Malaysian Muse

Prime Minister says sorry to Indonesia

2007-09-02T15:16:00.000+08:00

The Jakarta Post reported Friday, that the Malaysian Prime Minister formally apologised to Indonesia after four plainclothes policemen beat up a handcuffed Indonesian karate referee about a week ago. I have not read the local papers in the last two days but I daresay that this significant bit of information may have been omitted by our mainstream editors in order to minimise any damage to the Prime Minister. Of course, I stand to be corrected if indeed, Abdullah Badawi's apology to Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono were indeed printed in the local papers.

Why an apology by a Prime Minister who is frantically being described by the grovelling mainstream media as a man who can do no wrong? Don't forget, he also offered an apology to the Indian government after the inexcusable abuse local authorities inflicted on legitimate Indian workers back in 2003. Would he be so apt to offer an apology like this to Bangladesh or Sri Lanka if one of their own was abused and humiliated by the Malaysian police? The fact is, Malaysia is fast losing ground on the world stage to Indonesia and of course India, two growing Asian countries with large legitimate interests in Southeast Asia. It is striking that since Badawi took over the mantle of the Prime Ministership, the Indian Prime Miniser has not made an official visit to Malaysia despite official invitations by Wisma Putra. Indonesia is also showing good economic growth in recent years, a development of significance, which has given a dose of self-confidence and swagger to this large nation decimated by decades of authoritarian rule.

Will an apology be enough for the abuse that rogue policemen inflicted upon karate referee Donald Luther Colopita? If indeed, the Prime Minister has admitted wrongdoing, shouldn't the matter of compensation also be raised and subsequently offered by the Malaysian government? There has been countless calls by many parties here to reform the police force but which has fallen on deaf ears. This recent shameful episode can be added to the litany of long-standing complaints against the police force.

Merdeka yesterday but what about tomorrow?

2007-09-01T17:52:00.000+08:00

Malaysia celebrated 50 years of independence yesterday with pomp and ceremony. The glitze aside, are we truly a country that all Malaysians can be proud of? I think the question many right thinking Malaysians are likely to ask themselve or express privately amongst friends is "why did we waste countless opportunities in the last 50 years and fail to be a true Asian powerhouse?" After 50 years, the judiciary, which is suipposed to be the cornerstone of any civilized nation is still operating under a heavy shadow of gloom, brought about by questions of its independence. The education system which has forced many talented Malaysians to the brigher shores of Singapore is still leaking talent overseas due to perceived racial discrimination and preferential treatments, consistent of long-term government policies.

Racial polarisation has deepened - the recent SMS fiasco alleging racial riots in Johor got a lot of people riled up. There were no such thing but just a few simple keys into a mobile phone, was all it took to shatter, once again, the weak illusion that UMNO has created, that all is well on the racial unity front. It is poetic that this incident happens on the eve of Merdeka. But will this symbolism dawn upon UMNO, the decision makers? I don't have that confidence that things will change anytime soon.

I am happy and thankful to see Malaysia celebrate its 50th Merdeka anniversary and may there be many many more such occasions. I love this country and I want Malaysia to succeed. But past formulas which has brought great benefits to UMNO cannot be repeated for the future. It is bound to fail miserably. Already, its control on the news agenda is already severely undermined by the new media. Its nasty bark in recent times should be a reminder to UMNO that the new media is likely to set the news agenda in the future and not the other way around, however hard it tries to demonise the new media. UMNO must make changes on all fronts - political, economical and social - in order to remain relevant in the long-term. IF a 61-year-old political party thinks the world owes it a living, then the realities of the flat world will soon overpower it and render UMNO irrelevant.

Reporters leaving The Star?

2007-08-19T15:50:00.000+08:00

I was at a media function last week and a reporter from the Star, confided in me that the country's largest English-daily newspaper is fast losing its prized reporters. Apparently the days of six months ex-gratia bonuses are long gone and reporters, so used to those fat bonuses in the past, are not satisfied about the current status quo. The New Straits Times, for a long time the poor cousin of The Star are now willing to pay an extra thousand Ringgit to entice reporters to cross over to Jalan Riong from Section 16.

The Star is reputed to have lost a promising young journalist from the Malacca bureau as well another one from its Ipoh office, just in the last few days. Or so i heard. An exodus may well pick up steam, as reporters realise that they cannot survive on the measly basic salaries in the big cities. The discrepancy is startling; a reporter with about two years of experience and affinity for the job who agree to jump to the NST, can see his salary rise by 70 percent in one swoop to about RM2,500 while an experienced, hardworking Star reporter, after 11 years, may still only pick up less than RM3,000.

The top management at The Star is probably worried about this chain of events although they will put up a brave face. Besides losing reporters, they also need to be worried about the better quality stories that the NST and The Sun have been writing about. The Sun, for example, has succeeded in winning over advertisers with its unique free newspaper business model, which even people like Rupert Murdoch had grudgingly acknowledged as a threat to the tradtional newspaper business model. I generally find the content in the NST more appealing than the Star. The NST, being an UMNO newspaper, probably has more leeway in pushing the limits right now, in order to win market share it lost to the Star earlier in the game. The MCA mouthpiece has been very compliant to its political masters since it was punished in 1987. I recall when as a rookie Star reporter, I mentioned to a senior editor why we had to listen to the "political masters", he took umbrage to this and went out of his way to convince me that this is not true. A rookie I was but a fool I am not.

MCA displays its impotence

2007-08-17T14:41:00.000+08:00

It is really amusing to read MCA's mouthpiece, The Star quoting MCA vice-president Datuk Chua Soi Lek as saying that MCA will continue to "assist" student Wee Meng Chee who got into trouble with the authorities after his laments about the state of the nation was viewed on YouTube.

Is this the best that MCA can do? Especially after the de-factor Law Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz said that the government is not going to forgive Wee and that he could face legal action including possible jail time, for, in my view, merely echoing the sentiments of many Malaysians. The Star report today even stated that Chua spent 30 minutes lecturing Wee where he went wrong, when in his hearts of hearts, Chua knows that there is massive disatisfaction amongst his own ethnic community in Malaysia about the disturbing state of the nation and the path it is taking in regards to corruption and decaying national integrity.

So, what "advise" will MCA give Wee if he is charged in court? That he should take whatever is meted out like a man? UMNO is out for a pound of flesh and MCA is fighting in UMNO's corner, as it is seen from the outside. If Chua and his ilk are the best that the dynamic, hardworking Chinese community in Malaysia has as a so-called representative in Cabinet, then let's look forward to an interesting General Elections which is just around the corner.

Royals speaking up against excess

2007-08-15T10:43:00.000+08:00

'This country belongs to all Malaysians regardless of their race, and everyone has a right to feel as Malaysians.' If this statement was made by our Prime Minister, I would not give this statement a second look. In my opinion he has lost a lot of credibility and has not demonstrated able leadership. This statement was made by Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, who is the Sultan of Selangor, and immediately a lot of thinking Malaysians have woken up and lauded his weighty words.

Another royal, the Crown Prince of Perak, Raja Dr Nazrin Shah, called on Malaysians to promote unity by protecting the integrity of the Constitution, which guarantees freedom of religion. His words in the last few weeks have made me feel more Malaysian than all the fluff uttered by our politicians in the last few years. Compare these words with statements uttered by the ruling UMNO party, and you will see a sea of difference in tone, sincerity and leadership.

Perhaps we will all have something to think about during our Merdeka come August 31st. Perhaps this country is stronger than the sum of all our dirty politicians put together. Perhaps we can feel more like brothers and sisters at least for a little while as that 50th anniversary of Merdeka draws near.

Bail out again?

2007-08-14T13:28:00.000+08:00

In Malaysia, there seems to be a litany of unresolved issues floating aimlessly like uncleared debris in a pond. We've got disturbing issues coming out of the Attorney General's Chambers, unrest in the police force, the Rulers' rejection of the Prime Minister's candidate for the Court of Appeal seat, just to name a few. These days, the high ideals expoused by our Prime Minister at the height of the 2004 elections have come crashing down earth with a thud. Obviously, the powers that be now has no way of rebutting opposition allegations on corruption and abuse of power, except by warning bloggers who write on politics and socio-economic issues(who have all been tarred with the "unpatriotic" brush)that they are being watched (no less by KJ's vehicle- UMNO Youth). It seems like Ijok all over again, with the "gempur" ragtag team coming out of their little holes to bang on empty tins to drown out any reasonable demands for accountability, transparency and respect for state institutions.

Now, after Malaysiakini broke the story about the brewing financial scandal involving the Port Klang Authority which has been saddled with a RM5 billion debt following the pull-out of Jebel Ali Free Trade Zone (JAFZA)as principal partner last month, the other "traditional" media like The Sun and Singapore's Straits Times have delved deeper into the issue. According to media reports, it is clear that there is no transparency, accountability and respect for the rule of law involving this so-called free trade zone. It is as if the glow of money blinded all in UMNO and it became a tidy get-rich-quick scam. The chairman of the company that owned the land is no less than the UMNO treasurer himself according to the Straits Times report. The politicial angle is overwhelming when one reads about the convoluted connections behind the scene. This is not a flattening environment (as Thomas Friedman puts it) which will make foreign investors gain confidence in Malaysia. One must wonder what they think of our grand plans to develop Johor if this PKA scandal is a testament of what doing business in Malaysia is like. The Singaporeans must be watching this scandal with deep interest. I bet they will keep their money bags tightly zipped.

Where is the "goblok" Minister who says everything in cyberspace are plain lies? Why is he quiet? And where is that monkey who claims to know what is best for Malaysia? It would be interesting to hear his views on this brewing scandal.

Where is that Merdeka feeling?

2007-08-10T15:43:00.000+08:00

As the day of Merdeka approaches, there is a distinct lack of emotion regarding this momentous occasion, which stirred the soul of this nation fifty years ago, promising its people happiness and prosperity if all the ethnic communities work together as one. The newspapers prefer to focus on the historical figures, who contributed their tears, sweat and blood to the nation but curiously shy away from any substantial reportings about the current views of Malaysians. The newspapers seem to shy away from writing about this special moment, this special occasion while paradoxically, the issue of Merdeka and this "disconnect-ness" is embraced and analysed by bloggers.

Is it because the newspapers already sense a certain "disconnect-ness" amongst ordinary Malaysians of all races from the importance of Merdeka? Are they worried about what they would find if they dig a little deeper? Have their political masters decided that any indepth reporting on Malaysians' opinions about Malaysia may be too explosive? Is it apathy that we are seeing out there? Isn't that something we should all be worried about? Am I apathetic? Honestly, I think I am becoming apathetic, numbed by disturbing developments I see all around me. The point is, we should be able to sense that a special day is just around the corner. Instead, the nation is trudging along towards August 31st like a horse wearing blinders.

Malaysian flags:Where are they?

2007-08-09T17:29:00.000+08:00

I recall vividly thousands of national flags waving in the wind;from rooftops, decrepit apartment blocks, chinese coffee shops, battered taxi roofs, lorries, vehicles, back in 1998. It was during the financial crisis when all Malaysians felt that a stand had to be made, to reaffirm our love for this country during a dark moment in her history. Flags continued to be part of the city landscape during the run up to Merdeka for consequent years but lately, the ubiquitious little plastic national flags has suddenly become a rarity in Kuala Lumpur. I can't speak for other parts of the country but here in the largest city in Malaysia, I can hardly spot a car, apartment or office block adorned with that ultimate patriotic symbol - the national flag.

It is all the more surprising when one recalls that this year - 2007 - is Malaysia's 50th Merdeka celebrations (never mind that Sabah and Sarawak is not exactly enamoured by this turn of events, especially when they consider 1963 as the pivotal year when Malaysia was officially formed). Last year, the government continued to urge Malaysians to fly the flag, with some Ministers trying the tired old tactic of accusing the Chinese of a lack of patriotism because they were not flying the flag. They of course conveniently forgot that many Malays were also not flying the flag.

This year, with so much talk about the half century celebrations, the public is surprising quiet i.e translated into a no-flag moment from virtually any part of the city. I have yet to see a taxi with a flag stuck on the roof. And the most telling part is I have not come across any statements by politicians urging Malaysians to fly the flag as this is a very special year for Malaysia. It seems like nobody in UMNO is bothered as well. MCA and Gerakan are of course very quiet since they know they would be asking for a backlash from the Chinese community if they make a public statement about the importance of flying the flag. We can of course all forget about that minor inconsequential party called the MIC.

Actually the apathy demonstrated by this development is deafening and it is a powerful statement which the government, I am sure, is aware of but powerless to stop. The government over the years have cleverly diffused the message that being apathetic is a good thing because it makes it easier for the ruling party to push its agenda cloaked as a national mission. I suppose that same apathy carefully cultivated over the years is out in full bloom for all to see. I don't for one second blame Malaysians for this lack of patriotism - as one friend of mine stated: flying the flag is akin to supporting UMNO and its agenda, it is not about showing love for the country. I think that pretty much sums it all up doesn't it?

News which never make the headlines

2007-08-09T08:10:00.001+08:00

Bloggers and the online media continue to be mercilessly attacked by the UMNO-dominated government. Politicians with the reins on power has described this growing form of electronic media as unashamedly dabbling in fiction and sensationalism. We are urged not to read blogs and other local online media web sites, as the government continues its tired tirade against citizens who continue to provide an alternative point of view. Never mind that such bloggers are just a drop in the figurative ocean, compared to what most Malaysians are reading in cyberspace.

Surely the big and powerful government has no need to be worried about bloggers such as Jeff Ooi and Raja Petra Kamaruddin? But apparently, UMNO is. Is it any wonder then that Malaysians rightfully bring up this pertinent point - why does't UMNO confront "these lies and sensationalism" (some with clear documentations) with logic and reason? This sadly, is the crux of the bankruptcy of UMNO, when it is all too willing to "animalise" people who love this nation and are concerned about the direction it is taking in this rapidly globalising world.

Yesterday, Malaysiakini carried a report about thousands of Malaysians who took to the streets to urge the government to implement a minimum monthly wage. The report stated that at least 30,000 people took part in a peaceful demonstrations under the watchful eyes of the police. The report estimated about a thousand people demonstrated in Kuala Lumpur. This is worthy of coverage and of national interest surely. A quick survey of the online versions of the Star and New Straits Times this morning failed to elicit any news on this important event. It is clear that mainstream media suppresses news. As a former journalist, I know that that too clearly. Is it any wonder that thinking Malaysians continue to look at alternative media for news and informed analysis?

Crackdowns will take place .. sooner or later

2007-07-23T15:08:00.000+08:00

The government has stayed away from molesting the online news sites thus far. But for how long in the future, will the UMNO-dominated government play fair, we can never know for sure. Malaysia-Today, set up by the incorrigible Raja Petra Kamarudin, has gained a tremendous following of hundreds of thousands of Malaysians and widely read by overseas Malaysians and expatriates. Even the diplomatic community, I am sure, has Malaysia Today bookmarked amongst its favourite Malaysian websites.

RPK as he is known, is doing a great service to all Malaysians by daring to give insights into the inner workings of government and individuals who are widely believed to be at the controls of this ship called Malaysia. He has on many occasions embarrassed those in power by predicting certain events such as the Prime Minister's recent wedding and his detailed description on how a certain son-in-law of the Prime Minister had managed to rise like a phoenix from the ashes into a position of tremendous power and influence in this land. His recent expose on the alleged close cooperation between the country's top police chief and the chinese triads, could be the final straw. Something may happen soon, which would indeed be one of the blackest marks in the history of Malaysia.

Despite the negativity of such a move, desperate people will do desperate things ...

The method behind the madness

2007-07-20T17:26:00.000+08:00

Malaysia has been declared an Islamic state by none other than the Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, at a time when racial and religious suspicions have seen a marked increase in the public space. Ever since Tun Dr Mahathir decided to irresponsibly proclaim Malaysia as an Islamic state after 9/11, politicians with their agendas have seen it fit to continue on the Islamic state bandwagon.

What is different this time, I suspect, is that the timing of Najib's statements may have been deliberately timed to deflect attention from the interesting developments elsewhere. With opposition politicians teasing the media with statements that they are "looking" for photographic evidence linking Najib with the murdered Mongolian Altantuya, it would no doubt be a jittery time for Najib if he indeed knew the poor girl, despite his strident public denials.

Perhaps a statement about an Islamic state, bound to raise emotions and public outcry may be the right thing to do, in order to deflect attention about any photographs that may lying in someone's drawer.

The other possibility is that UMNO is betting that despite the party's failures, the non-Malays will only sigh and continue to back the devil they know than the devil they don't. After all, elections are bound to be called this year and there is no other reason for Najib to bring up the Islamic nation issue, so soon after Lina Joy and the Revathi episode, except to declare to all that UMNO do not give a damn about the feelings of the other races, taking a calculated risk that none will dare to give the Islamist party a chance to rule Malaysia.

Now whether, the Chinese BN component parties will be routed in the next elections, well, that remains to be seen ....

UMNO never intends to change

2007-06-29T16:50:00.000+08:00

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.

Malaysia at the center of attention

2007-06-12T16:38:00.000+08:00

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?

Lina Joy!

2007-05-31T16:12:00.000+08:00

And so the dust will begin to settle and Malaysians will go back to their lives and forget the decision of probably the most important court verdict that directly impacts the lives of all Malaysians in this land. The Lina Joy verdict has damned the secular Constitution of the land, leaving many unanswered and worrying questions about the fate of Malaysia - a land with a non-Muslim population of about 40 percent.

The Malaysiakini headline on Wednesday cried out "No Joy for Lina" after the Federal Court rejected the 42-year-old Malay Christian's application to the highest civilian court in the land to allow her to delete Islam from her identity card. A lot of people who believe that the Constitution should be the supreme law of the land also has no joy. The Chief Justice himself said Lina Joy must now submit to the Syariah court for redress, effectively putting her in limbo, as she is no longer a Muslim and thus should not be forced to submit to Islamic law. I don't have legal training but it is clear to me that by making someone like Lina Joy submit to Islamic law when she has declared herself to be a Christian is a gross violation of human rights and the freedom to choose one's own religion.

Malaysia is now being accused by some quarters of violating its own laws as well as international laws. If the government thinks that this furore over this case will slowly die a natural death, it may be in for a surprise. In fact, Malaysia's confusing stance of pretending to allow freedom of religion and in the same breath, denying Malays the right to practice any religion is now very loudly proclaimed to the world. I would not be surprised if foreign governments make it a point to bring this matter to the attention of the Prime Minister in future government-to-government engagements. There is a price to be paid. This case is another clear sign that the Prime Minister's Islam Hadhari is sitting on thin ice. Lina Joy is also another indication that the country's reputation as a secular nation is in in grave danger. This should worry Malays and non-Malays equally, as only the Constitution without a religious slant can truly protect the rights and freedoms of its populace. This has been proven in history.

Lina Joy verdict in Wednesday

2007-05-28T14:35:00.000+08:00

The much awaited Lina Joy verdict is expected to be read by the Federal Court this Wednesday. This test case, whether a Malay can renounce Islam, the state religion, is by far one of the most divisive court cases in recent times as Malaysia appears to tilt heavily towards more Islamic characteristics at the expense of the strongly secular Constitution.

Either way, the verdict will be greeted by one set of supporters (those supporting more Islamic laws versus supporters of the Constitution being the supreme law of the land) with dismay. I tend to believe that the Federal court will not allow the now christian Lina Joy to leave Islam. Recent episodes involving religious conversion have been badly handled by the government, leaving many frustrated and disturbed. The reality is that if Lina Joy is allowed to legally leave Islam, then Muslims are allowed to renounce Islam - a precedent far too dangerous for the government to even contemplate.

I believe Malaysia will continue to be confronted by religiously-slanted issues whereby only decisive and fair leadership can help stem any fallout. So far, this kind of leadership has been lacking, with leaders opting for inaction for fear of offending certain parties. The head-in-the-sand approach just do not cut it. It can be argued that in some instances, the constitutional rights of Malaysians have been infringed, yet no remedial action was taken.

Malaysia should take note of how India handles the cauldron of race and religious cases. With a judiciary which is independent and untainted by executive control, it has won the confidence of both Hindu and Muslim citizens of the republic. It is in fact the only way to keep a country such as India, with disparate religions and ethnic populations, from tearing at each others throats. In Malaysia, the bad image the judiciary has collated for itself over the course of several years, has not entirely dissipated. Perhaps the best way for Malaysia's judges to win back its old reputation as steadfastly neutral and professional is by handing out the verdict in the case of Lina Joy, purely within the ambit of the supreme law of the land - the Constitution. Meanwhile, we wait for Wednesday's verdict. May God bless Malaysia.

Why do these things keep happening?

2007-05-27T11:38:00.000+08:00

Anguish. Anger. Helplessness. Imagine your child being ripped away from you by an official decree that says that your son is now a Muslim and there's nothing you can do about it. I have always believed that religion is an intensely personal choice, certainly not a public forum where politically-motivated religious officials can dip their hands at will across respected human boundaries and yank back a "convert" kicking and screaming. Without this Malaysiakini report, there would have been virtual public silence and apathy about what happened to 20-year-old C Ragu. His lawyer has rightly made the argument that more non-Muslim parents will be reluctant to send their children for National Service if there is an hidden force intent on converting naive youths to Islam by coercion. An appeal has been to the Prime Minister. Will he take make things right?

This all too familiar scene is being repeated yet again in Malaysia, with the government not showing any political will nor leadership to stop this dangerous trend. We have had enough of the Moorthi and Rayappan cases, still questioning why are such actions being perpetrated when unity, already a national illusion, becomes even more of a distant dream. Don't these government officials see that actions carried out on the banner of Islam, continue to make many non-Muslims equate Islam with these suspicious actions? So much for the Prime Minister's much-publicized Islam Hadhari. We Malaysians continue to be far apart as ever because of religion and race.

Top cop cops out on corruption

2007-05-25T10:31:00.000+08:00

Inspector General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan was quoted in a local newspaper recently that police officers now have no reason to take bribes since the government has announced a generous pay hike for them. Is he trying to convey the message that previously it was perfectly ok for police officers to take bribes prior to any salary hike? So what were all the previous officious announcements about battling corruption in the force all about? Is the top cop in the land really serious about battling corruption within the force, a problem which is getting worse by the day or is he going to make empty rhetorical statements to reporters?

By his logic, a salary hike should stem the flow of dirty money into the pockets of our police officers. Somehow, the idea that rapacious, hungry officers who are so used to slipping RM50 notes into their pockets during the course of duty, are magically going to stop taking bribes due to a salary hike is a little ludicrous. Once, the good times roll, its hard to stop it. That is plain human nature, cop or no cop. It shows that Musa, however well-meaning, is at his wits end, to stop the potent public perception that Malaysia's police force is riddled with corrupt cops all the way to the top.

Zam the dinosaur

2007-05-23T11:06:00.000+08:00

Malaysia's Information Minister Zainuddin Maidin is increasingly showing himself to be irrelevant. His self-proclaimed credentials as a journalist committed to his craft, has been debunked a long time ago. Even the mainstream newspapers are fast losing patience with this dinosaur. It is a wonder that he is still in the limelight, hogging precious newspaper space, to spew his dribble against anyone who dares to have an alternative point from the offical government line.

Just weeks after raising the alarm that bloggers are doing immeasurable damage to the nation's unity, Zainuddin now says that political bloggers only make up 20,000 of the 11 million Internet users in the country, and hence only a few people read blogs. Then why is he worried? Why the contradictory stance? Why is UMNO anxious about sites like Malaysiakini, Malaysia-Today, Screenshots? Malaysia-Today claims it gets daily hits of more than 2 million. I am sure that type of figure drowns out any imaginary numbers his TV stations can muster.

China, the rising world power, has been unable to effectively filter the Internet. Zam, as he is more inclined to be called, thinks he can - by shouting threats at an increasingly sophisticated urban populace. He has warned them that their writing is a threat to "national unity". If thinking aloud and producing analysis is a threat to the nation, then one must wonder if he is really talking about bloggers being a threat to UMNO. His McCarthystic behaviour in demonising ordinary citizens who happen to have a point of view about Malaysia is truly disturbing.

Where are we as a nation want to go? Does the government want this country to develop wings and fly or do they want the people to be forever docile, secure in the bosom of UMNO? Even if that means that this country becomes an insecure nation afraid of its own shadows, riven by racial suspicion for eternity?

What I have read about Zam demonstrated an anachronistic world view which swims in Zam's brain. The sad thing is that he is proud of his world view. I suppose when one is in the throes of power, and wishes to please his master, that's what people do. In any case, such behaviour has proven to be well-rewarding for many Ministers in our nation's esteemed cabinet. But I do hope that the Prime Minister loses patience with this Information Minister and drops him in the next Cabinet reshuffle.

Is the Visit Malaysia Year campaign doing well?

2007-05-21T10:42:00.000+08:00

I returned from Phuket yesterday from a short break and as I stood in line to get my passport processed, I noticed that the swarms of people waiting to officially enter Malaysian soil were Malaysians back from the sun-kissed island of Phuket. Of the two hundred-odd passengers, a handful were foreigners lining up at the foreign passport queue. So what happened to Visit Malaysia Year 2007, that annoying battle cry of the government all this year? Where are the throngs of foreigners pushing desperately into Malaysia for leisure? Sure, we have the other sort, the type that takes a night boat from Sumatra, aided by syndicates, to forage for any work in small Malaysian towns and cities. But we Malaysians want well-heeled visitors, willing to contribute to the economy. Are we getting that type of visitors in big numbers when these big spenders can get excellent service (something Malaysians are not renowned for) and appealing cultural experiences in Thailand and Bali?

By the small line of foreigners from Phuket waiting for their passposrts to be stamped at the LCCT airport, I am even more convinced that VMY2007 has not paid dividends. And why are so many Malaysians willing to spend their money overseas and not take a local holiday? Another reason to suspect this is the Tourism Minister's decision to extend VMY 2007 to another year. Surely, things are not panning out well for the Minister and his grand plans?

Decent Men

2007-05-16T09:52:00.000+08:00

The ghosts are nearly dead
Blood has turned to dust.
They still walk among us,
Race-based policies,
The unsheathing of the keris
And quotas
As silent companions.
Brittle beings, they peer sadly
From the ravages of history.
Malaya is now Malaysia
But their righteous hands
remain imprinted on the land.
But their grip is weakening,
On the verge of
slipping back into the soil they love.
Forever lost this time,
their time-seeped uniforms
To be unravelled
into naked atoms,
Eaten by parasitic successors
Trapped by indecency.

Decent men
Who did decent things
To help make a decent country
In the name of love.
This love still walks among us.
Dying. But not dead.

Yet.

Are elections around the corner?

2007-05-15T07:58:00.000+08:00

There is coffee shop talk that elections may be just around the corner. Couple of indications why some people think so. Firstly, the Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) has already started dusting off its elections machinery a few days ago. In usual political speak, MCA claimed they were just being fastidious and hardworking. Well, that may well be true but when it comes to the MCA (or any political party for that matter), I find that hard to believe in this era of political selfishness.

The recent outcry over the Maybank's requirement that legal firms servicing the bank must be bumiputera-owned, was quickly silenced by the Cabinet by directing the bank to retract this edict. The Prime Minister did not (as usual) have the courage to give the country's biggest bank a stern tongue lashing. Instead, he said "they know what to do". Essentially, the message is; don't be silly to make such announcements now but if you want to work this out on the sly, be my guest.

Even the keris waving Hishamuddin Tun Hussein Onn wavered on the side of common sense by saying that Maybank should not be doing things like this when we are trying to build a united Malaysia. Surprise turn around for someone who are not averse to unsheathing the keris. Even his deputy, the son-in-law of the Prime Minister, the self-proclaimed figher of Malay rights, has been silent on this issue. One could surmise that they do not want to annoy the Chinese voters at this juncture.

The Ijok by-election has been a tremendous eye-opener for the ruling party. It may be best to strike when the iron is still hot i.e when the momentum is still with the government. Why wait until later when the economic or political developments are not conducive to hold elections? After all, the opposition parties are being viewed as being able to cobble together an alliance as evidenced by Ijok when PAS and DAP helped Keadilan campaign. There is also the well-founded fear that the Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamed factor could swing more votes for the opposition in the next general elections. The Star newspaper demonised the former premier just last Sunday in a full-page article questioning his association with opposition political parties. Of course, now with the old man recuperating from a recent health hiccup, the government may see this as an added impetus to hold elections sooner rather than later.

A nation under religious siege

2007-05-11T17:17:00.000+08:00

Dialogues are the only way forward to promote religious understanding amongst the people of varying faiths. The hasty measure of man taking up arms against a fellow human being who happen to reach out to God in a different manner to his has caused great bloodshed and tragedy. Violence only begets more violence. An eye for an eye makes the entire world go blind.

The current Prime Minister is a great proponent of dialogues. He has impressively called for dialogues to end conflicts in the Middle East, Darfur and any other region in the world that is under strife. Dialogues for the entire world seem a reasonable and logical solution as far as he is concerned.

But dialogues are not for Malaysians apparently. When citizens of this country call for inter-faith dialogues to create bridges and strengthen understanding between peoples of different faiths, the Prime Minister remains silent, unwilling to agree to such a basic request. The fact that the longer he waits, the spirit of nationhood becomes weaker amongst the 27 million Malaysians is apparently irrelevant.

This vacuous type of leadership is gradually being exposed to the world, following the recent cancellation of an international Muslim-Christian dialogue session which was also supposed to include key religous figures from both sides including the Archbishop of England. Such a summit would have boosted Malaysia's international credentials and position as a moderate, modern country which happens to have a Muslim majority population.

The question that begs to be asked; who is really running the country? The Prime Minister or an unseen hand with a myopic, narrow view of the world?

In the name of religion, we must tear our social fabric apart

2007-05-10T23:14:00.000+08:00

In the name of religion, the authorities are demonstrating a disturbing propensity to tear this country asunder. Another Hindu man has come forward to tell his story; that his wife has been forcibly taken away by Islamic officials on grounds that she is muslim and thus she has no rights to be with a Hindu man. Laws that are crucial for the existence of a harmonious society are being ignored. The man's lawyers have alleged that the woman was taken away by people claiming to be from the Islamic authorities without showing any proof. It is believed that the woman has been taken away to a so-called rehabilitation camp.

It is as if there is a powerful group operating freely, beyond the control of the government, going around making crude demonstrations of the primacy of Muslims in Malaysia. It is curious that in recent months, most of these actions have been aimed at Hindus, who are a very small minority in Malaysia. On one occasion when a Christian man's body was taken away by Islamic authorities on the grounds that he was a Muslim, the body was returned for a Christian burial within weeks. One could surmise that the government was pressured by powerful international Christian blocs to do so. So there is a need to tread carefully with Christians in this country but not so with Hindus, seen as weak and compliant.

The paralysis of the government under the current leadership is disturbing. It is as if it is willing to forgo the nation's Constitution to pander to a loud minority clamouring for more public pronouncements of Islam's primacy in Malaysia. The latest case of a family being torn apart is unlikely to be the last, under the current environment.

Of ministers and labels

2007-05-09T09:49:00.000+08:00

In Malaysia, politicians are very fond of labels. We are all conveniently divided into groups, with the basest denomination of race at the forefront of everything in the forefront of Malaysian society. Malays, Chinese, Indian, Pendatang, Bumiputera, non-Bumiputera, Kafir, Muslim, non-Muslim. All Malaysians grow up with this chant ringing in our ears. This is the mantra of our very being, with the tangible piece of plastic in our pockets to remind us of our differences. Then there is the matter of religion - that most personal of beliefs - where in Malaysia, how you make peace with your God is information the state deems it necessary to have imprinted into that little piece of plastic one carries in our wallets. We are not one people but many smaller groups. In a country of only 27 million, surrounded by bigger countries vying for scant resources, politicians go out of their ways, to remind us of our differences, and as politicians usually do, in the same breath exhort us to be united. Usually, this call is made without much fervour or zeal.

Labels are liberally applied, some would say, to make it makes it easier to govern a polyglot of people in a country like Malaysia. The other more cynical argument is that it makes it easier for the authorities to replicate the successful formula used by our colonial masters to keep the subjects divided, pitting one group against another, to ensure obedience and compliance to British rule. Recently our Minister of Science, Technology and Innovations Datuk Seri Jamaluddin Jarjis casually threw around his comments about “dark-skinned” Indians and “light-skinned” Indians to a group of Malaysian students and embassy officials overseas. He also deduced that dark-skinned Indians are low-class while the lighter skin ones are high class.

Perhaps such statements make the good Minister feels good about himself when he is uncomfortably aware of the tremendous advances “dark skinned” Indians are pioneering all over the world. Despite his claim that he is a learned man armed with a doctorate degree no less, his behaviour while shameful, is to be expected. It is not the first time he has courted controversy and he is unlikely to stop using such labels on the citizens of Malaysia. Why should politicians like him cease using such labels when such actions find resonance within his own political party? After all, UMNO thrives on such labels. While the good minister is surely aware that derogatory labels will anger Malaysian Indians, does he really care? After all, Indians in Malaysia are not a large enough group of influential voters to shake his position.

Increasingly, this kind of thinking is coming to the forefront of Malaysia’s political landscape as typified by the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Nazri’s Abdul Aziz’s eye-catching statement a few weeks ago when he blurted out he cannot support inter-faith dialogues because his voter base is uncomfortable with the concept. The dearth of intellectualism in the Malaysian ministerial cabinet is further emphasized by the obsession with control and brute force to bring Malaysians who are increasingly exposed to the outside world, to heel. The closing of the Malaysian mind nears completion. Ministers such as Jarjis who is always making overseas trips to promote Malaysia, are essentially showmen with little understanding of his environment and unfortunately, blessed too with a not-so-glib tongue.

Another Minister Zainuddin Maidin has also adopted similar tactics by going on record that bloggers should be divided into two groups – professional and non-professional categories. In his words, such a grouping will make it easier for the authorities to govern that annoying space called cyberspace. In the good minister’s simplistic world, the so-called “professional” blogger carries more weight and credibility while the the so-called “non-professional” blogger are to be viewed as cesspools of rumour mongering and consigned to the dustbins of credibility.

Zam as he is popularly known, described his ground breaking idea as a “mechanism of control”. How such labels and differentiation can help regulate cyberspace, we remain in the dark. As I am sure the Minister is as well. It is obvious that this suggestion is the good Minister’s strategy to effectively counter the growing influence of blogs which has caused him many a sleepless night since he took over the important Information Ministry post. So, the solution? Divide and rule with a liberal application of labels to segregate and confuse the target group while offering no real solutions to the perceived problems at hand. With the General Elections just around the corner, labels will continue to be splashed without limits. But labels are just what they are – mere words that when used too often, lose its potency to overawe and subdue.

My travels to Kota Bahru to be with you

2007-05-06T16:29:00.000+08:00

I recall
the days when
The stars glide slowly past.
The milky night welcomes me
As I settle into the cavernous beast
Watching a thousand words file past
to bridge the distance between
Our restless hearts
If just for an instant.

Searching for air
Outside,
the darkness seals me in.
Molecules swirl impatiently
As wistful shadows of Malaya look back at me;
smudges of dim lights
on the window pane
race past me helplessly.

My steel-cold compartment
Moves deeper into the land,
Closer to you.
Come sleep
Into the darkness
And let me trace your heartbeat now
Let the soft lines of your skin
Pull me into sleep, sleep, sleep.

Then darkness.
It hastens the rise
of the Kota Bahru morning sun
and I rise to search
for your sweet clean face
in the tiny sea of unwashed humanity.

Chinese are upset. Will UMNO makes amends?

2007-05-02T22:58:00.000+08:00

The Ijok by-elections results are in and government is patting itself on the back on a job well-done. Whether the cry of outrage from the opposition about alleged ballot fraud is factual or not is largely irrelevant. The results are irreversible and indeed, this loss has been deemed by some triumphant Barisan Nasional politicians as a death-knell for Malaysia’s opposition.

But a closer look at the Ijok election results show a massive shift in the voting patterns of the Chinese, who have in recent years, been disturbed by adverse political development within UMNO. The MCA president himself Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting himself has admitted that his party need to work harder to bring the Chinese back into the “fold”. Ong should be worried. Rural Chinese voters in an isolated region of Selangor, have sent a signal to the center that they are unhappy with larger national issues seen to be detrimental to the community. The old promise of local infrastructure development has proven ineffective with the community, perceived by many to be shielded from any trickle-down effect due to the keris waving antics of certain UMNO leaders last September. This despite the millions of Ringgit poured into Ijok in a few short weeks!

The Chinese needs to be convinced otherwise. That means snap general elections are unlikely to be held anytime soon. UMNO will have to be nice to the Chinese from now on, perhaps to the chagrin of some fire-brand politicians. In many constituencies, Chinese voters hold the key between victory and defeat. So UMNO need to re-evaluate its strategy and soberly recognize that race-baiting tactics could backfire badly. The government has to hold general elections by February 2009. The clock is ticking. And the Chinese are waiting for UMNO to make the first move.

Thank You Malaysiakini

2007-05-01T12:27:00.000+08:00

Malaysiakini printed my tribute to my father MGG Pillai yesterday. The news site has also kindly linked my father's previous articles he wrote for Malaysiakini under his column, Chiaroscuro. Here is also eminent blogger Jeff Ooi's report on my father's passing away last year.

Turkey fights to remain secular. What about us?

2007-04-30T15:34:00.000+08:00

An interesting development is taking place in Turkey whereby millions of ordinary Turks are going into the streets to demand that the parliament choose a president with no Islamist ties. The all-powerful army has also sent out a stern warning that any move to dismantle the strong secular traditions of the country in order to "islamicise" the nation will be dealt with strongly.

With the rise of Islamicists demanding that secular governments be dismantled, from Egypt to Indonesia, Turkey remains a bulwark against this rising trend. That many Turks are suspicious about the possible presidential candidate Abdullah Gul because his wife wears the head scarf is striking. The mere suspicion that Turkey's secular way of life is under threat was enough to arouse so much passion amongst the citizens who obviously have great love and concern about their country. As it is, many turks also remain concerned about Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan who is said to be more Islamic-minded.

In Malaysia, efforts to further break down secular government continue unabatedly with barely a squeak from the people. It is as if a vacuum has replaced reason and logic, as the Constitution continue to be under assault by certain quarters. Everyone keeps quiet and ignores key developments that could change Malaysia irrevocably and perhaps for the worse. It is passion, the kind shown by the turks, which will help save Malaysia. Unfortunately, this remains in short supply in this new Malaysia that certain politicians are determined to fashion, ignoring the actual complex realities on the ground.

My father MGG Pillai

2007-04-28T13:36:00.000+08:00

One year ago, on April 28th 2006, one of Malaysia’s last independent journalists passed away at the age of 66, leaving behind an illustrious career which started in the mid-1960s. My father MGG Pillai, was a man who stayed true to his craft until his demise. In today’s Malaysia, a man of such convictions and passion for journalism, is well, put politely, not tolerated.. Under the previous administration of Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamed, journalists were also expected to toe the line, and not ask too many questions, nor write analytic pieces. Newspaper editors were emasculated and kept in line. Critical thought was slowly squeezed out of the public consciousness. My father was not allowed to write for any mainstream newspapers but that was no deterrence for a man who was determined to have his say about his beloved country. MGG Pillai’s sharp pen also annoyed the Singapore authorities who barred him from entry into the little republic for many years. It is a measure of the man that he survived, nay, thrived under Malaysia’s restrictive media controls since he became a freelance journalist in 1971.

I grew up seeing him at the typewriter, or with volumes of books which he devoured voraciously. My father never finished his legal studies, cut short by his father’s death. In hindsight, journalism gained a son. It was a critical time when a nation was looking to be relevant in the world, barely a decade after independence from colonial masters; dealing with an aggressive, larger neighbour, and brewing racial suspicions amongst the population. In those days before spin doctors and greasy relatives hungry for power, my father’s insightful, investigative work about Malaysia allowed him to be acquainted with Bapa Merdeka Tuanku Abdul Rahman and successive Prime Ministers, as well as ministers and bureaucrats close to the seat of power.

Despite being a university drop-out, his tenacity, love for the written word and razor sharp mind, MGG Pillai evolved into an expert of Malaysian and regional affairs, constantly writing for a host of foreign media titles throughout his life. I would like to say that my love for books and writing was in large part, due to his influences, and while I freely admit that we have differences in opinions in some realms, he continues to have a massive impact on me. To me the man never died as his ideals continue to be relevant in today’s Malaysia. My father was largely a strong silent type in private life, an almost exact opposite when he was wielding a pen or tapping on a keyboard. That is the enigma that was MGG Pillai – a giant in the world of Malaysian journalism.

I think he liked what he saw in the world of cyber journalism which he pioneered, years before the likes of Malaysiakini and Malaysia-Today were established. It reminded him of the dynamic media space in the 1960s and early 1970s, which, if it was left unmolested, would have contributed to a more mature, dynamic and critical society. The shackles of race and communal politics could have in fact, been removed by now. Sadly history has dictated otherwise but my father correctly predicted that the Internet could in the long-term, be the great equalizer, in regards to citizens being more involved and responsive to issues that affect us all. Malaysia belongs to all of us and my father had made that point repeatedly in his 40-year career. That a new generation of bloggers and Internet news sites continue to propagate his message, to the chagrin of the authorities, is a fitting tribute to the tenacious MGG Pillai. My father is gone but never forgotten. Goodnight Acha, wherever you are.

Ijok - disturbing signs for the future

2007-04-27T19:19:00.000+08:00

A little known area in central Selangor called Ijok could well merit a mention when a study of Malaysia's political landscape is carried out in the future, if the opposition can reduce the majority of the Barisan Nasional candidate on April 28. An unlikely win by Anwar Ibrahim and company could well be a turning point of massive significance for UMNO's political rivals. The intensive canvassing for votes and actions bordering on desperation, perpetrated by some parties plus the ever lingering talk of money politics of gargantuan proportions as well as phantom voters in the Ijok constituency, are clear indications that the ruling UMNO does not like the changing mood of the ground. The tired old themes of development and stablity only possible under Barisan, are beginning to fade away as people, even rural folks, are more attuned to all the going-ons in the seat of government.

The rise of a undisciplined group of young UMNO members whose behaviour borders on the loutish, in the midst of this political party is a dark sign of things to come. Police reports have been lodged recently about these group's unsavoury antics including outright assault on anyone not singing the Barisan Nasional tune. Whether the strong arm of the law will be used to rein these misguided youths in, is not known. As far as I know, this is a new phenomenon in Malaysian politics; the rise of thuggish political enforcers to intimidate all those who dare stand in its path. In the past, more subtle methods were used by the ruling coalition to ensure voter support. While deplorable, the public simply shrugged its shoulders and let such incidents pass.

These are disturbing signs. When governments think they need to resort to strong-arm tactics which could spill into outright violence to ensure people cross the right symbols on their little ballot papers, it is then time to really take stock of the state of the nation. I am not surprised by talk of "legitimate" voters purportedly aged between 7 and 108, which has apparently appeared on the election rolls for Ijok; these are expected to take place when UMNO has the massive government machinery to bank upon. This factor, I am sure, has already been taken into account by opposition strategists.

But I do not think they banked upon roving gangs of youths capable of sparking violence in the constituency in order to intimidate, frighten voters. The fact that the government has remained silent about the antics of these young men is also disturbing especially when its favourite buzz word is national security. These are indeed interesting times for Malaysia. What becomes of the political landscape, post-Ijok is already being eagerly anticipated.

The shit hits the fan!

2007-04-25T12:50:00.000+08:00

"Sewage management company Indah Water Konsortium Sdn Bhd (IWK) is the main polluter of rivers in Peninsular Malaysia." So states the Star today. The statement was attributed to none other than the Minister for Natural Resources and Environment Datuk Seri Azmi Khalid himself. The question that pops into my mind is how come the good Minister only knew about this disastrous fact now? After all, he is the Minister and the proverbial buck stops with him. Well, we have been always been stricken by the "one-eye closed" syndrome. Our dear Minister has pushed the buck to another ministry; meanwhile the shit pouring into our rivers will continue unabatedly. 91 percent of our rivers in the Peninsula have been ladden with raw sewage courtesy of IWK, an entity, if I remember correctly, was hailed as the poster boy of how privatisation should be undertaken in the 1990s. This is one baby old man Tun Dr Mahathir Mohammed must take the blame for.

Fine poster boy it is! IWK was very indignant when thousands of households refused to pay for their "services", branding these Malaysians as irresponsible and uncivil, for allegedly not paying for the hard work IWK is doing is protecting our environment and keeping our rivers clean! I have not paid them any money and I never will. Apparently, these fools are no better than the latrine cleaners of old pouring sewage into rivers. At least in the old days, the latrine cleaners knew no better. In this day and age, what IWK is doing is criminal under the guise of responsibility and good corporate governance. The sad thing is IWK will ultimately get away with this with a slap on the wrist. This is how things are done in Malaysia. Meanwhile our rivers continue to die. Fine sight for our foreign visitors when they go on a river cruise!

Kerala

2007-04-24T17:23:00.000+08:00

The past telescopes into the now,
As I step onto green earth singing ancient traditions;
Echoes of childhood memories smile at me.
Invisible sinewy arms full of love
Catch me, lift me.
Where are you now my "acha cha"?

Thirty years have passed
Since Kerala last stepped into my memory.
Ancient souls still live
In the land of my fore fathers.
They live amongst the Gods now.
I tell myself – one day I want to live there too.

Languid, earthy passages
snake through this land of painted elephants,
gold and lush coconut trees;
Of smiling deities, powerful amulets
and crisp white dhoties married to the earth.

I embrace once again
this land of spirit and fragrance.

Kerala!

2007-04-24T14:06:00.000+08:00

i was away for about eight days and went to south India for a few days to visit my mother's village. It was my first trip to Kerala in nearly 30 years and I enjoyed it immensely. The feeling of deja vu was profound as familiar places crashed through my brain, sparking good memories of my late grandparents and other relatives. Kerala is in the southern tip of India, situated on the south western tail of India, facing the Arabian Sea. It only makes of just over one percent of India's landmass but it is one of the greenest states in all of India. Kerala not surprisingly is now a popular tourist destination with a catchphrase that is all so appealing - "God's Own Country".

One thing India possesses that not many nations have is a soul. One only needs to visit albeit even for a short while to understand that this nation has a throbbing energy hidden under the surface that can simply capture a man's heart. This is always the case with me when I visit India, more so this time when I went down south to the land of my forefathers. It is a certainty that I am going back as soon as I can, perhaps December or January, when I may be able to spend more about two weeks exploring beautiful Kerala once more.

The visit this time around was primarily to do prayers for my late father MGG Pillai. We visited a 3,000 year-old temple in Thirunelly to recite the final goodbyes for my father's soul. The temple is tucked amongst a hilly forest reserve and is believed to be blessed by Lord Vishnu himself - it is considered to be one of the holiest hindu sites. We also visited another supremely important pilgrimage site of Guruvayoo where my brother and I lined up almost all night to gain entry into the holy temple grounds to say our prayers. While the trip itself was a little short, but it turned out to be a very rewarding trip for my entire family.

Censorship at the movies (or the lack of)

2007-03-23T11:56:00.000+08:00

A few days ago I watched a swashbuckling comic book style movie called "300" which is showing in the cinemas here. I didn't go to the cinemas but borrowed an illegal copy from a friend. It is a visual feast, with very little dialogue or plot which can be termed intellectually stimulating. It's one of those movies that puts a premium on form rather than substance to capture the audience. With the movie based on a graphic comic artist's work, this is not surprising. An explosion of blood arising from torn chest cavities and lopped off limbs, spraying artistically in a perfect arc is a familiar theme in this movie.

These scenes, i was told, was graphically displayed in the public movie rooms. Apparently, it was considered by our censors as suitable for a local audience. There were even a couple of decapitations in the movie, heads sliced clean off in slow motion, the lifeless eyes of the unfortunate targets staring into space, as the bloodied heads fly through space. These macabre scenes were considered "clean" for public viewing by the national censors. After all, unlike ideas which may profligerate and make people think and (heaven forbid, question), mindless violence in full gore is mere visual entertainment, which can lull a viewer into nothingness.

Just a few weeks ago, I caught another movie on the big screen which I think for the first time since I was a kid, featured female nudity including frontal scenes. Nudity on the big screen in Malaysia with all its Muslim sensibilities? Either the censors were sleeping or it was deliberately allowed to filter through to the masses. After all, we all live in a country where the masses are slowly being lulled into a opiatic dream, as the rulers fiddle away.

Auto sales down in January

2007-02-23T15:02:00.000+08:00

Auto sales have fallen again in January, a familiar theme over the past few months. This is ample evidence that the economy is not exactly in the pink of health. Journalists should badger the politicians to explain why the economy is doing well if the people stay away from purchasing big-ticket items. Banks have already tightened the credit screws on consumers. If the economy is doing so well, why are the lenders still nervous? Right now, the politicians are hailing the rise in the KL Composite Index as the irrefutable proof that the economy is pulsating with life and vigour. Yes, the stock market is booming, with foreign funds doing most of the buying. With the US dollar weakening which conveniently helps strengthen the Ringgit, foreign fund managers, never one to miss out on chances to make a buck, are picking up local stocks. At any signs of the ringgit weakening, these stocks will be dropped and the foreign funds move away to another market to play. And despite the government's insistence that it is not articifially pushing up numbers, it remains to be seen if savvy investors, observers, really believe this line.

Is the economy really doing that well?

2007-02-21T10:34:00.000+08:00

The government vehemently denies any election plans this year, from the Prime Minister to senior UMNO aides but I believe that Abdullah Ahmad Badawi will call for one this year. He has been describing the state of the economy as healthy, hinting broadly that this was due to his good management of the economy. Sounds just like how he took credit for the much-awaited South Johor economic zone plan, which was in fact a plan that was hatched during the Mahathir administration.

The mainstream newspapers have been busy spinning how wonderful the trade numbers have turned out, with the magical RM1 trillion number being bandied liberally on the front pages of all the main newspapers. That number, with a little examination, will reveal to anyone that it is just a sum of the total number of export value and import value. In reality, it does not really amount to much. The fact that this was on all the front pages means, editors were instructed to carry it, pretty much word for word, as dictated by the Prime Minister's aides. And they say that there is more freedom of the press under the current administration.

The latest spin being promoted on the front page of the Star newspapers is the fact that car dealers are offering huge discounts to would-be buyers. The Star has surmised that this is due to the fact that the industry has developed to such a progressive level (obviously under the current administration) that customers are now spoilt for choice. Never mind that auto sales in the last couple of years have dipped on a year-on-year basis, as the public remain cautious of buying big-ticket items, as the economy remains sluggish.

Is the man on the street confident about the state of the economy? How would news that total sum of international trade breaching the RM1 trillion mark create confidence on the ground, to the voters that matter? I for one, is very cautious with my spending habits. I consider myself someone who are earn a comfortable living and yet, I do not see the conditions out there as conducive for me to go out and splurge.

Chastity belts anyone?

2007-02-17T12:44:00.000+08:00

We have done it again. When I say we, I mean Malaysia as a nation, striving very hard to get the most innane, stupid, proposals uttered by so-called experts, into the limelight of the international press. I could easily disavow any association from this Islamic scholar Datuk Abu Hassan Din from Terengganu, who opened his mouth and silliness spilled out, sticking like teflon on all Malaysians. Yes, I am not a Muslim (and I will never be one), but as a Malaysian, I am embarassed by my fellow Malaysian who have demonstrated a total divorce from the realities of life. I do not have to be Muslim to be embarassed by this man and his ilk, who believe that women should wear chastity belts when they go out, in order to protect their virtue from innocent men who should not be blamed by the "devious charms" of women. I suppose if the idea of chastity belts catches on, watch out for some UMNO politician to grab that lucrative manufacturing/distribution contract! By the way, the foreign reports are already revelling in the latest bout of stupidity to arise from Malaysian mouths. Does this man, Abu Hassan not realise that statements such as his, only perpertuates the perception that many non-Malays have that Islam is not progressive and ill-suited for the rigours of modern life? God bless Malaysia.

Tribute to my father

2007-02-12T14:47:00.000+08:00

On January 27th 2007, the opposition political party Keadilan organised a low-key affair to remember activists who fought to make changes to the current political system. The evening was aptly called "A Tribute to Reformasi Heroes." Read the Malaysiakini report here.

My father, MGG Pillai was one of the people honoured that night with song and poetry. My family and I are deeply touched by this honour accorded to him. He has made a difference, albeit, a small imprint on the consciousness of this country which is fast losing its soul and direction.

While real changes in the Malaysian political system is still wanting, I am still optimistic that in due time, the political corruption which is causing great impediment towards the attainment of complete, holistic changes, will be eventually removed.

Away too long

2007-02-08T17:45:00.000+08:00

I have been away from my blog for the last three weeks and that's an unacceptably long period. While I write this blog mainly for myself and have a few readers who visit my site periodically, I must re-affirm my need to continue writing and to update my site regularly. It is a responsibility that I must keep. Being away due to work committments is not a good excuse. A friend of mine reprimanded me for this slackness. And indeed, I am at fault. Like she said, it is pointless to keep a blog if updates are too far apart. I shall endeavour to be like clockwork from now on!

The rot is taking root ... fast.

2007-01-15T22:47:00.000+08:00

I love my country. I may be a non-Malay, a small entity within a minority population group, but I still love my country. It is sad that in this day and age, when the world is getting flatter by the day as so eloquently put by Thomas Friedman, I have to reassert my allegiance to my country. Friedman's book is a frightening read. Malaysia should be afraid but there is no urgency at all at any sphere of government. We continue to deliberately ignore the danger signs right in front of our eyes. Our education system is in shambles, divided by race and religion, fed by an inadequate curriculum. We have yet to know what will be our growth drivers for the 21st century. On some days, it is biotechnology, on others, it's manufacturing. Then we make half-hearted announcements about new measures to stimulate the stock exchange, which by the way is already one of the worst performing exchanges in Asia. In any case, the stock market is no indicator of true economic value generation.

What is lacking is a focused strategy explaining how Malaysia will move from point A to point B, in firm, deliberate steps up the value chain. One only needs to look at Singapore and understand immediately why this small tiny red dot is so successful. The little country is all about picking the right strategies and flawless execution. And they do something else different - they practice meritocracy. We are governed by Darwinian rules, whether we like or not - the fittest survive, the weak will fall to the wayside. The National Economic Policy was never meant to help the strong get stronger and push the weak into a more precarious situation. 50 years after independence, we are still grappling with major race relations issues which can potentially tear this country apart.

We remained cocooned in our shells which no longer seem as sturdy as they were once. The world is looking at our nakedness while politicians continue to play the dangerous race card of bumiputera-ism and the "others". There are already murmurs that the country is facing a cash problem - one look at comments by government complaining about the high cost of rehabilitating the desolate water-logged lands of Johor is hint enough for me that we are not exactly flush with cash and continued prosperity which many UMNO politicians seem to take for granted. Is that any wonder when as a trading nation, we are not pulling in much foreign money to our shores. Indonesia has already granted their Chinese citizens full status as "pribumi" equivalent to the bumiputera status in Malaysia. That means everyone is equal, with no special privileges. Malaysia on the other hand, continues to look at half its population with suspicion. How can a rot not take root?

It's time to declare an emergency in Johor

2007-01-15T16:50:00.000+08:00

The number of people evacuated from their homes due to the worsening flood situation in Johor has crossed 110,000. The population of Johor is about 2.7 million; that means about five percent of its inhabitants have been forced to flee their homes, leaving any undamaged properties at the mercy of criminals. Plus the added threat of wide scale epidemics hitting the population, due to the stagnant waters which officials say will not drain out until March, means that an official state of emergency must be declared. It is not a time to vacillate and bicker amongst the dizzying number of Federal and state agencies. It is a time for firm leadership. The people are waiting expectantly for decisive action. A state of emergency is the best viable option under current circumstances. As it is, no top leadership in the government are present in the state in its hour or need. The Prime Minister has only made one visit in December before scampering off overseas. It is no surprise that he is still overseas now when he is morally obliged to be in Malaysia.

While the government may like to shy away from such a decision and hope all will be well, the opposite result is already in motion, with a potential catastrophic disaster which could involve large number of lives, already being formed. Some sources say that health situation in Johor is in dire straits - something which is being under reported by the mainstream media. The government has also ordered an additional 1,500 police officers into Johor, but I doubt that is going to make much of a difference to the chaos ensuing there.

This is now a job for the military. They have got the equipment and the trained personnel to bring some semblance of order and reassurance to the population. While some may argue that civilian control is more effective, we cannot deny the fact that the military has doctors, boats and trained personnel to make a big difference to the relief efforts and the worsening security situation there.

It is understandable that the government wants to keep the military in the barracks so that it need not worry about photos of armed soldiers appearing in the newspapers - both local and foreign. This year is after all, Visit Malaysia Year. A state of emergency will also mean the military will assume a bigger role in decision making, something which will be frowned upon by UMNO.

Will we see more of our Prime Minister this year?

2007-01-13T06:57:00.000+08:00

Its amazing what the internet can do nowadays. I happened to read in Jeff Ooi's blog about the Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi opening a plush nasi kandar restaurant in downtown Perth, Australia. The restaurant is allegedly partly owned by his own brother. While that alone is nothing out of the ordinary, the sleeping Prime Minister graced this occasion on Dec 29th 2006 - a time when thousands of Malaysians were knee-deep in flood waters, frantically salvaging personal items, scrapping for food and enduring the trauma of damaged properties which will run into the millions of Ringgit. Of course, news of this restaurant opening may have earlier been earmarked for some local coverage by Abdullah's spin doctors, but quickly silenced upon the massive deluge laying waste to many parts of Johor.

Newspapers are still highlighting the squalid conditions that people are enduring as I write now, in the many areas still water-logged. Johor is essentially low lands and in the flood-hit areas, a lot of the villages are virtually uninhabitable. Even the docile Star is highlighting the trauma of the people there. Promised cash aids by the government is not making its way to the intended recipients. Tempers are flaring, and UMNO is losing ground. The highly vocal UMNO Youth, so quick to lash out and bully their way on the national political platform, were nowhere to be seen from the start of the floods till now. The new "champion" of Malays, Khairy Jamaludin never "turun padang" to help his people who has taken the brunt of this disaster. Perhaps he was also holidaying in Perth with his beloved father-in-law?

The Star made a few pathetic attempts to show the face of the MCA representatives working hard to help the flood victims. This disaster has also laid bare for all the world to see, the true extent of the fragile race relations in this country. Malays were focussed on helping their own, the Chinese complained that they had to pay soldiers and other government agencies money before they could be ferried off their water logged properties. Racial politics which has been a bane on our society, reared its ugly head again at a time when the country needed some assurance that people can after all, live together. The Prime Minister never issued any statements to his people, going on his own way, enjoying his holiday in Perth or whereever else he jet setted to during the year end period. Has he set the stage for another disappearing act for 2007? I do not expect anything different from this man.

Her Truth

2007-01-07T17:41:00.000+08:00

When my hands caress
the gentle forms of her poetry
I want to communicate
in a language other than words -
Words tumble violently
Into nothingness.
Her poetry is all I understand.
She is my sun.

I do not know how else to tell her
she is beautiful.
She folds into shyness
upon my revelation.
Her poetry evokes
a thousand searing emotions
in me.
Alas, she knows not her truth
That burns my lips
and keeps my restless oceans
at bay.

Top banker calls for a review of the NEP

2007-01-05T20:46:00.001+08:00

It came as a surprise today when I read Nazir Abdul Razak, the chief executive officer of CIMB Group and more importantly, the brother of the Deputy Prime Minister calling for the National Economic Policy to be reviewed, in order to make the country more competitive. Apparently, he made this call in an article he wrote for the Edge. He did not reject the policy but rather said it is time for the divisive policy to remoulded to fit the changing times. But being the banker he is, he seems to be more concerned about the damage the NEP is doing to the country's equity markets rather than what this policy is doing in accentuating racial suspicions.

He writes: "In our little corner, in the capital markets, for instance, if we have moved to free pricing for IPOs (initial public offerings), how dangerous is that we insist that bumiputeras have preferential allocation? Potential issuers today are being courted by exchanges throughout the world; in its present form, the NEP discourages companies from listing on Bursa Malaysia; how helpful is that to the country or indeed the bumiputera community?”

Interestingly enough, Nazir's brother, the Deputy Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak has always come out in no uncertain terms to lambast all calls for a review of the NEP. Hardly surprising as the DPM has to play to the Malay gallery. But the fact that Nazir comes out in an article calling for a revamp of this policy, means that he would have gotten the greenlight from Najib to do so. Perhaps it is an act of shaking the tree a little bit, to see how might the fruits fall. Political observers will be perking up now, to see what this might mean for the Abdullah-Najib rivalry in 2007. It will also be interesting to see how the Abdullah, the Prime Minister, or indeed his son-in-law Khairy Jamaluddin, reacts to media queries on this subject

Why did Nazir make this statement? Is it is to appeal to investors - both local (read Chinese) and foreign - that are disappointed with the Prime Minister's inability to make changes to the current NEP policy which is fast becoming a liability? Is it a message to them that Najib will do things differently and make the country more competitive? I for one, do feel that this article may be just one of Najib's long term plan to unseat the sleeping Prime Minister.

EPF's competence in question

2007-01-04T09:23:00.000+08:00

The Star today reported that the Employees Provident Fund (EPF), the guardian of our hard-earned pension fund, almost paid RM15mil for a wound-up company worth less than RM700,000. But the EPF still paid a 10 percent down payment of 10 percent or a whopping RM1.5 million, which according to the report, is refundable. Consider that 10 percent a write-off, because the conmen who succeeded in making the EPF fools, would have already spirited the money away in an offshore bank account.

Apparently it just took a smooth talking criminal a few hours to convince our so-called investment experts in the EPF to commit RM15 million into a local company which this man claimed had sealed a deal with an American firm with dealings with fast food chains. The report further said that the EPF personnel immediately signed agreements to give this man RM1.5 million after just viewing some graphs and listening to this conman. No background checks, no indepth studies carried out by EPF prior to making any investment decisions.

It is obvious that EPF has lost that RM1.5 million. In an ordinary investment house, such mistakes would mean the chop for the guilty party but that's not going to happen to these bumbling fools in the EPF. It will be business as usual, with mistakes like this pushed under the carpet, and conveniently forgotten. And to make matters trickier for the EPF, they did not find out about the scam; it was honest directors of that company put up by sale by the conman, who alerted the sleeping monkeys "guarding" our pension fund.

Malaysians have a right to know what the EPF will do to restore confidence in itself. As it is, EPF's dividend returns are paltry, barely 4 percent a year while pension funds in Singapore gives back many times that. EPF has made some questionable investments and it is clear that Malaysians are paying for their follies. This latest fiasco is just another shameful notch on its roster of mistakes, costing the taxpayer dearly.

The lines on my hands ...

2007-01-01T20:11:00.000+08:00

The lines on my hands
Get longer
on the canvas
of my Indian skin.

Then, like clockwork,
They speak
in a language
I cannot comprehend.
It is an earthy language
Exploring alien lands

The lines on my hands
Mock me in song
They cannot leave me alone;
My history fuels the blood
In these lines.

I embrace the patchwork
that is me
and cling on
to
raw
hope
cutting
into me bloody.

Happy New Year

2007-01-01T08:41:00.001+08:00

And so, 2006 has passed into history and a new year beckons all of us. There is talk about making 2007 an extraordinary year, being that the nation is set to celebrate 50 years of Independence. All this is well and good and most Malaysians will hope and pray that the new year is indeed a good year for all. In 2006, the country has taken quite a bit of battering in the area of race relations, poor governance and often punctuated by a-not-so-sterling leadership required for a country as complex as ours. While there is talk that the economy may show some signs of a resurgence, which inevitably will raise speculation of an early election, questions will still be asked about the nation's political will to forge ahead with new policies untainted by race preferences, in order to prepare Malaysia for the future. I don't, sadly, think that race-baiting tactics are a thing of the past, despite all this wonderful talk by politicans of a new era for Malaysia. I do hope that I am proven wrong. Well, here's to a new year. Hope springs eternal, does it not?

Iskandar Project washed away?

2006-12-21T10:50:00.000+08:00

Once again, Malaysia has been inundated by massive floods, this time in Johor. Many towns have been cut off from aid, people fleeing their homes and towns, destroyed by massive floods. Many parts of southern Johor including the state capital Johor Bahru is now a sea of mud and water. Now in order to do some damage control and spin this to fend off the anger of thousands of people in the small towns who have seen their property damaged and lives disrupted, the Minister for Science and Technology Datuk Jamaluddin Jarjis has blamed "unusually strong" rainfall. The spin must begin and it must work in overdrive. Where has the billions of Ringgit spent by the government to do flood mitigation works all over the country gone to? And is mother nature to be blamed for this cruel setback hitting many ordinary Malaysians? What about deforestation, wanton hill cutting work, in order to build roads and homes? Does these have anything to do with this latest deluge?

Pictures like those splashed in the newspapers today says a thousand words. We are not a developed country, nor are we even close to attaining such a status we desperately sought after. One glance, and a foreigner could have mistaken the picture to come from Bangladesh. What will the politicians say now? Promise more money for flood mitigation works which inevitably will be eaten away by UMNO division heads and other government agencies for other private purposes? Despite talk of bullish economic growth touted by the government, basic infrastructure remains a distance away. People still live simple basic lives, in most instances depending on a daily wage to live for the day and dare not look beyond today at tomorrow. These are the people who have been hit hard by these floods in Johor. THeir livelihood inevitably interrupted for weeks now, which means they will have to depend on government assistance for sustenance and lodgings. 29,000 people have been evacuated. Massive losses are on the cards and the authorities have carefully decided not to mention any figure at the moment.

Singapore will also be looking at this situation with interest. The government's hopes of luring in massive inflow of Singapore money into the South Johor Corridor Project has taken a beating. No one will invest any money in such flood prone areas which arose in the first place due to mismanagement of developmental work. The government will now have to make public pledges to investors that billions of ringgit would be spent to ensure such massive floods don't happen anymore. But talk is cheap. Such proclamations have been made before and nothing has really changed. Crying wolf one too many times, is not a good thing. One thing is for sure - the so-called Iskandar Project is not going to take off even in small bits and pieces any time soon. The damage has already been done, and Singapore money is certainly not going to be parked in Johor anytime soon, despite the Prime Minister and his son-in-law's close friendship with the republic's rulers.

My Cats

2006-12-19T18:04:00.000+08:00

My cats
Do not wash the dishes
But wrestle with grey and brown fur
For a living.
They
Prowl my tiles
For imaginary prey
And lash their tongues fiercely
Against each other
In a private Zen moment.
Sleep comes in shapes
Of contorted eights and nines.
But regal assurance melts
Upon a strange
announcement.
Quickly
They vanish into
The folds of my furniture
Sinking little furry
limbs into fabric
With maniacal glee.

My little friends
Are my Nirvana.

Young man threatening authoritarianism for Malaysia

2006-12-18T18:32:00.000+08:00

The Prime Minister's son-in-law Khairy Jamaludin recently warned that if Malaysians don't toe the line in this "new era of freedom", then the government may step in and impose strict controls over Malaysians' right to freer speech. The "mature" 30-year-old politician who does not even hold any official government post apparently said: "This openness is good for today’s political climate but we have to approach it ethically and wisely. We cannot push it too far, too soon, as we are still a maturing democracy.” What caught my eye is the fact that he is not in government, but is arrogant enough to talk as if he is already in government, with the full assurance that his father-in-law will agree with what he spews, words which could have far-reaching consequences for all Malaysians.

I believe many Malaysians who are somewhat aware of developments in Malaysia, do not trust this Khairy Jamaludin to do the right thing. I am in this category especially after his recent antics in Penang and his cheap race-baiting episodes which reflect poorly on his claims as a distinguished scholar and a Malaysian for the new age.

His threats of a crackdown, if it materialises, would be a huge drain of government resources, simply to keep track of all sites in cyberspace on a continuous basis. It is simply not cost-effective to keep track of bloggers who don't believe in the Badawi administration. Yes, the government could haul up a few and make a severe example of them as a warning to others. But in this borderless and flat world, such archaic measures would be amplified to the entire world, with the reverberations of protest ringing loudly in the ears of investors and world government leaders. Malaysia cannot be an island cut off from the world. Yes Myanmmar has managed to do this well, but at what expense? Can Malaysia afford to be authoritarian, simply to clamp down on dissenting voices, and damage FDI inflows and the country's image even further merely to satisfy the whims of a man who was only five years old when Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad became Prime Minister in 1981? Are his thoughts well-thought out and guarantees a semblance of success? I would have expected such ominous warnings from old, weather-beaten men walking the corridors of power, afraid of Malaysians who increasingly demand accountability and transparency but certainly not from a thirty-year-old who continue to harbour high hopes of leading this country one day in the near future.

My India Trip

2006-12-18T15:08:00.000+08:00

I am lost in the fluid of words
in the comfort of my organic womb.

Brown phrases look at me
uncomprehendingly.
My lily white wallpaper
must be peeled.
And the sword reddened with my history.

I seek in her mind's eye
her boundless ancient love.
I seek her educated eyes
but my ocean is locked up

On a Delhi bookshelf
beyond Malay borders.

You

2006-12-17T19:50:00.000+08:00

I walk into a world of strangers and find you.
You, who put a smile on my face
When you sent me an invisible trace through space
Into my back pocket.

I am gently steered into your secret world.
Symmetrical face, milk skin,
Intense heart
Bathe my consciousness.

Your whispers of feminine innocence
Bridge time and space.
My senses awaken
Like white hot metal.

I step into the sun
And find you.

Malaysia wins 8 gold medals in Doha

2006-12-17T17:00:00.000+08:00

Malaysia won 8 gold medals at the recently concluded Doha Asian Games and one cannot but notice that 14 out of the 15 gold medalists are non-Malays. I do not like to see things through race-tinted lens as our politicians are so fond of doing but I believe this recent development delivers a sobering reality for all those in power who still cling on to hopes of creating top-notch Malay sportsmen and women, at the expense of talented Malaysians who happens to be non-Bumiputera. There is no NEP in the sports arena, no racial quotas which can bring quick sporting success to Malaysia. Gold medals at the top level can only won by grit and talent, although I still believe that even without talent, a sportsperson can reap success through sheer hard work, determination and the all important will to win. 13 Malaysians of Chinese descent and the notable squash world champion Nicol Davids came home with the ultimate Asian accolade as the best in the continent.

Where are our track and field athletes who used to command respect in the continent? There are now hardly any Malaysian Indian athletes in the Malaysian contingents sent abroad to fight for sporting honour. It is a fact that there are many talented young, long distance runners of Indian descent in this country, many of them who have the aptitude for hard training and the will to succeed. Unfortunately, we do not see these runners donning the national colours anymore. I refuse to believe that these runners are not good enough to represent the country, especially when there are so many of them running and winning at the Sukma Games. By depriving them a chance to compete at a higher level and bring glory to the nation, is a travesty.

Is there a dearth of such athletes in this country or is there a deliberate attempt to sideline them in favour of their Malay counterparts even if they do not have the correct aptitude? An New Straits Times article a few weeks back, also touched on the shortage of footballers of Chinese descent at the national and state level. Such things have happened before; in tennis when talented Indian players were not given enough funding to continue playing at the higher levels. Affirmative action gone haywire is fast becoming a dirty word in Malaysian society. It certainly will not work in the sporting arena.

The authorities are hoping now for a Malaysian athlete to win gold at the Olympics. I am sure they would prefer a Malay to win the first such honour. That will after all, give UMNO something to crow about. I believe Malaysia will win it one day but going by the recent performances of Malaysians at Doha, it's a fair bet that the country's first gold medalist is likely to be a non-Bumiputera. I wonder if the government can live with such a scenario.

Kuala Lumpur loses part of its soul

2006-12-16T16:40:00.000+08:00

Another piece of Kuala Lumpur’s colourful past was yet again unceremoniously torn down yesterday. Bok House, a monument to the industry and perseverance of Malaysian pioneers who toiled the fertile land of the then Malaya and made it rich, and in the process showed thousands of Malayans and also modern Malaysians that hard work is the key to success, is nothing now but debris and rubble. Its once proud giant columns will now be carted away to be reused in other faceless construction projects. The Bok House was one of the remaining buildings of its kind in Malaysia, well documented through the years. By setting bulldozers to tear down this mansion, Kuala Lumpur has lost part of its soul which it can never retrieve by building a hundred high-rise condominiums or office blocks in its place, and shout to the world that it is special.

History in this country is not something to be treasured. It is merely an impediment to developers out to make a fast buck. In Europe, we do not see monuments of historical value being mown down to make way for a new highway or an office block. In Malaysia, we talk breathlessly about how we value history and take pains to tell foreigners about our rich culture and heritage, but without even a moment’s reflection, destroy what little of historical value that we have in favour of the almighty Ringgit.

History has been systematically dismantled in this country these days. School text books have been rewritten to exclude the contribution of the pioneers of Malaysia, the Chinese and Indians, who came from faraway lands to help build and develop this land that we still call with pride, our country. History is nothing but just numbers and dates to be remembered, so that exams could be passed. It is in essence, a nuisance that just needs to be shunted aside and quickly forgotten. The contribution of the non-Malays who fought and sacrificed their blood and lives to fight the Japanese occupation and the communist insurgency are virtually erased amongst the memory of young Malaysians. The white washing of this country’s rich multi-racial, multi-cultural legacy is a stain on the integrity of this once great nation of ours. I do not now consider this country being poised for greatness; instead, a country that remains in fear of its history and past, will forever be mired in self-doubt.

The Prime Minister feeling the heat?

2006-12-14T22:49:00.000+08:00

Why did the Prime Minister lash out at his predecessor during an interview with the Bangkok Post? Why is Tun still getting under the Prime Minister's skin, if the old man, as the official UMNO line keeps insisting that the old man is finished and outwitted by the "dynamic" leadership currently running the country? What has caught my attention is that Tun remains deeply in the shadows in the last couple of weeks, unlike his earlier visibility. Indeed, he has lost his oldest sister recently and he is not a young seventy-year-old anymore. The Prime Minister losing his cool can only point to one conclusion; that the anti-Abdullah Badawi faction, while small, continues to attack him from the grass root levels. A Prime Minister, content with his grip on power, would not throw a tantrum unbecoming of his position, like what he did recently.

UMNO has never been a docile political party in all its years of existence. The UMNO president who is also the Prime Minister has always had to content with factions that don't agree with his leadership. Even during the 22-year-long reign of Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, when dissent were suppressed effectively, UMNO was still wracked by infighting in 1987 and 1998, two major events which sufficiently shook the party to its foundations. Under the current leadership, with the shadow of his son-in-law following the man everywhere, dissent will inevitably rise and i believe it will grow stronger, if the economy continues to go around in circles, coupled with toll hikes, rising inflation and the general feel-good factor fast disappearing amongst Malaysians and UMNO grass roots. The silence of Tun in recent times could also mean that the master politician is working behind the scenes to make life difficult for this administration. Perhaps this latest outburst by the Prime Minister had something to do with this.

The nightmare begins

2006-12-14T22:19:00.000+08:00

The nightmare begins. Aptly said by Dr Jacob George, the president of the Consumer Association of Subang and Shah Alam, in reference to the government's outrageous raising of toll rates across all key arterial highways in the Klang Valley. The new stupendous rates will further burden lower and middle income Malaysians, already reeling from higher petrol price and the cost of living. How can the government continue to sing the same old tune that industries should not raise prices and pass the cost down to the ordinary folks? Perhaps the government feels that its silly attempt to muzzle the mainstream media about this toll hike will be effective in downplaying the angry sentiments that will inevitably begin come tomorrow when the hikes are dutifully placed in the middle pages in small two inch columns. This government better think again if they are confident of subduing the public. Inflation will go up, higher than the sterile, safe numbers that Bank Negara is so fond of parroting.

It is astounding that the government gave the greenlight for this action, especially as many assume, next year will be an election year. The Prime Minister is increasingly seen to lose credibility in light of his failure to fulfil any of his electoral promises of 2004. This toll hike may be the straw that breaks the camels back or in Malaysia, the rakyat's back. The arrogance of the Works Minister, the irascible Samy Vellu is a mirror into the attitude of the government towards the people who put them in power in the first place. If Malaysians want the expressways, they better well pay for it, says this caring Minister. Easily said, when virtually all entry into the city has been boarded up with toll booths. Malaysians have no choice but to use these roads to get to work and put three meals on the table for their children.

Secret concessionaire agreements, which inevitably ensures that UMNO-controlled companies keep the lion's share of the public's hard earned money, go against the Prime Minister's limp call for openness and transparency. Indeed, this administration is fast going against all the rosy words it shamelessly uttered in 2004. It's a fair bet that the next elections will see more Malays rise in anger against this administration, as they will be see their standard of living further dented by this latest, ill-timed toll rate hike. Indeed, it's a bigger hole in all our pockets, and Malaysians of all races are certain to grow even more cynical of this government.

Who is the real Prime Minister?

2006-12-13T11:18:00.000+08:00

I was disturbed by the Prime Minister's utterances to a foreign news publications, which was given wide coverage in the local media yesterday and today. In the Bangkok Post, he lamented that his predecessor was undermining his beloved son-in-law Khairy Jamaludin. This ranting was delivered to an editor of a neighbouring country. Last I checked, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi is the Prime Minister of Malaysia, a preeminent position which should not be stained by petty remarks such as those uttered by this country's current leader. "The old man has destroyed Khairy's pot of rice" - that was the words the Prime Minister said. If there were any doubts about the weight of Khairy on the Prime Minister's back and ultimately how his decisions are being shaped, this article should be a good indication of how truly influential this young man is in shaping the "new" Malaysia. The man has already created another schism in the country's already brittle race relations. Nowhere in corporate Malaysia is his name not being uttered. The name Khairy Jamaludin is on the lips of property developers and equity analysts I have spoken to. This man is powerful, make no mistake about it. I have heard that he, an outsider in Government, even sits in on Cabinet meetings, something that only banana republic states do. If this is true, where are we heading? Malaysia is not a banana republic. Truly not, many would say! But some signs are already there, don't you think?

Concern about mob rule in Malaysia

2006-12-01T10:18:00.000+08:00

Don’t’ let mob rule prevail, so says the headline in the Star a few days ago. The article was in a form of a question and answer format, which is usually used by the Star when it wants to get its political master’s concern across directly to the masses and indirectly to the powers that be. The timing of the piece is interesting, so soon after the worrisome antics of the UMNO delegates at the party general assembly just weeks ago. The prominence of the article (almost a full page) also gives credence to the belief that The Star’s owner, the Malaysian Chinese Association (a junior partner in the Barisan Nasional) probably instructed that such a piece be published. The person who was interviewed for this piece, which interestingly carried no byline, was the very articulate Zainah Anwar from Sisters in Islam. In it, she warned about the trampling of the Constitution by a small but forceful group of people intent on stamping its brand of conservative and domineering brand of Islam on Malaysia, with the final aim of supplanting the sacred Constitution with Islamic theology as the rule of the land.

This article finally fleshed out the murmurs that were being articulated for so long especially in cyberspace about just such a plan by certain groups. So now, I can, without being branded a rumor monger, state that such a insidious conspiracy is in the works to change Malaysia into a mullah state. The Moorthy debacle instilled momentum to such claims; the fact that the Star which is known for its timid positions on many important matters of national interest, prints such comments by a lady who is constantly demonized by conservative Islam is important. Is it a turning point in how the MCA mouthpiece will make a stand on issues of Islam that deeply impacts non-Muslims, it’s too early to say. However, this much is clear, MCA is under mounting pressure by the grassroots Chinese who are fed up with the party’s non-committal stance on issues of religion, race, the NEP and meritocracy. I for one, hope that the paper which once stood firmly on issues without fear or favor, will once again stand up and defend the Constitution against a loud minority. It is really time for the silent majority to make a stand and more importantly, be seen to do it for the sake of the long-term survivability of the Malaysian state.

Najib wants Malaysians to just read government-sanctioned news

2006-11-26T17:16:00.000+08:00

The government has once again come out and urged the public to refer to the mainstream media for information and perspectives instead of Internet news blogs as such sites, in the words of the Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak, are “uncontrolled”. He argues that a controlled media environment is more beneficial for Malaysians. “There is no control when it comes to the Internet as it is a different world altogether. What is important is control of the print media, especially the mainstream newspapers,” he was quoted as saying by Bernama. I wonder what the mainstream editors were thinking when they ran through his comments prior to printing. But then, I am sure they were not, as they are expected to operate within this controlled framework determined by the government, and ensure Najib’s comments, (which under close examination, carried little or no value) are given prominence in the next edition. Thinking is essentially frowned upon as duty to the newspapers’ political masters is paramount. Loyalty has its rewards in the form of promotions, status and titles, and can help stave off the dreaded “cold storage” treatment, a condition of extreme deep freeze that one has virtually no chance of resuscitating one’s career. Parroting the official line is highly recommended.

So the government is now openly admitting that it will continue to control the mainstream media. If the government is wondering why more and more people are resorting to cyberspace for expert analysis, that is because the mainstream media continues to be selective in its coverage of topics close to the people’s heart, namely corruption, political abuse of power i.e the control that Najib was talking about. The public can finally find succor in cyberspace where they can share their sentiments and feelings about many subject matters. Ironically, this is one aspect of civil society that Malaysia has been promoting for a long time. People like Najib of all people, should be happy that society are becoming more discerning and sophisticated, seeing that a thinking population is an asset to the country.

Najib’s dismissal of blogs is not the first time a high ranking government official has attacked news blogs. The Prime Minister and his son-in-law have also engaged in such action. The timing of Najib’s statements may have something to do with the flurry of comment and biting analysis in cyberspace following the disastrous UMNO general assembly. The government is feeling the heat and they are powerless to clamp down on cyberspace dissent. So even the so-called highly-educated Khairy Jamaludin sees it fit to take a swipe or two at alternative media sites, in order to shore up his appeal to his mainly Malay support base. Will blogs continue to grow in strength? You bet. The government will be hard pressed to monitor the upcoming explosion in political content in cyberspace come the next elections. Perhaps Najib’s statement is a sign that the people in power are a little nervous about this prospect. Hence, the need to keep people dependent on controlled media channels.

Flawed democracy stamp not good for business

2006-11-26T10:05:00.000+08:00

So now Malaysia has been categorized as a “flawed democracy” by the Economist Intelligence Unit. Just when we thought we just had to worry about the Transparency International annual corruption index, the Reader’s Digest rudeness poll, the United States’s annual human rights country report, the highly respected EIU will begin to keep a close eye on the state of democracy in Malaysia. Apparently, this new index will look at 167 countries out of 192 independent states and gauge their level of democracy. Categories such as the electoral process, political participation, civil liberties will be scrutinized. Why would the EIU start such an index? The simple truth is that investor criteria is getting sophisticated by the day and every minute detail about a country will be picked apart, prodded and analyzed to gauge the degree of investor friendliness of that nation. Investors will pay good money for such an index. Economic growth for most nations can only be fed by foreign investment and Malaysia is heavily dependent on FDIs to sustain the kind of growth which can ensure UMNOputeras are taken care off. Malaysia will have a serious problem with this new EIU index. We have started at nearly the bottom of the list with countries like Mongolia, Timor Leste for company. And our foreign direct investment has begun to dry up as it is. Just ten years ago, we were giving Singapore sleepless nights with our ambitions of being a hub for finance, transportation and information technology. In the mid-1990s, Malaysia even ranked sixth in the world as a beacon for foreign investments – the combined value of shares on the stock market was only below Japan and Hong Kong in Asia. Now, we have the worst performing stock market. Today, the country's ranking as a destination for foreign capital has slipped to the 62nd spot, according to a recent survey by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development. A “flawed democracy” stamp on our foreheads is not going to get us out of this rut. Will the government now find excuses, with its spin doctors wriggling and twisting to put a façade of non-interest in this new EIU index, as how the Prime Minister waved off the TI index with a disdainful flick of his hand?

Too little, too late

2006-11-25T19:53:00.000+08:00

The government may be realizing a little belatedly about the high price the country will have to pay for the self-inflicted damage caused by UMNO hot heads in their “battle” against their imaginary external enemies. While it may be exhilarating to play to the gallery and lap up all the mob applause, the hangover the morning after, is likely to plague the government for some time to come. Investor confidence would have definitely plummeted even further after the UMNO shenanigans. Any global investor road shows organized by ECM Libra will be laughed off the stage. The façade, which was not properly constructed in the first place, is cracking. The very real possibility of Malaysia being marginalized is not so far-fetched anymore. While the Prime Minister is blissfully unaware or unwilling to see the real world, he will at least be aghast at the possibility that even his Singapore friends may now be reluctant to pour billions of dollars into his much-touted South Johor development proposal. People have long memories and the pogrom against the Chinese in Indonesia was a mere eight years ago. Singapore will particularly sit up and take note of what was talked about during the UMNO general assembly. No amount of papering over the cracks by this questionable government is going to convince them otherwise. Commentators are already counting the cost of UMNO’s irrational behavior to the country’s economy. Indeed, the price that we Malaysians may have to pay is not likely to be light. The Deputy Prime Minister has feebly gone on record to state that the authorities may take action against party delegates who may have made seditious speeches. So what, many Malaysians will ask. In a country where the rule of law is undermined in order that certain larger-than-life personalities can escape unscathed, the chances of any real punitive action against these culprits who have damaged Malaysia are low indeed. UMNO, a party which only has a miniscule number of members compared to the Bumiputera population of about 16 million, is losing grip on power after its ugly face was laid bare for all the world to see. The incompatibility of its position as a self-proclaimed defender of Islam, its naked affinity for corruption and willingness to use the ugly, outdated theme of racial superiority will spell its doom. The Malays will increasingly look to PAS as a viable alternative.

The growing irrelevancy of UMNO

2006-11-21T09:51:00.000+08:00

The UMNO general assembly ended last week and the bitter aftertaste of the proceedings will remain in the hearts of many Malaysians who are deeply concerned about the fate of the nation. Speeches bordering on sedition were made by party delegates without an ounce of reason and logic, with the audience blindly cheering and raving in approval. Malaysians of Chinese descent were vilified and made into an object of hatred. Yes, hatred is the right word and as a Malaysian, I remain disgusted by our purported leaders’ paralysis, sitting in silence while the party’s little Napoleons go up to the stage and make a mockery of themselves and further validating a growing conclusion amongst the intelligentsia that UMNO is a party incapable of reason and logic with no strategic understanding of the fast changing world.

That the irrelevancy of the party is looming just around the corner, continues to be ignored by UMNO i.e our leaders. UMNO is a party that offers no well-thought out solutions to the many ills afflicting the community it claims to look after. Year after year, lamentation of helplessness and rage against external entities or peoples are enunciated by UMNO, in order to mask its internal weaknesses and the inability to rectify the growing social and intellectual afflictions plaguing the community. No serious research is conducted by UMNO to find solutions to the growing social ills such as incest, rape, drug addiction, unemployment and the weakening status of Bahasa Malaysia vis a vis the main languages of business, English and Mandarin. The general assembly is the perfect platform to highlight to the world, how the party finds real lasting solutions for the benefits of the Malays. At the very least, an effort by the party’s delegates to acknowledge the new economic realities would have been reassuring.

Instead, rabid cries of bathing the keris in blood and warning unnamed groups of threatening racial unity became the rallying call of the party, while party delegates freely threaten the very idea of Malaysia. No ideas are offered on how to grow the economic pie but rather to take more of it at the expense of the other communities that actually generated a large chunk of that pie in the first place. UMNO has not an ounce of intellectual vigor but rather it is a classic example of a political party on the verge of moral bankruptcy. All its exhortation of a great Malay revival is just an illusion, if UMNO remains deluded that its pivotal place in Malaysia is for infinity.

It's that time of the year to be loud and raucous

2006-11-15T09:47:00.000+08:00

It is that time of the year when UMNO gathers in numbers to reassure itself of the pivotal place the party occupies in Malaysia. It is an exercise designed for an internal audience rather than for the rest of the population which is barred from the party membership on account of race. To casual observers, the energized shouts of “hidup Melayu”, may seem raucous and mildly threatening to non-Malays, particularly the Chinese community. But in reality, the bawls of race supremacy often heard during the annual UMNO general assembly is solely for the ears and hearts of UMNO’s raison d’etre – the Malay ground. Naturally, there will be talk of the grave consequence awaiting any group who may dare to unsettle the order of the day. Never mind if the threats articulated by the party delegates including the leadership is imagined at best. This year, it’s the turn of proponents of inter-faith dialogue to be labeled as the spectre.

A siege mentality is assumed by politicians. It is a perfect prop to help advance careers. No matter, if the rest of the country is left numb by the absurdity of it all. It is natural for all Malaysians to keep an eye on proceedings – as UMNO is an extension of government, and the government actions impact all facets of society. In a siege situation, there must be a hero. This hero is UMNO, the knight in shining armor, which will be lead the lost people to salvation and control of their destiny. After nearly 50 years of promises, UMNO is still faced with issues such as pervasive poverty within the Malay community, under-skilled graduates who cannot find work in the private sector, the shrinking role of Bahasa Malaysia in commerce and education, the rising number of Malay school drop-outs. And if that isn’t enough, Malay businesses are lamenting the lack of direction and execution from Government agencies which are actually supposed to take care of them. If a sobering analysis of the state of the Malay condition is accepted by UMNO, the party will take responsibility for the failings afflicting the community. But that will only happen in a perfect world devoid of fantasy. UMNO is not prepared to be blamed. Now the enemy of the failing of the Malay is globalization and other Malaysians who have the God-given right to love this nation.

The world is slowly walking away from Malaysia. Unfortunately, the Prime Minister refuses to see it and insist on the tired formula of spoon-feeding the UMNO kin. How long will this go on? His Deputy, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has put a new twist to the exercise to uplift the status of the Malays. He says it is impossible to correct the 446 years Malays were under oppression by colonial masters, in just a few decades. Rhetoric abound of honorable goals that continue to elude the Malays – that of academic excellence, resilience in the face of adversity and outstanding on the world stage. But rhetoric is just that – empty words unless the shackles of crutches are crushed and the Malay is let out into the real world to excel. The time for free lunches is nearing an end and the country is at a critical crossword. Najib, at the UMNO general assembly, said: “Let it never happen that when the dawn of January 1, 2020 arrives, the Malays will wail in protest against any proclamation that Malaysia is a developed nation because they have not advanced.” Then by Najib’s unfathomable logic, Malays will continue to be weak and will remain so for another 400 years. That the Malays will wail in despair when the clock strikes at midnight on 2020, is indeed a sobering possibility, as long as UMNO does not the moral fiber to give some tough love to the people it purports to look after. That date is only 14 years away. God bless Malaysia.

Tun in hospital; Malaysians are waiting anxiously

2006-11-10T10:06:00.000+08:00

Former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad is in hospital after suffering a mild heart attack. Malaysians of all ages and races are waiting anxiously for the latest news about the country’s most famous son. Tun is one individual who is indeed larger than life and by far, one of the most visible statesmen of the 20th century. While UMNO is clinging on to cheap rhetoric about how the Malays will make an impact in the world, Tun made many of his dreams a reality in his 22 years as Prime Minister of Malaysia. Before the UMNO spin doctors created words such as “towering Malays”, Tun was and still is a giant among men (never mind that he was not of full Malay stock- his Indian genes cannot be disputed).

His hospitalization will be viewed by many Malaysians with distress. It has come at a most inopportune time, when a growing number of Malaysians are turning to Tun to help articulate their private concerns about a variety of current issues impacting our nation. It does not matter if we agreed with him or not when he was in power, but in his 22 years in power, Tun drove and cajoled this nation to do better than many thought possible. It is now irrelevant to debate the numerous negatives about his rule. There will be ample time in the future for this soul-searching exercise, which will inevitably chip away at his legacy. Malaysians now fervently hope that he recovers from this latest health threat and remains relevant for the foreseeable future. We need his voice, his intellect, his political mastery, and most of all his passion for Malaysia, to continue to give voice and structure to many Malaysians’ collective concern about the direction this country is taking under the current leadership. Tun is an extremely fit man despite his advancing age and Malaysians hope he can successfully overcome this latest health scare.

Tun keeps up the fight to oust the Prime Minister

2006-11-08T11:08:00.000+08:00

Talk of the Prime Minister falling asleep in Cabinet meetings and not understanding weighty issues critical to the country’s interests have been making its rounds in cyberspace of late. The noise have grown sufficiently louder that even the foreign press have been writing about the Prime Minister’s alleged inability to keep awake at critical moments. Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, in an interview with the International Herald Tribune, did not dance around the issue (as he’s never prone to do), clearly stating that the Prime Minister literally sleeps on the job and is unfit for lead the country. This latest proclamation by Abdullah’s outspoken predecessor is clearly aimed at the UMNO ground which will scrutinize the Prime Minister’s words and actions at the party’s general assembly this month. Tun hopes to accelerate the process with interviews with high-profile regional media titles like the IHT.

Tun also gave examples of some of the Prime Minister’s son-in-law Khairy Jamaluddin’s alleged wrong doings in this interview – from the doling out of business contracts to people of his choice including his mother, to his intimate involvement in government affairs. The report is damaging to Abdullah. It certainly does not paint a flattering picture of the Prime Minister. His spin doctors should be worried. Three years in the hot seat and a lot of Malaysians are talking about what Abdullah’s legacy might be. His anti-graft campaign is as good as dead; he recently shot down suggestions that his relatives declare their assets, claiming privacy rights. Such statements will only further alienate Malaysians who once voted for him. At the rate his term is progressing, historians will be unkind to him. History is motivating Tun, despite his age and his blocked arteries, to do all that he can to set things right, in the few short years of life that he may still have in him. Abdullah on the other hand, seems oblivious about what his place in history might be like. But one thing is certain – he will find Malaysians more critical towards him next year, if the economy does not move as fast as he had promised.

Malaysia deemed a haven for poor privacy protection

2006-11-07T20:49:00.000+08:00

A few days before Malaysia was unceremoniously tarred with the wide brush of corruption by Transparency International, the Associated Press carried a report revealing Malaysia as being one of the worst nations in providing privacy protection for its citizens. While the little-known Privacy International, which carried out this study is little-known, Malaysia should not dismiss this survey, because, foreign investor perceptions will be inevitably shaped by international studies of this nature. Malaysia should not be grouped together with China, well-known for its harsh treatment of its citizens and which freely censors the Internet. But this survey has done just that, and the government, without being defensive and dismissive of the results, should find ways to counter this negative perception. Perception is a tricky creature; it has this annoying habit of being bigger than it truly is, if left to fester on its own.

Singapore was also identified as one of the worst culprits in giving only lip service to privacy protection to its people but Singapore has assiduously cultivated a positive image amongst foreign investors, doing all the right things to ensure precious investment inflows continues to flow like an open tap. Malaysia in contrast, seems to be moving in the other direction. And so, coupled with a higher perception of graft as a way of life in Malaysia as well as vivid images of the people in Malaysia being watched by men lurking in shadows and cyberspace, the country will have a higher mountain to climb, in order to tell the world that Malaysia is not a sinister destination. It is a fallacy, of course, to even imagine a utopia-like environment, unshackled by the burdens of control – every nation practices some form of mechanism to keep track of what its citizens are up to.

Malaysia is miles ahead of countries such as Singapore, which does not allow any dissent even in cyberspace on pain of severe retribution. We are a more mature society than we give ourselves credit. Malaysians are allowed to write and criticize the powers that be – if this wasn’t so, my late father, writer MGG Pillai, would have been locked up long time ago. Even during the major ISA round-up of dissidents, orchestrated by UMNO in the mid-1970s and in 1987, my father was unscathed when he already had a reputation as a fiery, erudite writer who pulled no punches.

Invasion of privacy does occur in Malaysia; my father shrugged off the inconvenience of his telephone being under surveillance in the 1970s and more recently in the 1990s. He also had his fair share of “observers” watching his movements to find out who his friends are. This was of course, before 9-11, when the whole world, including Malaysia got a gift-wrapped excuse to step up the monitoring of private emails and telephones, to fight the “real” enemy – terrorism.

We are more corrupt than last year

2006-11-07T10:38:00.000+08:00

The Prime Minister's electoral promise of wiping out graft in society has gone up in smoke after the latest Transparency International Corruption Perception Index 2006 condemmed Malaysia to 44th spot - a drop of five rungs from last year's 39th position. It is no wonder he has pleaded for more time to turn things around, as this is strong evidence that he has essentially, failed to keep his 2003 electoral promise to Malaysians. UMNO newspaper, the New Straits Times, has given this new TI survey ample coverage. The problems are mounting for Abdullah Ahmad Badawi so soon to the much-awaited UMNO General Assembly later this month. While the New Straits Times is controlled by Abdullah's people, it is not too inconceivable to imagine that efforts to undermine his leadership has already begun, by influential UMNO members unhappy with his performance as Prime Minister. In recent days, people linked to the Prime Minister such as the influential Brendan Peirera and head honcho Kalimullah Hassan have taken a beating from within - first with Brendan's faux pas involving a certain article written about the September 11 terrorist attacks, and then the harsh UMNO attacks mounted on Kali's new Malay Mail after it resorted to a "smut-fest" in its recent weekend edition, to hold up its sagging circulation.

The Deputy Prime Minister, no less, came out leading the attacks on the Malay Mail, indirectly gunning for Abdullah's media proxy. Can we assume that the night of the long knives are just around the corner? I do not yet think that, but if the Prime Minister continues to vaccilate and gives more attention to his overseas trips rather than take a deep interest in the running of the country, that day could be sooner than later.

Meanwhile, as the domestic battles pick up, Malaysia's attitude towards corruption is, as always, closely monitored by foreign investors. A drop in Malaysia's international ranking, which also condems us to a lowly 10th spot amongst 25 Asia Pacific countries, complicates the Prime Minister's assurances that he has the economy under control. Going by this latest TI results, he does not.

TI Malaysia president Tan Sri Ramon Navaratnam expressed his disappointment about the latest finding, adding that TI is highly regarded by foreign investors, and that it does have a noticable impact on the country's economic and political interests. Will UMNO delegates bring this issue up during the General Assembly? If the economy continues to be sluggish, UMNO will be the first to feel the pain. The bottom line is, that the Prime Minister has failed in battling corruption. Enough time has been afforded him. Now, how will UMNO deal with him?

We just have to wait and see if the Prime Minister keeps his latest promise

2006-11-02T15:48:00.000+08:00

The Prime Minister has suddenly seen it fit to announce that the public will see the results of the government’s “hard work” by the middle of next year. He said in reports attributed to Associated Press and Bernama that three years in power is simply not enough time for him and his team to deliver on his election promises. With Malaysians already divided about the quality of his leadership thus far, the Prime Minister would do well to deliver on his latest promise, even if it’s a little late in the game. I would like to venture a thought that what can he possible achieve by the middle of next year that would so astound and amaze Malaysians that his under-achieving lean years of the first three years, could magically become a tiny footnote in history? Well, we have no choice but to take the Prime Minister’s word on this. I wish him luck.

While I am the first to give the Prime Minister credit to give the perception that there is more press freedom, which has given our once meek mainstream media a little more “testicular fortitude” (as a dear friend puts it), there are no other notable achievements he can boast of. His biotechnology dreams so hyped up in the first year seemed to have shriveled up in a quiet spot somewhere out of the public limelight to die. The financial sector seems to be in limbo, with nary a word about how Malaysia’s much-touted Capital Master Plan launched in 2002 is progressing. Indeed, the Prime Minister who is also the Finance Minister has adroitly remained discreet about how he intended to develop the country’s finance sector. It is no wonder that the capital market is still direction-less. Agriculture is another sector where a lot were written about how the Prime Minister is going to revitalize this high-potential sector and drag it kicking and screaming into the 21st century. To date, the sector remains sluggish, with no news of the much-promised dramatic developments which can help the nation cut its substantial food import bill.

In the small matter of foreign direct investments inflow, we have slipped below Indonesia for the first time since 1990. For the record, this shocking development happened under the Prime Minister’s watch. Many can also notice the once-formidable Minister for International Trade and Industry Datuk Paduka Rafidah Aziz’s reluctance to appear in the public eye, as Malaysia’s reputation as a investment hub continues to take a beating, with the rise of more hungry nations like Vietnam. Come to think of it, many Ministries seem to be employing this stance – by staying out of the public eye.

It was a starkly different picture when Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad was in power; every other day, a host of ministries will be talking about initiating this plan and that program. The newspapers were full of such news. This country has a sense of purpose then even if some programs may not have made any sense. I had covered more than my fair share of such news when I was with the newspapers. It is no surprise the Ministers were working; they were terrified of Tun as he was a hard task master, exhorting and demanding his Ministries to keep performing. I am not a fan of Tun, but he was undoubtedly a leader of men. These days, the Ministries seem to be cruising along with no burden of expectations weighing down on its shoulders. Is it any surprise then that people in the corporate sector and my newspaper vendor tell me that the country has no captain?

Condoning money politics in UMNO

2006-11-01T23:39:00.000+08:00

“Dalam UMNO kita bagi orang makan. Itu adat bila nak bertanding.” says UMNO Supreme Council member Nazri Azis who coincidentally is also the de-facto Law Minister of Malaysia in an interview with The Star’s Malay-language website. When it comes to UMNO, It’s all about a free lunch isn’t it? Nazri is nakedly condoning money politics if we go by his statement as cited by The Star. In this interview, Nazri categorically stated that the Anti Corruption Agency (ACA) has no powers to take action against any UMNO member accused of bribery and money politics. He was quoted as saying UMNO members need only answer to the party’s disciplinary committee and that they enjoy immunity from anti-corruption laws of the country.

Nazri was further quoted as saying that questionable action, if any, committed by party members have nothing to do with the public interest, and in a perverse twist, ends this statement by claiming the definition of bribery in the context of UMNO is at odds with the laws of Malaysia. What is he implying? That UMNO is above the rule of law and beyond the ambit of decency? Any notion of decency has already been grotesquely warped by supporters of a Selangor UMNO “self-made warlord” blessed with enough money to build an illegal palace, when they publicly declared their admiration and support for their hero Zakaria Deros who is merely standing up for “maruah Melayu” by his vulgar display of wealth. Is “maruah Melayu” also only worth RM200 as claimed by former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad when he was bulldozed out of the way in his attempt to win a seat in the Kubang Pasu UMNO divisional elections?

Nazri’s statements, from no less the acting Law Minister himself and a staunch UMNO man, reveals a shocking nonchalant attitude towards the sanctity of law. The law is the only instrument that determines the success and failure of nations. History is replete with enough examples for a sane person not to conclude otherwise. Malaysia will be in danger of being on the road towards failed state-status if we as a nation do not wake up from this stupor. If Nazri is trying to fool anyone by saying that UMNO is UMNO and the government of Malaysia is a different coloured beast, he is spinning out of any realm of reality. Everybody familiar with Malaysia, knows the opposite is true and no rose-watered comments from the mouths of people purportedly looking after the nation’s interests will change that in this day and era.

So by his logic, we should leave UMNO members alone as they find creative ways to enrich themselves, as such acts do not interfere in the running of the government. Wrong. UMNO IS the government, and the act of graft in any language or circumstance, is a deep stain on the government. And this stain is getting harder to remove and it gets further entrenched and synonymous with government, what with the likes of Zakaria Deros being a symbol of what UMNO has become. More than ever, Malaysia needs a credible, strong Opposition, to help stem the deterioration that has already started eating away at the foundations of our nationhood.

Tun wins another round in his battle against his hand-picked successor

2006-10-25T08:09:00.000+08:00

Finally, the long-awaited meeting between the old strong man and his successor took place on Sunday. If there was any hopes of burying the hatchet between the two, Tun Dr Mahathir with his no-nonsense style, made it abundantly clear that the meeting has not resolved anything and that his outstanding list of grievances remain. It is clear that Tun has pushed the ball in the Prime Minister’s court, by shrewdly talking to reporters for three days in a row, ensuring that all attention will be on Datuk Seri Abdullah Badawi’s next move. It is disheartening to note that the Prime Minister has not responded publicly to Tun’s comments; he refused to talk about the meeting at a public function today. If he is thinking of applying his much-ridiculed “elegant silence” approach once again, UMNO members and Malaysians will not take too kindly to it although the public face of the rakyat’s “happiness” will be highlighted in the media. Truly, this is not a time for such a silly notion such as an elegance silence. The King of Thailand does that very effectively but Abdullah is not in the same league - he certainly has not demonstrated any exceptional ability as Malaysia’s leader thus far. Tun revealed that during the two-hour meeting, Abdullah spent most of the time listening and jotting notes. Is that because he needs to consult his spin doctors before making any comments? It is clear that Tun dominated proceeding from the first minute; that is not a good sign of Abdullah’s quality of leadership. At worst, the public will infer from the revelations made by Tun post-meeting that the Prime Minister is indecisive and incapable of making a stand on issues. Perhaps that was what the formidable Tun wished to convey. Already, there is much grumblings about the state of the economy. This eye-opener, offered by Tun, could convince many undecided UMNO members that they are being led by a man not worthy of wearing Tun’s large shoes. The fact that Tun brought up his concerns about the business activities of Abdullah’s son and son-in-law during the two-hour meeting would have also convinced many about the many rumours swirling around in the corporate sector and in the coffee shops across the country.

Even the UMNO dailies like Berita Harian and the New Straits Times, gave much coverage to the words and criticisms of Tun. It is evident that a news blackout is out of the question as that would further dent their credibility, especially amongst the Malay ground and to a smaller extent, the Malay professional class. UMNO can no longer count on giving simplistic answers to their members and expect them to unquestioningly accept it. Dissent within the party is by no means, invisible. Abdullah will not get a easy ride from now till the end of his term. Doubt has been seeded into mainstream Malaysia about his abilities, further compounded by a lack of direction in his handling of the economy and his less than satisfactory handling of several national issues close to our hearts. This meeting, controlled by Tun from the start until he decided to end it two hours later, is a stark warning to Abdullah that the remaining months of his tenure will be under an intense spotlight. Another point about the meeting is that Tun made his way to see Abdullah – from what I have read and known, the Prime Minister will always go and see his predecessor as a mark of respect and not the other way around. I guess when Tun said power has changed Abdullah, I have to agree with this assertion. A few months ago, Abdullah confidently said he was just into the first fifteen minutes of holding power and that he needs times to make contributions, making references about the length of his administration to a 90-minute football match. I find such statements arrogant, for him to think that his grip on power will go on indefinitely in the foreseeable future. If the Prime Minister do not ring in significant changes soon, there is a likelihood that he may be substituted from the playing field sooner than he expects. UMNO has demonstrated in the past that the incumbent Prime Minister can be unseated if the ground wills it.

Of bargains and prayer

2006-10-21T00:37:00.000+08:00

Malaysiakini recently published the comments of an indignant Perak Mufti Harussani Zakaria who complained to an Agence France Presse reporter about the decidedly unholy behaviour of some Muslims who seem more keen to snap up bargains at the numerous shopping bazaars popping up all across the country during Ramadhan, instead of engaging in pious reflection with their fellow brethrens. While I respect the Mufti’s views on this matter, I am also a firm believer that faith cannot be forced upon an individual. It is after all, a personal relationship between an individual and God. Just as there are a myriad number of believers, there will also be a varying, almost countless number of ways individuals reach out to Him in matters of the spirit that would differ from one person to another.

Even a casual dissection of any religion will reveal a spectrum of differentiation, in virtually all facets of that belief system. In Islam for instance, there are various sects that reaches out to God in differing ways. In Malaysia, the government blacklists many Islamic groups periodically on the basis that the beliefs advocated by these clusters are deviant. It is not just Islam but all religions have teeming sub-terranian life composed of divergent beliefs living contently in the background of the mainstream faith. In Christianity, there are a dizzying number of sects – Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant, Baptist, Methodist - which in turn give birth to more variations of smaller groups who think their private road to salvation works best for them, while embracing the greater call of the religion. For many others, formal procedures i.e rituals may not be of any use at all to them. Just as there are nonchalant Hindus, Christians, there are also a fair number of dispassionate Muslims. And no amount of cajoling and foot stomping by the good Mufti is going to change that. Our government has fastidiously urged people to up consumer spending. It is thus, no surprise then that during the holy month of Ramadhan, the sumptuous break fast buffets and the bargains are proving to be more attractive to some than pursuits of a religious bent.

Malaysia falls behind Indonesia

2006-10-17T21:47:00.000+08:00

A responsible, democratically elected government will sound the alarm bells and a serious, concerted effort will be undertaken to ensure proper steps are taken to effectively stop further bleeding if a United Nations-sanctioned report concludes that foreign direct investment inflow into the country has dipped significantly in a span of just one year, relegating this country into a lowly ranking of six out of a pool of ten countries. If there is a need to compound things further, let's also assume foreign direct investment inflow into this group of ten actually spiked by more than forty percent within the same period. This effectively means that foreign investors still like the Southeast Asia region a great deal. A spike in investments in the region but a blatant dip for Malaysia? This would mean a disturbing trend in my book.

For the record, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development's World Investment Report (WIR) 2006 revealed that Malaysia’s FDI inflow contracted by 14.21% to only US$3.97 billion (RM14.63 billion) last year from US$4.62 billion (RM17.02 billion) in 2004. This was a sharp contrast to the overall FDI inflows into Southeast Asia, which jumped 44.7% to US$37.14 billion (RM136.83 billion) last year, mainly driven by mergers and acquisition activities.

Okay, I just made up my first two sentences based on the report’s finding stated above. But not the part of the alarm bells and serious effort. Malaysia of late has not been known to view foreign reports with open arms but instead views them through the prism of “foreign propaganda.” But this time, Indonesia – our favourite source of menial labour – has for the first time upstaged us as far as foreign investment inflows are concerned. Singapore (of course), Thailand and even the Philippines left Malaysia behind. I suppose we can beat our chests with the fact that we still lead over countries like Myanmar and Laos in the area of FDI!

Indonesia’s foreign direct investment inflow jumped nearly five times to more than US$5 billion in 2005 from just under US$2 billion in 2004. Any way you look at it, this is bad news, and the Prime Minister’s spin doctors have a lot of work to do. This drop in FDI cannot be conveniently directed to his predecessor’s doorstep. This happened on Pak Lah’s watch. No new growth areas have really excited investors – local and foreign. Our competitiveness which we have taken for granted for more than a decade, is slowly but surely eroding. No wonder the Minister responsible for foreign direct investment in the sectors of industry and international trade Datuk Paduka Rafidah Aziz has been pursuing a personal policy of staying out of sight of the media spotlight.

It would earn the government a whole load of goodwill domestically and foreign appeal if it reviews the practice of narrow, race-based policies, to wealth distribution policies which are more class-based. Malaysia must realize that current policies that enrich some UMNO members disproportionately to the detriment of the larger mass of people (Malay, Chinese, Indian) left seething in despair and quiet anger, will make Malaysia weak in the global market. De-politicize the education system and help people who need assistance and a leg up. The evidence of past follies is already reaching the ears of the business decision makers of the world. It is time that our decision makers take courageous decisions now although with current evidence so far, I find that unlikely. Malaysia desperately needs responsible leadership!

It would be amusing to see the politicians who were extremely loud to the point of rudeness, to ridicule the methodologies used by a think-tank to calculate the Bumiputera equity share, to demand the same of the United Nations. Good night.

A bad case of deja vu

2006-10-15T21:18:00.000+08:00

In the 1960s, there was an entertaining American TV series called the Twilight Zone. It was groundbreaking science fiction, with imaginative storylines spanning parallel universes and multi-dimensional worlds complete with twists and surprise endings. There were also stories that deal with events repeating themselves and in this series, often ending with dire and frightening consequences. In Malaysia, we also suffer from such an affliction every year arising from the thinking of groups of religious and racist puritans who exacerbate existing divisions in our society. Last time around, there was the Mufti of Perak who lambasted the celebration of Christmas and Chinese New Year, urging Muslims not to attend open houses to fete these Malaysian festivities. Then we had a member of parliament from Kedah who favoured a racist word to describe Indians and who asked all non-Malays to leave the country if they are not happy with the terms and conditions set by UMNO. Of course we have also had the son-in-law of the Prime Minister use not-so-pleasing rhetoric against the Chinese to beef up his position. Never mind that many of his business associates are Chinese.

And most recently, we’ve had the email fiasco from Takaful Malaysia, forbidding Muslim staff from wishing Hindu colleagues and customers a Happy Deepavali, on grounds that “offending” Muslims are booking a one-way ticket to, well … hell. An apology apparently came from Takaful Malaysia, but the damage has been done, as so eloquently put by the Prime Minister’s son-in-law, when he referred to ASLI’s study on bumiputera equity. The man responsible for these religious “instructions” will not be relieved of his job. Imagine if a non-Muslim priest made a statement urging a boycott of the Hari Raya celebrations. The uproar and the loud threats would be deafening. Ketuanan Melayu after all, means never having to say sorry. The next big non-Muslim celebration after Deepavali is Christmas and I can wager a bet another round of instructions will be making its way into people’s emails about the sins of wishing a Christian colleague, customer or neighbour a Merry Christmas. The repetitive sloganeering comes like clockwork. It’s as if I can almost write the script for the next outburst by religious puritans.

Our politicians are so fond of crying out to the world that we are all one united happy family, while at the same happily exploit the race and religious cards to further short-term goals. It should not come as a surprise then that managers of government-linked companies also see it fit to utter similar proclamations. The Minister for Islamic Affairs was quick off the blocks to distance the government from this man’s statements, adding that he is not qualified to say such things and that the email does not amount to a fatwa. Shouldn’t the Minister get the offender dismissed, so that no more rips are willfully made to the fragile social fabric that is multi-racial, multi-religious Malaysia? Malaysians are getting tired of being trapped in the Twilight Zone.

Bangladesh is one up on us

2006-10-14T19:17:00.000+08:00

Several years there was a sudden urgency within the bowels of government to produce a Nobel Prize winner by 2020, no doubt intended as a delicious cap to our expected attainment of developed-nation status by that magical year. What glory it would be, if we can produce one “individual” who could stand heads and shoulders above his peers and bring home the prized Nobel Prize in a scientific field within the next 14 years. Of course, the inevitable process of setting up committees and planning teams were announced to the media with a flourish, with Ministers no less, jockeying for opportunities to get the then Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamed to endorse this campaign.

Talk of nurturing and producing a scientific mind capable of making astonishing breakthroughs in the fields of chemistry, biology and physics was the rage. Never mind our universities and our research facilities are mere shells, rigidly administered by politically-sanctioned managers who believed, with a zeal, that the individual thought process amongst young men and women, must be left at the doorstep when they step into a class room. Never mind that Malaysia was making no headway in trying to attract Malaysian scientists who fled a sterile and stifling environment at home to make great personal and academic strides in countries like Singapore (yes ,Singapore), Australia, The United States and Europe. What mattered, you see, is if you can shout “Malaysia Boleh” within a earshot of the political masters and get some publicity in the newspapers about our noble plan to win the Noble prize.

But just like a comet rising majestically in the skyline, illuminating the earth for just an instance with all its incandescence before disappearing from view, our noble Nobel Prize campaign seems to have gone that way. A new Prime Minister is in power now and priorities change. Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad was all for technological advancement; his successor is more interested in more mundane matter such as agricultural pursuits. True, the Prime Minister had loudly proclaimed his interest in advancing the biotechnology sector but his boys does not seem to have made any headway there as well. But that is a matter to be discussed at a later time. Talk of Noble Prizes is no longer even whispered about. It remains part of the Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamed baggage which needs to be consigned to the dusty confines of some dark and dingy recesses of Putrajaya.

I was compelled to write about this when I read how Bangladesh - a country that sends thousands of manual workers to Malaysia so that we may have some service at the gas pumps, get our cars washed, our roads repaired and factories functioning – erupted into joy when one of their own was just announced as the winner for the Nobel Peace Prize. I think there is no need for me to elaborate really about the state of our education system which is in the clutches of UMNO. I do hope that a Malaysian-born scientist will one day be able to win that award of awards one day. I would not be surprised if such a delightful scenario becomes a reality. It would really be amusing to see how Malaysia would react if a former Malaysian wins it for Singapore. What an irony that would be!

Let Pak Leh live out his remaining years in freedom

2006-10-11T14:25:00.000+08:00

Malaysia’s longest serving prisoner Mohd Salleh Talib, who spent 30 years behind bars, was released two weeks ago and our newspapers have dedicated a significant amount of space and ink to tell his story. Indeed, it’s a story that tells readers that the human spirit, in this case blemished under the weight of youthful miscalculations, can be rehabilitated. Forgiveness is a noble human trait rarely exercised in the Malaysian penal system. But a man like Salleh, who found religion in prison and equally as important, his humanity, surely deserves his freedom back, after serving 30 years for armed robbery in which he hurt no one. He lost his youth in a moment of rashness and it is fitting that he be able to spend what is left of his life in the real world and taste the sweetness of freedom.

Newspapers have elevated him to a persona akin to a national hero. This perplexes me, as he surely does not deserve such an accolade. He even got an audience with Perak royalty upon his release. Salleh is a man, simply put, who can only put “bank robber” as his occupation in any official form. But we all love a happy ending and old man Salleh (also known as Pak Leh) feeds this need of ours. Natural life sentences are no longer meted out but the number of prisoners sentenced to serve multiple life sentences have increased in recent years. I believe this year alone there were several cases where convicted rapists-cum-murderers have been given multiple life sentences which effectively mean they will die behind bars despite any sentence reduction for good behaviour. I don’t believe any right-thinking Malaysians who may wholeheartedly agree to Salleh’s pardon, would have any pity for these repulsive monsters of today. There will be no pardons coming their way.

When Salleh committed armed robbery in 1976, Malaysia was still relatively untainted by heinous crimes such unprovoked murders, armed robberies, snatch thievery and rape. The Malaysia of today is seeing an increasing number of men losing their youths and sometimes, their whole lives behind iron bars and high walls. Armed robbery involving a payroll truck is not very uncommon nowadays; in 1976, it was an daring act and an affront to civil society, and Salleh paid a severe price. Perhaps we are all looking wistfully at simpler age long gone when we read about Pak Leh’s life story. It’s a fair bet that more accounts of how he is adjusting in the real world will be written in the coming months.

Mat Rempits still in the news

2006-10-10T14:46:00.000+08:00

Last month, I had posted my comments on why members of the dominant political party UMNO wanted to co-opt thousands of youths who engage in illegal motorcycle races under the guise of looking after their welfare and channeling their energies into more useful activities. When news of the so-called UMNO Putera, the junior wing of the UMNO Youth, going on a media blitz to talk up its “noble” efforts to round up these “stray” sheep into the folds of the community, I smelled a rotten fish head. In a society like Malaysia where politics have seeped into the very fabric of our consciousness, there had to be more to this development than what meets the eye. I was reminded of the Brown Shirts patrolling the streets of Berlin in the early 1930s. They were also the “eyes and ears” of the Reich government, remarkably similar to what UMNO Putera chief Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim has in mind for these Mat Rempits.

These boys are already a menace on the roads with no care for other motorists. I am very wary when I see a group of them zooming past me. A grazing of engines and I could be involved in a serious altercation, which really, may not end in a happy ending. Even the Malay tabloids and dailies are getting into the act of condemning some of the unsavory antics of these Mat Rempits. A clash between two different groups which resulted in one dead, was also played up in all the dailies, further complicating the efforts of some politicians to silently summon a large group of youths who could prove useful to UMNO when it wishes to organize its often favored tactic of holding demonstrations. I recall the infamous 1999 demonstration led by UMNO Youth firebrands who threatened to burn down the Chinese Assembly Building in Jalan Maharajalela. And of course, who can forget the storming of the APCET conference in 1999 in Kuala Lumpur? I could illustrate more recent examples such as the demonstrations to drown the voice of concerned Malaysians for dialogue with the government after the Moorthy fiasco. So I say, looking at the situation from the UMNO Youth perspective, young men with a surplus of energy and a dislike for authority, used to moving around like mobs on motorcycles .. … well, they could be an asset by people adept at playing puppet master.

But it seems when it comes to Mat Rempits, even the police are finding their voice to turn down requests from UMNO Putera to provide crowd control assistance for a grand gathering of illegal motorcyclists in Bukit Jalil scheduled for January. The police would be best positioned to know of the extent of trouble these youths have been causing the public. When we hear of the problems these guys are causing i.e intimidating other motorists, smashing up parked cars, drunken behaviour, that is just a small sampling of a serious social problem we are all facing. What we read in the newspapers is just a small representation of the real story. I can say this with conviction because I was a journalist once for a mainstream newspaper and a lot of things remain untold when the newspapers hit the stands.

The NEP is a Malaysian issue, not a Malay issue

2006-10-09T12:06:00.000+08:00

Hi David, thanks for your comment. I think we all need to move away from racial compartmentalisations when it comes to issues affecting this country. NEP will one day be re-engineered, modified, to better adresss the imbalances between the races, and malays and non-malays who have raised this issue in a logical, sober manner, will all have played a role. What I wanted to highlight in my last posting is that there is the voice of the Malays which has been silent for so long in regards to the NEP, is finally being communicated. I don't consider the NEP as a malay issue but a Malaysian issue. Indeed, it is the global market that will decide the policy's death or modification which better closes the wealth gap between the rich and the poor.

I think beyond the rhetoric of PAS, that has softened in recent months, with younger, more media-savvy leaders coming to the fore, the party, if it ever comes to power, will take steps to reduce the propensity of certain groups to abuse the NEP. The PAS that will stand for the next general elections will not be the PAS of 2004. It will be a PAS of action and not just mere words. I think their political strategists are playing a smart waiting game and let Malay and non-Malay discontentment over many current issues boil over and scald the ruling party. Personally, I do not see the NEP (in its current form) being around until the magical 2020 number.

My observations about the NEP banter

2006-10-04T13:36:00.000+08:00

Of late, more and more Malaysians have been talking about the National Economy Policy. The NEP impacts all spheres of Malaysian life and it is only right that all Malaysians who pay their fair share of taxes and has a stake in this country, be able to discuss the for-and-against argument for the continuation of this policy in a rational and sober manner. I do not wish to dwell on my thoughts about the tenability of the NEP this time but for the record, I believe it is time for Malaysia to seriously study the long-term impact this policy is having on her people. The government continues to insist that the NEP will remain in force until 2020 without effectively rebutting the increasingly well-thought out calls for the policy to be re-examined in light of the fast changing domestic and external environment.

The non-Malay critics of the NEP can easily be dismissed and ignored by UMNO by resorting to the excuse that Malays need to be protected and nurtured in isolation. Never mind that this argument is increasingly at odds with real life which projects a Darwinian world view where the fittest will survive.

But of late, interestingly enough, opponents of the way NEP is implemented are popping up within the Malay domain. Former UMNO strongman Anwar Ibrahim has slammed the way the NEP is being used to enrich the top end of UMNO leaders at the expense of the correcting the income imbalance amongst the Malays themselves. Recent developments hint that the wealth gap within the Malay community has widened considerably in recent years and compares unfavourably with the same divide within the non-Malay communities. Is the NEP a factor that gave birth to this unsavoury development? Another former captain of industry Datuk Khalid Ibrahim who is not an UMNO member, has warned that the continuation of the NEP in its current form, could jeopardize the long-term economic survival of Malays. Another non-governmental organization which purportedly looks after Malay interests called TERAS has also raised the issue of a substantial number of Malays in the country still living precariously amidst a fine balance between poverty and just making do. It is plausible that these parties are stating their views on this matter primarily because they detect a groundswell of dissatisfaction in their community.

What is interesting is that UMNO is no longer seen as the de-facto voice of the Malays, and this makes it harder for it to keep defending the NEP in its current form. This proclamation has already been weakened by the rise of PAS which has been gaining in political strength. Add to this equation, a rising class of Malay professionals enveloped with a world view not limited to our borders, which sees UMNO as a party of privileges and patronage, and you get an environment that is seeing the birth of diverse opinions within the Malays on the ground. It would seem that a de-linking of UMNO being synonymous with the Malay mood is slowly taking place.

LKY's words do resonate in Malaysia

2006-10-03T10:56:00.000+08:00

There were two long articles in the New Sunday Times dated October 1st, with both writers zeroing in on Lee Kuan Yew’s remarks about the “marginalized Chinese” in Malaysia and Indonesia. It was ironic to see a Malaysian corporate figure (and sometimes journalist), well-known for his links to Singapore, taking a swipe at Lee in his Sunday column. Two pages later, another prominent piece written by a long-time resident of Malaysia - a person of Caucasian descent roped in to help convince the world that all is well in Malaysia - takes Lee to task.

That there is a burning need for Malaysia to counter Lee’s remarks, widely carried by the world’s media organizations, is of no surprise. But I do not understand why people on this side of the border wish to continue harping on this perceived slight from Singapore. Lee made those provocative statements two weeks ago. If all is well with Malaysian race relations, then I do not see the need to continue putting this issue in the limelight. Any right thinking person could not be faulted if he or she thinks that Malaysia is adopting a defensive posture over this issue. I think the master Singapore politician had struck a raw nerve in UMNO which may have been contemplating general elections early next year. UMNO’s incensed response to Lee gives credence to such a possibility. Looking at past trends, the ruling coalition adopts an overly sweet approach towards the Chinese before a run-up towards a general election. Junior Barisan Nasional members – MCA in particular – are co-opted to help spread the message that only UMNO can provide a conducive environment for the Chinese to live and work in Malaysia. Lee’s statements make the task of garnering votes harder.

Both these writers in the Sunday Times – the corporate figure and the long-time resident – outlined several examples to illustrate their argument that Lee is wrong about the Chinese being marginalized in Malaysia. These examples range from the fact that there are Chinese language schools in Malaysia, the only country in Southeast Asia to have them, to ministers of Chinese descent in Cabinet. But these reasons will not be stand up to close scrutiny; no new Chinese vernacular schools have been built for several years, an issue that has angered Chinese educationist groups and generated unease among the Chinese and Indians as a whole. As for non-Malay ministers, they are seen as having no influence and merely follow UMNO’s lead in all policy decisions for the country. One incident this year stands out in my mind that clearly exemplified UMNO’s dominance – when an incensed UMNO demanded that non-Muslim ministers retract a memorandum to the Prime Minister, expressing support for non-Muslim groups disturbed by the fact that a non-Muslim woman was denied all outlets of the civil courts when she wanted to contest the religious conversion of her dead husband. UMNO barked and the junior Ministers folded and withdrew the memorandum.

And of late, there have been issues that can be deemed as sensitive to Malaysian Chinese and Indians, cropping up. School textbooks have eliminated the contribution of non-Malays in the history of the country. State agencies like Biro Tata Negara are preaching to university students that Chinese student groups are on the payroll of “Jewish” groups. The young generation of Malaysian Chinese will logically see such acts as engineered with the blessing of the UMNO-run government especially when high-ranking government officials defends these acts. The Chinese Penang Chief Minister has also been politically bludgeoned by UMNO’s top leaders – a development which has taken on an overtly racial tone. And on the topic of education, no new Chinese schools to be built during the 9th Malaysian Plan. These developments are closely followed by the Chinese; newspapers like the MCA-controlled Star Publications, has seen it fit to briefly mention (Wong Chun Wai’s column, Sunday Star October 1) that the community has been aggrieved by the actions of some UMNO politicians. Open talk of the ketuanan Melayu agenda also seem to confirm the fears and suspicions of non-Malays that the government indeed intends to marginalize or subjugate them, even if such perceptions are far from the truth.

I believe these are the issues – ignored by these writers in the New Sunday Times - that provide the oil to feed the flickering flames of distrust and suspicion that leads many non-Malays to believe a foreigner’s words and not their own leaders.

Dissent banned in UMNO

2006-09-29T19:06:00.000+08:00

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.

News blackouts still the norm?

2006-09-29T16:17:00.000+08:00

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).

How bout dialogue for Malaysians Mr Prime Minister?

2006-09-27T12:44:00.000+08:00

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.

The government's credibility problem when talking about racial unity

2006-09-26T14:42:00.000+08:00

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.

A contentious issue that is the NEP

2006-09-24T15:28:00.000+08:00

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.

A little sensitivity please

2006-09-22T14:27:00.000+08:00

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.

Najib's hollow reactionary statement to LKY

2006-09-22T11:35:00.000+08:00

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.

I am in control!

2006-09-18T16:22:00.000+08:00

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.

Globalisation forces at the gates

2006-09-18T16:17:00.000+08:00

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?

Brinkmanship that makes matters worse

2006-09-17T20:27:00.000+08:00

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.

A good article on the poor state of the education system

2006-09-17T19:45:00.000+08:00

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.

A voice of reason in Zaid Ibrahim

2006-09-15T14:15:00.000+08:00

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.

Prime Minister under pressure

2006-09-14T17:50:00.000+08:00

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.

Farcical UMNO Putera attempt to whitewash the Mat Rempit image

2006-09-13T15:40:00.000+08:00

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.

Tun is free to talk to anyone

2006-09-12T16:36:00.000+08:00

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.

A Malaysian tourist in space

2006-09-12T15:31:00.000+08:00

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!

"Gaya mesti ada"

2006-09-10T13:26:00.000+08:00

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.

Malaysians cannot get auto loans easily but the economy is doing great!

2006-09-10T11:50:00.000+08:00

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.

Will we act on the World Bank report?

2006-09-10T11:00:00.000+08:00

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.

Tun faces a political tsunami

2006-09-07T21:23:00.000+08:00

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.

Malaysian troops for Lebanon?

2006-09-07T14:40:00.000+08:00

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.