though they send their sentinels from time to time (like RealWorld) to provoke and distract, we know that the thieves take notice of what we say. I dare say that the UMNO information chief probably reads Kit’s blog every day to polish up on his command of English. Heck, all the ministers know their nicknames from reading this blog e.g. Semi Value, Kunchoy “Coffin” Chan, Mamak Maideen, SIL, etc.
#49 by achmedrauff on Wednesday, 7 November 2007 - 10:16 pm
Zam is a proven bully but at the same time a cry baby. Why is that so? Well he can go around and call anyone whatever he likes~ but when the same punch is thrown at him he starts crying foul when it is in fact just.
De facto Law minister? Owh please….I would rather best believe that he is a minister of the Ministry of Magic.
#50 by achmedrauff on Wednesday, 7 November 2007 - 10:18 pm
Owh sorry…I stand to correct my self. My last comment is for Nazri Aziz but heck….all seem the same to me since both cant differentiate between socio-political bloggers to every other type of blogger.