Open Letter to ALL Pakatan MPs


Open letter by Emmanuel Joseph

Dear Few Pakatan Rakyat Elected Representative (You Know Who You Are)
Yang Berhormats,

I am writing this to vent my frustration, irritation, disgust, disbelief and anger on how many of you are acting recently. Its with sincerest and most honest intention that I am writing this, as a Pakatan grassroots ‘small fry’ member, who like the millions of Malaysians came out in full force to support you all when you were practically nobodies and put you where you are today, sitting in the highest decision making bodies in your own states and country respectively. Some of you were luckier than others, and been appointed to important government posts, some even head entire state governments. Congratulations, your long wait and tireless effort paid off. But please do kindly remember, it was not only your effort alone, but the effort and will of more than half the Malaysian electorate that put you where you are. You did not win entirely on your own charm, your education level, your profile in your respective fields of expertise or struggle. Frankly, most Malaysians who supported you did not even care who you were or what you did, as long as you were not donning a dark blue cap with a BN logo on it. That is the reason we had aircraft mechanics voted into power in the last General Election.

The next time any of you decide to foam in the mouth about lack of funding, lack of resources and other similar grumbles, please bear in mind these few facts. Firstly, you stood for the election on your own free will. Nobody put a gun on your foreheads asking you to run for elections, nobody begged you to contest. Out of your own reasons, rightly or wrongly you stood, representing the people, and because of that, the people rallied behind you and riding on this, you were catapulted into where you now are. Secondly, others have had far less than you, suffered much more than you and been doing it for far longer. Take a look at the likes of YB Dr Tan Seng Giaw, YB Fong Kui Loon, YB Dr Wan Azizah, YB Mustafa Ali, YB Nasharuddin Mat Isa and many more. What more YBs Karpal, Kit Siang and Nik Aziz? Who was there to fund them? Who supported their families when some of them were thrown into ISA? Most of you are only first term Yang Berhormats, so why can’t you not sacrifice less than 5 years of your life if you are sincere in your cause? Thirdly, regardless of your previous political alignment, you are with Pakatan now. Its a people’s alliance, not a cronies’ alliance. If money, resources and a luxurious allowances is what you craved, you have the wrong party, maybe even the wrong country. And if you were in it for those express reasons, please do the honorable thing and resign.

Dear Yang Berhormats,

The next time you decide to shoot from the hip about party policy, please bear in mind these few facts.Firstly, you are not Pakatan Rakyat, you are a part of Pakatan Rakyat. The policy of Pakatan Rakyat is not your sole prerogative, nor is it yours, your father’s or your grandfather’s to decide. There’s a hierarchy in place, and its there for a reason. You are a single member of Pakatan Rakyat, and as an elected rep, have the trust of the nameless, faceless, positionless Pakatan grassroots to speak on its behalf in explaining the policy to the people, not deciding on the policy for the people. Secondly, your opinions, however valid you perceive them to be, and your points, however salient you believe them to be, remains just that, yours. Not the party’s, not the alliances’ and hell, no, not the peoples’! If its your own opinion by all means say so, lease don’t confuse everyone by muddling and befuddling everything and everyone and turning what is clearly black and white into a giant grey mess. Thirdly, please remember that the media loves to give you attention even more than you love the attention it gives you. Especially when you shoot yourself in the foot. While you’re busy shooting your own feet, the media is amputating the very feet Pakatan stands on, no thanks to the likes of you. If you don’t like what Pakatan stands for, then by all means, do resign.

The next time you decide to bring out your personal vendetta against any Pakatan colleague, due to a long standing feud, a dissatisfaction over your appointments or that of your political followers,or just because you just don’t like the guy’s face, please try doing this steps instead. First, try talking to the person. Nothing clears the air like a good honest conversation. Second muhasabahlah diri. You are nothing near perfect, yet we still voted you in. Isn’t that nice? Shouldn’t you then be nice to your comrades? Third, remember that every action has a reaction. Call it a law of physics, or political karma, it will come back to haunt you one day! If you feel you are still right and Pakatan is wrong, then don’t demand that Pakatan withdraw! Your own withdrawal from office will more than suffice.

Dear Yang Berhormats,

Please remember, the people who voted you in can as easily vote you out. The people who worked hard to ensure your victory can work as hard with a vengeance to ensure your loss. You carry the aspirations of an entire generation on your shoulders, please do not snuff out our dreams for a better Malaysia. There are enough elements out there that want Pakatan destroyed, so internal self-destruction is the last thing needed right now. And if you believe you don’t need the Malaysian electorate, then, rest assured, the Malaysian electorate needs you even less. Thank you, and have a pleasant (remaining ) time in political office.

Sincerely,
Emmanuel Joseph,
(A Nearly Nameless, Faceless, Positionless Pakatan Member)
DAP Socialist Youth,
Klang.

  1. #1 by Black Arrow on Sunday, 7 February 2010 - 7:37 am

    Bravo! Very well said, Mr. Emmanuel Joseph. Yes, i agree with you 100 percent.

    To those subversive elements in Pakatan Rakyat, I wish to add that if they joined Pakatan in the hopes of furthering their own self-interests, they should get out right now as they are not championing the struggles of the downtrodden and the oppressed.

    Selena Tay,
    small-fry Pakatan Rakyat supporter,
    ordinary member, DAP Cawangan Segambut.

  2. #2 by k1980 on Sunday, 7 February 2010 - 7:51 am

    Mr. Emmanuel Joseph, you are referring to the sleeper moles in PR planted by umno. They will only support PR if and when PR pays them more than umno does. No money, no honey, as the whores say

  3. #3 by Bigjoe on Sunday, 7 February 2010 - 8:43 am

    I like to add my own perspective on this.

    I have been very lucky to witness personally some of the great changes in the last 30 years. From the great economic, technological and social waves in the US, the fall of the Berlin Wall, China’s and India transformation and even changes that happened in Latin America and Middle East. From that, I made and lost a lot of money.

    In the end, when I look back, its not the money and material that I have that is most important, it was being part and responsible for something truly important and matter to other people. The busineses that I created that people want, the employees that build lives because I gave them jobs, the decisions that I made and or part of that affected many many lives for the better.

    To all those MP who think their personal material gains and interest is so much more important than anything else. I think I say with authority that in reality they are simply wrong. Money and material gain at the end of the day is a means to an end. It is a huge privilleged to be part of great changes anywhere. What is important, after you have taken care of the basic needs of your family, is still to do something meaningful with your lives. To be something greater than your innermost fears and bases instinct, is a rare privilleged. To succumb to personal fears and weakness for greed and lack of confidence at points of great opportunity is the most pathetic and sad thing to witness. It is one thing to be sceptic, its quite another to be cynic. A cynic is worst than a failure and a cynic who is a failure can be a shame worst than death.

    Being able to be an MP of PR at this moment in Malaysian history is a great privillege. Its not likely to ever be the same again. It does not matter that at some future date there is another opposition coalition that suceed, it simply just is not the same.

    It does not matter if in the end PR fails. It is already part of history of this nation. The great opportunity is to turn it into something that mean something other than yourself, the more people it means to, the more you are richer for it. The wealth of being something greater than yourself is worth more than any material inheritance you can give to your children and people you truly care about.

  4. #4 by wanderer on Sunday, 7 February 2010 - 9:39 am

    “Arrogance and Egoism” have deeply gone into the heads of these tasteless, self-interested first term PR YBs….very much like the UMNOputras!

    Rebel without a cause is uncalled and unwarranted.
    If you no longer share the ideals as a member of your political, please leave. We say, “Good riddance to bad rubbish!”…let others continue their fight for a better Malaysia.

  5. #5 by ktteokt on Sunday, 7 February 2010 - 9:44 am

    This is indeed a very SINCERE reminder to any MP, be they from BN or Pakatan, that they are where they are because the people put them there and certainly, the people can also pull them down. So, please remember that the people are the ones who elected you so that you can represent them! Many of these MPs lose their head when they are up there!!!!

  6. #6 by Comrade on Sunday, 7 February 2010 - 9:53 am

    MPs get into office not on their own
    They are put there by the people’s choice
    If to the people’s trust they disown
    Honestly resign and go back to the people’s voice

  7. #7 by ShiokGuy on Sunday, 7 February 2010 - 9:54 am

    Flsuhing Time!
    Cleaning Time!

    If PR lost some state before GE13, let be it!
    Flush Flush down the toilet!

    While flushing, we are not going to just let it happen. We will fight and bring the issue to the people. We will the people see how all these Traitors Froggie are!

    Fight On, Bring it On!

    Shiok Guy

    RED Card : http://shiokguy.blogspot.com/2010/02/red-race-card-ahmad-zahid.html

  8. #8 by ShiokGuy on Sunday, 7 February 2010 - 9:57 am

    Dear Kit,

    Let find way to bring those Froggie into the open for all to see. Anyway to do this? By way of MSM or the net!

    Sabah & Sarawak are not very “Internetized” yet. But these two states are King Marker!!

  9. #9 by chengho on Sunday, 7 February 2010 - 10:22 am

    Shoot the messages not the messengers ,why there is no investigation on what they have said , set up a royal commission when Zahrain branded Guan Eng ‘ a dictator ,chauvinist and communist -minded ‘ , Tee Beng branded Dap play a low class politic and Guan Eng ‘arrogant style of administration ‘ and has good acting skills . But ofcourse no body in Dap can investigate kit son , do you Emmanuel Joseph?

  10. #10 by good coolie on Sunday, 7 February 2010 - 11:40 am

    It used to be said that even if Barisan fielded monkeys in some constituencies the monkeys would get elected. Well, the same is true for Pakatan – they could field donkeys in some constituencies, and still get them elected!

    It is the responsibility of Pakatan leaders to vet their candidates for integrity. In this respect, PAS is a shining example: you don’t see them fielding frogs. Remember the PAS motto, “Your Party or Your Wife”.

  11. #11 by Dap man on Sunday, 7 February 2010 - 11:54 am

    The pendatangs, beggars and prostitutes can say what they want. UMNO will not care a damn about what they say as the MCA and MIC say its OK as they can live with insults.

    Going by past precedents there has not been a single case of a Malay being prosecuted for uttering seditious words against the pendatangs, beggars and prostitutes.
    1. Ahmad who called us pendatangs.
    2. The racist mufti who mobilized a demonstration in front of a church.
    3. Najib, for waving the keris and wanting to soak it in Chinese blood.
    4. Ibrahim Ali for defaming Chinese all the time.
    5. Cow-head stomping.
    6. The Sinar Islam reporter who abused the Catholic sacred host.

    So you see, Nasir is a Bumi and they have the birth right to criticise the pendatangs, beggars and prostitutes.

    While the non-MCA Chinese are furious, the Indians are still accepting insults.

  12. #12 by Dap man on Sunday, 7 February 2010 - 11:58 am

    Its official now.
    All MCA Chinese are prostitues and all MIC Indians are beggars, so says RPK.

  13. #13 by Jeffrey on Sunday, 7 February 2010 - 12:42 pm

    Pakatan Rakyat (PR)’s problems are not so simply reduced to simply telling errant PR MPs to stop their petty bickering based on self interests for power/wealth, think of larger’s rakyats’ interest, shape up (either voluntary resignation or by the sack) or ship out! If it were that simple Dale Carnegie, the great Motivator, can do it for us!
    It is also not that simple to unravel PR’s problems by just blaming selfish interests of elected MPs, especially kataks who defect for reasons of material inducements causing even state govt to topple. Majority of people, whether rakyat or their representatives are not likely to be motivated by high ideals. Many are not particularly educated, some ignorant and most apathetic from the working class and the middle class struggling for existence, living lives of quiet desperation grappling with every kind of tax imaginable whether indirect taxes for buying goods/services or suffering the hidden type (inflation) and most have families to feed children to educate: hence getting elected to political position provides the personal break from this reality. We cannot abjure the principle of self interest/selfishness. This is because it is, amongst majority, wired biologically to ensure self preservation. If one wants to redirect people to rise above their parochial petty selfishness to that ideally for the larger good, one must articulate and inspire a vision that their self interest is linked to and tied with this larger good or ideal and not against – what we call enlightened self interest, good for all represents good for the one! Asking them to just sacrifice a few years will fall on deaf ears. Not everyone is a Lim Kit Siang, Dr Tan Seng Giaw or Karpal Singh! For most people are not perhaps either not as high minded or as lucky in material terms or experienced as Bigjoe to appreciate the advantage of participating in the exhiliration of a Big Change over an immediate improvement in their standard of living!
    That’s where we come to the other crux of the problem – is there a common shared value, norm and vision as to what represents good for all in a country like ours divided by different races religions, and values?
    What is true when speaking in context of an individual applies too to a political coalition like PR. It is not like BN when big brother UMNO forces one norm on all other component parties.

    A coalition’s sustainability/viability over longer run is a function of (1) shared common norms and benefit weighed/balanced against (2) inherent ideological and other differences raging between its 3 component parties. Situation of course is not static. In times where (1) is sttonger coalition is stable and united; the contrary is true in (2).
    PR scored “victory” in last GE because the stronger force of (1) based not so heavily on positive attributes of PR but sentiments against the negative attributes of BN! But now, as the wheel turns, focus shifts to whether the common bonds under (1) of the 3 component parties connected to common antipathy to BN’s policies and record are sufficient to suppress resurgence of (2) their differences of ideologies that provide excuses for usual power jostling/struggle.

  14. #14 by Jeffrey on Sunday, 7 February 2010 - 12:45 pm

    [Continuing from preceding posts]

    The differences in (2) are exacerbated by two developments, the first Anwar’s predicament owing to Sodomy trial, and possibility he being imprisoned raising the question of who replaces him, and, secondly, the Herald’s controversy over the Allah issue. These two developments are “stress” test on whether the unifying factors can still prevail over the divisive factors amongst the 3 component parties of PR.
    Our opposition is not one party representing one community but three parties purporting representing different disparate communities amongst whom whatever their common purposes, there is one major divisive factor besides race – Religion!
    That’s where, by way of example of ideological differences, Bandar Baru Kulim MP Zulkifli Nordin is the case in point. Are we saying that this PR MP talks too much his personal view, does not toe the PR’s line and should be sacked in same vein as what writer Emmanuel Joseph proposes for errant PR MPs? To Zulkifli whilst he loves the PR’s cause he loves Islam more and as far as he is concerned the use of “Allah” by non Muslims is wrong! One can quote him Islamic scholars of opinions that Herald is right but Nordin too can give replete recitations of scholars and ulamas who say that Non muslims cannot use that word!
    The flaw (if one can call it that) of all true believers (whether pro or against the Allah issue) is intolerance for the other’s point of view.

    Which brings us back to the beginning points : self interest is a powerful, important and empowering motivator; it should be directed to be linked to the wider perception of the common good. Politicians, to succeed, must articulate the agenda for the common good of their constitutency. PR’s politicians in particular are not straddled by the need to cater one constituency but more importantly two separate constitutencies – Muslims and Non Muslims – different in race, dietary habits and often conflicting value systems….

    In PR’s context is the common good/goal of evicting BN from power so overriding that it outweighs the ideological differences of perspectives and values articulated by Zulkifly Nordin in respect of (say) the Allah issue as against (say) Kit Siang or Zaid Ibrahim???

    Maybe yes if one has Anwar the Charismatic leader who ducks the issue or maintains peace by saying different things and pacify all by some seemingly neutral posture – but with him gone –imprisoned – who is the next leader who could give the same performance of suppressing all divergent voices of discord by distractyion of the common focus/bond of dislodging the BN???
    That’s the issue, and much more that cannot easily be solved by a simple suggestion of reminding PR’s MPs their origins, that they should sacrifice self interest for common good for historic change, and then everything will be peaceful. You need an emergence of a leader who could prevail his personal will over all dissenting voices of PR and direct everyone with clear voice of authority (respected by all and hence enforceable) of where to go, what to do and not do for the common good. Where’s if there’s any, such a leader- or is he yet to be borned?

  15. #15 by limkamput on Sunday, 7 February 2010 - 1:11 pm

    Very well said; Everything is personal
    For that Wee, it is personal vendetta
    For that Tan, it is personal greed
    For that Zul, it is personal idiosyncrasy
    For that Zahrain, it is personal ambition

    Garbage will always side with the powerful rather than the truth.

    I feel so helpless and hopeless now. I see the tide turning. So I ask God for help:

    Help Lord, for the godly are no more;
    The faithful have vanished from among men.
    Everyone lies to his neighbor; their flattering lips speaks with deception.

    May the Lord cut off all flattering lips and every boastful tongue that says, “we will triumph with our tongues; we own our lips – who is our master?”

    “Because of the oppression of the weak and the groaning of the needy, I will now arise,” says the Lord.

    “I will protect them from those who malign them.”

    “And the words of the Lord are flawless, like silver refined in a furnace of clay purified seven times.

    O Lord, you will keep us safe and protect us from such people forever.
    The wicked freely strut about when what is vile is honoured among men. amen

    Psalm 12

  16. #16 by StPeter on Sunday, 7 February 2010 - 1:20 pm

    I can fully understand about the current situation faced by PKR, Dum No is too cash rich. They can send any spy to tsunami the PKR team, and it is just the beginning of the James Bond movie, but rakyat are not sleeping, next round 13th GE, najis, moooo itek, mooooo sa…will be OUT, let the Tiger scracth their back..!

  17. #17 by limkamput on Sunday, 7 February 2010 - 1:22 pm

    Jeffrey, I refer to what you said in #13. You should perhaps ask all the scumbags to be just like many of us – going about earning a decent living and bring up their families. Don’t ever get involved in politics or participate in public life. If they can’t stomach it, don’t do it.

    What nonsense are you talking about when you said, “is there a common shared value, norm and vision as to what represents good for all in a country like ours divided by different races religions, and values”. It does matter what race, religion and personal value we belong to. We know cheating, abuse of power, corruption, scheming, manipulating, compromising, greed, betrayal, unprincipled are bad. Got it sage?

  18. #18 by Jeffrey on Sunday, 7 February 2010 - 1:34 pm

    If common shared norms like revulsion against cheating, abuse of power, corruption, scheming, manipulating, compromising, greed, betrayal, unprincipled actions are all there is, there being no other differences in signifcant norms not shared, fractionalism within PR and fighting between its MPs will not rise to the level as it now is. [Zulkifli Nordin’s position on Allah issue and Islam in general (opposition Article 11 forum) is case in point. It may also be asked why even Nik Aziz now explore talks with UMNO on unity?

  19. #19 by monsterball on Sunday, 7 February 2010 - 1:41 pm

    Yes….Emmanuel Joseph…you are speaking on behalf of People Power.
    I am sure the old guards are sad to see such low class insincere elected politicians in PR.
    Thanks for taking so much time to write such a beautiful message.
    I am a die hard voter ..yearning change of government for democracy and true freedom….and so sick of massive corruptions….and not once…I ever voted for UMNO/BN.
    I am no party member too.
    But I may vote the devils for the first time…if what we see some of the PR parliamentarians are no better than UMNO/BN.
    I think the party leaders should act fast…to seriously respect VOTERS.

  20. #20 by limkamput on Sunday, 7 February 2010 - 1:48 pm

    If one wants to participate in partisan politics or wants to join an organisation, a party or a cause, that person must subscribe to the aspiration of the group. The aspiration of the party must prevail. If that person is not prepared to do that, please resign or be an independent. You can’t have an apple and eat it too. In any case, to me, many of these “traitors” are governed more by dishonesty, idiosyncrasy, greed rather than their personal conviction (the so-called values as you said), please don’t kid ourselves.

  21. #21 by kpt99 on Sunday, 7 February 2010 - 2:56 pm

    If it is corrected rakyat will say that whoever run the country will be the same.PAN CIN PAK LIAN,

  22. #22 by frankyapp on Sunday, 7 February 2010 - 2:59 pm

    Yeap Emmanuel Joseph pretty well said. And so did many of you guys .I really appreciated it. However,did anyone of you guys see or realize how come Umno can hold on their elected guys and at the same time too can retain faithfulness or loyalty from among the 13 component parties elected representatives.There must be some elements which can glue all these different guys coming from various races and religious background,right ! I would like to share with all you guys one most important clue .It’s CASH,MONEY. Now please allow me to elaborate. The trick is once Umno/BN decided on the list of candidates,especially the new ones,the top guys,normally the president,his deputy or a certain proxy would see these candidates individually and offer each and everyone of them ” millions of cash,thousands of shares and contracts worth several millions plus high official position for some guys should they won and the BN retained the government in the election.All these guys have to sign a letter of royalty including hundred and one conditions not to leave the BN .Should say any one of these guys back-down and leave,they would be accuse of corruption and all the MACC and PDRM guys would go after them. The conditions are clear, once in,there’s no where out.Hence you guys see how on earth,these guys could move away when their “bxlls” are tied even before they are elected. On the contrary,PR’s candidates,most if not all are self-financed and when elected,there’s are hundreds of bills to be settled and find it pretty tough to handle,some can,those can’t would turn to frog even at the expence of losing their own dignity and accept shameful fall-out ,out of survival and greed. This Umno’s dirty tactic is not a new one,its been in Umno since the begining but its been pretty emplified by TDM under his watch.

  23. #23 by dawsheng on Sunday, 7 February 2010 - 3:46 pm

    Malaysian politicians are like school children and It is all the voters’ fault.

  24. #24 by msianep on Sunday, 7 February 2010 - 4:23 pm

    Pakatan MPs are now available at pollkad – http://bit.ly/pkmyface.

    Show them your evaluation asap.

  25. #25 by Jamal Malik on Sunday, 7 February 2010 - 6:01 pm

    Jeffrey. Dont you see what Nik Aziz is trying to do? He is virtually telling UMNO. I will sit down with you to talk but let’s talk Islam first. He knows that those UMNO scumbags will fail that very first test. He is calling their bluff.

    Emmanuel Joseph points are valid and straight to the point.
    Jeffrey, get to the point mate instead of sounding like some age old hermit trying to preach to the unpreachable, namely UMNO.

  26. #26 by rockdaboat on Sunday, 7 February 2010 - 8:42 pm

    To the like of WCK, TTB, Zul and Zahrain, it is better for you and for PR that you quit PKR and join BN, a place where you belong (if BN is willing to accept you).

  27. #27 by rockdaboat on Sunday, 7 February 2010 - 8:51 pm

    “Malaysian politicians are like school children and It is all the voters’ fault.” dawsheng

    Dear dawsheng, what shall we do? Abstain from voting?

    In wanting to have a strong opposition representation, voters sometimes do not have much choice. Please understand that they voted for the parties, not the candidates. This is the reason why the likes of WCK, TTB, Zul and Zahrain can get elected.

  28. #28 by boh-liao on Sunday, 7 February 2010 - 10:07 pm

    Well, when someone fr any party boasted arrogantly dat they can win a seat by fielding even a monkey, dat’s where d problem starts
    D monkey will of cos jump like a frog when a huge banana is dangled in front of it
    Hee, hee, hee ….. Hee is happy n encouraging others 2 jump like her
    Many useless PR MPs n state assemblymen r making hay while d sun shines
    Get paid princely while they r of use 2 BN n their market values r high
    Once after d expiry date, no more millions 2 bargain for n not get selected 4 reelection
    Wouldn’t any mortal in 1M’sia do d same – sodomise d principle, get super rich first

    Hey Emmanuel, how abt an open letter 2 your battling DAP Selangor state assemblymen?

  29. #29 by DCLXVI on Monday, 8 February 2010 - 12:31 am

    chengho: “Shoot the messages not the messengers ,why there is no investigation on what they have said , set up a royal commission when Zahrain branded Guan Eng ‘ a dictator ,chauvinist and communist -minded ‘ , Tee Beng branded Dap play a low class politic and Guan Eng ‘arrogant style of administration ‘ and has good acting skills . But ofcourse no body in Dap can investigate kit son , do you Emmanuel Joseph?”

    Investigate Guan Eng?
    Did he allegedly get someone murdered with the victim’s corpse blown up into pieces by military grade explosives?
    Did he allegedly engineer an unlawful state government power grab from his political opponents?
    Did he allegedly order a ban on a word so that it cannot be used by certain citizens of a certain religion although that word has been used in their prayers for over a century without problems?
    Did he allegedly misuse public funds or taxpayers’ money to scandalously sustain an unfeasible free zone port project?
    Did he allegedly detain someone forcefully in his office building before that person was mysteriously found dead on the same premises?
    Did he allegedly send death threats and live bullets to his political opponents, or even try to firebomb their homes?
    Did he allegedly mastermind the theft of some military hardware from a military base and managed to ship them to another country somewhere on the other side of the world?
    Did his party find him guilty of money corruption but did not take serious disciplinary action against him and still allowed him to remain as the head of a state government?

  30. #30 by kcb on Monday, 8 February 2010 - 3:31 am

    To #27

    Only a small number of those elected had turned into frogs, so it is not fair to make a sweeping statement.

    It is expected that there will be a few rotten apples in a consignment.

  31. #31 by yhsiew on Monday, 8 February 2010 - 3:41 am

    The Ballot Box Method
    ==============

    I do not know how the PR system works but I believe many intra-party and inter-party infighting can be minimized if PR adheres to democratic decision making. For example, if Anwar goes to prison, who should be the Opposition leader? PR should use the ballot box to resolve this issue. The loser(s) who receive(s) the smaller number of votes should not grumble because the decision is made through a democratic process. It is risky to appoint somebody to be the Opposition leader or assign the job of the Opposition leader to somebody who is not named the Opposition leader – always go through the ballot box.

    The ballot box method can also be used to decide whether so-and-so should be given a certain position. Again, the loser cannot grumble as his suitability for the position is evaluated by a group of people rather than by his superior alone.

    It is up to PR to decide who has the right to cast the vote (perhaps members who have been in PR for 3 years and above).

  32. #32 by dawsheng on Monday, 8 February 2010 - 9:12 am

    The Malaysian voters are a bunch of irresponsible citizen who is plain ignorance about what it means to have choices.The last thing you ever do in a democracy is to trust a politician. Never trust a politician to do his job, make sure he does.

  33. #33 by kcb on Monday, 8 February 2010 - 9:25 am

    Dawsheng, can you enlighten all of us here as to, in your opinion, what it means to have choices?

    Also, how to make sure a politician does his job, or how to make sure that he will do his job in the future when you decide to give him your vote?

    Talk is easy!

  34. #34 by Jeffrey on Monday, 8 February 2010 - 10:44 am

    ///Dont you see what Nik Aziz is trying to do? He is virtually telling UMNO. I will sit down with you to talk but let’s talk Islam first. He knows that those UMNO scumbags will fail that very first test. He is calling their bluff./// -#25 by Jamal Malik

    Bluff means UMNO won’t talk? How sure are you on that? What’s the problem on talk?

    It was only few months ago when Nik Aziz berated Nasharudin and Hadi Awang’s faction suggesting PAS acceped overtures from UMNO for talks.

    Were the talks (then rejected by Nik Aziz) not about Islam? Whats the difference then and now? I can think of 3.

    1. Then it was UMNO that took the inititive to suggest talks; now its Nik Aziz.

    2. Then although it was known about Anwar being charged it was not now that we know the prsoecution claims to have semen samples and intending to proceed by DNA identification after DNA Act passed.

    3. Then there was no blow up of “Allah” issue unlike now.

    Of the 3 differences, is 1. important on who made the suggestion first? Is it not ordinarily the case that he who seeks the first step to rapproachement with the opponent is the one due to changed circumstances want it more?

    So why is PAS prepared to continue to talk with Umno on Islam? According to Nik Aziz, it is to “convince Umno to fully accept Islam” (meaning in PAS’s view UMNO is not on the right path). We know PAS places religion first in its politics, the other UMNO gives eminence to ethnicity in its politics… But how is Religion separable from Race when both are inextricably intertwined within the Malay cultural identity?? Isn’t talk on Religion the prelude to talk on politics? If nerither side expect to benefit from the other (politically) why would they talk? Law professor and constitutional expert, Dr Shad Saleem Faruqi, Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) law professor and constitutional expert has said before that “PAS and Umno are probably going to use these talks as bargaining chips with their non-Muslim, non-Malay partners in the Pakatan Rakyat and BN respectively.”

    Take the case of how rapproachement between China & US began under Mao’s time. Since end of war 1945 to 1972 US/China relations were icy cold due to cold war. Then something happened, Mao was more worried about the Russian Bear across her long border than the US in the 1970s, and made the first move. On April 6th 1971 China invited the American ping pong team to visit China which eventually paved the way for President Nixon to visit China and Mao, sign the Shanghai Communique leading to US/China relations today. You mean either Chinese or American leaders & administration were really interested in sports and ping pong? It was only a cover for political diplomacy when both parties were testing cooperation, and before they knew it could be sealed, Chine did not want to alarm the Russians, neither US, the Taiwanese, so Ping pong, the excuse!

  35. #35 by Comrade on Monday, 8 February 2010 - 12:47 pm

    If there is any disagreement
    Come to terms on the table discussion
    To achieve a peaceful settlement
    Or the stubborn one might have an ulterior mission

  36. #36 by frankyapp on Monday, 8 February 2010 - 1:13 pm

    Umno is malays racist and ideologically pretty materialistic whereas Pas is malays conservationist and ideologically islam.There two just like two different pairs of glove would not fit each other. As for uncle Nik,I have confidence in him. He would lead with LKS and Anwar { PR} to victory. I’m pretty sure that lots and lots of conservative and moderate muslim malays would rise up with PR to defeat the rasist and materialistic Umno in the 13th general election.

  37. #37 by dawsheng on Tuesday, 9 February 2010 - 10:35 pm

    Talk is easy!

    Is why we are here, kcb.

  38. #38 by kcb on Wednesday, 10 February 2010 - 8:22 am

    dawsheng,

    I am still waiting for you to enlighten all of us here re # 33 above.

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