Dissent banned in UMNO UMNO began a purge within its ranks with the sacking of a prominent grassroots leader for his criticism of the current party leadership. The sacking is almost certainly meant to intimidate and warn other UMNO members about the consequences of not meekly following the leadership script. This is an illustration of the dearth of leadership within the party; if UMNO members are not allowed to think critically and voice constructive dissent on the pain of expulsion, then this fateful step taken by the UMNO supreme council could set off a chain of events that could shake the party to its foundation.

Critically thinking Malays will naturally look to other alternatives to voice their political beliefs. We are not dealing with a limp microcosm that is the university environment where dissent can be silenced with one thundering swoop. Dissent against this sacking is likely to build up in the grassroots where many are confused about how the current administration is going to make their lives better. The Malays have proven over time that they are a politically astute people with room for differing views and compromise. This sacking over a party member’s blog will be seen as a regressive step by opponents of the Abdullah administration and will cast a pall over the party’s general assembly meeting in November, over the issue of leadership. Ironically, this is the same leader who proclaimed more individual freedom for all Malaysians and yet, sees the need to expel a party member, not for inciting open rebellion, but for merely expressing his view that UMNO, under Abdullah Ahmad Badawi is losing the plot in the post-Mahathir era. Expect an interesting UMNO general assembly this November.  ¶ 7:06 PM 0 Comments

  News blackouts still the norm? Why do governments issue edicts to stem the flow of information to the governed? In the pre-Internet days, such steps were very effective to ensure information that may undermine or weaken the government is barred from reaching the masses. An uninformed constituency is a pliant and docile citizenry. In Malaysia, the government is struggling to align the seemingly contradictory goals of encouraging an informed internet-savvy population and at the same time, maintain its grip on power via a tired but successful mixture of subtle intimidation and promises of prosperity and stability.

In the late 1990s, Malaysians were astounded and might I add, excited, to learn about the power of the internet to circumvent official media channels and help themself to information that was suppressed by pro-government mediums. My father MGG Pillai, a veteran journalist and commentator for forty years, also found an avenue in cyberspace to bring his perspectives to a new audience. Since the early 1980s, The Mahathir Administration had discreetly made its displeasure of my father known to the local media titles and henceforth, MGG Pillai was banned from the local media scene. So the internet was a godsend to him and others like him who believed that alternative views will help nurture a society that thinks with a critical eye on issues.

Thanks to the government’s commitment not to interfere with internet content, alternative political views and issues abhorred by the government flourished in cyberspace. I think that if not for the internet exerting an influence on the political landscape post-Anwar Ibrahim, Tun Dr Mahathir might still be in power today. Cyberspace added another dimension to the intra-party attacks on the then Prime Minister, creating restlessness and doubt within the party leadership whether the old man was outliving his welcome. Tun finally saw the writing on the wall and left. In all his wisdom and strategic brilliance, I don’t think he could have predicted the rise of the internet as a powerful political tool. It is ironic that this medium that Tun nurtured and touted as an economic tool may have been partly responsible for his departure from power.

His successor told Malaysians that there will be more freedom in the media circles. While the Malay-language newspapers and the government’s electronic media continued to present a chauvinistic taint on issues, newspapers like the New Straits Times and the Sun actually began to write on issues with a more critical stance. Obviously the new leadership wished to differentiate itself from Tun’s strict media management style during his 22 years in power. In my view, there is no turning back of the clock even if the Prime Minister wishes to clamp down on dissent – cyberspace has already been the choice of many who wishes to express their dissatisfaction of the current leadership. But the heat is building up on the Prime Minister on a variety of fronts now – corruption, project implementation issues, 9th Malaysia Plan, leadership qualities, the son-in-law factor and issues tinged with racial and religious overtones.

Malaysia is now wrestling with a more informed citizenry (albeit still a minority) who is using cyberspace to practice citizen journalism. Issues like the UMNO demands to the Chinese chief minister of Penang, the student brawl at University Putra Malaysia and the sorry excuses uttered by the university authorities have angered a huge section of the urban and rural Chinese community. The government’s censure of a Chinese deputy minister for alleging that renovation funds meant for two Chinese schools were siphoned off by a third party ,ensured the Malay-Chinese divide remains contentious.

Following Singapore’s calculated remarks two weeks ago aimed at ensuring this divide keeps frothing at the mouth, Chinese-language media carried news about the government’s refusal to build more vernacular schools in the 9th Malaysia Plan, despite promises to the contrary made earlier by the Abdullah administration. So now, the government thinks it makes perfect sense to resort to hasty news blackouts on reports of alleged misappropriation of renovation funds for Chinese schools. Apparently, the Chinese vernacular press which is well-known for its brand of investigative reporting, has unearthed further cases of fund abuse in schools in Penang and Selangor.

So a news blackout is in effect. I have not seen any reports on this issue in the mainstream newspapers for more than a week. So it would be logical to assume that such a ban is in place. Such a gag on news will only be seen by the group of people which the government needs to convince that it’s sincere in resolving this issue, that there is indeed a cover-up. News blackouts do not work in the age of the internet. News, like single-cell organisms, will just pop up elsewhere, in this particular case, cyberspace.

This news blackout is another stain on the Abdullah administration, and in my view more damaging to its earlier commitment to more press freedom. Another flip flop decision by the rulers that be that only accentuates the administration’s credibility and perception dilemma amongst an increasingly sophisticated populace (and this includes an increasing number of rural folks as well).  ¶ 4:17 PM 0 Comments

  How bout dialogue for Malaysians Mr Prime Minister? The Prime Minister has called for "sincere dialogue among the bickering human family" as reported in the Sun several days ago. He also provided his thoughts on how to bridge the growing schism between the West and the Islamic world. He made this call at the United Nations General Assembly a week ago.

In his speech, the Prime Minister made an incisive statement: "The politics of fear must cease to dictate the conduct of relations between peoples and nations. If they do, then prejudice and irrationality will continue to prevail in the affairs of the world and dialogues will continue to fail." He further added:"In our relations, we must not be patronising and condescending and certainly not threatening."

The Prime Minister's willingness to go onto a world pulpit to tout the benefits of dialogue as a balm to the world's ills is commendable, noteworthy and certainly statesman-like. What is also striking is that in the microcosm that is Malaysia, he consistently refrains from touting the same cure to address the urgent and disturbing matter of the ever-widening gap in inter-ethnic ties. He is right that dialogue and not confrontation, is the only sane route to enhancing understanding and accentuating the commonalities amongst differing communities. The world is grappling with a rise in tribalistic tendencies amongst ethnic and religous groups in the face of a new set of rules called globalisation, created by the world's great powers i.e from the West.

The world is far less safer now than it was in the pre-911 period. The fear of the effects of globalisation is also an overriding factor for many nations especially in the developing world (including the Muslim world). Any solution to bridge the perceptions (whether it is real or imagined) can only begin with the seed of sincere dialogue. The solution is obvious but it is also virtually imposssible to implement in an chaotic global environment that has a myriad number of stakeholders.

The Prime Minister, would do well to enhance his and his nation's credibility by first resorting to sincere dialogue to help plug the formation of of tribalism within Malaysia's borders. Put your own house in order before preaching to the neighbours. Issues that divide rather than bond communities abound; Article 11, the systematic demolition of hindu temples, the state of vernacular schools, the revisionist streak running through the school text books, the National Economic Policy. He has unfortunately declined to allow any sober dialogue between the communities on an array of contentious and sensitive issues that are plaguing the nation. Sensitive issues will not go away - they have this nasty habit of lingering around and creating open wounds in a nation's consciousness.  ¶ 12:44 PM 0 Comments

  The government's credibility problem when talking about racial unity Just as an individual is judged by his or her actions, the same adage holds true for nation states. The actions of a nation's leaders dictate and influence the perception of external forces toward that nation. The behaviour of states like North Korea and Sudan has over the years, consistently undermined, ignored and resisted international efforts to resolve domestic and external flash points. The take away generated by these nations' behaviour is not pretty; North Korea and Sudan are generally lumped into the basket of pariah nations. The same was true for the old apartheid-ruled South Africa.

Malaysia is still well-regarded by the international community as a dynamic, forward-looking nation which has embraced and ratified many global accords since its birth nearly fifty years ago. The country, despite international acknowledgement and reservation of its wide-reaching national policies favouring the dominant Malay community, is still a beacon of acceptable economic growth.

But the stage is changing. There is increasingly more international scrutiny of a country's domestic policies before deals (almost always economic in nature) are inked. Just ten years ago, the term Asian Tigers were liberally tossed about by investors. Malaysia was also included in this prestigious category. India was still an unknown quality. I recall then Malaysian businessmen, while enthralled by opportunities in China, would belittle India as a viable investment destination. How times have changed. India has walked the walk and talked the talk - in just a few short years, India is now one of the biggest economies in the world and is expected to surpass Japan's economy by the end of this year.

I would have to argue that for Malaysia to sustain its loudly-stated goals of a minimum six percent annual growth and prosperity for all, government planners would do well to recognise that domestic policies are closely scrutinized by foreign investors as well as by nation states before any deal is done. The recent statement by Singapore strongman Lee Kuan Yew making the correct observation of a systemic marginalisation of the Chinese community in Malaysia is actually about one nation attempting to gain the upper hand over a neighbouring country in the unceasing battle for scant global investment resources. This is a battle Singapore has been winning in recent years ever since Tun Dr Mahathir stepped down. Harry's calculated riposte is aimed at continuing Singapore's supremacy on the economic front at Malaysia's cost.

Malaysia's prickly, disjointed response including a demand for an apology (which is a waste of time, Harry's not going to give it) will be justifiably deemed hypocritical by diplomats in Kuala Lumpur when the UMNO remained stubborn in the face of growing calls for an apology by the Chinese community after its shameful treatment of a legitimately elected Chief Minister of Penang. Increasingly, Malaysians and the international communitry are seeing the double standards employed by the UMNO government in this latest Malaysia-Singapore tirade. Coming on the heels of the cross border statements, Malaysia in an unfortunate or even stupid sense of timing, affirmed that no vernacular schools will be built in the next five years, unnecesarily (or perhaps deliberately?) feeding the sense of alienation of a key Malaysian community and strengthening the conviction of those who believe in a foreigner's statement.

The UMNO government's discomfort with such statements by a foreign power is evident. Mainly because any thinking person living in Malaysia can see the evidence of subtle and not so subtle racism all around him or her. Attempting to sweep a buffalo under the carpet is not going to work. It is high time the government acknowledge the serious gaps in its credibility and do something constructive about it. The 7 million or so Chinese in this country is not going to go away. It is foolhardy and morally wrong for a political party (UMNO) to think it can magically silence a robust, business-savvy community via pompous declarations.  ¶ 2:42 PM 0 Comments

  A contentious issue that is the NEP The ubiquitious fish bone in the government's throat - the National Economy Policy - continues to remain uncomfortably lodged between the proverbial rock and a hard place. The United States have already called for a "level playing field" in the arena of trade between itself and Malaysia in ongoing discussions to put a Free Trade Agreement in place. Alarm bells are ringing in the corridors of power in Malaysia as the ramifications of such a deal are being belatedly digested. The bumiputera control in many strategic sectors such as government procurement, telecommuncations, oil and gas may be forced to loosen up and let the white man get a piece of the pie. Malaysia is mulling over this profound dilemma and its no surprise that we are dragging our feet in signing the FTA with the US. The sacred cow that is the NEP - the raison d'etre of UMNO - is at stake. If we do not agree terms with the US, the White House has warned Malaysia that bilateral ties will suffer and consequently, American investments here will be impaired.

Such demands by the Americans might have been easily parried ten years ago but the world is a different place now. The rise of China, India and now Thailand and Vietnam is tightening the screws on us. Foreign direct investments into Malaysia is a topic not touched upon by politicians nowadays. Ten years ago, the Minister for International Trade Datuk Seri Rafidah Aziz was travelling the length and width of the country to open new factories and plants set up by foreign cash. Such fanfare is a thing of the past now.

Domestically, the call for the NEP to be removed is getting louder. Barisan Nasional component party Gerakan has repeatedly voiced this call as well as the Opposition parties. Economists have also given their two cents worth on this matter. Now a new study by the Asian Strategy and Leadership Institute (ASLI) have stated in a study that the primary objective of the NEP to raise Bumiputera corporate equity ownwership to 30 percent has already been exceeded. The correct number, it says, is 45 percent.

ASLI argues that the NEP has already achieved its objective of creating a Malay business community and a strong middle class. Over the long-term, if the NEP is continued in its present form, the government would have a far more difficult task in the near future, in protecting national interests. This is because the imposition of a complex, artificial mechanism on the domestic socio-economic platform, will inevitably impact the country's external relations and the economy. It would seem that that time is approaching. While the government keeps stating publicly that it will continue the NEP in its present form till 2020, I wonder if the government is actually performing a huge disservice to the Malays by giving them such unreasonable expectations when the global economy is breaking down barriers in other nations.

It would be duplicitious of the government to keep championing the NEP in its present form. The pyschological umbilical cord that has compelled the Malays to assume a dependency culture must be removed, so that the country as a whole can embrace external challenges. I believe what the ASLI study is saying is that there is already a large business-minded Malay community (thanks to the NEP) that can be even more robust by facing open competition. The alarm bells have already been sounded. UMNO must have the political will to do the right thing. It is best that UMNO takes this action on its own terms now than remain in a state of paralysis until it is forced to do so by conditions imposed by outsiders.  ¶ 3:28 PM 0 Comments

  A little sensitivity please Any place of worship is the result of an organised attempt by a group of people i.e followers of a particular religion to give offerings to the Almighty. The very act of prayer with all its ancient rituals gives succour and comfort to followers of a faith or a belief form. When that place of worship is molested or even destroyed by an external group, tempers will inevitably flare and men become possessed by a forceful energy boosted by a mixture of despair and naked rage. Religion is a powerful spiritual link to the afterlife, in essence, a direct link to God Himself. A destruction of a place of worship is akin to lopping off one's route to salvation in this life and the next.

In Iraq, sectarian violence is pitting Muslims against fellow Muslims. Some fanatical members of the Sunni-Muslim sect are hell bent on destroying the places of worship of their brothers of another sect - the Shias. Thousands have lost their lives in meaningless violence and bloodshed, purported in the name of the Almighty. The end result is a nation wracked by deep divisions that may only see any semblance of national healing decades from now, if ever; the rift between Sunnis and Shias despite being of one country grows wider due to attacks on each other's religious beliefs.

In India, the Hindus and Muslims have largely lived in peace for centuries but at intervals, terrible bloodshed in the name of the Gods had been committed by both sides with physical symbols of their respective beliefs singled out for destruction. Thousands lost their lives. In Pakistan, the minority Christian population periodically suffers from attacks on their churches.

In Malaysia, a string of Hindu temple demolitions were carried out by local government enforcement teams across the nation. While these structures were deemed illegal and hence, ready-made for destruction, it has caused great distress and anguish amongst not just the Hindu community but also of other faiths particularly Christians. Pleas to the King, the Prime Minister and even the Attorney General's office did not have the desired effect and the demolition teams continued to carry out their duties.

Why these Hindu temples were suddenly deemed to be illegal and thus earmarked for immediate destruction, can only be answered by the people who gave the greenlight for the night-time demolition jobs. Even if the demolition needed to be carried out and was supported by correct interpretation of the law, then there would be no need for Hindu deities and valuables in the temple to be desecrated. Such acts of desecrations were vividly described by temple caretakers who even took their woes to Parliament. At a time when the Abdullah administration is promoting Islam Hadhari as a platform for Malaysian civil society, these temple demolitions are a hindrance to better communal relations in the country.

Only when a non-governmental organisation Hindu Rights Action Force took their petition to the United Nations in August to officially halt temple demolitions after months of inaction from the authorities, did the government finally sit up and take notice. The Attorney General's office finally met with this NGO to gather more details about its plea to the government to resolve this sensitive issue. It is hoped that the AG's move is a prelude to a closure to this disturbing development. So far, the Federal government's stand on this matter remains murky.

The fact that the government only budged on an issue that is of tantamount importance to not just Hindus but also other non-Muslims and even Muslims only after the Hindu Rights Action Force took it to the international stage is disappointing. If the fear of international censure is the only way to get the Federal Government to take firm action against the wanton destruction of places of worship, then so be it. Malaysia has to recognise and acknowledge that fact that it is being watched by the community of nations. The good name of Malaysia is at stake.  ¶ 2:27 PM 0 Comments

  Najib's hollow reactionary statement to LKY The second most powerful man in the Badawi administration (no, i am not talking about the Prime Minister!) said he was offended by Singapore strongman Lee Kuan Yew who in clear unequivocal words, said several days ago that the Chinese community in Malaysia was being marginalized systematically.

Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said he did not appreciate such comments and with a straight face (I am sure) said Malaysia do not discriminate against non-Malays. Never mind that most non-Malays including myself, are numbed by his proclamations when the reality on the ground suggest, not suggest, but scream out otherwise.

What Lee Kuan Yew said is true and non-Malays in this country know that it is true. The current leadership trend is to deny the very obvious and spew contrarian views.In times like this, I am uncomfortably reminded of Josef Goebbel's infamous statement - "If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it." Our leaders are apparently fans of Goebbel who was Adolf Hitler's chief propagandist. Fortunately in the 21st century, there is all likelihood that Najib's reactionary statement to LKY will be consigned to the dustbin, as far as right-thinking Malaysians are concerned. However, it is certain to satisfy Malays who wish to perpetuate the current policy of keeping the Chinese "in their place."

Why should Najib react to LKY if there is no such national policy to marginalise the Chinese? If the government's second most senior official could be goaded into denying LKY but refrains from giving evidence to the contrary, wouldn't his statement come out hollow and without any meat? I for one, just read the newspaper report with a sad shake of the head.  ¶ 11:35 AM 0 Comments

  I am in control! Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi thinks its apppropriate to shout from the rooftops the he is in control of the country's administration. His statement was also carried prominently in the Sun, Utusan Malaysia and Berita Harian. I am not sure of the visibility in the Chinese media titles but i am fairly certain Abdullah's statements were picked up. The New Straits Times however, decided to spin his statement differently. I am not sure why the Prime Minister feels compelled to assert his authority. Perhaps he is feeling the heat from his political enemies? Whatever his motivation, his statement in the Star report quoting him as saying "“People who don’t understand say Pak Lah has lost control. But it is their view. What can I do?" is most telling. Should he not first contemplate why people resort to such statements in the first place? A leader should be decisive and instill confidence. His statements as reported in the Star, mirror a man who is unsure of his ability to steer this country to safer waters. One should also monitor the newspapers tomorrow to see what kind of reactionary statements of support are elicited from his "supporters".

In almost all mini-crisis that have sprouted up over the last year, a distinct lack of leadership from the top was most telling, which thereby contributed to an environment of uncertainty. I can reel off a few examples - the Moorthy case, Article 11 discourse, inter-faith dialogue, the call for a Malay Penang Chief Minister, where firm, well-informed, fair comments from the Prime Minister could have cooled temperatures but in the end, there were none. Abdullah's reform agenda has gotten cold, with inaction ringing loudly in the ears of all stakeholders.

Loudly proclaiming that he is still in control, is not going to change anything if he is unable to assume a leadership role. The Prime Minister should be sufficiently worried that history could label him in unflattering terms.  ¶ 4:22 PM 0 Comments

  Globalisation forces at the gates Last month, the International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Rafidah Aziz made an outburst which on hindsight she may have wished she hadn't with her comments that foreign investors can give Malaysia a miss if they are not happy with the compulsory 30 percent Bumiputera equity allocation for joint ventures set up with local partners. Her comments raised the ire of the business community here as they clearly understood the gravity of what the Minister had uttered. The timing of her statement was also poor when Malaysia was suffering from a lukewarm image in the global economic circle. Several articles in influential foreign media titles focusing on racial politics and infighting within UMNO were taking centre stage. One can surmise Rafidah's outburst was made at an inopportune time when the business community is groaning about an economy which is not exactly in growth stage. Needless to say, the usually combative and vocal Minister who have been shrinking away from the limelight this year, scurried back from sight. She also recently removed her press secretary of 16 years.

And then there was an article which caught my attention last week, published in the Singapore Straits Times, alluding to the idea that Malaysia is delaying signing a much-vaunted free trade agreement with the United States. The report quoted a senior White House official as saying Kuala Lumpur is "putting the FTA on the slow burner."

The article quoted the official as also saying: "The US recognised that there were certain sensitivities in Malaysia, such as the bumiputera issue. We had worked with them for a year before the launch to iron out differences, and there was a general belief that Malaysia would change and support an open market policy."

The delay apparently could also cause a more graver situation to rise - an impairment in bilateral ties between the world's largest economy and tiny Malaysia.
While the article touched on several issues that could delay the implementation of the FTA such as Malaysia's concern about the situation in Lebanon as well as how the Islamic world might view Malaysia if such a deal is inked, I believe the main concern that is brewing heatedly within the Abdullah administration is the wider, serious impact of such a FTA on the bumiputera-first policy. All other concerns are just minor irritants. Impact on the National Economic Policy? That's a very serious problem.

A FTA will inevitably open up sectors in Malaysia which are reserved for Bumiputeras only. The statement by a US official in the Straits Times report that "a FTA will level the playing field" is an ominous warning to Malaysia of what is going to happen. Rafidah obviously has intimate knowledge of true American intentions. It is logical to conclude that Malaysia will be forced to reevaluate the Bumiputera policy sooner rather than later. The forces of globalisation are already gathering strength and are already collecting at the gate of the NEP. The question on everyone's mind is will there be a battering of the gate or will the gate open graciously?  ¶ 4:17 PM 0 Comments

  Brinkmanship that makes matters worse It seems the floodgates of race and one upmanship that Khairy Jamaludin opened several weeks ago with his insensitive statements are far from being closed. Deputy Higher Education Minister Datuk Ong Tee Keat' s public revelation of alleged misuse of funds by Education Ministry officials has created a groundswell of support from the Chinese community. The funds were apparently for renovation works for two Chinese schools in Johor. Ong revealed that he had received a thousand SMSes of support from people who applaud his stand on the matter, despite him getting reprimanded by the Cabinet for criticising another Ministry. UMNO Youth chief Datuk Seri Hishamudin Tun Hussein Onn who is also the Education Ministry also said Ong of trying to be a hero to the Chinese community. Ong meanwhile was reported to have said in the Star newspaper report that he did not wish to be made a scapegoat over this issue. And so, two Barisan Nasional component parties leaders- one Malay and the other Chinese - face off in public. Meanwhile the top echelong of leaders in MCA remain silent, ambivalent whether to show public support to Ong.

Ong's pointed revelation of the SMSes indicate his determination to show there is tremendous support from the Chinese community for his stand on this issue. His act should not be seen as a surprise, as he has shown in the past that he is willing to be potrayed as a lone ranger in politics. The so-called Barisan Nasional way of solving problems such as this seems to be bursting at the seams. This incident involving renovation funds which should have been amicably resolved, was not. A few months ago, this outburst by UMNO nor MCA would not have occured. But since the Penang fiasco involving Khairy Jamaludin that questioned the sincerity of the Chinese community, many Chinese are in return, questioning the sincerity of some UMNO politicians. Race has again come to the forefront and it is hanging like a dark cloud over the state of relations between UMNO, MCA and Gerakan, a predominantly chinese party.

There has been a spat of incidents in the very recent past that have caused disatisfaction in the Chinese community. The most recent episode involved the Biro Tata Negara, a wing within the Home Affairs Ministry, claiming at an orientation seminar at a local university, that some Chinese student groups are supported by "Jewish" associations. Needless to say, the raising of the Chinese bogeyman by a government agency no less, has serious consequences for national unity efforts. What is disturbing is the seemingly deliberate ratcheting up of stress and tension, right after the "pushing and shoving" incident involving a large group of Malays students and a smaller group of Chinese students at University Putra Malaysia. And I fail to understand why BTN has to be involved in student orientation in campuses. While I have some idea why this is so, perhaps it is too premature to think out loud.

I think its pertinent to note that the Chinese community is taking note of all these incidences and it would be foolish to assume that their patience has no limits. If one day, they feel that the politicals parties in Barisan Nasional are not standing up for their rights, they may be compelled to contemplate the unthinkable by way of the ballot box. No amount of frantic last-minute cajoling will work if non-Malays are gradually made to feel that they have no stake in this country.  ¶ 8:27 PM 0 Comments

  A good article on the poor state of the education system The New Straits Times dated September 12th, carried a very insightful article written by the former president of Transparency International Tunku Abdul Aziz. The article entitled "Be blind in race for educational excellence" pulled no punches and bluntly stated the obvious about what ails Malaysia's education system, that several decades ago, was regarded as one of the best in Asia. In a nutshell, Tunku says Malaysia must have the will to revolutionise the politically-biased education system which has become an embarrassment to the nation. As a consequence, Malaysian representatives at international conferences have become a source of shame and ridicule due to their lack of fluency in the English language.

I have also heard anecdotes about top government officials at international bio-diversity conferences making a complete fool of themselves bringing undue shame for Malaysia with their poor command of English. I applaud the New Straits Times for carrying this article; I sincerely doubt whether its competitor the Star, would have done so. I can't help wondering if the NST, being in the firm control of the Prime Minister's preferred editors, is throwing down strong hints that the ugly, unproductive racially-driven education system is going to be revamped. If this is the case, most right thinking Malaysians would wholeheartedly support such a move. It's high time since most Malaysians associate mediocrity and the education system in Malaysia as being one and the same. Whether the Badawi administration, embroiled in many distractive events, has the single-minded focus to accomplish the herculean task of facing down the expected uproar within UMNO, is questionable.

I am gratified that the NST allowed this particular paragraph to remain in this article; if this article was written by a non-malay, it would certainly have been removed. The paragraph in the article goes like this, explaining the system has in fact failed the Malays instead of being their salvation:

"The Malays have somehow become the unintended victims of misguided Malay chauvinism disguised as nationalism, the handiwork of over-zealous politicians with a keen eye on popularity."

I only wish this article would be reprinted in the Malay languages newspapers as the education system is in dire straits and the Malay community must not be continuously lulled into a sense of false security, in the face of the relentless globalisation.  ¶ 7:45 PM 0 Comments

  A voice of reason in Zaid Ibrahim Last week, a Barisan Nasional backbencher Zaid Ibrahim called on Muslims in Malaysia to get rid off a siege mentality that implied that their religion was under threat by developments taking place in a multi-religious, multi-racial society like ours. His voice was a refreshing reminder to all Malaysians that there are still politicians aligned to the government who could expouse logical thinking to counter irresponsible politicking by certain groups over the tenability of the status of Islam in Malaysia.

He gave particular attention to the ongoing case of Lina Joy, a Malay Christian who has applied to strike off Islam from her identity card. Judgement is expected to be delivered by the Federal Court, the nation's highest court. Zaid was quoted in a Malaysiakini report as saying, "She just wants her IC changed, let the courts decide that. There is no need to say that Islam is under attack. Islam is not under attack. It is your warped minds under attack. What’s the problem? She’s not Muslim anymore. God will punish her surely. Do we play god’s role now? How do you know god won’t forgive her? We should show kindness to these cases if someone strayed from the true path. We must try to understand."

Well said, and I am sure many moderate Muslims would concur with his comments. There is no evidence that Islam is under threat in Malaysia especially when Islam is entrenched as the national religion of Malaysia and Malaysia seen as a leader of the Islamic world. The government has spent billions of ringgit over the last few decades to ensure the primacy of Islam. Zaid's call to Muslims to have more confidence in their religion is an appropriate one; a self-created siege mentality will only ensure further uncertainties and anxiety over any future developments a la Lina Joy. I am a firm believer in religious freedom and future cases similar to the Lina Joy incident could appear on the legal horizon. In my mind, this is a natural occurence in a multi-religious society such as ours and not to be feared; instead such incidences should be a demonstration of the ability of the Constitution to deal with such cases without prejudice and by the letter of the law to find a just solution.

No hue and cry is raised when a Christian, Buddhist or Hindu converts legally to Islam. The followers of these religions do not adopt a defensive posture but are in fact stoic and resolute in their individual beliefs. All religions are going to face much stress and challenges in the 21st century to keep their followers from fleeing the fold. A siege mentality laced with hysteria, and egged on by irresponsible politicians, will not serve Malaysia's long-term interest.  ¶ 2:15 PM 0 Comments

  Prime Minister under pressure Just days after Tun Dr Mahathir's defeat in Kubang Pasu, when the ruling elites thought they can sleep soundly once again, it must be galling for Pak Lah supporters to know that the crescendo of opposition to the current administration is pooling its voice in cyberspace as well as in the streets via the new tabloid Putra Post, sympathetic to the old man. Even a Barisan Nasional backbencher is raising embarassing questions for the Prime Minister, in Parliament no less. Old warriors such as Tengku Razeleigh, a political enemy of Tun, has also voiced his doubt about the veracity of the Kubang Pasu divisional elections which humiliated Tun. The whole scene harks back to the days of the Anwar Ibrahim sacking, when uncertainties hung heavy in the air. It feels like a similar environment is being recreated in 2006. The economy back in 1998 was in the doldrums and in 2006, the health of the economy is much questioned and debated by the man in the street. The key difference was that the Prime Minister then, despite being much-maligned, was a leader in the true definition of the word. His successor now has not inspired the same sense of confidence in the populace. His unconvincing answers to allegations of nepotism and cronyism in high places does not seem to be calm the choppy waters. The government seems more pre-occupied with ensuring its survival rather than concentrating on the bigger picture of executing the 9th Malaysia Plan and running the country. The following months may be a fire-fighting campaign, with a defiant Tun in fighting form.

There is total silence from the son-in-law; his boss in Umno Youth is sparring with MCA politicians over government allocation meant for Chinese schools, which has decidedly taken on a racial slant. The Prime Minister meanwhile is overseas talking about the virtues of Malaysian society while Malaysian society back home is decidedly split along ethnic lines, with politicians of different backgrounds barking at each other. 2006 is nearing its end, and Pak Lah's mandate as Prime Minister is nearing its end. Will he see out his term or will he be rudely awakened next year by forces within UMNO? This is one drama I'll pay good money to sit through the end.  ¶ 5:50 PM 0 Comments

  Farcical UMNO Putera attempt to whitewash the Mat Rempit image First of fall, allow me to state that the reason for the formation of UMNO Putera and Puteri wings under the ambit of UMNO Youth is just an attempt to give the little "restless emperors" in UMNO their own little fiefdoms to rule. I am sure not many Malaysians have been impressed with the actions of the UMNO Putera head Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim who in a bid to gain some visiblity and attract the attention of future patrons within the party, has made it his mission to elevate the image of the Mat Rempit to something of a 21st-century knight, replete with noble and chivalrous intentions. (Ladies, don't loosen your grip on your handbags anytime soon). Such nonsensical statements indeed is a surefire way of getting his picture and comments plastered in the newspapers as it did several weeks ago. It doesn't hurt when you get pictured together with the Prime Minister's son-in-law as well. Apparently, Abdul Azeez is planning a heroic campaign to change the image of these motorcyclists many Malaysians view with disdain and some trepidation.

He wants Mat Rempits to be Mat Cemerlangs from now on. He pleads their case, stating these boys are just merely misunderstood and in fact, they really are a good bunch of guys who is just looking for a way to express themselves. But what is Abdul Azeez's real intention in all this feel-good camraderie? I don't know about you but the idea of hundreds, maybe even thousands of Mat Rempits on motorbikes roaming the street with UMNO Putera sanctions, makes me a tad bit uneasy. And for what purpose? An idea of a militia-type wing within UMNO Putera may not so far-fetched now, considering elections may just be around the corner. For what purpose, I can only guess but some scenarios do spring to mind. There's always been a thuggish streak in UMNO Youth from those days; perhaps UMNO Putera feels there's a need to reinforce it with a street-wise group of bikers. Could this campaign be Abdul Azeez's attempt to make that breakthrough into the national UMNO landscape?

But first he's been forced into damage control mode. I hope he really puts a crisis manual in place as incidents such as this are going to crop up more often than not. Apparently 8,000 biker youths - male and female - ran riot in a small town in Lumut, allegedly drunk and misusing mosque facilities. Whether the story was encouraged by any aspiring candidate for the UMNO Putera top hat is an unknown variable. What is known is that poor Abdul Azeez has been forced to deny that his bunch of "Mat and Minah Cemerlangs" did anything wrong. Never mind that some of them are going to be charged in the Syariah courts for committing khalwat. The report also hinted at drunk and disorderly behaviour. It would be wise if Abdul Azeez spend some time pondering whether he has bitten off more than he can chew with his "brilliant" plan.  ¶ 3:40 PM 0 Comments

  Tun is free to talk to anyone UMNO has effectively deprived Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad of the outside chance of being able to address the UMNO delegates in the upcoming UMNO general assembly when he lost - the old man himself charged money politics engineered the result - in the Kubang Pasu division elections on Saturday. By ensuring his humiliation, UMNO may have in fact, cut off Tun's emotional ties to the party he set up (UMNO Baru in 1987). He is unhindered, free, to talk to anyone he wishes to help build up the momentum to push out his successor. That he is still powerful, there is no doubt; his personna is extremely powerful and iconic to all Malaysians and will continue to be for some time to come long after he departs this world. This defeat in Kubang Pasu really is not the end for Tun.

Tun has for so long demonstrated an almost frightening ability to outsmart his political opponents - both within UMNO and outside. What if he decides to flirt with the Opposition and the non-governmental organisations, for the sole purpose of elevating himself to be a major thorn in his successor's side? It is worth remembering that Tun still has a lot of wealthy supporters who will ensure funds are made available to sustain a long-term silent campaign to embarass and harangue the Prime Minister. In an endurance contest of this sort, I don't see how the Prime Minister despite being 20 years younger than the old man, can come up tops if the economy continues to labour. Tun has already indicated that only jail will stop him from speaking out. The old man is making it loud and clear that he is not going to stop his attacks on the Prime Minister.

If Tun is around when the next elections take place, what would his influence be? Where will he plant his flag? It will certainly embarass and irreparably damage the Prime Minister if the ruling coalition's control is severely dented if there is a Mahathir factor. Such an event would most certainly force the Prime Minister out in the ensuing political repercussions within UMNO. Tun could already be contemplating such a scenario.  ¶ 4:36 PM 0 Comments

  A Malaysian tourist in space I just happened to glance at a dated copy of the New Straits Time today and caught the headlines; two Malaysians out of the final four candidates have been given the nod by the Russians to prepare for a space mission scheduled for next September. Malaysia booked its ticket into space courtesy of a multi-billion ringgit arms deal inked with the Russians some years back. A barter trade of sorts were arranged and voila, we've got our first Malaysian tourist in space. Yes, the first Malaysian in space is really, nothing more than a glorified tourist, courtesy of the Malaysian government. I just have this nagging doubt that Malaysia will contribute anything substantial to the advancement of scientific knowledge of space.

When I read that Malaysia will indeed do ground-breaking research into the physics of teh tarik making in zero gravity, I put up my hands up in resignation. We have taken all that trouble, searching for the right candidate for space, so that this fellow can go into space and "study" how teh tarik will turn out in weightlessness. I suggest we expand these "tests" into how roti canai taste in space as well. We can be the first nation on earth to go to all that trouble to get a person in space so that he can act like a simpleton.

I suppose there are more reasons now for us to wave the flag as we have indeed become a developed nation, much envied by the rest of the world. After all, we have our very own spaceman who will inevitably get a datukship, material wealth and many marriage proposals. I do not point this out in jest but merely expressing an observation (vindicated by past events) that titles and wealth are laid-out for certain individuals after completing a "heroic" deed. And truth be told, our spaceman deserves the accolades - after all he is the only one standing out of 10,000 Malaysians who tried their luck to be the country's first visitor in space. It's just a pity he'll be milked for all the political mileage that can be gotten out of this space stunt. Who knows, maybe he will be asked to wield a keris in outer space!  ¶ 3:31 PM 0 Comments

  "Gaya mesti ada" Terengganu Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh has announced an establishment of a Harvard University-like campus in the state. He said the facilities at the so-called International Training Centre will be on par with the world-famous university. But forget about "Harvard University-like lecturers". That's not part of the equation. By the description given in the Star report, this fake "Harvard campus" seems to be just a training centre, one of hundreds set by the government to provide vocational training for school leavers or junior civil servants. The state apparently just wants a shell that looks nice but even that may not last long when we have an abject track record in building maintenance and care. Intelligence and quality of delivering instructions are optional. Needless to say, this centre will cost RM20 million - a small amount considering Terengganu is a rich state thanks to record-high oil prices on the global market. Besides, Idris Jusoh gets credit for this little project, and the gravy train vis a vis UMNO-linked contractors could be stretched a bit more.

Meanwhile one country is not busy building Harvard-like physical structures but more interested in Harvard University's intellectual strength to help fast track its economy.  ¶ 1:26 PM 0 Comments

  Malaysians cannot get auto loans easily but the economy is doing great! The banks have announced stricter guidelines in the dispersing of car loans, a double blow for the automobile sector already struggling to shore up sluggish auto sales. Financial institutions are obviously sufficiently worried about the state of this industry to instill a couple nmore layers of checks before doling out auto loans. All loan applications would now be subjected to a financial rating system based on Bank Negara’s Central Credit Reference Information System (CCRIS) and two private credit reference agencies – Credit Tip Off Service Sdn Bhd (CTOS) and Financial Information System (FIS) Sdn Bhd. CTOS and FIS provide details of the individual’s credit standing with other banks, while CCRIS tracks a borrower’s repayment patterns, spending patterns and habits, as well as his credit card and other electronic transaction records in the last 10 to 20 years.

The collective data will then assign a credit rating – an A rating will render the applicant automatic qualification for the loan; a B rating means the loan can be considered; C means the application will be rejected but the borrower can appeal to the bank; while D means the rejection is final. What is striking is that banks are only looking at applicants who get A ratings. If applicants with a B rating won't be considered, then the question must be asked; is the economy really in good shape? Can we really achieve the projected 5.8 percent GDP growth for this year? By the looks of it, the auto sector is going to have a very bad year. I wonder what the rest of the economy is going to be like come 2007.  ¶ 11:50 AM 0 Comments

  Will we act on the World Bank report? A new World Bank report last week ranked Malaysia as the 25th most business-friendly country in the world. The report will also give the government some bragging rights as it also relegated Taiwan and China to rankings of 47 and 93 respectively. But it doesn't really matter; the lure of commercial opportunities in these bigger economies will continue to ensure a steady inflow of foreign investments; the same cannot be said for Malaysia. Incidentally Singapore took the top spot in this World Bank survey. Last year the tiny republic was ranked second.

The report also warned that Malaysia's competitiveness will take a further beating if it fails to keep up with frantic reforms undertaken by many developing economies. The report indicated that Malaysia’s competitiveness suffered in several categories such as dealing with licences, employing workers, trading cross borders, enforcing contracts and closing businesses. I would hope the government takes heed but then again, after reading Malaysia's Public Service Department director-general's remarks, high-level action may be unlikely.

It is a worrying sign, when the country, led by none other than the Deputy Prime Minister a few months ago, takes an insignificant magazine (Reader's Digest) to task for publishing the results of an innane poll on rudeness, which pronounced Malaysians as being high on the barometers of rudeness. But no similar exhortations from the man himself to his civil servants to buck up and help improve Malaysia's business competitiveness. Meanwhile Vietnam, the rising tiger in the region is quietly welcoming any foreign assitance it finds useful to help it ramp up its economy.

The world does not owe us a living, according to a former top ranking civil servant Tan Sri Ramon Navaratnam. Malaysia will have to improve or be left behind, if the country continues to protect local industries, he says. So far, that urge to continue protecting unproductive, sluggish industries is too politically sensitive to let go. I get the sense that we are on a runaway train to economic uncertainty.  ¶ 11:00 AM 0 Comments

  Tun faces a political tsunami Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamed, the man who single-handedly transformed Malaysia from a sleepy agricultural-based economy to a totally different entity in his 22 years as Prime Minister is set to be pushed aside by a political tsunami this Saturday in his bid to be a delegate in the Kubang Pasu UMNO division contest. He has even been reduced to an "orang kampung" by some UMNO members; surely a stark contrast from those heady days when Dr Mahathir was unanimously considered by many outside the country as one of Asia's strongest political strongmen. A man who rubbed shoulders effortlessly with some of the world's most powerful leaders is now facing an uphill battle, to avoid an utter, naked humiliation at the hands of his beloved UMNO in his own hometown of Kubang Pasu, Kedah.

I am not a fan of the old man as I believe under his administration, Malaysia lost her soul in Dr Mahathir's pursuit of a modern Malaysia dotted with his trademark developmental projects and material wealth. We as a nation, will pay a price for the foreseable future for his overzealous ways of wanting to fast-track the country's development to another plane. Dr Mahathir already has a formidable foe in history to contend with, a battle even he cannot win, when historians dissect his rule and the rot is exposed. But I also believe that he should not be humiliated, least of all by his own party even if he had made it his mission to force his successor out of office.

Dr Mahathir has a point when he says that UMNO wishes to shut him up for good when the party machinery is working at fourth gear to ensure he loses in his own home town. The Malaysiakini report indicates that Dr Mahathir is fighting a losing battle. Perhaps it is true when Dr Mahathir says the UMNO leadership is afraid of him speaking as a delegate at the coming party general assembly. I find the spin that the division should not elect Dr Mahathir as a delegate because that would reduce his status as a former Prime Minister, a little difficult to swallow. UMNO is tapping into the Malay sense of feudalism, disseminating the message that the well-being of the Malays lie in the hands of the current leader Abdullah Badawi and not his predecessor. Hence, the current leadership's messages must remain loud and dominant, superior to anything a 80-year-old man can muster.

But a humiliating defeat for Dr Mahathir at the divisional polls may also be damaging for the current leadership. Its grip on power may prove to be slippery if the UMNO ground is sufficiently outraged by the way the party had treated a man who is directly responsible for the rising Malay middle class and bringing some semblance of prosperity into their homes. This could be a scenario that the political strategists at PAS may be pondering at this very moment.  ¶ 9:23 PM 0 Comments

  Malaysian troops for Lebanon? Malaysia's Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Hamid Albar is eager to tell the world that it's just a matter of time before Malaysia is invited to join the UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon. Maybe he is tad bit red faced that neighbour Indonesia has already confirmed its participation with the Blue Helmets after Israel said it had no objections to the world's most populous muslim country sending 1,000 troops to keep the peace in southern Lebanon. The Foreign Minister also says the UN Security Council is positive about Malaysia's wish to be part of this international force, adding that Malaysia will eventually get the greenlight. Where will this greenlight come from? New York or Tel Aviv?

Either way, we may have to do some sweating first. The Prime Minister's famous son-in-law had created a huge public ruckus a couple of weeks ago, denouncing the Israelis and promising to all who would listen that Malaysians should boycott all companies with Zionist links. Weeks have also passed since he promised to reveal a list of such companies operating in Malaysia. So far, silence. Perhaps he decided to move on to more important things - like criticizing a bewildered Penang Chief Minister of neglecting the state's Malay population. Anyway that's another story altogether. His antics rallying against US Secretary of State Condeleeza Rice - in short acting like a street thug - are also likely not to have gone unnoticed. And so Indonesia whose citizens have demonstrated even more vigorously against the Lebanese conflict, got to confirm their early participation in the UN peacekeeping force. Malaysia in its capacity as the current chair of the Organisation of Islamic Conference could not.

It is also curious that Malaysia was not immediately considered and approved by the UN for such a mission. After all, we have participated in numerous UN-sanctioned peacekeeping exercising around the world - Congo, Cambodia, Bosnia, East Timor. Even Bangladesh is sending troops to Lebanon. Our soldiers will just have to wait.  ¶ 2:40 PM 0 Comments

  Of nuclear bombs and the state of our Parliament A certain member of Parliament, a En Mohd Alwi Che Ahmad from Kerteh, Terengganu, made an absurd, stupid remark in the Dewan Rakyat yesterday. I don't know whether to laugh or cry at the shallowness of his remarks which I truly hope was made in jest. If he was serious, we should really address the issue of the quality of people that we put in Parliament. But this is not the first time people have made absurd, silly, damaging remarks in the highest House in the land. To be fair to him, Mohd Alwi is merely following the examples of other Parliamentarians who have spewed racist diatribes and illogical suggestions. In this instance he decided on the latter.

Allow me to give some background. Opposition MP Lim Hock Seng asked whether the BN is aware of some arrests in Japan which is allegedly linked to a Scomi subsidiary (yes, the Scomi of Kamaluddin Badawi fame). Apparently, five people were arrested on suspicion of exporting equipments, alleged to be Scomi’s subsidiary, that could be used to produce nuclear weapons.

Mohd Alwi, maybe in his haste to show loyalty to the Prime Minister, perhaps shot his mouth off a little too fast by saying that it's good for the country if Scomi can indeed develop nuclear weapons. The Malaysiakini report indicated the house was stunned by his remarks. Stunned yes, by Mohd Alwi's simple-minded, brainless remarks.

The report goes on to quote him, "If Scomi is capable of producing nuclear weapons, as a Muslim, I will be very happy because this will strengthen the arsenal in Muslim countries and others will be afraid. Although international laws do not allow this, it can serve as a good deterrent." The Malaysiakini report is here

No wonder the government shot down the idea of showing Parliamentary proceedings on television. There are just too many fools in its midst.  ¶ 11:57 AM 0 Comments

  Penang will be interesting to watch come Election Day After weeks of sniping in Penang, the Prime Minister has stepped in, and declared that the Penang state government must do more to help the Malays. He said the problems faced by the Malays were serious and that the issues needs to be addressed, as reported in the New Straits Times today. What the real problems are in Penang, are still unclear amidst the tremendous noise created by UMNO Youth in recent weeks. Real facts still elude Malaysians. Real debate or an intelligent delivery of grievances have yet to surface from the seemingly aggrieved party. The ruling party in Penang, Gerakan, in fact had delivered a rebuttal to dismiss claims of the Malays being subjugated, complete with facts and statistics during its recent annual general meeting. But alas, that did not calm certain quarters. It seems to me that no matter what Gerakan did or will do, it just won't be enough; it's as if some quarters wanted to ensure the Chief Ministership is rotated no matter what.

And the Prime Minister's directive to the state government yesterday, seemed to indicate that the writing may be on the wall, pertaining to Gerakan's hold on the Chief Minister post. It seems to be a message to Gerakan that it must bend to the will of the ruling party however unfair it may be because that's in line with Ketuanan Melayu. The Prime Minister says this in the wake of rude banners hoisted at an event to embarrass the current Chief Minister It certainly runs contrary to the much-touted Barisan Nasional way of doing things. It will be interesting to see how Gerakan reacts.

But one thing is certain; with the Prime Minister throwing his lot behind a vocal group within UMNO Youth in regards to the Penang issue, the Chinese on the ground is likely to hit back silently at the ballot box. If the General Elections is held early next year, as speculations indicate, BN may be in for a shock. The island is strongly Chinese in feel and coupled with other issues in recent months that have disturbed the non-Malay population as a whole such as the increasing call for more Islamicisation, rewriting of school textbooks which include ommission of non-Malay historical personalities and corruption, I think voters may send a strong unmistakable message in the coming General Elections. The Opposition may be smelling blood already. Who knows, all the calls for a Malay Chief Minister for Penang may just go up in smoke if Mr Lim Kit Siang is sworn in as the Penang big man post-elections!  ¶ 4:36 PM 0 Comments

  What will an apology from the Prime Minister do? The Prime Minister made a curious remark on Saturday; he says he is prepared to apologize to Malaysians if he had made a mistake regarding his son Kamaluddin's influence in the oil and gas services company Scomi Group. His remarks were reported in the Sunday Star dated September 3. Last month, the Prime Minister had stated in a much-anticipated TV3 interview that his son and his son-in-law Khairy Jamaluddin did not benefit from government projects due to his position. It got me wondering why is the Prime Minister making such a statement? Is it because there is evidence to the contrary and that he did not want to be embarassed the second time after he mistakenly said in that TV3 interview that foreigners did not have control over strategic national assets? In that instance, the Prime Minister had to do an about-turn a week or so after that TV interview when it was discovered that it was actually true that Singapore-based Parkway Holding Ltd had control over Malaysia's biggest healthcare company Pantai Holdings. This oversight had since been rectified with Khazanah Nasional swooping into the fray and saving the blushes, albeit a little late. The healthcare sector by the way, had been earlier earmarked as a strategic asset by the government.

But what will an apology from the Prime Minister really do, if he had made a mistake about what he said about the Scomi Group? Will that improve the investing climate in the country? Or would it give rise to the impression that the Prime Minister is not really aware of going-ons in his Finance Ministry, of which he is the Minister? Could this give rise to questions of nepotism at the highest levels of government, at a time when the country clearly needs to present an investor-friendly face in order to attract much-needed foreign investments? An apology from the Prime Minister, if he makes one regarding Scomi Group, in my view, will not put matters to rest, but instead provide more political fodder for his opponents within UMNO and the Opposition to raise questions about the Prime Minister's leadership abilities.  ¶ 9:59 PM 0 Comments

  A setback for Mr Lingam On Friday, the High Court decided that a London-based magazine did not defame lawyer Datuk V.K Lingam in a 1995 article that alluded that this lawyer had resorted to corrupt ways to undermine the Malaysian judiciary. The judge Justice Hishamudin Yunus, who is reputed to be a a judge who carefully rules within the ambit of the law, dismissed Lingam's RM100 million defamation suit which he had filed against the International Commercial Litigation magazine (ICL).

This judgement would have cheered my late father MGG Pillai who passed away just a few months ago. He was sued for RM2 million by Tan Sri Vincent Tan for alleged defamatory comments in an article my father wrote in the mid-1990s. The businessman used a certain lawyer, none other than Lingam himself, to feebly attempt to silence my father into submission on pain of bankruptcy.

At that time, there were murmurs that "something is rotten in the state of Denmark", a somewhat theatrical description about the degradation of the Malaysian judiciary. Somehow Lingam's name kept popping up when lawyers, even judges started started questioning the integrity of the judiciary. Lingam however escaped any official condemnation. To put matters into perspective, Lingam was also spotted in photos with the then Chief Justice Tun Eusoff Chin, apparently holidaying in some foreign country. Needless to say, tongues continued to wag about the state of the judiciary.

In dismissing Lingam's case against the ICL, Justice Hishamudin blamed Lingam's own wrongful conduct in the Ayer Molek case that led to the publication of the article in ICL, entitled "Malaysian Justice On Trial" in a 1995 November issue. "That the plaintiff (Lingam) is guilty of wrongdoings, namely abusing and manipulating the process of courts so as to cause injustice to the defendants before the High Court in the Ayer Molek Rubber Company Bhd case, is clear from the judgement of the Court of Appeal in the case, which is the main subject of the article," so said Justice Hishamudin as quoted in the Star newspaper dated September 2, 2006. The Justice further stated that a 1995 Court of Appeal judgement regarding the Ayer Molek case, "severely criticised" Lingam's conduct in obtaining the order and found him guilty of "abusing and manipulating the process of court so as to cause injustice to the defendants in the case."

Justice Hishamudin added "such a course of action might give the impression to right-thinking people that he (Lingam) was choosing the judge." Sweet words indeed to me and my family. My father would have been heartened to hear this. Thank you Justice Hishamudin. Something then was truly rotten in the state of Denmark, when my father was judged.  ¶ 4:09 PM 0 Comments

  The deliberate omission of history Why was there such a hue and cry when statistics indicating that a very substantial number of students in the government school system were made up of just one ethnic community? I do recall the former Prime Minister lamenting this sad state of affairs and during this current administration's rule, the New Straits Times had frontpaged a story about how the "rules of the game" are going to be changed i.e racial compositions in schools, classrooms, playtime etc, in order to make the school system appealling and more in tune with current national needs. This was swiftly applauded by educationists, civil society and government officials. A fine move of course - many more would have cheered quietly when that news broke.

But blame me for my cynical nature, honed by one too many disappointments, I was not exactly ready to jump out for joy. This is Malaysia and the saying cakap tak serupa bikin comes to mind. On the eve of Merdeka, news broke of school history books being re-engineered to convey the message that only one ethnic group was responsible for giving birth to Malaysia. The Education Ministry's token MIC representative P. Komala Devi said that the ommissions of certain personalities (all of them non-malay) from the text books was to make history "less boring".

I am not sure if Ms Devi was instructed to convey this "less boring" line as an excuse or did she ,befuddled to say anything more faintly logical when pushed for an answer from irate MPs, come up with this brilliant response. Whatever her reasons, the deliberate omission of history continues to undo the stitches of the fragile fabric of trust that Malaysians still have for the powers that be.

This is a clear demonstration of racial engineering which is in contempt of the official government line - to foster racial unity from the level of schoolchildren, and the larger messsage that Malaysia is for all Malaysians, and that the country's most valuable resource is its human capital ,irrespective of race, creed and religion. The latest move to sideline, downplay, eliminate the importance of key personalities from the historical landscape of Malaysia is something frighteningly akin to the book burnings practised by the Church in the Middle Ages or more recently, to the Nazification of Germany in the 1930s.

Already the Education Ministry have erred terribly with its social engineering tasks which has results in thousands, no make it tens of thousands of Malay university graduates who can't read, write or speak basic English and lack basic job skills. It is a even bigger tragedy for Malaysia if the Ministry plans to colour the views of young children with a selective view of history that fits a certain political agenda, which ultimately is likely to be a costly failure eventually. It is widely said that without knowing your history, you don't know your future. Malaysia is wading into dangerous murky waters by attempting to rewrite history.  ¶ 2:06 PM 0 Comments

  Malaysia no longer secular in 10, 15 years? "The idea of a secular state is dead in Malaysia," so says politicial scientist Farish Noor. He was quoted in an International Herald Tribune article dated August 28th 2006. " "An Islamic society is already on the cards. The question is what kind of Islamic society this will be."

For many who cherish our secular Constitution, this is indeed a depressing statement by an avid observer of Malaysian politics. My late father, commentator and journalist MGG Pillai, also shared the same observation about the inevitable rise of political Islam in Malaysia.

I read this article in a resigned mode, with a feeling that this nation is already on a fixed track toward a more intrusive form of Islamic governance. There are no detours on this train; nor will there be any prolonged stops on this journey, complete with millions of willing and unwilling passengers. The only question is not if, but when Malaysia reaches this milestone.

I dare say that a replacing of the current Constitution with an Islamic one, does not bode well for Malaysia. The reasons are obvious - there has been no Islamic nation (in words and deeds) that has thrived and prospered on the global stage, and there has been no instances in history (that I can think of) where Islamic political governance has succeeded in winning the hearts and minds of a sizable non-muslim citizenry. Malaysia is a unique nation, probably none other like her in the modern world, where the muslim and non-muslim population is almost on par with one other.

I would also venture to say that the only way for UMNO to remain relevant in the future political landscape of Malaysia, is to defend the Constitution and differentiate itself from a serious rival, PAS who has always called for an establishment of an Islamic government, which I assume would be based wholly on the Syariah.

Current attempts by UMNO to play the Islamic card and try to out-Islam PAS are laughable when the mainstream (including an increasingly number of Malays) are only too aware of UMNO's raison d'etre. I believe in its attempts to be more similar like PAS, but unwilling to purge the party of questionable and immoral acts such as corruption and vote buying, UMNO will continue to be seen as an empty shell with no real ideology. If its main reason for being is to make money and the enrichment of members, I think there is a real fear of UMNO going the way of Indonesia's Golkar.

The only way, in my view, of Malaysia remaining a secular state which really is in the true interest of UMNO (if they wish to remain in power for much longer), is for them to defend the idea of a secular state and have the political will to maintain this stance and challenge PAS. Sadly, UMNO is pandering to a vocal minority within their main constituents. I don't have any statistics but I suspect a majority of Malays in this country prefer a moderate approach to religion and politics. Coupled with a huge non-muslim population that would be heartened by such a pro-secular stance, UMNO would win this battle with PAS and prolong its hold over power for a longer time.

Looking at the current batch of UMNO politicians, my hopes are pretty dim on this front. They seem pretty fond of playing the race card whenever they get a chance, and trying to hoist the flag as a defender of the religion, to the discomfort of many - muslims and non-muslims alike. This goes on, while PAS plays the role of the more moderate political party which in the long run, if current developments continue, will be its ticket to achieving its main goal of rewriting the Constitution to one of its own choosing.  ¶ 10:58 AM 0 Comments