( From Australian Broadcasting Corporation transcript of the Protes rally at the Kelana Jaya Stadium on Sunday. Clive Kessler is professor sociology at the University of New South Wales and one of Australia’s foremost Malaysia watchers.)
Clive Kessler: The situation in Malaysia at the moment is remarkable and that the brave hopes of independence have turned into an unbelievably sordid soap opera and the popular feeling among many people on the streets is precisely that. That in the sense they find the politics unbelievable, damaging and destructive and they see that more clearly than many of the political principles themselves.
Edmond Roy: He’s got a point. Consider this: the Opposition leader of the country is accused of sodomy.
The country’s Deputy Prime Minister is accused of conspiring to quash a murder investigation involving his private secretary and two of his bodyguards.
And last week, the Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak was accused of having sex with the murder victim, Mongolian translator Altantuya Sharribuu, whose body was blown up with weapons-grade explosives in a forest outside the capital.
Clive Kessler argues this political quagmire has its roots in the past.
Clive Kessler: In a sense, that Dr Mahathir’s legacy was to create a very strong personalistic corporate state that was held together by his strength. Now that he’s gone, there isn’t his strength to hold it together. And the longer-term cost of the… creating that kind of state has to be paid, the bills are falling due and it’s a question whether, whether that is sustainable.
Edmond Roy: If recent events are any guide, it is clearly not sustainable.
Since independence from Britain in 1957, Umno, the ruling party has been steadily losing support.
This despite such innovations as the Bumiputera or “sons of the soil” policy that enabled the majority Malays to take a strangle hold on the political and economic life of the country.
Today minority groups have successfully challenged the status quo and in March this year, three main opposition parties won a record number of seats and control of five states in the union.
But all of this doesn’t necessarily mean that Malaysia’s democratic institutions are safe from attack.
Clive Kessler: The likelihood of a coalition misunderstanding becoming a political understanding and political crisis becoming a public, public order crisis seems to be fairly high. And it’s in that context that the police and army came out last week publicly to say well they’ve already got the contingency plans in place and they’re doing the dry run, more or less, to have a polite authoritarian solution to the politicians and the chaos they’ve created. I think that is the prospect that seems to me to be in the offing, rather than continuing democratisation.
#1 by Jeffrey on Thursday, 10 July 2008 - 5:49 am
It is true that since independence our country’s armed forces have been subservient to a civilian leadership; that that they have never pledged their allegiance to a defence minister. Not yet at least.
Omn neighbouring country, the Phillipines, for example, the civilian government of Ferdinand Marcos had been toppled by Lieut. General Fidel Ramos, Vice Chief of the armed forces, and Defense Minister Juan Ponce Enrile both throwing their support, and military support for Opposition Leader Corazon Aquino, the widow of slain former Senator Benigno Ninoy Aquino.
#2 by undergrad2 on Thursday, 10 July 2008 - 7:05 am
Only a nincompoop would claim that military power resides with the country’s Defense Minister – himself a civilian with no military training.
Kathy(?) Says:
Today at 09: 50.54 (8 hours ago)
“It would be better for the PM to relieve DPM of his duties and remove the military power from him…”
#3 by undergrad2 on Thursday, 10 July 2008 - 7:07 am
It is time to hear from “Kathy”….lol
#4 by undergrad2 on Thursday, 10 July 2008 - 7:12 am
If what is meant is that the defense portfolio be given to some other Minister, that would make sense.
#5 by taiking on Thursday, 10 July 2008 - 8:18 am
Godfather said we lost RM12b in FX speculation.
I believe we also spent quite a bit in the London tin market;
in propping up BBMB for years
and in Hicom
and and in weapons we dont need
and in multimedia supercorridor (does this term ring any bell?)
and also in perwaja
and oh repairing parliament
and a certain elevated highway
oh there are so many of them.
just too many.
Let us not mention the sum involved.
We all will be in tears.
#6 by limkamput on Thursday, 10 July 2008 - 10:10 am
undergrad2,
You did call for military intervention some days ago. And you did imply military is not subservient to civilian government. On both counts you are mega nincompoop. You just can’t be honest with yourself. That is your personality. I also have no time for a mega nincompoop like yourself.
#7 by HJ Angus on Thursday, 10 July 2008 - 10:19 am
who is kathy?
In any open discussion like this it is healthier for the group if we try not to get personal.
I mean if “kathy” cannot answer maybe someone else has something to contribute?
#8 by undergrad2 on Thursday, 10 July 2008 - 10:33 am
“She” just did…..lol
#9 by undergrad2 on Thursday, 10 July 2008 - 10:36 am
A repost of what I wrote earlier on another thread:
“Our Armed Forces have been subservient to civilian authority ……”
And today I wrote:
“Since when has the country’s armed forces, subservient to a civilian leadership since independence, been pledging their allegiance to a defence minister?”
- – - — – — – — – - – - -
limkamput,
It is nobody’s fault that you cannot understand nor write English properly but your own.
#10 by limkamput on Thursday, 10 July 2008 - 11:01 am
you are bullsh!ting. i am just too lazy to go check your stupid postings. it is enough. you are the master chameleon. What is the point of you simply quoting out of context half sentence here and there. You said those things, period,. you are a mega nincompoop.
#11 by TheWrathOfGrapes on Thursday, 10 July 2008 - 11:04 am
/// taiking Says:
Yesterday at 12: 09.12
The government, as an entity, must be institutionalised.
This way the entity can continue on no matter who sits inside.
It must never be seemed as being controlled by a personality.
Mahathir did the second.
And they are now in great trouble. ///
taiking – this is precisely why Malaysia is in so much trouble – the government has been institutionalized too much. To consolidate his powers, Mahathir instituted changes to the ways UMNO VPs are elected so much so that it is almost impossible now to dislodge the incumbent.
Yes, what you are seeing now is the entity (government) continuing no matter who sits inside (even if everyone is sleeping inside). It is on autopilot.
Better to have checks and balances…
#12 by undergrad2 on Thursday, 10 July 2008 - 11:32 am
I’m still waiting for good old ‘Kathy’ to respond to my comments – not his alter ego.
#13 by undergrad2 on Thursday, 10 July 2008 - 11:40 am
Here’s the quote you’re looking for – and it is coming from you!
limkamput Says:
June 30th, 2008 (2 weeks ago) at 09: 35.22
half baked american say: “Our Armed Forces have been subservient to civilian authority for far too long and should see their role more as keepers of that moral authority which BN has recently lost – the legitimacy and the moral authority to rule in a democracy dedicated to freedom, justice and the rule of law. The Malay Rulers must be involved in the process. Otherwise it is déjà vu all over again!”
So stop your nonsense and spare readers of all the poop you’re leaving behind.
#14 by undergrad2 on Thursday, 10 July 2008 - 11:41 am
Which part don’t you understand??
#15 by lupus on Thursday, 10 July 2008 - 2:44 pm
“There’s a reason you separate military and the police. One fights the enemies of the state, the other serves and protects the people. When the military becomes both, then the enemies of the state tend to become the people.”
US Armed Forces are under the control of the US President, via the control of the Secretary of Defense (who must be a civilian and not an active military military for 10(?) years). He controls the “Joint Chief of Staff” who controls the US Armed Forces. It is an appointment by the US President, hence, the US President is the head of the US Armed Forces.
Under any democratic elected government, the military serves the elected government of the day. However, we only have to look at Malaysia past where it was not too long ago where Malaysia have declared a State of Emergency where the Army along with the police enforced a curfew. Is Najib in charge of the MAF ? I would say the PM is and can call the MAF out to the streets of Malaysia with the blessing of the Agong.
I am sure LKS can correct me if I am have made an error as he would be the subject matter expert – as a MP and having live thru those troubled times.
#16 by Jeffrey on Thursday, 10 July 2008 - 3:38 pm
///Dr Mahathir’s legacy was to create a very strong personalistic corporate state that was held together by his strength///- Clive Kessler.
That is true. However there is no point for strong authoritarian power to hold together a system of which corruption and abuse of power are rife. The alternative of things falling apart and centre does not hold is perhaps a not so palatable option that nevertheless is the painful enema to address this constipation of the system. The shit will hit the fan and let it fall where it falls. Is there a choice?
In meantime investors are clearing position in view of the political infighting, and Malaysians are suffering from double whammy from inflationary effects of petrol/feul hike as well as prices of foodstuff and other essentials…
For a long time the construction/property industry has been the prop – for ordinary people an edge against inflation, and income for banks, valuers, lawyers, engineers, surveyors, architects, construction workers and whole range of others with multiplier effects.
Now with inflation and diminuation of real income, the whole lot of people on property mortgages cannot service the loans and the prospect of NPLs and credit bust loom as a spectre. On the supply side developers wonder how they are going to dispose of their units. The govt tries to prop by getting banks to extend and prolong repayment terms (today’s news) to stall mass defaults….
Meanwhile the PM is enjoying a better position from deafult of the other two major contenders, one carrying theAltantuya Shaaribuu’s baggage of accusations and the other sodomy’s baggage of accusations .
According to Malaysiakini’s report based on Umno sources, AAB is widely expected to set a date for handing over the reins to Najib and the date flashed around seems to be June 2010.
If that is true, he is locked in safely as the other two slug it out and possibly mutually destructing by June 2010!
I think PR’s touted vote of no confidence is so far not real enough to ruffle him, so how the country navigates through such difficult times unfortunately will still depend on his stewardship.
PM’s greatest challenge is the economy.
We’re still blessed with gas, oil, palm oil, rubber and the price of these natural resources are going up! We have a reasonable middle & upper management echelons conversant in English, reasonable infrastructure not just in terms of roads, bridges, airports buildings and dams but also the intangible in terms of legal and corporate regulatory framework (as compared to competitor Thailand). China that pulls the crowd because of big market and cheap labour are feeling effects of labour costs going up as workers demand more wages from rising costs of living and world wide inflation.
The curse is of course leakages from largese and patronage political and corprate system.
The curse is not easy to rid within the system because many within the system are implicated in one way or another with either corrupt act, abuse of power or sexual misconduct, and each has a hold on the other so everyone has a cause to keep things staus quo to prolong ‘cari makan’ and postpone judgment day and accountability.
So because of that we cannot leverage effectively on our earlier said natural advantages and others’ woes. Not to mention the set back of vacumn of strong and credible political leadership should AAB fails to rejuvenate his style even if the two competitors are put out of action.
Where AAB fails, the other problem is can Pakatan rakyat take over and deliver a strong and credible leader who could secure power without taking Malaysians to street fightings and also keep PAS & DAP together if Anwar for any reason were brought down by the allegations?
This is where what Clive Kessler said – “the likelihood of a coalition misunderstanding becoming a political understanding and political crisis becoming a public, public order crisis seems to be fairly high” – is cryptic as well foreboding of something not so good is going to happen!
My sense is that PAS will make a bid, and if mainstream rejects, the BN under AAB will continue merrily on and it will still ultimately depend on AAB whether he could navigate between the pitfalls and reform the country for the collective better based on our inherent strengths and curbing the excesses in our patronage political culture.
#17 by boh-liao on Thursday, 10 July 2008 - 5:07 pm
Some recent statements made by Lee Kuan Yew:
“Malaysia is one of the wealthiest countries in the region.”
“But suddenly, it’s trapped in some political-cum-personal difficulties of charges and counter-charges which can only be bad for the economy.”
“But I see all these problems as man-made. It’s not economics. It is lack of a certain integrity in the system that you are entrusted with and you therefore run it properly.”
“People can say anything they like: Singapore is undemocratic, we trip our opposition down, this, that and the other. But if you say that this government is corrupt or has mismanaged the country’s resources, I’ll sue you!”
“But because we sue them again and again, nobody in Singapore believes that anybody is doing anything that’s criminal, corrupt or improper. So we can make a mistake — and everybody knows you can’t be 100 per cent right every time — but nobody has profited from that mistake.”
#18 by HJ Angus on Thursday, 10 July 2008 - 6:02 pm
The method of propping up the economy with mega-projects for many years is now coming back to haunt us.
For many years many of the local grads were/are simply not good enough to be employed and many of our best talents have gone abroad.
These unemployables were absorbed by the civil service and that also makes us even more inefficient and very costly.
The years of abuse have weakened our human capital and very few business ventures have been created.
Yes the economy will be the turning point but it is the result of a system that has been damaged for too long by patronage and corruption.
#19 by lopez on Thursday, 10 July 2008 - 6:54 pm
Already beaten but too stubborn and arrogant to ship over.
A typical trait of a lousy loser.
Still sleeping and floating on clouds, assume rakyat stupid and education system had done a good job.
If they are so sincere about what they talk and advocate, why dont they turun padang and meet the grassroots 247 as long they still have the position.
Do a face to face with those who they called rakyat and not hide behind secretaries or skirts. Just continue telinga ringan and buta baca would do either.
Find out directly from the horses mouth.
See for yourself and feel for yourelf , nobody wants you and your cronies anymore, so get lost….the ….end.
#20 by undergrad2 on Thursday, 10 July 2008 - 7:12 pm
“I think PR’s touted vote of no confidence is so far not real enough to ruffle him, so how the country navigates through such difficult times unfortunately will still depend on his stewardship.” Jeffrey
Why is Anwar Ibrahim stalling??
This is no time to look at issues affecting the future of this nation as “a series of Bollywood drama”.
#21 by kutlakut on Thursday, 10 July 2008 - 8:11 pm
quote: ONLY A MIRACLE FROM THE ALMIGHTY ALLAH THROUGH PRAYERS PERFORMED BY SOME OF OUR PIOUS CITIZENS MAY BE THE LAST CHANCE FOR OUR BEAUTIFUL MALAYSIA TO BE RESTORED TO ITS FORMER GLORY….INSHA ALLAH .. so said kritikus.
Rewind to the day Mahathir announced his intention to step down. The camera took a shot of his wife Siti Hashma, with her mouth agape, she was stunned. This meant that she did not know he intended to step down.
Then the camera panned to the senior members of the supreme council – they too were in shock. They too were not into the secret.
In other words the matter was never discussed at all.
This means that nobody was into the secret, that he would step down. I say he did not know it himself. It was a failure of his sanity at the most crucial moment – the entire nation was watching and he cannot retract!
In retrospect, Mahathir is a consummate political animal, and getting out of the arena just cannot be for him.
I suggest he blundered – he spoke in a moment of grandeur, to test the waters – what will the reaction be if he left them.
Then the realised his gravest political mistake and cleverly began to weep – he was ‘overcome with emotion.’ A good ploy not to say when will be the date of his departure.
He was led away to his private quarters, but UMNO people said, on his behalf that he would depart after the last Islamic meeting in KL.
Prior to his date of his departure, all were fearful that he might create trouble and declare martial rule , etc.
#22 by justice fighter on Thursday, 10 July 2008 - 8:28 pm
Racist & Abuse…
http://www.malaysiawaves.com/2008/07/umnos-latest-psy-war-materials-exposed.html
#23 by katdog on Thursday, 10 July 2008 - 9:58 pm
Why is Anwar Ibrahim stalling?
Maybe because he hasn’t been elected yet? And maybe because contesting in by-elections can be tricky business especially with the Head of the SPR nothing more than an UMNO dog?
#24 by sudokuku on Friday, 11 July 2008 - 12:11 am
How come our leaders are not nominated for the worse human model of the world?
we have the best of the best cheater, liar, hypocrite, corrupt, fraud, phony, pretender, and many others that is yet to be listed in the dictionary like the “Samy”, “C4″,
somebody should do something to give the proper title that they deserve.
#25 by shamshul anuar on Friday, 11 July 2008 - 12:32 am
DEar Katdog,
If SPR head is UMNO Dog( again the terminology used reflects attitude best termed as kurang ajar) , then please explain why PKR can form the govt in SElangor, as an exm.
Anwar is stalling simply because he does not have the numbers. Simple as that. No UMNO MPs want to join him as they know once they cross, there is no turning back.
THey will be regarded as a traitor. Politically, they will be finished. Despite poor result in last election, UMNO still has considerable influence among Malay community. If not, it would not have won 79 seats. Even in Anwar’s Permatang Pauh, one of the state seats, Seberang Jaya was won by UMNO .
#26 by undergrad2 on Friday, 11 July 2008 - 8:38 am
Too many of the UMNO MPs are stuck deep in their own sh*t to be able to make their move. Even if they do try to, those stucked deeper in their own sh*t would not allow them!
#27 by limkamput on Friday, 11 July 2008 - 3:06 pm
Which part don’t you understand?? undergrad2 said.
i think you don’t understand what you yourself wrote. My advice, please write simple short sentences like me. Your english and faculty may not be as great as your ego thinks.
#28 by undergrad2 on Friday, 11 July 2008 - 10:26 pm
“Your english and faculty may not be as great as your ego thinks.” limkamput
So this is an admission that yours isn’t. OK. The next time I’ll write in simple English for you to understand. How many words do you want me to use in each sentence?
#29 by undergrad2 on Friday, 11 July 2008 - 10:30 pm
I must apologize for not giving equal opportunity to nincompoops.
#30 by undergrad2 on Friday, 11 July 2008 - 10:33 pm
I think I’ll have to do something to shorten my post made earlier just for you. What do you think?
undergrad2 Says:
Yesterday at 19: 03.45
Are you guys ready for some comic relief? Why not!
Here is the issue.
A claims he is the beneficiary of a kampong school education. He bashes people around for their postings. He can’t stand particularly a poster who says he is from Cambridge university, and uses derogatory terms to describe him. He takes to task a regular contributor to this blog for not knowing how to write. He says he is smarter and everybody else is stupid. He later tells us that he has been to the United States with his family studying before anybody else on this blog and others should take note To prove how knowledgeable he is than another poster, he insists that the United States was founded some 300 plus years ago – though it is a matter of public record that the year the U.S. came into being as a state and as a nation is 1776. He then insists that the U.S. Declaration of Independence is the same as the U.S. Constitution. He says to posters he could be their father and to take care what they post on this blog as he knows better since he has been round the block a few times. Upon returning to his country from the U.S., he served the corrupt BN government until, he tells us, he was decorated on retirement by the Agong with honors which he declares as “fairly respectable”.
Obviously he is uncomfortable in his own skin. No, that is not all. Finally he proudly tells us how he comes to use ‘limkamput’ as his handle. It derives, he says, from ‘nincompoop’ and sounds like it and he relishes in the fact that everybody has been deceived by him. He starts his own blog and later blasted the moderator for ‘not allowing him to advertise on this blog” here when others could.
What is wrong with this picture?
#31 by limkamput on Saturday, 12 July 2008 - 2:05 am
Undergrad2, let me show you how scr*wed up your English and thinking process are:
1. You don’t use “beneficiary” of a kampung school education. If kampong school connotes disadvantage, then it can’t be beneficiary. So beneficiary is a wrong choice of word. If you want me to give you a more appropriate word, please ask and I will revert to you.
2. There were no derogatory terms used (unlike you), but mostly intellectual discourse. Again, you are wrong.
3. It is not “that contributor” does not know how to write. It is he trying to be indulge in “hollow sophistication”. So you are wrong again.
4. I was in the US earlier than you, not anybody else. How many wrongs already?
5. With regard to the declaration of independence, the US constitution and the founding of US, I think I can understand where these are coming from. I realized I was talking with a half baked nincompoop whose mind is like a pre-school kid where everything must be stated in black and white. This person does not have the faculty to understand things in context. So you are not only wrong, but also stupid.
6. Yes the award is fairly respectable and I am fairly confident you will never get it in your life time. So please don’t be envious of things you do not have. It is one of the major sin.
7. There is nothing wrong with my skin. Is there anything wrong with yours?
8. Is there a problem with my blog? I challenge you to set up a blog of your own and write me thirty pieces in two months (for this is what I did and many of my pieces have also been published by a major newspaper with good reviews by fellow readers). If you can do that, I will keep my peace and never to argue with you again. But I know you are not good enough to do that. My blog again in case you tried to forget: limkamput-nincompoop.blogspot.com
#32 by lopez on Saturday, 12 July 2008 - 8:50 am
some people like to pray, it their right
but other dont it is their rigth too.
Some insist others must pray .. other thinks otherwise becos it is not neccessary beocs it has been documented that all has been planned.
It is referred as fate.
So when that farmer got his cart stuck deep into the mud, laden full with his hard toil and have dark clouds of a storm fiercely announcing its presence…what could that farmer do…..his good may not reach the market or he may be struck by lightning.
“Splash” he throw his whip on his donkey back…hee hok came the reply and not a step move.
AHHHHH , wait the priest taught me to pray…he pray alright..till darkness came….the dark cloud are over his top…..
He could bear no more , if he cannot get his produce to the market , it would perish and with no takings his family would have worked longer to pay their land lords.
HEY YOU DREAMING DUMMY , came a voice from nowhere “why dont you get down and push your damn cart out of the way.”
He has just cause a traffic jam, and others are yelling and cursing him, so he got down and push the cart got rid from the mud and he was SAVE.
Luckily he pray , and he thnak his faith in the god he was praying too…….you and me.
So those of you still sleeping , just get down and DIY.
It is the best way…
#33 by ShiokGuy on Saturday, 12 July 2008 - 6:07 pm
With all the drama and political move, we the rakyat is so so sick!
First the the defections… now DSAI is talking about unrest will bring down the BN government.
Since DSAI mentioned Sept 16 for the cross over. So the unrest to bring down the BN government should be before 16 sept?
http://shiokguy.blogspot.com/2008/07/defections-vs-unrest.html
If after? what does it mean for DSAI?
Shiok Guy
#34 by saiful on Monday, 14 July 2008 - 11:32 am
its just insane, for all of u losers to call the EC a dog of the government when u won such a big seats…..dont u tink that Pak Lah will asked them to make it a BN instead of DAP/PAS/PR…………tink again….
i guest, u all the one that tarnished the stability of the nation and well done u love people (stupid australian) to talk bout yor country, as they themselves let the australian native to stay poor n stupid…………I guest, that what Uncle Kit try to do hHUHHHHH???