It has been a year since Malaysians went to vote and delivered the most crushing blow to BN in the General Election. The euphoria was continued in the Permatang Pauh and Kuala Trengganu by-election. But following KT, this was dampened when Pakatan lost the Perak government to BN through the defection of 3 ADUNs precipating a constituional crisis and is becoming murkier by the day. This latest episode only confirms that the BN governmnent is beyond reform.
As I wrote in my previous post, we are witnessing a failure in our institutions of governance from the police to the judiciary, from the anti corruption agency to the election commision. The doctrine of separation of powers has become a fiction. These all are happening in the face of global economic and financial meltdown. Like a tsunami, all is calm until it hits the shores. And hit the shores, it will and we will be caught wondering why the water has receded.
Though the picture doesn't look pretty, it is still important for us to celebrate. Some may yearn for the good old days of Dr. M but for the majority there is no turning back. The political tsunami one year ago has changed the political landscape. It will never be the same again. What then is there to celebrate?
Celebrate the political maturity of the rakyat.
Celebrate the unshackling of the chain of political patronage.
Celebrate the unity of the 3 major races in the country, Malay, Chinese and Indians for a common purpose in rejecting racial politics.
Celebrate our desire for justice for all.
Come on and Celebrate.
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Institutional Failure
When I first read about the 2nd post-mortem report on Kugan, a surge of anger just overwhelmed me. All along we suspected he was beaten to death in police custody. But when one read the details of those injuries that were inflicted on Kugan, you must be wondering whether those responsible are humans. I have to conclude that they are not. Neither are their bosses, the IGP and CPO of Selangor.
PDRM is no longer a functioning law enforcement institution. I think it ceased to become one much earlier when the ex-IGP Rahim Noor nearly whacked the life out of Anwar Ibrahim. It has now become a political tool of the UNMO led government and to some extent a legalized gangster outfit. Of course, I believe there are still God fearing and righteous policemen and women in PDRM who will now carry on their duties in shame.
PDRM is not the only institution that has failed. We are witnessing a systemic institutional failure of governance in the country. The judiciary has also failed. We had judgments that are so wrong and any lay person can even agree that it was wrong. How can you force a litigant to engage a lawyer who is acting for the other side? That is what it amounts to when the Judicial Commisioner decides that the Perak Speaker can only be represented by the State Legal Advisor who is already representing the illegal MB of Perak and who is the one suing the Speaker. It just boogles the mind. Tommy Thomas is right to ask to be excused from the judge's chambers the other day. This learned lawyer must have felt totally disgusted and can't stand another minute in such chamber of injustice.
Then, we have the MACC, the anti corruption agency which is now being used to harass politicians on the opposite side. The Election Commission, the civil service ......The army? When the crunch comes, I wonder whether they will listen to their Commander-in-Chief? I hope RPK is not wrong.
PDRM is no longer a functioning law enforcement institution. I think it ceased to become one much earlier when the ex-IGP Rahim Noor nearly whacked the life out of Anwar Ibrahim. It has now become a political tool of the UNMO led government and to some extent a legalized gangster outfit. Of course, I believe there are still God fearing and righteous policemen and women in PDRM who will now carry on their duties in shame.
PDRM is not the only institution that has failed. We are witnessing a systemic institutional failure of governance in the country. The judiciary has also failed. We had judgments that are so wrong and any lay person can even agree that it was wrong. How can you force a litigant to engage a lawyer who is acting for the other side? That is what it amounts to when the Judicial Commisioner decides that the Perak Speaker can only be represented by the State Legal Advisor who is already representing the illegal MB of Perak and who is the one suing the Speaker. It just boogles the mind. Tommy Thomas is right to ask to be excused from the judge's chambers the other day. This learned lawyer must have felt totally disgusted and can't stand another minute in such chamber of injustice.
Then, we have the MACC, the anti corruption agency which is now being used to harass politicians on the opposite side. The Election Commission, the civil service ......The army? When the crunch comes, I wonder whether they will listen to their Commander-in-Chief? I hope RPK is not wrong.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
What is there to say anymore?
Under a tree, assembly votes for fresh polls
Speaker's lawyers removed
Court declares assembly illegal
The 3 above reports taken from the Malaysian Insider just show how low our country has sank. Nearly all our institutions have become the tools of the UMNO led government to use to cling on to powers.
I'm sure the 'Pokok Demokrasi' was weeping silently this morning even as our valiant assemblymen from Pakatan Rakyat stood beneath her to discharge their duties.
Yes. What is there to say anymore?
Speaker's lawyers removed
Court declares assembly illegal
The 3 above reports taken from the Malaysian Insider just show how low our country has sank. Nearly all our institutions have become the tools of the UMNO led government to use to cling on to powers.
I'm sure the 'Pokok Demokrasi' was weeping silently this morning even as our valiant assemblymen from Pakatan Rakyat stood beneath her to discharge their duties.
Yes. What is there to say anymore?
Friday, February 27, 2009
Unity Government?
It was reported by the Malaysian Insider that PAS' president Hadi Awang has called for a unity government in view of the economic crisis. He admitted that the idea was floated even last March when PAS tries to form the state government in Selangor with BN.
To me the idea is so repulsive and repugnant in light of what has happened in Perak where UMNO led BN brought down the PAS led state government in the most undemocratic way. Now to even suggest such an idea of unity government with BN is nothing short of suggesting to sleep with the devil.
Can't he (Hadi Awang) sees that the UMNO led government is turning into a Mafia government? We have the Mafia bosses at the top and their "ma cai"/samsengs in the form of UMNO Youth at the bottom. Didn't he see what happened in Parliament yesterday? A disabled person was mobbed by a bunch of samsengs. Doesn't he realize that efforts are being made to bring down the Selangor and Kedah government through ADUNs buying and/or criminal persecution of the state leaders, and even the gross invasion of a person's privacy. Does Islam condone all these, Hadi Awang? Or the prosperity of the nation comes first?
Hadi Awang should either resign as the PAS president together with all those who share the same idea with him and join UNMO or take the either PAS party out from Pakatan Rakyat if he is able to do so.
Unity Government? More like united for corruption. United to suck the country and rakyat dried. United to end democracy in this country.
Just when I was beginning to get comfortable with PAS .... Sigh.
To me the idea is so repulsive and repugnant in light of what has happened in Perak where UMNO led BN brought down the PAS led state government in the most undemocratic way. Now to even suggest such an idea of unity government with BN is nothing short of suggesting to sleep with the devil.
Can't he (Hadi Awang) sees that the UMNO led government is turning into a Mafia government? We have the Mafia bosses at the top and their "ma cai"/samsengs in the form of UMNO Youth at the bottom. Didn't he see what happened in Parliament yesterday? A disabled person was mobbed by a bunch of samsengs. Doesn't he realize that efforts are being made to bring down the Selangor and Kedah government through ADUNs buying and/or criminal persecution of the state leaders, and even the gross invasion of a person's privacy. Does Islam condone all these, Hadi Awang? Or the prosperity of the nation comes first?
Hadi Awang should either resign as the PAS president together with all those who share the same idea with him and join UNMO or take the either PAS party out from Pakatan Rakyat if he is able to do so.
Unity Government? More like united for corruption. United to suck the country and rakyat dried. United to end democracy in this country.
Just when I was beginning to get comfortable with PAS .... Sigh.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
The same old script
Police acting on tip-ff, ambushed the criminals. Criminals fired at police. Police shot back. All criminals dead. Sometimes there were slight variations to the script. One or two of the criminals may escaped and usually are never heard of after that. No one is ever taken alive.
It was reported yesterday that 6 armed robbers were shot dead in Kulim after police returned fire. There was another variation to the above script though. 4 women who were alleged to be the robbers' girlfriends were also arrested.
According to the report only two weapons were recovered i.e. a semi automatic Smith & Wesson 9mm and a .38 Revolver. So can we conclude that not everyone of them (robbers) were armed with firearms. So how can they be all shot dead on the ground of self-defense?
Another disturbing fact of the above story is all the dead were Indians. Can we blame the Indians if they feel they were being targeted no matter how much the police deny? MPs of all races from Pakatan is demanding the police to explain the killings.
No doubt, the crime rate is on the rise and we would want to get rid of those who commit crimes. But it must be done in accordance with the law. We cannot allow the police to also be the judge and executioner.
As such, an enquiry ought to be carried out in this case until like what the Chinese says "water subsides, the rock emerges".
It was reported yesterday that 6 armed robbers were shot dead in Kulim after police returned fire. There was another variation to the above script though. 4 women who were alleged to be the robbers' girlfriends were also arrested.
According to the report only two weapons were recovered i.e. a semi automatic Smith & Wesson 9mm and a .38 Revolver. So can we conclude that not everyone of them (robbers) were armed with firearms. So how can they be all shot dead on the ground of self-defense?
Another disturbing fact of the above story is all the dead were Indians. Can we blame the Indians if they feel they were being targeted no matter how much the police deny? MPs of all races from Pakatan is demanding the police to explain the killings.
No doubt, the crime rate is on the rise and we would want to get rid of those who commit crimes. But it must be done in accordance with the law. We cannot allow the police to also be the judge and executioner.
As such, an enquiry ought to be carried out in this case until like what the Chinese says "water subsides, the rock emerges".
Saturday, February 14, 2009
The ANWAR prophecy
Most of us are acquainted with the so-called RAHMAN prophecy where the name of our 1st Prime Minister becomes the acronym for the subsequent PMs. So far it has proven correct though with some manipulations
R - Rahman (Tunku Abdul Rahman)
A - Abdul Razak
H - Hussien Onn
M - Mahatir
A - Abdullah Badawi
N - Najib (almost certain unless he drops dead tomorrow)
What happens after Najib? Well, I hope he'll be the last of the BN/UMNO PM. After that Pakatan Rakyat will take over the Federal Government with Anwar as the PM. So is there going to be a ANWAR prophecy? Well, I can't think beyond N. I only thought of N these few days watching the events unfolding in Perak.
A - Anwar
N - Nizar
W - ?
A - ?
R - ?
Crisis can bring out the best in a person. I believe that's what is happening to YAB Nizar. We are seeing a man who have just lost a state government through a coup d'etat but yet so composed, serene and even humorous at times. Yet beneath the composure and serenity lies a never say die and steely spirit in fighting the great injustice that has befallen the Perak people. "Patik menyembah mohon derhaka". These four Malay words uttered by him to the Sultan of Perak will forever be etched in the minds of the Malays when faced with an unjust decision by their monarchs whom they greatly respect. He disclaimed the comparison to Hang Jebat who rebelled against his sultan for unjustly sentencing his friend Hang Tuah to death. Rightly so. YAB Nizar 'derhaka' for the sake of democracy and to defend the rights of the people in Perak from being stripped and robbed by UMNO. It is not for an individual that he 'derhaka'.
I still remember that I shed a tear reading a newspaper report when he visited the family of victims of the flour mills explosion in Lumut. The sight of him hugging closely the ten year old daughter of one of the victims made me rejoice that Perak has been blessed with a great MB.* Alas, the UMNO/BN thieves have stolen from us this blessings. But soon we shall reclaim it and these thieves and robbers will be punished.
YAB Nizar, our Mentri Besar, we know that "you will come through and you shall return". (to quote Gen. MacArthur). You will return not only as the Mentri Besar of Perak but InsyaAllah one day as the PM of our country. May Allah bless you.
* I know politicians do these publicity exercise from time to time but strangely, I can sensed deep compassion coming from YAB Nizar and the sharing of grief was genuine. Reminds me of some the banners Shahrizat Jalil put up during the last GE showing her with some old folks and children, trying to portray her caring side. What a world of difference!
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Total Depravity
No. This is not going to be an exposition of the first point of Calvinism. 3 days ago before the Sultan of Perak made the decision not to dissolve the State Assembly, I had a bet with someone. I bet that the Sultan will dissolve the State Assembly based on my high regards for him.
When I heard the news of the Sultan's decision I smsed my friend that I've lost. He smsed back, "Sad. My experience with human nature is consistent."
I've learned my lesson. Talk is cheap.
Ku Li. What an inspiring piece. But I will only respect you when you walk away from UMNO. Learned this from Sultan Azlan Shah and his son. All the talk about rule of law, justice, fairness, good governance etc. became BULLSHIT where the rubber meets the road.
When I heard the news of the Sultan's decision I smsed my friend that I've lost. He smsed back, "Sad. My experience with human nature is consistent."
I've learned my lesson. Talk is cheap.
Ku Li. What an inspiring piece. But I will only respect you when you walk away from UMNO. Learned this from Sultan Azlan Shah and his son. All the talk about rule of law, justice, fairness, good governance etc. became BULLSHIT where the rubber meets the road.
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