You are currently browsing the monthly archive for July, 2007.
pic courtesy of Leo Foo
You know guys, when I hear of the Six Degrees of Separation theory, I can’t help but think back to this statement I made when I was an old teenager. Some kind of contradiction in terms there, I know, but that would lead to another story, for another day.
This is the statement I made, numerous times since. Before you were a politician, doctor, teacher, before you were Malay or Chinese or Indian, before you were a Muslim, Hindu, Christian…whatever, and before you were a male or female, or even your mother’s child, you were a human being created of a race of humans, by God. That fact makes us all brethrens.
This is a fact that start occurring to me increasingly as I take my baby steps into this virtual world called the Blogosphere. For instance, I don’t know Nizam Bashir from Adam, and neither does he know me. But thanks to a project that this fellow blogger initiated months ago, I am today writing my bit for 50 Posts to Independence.
Who’s directly responsible for this? My newfound friend and a gonzo blogger that I have a lot of respect for. This original Orang Minyak, Mat Salo, blogs from his lonely outpost off the isle of Borneo. A man of deep thought, an accomplished storyteller who relates tales of his travels with that nonchalance that draws sniggers often and a literary finesse that leaves me mind-fucked. He thought me fit to continue this tradition and so he tagged me. Thanks my friend, it is a high honour you bestowed on your fellow Malaysian that you’ve met only a few times.
The blog has brought together Malaysians of various creed, background and God knows what differences. Yet this has increasingly proven (at least to me) a colour blind medium. How amazing is that?However, perhaps the most significant prize I’ve gained since blogging is the joyful realization is there are many, many Malaysians out there who are intelligent, wise, care enough for their motherland (even if they reside abroad) and brave enough to write about what’s right and wrong with it. The icing on the cake is that I see shared concern of the state of affairs in Malaysia that goes beyond partisan lines, beyond class distinctions and most importantly in this multiracial country IMHO, beyond race and religious differences.Now, that may have been a surface value that government propaganda prefers to publicly flog with meaningless slogans and songs, but a semblance of unity has emerged among Malaysian Netizens that I find real.
I saw it during at the onset of the lawsuits against Rocky and Jeff Ooi, when intrepid bloggers Susan Loone and Sheih rallied bloggers behind them in a rare show of online solidarity. I see it in the sharing of timely satirical posters of Mob 1900 which makes its rounds at many people’s blogs. I see it at the Mee Rebus gatherings at Kak Maria’s, where jokes are as rampant as exchange of news, views and ideas. I saw it in the many postings and comments in support of embattled and persecuted bloggers like Nathaniel Tan and the indefatigable Raja Petra Kamarudin.
Most of all, I see it in the passion with which people respond to an issue that affects the nation, when carried in a posting by Rocky, Jeff, Aisehman, Zorro, Shar 101…hell, I could go on. This kind of discourse was unheard of in such magnitude during the pre-blog era, with the exception perhaps of MGG Pillai’s forum in the 90s (God bless his departed soul). So in my contribution to 50 postings, I would like to salute bloggers of Malaysia, who in such a short period of 4 years, have made an impact on the socio-political landscape of country, enough that the mainstream media sits up to take note, and The Powers That Be rattled.
Maybe we can be the agents of change, towards a more equitable, cleaner, less corrupt Malaysia. This is my birthday wish as a Merdeka child.
Here are the others that preceded me.
50, 49, 48, 47, 46, 45, 44, 43, 42, 41, 40, 39, 38, 37, 36, 35, 34, 33, 32,31, 30, 29, 28, 27, 26, 25, 24, 23, 22, 21, 20, 19, 18, 17, 16, 15, 14, 13, 12, 11, 10, 9, 8, 7 , 6, 5, Mat Salo at #4 and now me.
As someone relatively young, I choose to tag that fount of experience, Cikgu Bernard Khoo or Uncle Zorro as I call him, so that he can contribute to our collective learning as only a teacher can. Uncle Zorro, the torch is yours at #2.
This is a copy paste job from RPK’s site. I’m reproducing it here simply as a record so that if links go ape like the government does in Malaysia often, and if websites are blocked, this portion remains.
Maybe some of you might like to save this portion too. Reminds of of that revered document called the Constitution of Malaysia, that lots of people (traitors if u ask me) have made a mockery out of. Makes you think hard….real hard.
Article 150 of the Federal Constitution of Malaysia(1) If the Yang di-Pertuan Agong is satisfied that a grave emergency exists whereby the security, or the economic life, or public order in the Federation or any part thereof is threatened, he may issue a Proclamation of Emergency making therein a declaration to that effect.
(2) A Proclamation of Emergency under Clause (1) may be issued before the actual occurrence of the event which threatens the security, or the economic life, or public order in the Federation or any part thereof if the Yang di-Pertuan Agong is satisfied that there is imminent danger of the occurrence of such event.
(2A) The power conferred on the Yang di-Pertuan Agong by this Article shall include the power to issue different Proclamations on different grounds or in different circumstances, whether or not there is a Proclamation or Proclamations already issued by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong under Clause (1) and such Proclamation or Proclamations are in operation.
(2B) If at any time while a Proclamation of Emergency is in operation, except when both Houses of Parliament are sitting concurrently, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong is satisfied that certain circumstances exist which render it necessary for him to take immediate action, he may promulgate such ordinances as circumstances appear to him to require.
(2C) An ordinance promulgated under Clause (2B) shall have the same force and effect as an Act of Parliament, and shall continue in full force and effect as if it is an Act of Parliament until it is revoked or annulled under Clause (3) or until it lapses under Clause (7); and the power of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to promulgate ordinances under Clause (2B) may be exercised in relation to any matter with respect to which Parliament has power to make laws regardless of the legislative or other procedures required to be followed, or the proportion of the total votes required to be had, in either House of Parliament.
(3) A Proclamation of Emergency and any ordinance promulgated under Clause (2B) shall be laid before both Houses of Parliament and, if not sooner revoked, shall cease to have effect if resolutions are passed by both Houses annulling such Proclamation or ordinance, but without prejudice to anything previously done by virtue thereof or to the power of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to issue a new Proclamation under Clause (1) or promulgate any ordinance under Clause (2B).
(4) While a Proclamation of Emergency is in force the executive authority of the Federation shall, notwithstanding anything in this Constitution, extent to any matter within the legislative authority of a State and to the giving of directions to the Government of a State or to any officer or authority thereof.
(5) Subject to Clause (6A), while a Proclamation of Emergency is in force, Parliament may, not-withstanding anything in this Constitution make laws with respect to any matter, if it appears to Parliament that the law is required by reason of the emergency; and Article 79 shall not apply to a Bill for such a law or an amendment to such a Bill, nor shall any provision of this Constitution or of any written law which requires any consent or concurrence to the passing of a law or any consultation with respect thereto, or which restricts the coming into force of a law after it is passed or the presentation of a Bill to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong for his assent.
(6) Subject to Clause (6A), no provision of any ordinance promulgated under this Article, and no provision of any Act of Parliament which is passed while a Proclamation of Emergency is in force and which declares that the law appears to Parliament to be required by reason of the emergency, shall be invalid on the ground of inconsistency with any provision of this Constitution.
(6A) Clause (5) shall not extend the powers of Parliament with respect to any matter of Islamic law or the custom of the Malays, or with respect to any matter of native law or custom in the State of Sabah or Sarawak; nor shall Clause (6) validate any provision inconsistent with the provisions of this Constitution relating to any such matter or relating to religion, citizenship, or language.
(7) At the expiration of a period of six months beginning with the date on which a Proclamation of Emergency ceases to be in force, any ordinance promulgated in pursuance of the Proclamation and, to the extent that it could not have been validly made but for this Article any law made while the Proclamation was in force, shall cease to have effect, except as to things done or omitted to be done before the expiration of that period.
( 
Notwithstanding anything in this Constitution:
(a) the satisfaction of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong mentioned in Clause (1) and Clause (2B) shall be final and conclusive and shall not be challenged or called in question in any court on any ground; and
(b) no court shall have jurisdiction to entertain or determine any application, question or proceeding, in whatever form, on any ground, regarding the validity of-
(i) a Proclamation under Clauses (1) or of a declaration made in such Proclamation to the effect stated in Clause (1);
(ii) the continued operation of such Proclamation;
(iii) any ordinance promulgated under Clause (2B); or
(iv) the continuation in force of any such ordinance.
(9) For the purpose of this Article the Houses of Parliament shall be regarded as sitting only if the members of each House are respectively assembled together and carrying out the business of the House.
Mob does the poster thingie again. This time for RPK, who by the way, was summoned to Dang Wangi Police Hq (same place Nat Tan was a guest for 4 days) to give statement in regards to the police report made against him by the former MB with two Muhammads in his name.
Poster Courtesy of Mob 1900
Rocky has the full story, and also a petition you can sign if you think the guy with two Muhammads in his name should be investigated. Poor guy, I guess this is his way of trying to make himself relevant again. Angling for a seat in the coming General Elections, perhaps? So what happens to his Senatorship then?
Hmm…but the PM is away on a holiday (must spend time with new wife) Down Under! Who’s listening to you mate, or rather, Mat? Now that all the old stories (with rather disgusting details) have come out, you wanna go that way again?
This happened in Dewan Negara yesterday. I really wanna know something. Why do these guys always kill the messenger, and ignore the message. What is in the water that these people governing Malaysia drink? Why this willful idiocy? Why can’t they tell the difference between postings and comments? How come we have these idiots representiing us?
An administration that doesn’t encourage dissenting view can only be detrimental to the people whom it governs. But you know what fellow Malaysian voters, you and I are responsible for having these harmful idiots elected in the first place. (To the state assemblies and the Dewan Rakyat I mean, cos we can’t hold ourselves responsible for the useless pukes in Dewan Negara, who are all appointed by TPTB)
PJ O’Rourke said this and I’ll always remember. “Every government is a parliament of whores. The trouble is, in a democracy, the whores are us.”
Update:
Raja Petra Kamarudin or RPK has issued a sizzling salvo against the ex-Menteri Besar of Selangor who lodged a police report against him early this week.
The vituperative comeback by the usually placid RPK gets me thinking, this man must be really riled at the cheek of this ex-MB who has been in cold storage for sometime even in the Mahathir administration, because of his disgraceful antics in Australia.
My brother called me this morning half hysterical with laughter, with an urgent injunction that I should read RPK’s comeback. I’m glad I did. The facts in his statement I’m familiar with. But the way he wrote them, vintage.
Moral(s) of the story.
1. Those who live in glass houses should not throw stones at others, not even when the election is near.
2. Do not mess with Bugis people…. : )
Way to go RPK!
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A police report has apparently been lodged against Raja Petra Kamarudin of Malaysia Today by…of all people Mat Taib, on behalf of Umno. Reason, for publishing articles insulting Islam.
For quite a few years I have been following the oft-sensational, always entertaining blog/website of Raja Petra Kamarudin. Finally this year I got to meet this obviously intelligent and eloquent writer and speaker.
I asked him, “You know, many of your stories are entertaining and have an unbelievable level of detail. Cool, but how much of them are true?”
He had a compelling answer to that question. I can’t print that here unfortunately, cos I do not reprint other people’s conversation without permission(call it ethics, respect wotever) , but I must say I left the place with the thought, now that’s a thinking man. Deliciously Macchiavelian coversationalist I must say, but I think the likes of Raja Petra does more good for independent writing and thought in Malaysia than harm.
I’ve a feeling I know what article(s) are being referred to, but then the timing of this is rather questionable. Doesn’t people in Umno read? Don’t they surf anything other than Machai.net? This whole police report thing smacks of another round of intimidation series aimed at subduing bloggers and vocal Malaysian Netizens.
Sheih and Mat Salo said this before. Dekat dekat nak Election ni mulalah…
Intimidation of any individuals and organisations who are contrarians….rife these days. Nathaniel Tan is still on police bail people. Now RPK. I’m sure he will not cower. Here’s a man who’s not a stranger to either controversy or imprisonment.
But the bigger question is, are we Malaysians going to sit by and just accept the words of TPTB (the powers that be), without examining it critically? Are we all gonna sit by while one by one, critical Malaysians are leaned on, intimidated, jailed and otherwise shut up?
If we do, this 50 years of Merdeka is just bull. What the hell is Merdeka if there is no independence of thought and expression in Malaysia?
Pix from Marine Conservation Society UK.
Yeah, you. I know either you or your mother-in-law or her mah jong clique, must have had turtle eggs for “health” reasons. No? Your neighbour on his trip to Terengganu or Kelantan recently?
Wake up and realise this truth. When we hasten the extinction of animal and plant species around us, we as the dominant species pave the way for our own annihilation.
There are simple ways to help boost the rapidly dwindling leatherback turtle population in Western Pacific and that includes Malaysian waters. But this includes making sure we don’t fuel demand for exotic food that fuels demand, that in turn encourage peaching of turtles and their eggs.
Experts are meeting in Terengganu this week to chart ways to restore the turtle population to their 1980 numbers, said biologist Peter Dutton.
Read the Reuters report.
My bedtime musing last night resulted in that title. Certainly can’t be much fun being in the uniformed services, especially in this country.
These people especially the cops and the military guys, are drilled on following orders to the letter, chain of command, order, obedience, discipline bla bla bla, bla bla bla…
But here following orders seems to get people into difficulties and in some cases, kill them too. Consider that needless Nuri mishap off Genting Sempah. Who gained anything from that, except the newspapers and TV people who get to put 6 dead people in a copter crash on their front pages. Sensationalism, drama…15 minutes of Oh My God, Kesian….
Thirteen crashes, (that’s 13 for the confused) and still they don’t get it that those Nuris are not air-worthy anymore. It took some feathers flying at the Defence Ministry before the Cabinet “sagely” decides to phase it out.
And that, mind you, is THREE years from now. I wonder, Uncle Najib Razak, when did you last fly in the Nuri? Have you ever? Would you, in the next three years?
What about all those who died, who knew the Nuris weren’t safe, but didn’t have a choice, cos in the Army…you did your job and followed orders…
Needless deaths in apathetic Malaysia….
Nathaniel Tan was released on police bail, on Tuesday Jul 17. Those of you who don’t know what I’m talking about, read the previous posting.
He had a long posting on his four-day ordeal, and I must say the articulate young man had plenty to say and said it vividly. Read more here. I’d like to reproduce some choice bits here, very disturbing bits.
Throughout my detention, the police employed various questioning strategies in what struck me strongly as a concerted attempt to make me admit to things that I had not done.
The police also subjected me to various rounds of questioning between about 5.30pm and 9pm by different police officers who all kept asking me the same questions. I later learnt that questioning at such late hours was in fact illegal.
One of the officers questioning me that evening who refused to identify himself threatened to slap me and throw me across the room.
Nice, people. Very nice. Welcome to Malaysia, where the police make headlines for all the wrong reasons. More choice stuff below.
The situation worsened on Saturday, the 14th of July.
Despite my repeated appeals to the police officers accompanying me to court to be produced before the magistrate for the remand hearing, they absolutely refused to notify my family or, more importantly, my lawyers that I was to be produced in court.
The instrument of law and order in Malaysia is very good at doing everything opposite. Whack people (I mean this in the American sense), intimidate people, basically being thugs in uniform.
Sometimes they are creative too. They can make you disappear for good. You know, erase immigration records….blow you to smithereens.
Sorry about what happened to you Nat. Shouldn’t have. Not on such flimsy evidence. And that picking you up on a Friday evening and THEN only going for a remand order the next day, that’s just fucked up.
The Malay Male says this is ostensibly the reason why the esteemed Deputy Internal Security Minister started foaming at the mouth and instructed the super efficient Special Branch of the Royal Malaysian Police to investigate (read, Intimidate) little Harvard-returned Nathaniel Tan.
If the Freewebs site contains lies that slander you, sue them for God’s sake. If it doesn’t, how should it hurt you, Jo? Your people have pledged you support, the Anti Corruption Agency has cleared you, so theoretically you should be smelling like the vindicated stalk of rose you are. So why does this whole thing reek of big brother-like fear-inducing tactics. How does this undermine national security tell me?
That boy Nat is small. Rather frail. Pukul sekali sure pengsan one. But why pick him? How do you link him with the site? And if it is lies as you said Jo, then why is the Official Secrets Act invoked here? Secret truth or Secret lies? I would like the UTK to conduct a sweep of their armoury to ensure the guns are all accounted for and the 10 silencers are not missing.
Nat for now, is a guest of the “gahmen”, until Tuesday that is. Remind me to ask him if lock up fare is edible. Sabry Shariff, formerly a crime editor at NST, would have been able to enlighten you guys how it feels to be a gahmen guest under OSA.
By the way, anyone reading this are welcome to a…
CANDLELIGHT VIGIL AT IPD DANG WANGI
SUNDAY , 8pm, 15.7.2007
Everyone welcome. Me just passing the word around.
By the way, 5 million ringgit is not difficult to hide in Malaysia. I think an asset declaration exercise by all the Ministers and Deputies would make for good reading. What they don’t declare we can always ask CTOS, whadaya think? Ooops! Sorry, the esteemed Mr Kayveas already fixed them…heheh!
Also, dear old Polytikus has provided a glimpse into Sec 8 of the OSA (under Nat Tan is being held). I still can’t make sense of it though. Harris! Help!
Updates:
From Andrew Sagayam at The Star, I got this.
Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) information bureau staff Nathaniel Tan, 27, has been remanded for four days under the Official secrets Act (OSA).
Tan, who is also secretary of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s Foundation for Future, is believed to been remanded under the Section 8 of the OSA over allegations that he had documents linked to Deputy Internal Security Minister Datuk Johari Baharom’s alleged involvement in corruption.
Deputy Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Mohd Najib Abd Aziz confirmed the arrest and remand.
So I guess this might have something to do with Johari Baharom. Nice. First, the Deputy Internal Security Minister gets into a spat with the police, calling them names and all. Then he gets investigated by ACA. Then he gets cleared. Then he gets the police to go after the people who “slander” the nation’s leaders.
What a pity. Kubang Pasu used to be such a placid place. Now, I look at it with jaundiced eyes. Kerana setitik nila…
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Logo courtesy of Mob1900
Blogger Nathaniel Tan,26, of jelas.net was, according sources, was picked up yesterday(Friday, 13 July,2007) by 3 plain clothes policemen ostensibly from the Special Branch, for questioning.
He was apparently taken to the police headquarters in Bukit Aman, from his office at Yayasan Aman in Phileo Damansara, Petaling Jaya. His notebook computer was taken too.
Last night I was informed by a friend about this and started asking around. Mr Tan spent the night at the Dang Wangi police station and was taken to the Jalan Duta magistrate court today, probably for a remand order. (Tangkap dulu, then only paperwork). They apparently want to cerita tentang Internet.
Liz Wong was running around for 6 hours looking for the guy yesterday before the police finally admitted they have him. Susan Loone has an account at her site too. Rocky and Jeff among others, have updates.
I kinda dread it when plain clothes people come to “escort” people away….esp if they are from Bukit Aman. What with “disappearing” a Mongolian woman, the erasing of immigration records etc…
I’m sorry Datuk Musa Hassan, if my faith in the Malaysian Police is at a very low ebb right now. But you can help me by answering some questions.
1) What are the procedures for arresting a person. Don’t the arresting policeman have to show ID?
2) What is this about denying that Nat Tan was in police custody until repeated inquiry by family and friends?
3) There was an incident in the late 80’s that led to the amendment of the Official Secrets Act, by which result is today, it is lawful to detain a person without trial for up to one year. (Pls correct me if i’m wrong). Is that why u guys used OSA? So he can be held at the whim of the police?
I can’t help but feel this may have something to do with the stupid doctored photos that Tian Chua claimed credit for and Umno Youth have been projectile-puking about since. But I maybe wrong (abt the reason, not the projectile-puking)
Still, this is a so-called democratic country. We simply can’t have people just being spirited away by the powers that be. If a person is culpable, charge him, in open court.
How many times are u morons in authority going to make this country an international laughingstock? No wonder Malaysians are migrating in droves.
And oh…those of you who want to know more about the Internet, here, go learn. Stop abducting people. If u ask nicely, people will teach you.
Another day I wished I didn’t read the papers. But that is living in denial. But really, how do you make sense of something like this? This appeared in The Star.
PENANG: Four-year-old Shearwey Ooi Ying Ying is dead, three days after she was reported missing.
She is believed to have been murdered and her bone fragments strewn in at least four different places – a cemetery, river and an apartment dumpsite in Paya Terubong and another river in Jalan Air Itam.
Penang CPO Deputy Commissioner Datuk Koh Hong Sun said a woman and her boyfriend were arrested at the Bayan Lepas police station at 1pm yesterday in connection with the little girl’s death.
The murder allegedly took place in the couple’s rented apartment in Bandar Baru Air Itam on Friday, the day the girl was reported missing by her mother Jess Teh.
The people who did this may have all kinds of justifications (my mother dropped me when I was a kid), but for once, I think I have found a moral reason to use C4. Blow these fuckers to bits. What kind of beasts could do this to a child?
I can’t imagine the anguish her mother is going through now. I am frightened beyond belief at the thought of bearing a child in a world where there are people who don’t think twice about brutally murdering kids. What is happening in this country that people murder each other with impunity? Life is so cheap? What do we as a society do? It could be your child next…
For the dead child, I pray she rests in peace, for surely she’s in heaven now.
When
When will the icicle melt,
And when
When will the picture show end
I should not have read the paper today
Cause a child, child he was taken awayTheres a place for the baby that died
And theres a time for the mother who cried
And she will hold him in her arms sometime
Cause nine months is too longHow could you hurt a child
Now does this make you satisfied
I dont know whats
Happening to people today
When a child, he was taken away
Song by The Cranberries…Title” The Icicle Melts
The PM’s Department has a new corporate image. You, as the public is forgiven if you see red, cos apparently lots of the Putrajaya folks are seing red too. Some people say the country’s economy will soon be in the red.
Interesting though, while everyone else seem to have been briefed, the country’s CEO was oblivious.
Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, however apologised for not wearing the special tie and explained to the staff why he did not have one on him at the assembly.
“I am sorry but I actually chose the wrong tie. This is what happens when you don’t listen to your wife.
“This morning, my wife pointed out the tie to me and I was thinking, why did she chose a red tie with yellow spots on it?
“I thought (the corporate tie) must be the one with batik design so I took this one,” he said, pointing to the tie that he was wearing.
Only when he arrived at the assembly, did the Prime Minister realise that he had chosen the wrong tie.
He added, “Next time, you must listen to your wife, only when it comes to dressing up but not on policy matters.” It was greeted with laughter.
It might make sense to listen to the Missus, Pak Lah…
Oh…By the way, who got the contract to design and provide these new keparat gear…I wonder.
The things women do to land a hunk. This hilarious piece in The Star today takes the cake. Read on.
KUALA TERENGGANU: A man, who reportedly looked like a Bollywood actor, walked into a food court for a teh tarik and triggered a brawl among three women that left one woman scalded and another woman’s T-shirt ripped open.
Several chairs and tables were damaged during the fight among the women at the outlet in Merega Beris in Kijal, Kemaman on Saturday.
The shocked man fled the scene.
It all began when the man walked in alone. Two women at two separate stalls immediately tried to get his attention and lure him over to their stalls.
When he stopped to speak with one of the women, her competitor, 21, became so incensed that she marched over to the woman, tore her T-shirt and accused her of being gatal and dressing seductively.
The other woman, 22, immediately grabbed a pan and splashed her attacker with hot water, scalding her.
The scalded woman’s mother, 46, rushed to her daughter’s aid, hurling chairs at her assailant, damaging tables and alarming the other customers, said state Deputy CID Chief Supt Khairi Ahrasa yesterday.
He said the scalded woman was now warded at the Kemaman Hospital.
Saturday morning tea at Zul’s cafe downstairs. The guy was reading the papers and I was reading mine. He looked up and said, “Melaka is famous for the wrong thing now.”
Eh? I was lost. “Alaa…you don’t know ah, the new virus is called Melaka Virus?” he said. Riiiiight. So we started talking all things Melaka, Zoo Melaka, Sultan Melaka, gula Melaka, Batang Melaka…..
“Orang Melaka tak bising ke?” I asked. Kalau diorang ada otak, sure complain tu. Today I read this….and sniggered. Then I read this and I thought….Wow! Baik punya cable Ali Rustam ni, virus name also can change.
Now I protest. If the people of Sungai Nipah in Port Dickson then complained, would you Mr Chua Soi Lek, have changed the name of the Nipah Virus? But I know your answer already. “That time I wasn’t the Health Minister.”
