UMNO never intends to change The furore over the statements uttered by the European Union's Ambassador to Malaysia, Thierry Rommel is slowly dying down but the embers will continue to scorch passers-by. I think his statements perfectly mirror the impasse and frustration that an increasingly number of thinking Malaysians are experiencing. There is no doubt that Mr Rommel's statements were made with the interest of the EU close to his heart. But it is also obvious that Europe is increasingly seeing UMNO (read Government of Malaysia) as a party practising blatant race-driven policies. Rommel's words can be ridiculed by those roaming the corridors of power but the very same words will be taken seriously and as the Bible truth by EU policymakers and politicians. Make no mistake about that.

I also believe Rommel's words also mirror the astonishment he is feeling regarding the central government's desire to remain static regarding overseas concerns about the role of the National Economic Policy in the new globalized economy. UMNO will stubbornly hold out for as long as possible, until the day of true reckoning comes. UMNO can continue to put its head in the sand but ultimately its going to run out of air and changes then will be extremely traumatic and dangerous for the country. But it is inevitable. God bless Malaysia.  ¶ 4:50 PM 0 Comments

  Malaysia at the center of attention It has been more than a week since the Lina Joy verdict but we Malaysians can count on being in the international spotlight for much longer. Spotlight that the government rather not have, despite this year being Visit Malaysia Year 2007. Malaysians and foreigners alike are looking forward to a titillating court case involving a blown-up Mongolian model, a close aide (admittedly now, no longer) to the Deputy Prime Minister, arms deals and romantic liasions.

And just a few days ago, our widowed Prime Minister got hitched to his sister-in-la, also widely reported in the media. To some, this smells a little incestous but for Malaysia observers, this is not surprising. The country's former Deputy Prime Minister was sacked many years ago for allegedly having sex with another man. To many, Malaysian developments are like a soap opera gone haywire. And now, we have massive flash floods despite spending billions on so-called flood mitigation projects...Malaysia boleh?  ¶ 4:38 PM 0 Comments