Banning Information For 3 Months

BN will never learn.

It tried to ban Malaysia Today - violating internet censorship rules - but it only succeeded in promoting the site to those who hadn't heard of it.

And those of us who *had* heard of it? Well, we redirected our readers to the mirror sites that popped out within hours of the ban.

So now they try to ban Harakah and Suara Keadilan for the next 3 months - the important moment for BN where it can endure no opposing views or that of a critical nature.

Will that work? You tell me.

Malaysian Pretensions

There was a news article that irritated me to the bone when I read it some time back. For various reasons, I chose not to comment on it publicly.

But here it is: Malaysia Willing To Offer Help Where Malays Are A Minority

Obviously, even the Malays in Malaysia are beyond help - they have been given special privileges for about 30 years now and yet nothing much has improved - so what makes our government think it will be making progress in helping a bunch of insipid foreigners?

Most of us probably took it in a light vein.

Philip Bowring is evidently not as nonchalant. In his Opinion piece, he implies that our Malaysian Pretensions are worthy of criticism from human rights groups and other governments.

Malaysian pretensions could be dismissed as hot air. But official discrimination against non-Malays in the country was eventually going to attract criticism from human rights groups and other governments. It is hard to argue that the numerically dominant Malays, who control most of the political, judicial and bureaucratic levers of power and many of the country's major corporations, need help. Yet Malaysia's leadership continues to claim that the Malay race and religion would be threatened by removal of privileges.

I don't know if China and India would intervene.

But we've tried to fight this battle on our own and failed.

Repeatedly.

Perhaps as Bowring says, it's time for the outside world to speak up in support of equality for non-Malay Malaysians as well as for Malay minorities elsewhere.

Charge Me, Baby!

Big talk from a big boy!

But we all know good ole Dr M is guilty of a lot of things, judicial manipulation being the least of them.

He's got presence. He's got moxy. Even one hell of a sense of humour. And when the need arises, selective memory.

If it comes to a match between Abdullah and Mahathir, you can expect a whole lot of mud-slinging.

When The Churches...

... in Malaysia get involved in the political scene, you know something is rotten in the state of ... affairs (you thought Denmark, didn't you?).


I have had a few emails from my Christian friends, urging me to consider my voting options (and prerogative) very seriously.

I fully intend to.

After all, there has been too much bullying in the name of religion. In the International Herald Tribune, a few notable cases are documented:

The Christian husband of a Malaysian woman who died in December clashed with Islamic authorities who contended she had converted to Islam a week before her death and would be buried according to Muslim rites. A Malaysian court ordered the woman's body released for a Christian funeral after the conversion claim was retracted.

In another case, a 29-year-old woman who was born a Muslim but converted to Hinduism was ordered by Malaysian authorities to spend six months in an Islamic rehabilitation center, where she said officials tried to make her pray as a Muslim, wear a head scarf and eat beef, a sacrilege to Hindus.

The Malaysian government, meanwhile, recently stated non-Muslims cannot use the word "Allah," worrying Christians who use the term to refer to God in their Malay-language Bibles and other publications.

And last month, customs officers seized 32 Bibles from a Christian traveler, saying they were trying to determine whether the Bibles were imported for commercial purposes.

Christians in Malaysia have been largely apolitical.

While I firmly believe in the separation of church and state, I believe as citizens, Christians should exercise their right to choose their government by VOTING. Unfortunately, some subscribe to the notion of merely praying to God to deal with their political issues rather than researching and taking to the ballot boxes.

Others (as Teresa Kok pointed out) traditionally support BN because they "don't want to rock the boat". They live in fear of a recurrence of the May 13 racial riots. I find it amusing that Christians wax lyrical about "faith" but have so little of it.

That being said, I wouldn't endorse a political party with Christianity as its central theme anymore than I would a Muslim one, but in this case, I would vote for PAS if I had to. At least they're not as racist as they're made out to be.

This change involving the church is overdue.

Charging 26 Indians With Murder??

But .... murder???


The Malaysian dictatorship government doesn't want to be outdone.

In the spirit of Malaysia Boleh, it is charging 26 ethnic Indians with attempted murder in connection with the HINDRAF anti-discrimination rally.

Folks. We are BEYOND boleh!! Heck, this mythical policeman with the few miserable stitches on his head from being attacked with bricks and iron pipes is DA BOMB!!! I wanna meet him!! I wanna shake his hand!! I wanna get his autograph!!

He makes triple-H look like a wuss. The Rock is a sissy next to him. Cena is a ninny. Stone Cold is a wimp. They could never take on 26 guys all at one time.

Not our cop. He must be one heck of a tough dude. Imagine being able to fight off 26 guys who were hell-bent on murdering him and living to tell the tale.

Not one, not two, but twenty-freaking-six men!!!

BN government boys, you are something else, you know that?

Seriously. You protest over HINDRAF's exaggeration, but then top it up with a gross exaggeration of your own?

I can understand HINDRAF needs all the attention it can get, but haven't you government boys had more than your fair share of attention from the international media these past few days???

Provoke and expect to receive the consequences. You hurl tear-gas at peaceful protestors, douse them in chemical juice, kick them for no particular reason and expect them to smile and wave at you???

Good Lord.

We have too many village idiots in this country.

HINDRAF Gets International Publicity

The publicity is massive.

You don't even need a PR Officer for this with the Malaysian tin-pot-dictatorship government doing such a splendid job of it.


From the International Herald Tribune to BBC and heaps of other news sites online, as of now, over 50 articles have been dedicated to this protest, which contrary to public opinion is NOT against the British, but the Malaysian tin-pot-dictatorship government.

Heck, this is the news that sells.

Malaysian curiosity has been piqued.

What is the government trying to hide? Why the overwhelming effort to stop this gathering which is supposed to be peaceful.

Ethnic Indians, mainly Hindus, form one of Malaysia's largest minority groups. Activists say more than two-thirds of them live in poverty, partly because they are deprived of opportunities by affirmative action policies that favor the ethnic Malay Muslim majority.

There will undoubtedly be violence. After all, what does one Indian death - or for that matter 100 Indian deaths - matter? No one cares.

But the world will be watching.

Related:
Malaysia Hindu activists arrested - British Broadcasting Corporation

Proton's Mounting Woes...

The poor bastards. They can't seem to do anything right.

In my personal opinion, Proton (better known as 'Potong') should have keeled over and croaked long ago if not for the faithful taxpayers, who have been resuscitating it repeatedly.

And hence it continues to live on like a sick, gasping frog.


Lately, Proton shares slid to its lowest level in nearly seven years Wednesday after the government said it has stopped talking with Volkswagen AG and General Motors Corp. about strategic tie-ups.

I can imagine why.

VW & GM: Stop that asinine affirmative action crap that's going on and hire some people based on meritocracy, you fools!

Potong: No way! It's my way or the highway!

VW & GM: It's been nice knowing you. Take a hike.

Money-losing Proton had been in talks with those two companies to help reverse its fortunes - in other words stop losing money.

Proton reported a loss of 591 million ringgit in the 2007 financial year. However, due to political interests, there are no plans to close up and bid farewell for good. Guess who is going to fund it?

Sigh. To think my hard-earned tax money goes to this.

Obviously, Proton needs to take drastic measures to get itself out of the doggy-do it's in - get creative even.

So it lifts its eyes and looks to Mecca. Lo and behold, Inspiration hit like a ton of bricks!

An 'Islamic' car!! What a wonderful concept! A genuine idea! A brainwave!!

If you believe it.

That would appease Muslim fundamentalists, but hardly the economy, unfortunately.

Asia Sentinel has an interesting opinion on Proton's latest bout of creativity.

Excerpts:

But as with everything in Malaysia, politics plays a more important role than economics in industrial policy.

Although a foreign partner could very well increase production capacity to around 350,000 units a year and lower production costs, the old bosses of the United Malays National Organisation, don’t want to give the facilities away to foreign partners, Islamic or otherwise.

International Herald Tribune had an equally scathing article on Potong, but when I looked again, I couldn't seem to locate the page.


Everytime I click on it, I only get this notice: Page Not Found.


It certainly makes me suspicious - did the Malaysian communist-dictatorship government get its proverbial knickers in a knot over this truthful but not necessarily kind report and demand its withdrawal?

All this bad publicity isn't helping Proton's sorry situation.

Not that it has any plans to fix itself in a hurry.

According to The Star, no specific timeframe will be given to the management of Proton Holdings Bhd to turn the national carmaker around.

Yeah, they'll just use the everlasting government funds.

More taxpayer money down the drain.

Bowring: Malaysia's Malaise

This, in my opinion is a brilliant article.

None of this may seems to matter too much when the economy is expanding, thanks to record prices for oil, palm oil and other exports. But income inequality is bad and getting worse. Malaysia's political stability may be threatened the next time there is a recession, and there is reason to worry about Malaysia's ability to become a developed country when its institutions are corrupted by a stagnant, race-based political system that may have outlived its time.

The conclusion above is so perceptively accurate, that it's impressive a foreigner could have such insight to something the village idiots in the government could never comprehend.



Bowring: Malaysia's malaise

Malaysia is in a political cul-de-sac, resulting in an erosion of national institutions and the entrenchment of corruption. Recent events show that awareness of these problems is growing, but Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi is politically too feeble to implement his good intentions, increasing the difficulty of reconciling the interests of the Malay/Muslim majority with the non-Muslim Chinese, Indian and indigenous groups that make up 45 percent of the population.

Public disquiet and Abdullah's own weakness were on display in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday when some 40,000 people, headed by the leaders of the three opposition parties and including former Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and representatives of a wide range of NGOs, defied a government ban to march to the palace of the king, the titular head of state, to petition for clean and fair elections.

This peaceful multi-ethnic event followed an equally unprecedented speech two weeks earlier by Sultan Azlan Shah, a respected former chief law officer who is also one of the nation's nine hereditary rulers.

Azlan referred to a loss of confidence in the judiciary as a result of questionable appointments and judgments perceived to be driven by politics and money. He noted that its once high reputation had sunk dramatically, quoting a recent World Bank survey. Azlan is believed to be behind a revolt by the sultans against approving - normally a rubber stamp process - the appointment as chief justice of a legal adviser to the governing party with little experience on the bench.

Among current cases that have raised questions about the legal system is the conduct of the trial of Razak Baginda, a close associate of Defense Minister Najib Abdul Razak, and two of Najib's bodyguards for the murder of Baginda's former mistress. Baginda was closely involved in arms deals with France.

The publicity given to the Azlan speech and the Baginda trial point to the greater openness of Malaysia under Abdullah compared with his authoritarian predecessor, Mahathir Mohamad. But though Mahathir was much-criticized for politicizing the judiciary and institutionalizing money politics, he was able to get things done. Abdullah, on the other hand, is seen to have largely - though not entirely - failed to deliver on his promises of cleaner government.

The fault lies less with his personality than with the structure of politics. Abdullah argues that the ballot box and Parliament are the places for political action, not street demonstrations. However, neither is likely to deliver change while race-based politics ensures continuation of the 50-year rule by the United Malays National Organization, which feeds off the economic privileges that the Malays accord themselves.

To keep the loyalty of Malay voters UMNO has both to outflank the Parti Islam and to divert attention from the enrichment of a small Malay elite at the expense of the Malays. Parti Islam is prone to stomach-churning speeches about Malay dominance and hypocritical displays of Islamic fervor that offend Malaysia's plural reality and its secular Constitution.

Nothing can change as long as most non-Malays continue to grudgingly support UMNO rule for fear that the Parti Islam alternative would be worse, or while the non-Malay capitalist class remains wealthy enough to pay tribute to a Malay elite. In its own behavior this elite is liberal and internationalist, but for political purposes encourages the lower-income Malays to think in communal ways.

Judging by their attendance at the rally on Saturday, lower-income Malays may be becoming disillusioned with policies that mostly benefit the elite. But UMNO's grip is strong.

Abdullah might in principle want to reform UMNO, bring in more of the Malay professional middle classes who rely on their own abilities rather than the patronage system, and give more senior government jobs to non-Malays. But he is proving to be a prisoner of the party, its money politics, its dynastic tendencies and its desire to occupy the higher reaches of the bureaucracy, the judiciary and the many quasi-government businesses.

Meanwhile, for all their ability to join together in a demonstration against the government, the two largest opposition parties - Parti Islam and the mainly Chinese Democratic Action Party - are at either end of the race/religion spectrum. The multiracial middle ground now occupied by Anwar's party has thus far had limited appeal.

None of this may seems to matter too much when the economy is expanding, thanks to record prices for oil, palm oil and other exports. But income inequality is bad and getting worse. Malaysia's political stability may be threatened the next time there is a recession, and there is reason to worry about Malaysia's ability to become a developed country when its institutions are corrupted by a stagnant, race-based political system that may have outlived its time.

Rommel Soundly Criticises The NEP

Good ole Rommel makes a parting shot! :)

AP Interview: EU's outgoing ambassador says Malaysia is a virtual one-party state

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia: The European Union's outgoing ambassador has soundly criticized Malaysia, describing it as a virtual one-party state that discriminates against minorities and foreign investors by openly favoring the majority Malay Muslims.

Law Minister Nazri Aziz dismissed the accusations by Ambassador Thierry Rommel, who left his post Tuesday after 4 1/2 years, saying he is an outsider who does not understand the country. "I treat his opinion as uninformed and ignorant," said Nazri.

Yeah, Nazri would. Of course it probably escapes him that he's the very epitome of "uninformed" and "ignorant".

He is joined by another twit, who expresses himself in a more controlled manner by claiming Rommel acted outside his sphere of duty.

If I were the bloody government, I'd be falling over myself to appease the man. After all, he influences and advises the EU on dealing with Malaysia. I can't imagine a spotless report on Malaysia from Rommel, considering this flagrant inability to handle criticism.

Rommel's blunt message — in a recent interview with The Associated Press — comes as Malaysia and the 27-nation European Union are getting ready to start negotiations next year for a free trade agreement. Rommel's advice will heavily influence policy makers in the EU, which is seeking a broad relationship with Malaysia that includes democratic governance, rule of law, human rights, civil freedoms and fair trade.

In the interview, Rommel said the multiracial Malaysia, which takes pride in its ethnic harmony, is becoming polarized due to the Islamization of the society. He said Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has allowed ethnic tensions to increase in the last four years he has been in office.

"There is a situation of increasing inequality in Malaysia," Rommel said. "Non-Muslims feel increasingly marginalized and (feel) their constitutional rights (are) jeopardized."

Rommel, whose outspokenness has irked the Malaysian government in the past, gave the interview on the condition that it would be released after his departure from the country to avoid further diplomatic trouble.

I'm sure he hasn't forgotten Trade Minister Rafidah Aziz, who blamed her hypertensive woes on him.

Rommel was especially critical of a 37-year-old affirmative action program for Malays, who form about 60 percent of Malaysia's 26 million people. The Chinese are 25 percent and Indians 10 percent.

The affirmative action program, known as the New Economic Policy, provides privileges to Malays in jobs, education, business and other areas. It is also used to enforce mandatory Malay equity in companies and in awarding government contracts. Foreign investors have long complained that this amounts to protectionism.

"This is definitely a policy that is discriminatory, that is projectionist and which hinders fair competition and a level playing field," Rommel said, adding that foreign investors are also reluctant to come to Malaysia because the rule of law is not of international standards.

Rommel is certainly NOT the first person to say that. I've had the opportunity to personally exchange words with foreigners who have business interests in Malaysia. They echo his words.

Due to the general lack of meritocracy and subsequently, lack of standards, we are being seen as an incompetent nation.

And we can't do anything about it, much less voice our opinions. Heck, we can't even seem to vote effectively.

We only have one right - the right to "shut up"!

"You don't know as a foreigner, or a Malaysian citizen, where you exactly stand in terms of your rights," he said.

He warned that the NEP could jeopardize the proposed free trade agreement that both sides were hoping to conclude by 2009.

Rommel's comments echo that of Malaysia's weak opposition parties, who say that the NEP has become a vehicle of patronage for Prime Minister Abdullah's United Malays National Organization party.

The UMNO is the dominant force in the ruling National Front coalition, which also comprises smaller Chinese and Indian parties. Critics feel the UMNO will never dismantle the NEP because it would lose its power base.

Bingo.

"The country is not run by three political parties, it is run by one party - UMNO," said Rommel. The Chinese and Indian parties in the coalition "have no real authority and I think, no genuine input in decision making. UMNO runs this country like its own backyard. This is a one-party state," he said.

Bingo again. It's scary how perceptive Rommel is. Then again, there must be a reason why he is actually a powerful EU envoy who advises EU policy makers. And while I'm certainly impressed, I'm also worried about our economic future.

Rommel also said that in Malaysia the executive is "all-powerful and not accountable" while the judiciary remains beholden to the executive because the appointments are directly made by the prime minister.

"The parliament (is) useless. No fair elections, no freedoms. Police is unaccountable. Internal checks and balances? Forget it. So where do you find characteristics that (represent) democracy?"

Democracy? Dude, what are you talking about? We ain't a democratic country! We're a communist-dictatorship. And you haven't figured that out after 4 and a 1/2 years?? What's wrong with you??

Nazri, the law minister, defended the NEP, saying it has helped Malays rise from abject poverty in the last 30 years.

"Without the NEP, it will go back to square one. It will come back to a situation where Malays will be left behind again. This is a social contract for Malaysians to decide, not for foreigners to interfere," he told the AP on Tuesday.

That's right. When criticised, make personal attacks.

And it's very interesting to note that Nazri has such a poor opinion of his own race to assert that without crutches and a wheelchair thrown in, they're inferior to the Chinese and Indians in every way.

I'm surprised there is no outrage from the Malays. I'd throw a hissy fit if someone forced an affirmative-action policy down my throat.

But Nazri still has his yarn to spin.

"I don't think foreigners are concerned about this because whenever there is opportunity to make money, they will come," he said.

Nazri also dismissed complaints that Malaysia is becoming more Islamic. Critics have pointed at a string of recent court cases over religion, in which verdicts have generally favored Muslims. Many Indians, who are Hindus, have also complained that their temples have been torn down without warning.

"If Malays have become more passionate with religion, it is not necessarily a bad thing," Nazri said.

Passion isn't a bad thing. But violent fanaticism is.

IHT Updates On BERSIH Rally

Malaysian police fire tear gas, water cannon on protesters demanding electoral reforms

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia: Malaysian police fired tear gas and water cannon to disperse hundreds of activists Saturday at an opposition-backed rally demanding electoral reforms in the biggest anti-government street protest in nearly 10 years.

The demonstrators were stopped by a police cordon near the Masjid Jamek mosque in central Kuala Lumpur as they tried to march to Merdeka (Independence) Square, where they planned to hold their rally.

Shouting "Allahu Akbar," or God is great, the protesters confronted police who then fired tear gas and sprayed water from a fire truck stationed nearby. An Associated Press reporter saw many people run into the mosque to take shelter. When they re-emerged the water cannon let loose again

"This is our right. Our rulers are so proud of our democracy but in fact our democracy is worse than Burma, worse than Bangladesh," said Rosli, a 40-year-old government worker. "We just want to correct what is wrong. We just ask for fair elections."

"Look at our police, how brutal they are. The government only thinks of its cronies," said Rosli, who declined to give his full name, fearing retribution.

The government had declared the rally illegal, blocked all roads leading to Merdeka Square, and told activists they would be arrested. International human rights groups have slammed Malaysia, saying the government has failed to act democratically.

Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi warned Friday he expected violence during the demonstration, which organizers said would attract 10,000 to 40,000 people.

A few thousand other activists prevented from reaching Merdeka Square faced off against police in a heavy downpour at another intersection.

Shouting "Save Malaysia" and "Long Live the People," the demonstrators — dressed in yellow shirts — formed a procession more than 300 meters (yards) long on the road.

Yellow is the color of royalty, and protesters hoped to appeal to the constitutional monarch to support them.

It was the biggest political demonstration in Malaysia since supporters of former deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim took to the streets for several days in September 1998 to protest his dismissal from the Cabinet and ruling party by then-leader Mahathir Mohamad.

Anwar subsequently formed a political party, which is one of those supporting Saturday's demonstration.

The rally was organized by some 70 non-governmental organizations and opposition political parties to call for electoral reforms ahead of general elections widely expected for early next year.

They demanded the removal of phantom voters from electoral rolls, a crackdown on government workers using absentee ballots, access to state-controlled media by all political parties, and an end to vote-buying and other irregularities.

The Election Commission agreed to another demand that voters daub a finger with indelible ink to prevent them casting more than one vote.

Malaysian law bans public gatherings of more than five people without a permit. Police refused to issue a permit for the rally, saying it may jeopardize national security and inconvenience motorists.

"It is paranoia to the stage of hysteria," said Tian Chua, a senior official of the opposition People's Justice Party.

What The World Thinks Of Us

We're finally getting some global attention to our plight.

International rights group slams Malaysia for banning rally calling for free elections

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia: A global human rights group slammed Malaysia's government Friday for banning an opposition-backed rally that organizers said would attract tens of thousands of activists calling for free elections.

The country's prime minister urged organizers to back down, but one said it would still be held.

Malaysian law required permits for public gatherings of more than five people. National police chief Musa Hassan denied permission for Saturday's rally, saying it would "jeopardize public order." Police also said it would inconvenience motorists.

"The grounds for refusing the rally are nonsense," Brad Adams, Asia director at the New York-based Human Rights Watch, said in a statement.

"If Malaysia wants to count itself a democracy, it can begin by upholding constitutional guarantees of free speech and assembly," he said. "The way the system works now, only the ruling coalition can get its messages out."

Bingo. Nice to note some people get the picture.

About 70 non-governmental organizations and opposition parties organized the rally for Merdeka (Independence) Square, a park in downtown Kuala Lumpur, to ask the government for electoral reforms. They expected a crowd of 10,000 to 40,000.

National elections are not due until 2009, but Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi is widely expected to call them early next year.

Abdullah was adamant Friday about not allowing the rally. He urged organizers to back down.

"They are showing stubbornness and defiance for the law," he said in a speech to party delegates. "I am saddened. I regret this. Are they challenging the government and the leadership?"

"Surely something bad will happen," he said. "Democracy through street demonstrations is something that we cannot accept at all."

Activists say Malaysian elections are generally tilted in favor of the ruling National Front coalition, due to the redrawing of constituencies to weed out known opposition supporters. There are also frequent allegations of vote buying and other irregularities, including Election Commission bias and ruling parties' using public resources.

The National Front has been in power since Malaysia's independence from Britain in 1952.

A police spokesman, who declined to be named citing policy, said that participants could face up to a year in jail, and that said 4,000 police personnel would be stationed at Merdeka Square.

Ronnie Liu, a senior opposition party member, said the rally would go ahead.

"This is a peaceful gathering ... We just have one single demand — free and fair elections," Liu told The Associated Press. "The reason why we keep losing elections is because the system is flawed and manipulated."

Organizers are calling for the removal of "phantom voters" or bogus names from electoral rolls, a crackdown on government workers using absentee ballots, and access to state-controlled media for all political parties. The Election Commission has only agreed to another demand that voters daub a finger with indelible ink to prevent them casting more than one vote.