by M. Bakri Musa
By right Malaysians should still be relishing the afterglow of their 50th Merdeka anniversary celebrations. Alas, the much-anticipated euphoria was short lived; the grim realities of Malaysian life quickly intruded.
Even the mainstream media carry daily headlines of gory crimes. If those were not scary enough, residents now live in fear that their basic freedom is being threatened, not by some external enemy rather by their very own government. Malaysian leaders mistook their electoral mandate for a license to trample on citizens’ basic rights, as in the rights to free assembly and the freedom of conscience.
Those breaches of course did not grab the headlines in the mainstream media; you have to read the alternative media or international publications to get the real news. The mainstream media instead highlighted Prime Minister Abdullah’s “small” wedding to his “downstairs lady.”
The images of Malaysia projected onto the world stage towards the end of the year were not of a modern nation poised for Vision 2020, rather the typical backward Third World state with a stubbornly bumbling warden as its leader.
The scenes on Al Jazeera and CNN were of the police wildly tear-gassing and firing water cannons upon thousands of peaceful citizens who dared exercise their basic rights to a free assembly. If those images were not ugly enough, there was Minister of Information Zam in a fit of latah in front of the television cameras for the whole world to see.
Zam is a poor imitation of Saddam Hussein’s Information Minister “Comical Ali.” At least Ali entertained us with his outlandish bravadoes; Zam nauseated us with his blabber.
Just as we thought it could not get worse seeing that it was already November when Zam was blabbering in front of an international audience, there was Deputy Internal Security Minister Johari Baharum declaring that only Muslims are entitled to use the word “Allah” (God). He threatened banning the Malay version of the Catholic Church publication that dared use the word “Allah.”
The startling observation was that this moron of a minister could get way with such idiocies. By his silence, Abdullah reveals that he is equally moronic.
How did a nation that was so full of bubbly confidence as encapsulated in its “Malaysia boleh!” spirit only a few years ago descended so fast and so far, and with so few of the elite class protesting?
To be sure, Malaysia is still far ahead of Pakistan or Zimbabwe. Unfortunately, far too many, especially the leaders, take comfort in this.
Annus Horribilis
Malaysians had premonitions for this long Annus Horribilis. It began ominously with the southern part of the peninsula being flooded, with hundreds of thousands displaced. It was the worst flooding in decades.
Where was Prime Minister Abdullah in the hour of need? Off to Australia for his scheduled sailing vacation and opening his brother’s nasi kandar restaurant!
His “bright” young advisors did not see fit to advise their man to cancel his vacation in the face of a national emergency. The old man was of course clueless.
The floods soon receded and the residents went back to their daily grind, helped by many generous fellow citizens and non-governmental bodies. When you see your fellow Malaysians in need, you pitched in. That comes way ahead of your holidays. Unfortunately you cannot really teach these things, not even at Oxford. You either have the sense of human decency or you do not. Fortunately many Malaysians do have it; we just do not see it in the leaders.
Allah (if I am permitted to use that word here) must have known that our leaders are slow learners, for a few months later there was yet another massive flood, this time in the heart of Kuala Lumpur, paralyzing it.
As for that grease spot whose opening was graced by the Prime Minister, it closed soon after.
Horrible In Between
Between the terrible beginning and the horrible ending to the year, there were plenty of hideous fillers in between.
The tenures of the Director of the Anti Corruption Agency Zulkipli and the Chief Justice Ahmad Feiruz were not renewed. Both left under a cloud. That should be a feather in Abdullah’s cap, except that Abdullah was intent on keeping them both! Unrelenting public pressures forced him to back off. Abdullah may not have wanted the people to challenge him, but they did anyway.
Ahmad Feiruz was again the “off stage” star attraction later in the year in the infamous “Lingam tape.” Again you would not find that in the headlines of the mainstream media. Thanks to former Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, we had a sniff of the filth that is the Malaysian judiciary.
Weakened by his endless displays of ineptitude, Abdullah was in no position to brave public opposition. A few weeks after the Johore floods, Raja Petra Kamarudin’s Malaysia-Today carried a detailed expose of the Prime Minister acquiring a luxurious corporate jet, at public expense of course. Raja Petra had the details nailed down; right to the jet’s tail number.
Malaysia-Today’s phenomenal success is the one rare bright spot. No wonder World Business named Raja Petra, together with Bank Negara’s Governor Zeti Aziz and former Prime Minister Mahathir among Asia’s Top 20 Progressives. Meanwhile Tokoh Wartawan Negara Zam remains a jagoh kampong (village champion). He and those who honor him belong there.
Raja Petra made other headlines. The police questioned him and his wife Marina separately over some activities purported to be harmful to the state. Presumably one of those could be his release of the sordid details of the messy divorce settlement of one double Muhammad, a senior UMNO operative. Raja Petra went further; he challenged this double Muhammad to a public debate to expose this discredited politician, but the latter chickened out.
The police interrogations went nowhere; the police were flummoxed. Marina in particular refused to answer questions claiming that as a Muslim she is entitled to have her husband present beside her. Isn’t it great to be a Muslim!
Lina Joy however, did not think so. Her celebrated case, a simple and routine administrative matter of changing the religious designation on her identity card, attracted worldwide attention when Malaysia’s top court ruled that, the norms of civilized society notwithstanding, there is no freedom of conscience in the country. Malaysians cannot change their religion on a whim, according to the wisdom of Chief Justice Ahmad Feiruz.
Pursuing this theme, the religious authorities in Perak charged a young Malay mother for “encouraging immoral activities” while singing in her sleeveless blouse in a nightclub.
And pursuing the moronic theme again, some
well-meaning supporters (“arse lickers” would be the more appropriate though crude term) of Abdullah nominated his late wife Endon as Anak Gemilang Malaysia (Illustrious Malaysians). Mercifully, they withdrew her name, but not before some very unkind jabs by bloggers. I do not blame them; instead rap the knuckles of the idiots who set her up.
I am uncertain which was more idiotic, that or the hysterical reactions among the leaders to a student’s sophomoric rap rendition of Negara Ku. Or that character Mat Zakaria Derus and his mansion amidst the slums of Klang.
The annual Auditor General’s Report too made headlines, again! There was the RM 4.2 billion Port Klang Free Zone development project debacle, and the Sports Ministry’s spending sprees. The list goes on.
I am certain that the theme will be repeated next year; only the players, projects, and price tags would vary. Well at least we can be comforted by the fact that those boondoggles still make the headlines. The day may come when they won’t. With Abdullah in charge, that will not be too far off.
#1 by Old.observer on Tuesday, 1 January 2008 - 9:49 pm
Of course, in the ideal world, I like to see all politicians conducting their private lives in the highest moral standards, but that I think would be living in a dream world instead of the real world.
Still, as a leader in his own right, I am disgusted with Dr Chua’s (and all similar leaders) behaviour in this matter, and in no way condone that. It simply sets a very poor example to the younger generations. But that’s simply a personal view.
Old Observer.
#2 by smeagroo on Tuesday, 1 January 2008 - 9:49 pm
Let’s dedicate a song to ZAMbie,
ZAMbie ZAMbie, what’s in your head, in your hea-eh eh ed.
Zambie, ZAmbie..eh eh eh ah ah ah.
#3 by negarawan on Tuesday, 1 January 2008 - 9:57 pm
I guess Nazri will table a bill to legalize oral sex in the next parliament sitting
#4 by devilmaster on Tuesday, 1 January 2008 - 10:40 pm
This piece of fantastic news had been picked up by Reuters. Malaysia Boleh!
http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSSP10149520080101
http://serpentholm.blogspot.com/2008/01/malaysian-minister-says-in-sex-video.html
#5 by undergrad2 on Tuesday, 1 January 2008 - 10:48 pm
“Although economically Malaysia is now wealthier than Indonesia, he (Metro TV CEO) said Indonesians should be happy to know they are living in a more democratic system.†Jakarta Post
That is true – the key word is “more†democratic rather than a democratic system.
Indonesians numbering some 200 million people comprising very diverse ethnicities, religions and spread over some 1,000 more islands with little in common have no choice but to tolerate their differences.
But this does not stop the marginalization of their ethnic minorities. Some of these ethnic minorities operating from Holland and other parts of the world where most of them live in exile, seek independence from the Jakarta based government, and aim to shirk of Javanese economic and political hegemony and form self-governing states.
But it is true. Belief in the Pantjasila has come to replace Sukarno’s guided democracy.
The Pantjasila preaches religious tolerance. But this is not to say there is no religious persecution by groups and associations whose activities the Indonesian government has no control over.
A middle class suburban Indonesian family can have an atheist for a father, a Christian for a daughter and a Muslim for a son-in-law and a Hindu mother. They all live together happily. But if you visit certain neighborhoods in Jakarta you will find rock throwing Muslims tearing down signboards put up by Christian churches. In some cases incidents like this lead to burning of churches. Christian boys and girls are routinely bullied by their Muslim classmates. Going to the local police for help is a waste of time. This is a daily occurrence in parts of Indonesia where there are equal concentrations of Christians and Muslims or small concentrations of Christians within a predominantly Muslim region. It is not a page out of the race riots in 1997 but is a daily occurrence depending on the neighborhood you live. Chinese Christians make their way to other parts of the world to escape the persecution. But many keep coming back because business is still good. An Indonesian Chinese was offered legal resident status by the U.S. government because of the persecution but after some ten years chose to return home; and now and he and his Chinese Indonesian wife ply between Australia and Indonesia taking care of business.
But by and large, it is true that the Indonesian media and Indonesians have a measure of freedom difficult to conceive by the average Malaysian who has not traveled out of his country. The government also tinkers less in nation building. Instead they depend on their diversity for their strength.
As for Anwar’s political trial and trumped up charges, the Indonesians are no better. A judge was murdered not too long ago. Their judiciary is corrupt.
But there is a ground up democracy. Whereas our leaders only talk about democracy.
#6 by winterman05 on Tuesday, 1 January 2008 - 10:54 pm
The Health Minister has made a clean breast of his sexual escapade at the first opportunity. On that score alone, we should applaud him for his COURAGE to face the public and say it as it is. He is MAN enough to say it in public: ” I am the man in the sex video clip! ” And he apologised to the PM, DPM and MCA President for succumbing to his weakness. Then he held a Press conference and let the public know. No hiding, no puffing ! We should accept his apology just as his family members
have done so. He was no Clinton who denied having a tryst with an intern at teh White House, of all places!
Compare him with many other politicians who have not only denied doing anything wrong but, in some cases, have even challenged any accuser! We must say to the other politicians : ” Shame on you for telling lies. ”
To those who condemn him , I would like to quote Jesus’ words:
” Will those who have not sinned cast the first stone? ”
His indiscretion may not be pardonable in the eyes of his political enemies and may not be consonant with his position as a public figure as Health Minister.He has suffered enough without further punishment from others who are baying for his blood and asking for a pound of his flesh.
To all of them I say : be a gentleman and do not hit below the belt; do not kick a man who has fallen. Do not punch a handcuffed, blind-folded man like Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Do you have the GUTs which this man has shown? I do not know him ; neither does he know me. But I admire his COURAGE. He is a MAN!
S.H. Huang
#7 by k1980 on Tuesday, 1 January 2008 - 10:56 pm
Chua Sial Lek should strive to become France’s Health Minister. Then he, like Sarkozy, can take his female personal friend on overseas trips at public expense without so much as a look of disapproval from the Frenchies
#8 by Edchin on Tuesday, 1 January 2008 - 11:21 pm
Despicable as it may be to videotape a person’s private act, it is even an uglier reflection of the apparent heinous plot to frame and discredit. Whatever may be the motives and whoever may be responsible, it certainly does not point to a comforting scenario. What happens if the Minister is sacked? Or not sacked? What happens if more in the BN ranks are compromised similarly? Has everyone forgetten the other videotape already? Or is it now on the backburners?
But to some, the public indignity, let alone the humiliation in front of his family, that the Minister had been dragged through in this episode (and also imagine the numerous senyum kambings at Cabinet meetings) is somewhat poetic justice for his insensitive comments on baby Yok Shan’s issue.
#9 by U32 on Tuesday, 1 January 2008 - 11:32 pm
Sorry if I comment the second time on the subject of Dato Doctor Chua Soi Lek. It looks like a conspiracy or a set up. This affair happenned two years ago and only now we find out. Before elections. How funny. When I remember back the scene, I just could not believe that it was that easy for one who is powerful and influential to just forget about everything and hopped into bed. Was it worth it ? Didn’t he care about the nation and the people ? What is it about Dato Dr Chua that he should be expelled from the portfolio that he is holding ? Is he corrupted ? Is he selling nation’s secrets ? Is he working for somebody else ? Does he deserve to be hunted down this way ? Why was not the same thing happenning to other politicians ? Is it because their religion allows them to marry another wife ? Although Dato Dr Chua has come out in the open regarding this affair, Barisan Nasional owes Malaysia a good explanation for what has happenned to him. If Dato Dr Chua bit the bait of lust, surely other politicians are not exempted. So what other dirty secrets do we have to find out ? And you still call this cemerlang, gemilang, terbilang ? You know, there is something that is call people’s expectation. And it hurts people to find out that he has fallen short of their expectations. Can you honestly go around having a conversation with Dato Dr Chua or having a discussion over something important and at the back of your mind, there is this nagging thought that he is not the man that you wish he was ? Can you trust him ? It is one thing to forgive and forget. It is another to look at this man like he has not done anything fishy. But even though it sounds like I am singling him out, yet I know that the whole political party is not right. It is not just one person whom you are dealing with. Really. With all the scandals around, how can you expect us to respect you ? But it is understandable. A politician is away from home. His wife does not follow him. He is constantly surrounded by people and women who are there for a purpose. Women who are paid to serve. If we let our minds run wild, we can come up with a million imaginations. And supposing if this dirty little secret is never found out, would Dato Dr Chua continue to see this personal friend ?
#10 by 1eyecls on Tuesday, 1 January 2008 - 11:58 pm
soi lek,ofcourse we ppl knew that you are not the only one messing around with ‘girl friends’,but once you are caught,you have to face the music,most of the time,you did the right thing,but this time,you are not!You shouldnt kick the ball to Paklah and OKT,you hv to resign immediately,nobody,especially your MCA macai and your subordinates at Kementerian Kesihatan will respect what you say from now,get it?Remember,you are not an ordinary ppl,you are a famous and high -rank politician,even your wife and kids forgive you,it does not make sense,understand ?
btw,didnt your party-mate Datuk NG YEN YEN teach your wife to make-up, wearing sexy suit every night?Aisayman,she told everyone except her?
Your buddy CHAN KONG CHOY flew to oversea when the PKFTZ scandal surfaced,so,are you taking long-leaves too?I was told you just did it last month?Nevermind,the NICE BIG IMAM maybe this time will issue you an ETERNITY leaves instead!
God bless you!
#11 by Godamn Singh on Wednesday, 2 January 2008 - 12:28 am
“The sex DVDs, on two discs, show Dr Chua and a woman engaging in various sexual antics. The two DVDs had been circulating in Muar, Tangkak and Batu Pahat over the past few days. ” STAR
‘Sexual antics’ which means he is caught on tape chasing his girlfriend round the dinner table when both were clad in their pajamas. So why the need to resign??
#12 by marD on Wednesday, 2 January 2008 - 1:34 am
Whatever have been said about Dr Chua SL, those who know about his positive attributes will always remember him as very caring though bombastic at times. For people who have an axe to grind, this is the time to jump on the bandwagon and further discredit him. Reading the related comments, one could see that people just love to pass judgement and expound their moral high ground. Look like all the hyaenas are out in full force!
Dr Chua, my deepest sympathy for you sir, on the whole, you have been an effective Health Minister. You have every right for privacy as anybody else and civilised people must condemn the act of secret recording to destroy someone’s reputation.
Those whom you have championed will certainly miss you.
#13 by cto on Wednesday, 2 January 2008 - 4:37 am
To those who condemn him , I would like to quote Jesus’ words:
†Will those who have not sinned cast the first stone? â€
—————————–
I see it somewhat differently. People who are asking for Chua’s resignation may not necessarily be thinking that they are better or holier than Chua. The question being raised is “Should person holding public office continue given these set of circumstances?”
Unfortunately for Chua, the separation between private and public life of a public person is hard to define. A higher standard is expected from a person holding public office and rightly so, in my opinion. Is it acceptable for a finance minister to owe money to the Ah Longs privately? Can we still trust s/he to carry out the duties with uncompromising integrity given the set of circumstances? What other skeletons are there in the closet?
I agree with some of the other readers that Chua’s latest exploit pales relative to the others. However, this does not make it right. Perhaps this is just indicative of the low standard that the Malaysian public expects from the leaders. There have been so many wrongs and this is just one relatively small one, right?
I also agree with the others that Chua should be applauded for confronting the issue and facing the music. It must have been a tough thing to do. The easier way out would have been to deny and ask for proof of authenticity.
The comparison to Clinton is not a fair one. I believe that Clinton under the same set of circumstances (i.e. a recording was produced) would have admitted to his mistake. He is not that stupid to continue denying. With the Clinton case, the evidence was less compelling and he probably thought that he has a fighting chance. He was wrong, of course.
It would be interesting to see what the PM is going to do about this. Just as a reminder – Anwar Ibrahim paid a high price for something private that was not really proven, in my opinion.
#14 by DarkHorse on Wednesday, 2 January 2008 - 4:45 am
“But for having a consensual sexual relationship with a woman other than his wife? – Who are we to judge and what has it got to do with his competence in discharge of his duties as Health Minister?” Jeffrey
Who are we to judge?? I have to disagree with you.
It only happens in countries like Malaysia with a third world mentality that a Minister, a duly elected representative of the people would come out to say that what happens between he and his wife is his own private matter – and that he’s not resigning. It is not simply a case of two consenting adults having consensual sex. This man cheated his wife. He is dishonest.
What does that say about his character? He is dishonest with his wife. Do you think he’ll be honest with the public? Would you trust him to carry out his promises?
You’re talking about a video of the man having sex with his girlfriend being circulated publicly. It does not matter what the wife thinks or forgives him. He is dishonest. When you hold a public office, nothing is private. Your whole life is subject to public scrutiny.
The guy issued a public statement admitting to it and yet clings on to power! Unimaginable anywhere else! The decent thing for him to do is to resign. Further comments on his relationship etc would then become a private matter because then he is a private citizen.
What’s worse the PM seems to regard that kind of behaviour as a private matter. This can only happen to a country like Malaysia!
#15 by Count Dracula on Wednesday, 2 January 2008 - 4:58 am
“….the video clip showed oral sex being performed, which technically may still qualify to be an offence of Unnatural Act against the Order of Nature under our Penal Code that has not been enforced because empirical evidence suggests that it is very much in the order of nature from the animal kingdom upwards to homosapiens at the apex.” Jeffrey
Our Penal Code says it is a crime to have oral sex??
You cannot force his resignation because he is a poor role model as Minister in charge of public health, that having oral sex is dangerous because it spreads HIV. You’d need buckets and buckets of saliva to catch HIV that way – he’d be the first to tell you that.
He is no come back kid! Bill Clinton is no come back kid because he comes from behind!
#16 by Jeffrey on Wednesday, 2 January 2008 - 6:19 am
///….What does that say about his character? He is dishonest with his wife. Do you think he’ll be honest with the public? Would you trust him to carry out his promises?…/// – Darkhorse.
We would also have to ask whether if he weren’t caught on camera with pants down, if his wife had petitioned successfully a divorce on grounds of adultery, whether in these circumstances of “cheating on his wife†we would still expect him to resign on grounds of infidelity and dishonesty. I don’t think so. Also was his fidelity and honesty to his wife a factor that determined his eligibility or appointment to minister’s position in the first instance to warrant his resignation now that it had been proven otherwise?
On the part about what is first world or third world mentality, what I am concerned about is that here the mentality is that of hypocrisy on both politicians and ordinary people’s part by which it is assumed that extra marital sex and ‘cheating’ of spouse in that sense is a deviant isolated dishonest act uncommon to most decent respectable folks, when anecdotal evidence seems to suggest the opposite is the case.
Of course it would be ideal to have public officials or minister who do not succumb to blandishment of sexual temptations but isn’t that expecting too much ? I must admit my bar of expectation has been lowered and I’d be quite pleased if public officials and politicians are honest enough not to put their hands on the public till as public position is that of trust.
It is no comfort to us if a power politician faithful and loving to his wife feathers his private financial fortune by leveraging on his political position in order to shower his beloved wife with gifts and money to live the high life at our expense.
Also I am very concerned that we do not as a people persist in hypocritical ways, as has been perpetuated for so long since time immemorial that sexual indiscretion or infidelity of public officials is not allowed. The reality is otherwise where it is not an offence in the doing but in being caught.
Whilst I agree that when holding a public office, nothing is private and one’s whole life, even private morality, is subject to public scrutiny, I would be slow to just draw the connection between cheating on one’s wife as in the case of a clandestine affair and drawing the conclusion from that alone (lapse of so called sexual morality) leads to irresistible inference that the official is necessarily dishonest to the public when discharging his public office duties…..
How could we draw that inference? For one thing, we can’t assume he was cheating his wife for the wife may have known about the affair all along, even acquiesced with the inevitable, but chooses not to end the marital relationship for other benefits or maybe the man is apart from his extra marital relationship an otherwise responsible family man.
The other point is that sex is a biological imperative, the disciplining/restraint of which is probably, for many, more honoured in its breach than upkeep though we hypocritically protest the contrary.
When we focus too much on a politician’s private sexual morality, I am afraid that many of us will lose focus on what that counts – his discharge of public duties more imediately relevant to us. Perhaps I am bias in this respect, but I don’t like to interfere into people’s, including politician’s private lives or be judgmental of their foibles and other human weakness which has nothing to do with our collective public or nation’s interest.
Some of the widely perceived good leaders who served nation and people – the “alpha males we call them – have committed adultery, cheated on their wives, had personal scandals, but stayed above-board in their roles as leaders keeping faith with their public responsibilities – for examples: American presidents Dwight Eisenhower, Franklin D. Roosevelt (1932-1945) with at least two mistresses, John F Kennedy (Marylyn Monroe), New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani (?) French Prime Minister Francois Mitterand, Canadian PM Trudeau, even Martin Luther King etc whose good fortunes was that they were never filmed on video clip and distributed.
Throughout history and World over, politicians whether in capitalistic or socialist/communist regime have tendency to use public office to enrich themselves, their families, supporters and cronies. How to mitigate this is the challenge of this Millennium politics. Not their private sexual peccadilloes when it is in the natural biological order of things for females to be attracted to men of power, of intelligence and resources and in such circumstances how many could resist? Unless we draw the line that his discrete sexual morality or lack thereof is of no legitimate interest to the public what leaders have we left who will also not deplete the national coffers? Chua was not being indiscreet : he was entrapped by surreptitious tapping via hidden CCTV. He should sue the hotel, and police catch the culprits.
#17 by Jeffrey on Wednesday, 2 January 2008 - 6:39 am
He’s not resigning because to do so is to yield to his political rivals or whosoever who resort to such dastardly below-the-belt methods to bring him down. Is it honourable to yield to such methods and reward the perpetrators with exactly what they wanted? True, I don’t know how if he carries on, he is going to fend the knowing smirks on the part of the some of the BN MPs (whose personal private morality may be even worse) but that is really his personal call. By not resigning he is, as I said, putting it to us whether we Malaysians can accept separation of publicv morality from private morality. If PM were to sack him – for not resigning – then it may well open the flood gates for every BN politician to be shot down for this reason. The cameras & CCTV will be used to zero on to them whether here or overseas. But is it the right way and the right method for us to bring down corrupt politicians in such a way? How does it reflect on us?
#18 by ktteokt on Wednesday, 2 January 2008 - 6:45 am
Leave the poor man alone. After all, his political life is coming to an end. Even if he does not resign, how much longer is the next GE and do you think he is ever going to get nominated?
One thing though, we have to admire his bravery in admitting to the scandal. He may have been a victim of a trap with “political” motives but being able to admit it publicly takes great courage. Syabas Minister Chua!
#19 by DarkHorse on Wednesday, 2 January 2008 - 7:47 am
“…was his fidelity and honesty to his wife a factor that determined his eligibility or appointment to minister’s position in the first instance to warrant his resignation now that it had been proven otherwise?†Jeffrey
If it wasn’t it should have been. Honesty and integrity are values sought in any individual who seeks public office. As a voter I’ll not expect less.
“…what I am concerned about is that here the mentality is that of hypocrisy..â€
If others are doing it i.e. cheating on their wives, it does not mean your own cheating is that much less serious or relevant especially when you hold public office. It is relevant because it is an act of dishonesty. He may be popular with his constituents and members of the party hierarchy, hardworking and delivers his election promises even. But it is not like any other job. It is a public office. If you cannot be honest in your relationship with your wife (though estranged at the time) we cannot and should not hope for him to be honest in his relationship with others. As a duly elected representative of the people, he knows he is held to high standards. Failure has its consequences.
“How could we draw that inference? For one thing, we can’t assume he was cheating his wife for the wife may have known about the affair all along, even acquiesced…â€
Technically he may or may not have been cheating his wife but that does not matter.
Would you vote someone into public office if you know he frequents or has frequented a house of ill repute? Any candidate for public office knows that he is held to high standards morally if nothing more. Any holder of public office knows that if caught he would have to resign because it would interfere with his duties.
“…discrete sexual morality or lack thereof is of no legitimate interest to the public what leaders have we left who will also not..â€
It does to a lot of people – and it ought to, because we’re not just talking about the sexual indiscretions of any man married or otherwise but a Minister whose face now appears on ‘hot’ DVDs sold at pasar malam and tops the most popular list of pornographic materials. I cannot imagine Samy Vellu holding on his to public office and to his toupee, if a similar tape had appeared instead of Vijendran’s.
#20 by DarkHorse on Wednesday, 2 January 2008 - 7:50 am
What has entrapment or anything has to do with it?
#21 by DarkHorse on Wednesday, 2 January 2008 - 7:58 am
He does not have to resign his seat in Parliament but should step down as Minister.
#22 by dawsheng on Wednesday, 2 January 2008 - 8:14 am
What Chua did is not acceptable and will not be accept by Malaysians in general. In other words, his political career is numbered, whether you like it or not. For those who commended Chua’s brave admission that he his the “man” something is wrong, I don’t know what. How can he not admit he is the “one” when he is clearly the “one” in the sex tape? No director will hire him or somebody like “him” as a porno actor for sure. It is all but an act by a cowardice at the same time a horny man, is that what we want in our leader? He just gave Malaysian Chinese a bad name.
#23 by Godfather on Wednesday, 2 January 2008 - 8:16 am
Badawi has no moral authority to judge Chua Soi Lek. The only difference between Chua and a number of other senior BN politicians is that Chua was caught on video, but the others were not (or have not). I have run into senior UMNO people travelling in Europe with their “girlfriends”. I know of a number of UMNO politicians keeping girlfriends in Medan. Badawi himself was rumoured to have travelled with Jeanne Danker in official jets prior to their marriage.
No, those who live in glass houses should not throw stones. Many men would have committed indiscretion at some time or other. It will be up to Chua himself to decide if he can continue in his present role. He has to decide on his own morality.
#24 by dawsheng on Wednesday, 2 January 2008 - 8:16 am
Sigh, what a great start to a new year….
#25 by Jeffrey on Wednesday, 2 January 2008 - 8:33 am
I like what ktteokt said. To DarkHorse, thanks for the discussion and different opinion. It is important that we canvass a range of different opinions to assist Kit to weigh and make a stand, which I foresee he has likely to do soon because the scandal and admission is now a front page report in our news media and what Dr Chua Soi Lek has done – admitting to the scandal but not tendering his resignation as Minister – is unprecedented in annals of Malaysian political history, promising the development of further controversial public issues, now that his Labis Division has thown their support behind him to continue, and the Presidential Council of MCA is immediately having an emergency sitting (See Page N4 of The Star 2nd Jan) now, raising question of what would happen if the MCA Presidential Council’s decision is different from that of the Prime Minister’s, by whose grace Dr Chua’s ministerial position depends.
#26 by undergrad2 on Wednesday, 2 January 2008 - 9:24 am
“..admission is now a front page report in our news media and what Dr Chua Soi Lek has done – admitting to the scandal but not tendering his resignation as Minister – is unprecedented..” Jeffrey
It is shocking to say the least. No, I’m not talking about Chua but about our PM. Any PM anywhere would have demanded his Minister’s resignation not ASAP but immediate so as to avoid public outcry! It would have silenced further criticism about his administration. But no this PM would go down in history as the spineless PM ever to have walked the corridors of power!
Nobody listens to him anymore.
#27 by undergrad2 on Wednesday, 2 January 2008 - 9:49 am
“One thing though, we have to admire his (Chua’s) bravery in admitting to the scandal. He may have been a victim of a trap with “political†motives but being able to admit it publicly takes great courage.” kkteokt
How could this man keep a straight face every morning as he walks into his office or convenes meetings or appear at meetings? He has put himself above his party’s interest and that alone would be enough for the others to call for his immediate resignation. The fact that he has not left office is a slap in the face of all decent Malaysians.
What moral courage??
#28 by Jimm on Wednesday, 2 January 2008 - 10:20 am
In political environment, he’s playing his card right.
Look at the rest of BN MPs behavior in Parliament, non of them are even more courage than this guy.
Anyway, a wrong is always a wrong to many.
In BN, it’s your influence with the grassroots that matters.
CSL have been putting back the pressure to his bosses to decide as GE is just around the corner and no one want to lose out here.
As we all know, AAB will grant CSL the benefit of doubt and allow him to continue holding his position until the GE is over and OKT will come out and thank AAB for his wisdom.
Malaysian men that involved in politics are those mean creatures that having the highest ego and their life style are very messy type. That’s why their bosses chosen them to sit in the pack and control them from above.
After all, those above there are more concerned about their wealth than having these MPs working hard for Malaysians.
Accept the only fact in being a MP under BN here.
Happy 2008 to all ..
Smile always in no matter what reason as the days are virtually going to be good as long as we think of good things among those bad ones that clearly been seen through out each day.
Yuor choice matters most here.
#29 by max2811 on Wednesday, 2 January 2008 - 10:37 am
He had oral sex which is illegal. He was caught, that’s his luck. A Minister cannot be known to be immoral. He can do anything he wants behind closed doors but now the doors are opened!
He doesn’t enjoy the respect he has before from his officers. How would the ladies feel in front of him? How would the husbands feel? They’d be afraid if their wives in the same office would be his next ‘personal friend’.
I am waiting for the video to go on youtube. Whether he owns up to his mistake is immaterial. It affects his ability to command and to lead. Resign or get sacked!
#30 by mendela on Wednesday, 2 January 2008 - 11:44 am
The only logical thing CSL needs to do now is to quit minister post immediately.
Almost all past leaders in the world if caught pant down to such large scale would quit immediately.
#31 by oknyua on Wednesday, 2 January 2008 - 11:44 am
“How could this man keep a straight face every morning as he walks into his office or convenes meetings or appear at meetings? He has put himself above his party’s interest and that alone would be enough for the others to call for his immediate resignation. The fact that he has not left office is a slap in the face of all decent Malaysians.” Undergrad2
That bothers me. I can forgive and forget and I won’t hold him as arbitrator of rights or wrongs. A guy falls and he can get up again. Even as a public figure, I don’t expect them to be any better than me.
Yet what he did immediately diluted the person. It wasn’t just on himself. Just look at all the achievements he had and now replay them again after this incidence. Would he have the same credibility? This incidence, would it be far fetched to equate it with the ineffectiveness of MCA? The questionable things done by MCA leadership (eg. North Port) rendered MCA powerless in speaking out.
Yes, it is true, what others, especially in AMNO, did were worse off than his, but this is still not a good reason to do what he did. Of course AAB won’t let him resign because this is an advantage to AMNO. But for him, I am sorry to say this: salvage what credibility MCA has, he must resign.
#32 by dawsheng on Wednesday, 2 January 2008 - 12:57 pm
“How could this man keep a straight face every morning as he walks into his office or convenes meetings or appear at meetings? He has put himself above his party’s interest and that alone would be enough for the others to call for his immediate resignation. The fact that he has not left office is a slap in the face of all decent Malaysians.” Undergrad2
Fully and totally agree with you undergrad2. Abdullah will let MCA deal with Chua, he don’t want to get involved although he wants Chua’s resignation, there’s only one conclusion anyway, Abdullah will sit on this one and let nature takes its course. MCA will have to rename Malaysian Chinese Porn Actors Association (MCPAA) if they let Chua stay. Chua has lost his moral ground to lead the party, he is finished, kaput!
#33 by dawsheng on Wednesday, 2 January 2008 - 1:01 pm
“In political environment, he’s playing his card right.” Jimm
I beg to differ! At the moment, he has no card left to play. He is going through crisis management and coming clean is the least he can do to stop further speculations and rumours, where damages will be beyond repair.
#34 by dawsheng on Wednesday, 2 January 2008 - 1:45 pm
On second thoughts, Chua has been set up, he was hooked and probably being extorted for money, he probably paid but he was still played out anyway, this “lady” is more than just a “personal friend”. Coming clean about it is to kill public’s curiousity from wanting to find out more, at the same time desensationalize the scandal. I can’t help but thinking there are more than meets the eye, in fact I can’t help thinking about it. But one thing for sure, it is an internal job, probably MCA Taikor gangster.
#35 by oknyua on Wednesday, 2 January 2008 - 1:50 pm
“Any PM anywhere would have demanded his Minister’s resignation not ASAP but immediate so as to avoid public outcry!” undergrad2.
I know you are sleeping at this point of time, but seriously do you believe the PM has the moral right to ask for his resignation?
#36 by k1980 on Wednesday, 2 January 2008 - 2:10 pm
Uncle Chua is getting a 5-figure salary from the taxpayers to upgrade the low standard of healthcare in the country. He should be digilently implementing the work entrusted to him, and not sowing his wild oats in some hotel room. If he cannot perform his tasks, it is best for all that he resigns and pass the duties to someone who is more dedicated and hence more entitled to receive the 5-figure pay. The same goes to the pm-int-sec-finance-minister.
#37 by ngahc on Wednesday, 2 January 2008 - 3:49 pm
Bill Clinton had sex scandal, but he performed public duty exceptionally well during 1993-2001. He was up to the job.
#38 by Jeffrey on Wednesday, 2 January 2008 - 4:19 pm
Chua’s situation is not unique : his problem is just that he got caught in the act. Others do it with impunity and act like saints just because they have not got caught yet. This means the offence is not in the doing but in being unfortunate act of being caught.
But surely our criteria of assessment of a public official’s fitness to hold office must rest on surer foundation than merely the vagaries of his fortunes and ebb and tide of luck whether he got caught (sometimes due to entrapment) or not get caught!
At this moment the prevailing sentiment seems to be more against a victim caught in explicit private consensual sexual act inconsistent with his marital position than the dastardly act of entrapment of the perpetrator of the electronic surveillance out to destroy a politician’s career – that we’re prepared to punish the victim of entrapment in reward of the perpetrator, whoever he was. That to me is position of inverse moral standard!
If a minister is not fit to hold high office because he is not faithful to his wife – never mind the wife might have acquiesced with such infidelity beforehand or has forgiven the errant spouse thereafter – if he were to be sacked by this act of marital infidelity alone, then let it be known at the outset that it does not suffice that every minister signs just an Akujanji of his asset : make him also sign a statutory declaration that at the time of appointment to public office or ministerial position that he/she is not having sex with any other person besides his/her spouse and that if at any time after appointment he/she should be found to be committing this marital infidelity to his/her spouse (regardless whether on camera or otherwise) then he/she should forthwith have his pre-signed resignation accepted by the Prime Minister…….Let’s not be hypocritical about the issue. It seems to me that we’re ashamed of the sex act, whatever the circusmtances of its occurrence and no matter what the mitigating circumstances may be, and that for so long as it is made public, we cannot take this shame, and more so for someone who holds high ofice, never mind that he may otherwise be competent and honest in discharge of his public and official duties…..True we’re an Asian country with Asian norms and this kind of behavior cannot be accepted by the public at large but the question here is what is right or wrong based on the objective facts and not just feelings based on our value system.
#39 by Jeffrey on Wednesday, 2 January 2008 - 4:30 pm
Anyway it is all academic now. According to Malaysiakini’s latest report, “embattled MCA vice-president and Health Minister Dr Chua Soi Lek has resigned from all his posts both in the party and the government with immediate effect”…..
#40 by oknyua on Wednesday, 2 January 2008 - 4:31 pm
Jeffrey, it’s out in Star on-line.
#41 by Jeffrey on Wednesday, 2 January 2008 - 4:33 pm
Chua said that he arrived as the decision to resign because “the rakyat wants me to resignâ€.
He said that he was disappointed that the people have adopted a holier-than-thou attitude in this matter.
“I thought that by my admission of my involvement, the people would forgive me. But I thought wrong,†he said.
#42 by Jong on Wednesday, 2 January 2008 - 4:45 pm
Goodbye Chua Soi Lek. I still mantain that you had been one of the best ministers, infact the best MCA ever had. You can put anyone of them around today, in your pocket, easily! Too bad you lost yourself.
My best wishes to you and your wife, may you find comfort in each other in this difficult time and let the past be past.
#43 by max2811 on Wednesday, 2 January 2008 - 4:45 pm
I have always wondered whether the woman in the CD is an MCA member. If I can get it on youtube, maybe I would know. He could also have abused his position on the woman. It happens.
There are women who would do anything to get a post or a contract.
#44 by oknyua on Wednesday, 2 January 2008 - 5:07 pm
Jeffrey, I agree people are judgemental and that would affect his effectiveness. What he did was a poor judgement on the total person. But as I said, MCA is a good party; the previous mistakes of the leaders render it ineffective.
And Jong, yes he was, albeit a few hiccups, a good minister. It is sad he has to go this way. But I don’t blame his enemies within or without MCA; he should know better.
#45 by aiD_kamikuP on Wednesday, 2 January 2008 - 6:53 pm
“He could also have abused his position on the woman” – max2811
Selective words inviting pun. Shouldn’t it be…
“He could also have abused his power to obtain that position on the woman. And it happened”.
#46 by undergrad2 on Wednesday, 2 January 2008 - 8:12 pm
“I know you are sleeping at this point of time, but seriously do you believe the PM has the moral right to ask for his resignation?” oknyua
Thank you for ‘talking’ to me while I was asleep. It is the cold winter night that makes you want to sleep early.
It is not about morals – the PM’s or anybody else’s.
Chua is an elected MP and is appointed by the head of the executive branch to serve as his Minister. He serves at the pleasure of the King. If there is anybody who could force his resignation it is the head of the executive branch who appointed him.
The party to which he belongs and nominated him for the constituency may take disciplinary action – but that is a different matter altogether and could wait.
Once again it has nothing to do with morals, right or wrong and whether a political opponent or a disgruntled employee or party worker or anybody has set him up. Nothing to do with the holier than thou attitude of most if not some.
It is about a politician and a Cabinet Minister having placed himself in a position where there is a conflict of interest, where he cannot be expected to perform the duties he has been appointed to do. It is that simple.
It is shocking that a Cabinet Minister would think he could. It speaks very poorly of the administration.