Sunday, October 19, 2008

Is this ture!?

Sarawak Headhunter declared the Barisan Nasional (BN) an illegal organisation.

In a statement to Cyber Jungle News today, Sarawak Headhunter said that the facts and evidence showed that the government was, and is, being used by the BN in a manner detrimental to public order and national security.

Labelled a threat to national security, the BN has been banned by Sarawak Headhunter, home minister of the pro-team government of the Republic of Sarawak (ROS).

He issued a statement yesterday declaring BN, which has been advocating racial and racist agendas since its inception, an illegal organisation. The declaration, he said, was a result of monitoring and investigations by the ROS going back to the formation of BN.

‘As a result of the investigations, the home ministry, as per its authority under sections 35 and 55 of the People's Government Reform Act 2008, has declared BN unlawful and detrimental to the peace, public order, political, economic and social security and the moral values of Malaysia,’ he said in the statement.

‘I feel that if we don't rein in their activities, they will continue to jeopardise security and public order, and our country's sovereignty, as well as upset the harmony among races.’

Sarawak Headhunter said the decision to ban the movement was not made based on only one or two misdemeanours committed by BN, but covered the entire gamut of activities the group had been involved since its organisation.

‘These included subversion of the economic policies of the government, thereby causing losses of hundreds of billions of ringgit, economic injustice and instability, subversion of the judiciary, large-scale electoral fraud, including but not limited to vote-buying and ballot-box tampering, gerrymandering and general abuse and manipulation of electoral, legislative and administrative process.

‘They have also committed corruption, favouritism, nepotism, cronyism, abuse of power and position, misuse of government machinery, abuse of the law, waste, mismanagement, mis-allocation or wrongful allocation of resources, racial and racist agendas and policies, exclusion and marginalisation of entire communities, discrimination and improper control and manipulation of the mass media.

‘There is also their registration of illegal immigrants as citizens, coercion, pressure, force, threat and intimidation of the public through illegal police action, conflicts of interest, breaches of trust and much more.’

‘They exploited all manner of racial issues to remain in power and which caused an uprising by the people and created disharmony between them and all races.’

He added that BN had tried all ways and means, illegal, dirty and underhanded, to support their attempts to get the people to bow to their demands, actions which have tarnished the country's image.

‘Considering all the facts and evidence we have, I am satisfied that BN was and is being used in a manner detrimental to public order and national security and the well-being of the nation.’

‘We advise the public not to involve themselves in any way with the activities of this unlawful organisation.’

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

It is worth building?

First of all Selamat Hari Raya. Hope that all of you have a safe journey back and come back safely. I don't know when I am going back but it might be soon.

I am thinking why does the Sarawak state need so many hydro power dam. The latest, Murum dam project is about 3 billion, started a few days back. But there is another mega-dam project in Sarawak located in the central, Bakun which costs over 800 million. I do understand that all this are being done for the greater benefit of the people's in Sarawak.

But have to remember that some places are the Sarawak native people's village. Why can't there be a few dams which will supply the power and what power are we talking about? Electricity for the people? or to generate power to store in Sarawak Energy Berhad (SEB)? These are some of the questions that the government should make clear and as far as I'm concern I'm worried about the people living in the village. If lets say, the government wants to improve their living style, the people have to obey. Don't tell me government wants to provide proper home, facilities and all but have to develop the place, I don't see the harm of cooperating.

Over the next decade there is about 12 dam project in Sarawak alone. I am very sure that alot of native people's home has to be sacrificed but why so many dam's ? Most of the Sarawak is still covered by forest the power which is to be created is for who? Raymond Abin of the Borneo Resource Institute (Brimas) said , for energy needs in Sarawak, we don't need the Murum, because Bakun is more than enough to supply the state's needs.

Penan people are likely to be effected and I really think that building quite a number of dam's means that the will be a major loss of flora and fauna and loads more. I do understand we have to sacrifice something in order to get something better but, we can avoid making unnecessary sacrifice which will in the short term lower down the cost of spending, save the native people's culture and give them a life and in the long run there will be still flora and fauna where the new generation can experience so that they too can have a chance.

hydropower projects in sarawak 2008 2020 murum

Friday, September 26, 2008

Journalist Voice

Written by a journalist, Helen Ang. I really like the things mentioned in the article below, so please read and have your say.

Police arrested Teresa Kok at about half to midnight. I received a sms shortly after. At 3.30am, I received another sms saying Shieh (Syed Azidi Syed Aziz) and two other bloggers have been rounded up under ISA too. It turned out to be a false alarm; the sms did however qualify that the intelligence was unconfirmed.

Then yesterday evening, police picked up Shieh, ostensibly on sedition charges. So not only were the sms-es quick off the block, they were not far off the mark either. Shieh was first presumably to fly the national flag upside down in blogosphere running up to Aug 31. Where does it say a computer-graphic the wrong way up is seditious?

In any case, the Kickdefella blogger righted his inverted flag after Anwar Ibrahim’s win in Permatang Pauh.

On Sept 15, Anwar spoke at a gathering in Kelana Jaya stadium. He said mainstream media demonised him as well as the Opposition partnership. Teresa has also previously complained that Utusan Malaysia misrepresented her. Presently, the pejorative reporting by the same newspaper helped lay the groundwork for her detention, as what happened with the Hindraf 5.

Re-looking the concept of Merdeka on the eve of Malaysia Day, Anwar told the crowd that Malaysia must be liberated from corruption, racist politics, ISA and be “Merdeka from media who are liars and ‘fitnah’.”

Any more than mainstream media are believable, how so are sms-es unreliable? But cellphone texting is really a mere tool to mobilise the people, reminiscent of the Yellow Wave of People Power in the Philippines which toppled President Joseph Estrada in 2001. What then? Licence the use of telephone with annual permits?

Police have so far have given no indication they think Umno warlord Ahmad Ismail’s comment on Chinese is seditious. And in any case, how different is the essence of Ahmad’s remarks to the substance of what Dr Mahathir Mohamed has been blogging?

tan hoon cheng 01 120908On a further note, clarification made on behalf of Teresa would have convinced right-minded Malaysians that she is in the clear. Yet police will not release her.

It is not always that police make sense. They didn’t when taking in Sin Chew Daily reporter Tan Hoon Cheng under ISA. And police did not even provide any rationale when they disallowed members of the public holding a lit candle at last weekend’s vigil for ISA detainees. Police were appeased after the flame was snuffed, so it would appear that unlit candles are not a red flag to the bull.

When preaching about ‘the rule of law’, some forget that police do not observe the rules of fair play, so for them to apply the law justly is moot.

Bloggers do ‘national service’


Undeniably a few alpha bloggers are influential in shaping public opinion.

raja petra released from prison 090508 04Teresa blogs, and Raja Petra Kamarudin himself mentioned how important it was for him to be at large to disseminate info during this pivotal period – Sept 16 plus one, a day, a week or a month – when public opinion could tip political outcomes. If you wanted to gauge Raja Petra’s influence, the ‘judiciary reformation’ online petition is a yardstick; of the 25,700 names, thousands lent their signatures at his urging in Malaysia Today.

There is assuredly a crucial context to Raja Petra commanding the interest of the police and political subtext to his ISA arrest.

Star editor-in-chief Wong Chun Wai penned in his Sunday column: “Malaysia Today website editor Raja Petra Kamarudin is not regarded as a journalist in the true sense – he is more of a writer and, certainly, a political player. As a critical writer, he makes no bones of his plans to bring down the Government and openly speaks at ceramahs for the Opposition”.

Haris Ibrahim openly speaks at ceramahs for the Opposition too. It’s entirely possible he and other socio-political bloggers I’m acquainted with write for political reasons. What’s so criminal about that? Chun Wai and his ilk do the same. However, having no truck with new money, i.e. undisclosed funding channelled into New Media recently, many socio-political bloggers write pro bono.

Personally, I prefer reading blogs which have no pretence of their volunteer partisanship. The accredited mainstream media now paid to blog in portals staked for themselves the traditional virtues of balanced reporting, objectivity and impeccable standards. You think?

newspaper coverage sudden balanced view coverage of opposition headline 120308But if original-recipe bloggers are truly as unskilled and slanted as the self-professed ‘award-winning’ professional journalists parachuted into cyberspace would have it, why should blogs even blip on BN and police radars? Our Brenda Starrs and Clark Kents would render such amateur citizen journos wholly 'irrelevant'.

In a free marketplace of ideas, there is a robust contestation of views. For most of the latter 50 years, we had a one-party rule and a single ideology to rule the roost. Now that there is competition, our authorities quickly suspend the trading.

All in a day’s sermonising

The agenda that Chun Wai attributes to Raja Petra – planning to bring down the Government – is not one that is intent on destroying the country. A government falling only means some cronies lose their jobs and the ones filling their shoes get a shot at doing a better job of it.

Neither will bringing down the Government pose a threat to Malaysia’s security nor jeopardise peace and order. There is such a process called peaceful transition of power carried out in an orderly manner.

Compare Malaysia with our best friend Israel. Both style themselves democracies. Both have race laws and a strong theocratic aspect to the state. Modern Israel is only a decade older than modern Malaysia but the Israeli government has changed many times.

abdullah ahmad badawi najib razak pc change portfolio 170908 06Israel has had a dozen Prime Ministers in office 31 terms, with a few becoming PM several times. Some of her ruling coalitions have been unable to finish out the years of their electoral mandate, some lasting two years. Shimon Peres was PM seven months before giving way to Benjamin Netanyahu in 1996.

I'm not saying we should emulate Israel, I’m just pointing out the similarities and differences.

There are those argue that Anwar soliciting crossovers is immoral, and others agonise over ethics. Collapse of government through MPs switching allegiance is not treason. It’s political procedure, though one may not approve or advocate such moves.

I hardly had great expectations of a takeover on Sept 16. If anything, I’d blogged before in The People’s Parliament that like other folks not enamoured of him, I’m wary of Anwar. A strong dose of distrust in senior politicians is healthy. But at least on Tuesday, I felt upbeat enough to write ‘Great eggpectations’,

a sequel to ‘Eggciting times’. It was my attempt at satiric humour but truth is stranger than fiction.

With all due sympathy for Hoon Cheng’s 24-hour ISA ordeal, the manner in which police handled her detention was farcical. The mechanics of Malaysia’s comic leadership is plain for the world to see and no longer funny. It is the incompetence displayed in BN governance that is downright ‘immoral’ ... if people insist on using the word. It’s an immorality that splits our sides, and hurts.


Step down or Stand Still

After a long period without technology access, finally I can online back. Past these few days, I tend to realise that there is not much news about UMNO top guns debating about power transition, MCA with the elections or even Pakatan Rakyat about the New Government. I'm quite surprised but who cares, its just politics.

I was just reading my online paper when this particular post got my attention. It was about Pak Lah in a Q&A session with 100 journalist. I will paste it down later so that all of you who will be dropping by my blog could read it. Basically the Q&A was about the power transition since Umno had an emergency meeting.

I really think Pak Lah is old. The way he answers is no base answers. He is running a nation and wants the journalist and the citizens to guess when is he going to leave or pass the PM post. This is not a guessing game or a post of some Pre-school monitor, we are talking about a nation, a nation where is it multi race, multicultural, multi ethnic and a nation where politicians get to play the race card, nation where ISA is the government's puppet and etc.

So what does the PM mean by " You can keep on guessing when I'm going to leave". With all respect Mr. PM, "If you want to leave 2010, its fine, done settle. Just say it and stop it. Or since most of your loyal supporters back stabbed you and wants you to leave early just say so!" Why are you making us, the people suffer? Like it or not some of us don't want any of you to sit on the President seat, we prefer someone younger and someone who can understand the upcoming generation better.

Example of the Q:

Jr : Are you going on leave soon?

PM: I am going on leave? Am I going on leave? How did you know? I am not going on leave, I have a lot of work to do.


What kind or answer is this. Is he even listening to the interview. Most of the questions asked by the journalists were surely related to the emergency meeting. But the answer given was, I have to discuss, I have to talk to Najib. So I want to ask, What did they talked in the Emergency Meeting?

Me and other people of this country would just like to know what is really going on, about the power transition because we are the ones who will be effected the most. What is the rational of having a PM who jokes and does not answer or even concentrate in an interview. You all can even watch the video and can see that our PM was not paying attention to the press. Is this what we what? Most of us are very familiar our PM's words and promises. Parliament will not be dissolved but it did the next day, Fuel will not hike till August but did in the same week after the announcement. So I think you get the picture...

The Q&A:

Will the Umno election be postponed to March?

The election is based on whatever decision that is reached during the divisional meetings [...] It's like last time, there is no change, it's just a bit of delay.

What is the reason for that?

Err... give what... what's the word just now... way... (turns to his deputy Najib Abdul Razak, seated next to him).. It's to facilitate an early transition.

Does that mean you won't be defending your post in March?

I have not announced any decision as this particular point is concerned. I intend to do it before the division meetings begin (on Oct 9).

Do you think the members will accept the decision to further put off the party election?

The supreme council members have agreed to it and it is not something that will cause difficulty. If we postpone the divisional elections involving other procedures, that will be troublesome.

Are you going on leave soon?

I am going on leave? Am I going on leave? How did you know? I am not going on leave, I have a lot of work to do.

Could you just clarify what you mean by ‘to facilitate an early transition'?

Whatever that I'll need to do later will be decided between me and Najib.

Are you going to stick to the 2010 deadline?

If (the transition) is brought forward, then 2010 is off.

Are you prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice if it's better for the party for you to leave early?

As far as I am concerned, I love my party. Even in the most difficult circumstances, I never left.

I did not join Umno 46 (Semangat 46), I never joined any other party, I've never been on the platform of an opposition party to speak against Umno. There was no record of me going against the party at any time at all.

Is there any plan to impose a limit for the presidency term in future?

Like MCA? We did not make any decision like that yet and have no such policy.

On the early transition, are you under tremendous pressure to quit?

No, nothing to do with that. Everything has got to do with my work, when I am done with my work, then I am done.

Do you feel that your colleagues in the Umno supreme council are asking you to leave early?

No, no, nothing (like that) happened. Maybe there are two, three who felt such way but most of them have no reason to pressure (me) because they know I have a cordial relation(ship) with Najib.

We have good consensus on everything and there should be no question about it.

Is it right to say that you will not contest the party post in March?

It will be my decision, right or not, it will be mine. You can go on guessing, the decision will be mine.
(taken frm Malaysiakini)

Link to the video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adEnreI4TXE

Sunday, September 14, 2008

From Politics to Racial Sentiment

There has been alot of thing which has been happening lately. Lets talk about an issue.If you all remember, the Ahmad Ismail speech was turned from a political expect to a racial issue. I blame both the politician and also the reporter. I have my reasons for saying so.

First of all, let me say about the, Datuk Ahmad Ismail. News claims that he uttered a phrase which is claimed can stir racial issues. But i wonder, I don't really know what did Ahmad Ismail say because, no other paper reported the news and it was a Chinese newspaper. Anyway based on the statement made by Ahmad Ismail, he did say about "Orang Cina ialah penumpang di tanahair kita" but it was taken out of context. What he meant was based on the Historical things where Chinese people and Indian people were immigrants brought into by British people and therefore they got better education that our own Malays. How can he say that? British gave opportunities to everyone at that time. What did the old Malays did. Just because they were British people and due to the hatred that the Malays had on British, they send their kids to "Sekolah Pondok". Sekolah pondok is where children are being taught religion and faith. So whose fault was it? I didn't condemn any religion and faith, but the fast is that nowadays, people are heading to neo- postmodern theory. Where people are much into more rational and scientific approach.

Anyway why did Ahmad Ismail said those things in a election campaign? Its a little ridiculous talk about history? You be the judge...

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

No time for politics

Sorry Malaysiakini, TV3 news, NTV 7, The STar. I cant read or do the usual thing because there is "pain in the ass" event called exams. History of English Language or short form HEL was really HELL. I read so much really alot and remembered so many things. There was no time for it. Today we had Mass Media & Society. Was a good paper but not enough time. 2 hours for a degree paper. If the university wants typical Malaysian work then 2 works can lah, but then we want to excel lah. Need to do something about it.

There are so many things happening in the nation i cant focus. Wait lah till my exams are over and i really hope to boost my GPA. Anyway, me and friends are doing some studies together and it really helps. Hahaha. Syok.

Monday, August 25, 2008

All about Permatang Pauh

Tomorrow is Pematang Pauh by-election.
Its a three way battle.
For PKR candidate and the individual candidate went promoting themselves.
BN candidate, Datuk Arif Shah Omar went rounds also to get vote.This was what he did? Honestly I don't know what did the other 2 candidates did because there was no media coverage.

Anyway back to Arif Shah. I have not seen a candidate gets back up from the top BN leaders. Man, let Arif have his say lah. All Najib, Pak lah, Ezam want to speak when will he get the chance to speak. How will he get votes. All this while nobody cares about Permatang Pauh because its a strong place for PKR, but now you all can see in our media, MAIN STREAM media. Its a abit funny.

Other leaders of BN are making all sorts of promises. What if Datuk Arif wins and says that all the promises are said by other BN leaders I will talk to them to get works done. Its possible. I'm just throwing out my thoughts. Another thing is that:

Ezam, there is nothing much to say about him because every member has his and her rights towards their respective parties so if anyone wants to leave the party, the other have to respect, but what Ezam did was against ethics. Ethics to me is, you don't bring out personal stuff ok. Keep it professional always, you all are working, therefore personal stuff should not clash.

But what I want to share with all is that, in "The SUN" today there was a news saying Ezam reveals Death Threats.
It seems that he has been getting threats via sms and says he is not scared. First of all. If your not scared, why are you telling you are telling so that you will be protected. Pandai main Psychology lah lu. What is this? Is there prove that he got threats. If yes nab the person who sent the message.Than you have a point. Even Ezam could have bought a sim card and send sms to his another public know number.

And yeah,the sms threat is an old move to get the voters attention, get a new trick.

All the best for all candidates may the best and rakyat candidate wins.