Monthly Archive

Just when you’s think some semblance of normalcy is on the embattled Pakistan’s horizon, tragedy strikes, again.

Benazir Bhutto, the 54-old daughter of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, Pakistan’s former prome minister, suffers the same fate of her father when she was killed by a suicide bomber today at a rally in Rawalpindi.

Chaos is in store for Pakistan I guess, after this heinous incident. 20 other people were reportedly killed in the attack. Just when Pakistan braces itself for a slow return to elected parliament and democracy.

Read her obituary at BBC.

Who’s to blame? The Talibans? Musharaf? God knows, but here is another example of extremist politics and death as an expedient way to power.

The Bhuttos’ lives and deaths are in close parallel with the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty of India. Benazir, her father and her brothers were all killed for their politics, just like Indira Gandhi, her son Rajiv Gandhi and some say, even her second son Sanjay who perished in a helicopter crash in the early 80s.

Rest In Peace, Benazir. I pray for your soul and for peace in Pakistan.

The Pakistanis surely could do with our prayers now.

You tell me.  

Disturbing thing to read on Christmas Day. But there it is. Another blogger faces the wrath of the Copzilas. This time it is Cucu Mat Kilau from Pahang. He details his ordeal pretty vividly here.

Bloggers Datuk Ron of Kuda Kepang and Rocky both have their postings on this matter. I would like to verify the truth of this account too, but how?

I certainly hope cucu mat kilau has lined up his witnesses since the police are bound to dispute his version of events. Not that the police are paragons of honest virtue. Hardly.

Cucu Mat Kilau says he was handcuffed while still in his briefs….and his privates examined. Sounds like bloody gay perverts.

And then they dragged him to the station and treated him like a drug addict/pusher. Subjected him to some intimidation before releasing him after his urine test showed no trace of drugs.

Reading his account, I have many questions, but one stands out.

Why does it take EIGHT cops to book one guy?

Sounds really dodgy to me. I hope Jalaludin Hassan’s brother has some explanation.

A: WHO says mass bird flu vaccinations not necessary

B: Who said that?

A: WHO

B: Who?

A: WHO lah

B: @%$#%# I asked you who said that?

A: WHO laa. W.H.O

B: W.H.O? Wha’?

A: World Health Organisation.

B; Who is that?

A: $#%$#chee&by@#$*

My mind was bent on the satire mode for a while, hence the last three posts. Tell me, why shouldn’t I write postings pillorying the sorry state of affairs in this country, when the mainstream media can indulge in it to a ridiculous extent?

Here are some choice bits of the spin doctors’ and toadies’ editorial pie since December started, for your collective inspection. Some of course, don’t need to be spun, they are born as gems of inanity.

1. Have healthy fun with bike-racing, rather than joining illegal rallies.

2. Youth Pollution Index climbs steadily.

3. Protests are good appetite suppressants.

4. Pulp Fiction.

5. For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow, he’s a jolly good fellow….

Cukup laaa…., now go do some useful things, like that mountain of laundry that is stinking in the corner.

Kuala Lumpur: Protests have actually been good for businesses in the city, says a group of businessmen and women, who came out in protest of this statement in the papers today.

Long Budiman Long Pasia, a mineral water vendor, said business was unusually brisk during the BERSIH and HINDRAF rallies in the city.

“I ran out of bottles early during the BERSIH gathering so when the SMS went around on the HINDRAF gathering, I ordered an extra TEU (20 feet equivalent unit) container of mineral water.”

Long Budiman who has a kiosk near Angkasaraya building in Jalan Ampang, said both the protesting masses and the riot police stationed there were his customers.

“You know, whenever they shoot tear gas, you need lots of water to wash away the sting,” he said.

Meanwhile, Kuala Lumpur’s LRT and Monorail operators also reported a sharp surge in passenger volume during the two major events.

Singaporean tourists Mah Siew Beng and Rachel Thew followed the two major rallies on Aljazeera International and in anticipation of a similar crowd on the Human Rights day walk, made their way to Kuala Lumpur by bus.

“We don’t see things like this in our country. Thailand is not very safe after the coup d’ etat, so the thought of seeing a public protest with our own eyes was like a dream coming true, that is why we came here.”

The couple however was disappointed because the Dec 9 gathering was not as big and there were much more policemen than marching people on Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman.

However, NOT in support of street protests were the All Kuala Lumpur Streetwalkers Union (AKULESU) who said streetwalking has been a right they had fought for since the early days of Kuala Lumpur.

“Suddenly everyone is out on the streets. What? You think anyone can walk the streets? You need the know how, you need experience,” said union secretary Ling Chau Hai.

She laments the loss of identity of KL streetwalkers if public protests are allowed to continue.

“How to stand out, when there are thousands of people in the streets? Don’t throw sand into people’s rice bowl laa,” she cried.

Kuala Lumpur: Three people were killed today when Attorney General Tan Sirap Guni Pataik dropped the attempted murder charge against 31 Hindraf supporters.

The incident happened in front of dozens of witness including a judge and numerous defence lawyers in a courtroom in the federal capital.

The dead were identified as policemen Lans Kpl Tunggu anak Lintah and Kons Karupusamy a/l Vellaisamy and court interpreter Nur Tejemah binti Bukuman, who were all pinned under the dropped charge.

Guni attempted to flee, aghast at the deaths, but were quickly overpowered by some of the 31 Hindraf supporters.

He was led away later, screaming, “I didn’t mean to kill them,” before a well-meaning unidentified member of the public silenced him with a pavement brick.

Justice Wan Tukiman Wan Rugiman, when met outside the court, said in his 15 years as a judge, he had yet to see a death in the courtroom.

“That too one committed by an officer of the court,” he said, before being interupted by a phone call.

“Ok, that’s all for today, my broker is calling,” he said, before continuing with the call “…Yes, Mr Singam, about the deal you proposed yesterday…”

 Lessons I learnt this week.

The silent majority gets to meet the Prime Minister because they are seen and not heard, like good children.

Abdullah Badawi prefers DAMAI (peace) over BERSIH (cleanliness). By implication, he prefers being dirty but with some peace of mind.

DAMAI reps could gain access (20 of them, mind you) to a military base in Subang to hand over their memo. Military…high security…et all, but still they could be allowed. BERSIH reps however, was not allowed to enter the Parliament, which houses ELECTED (we bloody put those guys there in the first place) representatives. That’s how fucked up this country is.

In Malaysia, calls for clean elections, and calls by marginalised poor gets hosed and gassed down, while calls for “peace” by Damai gets good press.

I still don’t know who are the 395 signatories of Damai is. Does it include Kodiang MIC Branch? Bukit Tagar Garbage Recyclers? JKKK Kampung Ceruk Tok Kun? Well, if they don’t, then they may be silent, but not exactly majority are they? LOL!

Don’t ask me why I say Kodiang. I seem to have a special love for the place. Nama…sikit punya karat!

Conclusion. All Malaysians are unequal, but some are much more unequal than others.

Ah…I wonder why the tough guy IGP was so eager to use force on the protesting multitude. It was not because of directive from above. No sir.

He has to overcompensate for signs of softness in his family. Don’t believe me? Check out his brother, yes, Jalaludin Hassan, the actor.

 Pic from The Star

LOL! If u kasi blur ur eyes a bit…he looks like Sharifah Aini doesn’t he? Or do I have to start wearing specs now?

Remember the song? Tammy Wynette did that inane but very catchy song with KLF back in the early 90s.

I started singing this song after reading of the multiple arrests this week of the Bersih folks, the lawyers last Sunday, and of course the Malaysian Government’s justification of it. Rajin rajin lah membaca. Here.

Why don’t they just charge these people in court? We have a legal system. Hell! We have two. But Nooooooo. The spectre of ISA is brought up just so we think this backbone-less squid of a Prime Minister means business.

You think the foreigners buy your reasons, Mr Kodomo Lion? With your use of ISA you have just lost the moral right to say anything about Bush and his “war on terror”.

Here, I reproduce part of a commenter’s remarks, that should tell us what people really think of Malaysia. Mr Rajan, I hope that was an honest tale.

HINDRAF and BERSIH is the talk of the town in new york. I was there last week and i returned yesterday. Those guys whom i met are, in fact, Generals of industry, are well informed about discrimination and marginalisation of chinese and indians in malaysia. They are well versed with the NEP and malaysian politics. Not a good word they spoke.Malu betul i !

I proposed the setting up of a joint venture between my co and theirs, this is what they had to say ,”Thats a great idea but not in malaysia, how about doing it in singapore, indonesia or thailand.”Then i knew why FDI is sinking in malaysia.

 Among other negative statements, they said that the officially 30% and unofficially 40% equity requirement , appointment of directors, corruption at all levels,education system is very inferior and stinks, and that they will have to bring in ICT people from india.That will involve headaches with the powers that be.

They are also aware of the perks given but are not the least interested but in singapore, indonesia or thailand, they are game.Out of curiosity ,i asked how they knew all this, they said “Man ! NETWORKING MAN! NETWORKING !”

They read MT. MT is their “official” newspaper on malaysian affairs. They too said that our stock market is not doing well,though the index rises , it is mostly shored up by” loyal” fund managers.All in the family type,you know what i mean !

 They informed me that most US fund managers are down sizing their exposure in the booorsaaa”with the aim of exiting the market and taking up fresh positions in singapore,indonesia ,thailand, china and india.
What can i say ?

What can you say indeed! People are not blind and deaf.

What has been happening in Malaysia in the recent months did not start this year, or last year for that matter. The protests, from Batu Burok to the lawyers’ march to Bersih and Hindraf is just the belated manifestation of the belated awakening of people’s conscience.

Are we surprised by the Hindraf five’s arrest under the Internal Security Act? I for one am not. Been expecting this since Nov 25. Many times I looked at the petition. There is a grain of truth in some of the allegations contained in them.

However, the Hindraf lawyers should not have sensationalised the unverifiable points. More than 100 people slashed and killed? C’mon, 100 deaths cannot have been swept under the carpet. I was there.

I understand the angst. I understand the frustration of Uthayakumar and gang who must have met dead end after dead end in pursuing justice for the wronged. But I guess I lost respect for him after the bizarre blaming of the British and the superlative-ridden petition.

Hindraf’s energy would have been better utilised to join the Bersih push, or take on the current inept Indian leadership in Malaysia and replace them. They have the numbers.

But they had to bring drama. And because of that, the very cause they were fighting for gets swept away under the drama of their own arrest. Now, shortsightedness has made them a guest of the government.

Now what? What I know for sure based on recent events is that if there is a chance that the coming General Elections can be fair (hahhahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah) then, lots of BN heads are gonna roll.

MIC will be the casualty…and their loss will be DAP’s gain. Whether DAP is ready to assume the mantle…well, your guess is as good as mine.

Remember though readers…It is not that the government are especially scornful of the local Indians (we r not even important enough to be publicly scorned). They just don’t tolerate dissent…IN ANY FORM!

Hence the use of draconian measures like the Internal Security Act, Seditions Act, Official Secrets Act, that allow detention without trial. Like the Myanmar junta, the BN thinks it owns the right to rule Malaysia, then, now and forever. And anyone who disagree, can be Kamunting-ed.

The general electorate is stupid enough to fear any change to the status quo. So the “dacing” is voted into power everytime. Not that our Opposition is any more credible.

I think we need 100 more candidates like Theresa Kok, Kulasegaran, Fong Po Kuan, Husam Musa and their likes in the Parliament. I have not mentioned PKR cos, frankly, they don’t inspire me.

Abdullah to me is a like Tolkien’s Theoden who was ruled by Wormtongue. And his administration is more like Denethor’s stewardship of Gondor prior to the War of the Ring.

Aaaaargh…I need a drink! : (

 You’re supposed to lean on people when you are not strong. But in Malaysia, it is a practice in recent times, to lean on those especially if you are too strong.

“Lean” heavily, preferably with tear gas canisters hanging from your belt, full riot gear and a Heckler & Koch MP5 pointed straight at whoever you are leaning on.

Why? Because this is Malaysia, where “public order” comes first. Where any show of dissent is stomped on with those hard regulation boots.

Hindraf Hindraf Hindraf. Demonise those idiots whose main transgression is a bloody stupid piece of paper containing lots of bizarre allegations, while you ignore the fact that a lot of people are unhappy with the establishment for a basket of reasons.   Thanks to PosterBoy Mob, u da man!

And today, the spate of arrests have started. How convenient. Abdullah justifies it this way.

“If I have to sign a detention order, if someone has to be taken in under the ISA … I’ll do it without feeling guilty, without feeling sad. I know that I’m doing my duty,” he said.- Reuters

Anwar Ibrahim was “briefly” detained at KLIA. Tian Chua, was arrested along with Dr Lo Lo Ghazali of PAS and 10 other people when they turned up the the Parliament today to hand over a memorandum protesting a Constitutional amendment allowing the present Election Commision to extend his tenure.

Bits from AFP today,

Sentul district police chief Sofian Yasin said 12 people have been arrested so far while officials from opposition party Keadilan said 21 have been detained, including a 13-year-old boy.

More than 400 police surrounded the parliament to block the electoral reform campaigners who were forced to march there on foot after all roads leading to the building were closed off.

Trees lining the streets were posted with copies of a court order obtained by police that banned the campaigners from parliament- AFP

Meanwhile, the 13 Opposition MPs have staged a walkout from the Parliament in protest over the arrests of people who were protesting the constitution amendment, by the police.

Plus, Uthayakumar of Hindraf got rearrested. Malaysiakini has the story but to read that you’ve gotta pay laa. Now, this guy has some stuff to answer for, but what about the 31 fellas denied bail ? Atempted murder? Please laa…

First the rally organisers and participants, then the lawyers, the opposition politicians…then what? The Bloggers? Who knows they would be coming after us bloggers next…after all in Malaysia everything Boleh, right?

It is Human Rights day. A concept that is largely amorphous in Malaysia, at least for the Malaysian government. What rights do you and I have today, I ask you? Not much.

This is a country where the Prime Minister says no one is above the law, and yet Khairy Jamalludin gets away with shouting anti-American rhetorics during Condi Rice’s visit to Kuala Lumpur in the recent past, just because “Dia Menantu Saya”.

This is a country where 31 people who attended the Hindraf rally on Nov 25 were denied bail pending a ridiculous charge of attempted murder. Gani Patail probably came up with that fucked up rationale thinking, if I were to charge them with illegal assembly, their lawyers would say the law is unconstitutional.

But then, this is Gani Patail who made a pathetic case for Pulau Batu Buteh at the ICJ in The Hague using a doctored photo, probably the son’s idea, whadaya think?

Pathetic or Patail-tic?

In the meantime, the Hindraf trio who organised these fellas to rally that day, were still not charged. Kepala biar, ekor kasi potong. WTF?

Today Jeff Ooi dropped by the Commercial Crime Investigations Department in Jalan Dato Onn for a “friendly chat” with the cops. The guy went with lawyers Gobind Singh, Lim Lip Eng and K.A Ramu.

He was asked a series of questions,  some of which doesn’t need his presence to be answered. This was based on not the three Mamak reports, but a fourth report by someone allegedly offended by Ooi’s remarks on Aljazeera TV.

These cops are very very hardworking when it comes persecuting those they want to “get”. I get that feeling increasingly, as everyday dawns. Just last night I was heading towards Central Market to get some books at a book rental there, and I was stopped twice by cops asking me where I was going. Racial Profiling? Probably…last night was supposed to be the candlelight vigil at Dataran Merdeka for the 31 Hindraf marchers behind bars. And I’m a local Indian chick.

This is just one of the many signs of the authorities being the blind pit bulls of a government that fast losing credibility in the eyes of its own people. If the government was so concerned about its tarnished image, then how come we have blatant cases of abuses of power and privilege today that goes unchecked.

I’m talking about how the old man said in an interview last year that Kamalludin Abdullah, his son, does not get his business from Malaysian government, but overseas. Remember that statement? It is my pleasure to remind you if you don’t.

In the light of that, tell me, how do you justify Scomi Group getting the plush Scomi Monorail job? If Pak Lah was interested in keeping his word and his image unsullied, how do you explain this?

Everyone tells you, yeah Scomi is Pak Lah’s son’s company and all that. But it is interesting to know how much stake he has. Go check it out here. It’s public information. Might give you perspective.

With all these walks and rallies happening these days, one can be forgiven for not noticing the continued rape of Malaysia on other fronts.

In the meantime, the plight of the poorer Malaysians; Malays, Indians, Chinese and other ethnicities, get swept under the carpet.

Samy Vellu today gave statistics I never heard of before. I’m sorry, old man. It still doesn’t absolve you. What do those statistics mean in real terms? I wanna know.

Been unable to write for more than a week now. Bored, mildly depressed, no surface reason for it.

Previous Monday I plunged into gloom. Climbed out before weekend arrived though. The cycle has returned. I read what’s been going on, but can’t seem to summon the energy to blog.

Could sure do with a picker upper. Any suggestions? You know what I’d like right now?

A refreshing cocktail…with citrus and midori in it….among others