by Richard Teo
The Council of Former People’s Representative (Mubarak) President Tan Sri Abu Zahar Ujang described the Hindraf leaders as “opportunists and traitors to their race and country.” He further added that these people were extremists and that they should rightly be detained under the ISA.
Referring to his assertion, I would like the former Mubarak to carefully reflect on past history and see who are the opportunists.
After May 1969, with the introduction of the NEP, the Malay bumiputras were the sole beneficiary of govt policies. However somewhere along the course of implementation the NEP was hijacked by the UMNO elite Malays who only seek to enrich themselves and their cronies.
Based on such factual events how could the former Mubarak President condemned the Hindraf supporters as opportunists?Rightly the real opportunists were the UMNO elite Malays.
As regards his statement that they were extremists, can the former Mubarak president defined the term ‘extremists’ in order to justify his claim. Does his definition include people who participated in a peaceful assembly to articulate their grievances construed as extremists?
Yes, he could refer to the unfortunate terminology ‘ethnic cleansing’ used in the memorandum submitted to the Queen as extremist. But hello, what about UMNO unshealthing their keris and threatening the Chinese? What about the former Chief Minister Rahim Thamy chik’s utterance that the Malays would take out their parangs if the non-Malays challenge Malay supremacy?
Are they no more seditious and extremist? It is really pathetic that people like Tan Sri Abu Zahar Ujang who had enjoyed the fruits of NEP should now find it plausible to hurl untruthful accusations that it was the Hindraf supporters who were opportunists when in actual fact he and the UMNO elites were the opportunists.
How could Abu Zahar equate articulating one’s cause as being traitor to race and country? By his implication, the Hindraf supporters should just remain silent and accept their discrimination and marginalisation so that they will not be traitor to their race and country.
With such perverted logic so prevalent amongst the UMNO top echelon it is no wonder how a peaceful assembly of disdvantaged people could be construed as terrorists.
#1 by dawsheng on Tuesday, 18 December 2007 - 1:59 am
Who are the opportunists?
The Chinese! MCA Chinese!
#2 by DarkHorse on Tuesday, 18 December 2007 - 2:34 am
An opportunist is defined as a person who exploits circumstance to gain immediate advantage rather than being guided by principles or plans.
You are opportunistic when you exploit chances offered by immediate circumstances without reference to moral principles.
So to argue who is the opportunist and who is not is a no-brainer. Clearly, the rich and the financially well off who do not need government assistance, and who exploit government affirmative action programs meant for the disadvantaged – simply because they could – are opportunists as defined above.
The Indians are opportunists if they exploit circumstance to gain immediate advantage rather than being guided by principles or plans. Are they?
One poster who claims to be a bearded Indian who has a diaper on his head says here that it is understandable that Tamil Indians are opportunists, and that they have to be opportunistic to survive in a society that has marginalized them to the extent that they are forced to live at the margins of society, almost in its shadows.
#3 by DarkHorse on Tuesday, 18 December 2007 - 2:37 am
Dawshen made an interesting observation! Why did you leave out Samy Vellu and company?
#4 by kanthanboy on Tuesday, 18 December 2007 - 4:12 am
“Who are the opportunists? The Chinese! MCA Chinese!†dawsheng
To be more specific, the opportunists are those Chinese and Indians from MCA, MIC and Gerakan who collaborate with UMNO to enrich themselves by exploiting the loopholes of the NEP. The ordinary members of these political parties are just a pathetic lot.
#5 by carloz28 on Tuesday, 18 December 2007 - 4:29 am
The Council of Former People’s Representative (Mubarak) President Tan Sri Abu Zahar Ujang described the Hindraf leaders as “opportunists and traitors to their race and country.†He further added that these people were extremists and that they should rightly be detained under the ISA.
Yet another baseless quote from Ujang…Tan Sri somore…..well his comments makes him an oppurtunist too because clearly he’ using Hindraf to score some points with the PM…balik makan jagung ler wei….
#6 by undergrad2 on Tuesday, 18 December 2007 - 4:52 am
“How could Abu Zahar equate articulating one’s cause as being traitor to race and country?â€
Are you sure he said “race and country†and not “king and country�
TRAITOR TO KING AND COUNTRY?
I believe the spokesman for the 1,000 plus strong MUBARAK an association of former MPs and state assemblymen, was referring to the acts of the now detained leaders of HINDRAF who characterized the suffering of Tamil Hindus as being the result of ‘ethnic cleansing’ and then going to India to see Indian leaders for support and then to the U.K. to file their application with the court there seeking damages to the tune of British Sterling Pounds 1.1 billion which translates into British Sterling Pounds 1.0 million for every Indian in Malaysia; and British citizenship and asking a foreign government to declare the Constitution of Malaysia 1957 null and void.
Uthayakumar’s reference to ‘ethnic cleansing a la Malaysia’ is his own way of admitting that he is not sticking to the original meaning of ‘ethnic cleansing’ as it was first used in 1990 with the breakup of the old Yugoslavia, and the widespread and systematic killings of Bosnian Muslims by Christian Serbians.
Some call that as an attempt to distort and exaggerate in order to attract international opinion. Certainly there is no killing fields in Malaysia. Some say he is using the term ‘ethnic cleansing’ in its broadest sense in an attempt to justify ex post facto his use of the term.
To suggest that the government of Malaysia is indulging in ethnic cleansing of its racial minorities is a stretch.
#7 by greatstuff on Tuesday, 18 December 2007 - 5:26 am
What a laugh, however pathetic!
To describe HINDRAF leaders as “opportunists and traitors to their race and country” is the view of someone who us suffering from paranoia, due to the insular education, tunnel vision, simpleton-like formation of his character, that the Mubarak fellow and his likes have had as a result of having it too good over the past few decades. He clearly is a “have” as opposed to the “have-nots” in the country and needs to show more humanity for a change!
#8 by liaw3003sc on Tuesday, 18 December 2007 - 7:22 am
Tan Sri Abu Zahar Ujang must speak the ‘lie’ as instructed to please his bosses. These are the people who are beneficiaries of the HIJACKED, DEVIATED NEP.
Yes, the NEP was good in its original intention to uplift the Malay poor. However, it was ‘hijacked’ in the midway to enriched the UMNO elites and their cronies.
Seeing is believing Tan Sri; all government contracts, big and small are sabu by connection, no need tender or its only a formality. Why should giant Bumi companies or Bumi ‘flooded’ GLC be given preference status to get big tenders? Project above certain amount should be awarded based on ‘real’ bidding, not negotiated, right? (how could these mammoth Bumi and GLC be poor companies? They still need ‘wheelchair’ to fight for a job?). Have they no guts to get the job on open tender? The poor Semi Value still keep echoing the UMNOputra’s excuse that its time consuming to go for open tender!
Who can believe ‘fairness’ is practised in our country when you see almost all, if not all, privatised projects (highway, waste collection, IPP, etc) go to the big Bumi companies or GLCs. Look at Sarawak, who gets most of the development projects? Ask anybody in Sarawak and they will tell you who? Its an outright, daylight, and rampant robbery of the rakyat’s intelligent!
Non-Malays are not against helping their poor fellow Malaysian; but it must be all the poor irrespective of race and religion! Start it now, its never too late!
Who is the opportunist now? Yes, its those ‘rich Malays’ who had acquired their vast richness under the pretext of NEP, The real poor Malays are only getting the crumb spill over from the opportunist’s big fat mouth!
Ask all the ex-Semangat 46 leadership (including Rais!) if it is true?
Dear Tan Sri, the Hindraf 5 are our Malaysian heroes. They are the real champion of the poor. People like you (NEP beneficiaries) and me (scared of ISA, dare not get out there) are the real opportunist!
#9 by lakshy on Tuesday, 18 December 2007 - 7:25 am
The traitors to bangsa dan negara are the umnoputras who have raped the country and continue to do so under the patronage of affirmative action.
TDm said it right when he tendered his resignation at the umno GA when he broke down and cried saying he had failed the malays. Damn right he has! And the umnoputras have all been successfully trained by him to keep cheating the deserving rakyat of their rights.
#10 by lakshy on Tuesday, 18 December 2007 - 7:27 am
liaw,
lemme guess, lemme guess….. ahhhhh… Cahaya Mata Sarawak ah?
#11 by lakshy on Tuesday, 18 December 2007 - 7:27 am
By the way, can anyone confirm whether CMS is short for Chief Minister Sarawak?
#12 by dawsheng on Tuesday, 18 December 2007 - 7:49 am
“To be more specific, the opportunists are those Chinese and Indians from MCA, MIC and Gerakan who collaborate with UMNO to enrich themselves by exploiting the loopholes of the NEP. The ordinary members of these political parties are just a pathetic lot.”
Absolutely Kanthanboy, absolutely. I wonder what Ong Ka Ting said includes me, but I certainly don’t share his excitement. Please read what the opportunist had said.
Future bright for the Chinese
By NG CHENG YEE
KUALA LUMPUR: The Chinese community must remain positive and continue to contribute to the growth of the national economy, MCA president Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting said.
Calling on the community to employ the “right strategiesâ€, he said the country’s economic growth was still very much dependant on their contributions.
“We should not be affected by some negative remarks because we enjoy a very important position in mainstream economic development,†he told reporters after opening the “Globalising Malaysia: Economic Potential for Malaysian Youths†seminar here yesterday.
Ong, who is Housing and Local Government Minister, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and other Barisan leaders had assured the Cabinet and other channels that what belonged to the Chinese community would not be taken away and given to others.
“The various policies that the Government has implemented to help bumiputras are meant to expand the economic cake and create new opportunities and wealth,†he explained.
Reiterating that the MCA would continue to voice the views of the community at the decision-making level, Ong said the party would also liase with the Malaysian Chinese Economic Consultative Council (MCECC) on matters of interest.
He said the party wanted to focus on the country’s economic development, the opportunities given to the Chinese and the results of their participation.
“We are confident that the future is bright for the community.
“The Chinese should be more concerned about globalisation now as it will provide them more opportunities all over the world,†he said.
Ong said 99.2% of the Malaysian corporate sector was made up of small and medium enterprises (SMEs), which were mostly Chinese-owned, adding that these people had been doing business even before the country’s independence.
As such, he said there was a high percentage of Chinese securing SME loans, adding that as of Dec 31 last year, RM112.8bil in SME loans had been approved by both commercial banks and government financial institutions.
“Of this, 80.8% or RM91.1bil was given to non-bumiputras,†he said.
#13 by dawsheng on Tuesday, 18 December 2007 - 7:55 am
Who you rather be? An opportunist part of Damai Malaysia or the silent majority? Well, what do you know, you can be both.
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2007/12/14/nation/19759113&sec=nation
#14 by dawsheng on Tuesday, 18 December 2007 - 7:58 am
MCA, you gave Chinese a bad name.
#15 by ktteokt on Tuesday, 18 December 2007 - 8:16 am
MCA is just trying to cover up for the boo-boos it has made since the implementation of the NEP. OKT is talking nonsense everyday!
#16 by Bigjoe on Tuesday, 18 December 2007 - 8:33 am
Politics is opportunistic. The question is do you use it for what? The leaders are using it mainly for a real cause. UMNO lost that a while back but more important does not now and will be worst in the future.
But I like to raise the question of what now? Firstly what will Hindraf actions be now that the PM have at least shown an olive branch? This PM does not do anything fast, he sticks with the protocol unless he is forced to. But if Hindraf do another rally again, he cannot do another fake arrest or lost the support of the right-wing in his party which is more dangerous and unproductive for Hindraf at least in the short term.
Frankly, if I were Keadilan and PAS, I would provoke the Hindraf people even further. They want UMNO to fracture. Anwar is doing the smart thing but its likely Hindraf leaders already see this possibility and preventing it.
Hindraf has a tough choice. If they take it up a level, things will change very slowly but if they even just continue this level of antagonism, Keadilan and PAS will take advantage of them whether they like it or not and possibly tarnish their cause.
I think Hindraf has no choice but to find an Indian-based political umbrella. The right choice should be DAP but Keadilan-Indian based leader is more effective for them. Perhaps DAP and Keadilan can jointly form a Hindraf-based group of some sort. Now that would be a new milestone..
#17 by Jong on Tuesday, 18 December 2007 - 9:32 am
I agree with kanthan boy:
“To be more specific, the opportunists are those Chinese and Indians from MCA, MIC and Gerakan who collaborate with UMNO to enrich themselves by exploiting the loopholes of the NEP”
Kanthan boy is so right!
And those opportunists who go about “buying” titles to enrich themselves and pep up their self-esteem! Imagine lowly educated cina-apeks bizmen from Ipoh getting titles from Negeri Sembilan and Pahang where they have nothing to do with the states, never lived or worked there? The same goes to many others and “title-recipients” are getting younger everyday!
#18 by Count Dracula on Tuesday, 18 December 2007 - 9:39 am
If someone looks like Samy Vellu, walks like Samy Vellu and talks like Samy Vellu he must be an opportunist!
It’s easier to recognize an opportunist than to define one.
#19 by mwt on Tuesday, 18 December 2007 - 9:45 am
Who are the opportunists when the attempted murder charge was dropped?
It was Samy & BN. They finally claimed they came to the rescue of the Indians and taking credit for it? The lawyers are disputing this as they TOO have made representations.
And a new TWIST & SPIN – AG said “31 people charged with involvement in illegal assembly & not for being FOLLOWERS of HINDRAF. The charge is in accordance with law. All 31 had written to me deploring Hindraf & claimed they were not Hindraf members†. See how plea bargaining can be done.
More details
Go H E R E
and see pics of how the attempted murder charge possibly came about
#20 by DarkHorse on Tuesday, 18 December 2007 - 10:18 am
Cheras Hindu Youth Organisation regretted that Hindraf had used religion to protest.
According to HYO: “Hindraf has presented the wrong view to the world that the Indian community here is being persecuted. This group is not fighting for our rights”.
Abdullah labeled those who solicit support from outsiders as traitors and the action of HINDRAF, which claimed to fight for the rights of the Indian community in Malaysia, as an attempt to destroy the country and racial unity.
Further, this is what DAMAI (1.5 million members representing 75 Chinese based and 20 Indian groups) had to say:
“We also condemn accusations that the country’s leaders had allowed ethnic cleansing to occur in the country.
“We condemned individuals and groups who used lies and slander against the country and asked for foreign intervention in Malaysia’s internal affairs.”
#21 by dawsheng on Tuesday, 18 December 2007 - 10:48 am
DAP, PKR & PAS should not take part in the coming general election.
#22 by max2811 on Tuesday, 18 December 2007 - 11:19 am
Mr/Ms Dawsheng,
I am an MCA member for 27 years. There are many MCA members out there who care for Malaysians in general and Chinese in particular. At this time,MCA has very weak leadership due to the past President and his deputy. They practically put their cronies in place without election.
One can see how stupid they are when they talk. The Ong brothers appear noble and religious but the elder brother is the most corrupted. Look at the number of houses he has, the cars, properties..His wife doesn’t even wash her own hair and she goes to the salons everyday paying RM10 for a wash. This is a luxury to most Chinese.
Being a member doesn’t mean I support the present leadership. I’m going to vote for the opposition this coming GE. There are thousands of members like me! Now, they are arranging Ling Jr to contest. What I’m trying to say here is the problem with MCA is its leadership and not its members.
Leaders come and go. We see how they respond to UMNaziO on any issue. We react accordingly. Dr Ting once said how MCA’s ministers’ hands are bound when it comes to arguing a point with UMNaziO. Even ministers cannot overrule a senior gov official. This means they are just puppets representing the Chinese. Same goes to MIC.
We definitely need a change of Gov. UMNaziO is too arrogant, greedy, racialist and irresposible.
#23 by oknyua on Tuesday, 18 December 2007 - 11:28 am
“I’m going to vote for the opposition this coming GE. There are thousands of members like me!” Max2811
So here we are aligned to YB Lim KS. YB, take note of this momentum. Sound the alarm.
Incidently, I was taking to a MCA worker not more than 5 minutes ago. They are already VERY busy.
#24 by cheng on soo on Tuesday, 18 December 2007 - 11:36 am
DAMAI M is likely a new group just bake from oven, this MCA OKT talked rubbish, did he mean that IF, BN lose, what owned by Chinese will be taken over by the New Govt?? How sure is he??
Who = opportunist? BN n its cronies? or others? those who asked Malay to gather at Kg Baru? Twist n turn non-racial issue into racial?
Who = extremist? waving kris, or threaten to use parang, or claiming 4 trillion USD from a foreign govt?
#25 by Short-sleeve on Tuesday, 18 December 2007 - 11:39 am
MCA you not only gave the chinese a bad name, you sold them out.
#26 by dawsheng on Tuesday, 18 December 2007 - 11:51 am
max2811, I am a male. I know what’s going on in your MCA, just like UMNO. Your leaders are corrupt and you are in a racist party. It is not good for our country. I know there’s thousands who resented the current leadership but there’s many thousands over who supports it. MCA don’t have a solution for the Chinese, hence they cannot lead.
You don’t have to join DAP, just leave MCA.
#27 by dawsheng on Tuesday, 18 December 2007 - 11:56 am
Opposition should not be part of a sham democracy.
#28 by jus legitimum on Tuesday, 18 December 2007 - 1:30 pm
All MCA members who have lost faith in the party should now support DAP.Don’t ever believe that their political clout over the BN government will diminish if they lose the Chinese majority constituencies to the DAP in the next GE.In 2004,the MCA despite a overwhelming victory in the general election,they are still puppets until today.They cannot even solve the basic problem of the shortage of Chinese schools and teachers including the reopening of the SJkC Damansara.What is the point of giving them support to enable them to continue serving as YES men in the Parliament and the State Assemblies?Wake up all eligible voters.
#29 by shaolin on Tuesday, 18 December 2007 - 1:50 pm
Truly agreed to Richard Teo that Elite Malays from UMNO
are truly enjoying all the benefits of NEP designed specifi
cally to their utmost advantage!!! Poor Malays ,Indians
and Chinese do not even have a chance …!
Initially, NEP is basically set up to help the Poors, however
over the years, the Elite Malays have hyjacked the NEP
project and end up it is now designed to benefit Only The
Elite Umnoputras…!!
AAB, are you still very sleepy and Not aware of this hyjack???
#30 by boh-liao on Tuesday, 18 December 2007 - 2:29 pm
Funny, all the life-long opportunists and parasites (remember NEP? = Never Enough Parasites) are calling others opportunists!
Zakaria the Klang emperor is the best person to illustrate what an opportunist is. How dare Abu Zahar Ujang compared Hindraf leaders to Zakaria?
#31 by shaolin on Tuesday, 18 December 2007 - 2:48 pm
100% agreed with Richard Teo that Elite Malays and
UMNO cronies have hijacked NEP project initally designed
to help all the poors regardless of race in the country.
However the NEP had been hijacked by the Elite
Malays and NEP is now redesigned to enrich the them!!!
#32 by Richard Teo on Tuesday, 18 December 2007 - 5:57 pm
Ong assured the chinese community that AAB told him that what belonged to the chinese would not be taken away. That is a lie OKT, the govt have taken alot from the chinese already. The housing subsidy to bumis of 10% is taking from the chinese and given to the malays.What about equity of non bumis public listed companies? 30% have to be allocated to bumis.
#33 by liaw3003sc on Tuesday, 18 December 2007 - 7:38 pm
You see, he is lying again! He really can lie without showing a damn on his face!
‘The Chinese community must remain positive and continue to contribute to the growth of the national economy’
We are very negative of the future of the country. However, live must go on. And so the country still benefits; and regrettably the growth also enrich the elite-Malays and their cronies including those in the MCA and MIC.
‘We should not be affected by some negative remarks …’
Go to hell, this is the type of mentality that has resulted the current situation. We keep tolerating, never mind-lah, we would negotiate through the proper channel, we don’t publicise, and all the bull shit! See what is the situation now? The UMNOputras keep inching for more and more, and whatever that has been ‘given’ automatically becomes their ‘right’! They will sheath the kris with blood if you dare touch on those ‘sensitive’ (classified by UMNOputras) issue.
‘What belonged to the Chinese community would not be taken away and given to them’
– why Chinese schools must buy their stationery, book supplies, etc. from Bumiputra suppliers? (deviation? any punishment to the officer concerned?)
– Though it is not an official policy but most of the government departments and GLCs are purchasing their requirements almost completely from Bumi companies. Is this deviation not tantamount to taking away the business from the Chinese? WTF! In the 70s, it was Bumi company can have a 10% price premium, and now it is outright NO to non-Bumi company. Don’t come and tell us the Chinese still get the business at the end; it is a completely different story and are at the Bumi company’s mercy when it comes to payment.
– Why must nearly all contracts be given to Bumi companies? Has what PM said during MCA general assembly to give priority to ‘Ali-Apek’ company been implemented? I’m sure it is only ‘chui kong lam pa song’ only! Don’t you agree there were so many non-Malay contractors who had been edged out of their jobs?
– construction worker and vehicle repair apprentice registration; watch out, the Indian and Chinese skilled workers without ‘certificate’ will be legally marginalised out of their job or their trade. They will have to work for the UMNOputras owned motor cycle and car repair shops because they are the one who has the ‘cert’ (but may be not the skill)! The time will come.
Many more! My wife is nagging me to go out for meal, stop here for the time being.
#34 by DarkHorse on Tuesday, 18 December 2007 - 9:04 pm
That is not what he meant. “Try robbing Peter to pay Paul” if that is easier for you.
#35 by undergrad2 on Tuesday, 18 December 2007 - 9:29 pm
But Dark Horse, your argument would be more sustainable though true, if you base your analysis of the facts on the assumption of an expanding economic pie. If the national economic pie actually shrinks like it did in 1997/98 that is when the analysis loses much of its credibility.
But my opinion is the veracity of any argument in politics is more based on perception than facts. The discount of 10% on property transactions when looked upon as a subsidy is much like a self-fulfilling prophecy, if you get my drift. But is it in the nature of a subsidy? Is anybody being made to pay for it. Is it “robbing Paul to pay Peter”?
When the government seeks a more equitable distribution of the national economic pie through its policies based on the assumption albeit of an expanding economic pie analysis, does that mean “robbing Paul to pay Peter”? It sure looks like that to many – because, I submit, ‘race’ is a primary factor and when ‘race’ is the overwhelming factor, it generates the kind of resentment that is self-justifying and self-fulfilling and for which there is no defense really.
You see politics is all about perception.
#36 by shortie kiasu on Thursday, 20 December 2007 - 6:26 am
He probably was just one of the many chorus singers hoping that his pitch would stand out and be noted by his political master.
#37 by laifoong on Thursday, 20 December 2007 - 9:06 am
i think richard teo is the opportunist!
#38 by mickey01 on Thursday, 20 December 2007 - 9:21 am
As a multi-racial country, the bumi companies should also open up 30% of their company shares to other races as required by non-bumi in order to be fair and square. Extremist countries like Iran and Saudi Arabia adopt such islamic laws that prohibit other religious faiths from owing shares in their companies. And what have they produced? Extremism, extremists, jihads, suicide bombers, political chaos etc. Msia cannot afford to follow such extremist countries that practices pure islamic laws that produce nothing but extreme outdated koranic practices that will eventually destroy this world!
#39 by ktteokt on Thursday, 20 December 2007 - 9:32 am
First and foremost, they have taken away the Minister of Finance from MCA, remember?
#40 by ktteokt on Thursday, 20 December 2007 - 10:31 am
OKT only stressed on SME for the Chinese, what about big-time business? No mention on that because he very well knows there is simply no share of the cake for the Chinese. As the famous saying goes, “Tell the truth and nothing but the truth, but for god’s sake, tell only that much of the truth that will do you the most good”. Syabas MCA Chairman!!! Keep up the spirit and see what will happen in the coming GE!
#41 by KS R on Friday, 21 December 2007 - 4:09 am
Hi
Please inform Samy vellu to slap and kick Abu Zahar Ujang so he will shut his mouth. Empty vessel makes more noise and he his trying to get points from Ahmad Badawi sorrylah mangkuk. You wont get any points because Khairy in control.
Samy vellu also praying hard not to release the 5 Lawyers because when he attend any fuction only 200 to 300 attend his fuction that also MIC and some of his gangsters will attend.