Looking for reformasi on the road to oz
By Kean Wong | Medium
After two decades of reformasi, two generations of resistance to ‘Malaysia lama’ spent September addressing capacity crowds of Malaysians abroad about ‘Malaysia baharu’ and the horizon ahead.
As the two veteran campaigners for Malaysia’s democracy traversed the Australian continent across September, another leader Anwar Ibrahim formally started his campaign to reclaim parliamentary leadership, nominating for the Port Dickson by-election almost 20 years to the day his jailing sparked off reformasi, the democratic reform movement that led to Malaysia’s regime change on May 9th this year.
Amid this frenetic activity was the background rattle of ruling party PKR’s own tightly contested polls this month, threatening to split it apart in bitter recriminations as two proteges contest to become Anwar’s party deputy. All at a time when this year’s historic victory under the PKR flag has become a drama of a fragile coalition, rather than about how the biggest ruling party enables reformasi coming to pass.
As veteran reformasi activist and PKR vice-president Tian Chua blitzed three Australian cities in four days over the Hari Merdeka (independence day) weekend, he provoked a raft of thorny questions about a new Malaysia that were sometimes left unanswered. Read the rest of this entry »
The political circus has come to town!
For eight months from August to March next year, the famed Moscow Circus is performing in ten cities in Malaysia, thrilling Malaysians with “dazzling and raw-dropping performances packed full of artistry, hilarity and world-class athletic skills”.
However UMNO and Barisan Nasional might have upstaged the Moscow Circus in the past few days with many “dazzling and raw-dropping performances” in their political circus!
Just to cite a few such super-circus performances:
1. UMNO President Datuk Seri Zahid Hamidi in his inaugural UMNO Presidential speech called on members to remain patient and not to defect as they will soon be a hot commodity with the Pakatan Harapan which is expected to implode due to infighting. As a result, the Pakatan Harapan government can be dissolved at any time.
Read the rest of this entry »
Diaspora New Malaysia movement will be formed worldwide, with chapters in foreign countries, cities and even continents patterned after Bersih and Global Bersih for Malaysians to contribute and even participate in building a New Malaysia
Posted by Kit in Malaysia Diaspora on Monday, 1 October 2018, 10:23 am
I ended my 12-day visit to eight Australian and New Zealand cities – Perth, Canberra, Melbourne, Sydney, Christchurch, Dunedin, Wellington and Auckland – more encouraged by the reignited hopes, enthusiasm and euphoria of Malaysians in the Malaysian Diaspora Down Under in the building of a New Malaysia than in encouraging them to continue to hope and contribute in the building of a New Malaysia made possible by the historic event in the 14th General Election on May 9, 2018.
The sentiments of the Malaysian Diaspora in Perth, Canberra, Sydney, Melbourne, Christchurch, Dunedin, Wellington and Auckland can probably be summed as one of “hopes lost and found again”, and the following email which I received from a Malaysian who attended my talk in Sydney, is probably representative of what the Malaysian Diaspora thinks, feels and hopes, not only in Australia and New Zealand, but worldwide: Read the rest of this entry »
New civil movement, Diaspora New Malaysia New Zealand formed, which will be part of worldwide New Malaysia civil movement for Malaysians in country and worldwide Malaysian Diaspora to contribute and participate in building a New Malaysia
Posted by Kit in Malaysia Diaspora on Sunday, 30 September 2018, 1:12 pm
My twelve-day visit to four Australian cities – Perth, Canberra, Sydney and Melbourne – and four New Zealand cities – Christchurch, Dunedin, Wellington and Auckland – have been most successful in promoting the cause and role of Malaysian Diaspora in contributing to and participating in the building of a New Malaysia.
It is no exaggeration that never before in the development of the Malaysian Diaspora since the nineteen seventies have Malaysians outside the country have felt so proud as Malaysians as on May 9, 2018 – as proud as their countrymen and women in Malaysia – at the peaceful and democratic transition of power first time in six decades.
Read the rest of this entry »
Malaysians must not waste the “second chance” to reset nation-building policies to fulfil our national destiny to be a great nation
Posted by Kit in Malaysia Diaspora, nation building on Sunday, 30 September 2018, 8:29 am
Esther Wee, who had been in Auckland for fifteen years, flew back to Kuala Lumpur to vote for the 14th General Election to cast her vote for the Seputeh constituency, but when she went to her polling centre after lining up for nearly two hours, she was told by the Polling Agent that she could not vote, as her name in the polling roll had been deleted as her vote had already been posted to her to her Auckland address in New Zealand.
The postal ballot which the Election Commission sent to her in Auckland was only received on 11th May, two days after Polling Day on May 9, 2018. She has the Election Commission letter and the postal marks to prove such a shocking state of affairs in the second decade of the 21st century. Read the rest of this entry »
Will the UMNO General Assembly pass a resolution on Sunday to condemn and sack Najib from UMNO for the international 1MDB corruption and money-laundering scandal and the national disservice of transforming Malaysia into a global kleptocracy?
Will the UMNO General Assembly pass a resolution on Sunday to condemn and sack Datuk Seri Najib Razak from UMNO for the international 1MDB corruption and money-laundering scandal and the national disservice of transforming Malaysia into a global kleptocracy?
This is the question on the mind of every thinking patriotic Malaysian, whether in the country or in the worldwide Diaspora. Read the rest of this entry »
UMNO leaders who have assets worth over RM 100 million should declare themselves publicly giving the sources of their assets as a sign that UMNO is capable of reforming itself to fight corruption in Malaysia
Posted by Kit in Corruption, UMNO on Saturday, 29 September 2018, 5:22 am
In the past 22 years, New Zealand had topped the world 12 times, given the second ranking four times, and had never been ranked below the fourth place in the annual Transparency International (TI) Corruption Perception Index (CPI)nfor the world – covering 180 countries in the latest index.
In contrast, Malaysia’s ranking had deteriorated over the years, ranging from No. 23 out of 41 countries in 1995 to the 62nd out of 180 countries in the latest TI CPI 2017 ranking
In the past two decades, other countries like Indonesia and China have improved by leaps and bounds in their anti-corruption efforts. Read the rest of this entry »
Soi Lek is not fully right – in fact, all former UMNO and MCA leaders who had been Ministers, Deputy Ministers and MPs should act honourably and not contest in any party posts in future
Posted by Kit in nation building on Friday, 28 September 2018, 9:26 am
Former MCA President, Datuk Dr. Chua Soi Leok is not fully right in calling on all former MCA ministers and deputy ministers not to run for the presidency and other important central posts in the party’s upcoming election.
In fact, all former UMNO and MCA leaders who had been Ministers, Deputy Ministers and even MPs, whether Dewan Rakyat or Dewan Negara, should act honourably and not contest in any party posts in future.
Read the rest of this entry »
Do not expect any hitches to Pakatan Harapan plan for Mahathir and Anwar to be seventh and eighth Prime Minister of Malaysia respectively
Posted by Kit in Malaysia Diaspora, nation building on Thursday, 27 September 2018, 4:21 am
We are coming to the sixth month of the Pakatan Harapan Government entrusted with the task and mission of building a New Malaysia.
Speculation and talk have intensified that the differences, conflicts and contradictions intra-party and inter-party in Pakatan Harapan would lead to an implosion and crack-up of the Pakatan Harapan Government, with more and more attention devoted to the so-called differences between Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad and Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, whom the Pakatan Harapan had designated respectively as the seventh and eighth Prime Minister of Malaysia after the toppling of the Barisan Nasional in the 14th General Election on May 9, 2018.
In fact, the raison d’etre of UMNO and Barisan Nasional in post-14th General Election is to plot for the break-up and downfall of the Pakatan Harapan Government before the 15th General Election in 2023, preferably within two years of the 14th General Election – but before the implosion of Pakatan Harapan coalition of four political parties, UMNO has imploded first with five MPs, two of whom senior former UMNO Ministers resigning from UMNO, leaving UMNO with 49 MPs in Parliament. Read the rest of this entry »
Three rainbows welcome me to Dunedin – triple sign of great changes in Malaysia?
Posted by Kit in Malaysia Diaspora, nation building on Wednesday, 26 September 2018, 2:25 pm
I saw three rainbows when I entered Otago to visit its principal city Dunedin. What does it signify?
Rainbows are part of the myths of many cultures around the world. There is a myriad of beliefs concerning the rainbow. The complex diversity of rainbow myths are far-reaching, as are their inherent similarities.
One mythology about rainbows is particularly pertinent and even poignant in my present tour of Australian and New Zealand citizens to meet with the Malaysian Diaspora.
Read the rest of this entry »
In a New Malaysia, Malaysia must be a world top-class nation which is capable of transforming itself from a global kleptocracy into a leading nation of integrity in the top one-fifth bracket of 35 countries in Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index (CPI)
Posted by Kit in nation building on Wednesday, 26 September 2018, 4:31 am
Malaysians made history in the 14th General Election on May 9, 2018 and many were moved to tears as the overwhelming majority of Malaysians, whether inside the country or spread worldwide in the Malaysian Diaspora, had not expected to see such change within their lifetime.
Malaysia had been given a second chance to re-set the nation-building process as we had lost our way in the past six decades, not only losing out to other nations which had been behind us in different indices of nation-building, but getting trapped in a trajectory which can only end in Malaysia becoming a failed state, a rogue democracy, a kakistocracy and global kleptocracy! Read the rest of this entry »
Is the question “Who, between Najib and Jho Low, will be the first to betray the other” too hypothetical and far-fetched or is it within the realm of possibility?
Posted by Kit in Financial Scandals, Najib Razak on Tuesday, 25 September 2018, 1:06 pm
Yesterday, I posed the intriguing question, whether between former Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Sri Najib Razak and 1MDB “wonder crook” Jho Low, who will be the first to betray the other in the 1MDB “worst case of kleptocracy”!
Is this question too hypothetical and far-fetched or is it within the realm of possibility?
I tend to believe the latter, as I do not believe that there is honour between these two thieves.
Read the rest of this entry »
Najib Razak and Jho Low – Who will betray the other first?
Posted by Kit in Financial Scandals on Monday, 24 September 2018, 12:21 pm
Malaysia had never been more famous or infamous in the world for the past week since the publication of two books on the international 1MDB corruption and money-laundering scandal – all for the wrong reasons.
I squirmed with embarrassment when I found Tom Wright and Bradley Hope’s “The Billion Dollar Whale” prominently displayed in Australian bookshops, whether the airports or in the Australian cities I visited.
I wondered what would have been the reaction of the two 1MDB protagonists, former Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and the 1MDB “wonder boy”, Penang billionaire Jho Low. Read the rest of this entry »
Hallelujah! MCA wants to expel UMNO from BN!
Malaysians must be shouting “Hallelujah! MCA wants to expel UMNO from Barisan Nasional!”
This would be the reaction of Malaysians to the warning by the MCA President Datui Seri Liow Tiong Lai at the Selangor MCA Convention yesterday that MCA could kick UMNO out of BN if it coddles up with PAS leaders to form an UMNO-PAS unholy pact in post-14th General Election.
Except that Liow, suffering from the lowest credibility of any MCA President in MCA’s 69-year history, has further destroyed his tinsel-thin credibility as he had sanctioned a MCA-PAS unholy co-operation in the recent Balakong by-election to ensure that the MCA candidate could save his deposit!
Read the rest of this entry »
I will return to Malaysia to campaign for Anwar to ensure Pakatan Harapan wins a resounding victory in Port Dickson by-election on 13th Oct signaling popular support for a New Malaysia
Posted by Kit in nation building, Pakatan Harapan on Sunday, 23 September 2018, 7:31 am
I am encouraged and lifted up by the positive responses I have received in my visits to Perth, Canberra, Sydney and Melbourne, suggesting that Malaysians in the worldwide Diaspora participate fully in the great task today of building a New Malaysia.
The great and historic result of the 14th General Election on May 9, 2018 has given Malaysians a second chance to reset nation-building policies to reject the trajectory towards a failed state, rogue democracy, kakistocracy where Cabinet Ministers cannot differentiate between a turtle egg and on ordinary egg, and a global kleptocracy towards a trajectory towards a united, harmonious and successful plural nation which is model of democracy, leading nation of integrity and a top world-class nation in every field of human endeavour.
Read the rest of this entry »
IPCMC should inquire into the causes of the hundreds of cases of deaths in custody in the twelve years between 2006 and 2018, starting with the most recent cases
The announcement that the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC) would be set up is a victory for all Malaysians and NGOs which had consistently demanded that the Police must transform itself into a friend and ally of the people to keep crime low, by ensuring that the Police conduct itself with full accountability, particularly where there are suspicions that instead of being upholder of law and order, the police had broken the law.
In fact, the setting up of an IPCMC had been one of the most important recommendations of the Police Royal Commission which was set up in the early years of the Abdullah Badawi premiership.
Unfortunately, the Police Royal Commission’s IPCMC proposal in 2006 was not implemented because of strong objections from the Police leadership at the time, which acted in a very short-sighted manner in their objection and obstruction to the implementation of the IPCMC. Read the rest of this entry »
Call for establishment of Diaspora New Malaysia with separate chapters in countries abroad or major foreign cities patterned after Bersih and Global Bersih as platforms for Malaysians to contribute and participate in the building of New Malaysia
Posted by Kit in nation building on Saturday, 22 September 2018, 6:10 am
From the great turnout of Malaysians in the Diaspora in my talks in Perth, Canberra and tonight in Sydney, it is evident that regardless of time and place, Malaysians (including those who have taken up the citizenship of other countries) are concerned about the future of Malaysia and want to contribute to and participate in the building of a New Malaysia after the historic result of the 14th General Election on May 9,2018.
For this reason, I call for the establishment of a New Malaysia civil movement, in Malaysia as well as in Malaysian Diaspora worldwide, which can be called Diaspora New Malaysia with separate chapters in countries abroad or major foreign cities patterned after Bersih and Global Bersih as platforms for Malaysians to contribute to and participate in the building of New Malaysia. Read the rest of this entry »
Sense of satisfaction that what I had advocated in Parliament in the 1970s – lowering the voting age to 18 – has been green-lighted by the Cabinet
I feel a sense of satisfaction that what I had advocated in Parliament in the 1970s – the lowering of the voting age to 18 – has been green-lighted by the Cabinet.
After the Cabinet meeting two days ago, the Youth and Sports Minister Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul announced that the cabinet has agreed to lower the voting age from 21 to 18
This however would require an amendment to the Federal Constitution to be approved by a two-thirds majority in the Dewan Rakyat for the decision to take effect. Read the rest of this entry »
Preliminary studies by Dr. Funston show that Malay support for UMNO was only about 5% higher than support for PH, and not 15% as earlier been estimated by Merdeka Centre
Posted by Kit in nation building on Friday, 21 September 2018, 6:19 am
The Attorney-General Tommy Thomas in his first major interview in Malaysiakini today said that it may take as long as a decade to complete the mammoth task of wide-ranging law reforms in the country.
I think Thomas was being conservative in his estimate, as it may take a decade or two to complete the great task to build a New Malaysia.
After the great and historic result of the 14th General Election on May 9, 2018, when Malaysians returned to the great and noble task to build a world-class nation – not in the worst possible sense of being a global kleptocracy but, in the words of Bapa Malaysia Tunku Abdul Rahman in the early years of nationhood, to be “ a beacon of light in a disturbed and distracted world”, a New Malaysia is struggling to be born! Read the rest of this entry »
Fuzi Harun should step down as IGP if he cannot comply with Interpol protocol to put Jho Low on the Interpol Red Notice List
Posted by Kit in Financial Scandals, Police on Thursday, 20 September 2018, 7:39 am
Although I am far from the country as I am in the Australian capital of Canberra, I am utterly shocked to read of the excuse given by the Inspector-General of Police, Tan Sri Mohamad Fuzi Harun about the police problem complying with Interpol protocol to put the 1MDB mastermind and the No. 1 Malaysian international fugitive from justice, Jho Low, to put him on Interpol Red Notice List.
Fuzi said Interpol has its own protocol in deciding whether to make the names on its wanted list public, when responding to a news report that the names of several Malaysians – including former police officer Sirul Azhar Umar, white collar criminal Michael Soosai and car theft syndicate mastermind Robin Hai – are still on the list, but not that of Jho Low and his father. Read the rest of this entry »
