As the days go by, more and more depressing news is cropping up. Deputy Education Minister Wee has made a statement that the PSD scholarships for bright students have been abused. Many students with 10A’s are not offered PSD scholarships , while those with 4-5A’s managed to secure them.
It shows that even our brainy, bright, young talents are being discriminated against and barred from a chance to further their education overseas.
These will a big loss to our country’s talent pool and to the nation’s future. What a sad state of affairs, when even being the best is not enough.
Will an investigation be conducted as to who these beneficiaries are and whether they rightly deserve such coveted scholarships ?
Although it may not be a serious controversy, our bright young minds and talented geniuses who cannot afford an overseas education without financial support will only contribute to the unstoppable brain drain of this nation. Our hopes to be a first world nation are dashed on the rocks.
These are our future leaders who will chart the course and contribute to the grand design of this nation.
Today, our pool of leaders are nothing to shout about. Some of them are a bunch of clowns. Every time they open their mouths, we can see through their idiotic minds, no matter how very hard they try to hide the fact that they are not very bright. Even some leaders have questionable overseas degrees. Without highly skilled intellectuals to be our leaders who can see through the greed, corruption and inequality, it will be very difficult
for Malaysia to attain First World status.
Malaysia seems less and less a ‘Promised Land’ to the non-Malays. With a mock democracy and an authoritarian system of Government in place, Malaysians who cherish democracy, meritocracy, freedom of expression, equality and freedom of religion are discouraged from regarding Malaysia as their homeland.
Those who can afford it have to save to send their offspring overseas to further their studies and to seek employment. Once their offspring have secured an education and employment in their host countries, many will apply for Permanent Residence to join their offspring. Bringing with them all the wealth and talent to their host country. Malaysia continues to lose its wealth and its valuable human resources.
Talent Corporation is facing an uphill daunting task to encourage Malaysians to return and serve the country. Those who say it is another for-show hype by Prime Minister Najib Razak are right. Malaysia simply doesn’t offer a conducive environment for the highly skilled and talented to return and help build this nation. Current policies in place, are a gross hindrance. Those who actually return mourn the rashness of their decision, and many cannot wait to leave again.
Malaysia could be such a lovely place to build an existence. Its citizens could have coexisted in peace and harmony. There is so much going for this country, but our leaders have made a terrible mess of it. The level of corruption is simply unacceptable. Equal opportunities are in shambles. Threats of racial conflicts and religious sensitivities still
exist. Dinosaur leaders refuse to relinquish their powers and continue to overstay their welcome. Malaysians are humiliated and abused by the government that is supposed to serve them.
Beyond the limit
And now, they continue to threaten the peace of this country by resorting to racial conflicts to split the nation. Non-Malays are constantly reminded that Malays own this country. Malay Supremacy should not be questioned and Islam is superior to all other religions - this is being shoved down their throats each day.
Non-Malays feel sidelined as 2nd class citizens, humiliated that they cannot be equal and even encouraged to leave the country if they are not happy. Barisan Nasional, who is supposed to be the only political coalition capable of serving this nation, stands blind and impotent, as the abuse continues unabated.
One day, we may see the exodus of the non-Malays from this country. When the last Chinese is gone, we will start to miss the pretty, mini-skirted Chinese lasses, and the corporate-dressed Chinese executives. Gone will be the sound of Chinese music during Chinese New Year, the dragon dances, the firecrackers, the red angpows, the Chinese operas and kung fu movies on TV.
Left behind will be empty buildings from Chinese businesses and the friendly neighborhood sundry shops , whose owners used to chatter in 'broken' Malay. Gone will be the Chinatown in Petaling Street , with its cheerful bright lights, myriad of colors and all kinds of everything for sale amidst the incessant Chinese chatter.
When the Indians follow, there will be no more dark beauties in colorful saris, no more colorful temples, no more Hindi movies and the interesting Indian and Hindu culture. No more fiery chicken curries, tosai, tandoori and papadam.
And with it goes the Hindu culture with the carrying of the Kavadi and Chariots of the Gods of Thaipusam and Festival of Lights of Deepavali. No more laughter of happy Indian children playing.
With the Christians joining the exodus, there will be no more sounds of Christmas carols, green Christmas trees dressed in white cotton and decorations. No more Santa Claus in the Shopping Complexes and Shopping Centres. No more Christmas turkey dinners in hotels all over the country and no reason to celebrate the New Year, which Malay hardliners say is a Christian celebration.
Kuala Lumpur, as Malaysia leans to a more Islamic way of life, will see masses of people going to work all dressed in headscarves and Baju Melayu, with even your own sister hardly recognizable among the crowd. How boring it will be without the non-Malays to lend flair, culture, color, identity and fun to our way of life.
Malaysia may one day be like Saudi Arabia . All work and no play or is the other way around - all play and no work!
It will be really sad for Malaysia to lose all its ethnicity, diversity, its potpourri of culture and its identity. Aren’t we selling Malaysia as truly Asia ? Why must the government continue to play with our sensitivities and keep tearing us apart?
If the non-Malays go, I will leave too. No sense hanging around and continue to be abused by these 'half aliens' even though they may be of the same race as me. Suddenly, New Zealand sounds very appealing. I’m sure they need average journalists like me with no sense of humor.
Written by Iskandar Dzulkarnain,
Malaysia Chronicle
Sunday, July 24, 2011
The heart of a gentle person - Dr Jeyakumar
I am writing this urgent letter to all Malaysians to be aware of the suffering that all the 6 PSM members are going through . Isolated from loved ones and family , they will have to beg to go to Toilet , or shave or bathe and hence the mental torture starts.
Dr Micheal Kumar Devaraj as he is known , is the Member of parliment for Sungai Siput . He was born and grew up in Penang. In school he was head prefect and top in his entire school for form 5 and form 6. He is by profession a Cardiac specilist with a heart for helping people . He belongs to the Socilist Party of Malaysia and is 58 years old I think . I remember during his campaign in 2008 simple from all walks of life came forward to help voluntarily in his campaign . He could not pay money to everyone like the Barisan National but people filled up petrol in their cars and motorcycles with thier own money and bought their own food to show solid supprt for this gentle man.
Beacuse of his tireless efforts to side with the downtrodden and victimised he was arrested a few times fighting for squatters and normally it was for illegal assembly or some silly reason . I used to sometimes tell him not to be too in the front lines but he told me that it is not enough just to tell people what is the right thing to do but to stand with them when they do it
I am writing on behalf of Dr Jeyakumar as I am a part of his family .I hope and trust that the family members of the others that are detained will start writing too, to urge people not to stand against the utterly stupid charges against the 6 .If in fact there was a T shirt or poster of " former " CPM leader Chin Peng , how is it wrong . ???
The National Libraries and most libraries in Universities have many books on communism for reference and reading . There are even books with his pictures as well as other involved in the struggle at that time. Is Hishamuddin going to remove all reference books in all the libraries ?? Is he going to have all the Librarians arrested or having reference material on communism ??
Hishamuddin calls the Bersih Rally illegal and as such justifies the wearing of bersih T shirts illegal also and had the 30 people arrested . If so , the Parkasa rally and UMNO Youth rally was also illegal , can we assume as such that wearing Parkasa shirts and UMNO Youth Illegal !!!
Hishamuddin is the most shameless politician for using such a stupid comparison . He takes us ordinary Malaysians as stupid , but we have to show him in a clear, non violent and reasonable way that we will not accept this dastardly action.
Dr Jeyakumar
I know Dr Jeyakumar personally . His father is also a doctor. Let me first tell you some childhood stories that will capture your imagination of this simple yet strong willed but gentle person.
1 st personal story
Looking relieved he quickly jumped into the car . People had been staring at him whenever they passed by and wondering what was wrong with this boy . In the car he explained that he saw an old man shuffling about without slippers and could not stand it anymore and just gave him his own slippers to walk.
Only after doing that he realised that the pavement was very hot and couldn't walk to the bus stop and also was receiving strange stares from passerby and decided to call his mother.
Such is the heart of this gentle man who has been arrested by Hishamuddin and the police saying he is a communist and was wrong carrying Bersih T shirts
2 nd personal story
When he was in University Malaya he constantly involved himself in the plight of the estate workers . I know personally of how he started tuition classes in many estates from sg Siput to BUTTERWORTH for poor students during his semester breaks. His legacy still continues till today with Indian students still sacrificing their important time during their breaks to tutor underprivileged students in estates till today.
When he became a doctor , he requested his posting to be in Sarawak interior where many places had no electricity and reachable by boat to treat orang asli and start education programmes for kindergarten aged children . He stayed for many ,many years in Sarawak doing selfless work among the poor and destitute.
Such is the heart of this gentle man who has been arrested by Hishamuddin and the police saying he is a communist and was carrying Bersih T shirts
3 rd personal story
Once when I was in Ipoh few years ago ,way before he became Member of Parliament (and like David beating Goliath - won the Parliamentary seat from Samy Velu) saw me and asked me if I was free . I replied that I was and and in the night approx 9 pm ,after he had finished his hospital rounds picked me up and we drove many miles and reached a large squatter area . The old blue rickety Volkswagon tumbled and tossed in the uneven mud road and there were no streetlights at all and we were driving completely in the dark.
After a long time we reached a broken down hut and inside was an old Indian lady on a makeshift bed . Dr Kumar listened for a long time to her crying and after sometime he gently talked to her and gave her some painkiller injections and she soon slept off . On the way back he told me that she was in the end stage of her cancer and was dying and in so much pain . He made this trip twice or 3 times a week as she could not come to a hospital for pain medication . I sat quietly reflection how much just one person can do and how we who are so blessed , do so little.
Dr Kumar is my cousin and I am proud to know him . !!! My relationship with him throughout the years have enriched me tremendously. I hope that reading this , that you will not believe the lies that the mainstream newspapers is trying to tell you.
All of the 6 deserve our support and love - more so at this time , This is my simple testimony . I am sure that many , many more people will be able to share more experiences that they have had with Dr Kumar.
His gentle heart , his ready ear for listening even to the smallest complaints . I am enraged that they have locked him up without his seeing his wife and son and parents and friends. It is said that h is in solitary confinement . His 17 year old son who was also on the bus was arrested with him and kept in the lock up for more than 6 days . Imagine that - a minor sitting on the cold jail cell for being with his father.
Remember - All it takes for Evil to Triumph is for good people to do nothing !!
Please do take some time to reflect and pray for Dr Kumar and the rest to have the strength at this time . I have just attended a candle light vigil in Bkt Aman and have been informed that they are still in solitary confinement and blindfolded most of the time .Thier family has managed to visit them and they asked them to tell us that they are still strong after so many days in prison and thank us for all the prayers and wishes and ask us to please continue to support them until they are released .
Proud to be his friend,
Christopher
( 012 - 2180525)
The Ugly Muslim - Mariam Mokhtar
The Muslim NGO Pembela is wrong to blame Christianity for the alleged decline of Islam in Malaysia because the worst enemies of Islam, in Malaysia , are from within the ranks of the Muslims.
Islam may be a beautiful religion, but some of the Muslims in Umno, Utusan Malaysia, and the extremist groups like Perkasa and Pembela are ugly. Islam may preach love and tolerance, but Muslims in Umno, Utusan, Perkasa and Pembela are bigots who are consumed with hate.
Perhaps the so-called Muslims in these organisations, who profess to be true Muslims, are Muslim in name only.They lust after power and are aware that without the Malay vote, the activities of their party, their newspaper, their institution or their way of life (the Ketuanan Melayu lording it over other communities) will be curtailed or cease to exist altogether.
Umno has been stung by the successes of the Opposition in Sarawak . They then suffered further humiliation with PAS rejecting their overtures. So,their only recourse to remain in power, come the general election, has been to provoke and manipulate Malay/Muslim minds, especially the rural Malays.
Umno has capitalised on the power of distraction. The trick is to divert Malaysians from BN's failure to stabilise the economy, to reinvigorate the private sector and investment, and to manage the public finances.
Instill fear in Malays, blame the others
They do this by instilling fear in the Malays and by shifting the blame onto others. This time, the hapless recipient of Umno's degeneracy, are the Christians of Malaysia . On previous occasions, it has been the 'ungrateful' Chinese.
Last Saturday, Utusan Malaysia defiantly provoked Malaysians with a front-page headline claiming the DAP was in league with a group of Christian pastors to instal Christianity as the country's official religion. The insinuation was that the act would pave the way for a Christian prime minister.
Had this been a non-BN sanctioned newspaper, the editors would have been sacked and jailed, their licence to print revoked and the paper shut down.As Utusan is owned by Umno, it was business as usual at this Malay daily.
Time and time again, Utusan has got away with seditious publicationswhen others, like Raja Petra Kamaruddin, face arrest for publishing revealing documents. It is the same treatment meted to Clare Rewcastle-Brown, the non-Muslim founder of the online website, Sarawak Report (SR).
SR prints original documents alleging Sarawak Chief Minister Taib Mahmud's corruption and illegally obtained wealth. Clare is trying to make Malaysians aware of Taib's corruption, but very few of the Muslims in Umno have taken heed.
It is without doubt that weak leadership of the country has given rise to this dangerous state of affairs.
Najib's pledge may prove to be just hot air
Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak finally broke his silence on the Utusan article; however, his announcement that the government would 'investigate the matter before it was blown out of proportion' and lead to 'serious polarisation in society', may prove to be just more hot air.
Perhaps he should ask himself how many times Utusan has been guilty of sedition and escaped censure? Most will say far too often.
How soon, and how severely, will he clamp down on the extremist Muslim elements in Malaysia , who have fanned anger and suspicion in the community?
Perkasa has already lodged a series of police reports in every state, saying that the 'Christian state issue' was a threat to national security.
Pembela finds fault with the Christians, by claiming that the Christians were on a mission to convert Muslims in the country, starting with "confusing" Muslims by the use of Islamic terms, presumably like the word 'Allah'.
Those who have lived in the 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s will recall that Christmas was a time when all the races and religions would mix and mingle in open houses. There was no issue with the food or drink, no issue with the religious symbols like crosses or that there was a Christmas tree and hymns and carols were sung. Those times are but a distant memory.
If it is any consolation, all these machinations by the media are an indication that the general election is near.There is nothing like a dose of fear to manipulate people to do the wrong thing.
Perhaps the best way to reason the perceived threat to Islam, in Malaysia , is in the Muslim populace. If Islam here is under siege, it is because the enemy is the 'Ugly Muslim'.
They are the ones who crave power. They are the ones who maintain that the term 'Allah' cannot be used by non-Muslims in Peninsular Malaysia , but is permissible in Borneo . They are the ones who confiscated the Bible in the Malay language and held the Christians to ransom.
So, why do they keep silent on the serious issues?
If we dig deeper, who are the ones who force children to convert to Islam, if one of the parents becomes a Muslim? How about body snatching or grave robbing? What about the child in Sarawak who was whipped for eating food that had been prepared for his school break?
What about the women who are treated like cattle? Or those who are abandoned by their husbands who yearn for a younger model? What about the Muslims who are flogged for drinking beer when this should be a personal choice?
What about the moral policing which has caused several deaths? What about the endemic corruption or the public screening of sex videos? What about child marriages?
Why do the Muslims keep silent on these serious issues but harp on about a fictitious demand by the Christians for Christianity to be the official state religion?
The biggest threats to Malaysia and Islam in Malaysia are the thieving, power-grabbing Muslims in political parties, the media and the NGOs, who know the truth but prefer to manipulate it for their own selfish means.
They have failed their fellow Malaysian and others of their religion. That is the profile of the Ugly Muslim.
Islam may be a beautiful religion, but some of the Muslims in Umno, Utusan Malaysia, and the extremist groups like Perkasa and Pembela are ugly. Islam may preach love and tolerance, but Muslims in Umno, Utusan, Perkasa and Pembela are bigots who are consumed with hate.
Perhaps the so-called Muslims in these organisations, who profess to be true Muslims, are Muslim in name only.They lust after power and are aware that without the Malay vote, the activities of their party, their newspaper, their institution or their way of life (the Ketuanan Melayu lording it over other communities) will be curtailed or cease to exist altogether.
Umno has been stung by the successes of the Opposition in Sarawak . They then suffered further humiliation with PAS rejecting their overtures. So,their only recourse to remain in power, come the general election, has been to provoke and manipulate Malay/Muslim minds, especially the rural Malays.
Umno has capitalised on the power of distraction. The trick is to divert Malaysians from BN's failure to stabilise the economy, to reinvigorate the private sector and investment, and to manage the public finances.
Instill fear in Malays, blame the others
They do this by instilling fear in the Malays and by shifting the blame onto others. This time, the hapless recipient of Umno's degeneracy, are the Christians of Malaysia . On previous occasions, it has been the 'ungrateful' Chinese.
Last Saturday, Utusan Malaysia defiantly provoked Malaysians with a front-page headline claiming the DAP was in league with a group of Christian pastors to instal Christianity as the country's official religion. The insinuation was that the act would pave the way for a Christian prime minister.
Had this been a non-BN sanctioned newspaper, the editors would have been sacked and jailed, their licence to print revoked and the paper shut down.As Utusan is owned by Umno, it was business as usual at this Malay daily.
Time and time again, Utusan has got away with seditious publicationswhen others, like Raja Petra Kamaruddin, face arrest for publishing revealing documents. It is the same treatment meted to Clare Rewcastle-Brown, the non-Muslim founder of the online website, Sarawak Report (SR).
SR prints original documents alleging Sarawak Chief Minister Taib Mahmud's corruption and illegally obtained wealth. Clare is trying to make Malaysians aware of Taib's corruption, but very few of the Muslims in Umno have taken heed.
It is without doubt that weak leadership of the country has given rise to this dangerous state of affairs.
Najib's pledge may prove to be just hot air
Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak finally broke his silence on the Utusan article; however, his announcement that the government would 'investigate the matter before it was blown out of proportion' and lead to 'serious polarisation in society', may prove to be just more hot air.
Perhaps he should ask himself how many times Utusan has been guilty of sedition and escaped censure? Most will say far too often.
How soon, and how severely, will he clamp down on the extremist Muslim elements in Malaysia , who have fanned anger and suspicion in the community?
Perkasa has already lodged a series of police reports in every state, saying that the 'Christian state issue' was a threat to national security.
Pembela finds fault with the Christians, by claiming that the Christians were on a mission to convert Muslims in the country, starting with "confusing" Muslims by the use of Islamic terms, presumably like the word 'Allah'.
Those who have lived in the 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s will recall that Christmas was a time when all the races and religions would mix and mingle in open houses. There was no issue with the food or drink, no issue with the religious symbols like crosses or that there was a Christmas tree and hymns and carols were sung. Those times are but a distant memory.
If it is any consolation, all these machinations by the media are an indication that the general election is near.There is nothing like a dose of fear to manipulate people to do the wrong thing.
Perhaps the best way to reason the perceived threat to Islam, in Malaysia , is in the Muslim populace. If Islam here is under siege, it is because the enemy is the 'Ugly Muslim'.
They are the ones who crave power. They are the ones who maintain that the term 'Allah' cannot be used by non-Muslims in Peninsular Malaysia , but is permissible in Borneo . They are the ones who confiscated the Bible in the Malay language and held the Christians to ransom.
So, why do they keep silent on the serious issues?
If we dig deeper, who are the ones who force children to convert to Islam, if one of the parents becomes a Muslim? How about body snatching or grave robbing? What about the child in Sarawak who was whipped for eating food that had been prepared for his school break?
What about the women who are treated like cattle? Or those who are abandoned by their husbands who yearn for a younger model? What about the Muslims who are flogged for drinking beer when this should be a personal choice?
What about the moral policing which has caused several deaths? What about the endemic corruption or the public screening of sex videos? What about child marriages?
Why do the Muslims keep silent on these serious issues but harp on about a fictitious demand by the Christians for Christianity to be the official state religion?
The biggest threats to Malaysia and Islam in Malaysia are the thieving, power-grabbing Muslims in political parties, the media and the NGOs, who know the truth but prefer to manipulate it for their own selfish means.
They have failed their fellow Malaysian and others of their religion. That is the profile of the Ugly Muslim.
Does Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein Dare To Ban Perkasa As He Has Banned Bersih Or Arrest Senator Ezam Mohamad And Khairy Jamaluddin Just As The Police Has Arrested Sungai Siput MP Dr Michael Jeyakumar Devaraj Under The Emergency Ordinance To Prove That The Police Does Not Practice Double-Standards Or Favouritism?
Does Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein dare to ban Perkasa as he has banned Bersih or arrest UMNO’s Senator Ezam Mohamad and UMNO Youth head Khairy Jamaluddin just as the police has arrested Sungai Siput MP Dr Michael Jeyakumar Devaraj under the Emergency Ordinance to prove that the police does not practice double-standards or favouritism?
DAP questions Hishammuddin insistence that the au thorities will act fairly in stopping all gatherings despite only outlawing electoral reforms group Bersih, when no action was taken against UMNO and Perkasa for organising a violent demonstration in Penang on 1.7.2011. Why has Hishamuddin also not arrested Ezam under the Emergency Ordinance for his threats that there is no need to wait for general elections and he wanted to do more protests to force me to step down as Chief Minister earlier?
The Penang Chinese Journalists and Photographers Association (Pewaju) has condemned the unprovoked attacks on a journalist, a photographer and a videographer by the protestors during violent and illegal rallies in George Town downtown and on Penang Bridge . Pewaju questioned why the police did not enforce the law and failed to take preventive measures to stop the demonstration before hand when they already knew about it a day earlier.
Question also arises on why the police have been so tough to clamp down on the Bersih 2.0 rally which is yet to take place, while being incompetent in halting an illegal rally by Umno and Perkasa that actually took place. What is shocking is Pewaju’s statement that the attacks on the journalists took place right before the police eyes, but the law enforcers were hapless, helpless and hopeless to stop the ass au lt. The ineptness of the police raised a question on their integrity, competency and credibility to protect ordinary Malaysians.
DAP supports peaceful demonstrations but condemns violent demonstrations. The failure by the police to act against the violent demonstration by UMNO and Perkasa only shows that there is clear double-standards and favouritism.
Jeyakumar was unjustly arrested under the Emergency Ordinance with 5 other PSM members despite the government’s failure to produce any proof that he was waging war against the King and country. Allegations of spreading communism is ridiculous when Malaysia enjoys close relations with Communist countries like Cuba , China and Vietnam .
Should not then Khairy Jamaluddin be also arrested and charged for trying to revive communism by setting up a permanent secretariat on October 12 2009 to strengthen ties between Barisan Nasional Youth and the Communist Youth League of China (CYL). Barisan Youth chairman Khairy Jamaluddin had said that the permanent secretariat would facilitate continuous bilateral programmes to promote a stronger bond between the two entities.
Clearly the BN government is only victimising Bersih supporters who are arrested in the past week and its secretariat raided on Wednesday, when they have not organised any demonstration whilst UMNO and Perkasa demonstrations are allowed to proceed unpunished. These unjust actions will only sully Malaysia ’s international image and its record of not practicing what it preaches on respecting basic human rights.
DAP questions Hishammuddin insistence that the au thorities will act fairly in stopping all gatherings despite only outlawing electoral reforms group Bersih, when no action was taken against UMNO and Perkasa for organising a violent demonstration in Penang on 1.7.2011. Why has Hishamuddin also not arrested Ezam under the Emergency Ordinance for his threats that there is no need to wait for general elections and he wanted to do more protests to force me to step down as Chief Minister earlier?
The Penang Chinese Journalists and Photographers Association (Pewaju) has condemned the unprovoked attacks on a journalist, a photographer and a videographer by the protestors during violent and illegal rallies in George Town downtown and on Penang Bridge . Pewaju questioned why the police did not enforce the law and failed to take preventive measures to stop the demonstration before hand when they already knew about it a day earlier.
Question also arises on why the police have been so tough to clamp down on the Bersih 2.0 rally which is yet to take place, while being incompetent in halting an illegal rally by Umno and Perkasa that actually took place. What is shocking is Pewaju’s statement that the attacks on the journalists took place right before the police eyes, but the law enforcers were hapless, helpless and hopeless to stop the ass au lt. The ineptness of the police raised a question on their integrity, competency and credibility to protect ordinary Malaysians.
DAP supports peaceful demonstrations but condemns violent demonstrations. The failure by the police to act against the violent demonstration by UMNO and Perkasa only shows that there is clear double-standards and favouritism.
Jeyakumar was unjustly arrested under the Emergency Ordinance with 5 other PSM members despite the government’s failure to produce any proof that he was waging war against the King and country. Allegations of spreading communism is ridiculous when Malaysia enjoys close relations with Communist countries like Cuba , China and Vietnam .
Should not then Khairy Jamaluddin be also arrested and charged for trying to revive communism by setting up a permanent secretariat on October 12 2009 to strengthen ties between Barisan Nasional Youth and the Communist Youth League of China (CYL). Barisan Youth chairman Khairy Jamaluddin had said that the permanent secretariat would facilitate continuous bilateral programmes to promote a stronger bond between the two entities.
Clearly the BN government is only victimising Bersih supporters who are arrested in the past week and its secretariat raided on Wednesday, when they have not organised any demonstration whilst UMNO and Perkasa demonstrations are allowed to proceed unpunished. These unjust actions will only sully Malaysia ’s international image and its record of not practicing what it preaches on respecting basic human rights.
Barisan Nasional’s War of Intimidation has backfired - Matthias Chang
Barisan Nasional’s War of Intimidation has backfired. Malaysians no longer fear the sight of armed security forces, the threat of racial riots and or the Communist bogey. Pictures of the peaceful determination and resolve of the Bersih demonstrators say it all. Objective Malaysians (the silent majority) cannot but be impressed with the maturity and faith of those who were willing to face arrest and police intimidation to uphold their principles.
Yes, Malaysia is not Tunisia , Egypt , Bahrain , Yemen etc. but there is a common thread – the people’s frustrations (real or otherwise) and the need for expressing their discontent cannot be suppressed. The arrogance of power is no match for grass-root activism.
Matthias Chang, a lawyer by profession, served as political secretary to then prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
Matthias Chang
Yes, Malaysia is not Tunisia , Egypt , Bahrain , Yemen etc. but there is a common thread – the people’s frustrations (real or otherwise) and the need for expressing their discontent cannot be suppressed. The arrogance of power is no match for grass-root activism.
It is indeed ironic that the “1Malaysia” slogan of the Prime Minister (a united multi- racial Malaysia) was reflected more in the ranks of the Bersih 2.0 campaign on 9th July 2011 than in the ranks of political opportunist and upstart Khairy Jamaluddin’s miniscule band of “Red Shirts” provocateurs. Perkasa as predicted had no mass following and was totally absent in spite of its provocative bravado.
' Blue Ocean Strategy'
I have been informed that some of the Prime Minister’s close advisers on strategy are so-called experts on “Blue Ocean Strategy”, the essence of which is to “make the competition irrelevant and creating uncontested market place”.
I have been informed that some of the Prime Minister’s close advisers on strategy are so-called experts on “Blue Ocean Strategy”, the essence of which is to “make the competition irrelevant and creating uncontested market place”.
After the fiasco on 9th July 2011, may I suggest to the Prime Minister and theentire Barisan Nasional leadership that their first priority is to dump these political wannabes who are totally devoid of any knowledge and experience of the political realities on the ground.
The “political competition” of the Opposition has become more relevant than ever and has captured and occupied more effectively – physically and mentally both the uncontested and contested “political market place”.
The BN government has spent RM billions, but has yet to show concrete results “on the ground, at the grass-roots level”. If these assholes cannot even handle a simple issue of a public demonstration, and the Prime Minister and the entire BN leadership still insist on relying on this bunch of immature political wannabes, then there is but one conclusion – Barisan Nasional will suffer a major setback in the coming General Election.
And if the election is held this year, I am willing to put my reputation on the line as a former political secretary to the fourth Prime Minister, that Barisan Nasional will never be able to reclaim the 2/3rd majority in Parliament as well as the four state governments controlled by the Opposition coalition.
The Prime Minister will be ousted within six months from date of the election.
Advice to PM: Send Hisham to be psycho-analysed
All these so-called advisers and political pundits can do a better service to the nation if they just spend 24/7 for an entire month, watching the Chinese historical epic “The Three Kingdoms” on sale in any DVD shop in Malaysia. They may just be able to learn some basic lessons on Political Strategy 101.
The Prime Minister will be ousted within six months from date of the election.
Advice to PM: Send Hisham to be psycho-analysed
All these so-called advisers and political pundits can do a better service to the nation if they just spend 24/7 for an entire month, watching the Chinese historical epic “The Three Kingdoms” on sale in any DVD shop in Malaysia. They may just be able to learn some basic lessons on Political Strategy 101.
My second advice to the Prime Minister is to send his cousin, the Home Minister to be psycho-analysed for “Enlarged Ego Syndrome” (EES) and to revamp the entire senior management of the national security apparatus of the Polis Diraja Malaysia (the Royal Malaysian Police Force).
My third advice to the Prime Minister is to place in cold storage, the irrelevant UMNO Youth leader. If you do that, you would have – to a certain extent – applied the Blue Ocean Strategy. Your biggest problem and challenge is internal, within the ranks of your party – UMNO political warlords, not the Opposition parties.
My third advice to the Prime Minister is to place in cold storage, the irrelevant UMNO Youth leader. If you do that, you would have – to a certain extent – applied the Blue Ocean Strategy. Your biggest problem and challenge is internal, within the ranks of your party – UMNO political warlords, not the Opposition parties.
These UMNO leaders are intellectually bankrupt and politically outdated.
Lessons
What lessons can we draw from today’s event? To draw any conclusions and learn from the experience, we have to address the following questions:
Lessons
What lessons can we draw from today’s event? To draw any conclusions and learn from the experience, we have to address the following questions:
Firstly, why did the so-called Blue Ocean Strategy experts fail to anticipate a repeat of Bersih 2007 and take pre-emptive measures?
Secondly, why did the national security apparatus fail to anticipate Bersih 2.0? When were the Prime Minister and the cabinet briefed on the Bersih 2.0 demonstration?
Thirdly, why did the Barisan Nasional government allow the Perkasa provocateurs to hijack the stage to mount their ill-conceived fascist-like reaction to Bersih, followed by the immature UMNO Youth’s belated bravado?
Fourthly, why did the Prime Minister, after agreeing to allow Bersih to congregate in a stadium, not follow through with that magnanimous decision by directing the police to grant the relevant permits, but flip-flopped and allowed the security apparatus to take complete charge?
Fifthly, what made the Barisan Nasional propaganda machinery think that by locking down the entire city since Friday evening, there will be a blowback – anger and opposition by the grass-roots – against the organisers of the Bersih 2.0 demonstration, and not against Barisan Nasional for their high-handed action?
Sixthly, was there any evaluation that by taking the sledge-hammer approach to Bersih 2.0 demonstration for “fair and clean elections”, the Barisan Nasional government will be able to retain its supporters and gain new adherents or on the contrary piss off its very own supporters and alienate further the 40% undecided voters?
Finally, what were the identified strategic objectives to be gained by adopting the sledge-hammer approach and how would they enhance the results in favour of the Barisan Nasional government in the coming General Election?
I am curious to know from the Blue Ocean Strategists, the Political Secretaries, the Special Officers and the highly paid consultants what Strategic Briefs/Memoranda that they have submitted to the Prime Minister and the Barisan Nasional leadership.
The rakyat has the right to know as well. It is arrogance, height of irresponsibility and a dereliction of duty if no detail briefs were prepared and submitted for consideration.
Repair period
It is my estimation that it will take a minimum of ten months at the minimum to repair the damage done to the image of the Barisan Nasional in general and the prime minister in particular, provided there is a coherent strategy to address and resolve the issues that are close to the hearts and minds of the grass-roots and the sophisticated urban middle-class voters (young and old).
It is my estimation that it will take a minimum of ten months at the minimum to repair the damage done to the image of the Barisan Nasional in general and the prime minister in particular, provided there is a coherent strategy to address and resolve the issues that are close to the hearts and minds of the grass-roots and the sophisticated urban middle-class voters (young and old).
The administrative machinery is a giant bureaucracy – a super oil tanker. From top down, over 95 percent of the manpower is project-orientated, in plain BN language, money-orientated – “what’s in it for me” mentality. Everyone is eyeing the multi- billion dollar cake, the multi-billion dollar patronage gravy train.
But all that is required is going back to basics.
But all that is required is going back to basics.
Matthias Chang, a lawyer by profession, served as political secretary to then prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
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