Monthly Archive

A group of Malaysians led by lawyer/blogger Harris Ibrahim  of People’s Parliament today announced this campaign to boycott the mainstream newspapers. He announced it at the Blog House in Damansara Heights today.

Why? Because the mainstream newspapers (largely government propaganda tools) “have been misleading the people. I suppose that fact is something you and I have known for sometime now.

But I guess its time to do something about it. On that score I agree with the goals of Harris and his band.

So, from tomorrow, we boycott the newspapers on every Tuesday. Hit the circulation and the readership. Let’s see if this campaign can have a viral impact.

Better still, stop buying the physical newspapers altogether. View them online if u have to get some news. And those of you who need to see Kuda, Toto, Magnum results, hell, you can always visit their websites, or subscribe to results via SMS.

This is for now, IMHO, more a symbolic gesture, but I hope it will snowball into something that tells the thick heads in the media that the readership is disgusted with the spin doctoring of events and issues and the lack of check and balance mechanism on the mainstream media, which has been and is a powerful tool for shaping opinions.

By the way, it was kinda ironic that this boycott was announced at a press conference with mainstream media reporters present, and this was pointed out by The Star’s Saodah Elias.

Harris’ reply was somewhat to the tune of, “yes it does sound that way on the surface but actually here we are, actually telling you guys that we are doing this.” Now, if this story actually sees print on the mainstream media come tomorrow morning, well, : ) let’s just see…

 Malaysia is home to simply thousands of floral species. Would be amiss not to celebrate the floral bounty of this on my blog.

Above is the grand Heliconia and next to it, a gorgeous yellow Hibiscus.

The truth is, I can’t name this white flower above. Tried looking it up, but it was futile.

A bunch of lovely cream-coloured daises.

The Bird’s Nest Fern that is easier to find in a garden than in a forest these days.

A solitary white daisy.

I believe the yellow orchid is of the Cattleya family but can’t be more specific. The magenta/fuchsia coloured one is a Phalaenopsis hybrid

 A tri-colour chrysanthemum.

A muted yellow daisy, after the rain.

There is something iresistible yet poignant about this solitary pink rose whose petals are rain-drenched.

An African proverb says It Takes A Village To Raise a Child. I agree. The children in our community are our collective responsibility.

At least it was when I was growing up in a village in Negri Sembilan. The sight of the next door Makcik was enough to make us drop whatever naughty ideas we have of having fun; playing in the mud, near the river, climbing a tree etc.

And this is because Makcik is perfectly capable of telling mom and dad…and then you siap la. Not only will you get spanking for being “naughty” but also an additonal rotan for being seen as being up to no good by the neighbour and bikin malu your parents.

So yeah, you toed the line because it is not just your parents that instil fear in you. Your teacher, headmaster, the vegetable seller, roti man, ice cream man…they are all authority figures that ensure you behave.

In hindsight, I realised that this community also looked out for my well being, and served as the eyes and ears of my parents.

Living in the city these days, many of us in vertical pigeonholes that are called apartments and condos, such neighbourly spirit is missing. Progress has also brought about the darker side of mankind in greater numbers.

So we have perverts that prey on kids. Guys who get turned on by child porn. Guys who visit Thailand every year to have sex with underaged girls or boys. They come back and look around them for fresh victims.

They look at our kids. Our neighbour’s young teen. The cafeteria owner’s primary-school uniform-clad 9-year old. Your own niece. And you know what, in these days of “mind your own business” standoffishness, many who still have this concern for another’s children, dare not say anything for fear of being seen as “jaga tepi kain orang”.

Yet, if all of us looked out for the kids in our surroundings, there probably would not be cases like Sharlinie, Nurin, Shearwei Ooi, Presheena….the list goes on.

My ex-colleague JB once said, “If I find Nurin’s killer, I’ll kill him with my bare hands.” Another friend Iz, who has two young daughters, say he probably would open the door with a gun in his hand when some guy turns up to take his daughter on a date.

I could not find fault with their sentiments on the matter. The world is f***ed up enough as it is.

Maslina Siadin’s father and brother went searching for her all the way to south west Sulawesi. She was found and brought back home. A Malay daily reported her father as threatening the guy who abducted his daughter that he would “penggal kepala” (chop the guy’s head). Do you blame the father?

The Star’s A.Asohan today used unprecedented strong words in his column Stray Thoughts as he talks of the threat to his daughter’s safety. Doting fathers can turn into utter monsters if you mess with their kids. I cannot find a single fault with his sentiments.

I have five nephews and one niece. If I get my hands on anybody who hurts or meant to hurt them, I will not hesitate to kill or maim.

Crimes against children is an especially heinous brand of evil, by any standards.

What do we do then? Why, be a busybody of course. If you see a young child unattended, ask around. Protect him/her. Find the parents. Do something. Get involved.

For when a child is violated, it will be our collective responsibility. Our collective guilt. We owe it to our young to protect and nurture and provide a safe environment for them.

If we can’t, then 50 years of Independence and progress doesn’t mean much.

 What tha Hell?

Some rather embarrassing and downright disturbing reports emerged from the Royal Commission of Inquiry’s delving into the sordid Lingam Chronicles.

1. A lawyer in private practice is privy to Official Secrets that is even higher than the Executive; the appointment of judges to the bench.

2. The Chief Secretary to the Govt is clueless about it.

3. A powerbroker seems to chart the course of the judiciary in Malaysia (supposedly one that is above the executive and constitutionally-provided)

4.Former Prime Minister does a Reagan. Can’t remember why he dropped the two names.

5. Anti Corruption Agency says it won’t probe Lingam’s brother’s allegation that he was close with then Chief Justice Tun Eusoff Chin.

6. I can’t afford Patrick Saw’s T-shirts 

7. Ku Nan who doesn’t know what is going on in his own backyard, calls Lingam a drunkard. He maybe right though. Lingam kinda looks a big drunken squid with his highball glass. Cognac ah Latuk?

That moron (sorry Pasquale) of a Minister doesn’t know what’s going on in his own ministry. He says so here. He would if he was there more often, I guess.

But what irritates me most is this.

He said the ministry was also investigating how the allegation had reached the media and who had leaked the information. 

“We believe it could be some staff members who are unhappy and disappointed with recent promotions in the ministry, because one of the accused was also promoted.” - The Star

It has been going on, again and again. Everytime an embarrassing allegation crops up, instead of probing it, they go after the source of a rumour. Always the messengers who get discredited, and rarely the message is heard.

They did it in the case of Lingam, Chua Soi Lek, Judge Idid etc etc.

 The modus operandi is always the same. Go after the leak, beat/threaten/buy them into submission and pretend nothing happened. After a while, the public will forget.

They are right though. We do forget easily. Yesterday’s indignant fellow will forget the subject in days if not months.

This is why we continue to get screwed by our leaders. Because they know we r such gulls.

Over late lunch at the neighbourhood chicken rice shop, I was joined by a neighbour (Uncle Lim) who likes is beer in the afternoon. He always made good company and I look forward to conversations with him.

I told Uncle Lim about this story, and the happy ending where the farmer who found the dumped baskets of fresh Sawi (mustard leaf or Choy Sum) got it to a nearby old folks home.

Uncle Lim said it is widespread practice among farmers to just dump their fresh produce if there is a glut and he agrees with the practice. I protested, saying why not just give it away to the poor and needy instead of throwing it away.

For one, just dumping it will result in increase in garbage. And what sheer waste to just throw away perfectly good fresh produce when you know that even in Malaysia, there are still people who go hungry because they are penniless.

 Uncle Lim fobbed me off with some vague reply about how business is business, charity is charity. I left, quite out of charity with the old guy who probably thinks I’m a bleeding heart who will never amount to success because I lack the necessary “hardness”.

I left thinking, how, on the opposite end of the humanity scale, you have people like this wonderful gang of youngsters, who pool together their money, time, effort to feed Kuala Lumpur’s hungry and destitute.

It cheers me somewhat to know that with all the evil man wreaks on his surroundings, there are still those who water the earth with the milk of kindness.

I suppose the world balances itself out this way.

One half of the Everest conquering duo, Sir Edmund Hillary of New Zealand, died today of pneumonia. He was 88 years old.

This guy was the stuff of history books. I remember as a child going waa…when reading of his feat of climbing Mount Everest in Nepal with his sherpa guide Tenzing Norgay. Norgay died back in 1986.

The New Zealand government plans a state funeral for their mountaineer hero. Fitting too, I believe. New Zealand has a long tradition of producing hardy sportsmen.

Britain’s Telegraph reports that the sherpas of Nepal mourn the loss of this remarkable man who spent much time helping to improve the life of sherpa guides after his retiring from mountaineering.

May His Soul Rest In Peace.

Sharlinie is missing. I hope this time around, we can set aside red tape, territorial fights, insidious rumours, and just help find the little girl. I read today that it was a woman who drew her to a car and spirited her away.

I’ve a story to tell you, about how animals can have more humanity and how humans can be so much worse than animals.

One day last year, I made my way to a teh tarik stall in the neighbourhood. Five minutes of waiting, yet none of the boys came to take my order.

Looking up, I found all of them looking across the road. Followed their gaze and found a little black bird there. Made my way over. It was a baby crow, possibly fell out of its nest.

I drew closer, intending to take the baby and put it on a tree nook that’ll be safe than the sidewalk. Then the boys yelled, “watch out!”. I looked up and just barely avoided an angry crow swooping down on me.

The boys told me that they tried to rescue the baby crow too. But the momma crow did its best to head them off and protect its baby.

The momma crow must know that we human beings are the worst threat among them all. Wise bird.

For among us exist murderers, rapists, kidnappers. People who are supposed to be intelligent but commit senseless crime, people who enjoy torture, people who enjoy killing as a sport, people who wouldn’t lose sleep over making another human being suffer, let alone another animal.

Let me recap how some innocent children died in Malaysia in the past year.

Shearway Ooi, 4, reported missing by her mom in July last year. Her burnt remains were found on 8 July 2007. Her mother and boyfriend charged over Ooi’s death.

Nurin Jazlin Jazimin, 9, went missing in August 2007. Found dead on 17 Sept 2007. The search for her went nationwide, her death provoked public outrage and spurred an emergency response initiative like America’s Amber Alert. However, to my best knowledge, Nurin Alert is still not operational

Chin Kha Mun, 12, went missing early November, and later found drowned. She and her friend had apparently asked a man to take them to the river. Both fell in the river, but the man managed to rescue only one. He kept it to himself, thus ensuring Kha Mun’s death by his failure to get help.

Presheena Varshiny, 9, was raped, sodomised and flung over the balcony. Died on the spot on 5 November 2007. Her father is suing the Casa Mila Condo in Bukit Idaman, Selayang for lax security. Police remanded some foreigners in connection with the case, but no progress so far. Her father feels she mati katak.

These kids will not be forgotten. Let us all ensure these children did not die in vain or unavenged.

Violent crime seems to be a just another day’s occurence in Malaysia these days. There seems to be no shortage of high profile murders, robberies, shootouts and abductions in the past year.

This afternoon an MIC politician was gunned down at the state MIC headquarters in Johor Baru. Tenggaroh State Assemblyman S.Krishnasamy was shot dead inside the building’s compound.

Says a lot about the sheer audacity of the gunman, shooting someone dead in broad daylight, in public.

And this is not Washington D.C, not New Orleans, not Jamaica. This is Malaysia, where there is ostensibly gun control, where illegal possession of firearms gets you the hangman’s noose.

But I guess this politician just mati katak. I don’t think this crime will be solved. Two shots, they say. Sounds like an execution.

This makes the second seat to be without a Wakil Rakyat in Johor. After Chua Soi Lek’s rather quick departure following the DVD scandal, Labis parliament seat is MP-less. Now Tenggaroh is without its state assemblyman.

Since the Election Commission’s Rashid says there is not going to be a by-election, I guess the General Election is very very near indeed.

While Krishnasamy’s family mourns, the vultures in MIC will begin circling now, to be the favoured, to be named the deceased successor.

Yes, it gets this ugly in politics.

Started this blog in 2006. More than a year now. Why I chose a morbid name like DanseMacabre?

I suppose it is since I’m fascinated with the concept of death. I’m also comforted by the fact that death is the one thing that we all will face. The great equaliser.

Danse Macabre is a French phrase going back to the Medieval times; illustrating the dance of death that all of god’s beings on earth are subject to.

We are all mortals, aren’t we?

Think about it.

Camille Saint-Saens did a musical piece called Danse Macabre. I love it. Absolutely wicked. Heh Heh.

Go listen here

Last night’s drizzle did keep some people away from the planned Anti-ISA vigil at Dataran Merdeka. In fact, I would say just about 300 people turned out.

It was a peaceful enough walk with most people holding candles. Met some familiar faces, including Uncle Zorro and Black.

But that was not news. What’s interesting is that there were at least 500 cops there, including the FRU drones, the vest-clad tired-looking CID fellas (and a gal) and uniformed policemen.

They commandeered the entire stretch of Jalan Raja from Sultan Abdul Samad building all the way to the Jalan Tun Perak/Tuanku Abdul Rahman junction, filling the closed roads with the trucks.

From 8.30 pm till 9.15pm it was quite a quiet walk without much fuss. Then the cops decided the waiting game is over. And began marching.

It really looked like a rally by cops. I wonder if THEY got permit. Heh!

At 9.30pm the one truck they brought all the way through to Leboh Pasar, started spraying its chemical-laced water to disperse the truck.

There were a lot of uuhs and aaahs kinda noises…(like the spartan warriors in 300). They even ran screaming down a backlane. I thought they were beating up people but no…just the sound effects.

It was funny…I tell ya.

Then everyone went home….(dunno if they lived happily ever after).

Update 

He quit! He said “the rakyat wants me to quit”. Thing is, he quit everything, from the Ministership to the party posts. So from now till the General Elections, the people of Labis (his constituency) have no wakil rakyat laa.

But Dr Chua made a valid point with his parting potshot at the sanctimonious political multitude by saying things like….”macam semua golongan ulamak”

I agree with what he said though. Today everyone laughs at this man’s humiliation, but how many of our prominent politicians can claim to be “clean” where this kinda scandals are concerned?

They all have penises don’t they? They all want some kinda variety don’t they? Chua’s misfortune is that he was caught in the act.

That doesn’t mean you f****ers out there are saints…so don’t rejoice so much at this man’s misery.

How’s this for a sobering thought….no hotel room is safe. Wanna rethink that dirty weekend, my dear YBs?

——————————————————————– 

Yeeee Haaaa! Giddy Up Giddy Up!

Malaysia’s Health Minister seems to be in the pink of health as he indulges in what The Star terms as “sexual antics” in the best selling amateur DVD of recent times.

 He admitted it. Must have been a clear enough copy. ROFL! Any of you saw this latest episode that I must call Kisah Menteri Kesihatan Terlampau? I haven’t.

Meanwhile, like most good wifeys, da Missus is standing by Chua. That’s your average PR stand, something the wife of Haniff Basree (accused of killing Noritta Shamsudin and later acquitted without defence being called)  and Hillary Clinton (American Presidential candidate and wife of ”I did not have sex with that woman” Bill Clinton) would be familiar with.

But whether or not he will get surgically castrated by his doctor wife the next time he comes home with “honey, i’m horny” is yet to be known. It is obvious by the reports though that

Why don’t these guys learn? Politicians and the media, and us bloggers too, are a bloody sanctimonious lot. Remember the 11th Commandment? THOU SHALT NOT GET CAUGHT (with your zipper down).

Chua however remains defiant, saying he will not quit, instead leaving his political fate to MCA prez Ong Ka Ting and PM Abdullah Badawi.

Tak Malu Punya Jantan! Yo, save the little dignity you have left and leave quietly man.

*snigger* 

Satu Lagi “Projek” Kerajaan Barisan Nasional.

*grin* 

Happy New Year readers. This simple greeting betrays a lot of hope of happier times ahead, although on the sociopolitical scene, I’m not so optimistic.

What lies ahead for Malaysia? A long amble towards greater civil liberties? Heheh… (can’t resist sniggering).

 Pic from The Star. Transparent ballot box. The government’s answer to greater transparency…LOL!

The general elections are due in a matter of months. The voter registration exercise ended yesterday. Whether these new bunch of suddenly-aware people CAN vote is another story.

After all, the Election Commission ensured that almost 500,000 registered voters were unable to vote during the ’99 elections due to”glitches”.

The EC chairman’s term has been extended and it required a Constinutional amendment for that to happen.

If the Malaysian Constitution is a T-Shirt, those who designed and stitched it will turn in their graves to see the sacred document now, with patches all over denoting the number of time it has been amended to suit the political will of those in power.

Still, it is your fault and mine, to elect morons, yes-men and little Macchavelis into governance.

May this year bring some enlightenment to all of you.

It is my dearest wish that my fellow Malaysians wake up and smell the sewer filth that our country really is, and do something about cleaning it up.

I have some brooms and disinfectants. Need help?