Some unfinished business: Untangling the peoples of Malaysia
Posted by Kit in nation building, Tunku Abdul Aziz on Thursday, 20 August 2009, 5:30 am
When Merdeka was granted half a century ago, we inherited a number of items of unfinished business, the most critical of which was the urgent necessity to create a united Malayan nation and, soon afterwards, a Malaysian nation.
The late Tom Harrison, the famous curator of the Sarawak Museum, described Malaysia as “a tangle of peoples” in an article published in the Malaysian Outlook, a small journal I edited in Australia in 1963, in a fit of patriotism. “Konfrontasi” was in full swing then, and, given the dangerously unpredictable and volatile behaviour of Bung Karno of Indonesia, our future as a nation was by no means assured.
Harrison was not thinking so much about the Malays, Chinese and Indians of the Malay peninsula, but rather the often forgotten peoples making up the many different tribal and ethnic groups with their many different customs, religious beliefs and languages inhabiting Sabah and Sarawak. Almost overnight, they found themselves the citizens of a new and, to them, somewhat vague political creation called Malaysia. The Kadazan Dusuns, Bajaus, Punans, Penans, Kayans, Muruts and various others, I fear, still remain very much outside our consciousness, even after more than four decades of Malaysia. Need I say more about this serious lapse of memory? What national unity are we talking about without them?
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How and why has Malaysia swiftly joined the world’s top eight countries with the highest death toll from A (H1N1) flu pandemic in less than a month?
It is a great relief that there has been no single case of fatality from A (H1N1) flu pandemic in the past 24 hours after a meteoric rise in the past week, totaling cumulative death toll of 67 as of yesterday in a matter four weeks since the first case of fatality.
The question remains however how Malaysia has swiftly joined the world’s top eight countries with the highest death toll from A (H1N1) flu pandemic in less than a month, chalking up a cumulative death toll of 67 after United States (482 fatalities), Argentina (404), Brazil (379), Mexico (163), Australia (118), Chile (112), Thailand (97) and tying with Canada (67) for eighth place?
In a matter of four days, the cumulative death toll in Malaysia had increased by eight fatalities, moving it up from world’s ninth placing with 59 deaths to eighth placing with 67 fatalities, while in other countries the mortality rates have stopped or slowed considerably, like Chile which had registered 105 deaths last weekend, with Thailand remaining static at 97 while Canada had increased by one fatality during this period.
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Common sense in Politics?
Posted by Kit in Hussein Hamid, nation building on Wednesday, 19 August 2009, 9:56 am
Time and time again we have been told that the last 50 years have seen unprecedented growth and development for Malaysia – more development and material progress then at any time of our history. Our technical and scientific skill has increased to allow our country to be a developed country in the global context. Yes – unprecedented growth as compared to what? Compared to the last 500 years of our history? If it has been so why not work towards the development and growth of our country for the next 50 years? Why does the Government of Barisan Nasional instead concern itself with the control of our society in which we live in and in ways and means of ensuring itself a lengthy stay in Government?
Is it not now than at any other moment of our history that we should concern ourselves with morality and ethics? That statesmanship and government must be for the well being of our people?
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Najib should convene an all-party conference involving all MPs and State Assembly members to launch a national emergency campaign in view of worsening A (H1N1) pandemic
Posted by Kit in Health, Najib Razak on Tuesday, 18 August 2009, 6:05 pm
Death toll from the A (H1N1) continues to mount unchecked and relentlessly, adding three more fatalities to a grand total of 67, the latest victims being a 71-year-old man, a 10-year-old girl and a 33-year old woman.
There has been considerable confusion emanating from the Health Ministry, for instance, whether a national health emergency due to the killer pandemic has been declared, as reported by some media, and what it implies.
Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said a health curfew would only be considered if the mortality rate goes above 0.4 per cent. He said the country’s mortality rate for A(H1N1) flu is currently between 0.1 per cent and 0.4 per cent.
It is clear that the Health Minister has no real notion of what is the current mortality rate for A(H1N1) as the statement that the current mortality rate between 0.1 per cent and 0.4 per cent is quite meaningless. Read the rest of this entry »
Ahmad Said’s claim “No one accorded special treatment by MACC” – Tell it to the Marines!
Posted by Kit in Corruption on Tuesday, 18 August 2009, 4:32 pm
Bernama today headlined “No one accorded special treatment by MACC” on its report quoting the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Chief Commissioner, Datuk Seri Ahmad Said Hamdan as saying that everybody who is investigated by the MACC for corruption is treated the same regardless of whether the individual is an ordinary person or a politician.
Ahmad Said said politicians, whether they were from the opposition parties or the government, were also treated the same.
He said: “Everybody is the same and no one is accorded special treatment.”
My response and the response of overwhelming majority of Malaysians to Ahmad Said’s statement is – Tell it to the Marines!
Ahmad Said’s claim that “no one is accorded special treatment in MACC” qualifies for the champion trophy for the year for any “Believe it or not?” competition for the category of a statement made by a public officer with the least public credibility!
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Muhyiddin – stop playing Jekyll and Hyde with Najib’s 1Malaysia
Posted by Kit in Muhyiddin Yassin, nation building, UMNO on Tuesday, 18 August 2009, 1:51 pm
As Deputy Prime Minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin should stop playing “Jekyll and Hyde” on Malaysian nation-building and in particular with Prime Minister’s Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s 1Malaysia concept.
Yesterday, Muhyiddin played Dr. Jekyll by talking like a Malaysian statesman, telling the National Level and International Invitation of Student Leaders’ Unity and Integration Gathering at Persada Johore by reminding Malaysians that the country’s biggest challenge would always be in maintaining unity and racial harmony among its people from various ethnic backgrounds.
He added: “It is the same foundation on which the 1Malaysia concept was based on which Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak implemented it to establish Malaysia as a united country, where its people readily accepted and respected one another and shared success and prosperity.”
But the for the past week, Muhyiddin was playing Mr. Hyde, launching a vitriolic attack on Pakatan Rakyat by remorselessly and relentlessly spearheading an Umno campaign to crank up communal sentiments starting with his repeated charge that Parliamentary Opposition Leader and PKR chief, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is “a traitor to the Malay race” (with Umno divisions mobilizing all over the country to support Muhyiddin in calling Anwar a Malay “traitor”), as well as other baseless and mischievous allegations that PAS has betrayed Islam by working with DAP and that DAP had insulted Islam by working with PAS! Read the rest of this entry »
Why Rohaizat should honourably withdraw as a candidate in the Permatang Pasir by-election
Posted by Kit in Corruption, Crime, Election, UMNO on Tuesday, 18 August 2009, 12:14 pm
The first question that must be asked right from the beginning of the Permatang Pasir by-election is whether the voters can trust a candidate who could even mislead his own political party about his disbarment by the Bar Council from practicing as a lawyer?
Various explanations have been given by Umno and Barisan Nasional leaders about the Umno/BN candidate Rohaizat Othman being struck off the rolls by the Bar Council and the revocation of his practicing licence as a lawyer.
Umno vice president and Penang Umno liaison chief Datuk Seri Dr. Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, said Rohaizat’s licence was revoked in 2003 following problems incurred by the former partner in the legal firm.
Zahid said:
“The Bar Council’s decision must be respected by the lawyers registered under it. Legally, Rohaizat is probably innocent, but morally, it can be questioned by his opponents.” (The Sun 17.8.09)
The New Straits Times of the same day also reported Zahid’s defence of Rohaizat as follows:
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Would Ong Tee Keat’s Deeds Reveal The Collective Behavior of The Barisan Government
Posted by Kit in Corruption, Letters on Tuesday, 18 August 2009, 9:31 am
By Bosco Anthony
It is pointless for the Malaysian Chinese Association members to openly display their full support for their embattled leader Ong Tee Keat. It is further a fealty display by the Star Publication to make such news hit the front page of its publication on 17.08.2009.
Why is it so? It is clearly apparent with the announcement made by Mohd Shukri Abdull of the MACC that all political investigations will be suspended, with immediate effect, that is as of 15.08.2009.
The civil society is capable of reading in between the lines, of what that statement means. Do not doubt or insult our intelligence.
On 16.07.2009 a life was stamped out over an investigation of a paltry sum of some 2000 or so Ringgit. Now we have before us unexplained expenditure which runs into the hundreds of millions as stated by Azmi Khalid the Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee.
So as Reinhold Niebuhr stated: “ EVIL IS NOT TO BE TRACKED BACK TO THE INDIVIDUAL BUT TO THE COLLECTIVE BEHAVIOR OF HUMANITY”.
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Pneumococcal vaccination limits H1N1 death
Dear all,
Not all who gets H1N1 gets pneumonia BUT all who died of H1N1 gets pneumonia.
So, we should focus on how we can prevent pneumonia if we get H1N1…..
not how to prevent H1N1.
For those high risk group, getting pneumococcal vaccination is one of the defense mechanism we could use against dying from H1N1. You might still get H1N1 but at least you have a 30% lower risk of dying from H1N1.
Studies have shown here that 30% of H1N1 pneumonia related deaths are due to Streptococcus pneumoniae. Getting yourself vaccinated means you have eliminated 30% of the possible risk of dying from H1N1 pneumonia.
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Muhyiddin will wait …. for now
Posted by Kit in Hussein Hamid, Muhyiddin Yassin on Tuesday, 18 August 2009, 9:21 am
UMNO is a Party disunited by defeat. Uneasy sits the crown on Najib’s head because he knows that Muhyiddin is not only a possible leadership alternative but Muhyiddin is the Man Who would be King. How long will Muhyiddin wait? Unlike previous Deputy Prime Ministers who were appointed by the Prime Minsters and thus owe an allegiance of sorts to the man who put him there – we know that Najib did not choose Muhyiddin as his Deputy. Muhyiddin appointed himself to the number two position. And wisely he sees leading UMNO and Barisan in the present political climate as too big a challenge for him to take on. And so he waits.
There has been a realignment of loyalties and factionalism within UMNO as the rank and file ‘allow’ themself to be converted to either the Najib or Muyiddin camps. The fact that there are two strong leadership contenders within UMNO should be indicative of a healthy check and balances situation much sought in the pursuit of good governance in any organization – but not so UMNO. The Politics of greed and nepotism requires patronage and loyalty to be bought not earned. The catch phrase for any UMNO gatherings of any number of more then one is “ADA PROJEK?” Read the rest of this entry »
Greatest national service Musa Hassan can perform is to withdraw his name from consideration for renewal of contract as IGP
Home Minister, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein is right and to be commended for publicly acknowledging that DAPSY Chief and MP for Rasah Anthony Loke was the victim of a baseless attack that he had insulted Islam and the royalty as he had made a police report that he had nothing to do with the blog that was implicated.
He is however wrong when he implied that whether Tan Sri Musa Hussein’s contract as Inspector-General of Police is renewed, which has yet to be decided, was not as important as ensuring that the public accepted the police force – that this is not just dependent on the position of one man.
This is because whether public confidence in the efficiency, incorruptibility, professionalism of the Malaysian police to be of a world-class standard capable of performing its three core functions to keep crime low, eradicate corruption and protect human rights will hinge on whether there is going to be a new Inspector-General Police to start the police on a new page together with a new Home Minister.
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Will MACC investigate whether Muhyiddin abuse his powers in using RMAF Nuri heli for Umno purposes?
Posted by Kit in Corruption, Muhyiddin Yassin on Monday, 17 August 2009, 2:47 pm
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz asked what is DAP afraid of, saying:
“Don’t be afraid of the preventive measures and investigations carried out by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) if you want corruption to be tackled more seriously.”
DAP is not afraid of MACC anti-corruption investigations but who is not afraid of going to MACC as a healthy person but come out as a corpse like Teoh Beng Hock?
This is not fighting corruption but setting up a Gestapo in Malaysia.
Dare Nazri, who boasted of his previous brush with the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA), say with all sincerity, truth and honesty that he would not be afraid of co-operating with MACC in any anti-corruption investigation in MACC premises if he is not confident that he would not be a victim of the MACC’s Gestapo tactics and would not end up as another Teoh Beng Hock as a corpse?
Nazri is right when he said that DAP want corruption to be eradicated and I stand by every word that I have said in Parliament and outside that there must be an all-out war against corruption.
But MACC in its past seven months had not launched any all-out war against corruption but an all-out war against the Pakatan Rakyat to be catspaw of Umno and Barisan Nasional in their larger political game-plan to wrest back power in the states lost to Pakatan Rakyat in the political tsunami of the March 8 general election last year, using all means whether fair or foul.
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Can Malaysians celebrate 52nd National Day with Najib’s 1Malaysia signature theme in two weeks’ time?
Posted by Kit in Muhyiddin Yassin, Najib Razak, UMNO on Monday, 17 August 2009, 12:42 pm
In two weeks’ time, Malaysians will be celebrating our 52nd National Day with a new Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak marking his fifth month in office.
The 52nd National Day celebrations should centre on Najib’s signature theme of 1Malaysia but unfortunately, the reverse is taking place with the 1Malaysia concept being rubbished almost daily by Umno leaders who are competing with each other in exploiting the race and religious cards.
Two days ago, UMNO Youth led by its leader Khairy Jamaluddin, launched a vitriolic attack on Pakatan Rakyat, alleging that a vote for PAS is a vote for DAP and a betrayal of Islam. Umno leaders accuse the DAP as anti-Islam while among the Chinese and Indian voters, MCA, Gerakan and MIC allege that a vote for DAP is a vote for PAS and a vote for an Islamic state. Meanwhile, in the past week, Umno divisions are being mobilized all over the country to support the Deputy Prime Minister and Umno Deputy President Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yasin in his accusation that Parliamentary Opposition Leader and PKR chief Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is a “traitor of the Malay race”!
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Tee Keat can depend on my full support to oppose attempts by Kuala Dimensi Sdn. Bhd to put the lid to block accountability and exposure of causes of the RM12.5 billion PKFZ scandal
Posted by Kit in Corruption, PKFZ on Monday, 17 August 2009, 11:23 am
It has been reported that Kuala Dimensi Sdn. Bhd (KDSB), the turnkey contractor for Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) has challenged the legality and legitimacy of the appointment of Datuk Lee Hwa Beng as the Port Klang Authority (PKA) Chairman.
The deputy CEO of KDSB Datuk Faizal Abdullah has issued an ultimatum to the Transport Minister, Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat to produce Lee’s appointment letter as PKA Chairman by 4.30 pm tomorrow (Monday) or face the legal consequences.
According to Faizal, the statutory power or prerogative to appoint the Chairman of PKA is vested with the Yang di Pertuan Agong as provided under the Port Klang Authority Act 1960 and the Minister of Transport has no power to personally decide to extend Lee’s tenure as PKA Chairman at the end of April.
Faizal contended that if Lee’s appointment as PKA Chairman was unlawfully renewed by the Transport Minister and not by the Yang di Pertuan Agong, then Lee’s appointment is null and void and all “tasks and responsibilities” handled by Lee after March 31 this year, when his first appointment expired, would be null and void, including: Read the rest of this entry »
On Malay Heroes and Traitors
Posted by Kit in Bakri Musa, Muhyiddin Yassin, nation building on Monday, 17 August 2009, 10:22 am
By M. Bakri Musa
Malaysiakini.com August 13, 2009
It is truly despicable that Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) Muhyiddin would see fit to label the leader of the loyal opposition Anwar Ibrahim a traitor. I expect such infantile name calling and boorish behavior from the likes of UMNO Youth leaders and mainstream media editors, not from a DPM.
Muhyiddin has yet to learn that as DPM he is leader of all Malaysians, not just of UMNO and Barisan supporters. In mentality and behavior he remains a parochial UMNO politician, not a national leader. He has yet to make the necessary transition to being the occupant of the second highest office in the land, and literally a heartbeat away from being Prime Minister.
Muhyiddin is now clearly way over his head. His is the classic personification of the old Peter Principle, of someone finally rising to his level of incompetence. Not that he was particularly capable in his previous role as Agriculture Minister.
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Death, Tragedy, Profits and Corruption
Posted by Kit in Corruption, Hussein Hamid on Monday, 17 August 2009, 9:19 am
ON July 13th 2007 an RMAF Nuri helicopter crashed into a deep ravine in the dense forest 5km to the west of the Genting Sempah Tunnel. Six Air Force crewmembers were killed in that crash. I remember images of the ambulance lined up on the grounds of the Kuala Lumpur General Hospital as the first of the helicopters carrying the bodies of these Crew Members came into sight. Silent crowd watch with all eyes on the families of those waiting for the arrival of their love one now dead. As you hear the instantly recognizable sound of the helicopter when it came to land you can feel the sorrow touching everyone there. There was not much to say as they carried the first body of the aircrew from the helicopter to the waiting ambulance. I remember too that there was no anger in me that day. Only sadness.
Today when I think about that moment and knowing what I know now – that just on that Razak Baginda case Ringgit $500 million was paid out as commission on the purchase of the three submarines – I asked myself if those six aircrews should have died? I remember Najib hastily announcing Cabinet’s decision to phase out the Nuri. Again the Government reacting after the fact. The billions of Ringgit spent on Mindef tenders were really simply an excuse for cronies of politicians to make Read the rest of this entry »
A(H1N1) flu death toll climbs to 62 with daily increase of 283 cases to total 3,857 cases – Japan and South Korea confirm their first A(H1N1) death
The A (H1N1) flu death toll in Malaysia has climbed to 62 with another three fatalities with the daily increase of 283 cases to total 3,857 cases in the country.
On the international front, South Korea and Japan have confirmed their first A (H1N1) death.
The first South-Korea death is a 56-year-old man who returned from a visit to Thailand while the first Japanese death, a man in his fifties, had apparently not been overseas.
The H1N1 flu outbreak, declared a pandemic in June, has spread around the world and could eventually affect 2 billion people, according to World Health Organisation estimates.
The virus has killed more than 800 people worldwide since emerging in April.
For the first time, the Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai has admitted that A (H1N1) virus could affect five million Malaysians, based on the WHO estimate that that if 20% of Malaysia’s 27.7 million or 5.5 million are at risk and exposed to the virus.
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All 5 MACC advisory panels should convene emergency meetings to halt the MACC abuses of power in declaring war against Pakatan Rakyat instead of declaring war against corruption or they should resign collectively
Posted by Kit in Corruption on Sunday, 16 August 2009, 1:40 pm
Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) director of investigations Datuk Mohd Shukri Abdul announced yesterday that the MACC will stop indefinitely investigating politicians across the political divide for corruption and money politics, including the Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) scandal.
He said his men felt that they could not carry out their duties effectively in cases involving politicians as they were being slammed no matter what they did.
Shukri has evaded the burning crisis of confidence confronting the MACC – why in a matter of seven months, public confidence in the MACC has plummeted to a level never plumbed by its predecessor the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) in 41 years from 1967 – 2008 although MACC was established on 1.1.2009 with unprecedented powers to be Malaysia’s version of Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) of Hong Kong?
The answer is obvious to all Malaysians except the MACC – it has failed to act as an efficient, independent and professional anti-corruption body declaring an all-out war against corruption but instead declared an all-out war against the Pakatan Rakyat, being the catspaw of Umno and Barisan Nasional in the various states under Pakatan Rakyat, whether in the unethical, undemocratic, illegal and unconstitutional power grab in Perak or most recently, in trying to topple the Pakatan Rakyat state government in Selangor. Read the rest of this entry »
Kit Siang calls MACC ‘Gestapo’, asks for controls
Kit Siang calls MACC ‘Gestapo’, asks for controls
By Neville Spykerman | The Malaysian Insider
PETALING JAYA, Aug 15 — DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang today slammed the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) as the Gestapo for its high-handed manner in arresting political aide Wong Chuan How.
The special assistant to Selangor executive councillor Ronnie Liu for the Barisan Nasional-held Sungai Pelek constituency was injured during a scuffle with MACC officers outside his office yesterday.
Lim said the MACC officers who when to meet Wong at his service centre in Sungai Pelek had gone back on their word by trying to arrest him.
An appointment had been made earlier for Wong to meet the MACC as a witness in ongoing investigations into alleged impropriety in state allocations. But five officers turned up at the service centre said he was a suspect and wanted him to follow them to their office in Putrajaya.
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DAP does not insult Islam
Posted by Kit in Letters, nation building, Religion on Saturday, 15 August 2009, 1:11 pm
By Aaron Ngui
I am an ardent reader of your blog. Your insights into the Malaysian political landscape are nothing short of biting and accurate. May you continue to write, and serve as MP, for a long time to come.
I’m writing this letter to you in response to your posting entitled “DAP does not insult Islam or any religion and does not condone any DAP leader or member in insulting Islam or any religion”. Your points in the posting are good and well noted. The post is in rebuttal to the recent brouhaha over Nik Aziz’s supposed comments. In addition, I have never seen any leader from DAP or Pakatan Rakyat insulting Islam.
Might I be so bold to point out that there might be errors in the news reports over Nik Aziz’s comments. I think the point to note is that Nik Aziz NEVER condoned DAP, or any other political party, to insult Malaysia’s official religion. From the report(s), he only opinied on why DAP leaders allegedly insulted the religion – a shallow understanding. Again, the PAS spiritual leader DID NOT give the green light for anyone to insult the religion; all he did was presumed that people who (supposedly and stupidly) insulted Islam were doing so out of ignorance. This is entirely different from what the report(s) presume.
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