Archive for category Malaysian Dream

Once we were glorious in sports, in life, now…

COMMENTARY BY THE MALAYSIAN INSIDER
4 October 2014

The capitulation of the national sepak takraw team at the Asian Games in South Korea this week pretty much sums up sports and increasingly life in Malaysia.

Once, the sport brought us glory in regional competitions. But we have yet to win a gold medal in the home-grown game since it became a medal sport in the 1994 Asian Games.

And this week, we lost in the semi-finals to Thailand. Read the rest of this entry »

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We are the weeds with fire

By Sharon Chin
Malaysiakini
Sep 30, 2014

COMMENT I’ve wondered what it was like to be grown-up during Operasi Lalang. I was seven that year – truly a child of former premier Mahathir Mohamad, who came to power in 1981, and ordered the government crackdown on political dissidents and activists in 1987. Over a hundred people were arrested under the Internal Security Act, and many of them got sent to jail.

People who lived through that time are calling this recent spate of arrests and convictions under the Sedition Act ‘Ops Lalang 2′. DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang blogged about a “…climate of fear in the country, as if we are in the midst of a ‘white terror’…” Former Bersih co-chairperson Ambiga Sreenevasan declared to rousing applause at a forum: “…We are no ‘lalang’ (weed). We’re going to stand up today.”

Perhaps the confusion and fear in 1987 was the same as ours is now. Maybe parents chided in lowered voices about being careful what you write or say, at least until “this blows over. You never know”.

The same but not the same. Read the rest of this entry »

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The many colours of Malaysia

by Dyana Sofya
The Malay Mail Online
September 22, 2014

Dyana Sofya suffers from dysania and is using her superpowers to pen down her thoughts late into the night. Political Secretary to Lim Kit Siang by day and she tweets from @dyanasmd.

SEPTEMBER 22 ― One tip for anyone intending to make the trip to the Sabah interior: have a bottle of minyak cap kapak handy!

Last week, I visited a few kampungs in Tenom and Keningau, two towns in the interior of Sabah about two hours’ drive from Kota Kinabalu. The journey required traversing the Crocker Range via the notorious Kimanis-Keningau highway.

This highway is reputed to be the steepest and most dangerous in Malaysia, with a gradient ranging from 10 to 25 degrees. And as if that isn’t challenging enough, add low visibility from severe fog conditions.

Hence, you can see why minyak angin became a necessity! Read the rest of this entry »

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51st Malaysia Day – reaffirmation of a Malaysian Dream as an unifying vision for all Malaysians for a harmonious, democratic, competitive and prosperous Malaysia

51st Malaysia Day Message

Tomorrow September 16, 2014, the 51st Malaysia Day, should be an occasion for reaffirmation of a Malaysian Dream as an unifying vision for all Malaysians, regardless of race, religion or region, for a harmonious, democratic, competitive and prosperous Malaysia.

There are gathering dark clouds on the national horizon, for instance:

• The blitz of sedition prosecutions of Pakatan Rakyat MPs and State Assemblymen as well as social activists, including members of the academia, the press and the legal profession, to create a new climate of fear which signal the end of a decade of very tentative and unsteady democratic flowerings after the end of the 22-year authoritarian Mahathir premiership. Read the rest of this entry »

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Bringing Malaysia back to the ‘middle’

― Ahmad Iskandar
The Malay Mail Online
September 10, 2014

SEPT 10 ― At the formation of Malaysia, its leaders charted a course for a nation where a multiracial society would live within a democratic framework that embodied the spirit of harmony and understanding. On 16 September 2014, Malaysia will be 51 years old. From recent developments, it seems that Malaysia is veering away from the ideals envisioned when it was first formed.

In recent years and months,Malaysians have been relentlessly bombarded with hateful statements from the likes of Perkasa, Isma and other Malay ethnocentric groups. They have questioned the loyalty of their fellow Malaysians and suggested that the majority of non-Malays are a threat to Malays and national unity. Hiding behind the mask of race and religion, they claim to represent the voice of the majority of Malaysians particularly Malays.

Much more worrying are government ministers who pander to these groups. In efforts to gain political mileage and consolidate their waning support, they have made irresponsible statements and sowed seeds of discord among the communities, and behaving in ways unbecoming of those appointed to public office.

Blatant racism such as this has upset Malaysians at home and abroad. Many took to social media to express their disappointment at the current state of affairs. While some have blamed the media for sensationalising racial and religious issues; a portion of the responsibility should also fall on the shoulders of Malaysians for failing to take a united stand and voicing the strongest possible condemnation to these acts of blatant racism. Read the rest of this entry »

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The Batu Sumpah Movement

Batu Sumpah Movement

(via tweet)

At the launching of Batu Sumpah movement Keningau this morning, I quoted: “The struggle of man against power is the struggle of memory against forgetting”.

At this morning’s annual routine ceremony for Batu Sumpah, Keningau District Office locked up its compound to prevent public access to Batu Sumpah.

At first Keningau DO gave approval for the routine ceremony. Very flattered that permission was withdrawn/compound locked when they learned that I would be here.

But there’s more than a silver lining for every cloud. The ridiculous lock-up of Keningau Batu Sumpah has inspired a Batu Sumpah movement.

Orang Asal NGOs 1st responese was to produce a replica of Batu Sumpah with the inscriptions of 3 oaths for the ritual ceremony to be performed – outsmart the lockout.

This has led to the idea to place a replica of Keningau Batu Sumpah in every Kampung in Sabah – fantastic step to spread the Batu Sumpah awareness in Sabah.

If there is a Batu Sumpah in every kampung – hundreds, thousands? – come about, must thank person who locked up the Keningau DO compound to block access to the Batu Sumpah.

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Malaysia Reborn

Allan CF Goh

Malaysia Reborn is full of charms,
With white beaches and tall swaying palms.
The redolent air is fresh and cool,
Blowing with gentle, caressing balm.
Native animals are free to roam;
Forests grow in protected freedom.
Myriad flowers bloom in ecstasy,
Their habitats are saved by wisdom.

This country is a peaceful nation,
Where people live in real maturity.
Each respects the other’s differences,
Celebrating our diversity.
Malaysians embrace creative life;
Citizens live with true harmony.
They pursue fruitful activities,
Undisturbed by vile cacophony. Read the rest of this entry »

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What is Impian Malaysia?

Wan Hamidi Hamid
The Malaysian Insider
26 July 2014

Once upon a time, a political party was formed. Its name was Democratic Action Party or DAP, and it wanted to promote the idea of a Malaysian Malaysia.

It was meant to be an idea for a united nation, a country for all Malaysians, regardless of race and religion. Hence, Malaysia would never be a monopoly of any particular race, religion or ideology, as enshrined in the original Federal Constitution.

The idea was born almost a half century ago. It may sound obsolete to some, it may even sound obscene to some racist-minded people.

However, despite its noble intention, the Alliance and its successor Barisan Nasional under the control of Umno through their controlled media had portrayed the ideal as something evil, especially for the Malays. Read the rest of this entry »

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Mengapa Orang Cina pula dimusuhi?

Abu Hassan Adam
Friday, June 6, 2014

Aku tidak faham dan ‘bingung’. Seolah-olah telah wujud satu teori yang mengatakan bahawa orang Melayu mesti memiliki perasaan perkauman dan memusuhi golongan bukan Melayu di Malaysia supaya orang Melayu boleh maju. Seolah-olah semacam begitu pemahaman sebilangan kecil penduduk Malaysia yang menggelarkan diri mereka sebagai penganut Islam sejati sedangkan Rasullullah tidak pula pernah mengajar pengikutnya supaya membenci antara satu sama lain.

Seolah-olah golongan ini sentiasa mencari kesalahan orang lain untuk meyakinkan tohmahan mereka bahawa sememangnya orang Cina yang menyebabkan orang Melayu mundur. Seolah-olah golongan bukan Melayu (Cina khususnya) yang mesti dipersalahkan yang menyebabkan orang Melayu masih mundur, masih berpendapatan rendah, masih mengharapkan bantuan dan subsidi dari kerajaan, masih mengharapkan belas dan ikhsan dari orang lain sebagai bayaran menjadi ‘tentera upahan’.

Aku agak sedih mengenangkan keadaan orang Melayu yang sebegini, walaupun sudah ramai orang Melayu yang tidak berperangai sedemikian lagi. Maknanya aku sedih melihat ‘saudara-mara’ aku yang masih bersikap demikian. Aku sedih melihat bahawa masih ramai orang Melayu di negara ini yang tidak mengikut ‘rentak’ dan ‘tari’ bangsa-bangsa lain yang jauh lebih maju dari bangsa Melayu.

Tidak dapat dinafikan bahawa orang Cina jauh lebih maju dari orang Melayu ditinjau dari sudut mana sekalipun. Namun apakah terpaksa kita memusuhi mereka disebabkan mereka berjaya di negara Malaysia ini. Apakah golongan bukan Melayu yang mahu dipersalahkan yang menyebabkan orang Melayu tidak sehebat kaum lain di negara ini? Read the rest of this entry »

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The Way Forward

— Joshua Wu
The Malay Mail Online
June 2, 2014

JUNE 2 — I could not agree more with the newly-elected Member of Parliament for Teluk Intan, Mah Siew Keong when he said that the future of Malaysian politics is in multi-racial parties instead of single race entities.

However, he seems to be preaching to the choir. What he should be doing is addressing this to his partners in Barisan Nasional (BN). After all, UMNO, MCA and MIC are race based political parties.

After 56 years (approaching 57 years of independence), one has to wonder if race based political parties can still propel the country forward or have been contributing to the significant division between the many races in Malaysia.

Political parties like DAP, PKR, and Gerakan are multi-racial parties which best represent the new generation of Malaysians who see themselves as Malaysians before identifying as Malays, Chinese, Indians, or others.

In the past, Dato Seri Onn bin Ja’afar called for Umno party membership to be opened to non-malays and for the party to be renamed the United Malayans National Organisation.

However, the idea was shot down by many. He then left Umno to form the Independence of Malaya Party, and subsequently, Parti Negara. Read the rest of this entry »

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Teluk Intan: A Battle Lost but a War to be Won

by Tony Pua
The Malaysian Insider
2nd June 2014

I spent 17 consecutive days camped in Teluk Intan as the Campaign Director for the recently concluded by-elections where DAP’s candidate, Dyana Sofya lost by a fractional 238 votes.

Understandably, the analysis and criticisms has been published hard and fast, and more will come over the next few days. Many were surprised we lost. Some argued that we have been complacent and arrogant. Of course, some believed that we made strategic mistakes.

There is no question that the campaign execution has plenty of room for improvement, and the team will certainly be carrying out our postmortem over the next few days to ensure that future campaigns can be even better.

However, we certainly never expected an easy campaign. The very fact that it took the party leadership “forever” to decide on the candidate was precisely because we knew that the risk of losing the seat was extremely high.

Regardless of the candidate, the Teluk Intan by-election was never going to be a walk in the park like Bukit Gelugor, where Barisan Nasional did not even have the courage to put up a fight.

Even before the candidate decision, the Party was well briefed by our grassroots that the word on the street was that many in the Chinese community will give their vote to Gerakan President, Mah Siew Keong. The argument was compelling. Read the rest of this entry »

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Call on Kajang voters to do the impossible in the by-election by making the Barisan Nasional candidate lose deposit

[Speech (Part 2) at the 5th Pakatan Rakyat Convention at Setia City Convention Centre, Shah Alam on Saturday, 8th March 2014 at 4.30 pm]

The Kajang voters should do the impossible in the by-election on March 23 by making the Barisan Nasional candidate lose deposit.

It is not enough for the Pakatan Rakyat/PKR candidate just to win, or even to win with a bigger majority than last year during the 13th general election.

Pakatan Rakyat should set out to ensure the achievement of the impossible in the Kajang by-election by getting the Barisan Nasional candidate to lose the deposit.

This is a very “tall order” but the occasion warrants going for such an extraordinary result.

This will a clear and unmistakable verdict that the people disapproves of any return to authoritarian rule or reversion to blatant and flagrant subversion of the independence, impartiality and integrity of the judiciary and other important national institutions to serve the political interests of the powers-that-be, as is clearly evident in the five-year jail conviction of Anwar Ibrahim yesterday. Read the rest of this entry »

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Cabinet Ministers and senior government leaders need a re-education in Rukunegara as they seemed to have forgotten its principles and objectives

At the Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak should direct all Cabinet Ministers and senior government leaders to undergo a re-education in the Rukunegara as they seemed to have forgotten the Rukunegara principles and objectives 43 years after their promulgation.

Although the five Rukunegara principles have been taught in the schools in the past four decades, many Malaysians, including the Cabinet Ministers and senior government leaders will not be able repeat them offhand.

The Rukunegar principles are:

BELIEF IN GOD
LOYALTY TO KING AND COUNTRY
UPHOLDING THE CONSTITUTION
The RULE OF LAW
GOOD BEHAVIOUR AND MORALITY

Read the rest of this entry »

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DAP calls for a nation-wide “Love Malaysia, Save Malaysia” campaign to rescue the country from the nefarious and treacherous designs of a small group of anti-Malaysian elements out to foment racial and religious strife through incessant incitement of racial and religious hatred, conflict and tensions

The pattern is emerging from the events from the past few months that there is a small group of anti-Malaysia elements whose nefarious and treacherous designs are to foment racial and religious strife through incessant incitement of racial and religious hatred, conflict and tensions.

I categorise in this group of anti-Malaysia elements with nefarious and treacherous designs those responsible for the recent Molotov cocktail attack on a church in Penang, the hanging of provocative banner “Allah is Great. Jesus in the son of Allah” outside five churches in Penang without the knowledge of the church authorities and the vandalism of eight gravestones in a Christian cemetery near Kuantan.

Recently, DAP National Vice Chairperson and MP for Seputeh Teresa Kok’s “Onederful Malaysia CNY 2014” was the subject of a national frenzy that it was anti-Malay, anti-Islam and anti-Rulers, causing a group of self-styled “Islamic NGOs” to hold a “chicken-slaughtering and blood-smearing” demonstration, including offering RM1,200 to anyone who slaps Teresa Kok – although nobody could substantiate the allegation that the video was anti-Malay, anti-Islam and anti-Rulers in the past three weeks. Read the rest of this entry »

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Johor Pakatan Rakyat should embark on a three-point strategy under its “Johor Leads” motto to fulfil the Johor Dream to make Johor the front-line state in Peninsular Malaysia in the 14GE in the march to Nusajaya and Putrajaya

The Pakatan Rakyat national leadership endorses the “Johor Leads” motto of Johore Pakatan Rakyat announced by the Johor PR leadership on Friday.

In fact, the PR Leadership Council at its meeting at PAS Hqrs in Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday 22nd January 2014 decided to give full support to the Johor PR objective to fulfil the Johor Dream to make Johor the front-line state of PR in Peninsular Malaysia in the 14th General Elections in the march of PR towards Nusajaya and Putrajaya.

In line with Johor as one of the key front-line states in the 14GE, national PR leaders from PAS, PKR and DAP will be making frequent visits to Johor after the Chinese New Year.

Parliamentary Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, PAS President Datuk Seri Hadi Awang and PAS Deputy President, Mohamad Sabu will in fact be visiting Johor during the Chinese New Year period, culminating in an important joint national-state PR leadership and strategy conference in Johor on Feb. 24. Read the rest of this entry »

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In Nazir’s paean to dad, a call to action for all Malaysians

NEWS ANALYSIS BY THE MALAYSIAN INSIDER
January 14, 2014

It happens all the time. Whenever someone writes or talks about the golden generation of Malaysian leaders, it is a bittersweet experience for citizens of this blessed country.

There is pride that individuals such as Tunku Abdul Rahman, Tun Tan Siew Sin, Tun Abdul Razak Hussein, Tun Dr Ismail Abdul Rahman once charted the fortunes of Malaysia.

And there is deep longing for such men of integrity, principle and fairness.

Yet, there is also numbing sadness that such men no longer exists in government, replaced long time ago by inept individuals with a ravenous appetite for self.

Make no mistake, Razak and friends were flawed men, at times drive by political interests of their parties. But they loved this land above everything else. Above enriching their family members. Above nurturing crony capitalism. Read the rest of this entry »

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Challenge of BN/PR National Reconciliation Summit is for Barisan and Pakatan leaders to play the role of Peacemakers and Bridge-Builders to rebuild national unity sorely tested by upsurge of irrational racial hatred and religious intolerance

I have been pressing for the convening of a National Reconciliation Summit of Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat leaders to rebuild national unity because the greatest challenge for all Malaysians today is peace-making and bridge-building as the nation-building process 50 years after the formation of Malaysia and 56 years after Merdeka have been sorely tested and tried by an upsurge of irrational racial hatred and religious intolerance in recent times.

Can Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat leaders rise up the challenge of the times and play the role as Peace-Makers and Bridge-Builders?
I believe so because I am confident that in the leadership of Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat there are sufficient men and women who are Malaysian patriots and nationalists first and last, and who are prepared to put national interests above partisan or personal selves as we share a common Malaysian Dream – the creation of a successful plural society where all her citizens are united as one people, rising above their ethnic, religious, cultural and linguistic differences as the common ground binding them as one citizenship exceed the differences that divide them.

This is also the time for all Malaysians patriots and nationalists to step forward to play the role as Peace-Maker and Bridge-Builder to span the ethnic, religious, linguistic and cultural divides in the country and to give life and meaning to the special characteristic of Malaysian plural nationhood – Unity in Diversity.

This was why my interest was piqued yesterday when I saw the following headlines of online news portals about the latest blog of former Prime Minister, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad: Read the rest of this entry »

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Perutusan Tahun Baru 2014

Kita akan mengucapkan selamat tinggal kepada 2013 dengan dada yang lapang; dengan kesedaran bahawa pada setiap penghujung tahun adalah permulaan bagi hari-hari baru yang bakal menjelang. Kita harus sentiasa optimis bahawa segala yang terjadi sepanjang tahun lalu adalah batu-batu asas yang akan merintis jalan ke arah perubahan.

Perubahan itu sifatnya abadi. Setiap waktu, setiap hari; perubahan tidak berhenti. Tidak ada siapa yang mampu menahan perubahan daripada berlaku ketika ia datang tepat pada waktu.

2008 yang lalu Malaysia telah melihat tsunami politik yang begitu besar, dengan beberapa buah negeri berjaya ditadbir oleh koalisi politik parti-parti oposisi yang kini dikenali umum sebagai Pakatan Rakyat.

Lima tahun kemudian pada 2013, ombak perubahan politik yang lebih kuat terus membadai lantas berkesudahan dengan pertambahan kerusi Pakatan Rakyat di Parlimen, selain menafikan majoriti undi popular parti pemerintah.

Pasca 505, negara menyaksikan harapan dan impian baru yang selama ini jarang-jarang diyakini boleh tercapai. Meski pun harapan rakyat untuk melihat perubahan rejim tidak kesampaian, kita masih boleh merasakan kehendak rakyat yang semakin berkobar-kobar mahukan sebuah perubahan, dan tanggungjawab membawa perubahan ini haruslah digalas bersama. Read the rest of this entry »

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Completion of Impian Sabah’s inaugural project in Kampung Samparita Laut, Kota Marudu

Tuan-tuan puan-puan sekalian, hari ini merupakan satu hari bersejarah untuk Kg Samparita Laut ‎dan juga bagi parti DAP.

Hari ini cukup bermakna sebab akhirnya selepas 50 tahun pertubuhan Malaysia, penduduk-penduduk Kg Samparita Laut dapat menikmati air paip dalam rumah sendiri. Lima puluh tahun Sabah masuk Malaysia, Kg Samparita Laut diabaikan, dipinggirkan. ‎ Tetapi walaupun penduduk-penduduk kampung bukan dapat air paip yang dirawat, sekurang-kurangnya, ‎Tuan-tuan puan-puan tak perlu bergantung kepada air hujan dan air sungai yang keruh lagi.

Hari ini amat bersejarah untuk parti DAP kerana Kg Samparita Laut merupakan projek Impian Sabah yang pertama. Impian Sabah dilancarkan oleh DAP untuk membantu menaiktarafkan kehidupan rakyat di kawasan pendalaman Sabah yang masih hidup tanpa infrastruktur dan keperluan asas seperti elektrik, air dan lain-lain. Read the rest of this entry »

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Masanya sudah tiba untuk kita berusaha bersama demi merealisasikan Impian Malaysia, dan menyelamatkan rakyat daripada ‘Mimpi Ngeri Malaysia’ yang panjang ini

Masanya sudah tiba untuk kita berusaha bersama demi merealisasikan Impian Malaysia, dan menyelamatkan rakyat daripada ‘Mimpi Ngeri Malaysia’ yang panjang ini

Saya bangun untuk mengambil bahagian dalam perbahasan peringkat Jawatankuasa Bajet 2014 mengenai Jabatan Perdana Menteri dan Jabatan-jabatan yang lain termasuk Majlis Keselamatan Negera (MKN), Jabatan Perpaduan Negara dan Integrasi Nasional (JPNIN), Biro Tatanegara, Suruhanjaya Pencegahan Rasuah Malaysia (SPRM), Jabatan Peguam Negara, Pejabat-pejabat Setiausaha Persekutuan, Sabah dan Sarawak.

Pertama sekali, saya ingin merakamkan ucapan takziah kepada keluarga Allahyarham Mohd Raffli Abdul Malik yang mati ditembak di Kuantan, Pahang; keluarga Allahyarham Norazita Abu Talib, yang menjadi mangsa rompakan Ambank tempoh hari; serta Allahyarham Hussain Ahmad Najadi, yang turut menjadi mangsa tembakan beberapa lama dahulu.

Kesemua mangsa jenayah ini adalah korban-korban tidak berdosa akibat daripada kelalaian dan kerakusan pihak yang berkenaaan mengejar kuasa dan jawatan, sehingga mengabaikan persoalan integriti, tanggungjawab kepada negara dan impian besar rakyat Malaysia.

Saya juga ingin merakamkan ucapan takziah kepada keluarga mangsa warga Taiwan dalam tragedi pembunuhan dan penculikan di Pulau Pum-Pum beberapa hari sudah. Ternyata Eastern Sabah Security Command (Esscom) tidaklah efektif dalam menjaga keselamatan negara sungguhpun ia ditubuhkan sebagai tindakbalas terhadap peristiwa pencerobohan di Lahad Datu. Walaupun Ketua Polis Negara dan Menteri Dalam Negeri menyifatkan ini sebagai kejadian terpencil, nyawa yang hilang pasti tidak dapat diganti. Keyakinan rakyat terhadap kesungguhan pihak berkuasa dalam melaksanakan tugas menjaga keselamatan negara dan rakyat jelata sekali lagi berkecai.
Read the rest of this entry »

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