By Kee Thuan Chye | MSN Malaysia
Too much has been made of the recent report by The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), which is part of the magazine The Economist.
The Malaysian news agency Bernama spun it to make it appear a forecast of the upcoming general election result. It claimed the EIU predicted the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) government “will” win the upcoming general election while the Opposition Pakatan Rakyat, for making “costly promises”, appears “a distant second”. It also said the EIU’s conclusion was based on BN’s “successful track record, Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak’s reform agenda, and his successful economic leadership”. On the other hand, it added, “Pakatan’s populism has remained to be simply hot air”.
Rafizi Ramli, chief of strategy for one of Pakatan’s component parties, PKR, has, however, dismissed Bernama’s spin as being filled with incorrect information. “The report in itself is very neutral,” he said, “but because of Bernama and the way they spin it, it looks like The Economist is giving us a real thrashing.”
It has to be said, after looking at the EIU’s report, that Bernama has indeed coloured its report with subjective interpretation. Nowhere does the EIU state that BN will win the general election. It merely says that BN is “likely” to win, but also that “it will probably fail to attain the two-thirds parliamentary majority that would enable it to make constitutional changes unchallenged”. Neither does the EIU intimate that BN’s likely victory would be due to its “successful” track record and Najib’s “successful” economic leadership. The use of “hot air” is also Bernama’s own editorialising.
In fact, the EIU report actually says that the BN government “has spent lavishly in two consecutive budgets in order to please voters”. And, essentially, it sees the general election as “likely to be a tight race”, and does “not expect the outcome to lead to a dramatic improvement in the public finances”.
What the report really centres on is the likely financial outlook for Malaysia in the aftermath of the general election, hence its title ‘A fiscal bidding war’. Its priority is not really about predicting which side would win.
Even so, a closer analysis of the language the report uses could indicate a slight bias. For instance, it points out that Pakatan “is making many costly promises to the electorate in its eagerness to gain power” but these have “attracted less attention than the generosity” of the BN government. There appears a fair measure of editorialising in the choice of words like “eagerness to gain power”, which throws a negative hue on Pakatan, and “generosity”, which engenders positive connotations for what is really disputable spending on the part of BN.
It also singles out the Pakatan-led Selangor state government for having been accused, mainly by BN, of breaking its promises, having implemented only 15 per cent of its election pledges made in 2008. Why does it pick on the Selangor state government on this particular aspect while it overlooks the positive fiscal achievements accomplished by it and the Penang state government, which is also Pakatan-led?
In any case, the report appears to have been made from an armchair position as it says nothing new that clued-in Malaysians don’t already know about. And for all its professional reputation as a reliable assessor, the EIU is not privy to the country’s hidden accounts and offers no reading of the Malaysian ground sentiment. Its report should therefore be given only a fair amount of serious consideration.
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Has Transparency International Malaysia provisions to delete and disqualify signatories to its Election Integrity Pledge who blatantly violate its four principles in the run-up to the 13GE?
By Lim Kit Siang
The Pahang Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Adnan Yaakob has followed in the footsteps of the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak and the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz to criticise Pakatan Rakyat leaders for their reluctance to sign the Transparency International-Malaysia’s (TIM) Election Integrity Pledge which was signed with such fanfare by the Prime Minister last Wednesday.
Adnan repeated the “old chestnut” that Pakatan Rakyat leaders are reluctant to sign the TIM Election Integrity Pledge because they have something to hide and that they are still doubtful whether the opposition coalition could responsibly run the country if they come to power.
Speaking at the opening of a meeting of the Pahang branch of the Malaysian Trades Union Congress in Kuantan on Sunday, Adnan said : “In future, if they abuse their powers, then the opposition leaders will give the excuse that they did not sign the integrity pledge to escape.”
I am shocked at such nonsensical argument spouted by a Mentri Besar, completely ignoring the laws of the land, religious teachings and ethics against corruption and abuses of power.
Is Adnan seriously suggesting that all the Barisan Nasional leaders, whether at the national or state levels, whether Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, Ministers, Mentri-Mentri Besar, Chief Ministers and State Excos can claim entitlement to corrupt practices and abuses of power solely on the excuse that they had not yet signed the TI Election Integrity Pledge?
It is these lame excuses of UMNO/BN leaders which have raised questions and concerns whether the TIM Election Integrity Pact is meaningful or whether it is being used to “whitewash” all the corruption and abuses of power which have been committed by UMNO/BN leaders whether at the national or state levels in the past.
Even officials of the Election Commission (EC), which should be an independent, professional and credible body to conduct free and fair elections in the country, have joined the bandwagon to echo UMNO/BN leaders’ criticisms of Pakatan Rakyat on the TIM Election Integrity Pact.
The Deputy Chairman of Election Commission, Wan Ahmad Wan Omar, hit out at Pakatan Rakyat by declaring that it is “a shame” that opposition party leaders are shying away from signing TIM’s Election Integrity Pledge.
The real shame is the Election Commission’s failure to understand it is only confirming its subservience and subordination to the ruling coalition of UMNO/BN to the extent of echoing UMNO/BN criticisms against PR, when the Election Commission should stay above the fray to conscientiously carry out its constitutional duty to conduct free and fair elections in the country.
If Wan Ahmad wants to dabble in politics, he should resign from the Election Commission and contest the 13GE as a BN candidate instead of continuing to undermine the independence and integrity of the Malaysian electoral process by being a subservient agent of Umno/BN.
Wan Ahmad said it is incumbent on candidates contesting in the general election to sign the pledge as the people desired representatives not merely to profess to have integrity but to practise it as well.
He said he believed the people would feel more assured in their choice if the candidates had no qualms about signing the pledge, as what Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak had done.
Although I must say that Wan Ahmad has given more sensible arguments than Adnan Yaakob to present the case for candidates signing the TIM Election Integrity Pledge, his remarks reek of hypocrisy and dishonesty as the Election Commission has never taken a stand against the rampant corruption of money politics by UMNO/BN in previous general elections.
I have qualms about signing the TIM Election Integrity Pledge precisely because of the Prime Minister’s cynical signature without showing any signs that he is serious and fully committed to its principles, and the abject and disgraceful role of Election Commission in the past in ensuring a clean, ethical, free and fair elections in the country.
TIM’s Election Integrity Pledge stipulates four principles for all signatories to observe in the 13th general elections, viz:
Has TIM any mechanism to receive and investigate public complaints that signatories have violated the four principles enshrined in the Election Integrity Pledge – even in the run-up to the 13GE?
Are there any provisions for TIM to delete and disqualify signatories to its Election Integrity Pledge who blatantly violate its four principles in the run-up to the 13GE?
For instance, within days of signing the Election Integrity Pledge, the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has violated his commitment to conduct a clean and ethical election campaign, when he declared in Kuala Terengganu on Saturday that “a vote for DAP is a vote for the oppression of Muslims” – a most unethical and shameless incitement of racial and religious hatred which is also totally against Najib’s signature 1Malaysia policy.
Will TIM communicate with Najib that the Prime Minister has violated the Election Integrity Pledge which he had signed last Wednesday to conduct a clean and ethical election campaign?
Will TIM ask the Prime Minister to withdraw and apologise for the irresponsible and unethical statement which is not only baseless and irresponsible but a most shameful example of incitement of racial and religious hatred and conflict?
If Najib is not prepared to withdraw and apologise for his unethical remark, will TIM delete Najib’s signature from its roster of signatories and disqualify him as eligible to be a signatory because of his blatant disregard of the four principles laid down in the TIM Election Integrity Pledge?
The Pahang Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Adnan Yaakob has followed in the footsteps of the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak and the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz to criticise Pakatan Rakyat leaders for their reluctance to sign the Transparency International-Malaysia’s (TIM) Election Integrity Pledge which was signed with such fanfare by the Prime Minister last Wednesday.
Adnan repeated the “old chestnut” that Pakatan Rakyat leaders are reluctant to sign the TIM Election Integrity Pledge because they have something to hide and that they are still doubtful whether the opposition coalition could responsibly run the country if they come to power.
Speaking at the opening of a meeting of the Pahang branch of the Malaysian Trades Union Congress in Kuantan on Sunday, Adnan said : “In future, if they abuse their powers, then the opposition leaders will give the excuse that they did not sign the integrity pledge to escape.”
I am shocked at such nonsensical argument spouted by a Mentri Besar, completely ignoring the laws of the land, religious teachings and ethics against corruption and abuses of power.
Is Adnan seriously suggesting that all the Barisan Nasional leaders, whether at the national or state levels, whether Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, Ministers, Mentri-Mentri Besar, Chief Ministers and State Excos can claim entitlement to corrupt practices and abuses of power solely on the excuse that they had not yet signed the TI Election Integrity Pledge?
It is these lame excuses of UMNO/BN leaders which have raised questions and concerns whether the TIM Election Integrity Pact is meaningful or whether it is being used to “whitewash” all the corruption and abuses of power which have been committed by UMNO/BN leaders whether at the national or state levels in the past.
Even officials of the Election Commission (EC), which should be an independent, professional and credible body to conduct free and fair elections in the country, have joined the bandwagon to echo UMNO/BN leaders’ criticisms of Pakatan Rakyat on the TIM Election Integrity Pact.
The Deputy Chairman of Election Commission, Wan Ahmad Wan Omar, hit out at Pakatan Rakyat by declaring that it is “a shame” that opposition party leaders are shying away from signing TIM’s Election Integrity Pledge.
The real shame is the Election Commission’s failure to understand it is only confirming its subservience and subordination to the ruling coalition of UMNO/BN to the extent of echoing UMNO/BN criticisms against PR, when the Election Commission should stay above the fray to conscientiously carry out its constitutional duty to conduct free and fair elections in the country.
If Wan Ahmad wants to dabble in politics, he should resign from the Election Commission and contest the 13GE as a BN candidate instead of continuing to undermine the independence and integrity of the Malaysian electoral process by being a subservient agent of Umno/BN.
Wan Ahmad said it is incumbent on candidates contesting in the general election to sign the pledge as the people desired representatives not merely to profess to have integrity but to practise it as well.
He said he believed the people would feel more assured in their choice if the candidates had no qualms about signing the pledge, as what Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak had done.
Although I must say that Wan Ahmad has given more sensible arguments than Adnan Yaakob to present the case for candidates signing the TIM Election Integrity Pledge, his remarks reek of hypocrisy and dishonesty as the Election Commission has never taken a stand against the rampant corruption of money politics by UMNO/BN in previous general elections.
I have qualms about signing the TIM Election Integrity Pledge precisely because of the Prime Minister’s cynical signature without showing any signs that he is serious and fully committed to its principles, and the abject and disgraceful role of Election Commission in the past in ensuring a clean, ethical, free and fair elections in the country.
TIM’s Election Integrity Pledge stipulates four principles for all signatories to observe in the 13th general elections, viz:
• Truth, integrity, ethical conduct and accountability, including not accepting or giving bribes or being involved in corrupt practices in any way;
• Upholding and giving priority to the interests of the rakyat as a whole;
• Good governance and transparency; and
• Compliance with all the applicable laws and regulations of Malaysia.
Has TIM any mechanism to receive and investigate public complaints that signatories have violated the four principles enshrined in the Election Integrity Pledge – even in the run-up to the 13GE?
Are there any provisions for TIM to delete and disqualify signatories to its Election Integrity Pledge who blatantly violate its four principles in the run-up to the 13GE?
For instance, within days of signing the Election Integrity Pledge, the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has violated his commitment to conduct a clean and ethical election campaign, when he declared in Kuala Terengganu on Saturday that “a vote for DAP is a vote for the oppression of Muslims” – a most unethical and shameless incitement of racial and religious hatred which is also totally against Najib’s signature 1Malaysia policy.
Will TIM communicate with Najib that the Prime Minister has violated the Election Integrity Pledge which he had signed last Wednesday to conduct a clean and ethical election campaign?
Will TIM ask the Prime Minister to withdraw and apologise for the irresponsible and unethical statement which is not only baseless and irresponsible but a most shameful example of incitement of racial and religious hatred and conflict?
If Najib is not prepared to withdraw and apologise for his unethical remark, will TIM delete Najib’s signature from its roster of signatories and disqualify him as eligible to be a signatory because of his blatant disregard of the four principles laid down in the TIM Election Integrity Pledge?
Monday, February 25, 2013
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
The Chinese Owe BN Nothing
My posting on FaceBook
Are you not angry with this statement?
"The Chinese are successful because Barisan Nasional (BN) has ensured harmony and implemented good policies since independence, Datuk Seri Najib Razak said yesterday."
Any elected government is supposed to ensure that the people are well taken care of in fairness, equality and its duty to protect the nation harmony and peace.
We are successful not because of umno-bn but through our hard work and sweat even though we are treated so unfairly due to the mismanaged application of the NEP.
Can Najib explained why over two million Malaysians migrated or seek better opportunities elsewhere if what he claimed is true?
Until a true set of policies in education, employment of civil servants, religion and racial divide of equality and fairness to all Malaysians are implemented, whatever Najib is babbling about are just hot air to fish for the Chinese votes. The are simple 'psy' talk only, nothing more.
We need to CHANGE and CHANGE we must in this coming GE 13 - Period.
By Kee Thuan Chye | Malaysiakini
Najib the vendor of half-baked spin was at it again a few days ago when he said the Chinese owed their success to Barisan Nasional (BN).
At a 1Malaysia open house, he said BN formulated good policies and ensured there was harmony in the country and an environment that “allowed the Chinese to make a good living”.
Najib had the cheek to say this.
He of course wants the Chinese to be thankful to BN and therefore vote for the coalition at the upcoming general election. But his half-baked spin completely ignores the other side of the story.
For instance, the Chinese also owe it to BN that they became second-class citizens in their own country because of BN’s discriminatory policies – and, let’s not forget, practices.
As a result, the Chinese have to work harder to succeed. To get places in Malaysian public universities. To have their children score the highest number of As and still not get accepted to do, say, Medicine in these institutions. And therefore be forced to send them overseas, at much higher cost.
The Chinese owe it to BN that they were compelled to leave Malaysia to seek fairer opportunities overseas, some never to return, and thereby contributing to a huge brain drain for which Malaysia is now paying the price.
Many who are now settled overseas may indeed be thankful that they left, but I’m sure Najib is not looking to them for gratitude. Some of them won’t be eligible for voting, anyway, having taken citizenships in their countries of adoption.
The Chinese also owe it to BN that to take on business projects of sizable proportions, they have to pay kickbacks – some to BN bigwigs themselves, some to their cronies.
The Chinese owe it to BN that they find it virtually impossible to rise to the highest echelons of public service – in the judiciary, the military, the police, the universities, the civil service. Not because they don’t have the merit to fill these positions; in fact, they do, which therefore makes it even more unjust and painful.
Can Najib name a single Chinese vice-chancellor in a Malaysian public university? Can a Chinese person become Inspector-General of Police or Admiral of the Fleet or Chief Justice?
Najib should note that despite the barriers, the Chinese accepted their lot. And many Chinese – for whatever warped or bewildering logic – actually supported BN throughout the times they were marginalised!
In fact, Najib should watch what he says in the run-up to the general election, especially if he is hoping to win Chinese support for BN.
As it is, many analysts believe that about 70 to 8o per cent of the Chinese are not in favour of the ruling party. If he wants to win at least some over, he needs to say the right things. More than that, he needs to do the right things. Although even then, one wonders if it might not be too late.
Many Chinese still remember what he reportedly said in 1987 on the eve of Operasi Lalang at the Umno Youth rally in TPCA Stadium. As the Umno Youth chief then, he displayed ethnocentric gusto in unsheathing his keris and announcing that it would taste Chinese blood by the end of the day.
It might have been an act of foolish bravado but it still resonates among some Chinese today. Considered together with the video that is making the rounds again of his address to the Umno and Malay NGOs audience in Putra Word Trade Centre (PWTC) a few days after Bersih 2.0, in which he said, with much tribal sound and fury, “We will show them whose country this is!”, many wonder if the leopard has changed its spots.
For all his talk of 1Malaysia, Najib is still an ethnocentrist at heart.
He has said he will meet the Chinese educationist group Dong Zong to discuss the latter’s demands in regard to Chinese education. In all likelihood, he will agree to meet some if not all of them as a last-ditch measure to win Chinese votes. He might even declare the Government’s recognition – finally – of the United Examination Certificate (UEC), a dream the Chinese educationists have been pursuing for the longest time.
If this consequently prompts Dong Zong to endorse Najib and BN for the coming general election, it could sway a good number of Chinese votes in the direction of BN. Then, like they did in 1999 when they saved Mahathir Mohamad’s bacon by strongly supporting his coalition when the Malays were swinging to the Opposition, they could hand BN a victory … and, who knows?, maybe even a two-thirds majority, which is what Najib desperately covets.
However, this is going to be a crucial general election. It is the one time when real change for the country can come about with a change of government.
The Chinese need to consider carefully about giving their vote to BN. They need to consider the long-term effects of another BN victory. They need to weigh the possibility of real reform in the event of BN being booted out and a new coalition taking over that could bring positive change.
They need to be wary of Najib’s sweet talk and his gifts. If he gives them Government recognition of the UEC, more independent Chinese schools, whatever, they might want to just accept these politely, say thank you and think of voting according to what they think is right.
Dong Zong on its part should remain neutral and not take a stand by endorsing BN. For if it does and Pakatan wins the general election, it would find itself in an awkward position.
The Chinese have a big role to play now in this coming general election. Najib can say anything till he is blue in the face, but they have to weigh the truth or lack of it in what he says. Besides, ensuring harmony and a conducive environment for work and living in the country is, after all, the responsibility – indeed, duty – of any government for which no gratitude from the citizens is necessary. So the Chinese don’t owe BN anything.
Above all, the Chinese must not forget about the corruption that has been rampant under BN rule for decades. And the rent-seeking. And the slow growth of our GDP since 1980 in comparison to South Korea , Taiwan , Singapore , etc. These affect the whole country, not just the Chinese, and are therefore all the more important.
So, when it comes to the crunch, the Chinese must vote for only one thing – a better Malaysia.
Kee Thuan Chye is the author of the bestselling book No More Bullshit, Please, We’re All Malaysians, and the latest volume, Ask for No Bullshit, Get Some More!
Are you not angry with this statement?
"The Chinese are successful because Barisan Nasional (BN) has ensured harmony and implemented good policies since independence, Datuk Seri Najib Razak said yesterday."
Any elected government is supposed to ensure that the people are well taken care of in fairness, equality and its duty to protect the nation harmony and peace.
We are successful not because of umno-bn but through our hard work and sweat even though we are treated so unfairly due to the mismanaged application of the NEP.
Can Najib explained why over two million Malaysians migrated or seek better opportunities elsewhere if what he claimed is true?
Until a true set of policies in education, employment of civil servants, religion and racial divide of equality and fairness to all Malaysians are implemented, whatever Najib is babbling about are just hot air to fish for the Chinese votes. The are simple 'psy' talk only, nothing more.
We need to CHANGE and CHANGE we must in this coming GE 13 - Period.
By Kee Thuan Chye | Malaysiakini
Najib the vendor of half-baked spin was at it again a few days ago when he said the Chinese owed their success to Barisan Nasional (BN).
At a 1Malaysia open house, he said BN formulated good policies and ensured there was harmony in the country and an environment that “allowed the Chinese to make a good living”.
Najib had the cheek to say this.
He of course wants the Chinese to be thankful to BN and therefore vote for the coalition at the upcoming general election. But his half-baked spin completely ignores the other side of the story.
For instance, the Chinese also owe it to BN that they became second-class citizens in their own country because of BN’s discriminatory policies – and, let’s not forget, practices.
As a result, the Chinese have to work harder to succeed. To get places in Malaysian public universities. To have their children score the highest number of As and still not get accepted to do, say, Medicine in these institutions. And therefore be forced to send them overseas, at much higher cost.
The Chinese owe it to BN that they were compelled to leave Malaysia to seek fairer opportunities overseas, some never to return, and thereby contributing to a huge brain drain for which Malaysia is now paying the price.
Many who are now settled overseas may indeed be thankful that they left, but I’m sure Najib is not looking to them for gratitude. Some of them won’t be eligible for voting, anyway, having taken citizenships in their countries of adoption.
The Chinese also owe it to BN that to take on business projects of sizable proportions, they have to pay kickbacks – some to BN bigwigs themselves, some to their cronies.
The Chinese owe it to BN that they find it virtually impossible to rise to the highest echelons of public service – in the judiciary, the military, the police, the universities, the civil service. Not because they don’t have the merit to fill these positions; in fact, they do, which therefore makes it even more unjust and painful.
Can Najib name a single Chinese vice-chancellor in a Malaysian public university? Can a Chinese person become Inspector-General of Police or Admiral of the Fleet or Chief Justice?
Najib should note that despite the barriers, the Chinese accepted their lot. And many Chinese – for whatever warped or bewildering logic – actually supported BN throughout the times they were marginalised!
In fact, Najib should watch what he says in the run-up to the general election, especially if he is hoping to win Chinese support for BN.
As it is, many analysts believe that about 70 to 8o per cent of the Chinese are not in favour of the ruling party. If he wants to win at least some over, he needs to say the right things. More than that, he needs to do the right things. Although even then, one wonders if it might not be too late.
Many Chinese still remember what he reportedly said in 1987 on the eve of Operasi Lalang at the Umno Youth rally in TPCA Stadium. As the Umno Youth chief then, he displayed ethnocentric gusto in unsheathing his keris and announcing that it would taste Chinese blood by the end of the day.
It might have been an act of foolish bravado but it still resonates among some Chinese today. Considered together with the video that is making the rounds again of his address to the Umno and Malay NGOs audience in Putra Word Trade Centre (PWTC) a few days after Bersih 2.0, in which he said, with much tribal sound and fury, “We will show them whose country this is!”, many wonder if the leopard has changed its spots.
For all his talk of 1Malaysia, Najib is still an ethnocentrist at heart.
He has said he will meet the Chinese educationist group Dong Zong to discuss the latter’s demands in regard to Chinese education. In all likelihood, he will agree to meet some if not all of them as a last-ditch measure to win Chinese votes. He might even declare the Government’s recognition – finally – of the United Examination Certificate (UEC), a dream the Chinese educationists have been pursuing for the longest time.
If this consequently prompts Dong Zong to endorse Najib and BN for the coming general election, it could sway a good number of Chinese votes in the direction of BN. Then, like they did in 1999 when they saved Mahathir Mohamad’s bacon by strongly supporting his coalition when the Malays were swinging to the Opposition, they could hand BN a victory … and, who knows?, maybe even a two-thirds majority, which is what Najib desperately covets.
However, this is going to be a crucial general election. It is the one time when real change for the country can come about with a change of government.
The Chinese need to consider carefully about giving their vote to BN. They need to consider the long-term effects of another BN victory. They need to weigh the possibility of real reform in the event of BN being booted out and a new coalition taking over that could bring positive change.
They need to be wary of Najib’s sweet talk and his gifts. If he gives them Government recognition of the UEC, more independent Chinese schools, whatever, they might want to just accept these politely, say thank you and think of voting according to what they think is right.
Dong Zong on its part should remain neutral and not take a stand by endorsing BN. For if it does and Pakatan wins the general election, it would find itself in an awkward position.
The Chinese have a big role to play now in this coming general election. Najib can say anything till he is blue in the face, but they have to weigh the truth or lack of it in what he says. Besides, ensuring harmony and a conducive environment for work and living in the country is, after all, the responsibility – indeed, duty – of any government for which no gratitude from the citizens is necessary. So the Chinese don’t owe BN anything.
Above all, the Chinese must not forget about the corruption that has been rampant under BN rule for decades. And the rent-seeking. And the slow growth of our GDP since 1980 in comparison to South Korea , Taiwan , Singapore , etc. These affect the whole country, not just the Chinese, and are therefore all the more important.
So, when it comes to the crunch, the Chinese must vote for only one thing – a better Malaysia.
Kee Thuan Chye is the author of the bestselling book No More Bullshit, Please, We’re All Malaysians, and the latest volume, Ask for No Bullshit, Get Some More!
Thursday, February 14, 2013
Efforts by the state to make the minorities halal
CPI Introduction
One of our readers sent this lament from an anonymous source of the way in which the racial factor works in this country and has been exploited by those that wield power. Although it may be read as an alarmist, biased and exaggerated analysis of how racial and religious dynamics are pushing the country towards a downward spiral, it does provide food for thought.
We have left out its most contentious parts lest we be accused of attempting to stoke racial sentiments and intolerance. It is an article which, however unpleasant to read, reflects many of the feelings at the ground level of the country’s marginalized communities, and which politics and policies have disappointed to a dangerously pessimistic degree.
Even if our body politic is not afflicted by a life-threatening cancerous growth as alleged by our anonymous writer, the cure for the country’s numerous boils and abscesses is to lance them, drain the contaminated pus and clean the wound. The country desperately awaits leaders who can heal rather than compound the damage to our citizenry.
Citizens to Pendatangs – Frogs on a slow boil By Ice Cream Seller
I am no science buff but remember reading about putting frogs in cold water and then slowly putting the water to boil. The frogs (unlike the Perak species) will die as they will be unaware of the change in temperature that will ultimately prove fatal.
Dear Malaysian brethren of whatever ilk, we will suffer the same fate as the innocent frogs if we let the country spiral to another Iran or Pakistan.
I am – in today’s parlance – a 3rd generation pendatang. Let’s call it Genpentiga (Generasi Pendatang Tiga). I suppose it can’t be that bad when a Genpendua became PM for 22 years. But then he metamorphosed into a Malay and cut his Indian roots only to go back to Kerala recently to see if there were any offshoots, I suppose, or perhaps some trait of mortality dictated that he visit his roots in his autumn days.
I look at my children Genpenempat and wonder what place they have left under our sun. Should I leave them in the water where they are comfortable or kick them out of their ‘comfort water’? Old frogs like me might as well die in the Malaysian water anyway; we are fast reaching our sell-by date.
I would like to share, if I may, some developments and events that have brought me to this juncture and by doing so, hope that the Genpenempat open their eyes wider and see beyond what meets the eye. These are in no order of priority but illustrate the point to me nonetheless.
Fuad Stephens
I am no East Malaysian but I remember how he perished in a plane crash with a few others. What if his plane was sabotaged? What would have been if this did not happen? Would Sabah be the same as it is today, with millions of new Malaysians? Would he have stood up to the shenanigans in KL? Would Sabah be 1/4 partner in Malaysia together with the Malaya, Singapore and Sarawak instead of being colonised into 1/13 and be submissive to Putrajaya? Would Malaysia be the same today?
Perak heist
What played out in the ‘transfer’ back to BN control opened my eyes as to what could happen on a Federal level. If the elected Speaker can be literally dragged out of his seat, what is there to suggest they can’t drag you out of your house? Remember, you are a PENDATANG. Of course, his replacement could not be a Malay so they had to get another pendatang to be the puppet to try and even the score. The new Menteri Besar is also a pendatang but he has the right qualification as PM Genpendua if you get my drift.
Selangor
The goings on currently in Selangor mirror Perak to some degree. The previous Menteri Besar, also a Genpendua but with the deemed suitable qualifications, ran the administration like a bandit in Java but still has not been brought to the 14th floor in Shah Alam to coerce some information from him about how he managed to have such a successful dental practice to be able to own a palace bigger than what he could have seen in Java.
Teoh Beng Hock
Pendatangs beware. If your children are getting married soon, even the next day, keep them under house arrest for their own safety. Every time my kids go out, we worry till they are back safe. If you work for the ‘wrong’ boss, it could cost you your life. But then, if you work for the ‘right’ boss, you may save your life and yet lose your soul. So pendatangs, choose between your life and your soul.
Kugan
I ask myself if the same fate would have been met if it was someone with a fairer complexion or at least the same ‘qualification’ as the ex-MB of the same state in which he died. Kugan and his type are today seen as an inconvenience, pests, scroungers and lately even christened “pariahs”. I suspect Kugan had deeper roots in Malaysia than the ex-MB. Whatever wrong he may have done, the video clips of his relatives barging into the mortuary and the outpouring of anguish left a lasting impression.
In the same vein, when one of my staff was killed in a motor accident, the records at the mortuary showed that the cause of death was “mabuk”. He was a teetotaller. On my insistence and with the timely arrival of the foreign pathologist who was employed there, the records were corrected. Just because he was of Indian origin, it was felt apt to put in “mabuk”!
History syllabus
In the school that I went to (Victoria Institution), we were taught history only till Form 3 unless you did Arts in Forms 4 and 5. My children were both Science stream students till Form 5 but they had to do History. I had a peek at their textbooks; seems like History has changed a fair bit.
They are fed rubbish, to put it mildly. It is His Story as told and imagined by a few bigots. My daughter’s book had an image of a Sikh with a turban but with the description Orang Bengali! Don’t they know that Bengalis are from Bengal and Sikhs are Punjabis from Punjab ?
I suppose this is to be expected when many wear the mantle of ‘Malay’ despite coming from all corners of Asia. They have tried to lose trace of where they originate. Turks, Arabs, Chinese, Indians, Pakistanis, Bangladeshis, Cambodians, Thais are all re-badged Malays. We now await the Africans, Caucasians and Eskimos to join ranks and be members of Umno Baru. A relative of Obama might yet lead Malaysia .
SPM answer scripts (I laugh so loud on this…)
When my children sat for their SPM examinations a few years ago, they had to tick a box to indicate if they were Muslim or not. Was it because they were in need of divine intervention in the event they are not Muslim? Or were the scripts marked according to whether they were halal or not?
Matriculation courses
It is widely accepted that the successor to the HSC, the STPM, is a tough examination. But stroll into an STPM class and you will observe that the Bumi students are conspicuously less. They are doing matriculation which we are led to believe is on par with STPM for entry to local universities.
Genpempat are likewise conspicuously less in matriculation courses. The intakes to universities are then claimed to be on merit despite being based on different examinations. With all this, how does one unify a nation?
Allah
The very fact that there is an attempt to copyright this word shows acute insecurity. In Pakistan, I was greeted withAssalammulaikum during my work visits there. To them, it was just being polite and civil. Here, it becomes “confusing” and threatening. The fact that the Catholic Church won a High Court case in this matter only to have it appealed with no hearing date in sight illustrates the insecurity and illuminates the deceit of the authorities.
Sabah
When they joined to form Malaysia, little did they realise that this majority Christian state was going to be swamped by aliens to the extent that the aliens outnumber the natives. The flushing in of these aliens over a concentrated period of time had a very sinister motive. Pendatangs should always be conscious of this. In Malay I call it niat jahat. The parallel that comes to mind for me is Ali Jinnah and his actions in carving out Pakistan (history as I learned many, many years after leaving school) from pre-independence India. Till today, Pakistan knows no peace for a sustained time.
Judiciary
The man in the street seeks justice on earth in the courts. Our judicial system simply fails the test on perception alone. Our history books as they stand are not going to record how this institution degenerated into the sewers by the actions of one man principally. The Attorney General has an image problem (and I am not referring to his face). The Chief Justice is supposed to be on record as having admitted to bribing clerks or junior staff to get things moving during his time as a lawyer. Add to that he was an Umno member. Pendatang, do you see the writing on the wall?
Scaling Mt Everest
Two of the mountaineers who reached the summit were of Indian origin. Rumour has it that the premier at the time was dismayed that the expedition leader couldn’t be there instead due to blisters on his feet. The injured leader however, never begrudged them and shared in the joy of the conquest.
One of the two mountaineers has since died and his widow is still bewildered over the snatching of his body on claims that her husband had masuk Islam. Pendatang, when you die, your wife may be subject to so many hassles you wonder if it was worth conquering Everest. Your carcass is more important than your conquest. (I use the term “carcass” deliberately.)
Jail for Lim Guan Eng
This Pendatang is now a Chief Minister and doing a damn good job in between ducking attacks from Utusan and Umno and their stooges. But remember he went to jail for speaking up for a victim of rape. From a perverse point of view, was it because he was a Pendatang and the alleged perpetrator was not? Pity there wasn’t Wikileaks then.
Cow head incident
Blatant, flagrant, insulting. But not as dangerous as a candlelight vigil with women taking part. Whilst the cow’s head went on display in Shah Alam, the Home Minister went on display to show the cow brains over television. That the police allowed them to bring it all the way to the MB’s office gate shows their partiality as far as I am concerned. Mark this episode, Pendatangs.
Rela
Malaysia’s own fifth column. Just observe how they move about like uniformed thug especially when raiding foreign workers’ quarters. They are just insecure bullies garbed in state sponsored uniforms. Many are not in it for love of country. More for love of money from extortions. Close parallel to what exists in Iran. Ideal source for extra judicial activities, so Pendatangs, be wary. Also progressive/liberal/moderate Muslims need to be aware. Again, just like what happened over the years in Iran and Pakistan.
Proton
A car I have vowed never to buy for what it represents. Aggregate all the money to protect this deity, we could have used the same to fund a decent public transport system in the country. Like others taken for a ride, I beamed with ‘pride’ when the first car was launched. Now, it has become a mirror of the NEP implementation –
overpriced, under-performing, waste of resources. I suspect the hidden agenda behind this project was to have a halal car.
Buka puasa
My Muslim friends tell me that buka puasa is a time to have a simple meal to break the fast. What we are having on display is an orgy of gluttony. Tables in hotels overflow onto passageways and corridors for this time of year. And many a time, the host of a table is a Pendatang. The guests come sometimes shamelessly comparing the offerings at different hotels in front of their paying hosts. Is there any meaning left in this supposedly holy month?
Ivory Coast
The person clinging to power in the Ivory Coast – at great cost to his country – is giving us a taste of what can happen in Malaysia. Please pay attention to what Laurent Gbagbo does. The same ingredients are here. Umno will take heart from him, from the Burmese Junta, from Mahinda Rajapaksa in Sri Lanka, from Robert Mugabe in Zimbabwe.
For Ibrahim Ali, these are angels sent from heaven and will be given honorary Perkasa membership.
Legacy of Mahathir
There is no denying his intellect. Unfortunately, I will remember him as the person who singularly destroyed what Malaysia was to me. No need to elucidate – it is there for all to see.
The Malaysia as I knew and loved is no more. It died a slow death after battling cancer for 22 years but is there hope for resurrection in the horizon not for me but for Genpempat?
* The write-up above had earlier appeared in Malaysia Today on 10 Jan 2011.*
One of our readers sent this lament from an anonymous source of the way in which the racial factor works in this country and has been exploited by those that wield power. Although it may be read as an alarmist, biased and exaggerated analysis of how racial and religious dynamics are pushing the country towards a downward spiral, it does provide food for thought.
We have left out its most contentious parts lest we be accused of attempting to stoke racial sentiments and intolerance. It is an article which, however unpleasant to read, reflects many of the feelings at the ground level of the country’s marginalized communities, and which politics and policies have disappointed to a dangerously pessimistic degree.
Even if our body politic is not afflicted by a life-threatening cancerous growth as alleged by our anonymous writer, the cure for the country’s numerous boils and abscesses is to lance them, drain the contaminated pus and clean the wound. The country desperately awaits leaders who can heal rather than compound the damage to our citizenry.
Citizens to Pendatangs – Frogs on a slow boil By Ice Cream Seller
I am no science buff but remember reading about putting frogs in cold water and then slowly putting the water to boil. The frogs (unlike the Perak species) will die as they will be unaware of the change in temperature that will ultimately prove fatal.
Dear Malaysian brethren of whatever ilk, we will suffer the same fate as the innocent frogs if we let the country spiral to another Iran or Pakistan.
I am – in today’s parlance – a 3rd generation pendatang. Let’s call it Genpentiga (Generasi Pendatang Tiga). I suppose it can’t be that bad when a Genpendua became PM for 22 years. But then he metamorphosed into a Malay and cut his Indian roots only to go back to Kerala recently to see if there were any offshoots, I suppose, or perhaps some trait of mortality dictated that he visit his roots in his autumn days.
I look at my children Genpenempat and wonder what place they have left under our sun. Should I leave them in the water where they are comfortable or kick them out of their ‘comfort water’? Old frogs like me might as well die in the Malaysian water anyway; we are fast reaching our sell-by date.
I would like to share, if I may, some developments and events that have brought me to this juncture and by doing so, hope that the Genpenempat open their eyes wider and see beyond what meets the eye. These are in no order of priority but illustrate the point to me nonetheless.
Fuad Stephens
I am no East Malaysian but I remember how he perished in a plane crash with a few others. What if his plane was sabotaged? What would have been if this did not happen? Would Sabah be the same as it is today, with millions of new Malaysians? Would he have stood up to the shenanigans in KL? Would Sabah be 1/4 partner in Malaysia together with the Malaya, Singapore and Sarawak instead of being colonised into 1/13 and be submissive to Putrajaya? Would Malaysia be the same today?
Perak heist
What played out in the ‘transfer’ back to BN control opened my eyes as to what could happen on a Federal level. If the elected Speaker can be literally dragged out of his seat, what is there to suggest they can’t drag you out of your house? Remember, you are a PENDATANG. Of course, his replacement could not be a Malay so they had to get another pendatang to be the puppet to try and even the score. The new Menteri Besar is also a pendatang but he has the right qualification as PM Genpendua if you get my drift.
Selangor
The goings on currently in Selangor mirror Perak to some degree. The previous Menteri Besar, also a Genpendua but with the deemed suitable qualifications, ran the administration like a bandit in Java but still has not been brought to the 14th floor in Shah Alam to coerce some information from him about how he managed to have such a successful dental practice to be able to own a palace bigger than what he could have seen in Java.
Teoh Beng Hock
Pendatangs beware. If your children are getting married soon, even the next day, keep them under house arrest for their own safety. Every time my kids go out, we worry till they are back safe. If you work for the ‘wrong’ boss, it could cost you your life. But then, if you work for the ‘right’ boss, you may save your life and yet lose your soul. So pendatangs, choose between your life and your soul.
Kugan
I ask myself if the same fate would have been met if it was someone with a fairer complexion or at least the same ‘qualification’ as the ex-MB of the same state in which he died. Kugan and his type are today seen as an inconvenience, pests, scroungers and lately even christened “pariahs”. I suspect Kugan had deeper roots in Malaysia than the ex-MB. Whatever wrong he may have done, the video clips of his relatives barging into the mortuary and the outpouring of anguish left a lasting impression.
In the same vein, when one of my staff was killed in a motor accident, the records at the mortuary showed that the cause of death was “mabuk”. He was a teetotaller. On my insistence and with the timely arrival of the foreign pathologist who was employed there, the records were corrected. Just because he was of Indian origin, it was felt apt to put in “mabuk”!
History syllabus
In the school that I went to (Victoria Institution), we were taught history only till Form 3 unless you did Arts in Forms 4 and 5. My children were both Science stream students till Form 5 but they had to do History. I had a peek at their textbooks; seems like History has changed a fair bit.
They are fed rubbish, to put it mildly. It is His Story as told and imagined by a few bigots. My daughter’s book had an image of a Sikh with a turban but with the description Orang Bengali! Don’t they know that Bengalis are from Bengal and Sikhs are Punjabis from Punjab ?
I suppose this is to be expected when many wear the mantle of ‘Malay’ despite coming from all corners of Asia. They have tried to lose trace of where they originate. Turks, Arabs, Chinese, Indians, Pakistanis, Bangladeshis, Cambodians, Thais are all re-badged Malays. We now await the Africans, Caucasians and Eskimos to join ranks and be members of Umno Baru. A relative of Obama might yet lead Malaysia .
SPM answer scripts (I laugh so loud on this…)
When my children sat for their SPM examinations a few years ago, they had to tick a box to indicate if they were Muslim or not. Was it because they were in need of divine intervention in the event they are not Muslim? Or were the scripts marked according to whether they were halal or not?
Matriculation courses
It is widely accepted that the successor to the HSC, the STPM, is a tough examination. But stroll into an STPM class and you will observe that the Bumi students are conspicuously less. They are doing matriculation which we are led to believe is on par with STPM for entry to local universities.
Genpempat are likewise conspicuously less in matriculation courses. The intakes to universities are then claimed to be on merit despite being based on different examinations. With all this, how does one unify a nation?
Allah
The very fact that there is an attempt to copyright this word shows acute insecurity. In Pakistan, I was greeted withAssalammulaikum during my work visits there. To them, it was just being polite and civil. Here, it becomes “confusing” and threatening. The fact that the Catholic Church won a High Court case in this matter only to have it appealed with no hearing date in sight illustrates the insecurity and illuminates the deceit of the authorities.
Sabah
When they joined to form Malaysia, little did they realise that this majority Christian state was going to be swamped by aliens to the extent that the aliens outnumber the natives. The flushing in of these aliens over a concentrated period of time had a very sinister motive. Pendatangs should always be conscious of this. In Malay I call it niat jahat. The parallel that comes to mind for me is Ali Jinnah and his actions in carving out Pakistan (history as I learned many, many years after leaving school) from pre-independence India. Till today, Pakistan knows no peace for a sustained time.
Judiciary
The man in the street seeks justice on earth in the courts. Our judicial system simply fails the test on perception alone. Our history books as they stand are not going to record how this institution degenerated into the sewers by the actions of one man principally. The Attorney General has an image problem (and I am not referring to his face). The Chief Justice is supposed to be on record as having admitted to bribing clerks or junior staff to get things moving during his time as a lawyer. Add to that he was an Umno member. Pendatang, do you see the writing on the wall?
Scaling Mt Everest
Two of the mountaineers who reached the summit were of Indian origin. Rumour has it that the premier at the time was dismayed that the expedition leader couldn’t be there instead due to blisters on his feet. The injured leader however, never begrudged them and shared in the joy of the conquest.
One of the two mountaineers has since died and his widow is still bewildered over the snatching of his body on claims that her husband had masuk Islam. Pendatang, when you die, your wife may be subject to so many hassles you wonder if it was worth conquering Everest. Your carcass is more important than your conquest. (I use the term “carcass” deliberately.)
Jail for Lim Guan Eng
This Pendatang is now a Chief Minister and doing a damn good job in between ducking attacks from Utusan and Umno and their stooges. But remember he went to jail for speaking up for a victim of rape. From a perverse point of view, was it because he was a Pendatang and the alleged perpetrator was not? Pity there wasn’t Wikileaks then.
Cow head incident
Blatant, flagrant, insulting. But not as dangerous as a candlelight vigil with women taking part. Whilst the cow’s head went on display in Shah Alam, the Home Minister went on display to show the cow brains over television. That the police allowed them to bring it all the way to the MB’s office gate shows their partiality as far as I am concerned. Mark this episode, Pendatangs.
Rela
Malaysia’s own fifth column. Just observe how they move about like uniformed thug especially when raiding foreign workers’ quarters. They are just insecure bullies garbed in state sponsored uniforms. Many are not in it for love of country. More for love of money from extortions. Close parallel to what exists in Iran. Ideal source for extra judicial activities, so Pendatangs, be wary. Also progressive/liberal/moderate Muslims need to be aware. Again, just like what happened over the years in Iran and Pakistan.
Proton
A car I have vowed never to buy for what it represents. Aggregate all the money to protect this deity, we could have used the same to fund a decent public transport system in the country. Like others taken for a ride, I beamed with ‘pride’ when the first car was launched. Now, it has become a mirror of the NEP implementation –
overpriced, under-performing, waste of resources. I suspect the hidden agenda behind this project was to have a halal car.
Buka puasa
My Muslim friends tell me that buka puasa is a time to have a simple meal to break the fast. What we are having on display is an orgy of gluttony. Tables in hotels overflow onto passageways and corridors for this time of year. And many a time, the host of a table is a Pendatang. The guests come sometimes shamelessly comparing the offerings at different hotels in front of their paying hosts. Is there any meaning left in this supposedly holy month?
Ivory Coast
The person clinging to power in the Ivory Coast – at great cost to his country – is giving us a taste of what can happen in Malaysia. Please pay attention to what Laurent Gbagbo does. The same ingredients are here. Umno will take heart from him, from the Burmese Junta, from Mahinda Rajapaksa in Sri Lanka, from Robert Mugabe in Zimbabwe.
For Ibrahim Ali, these are angels sent from heaven and will be given honorary Perkasa membership.
Legacy of Mahathir
There is no denying his intellect. Unfortunately, I will remember him as the person who singularly destroyed what Malaysia was to me. No need to elucidate – it is there for all to see.
The Malaysia as I knew and loved is no more. It died a slow death after battling cancer for 22 years but is there hope for resurrection in the horizon not for me but for Genpempat?
* The write-up above had earlier appeared in Malaysia Today on 10 Jan 2011.*
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