Indifference, Anticipation, Frustration....

**********************************
If you think of yourselves as helpless and ineffectual,
it is certain that you will create a despotic government to be your master.
The wise despot, therefore, maintains among his subjects
a popular sense that they are helpless and ineffectual."
- Frank Herbert

*****************************

What is it that I speak of here? Nothing new, really - just a rehash of among the first things I wrote about Malaysian society in general. Nothing more than rephrasing what I wrote a long time back, when I wrote A Malaysian Disease of Fear and Apathy so, so long ago.

There is a sense of "despair" too - seeing how the Umno government uses all the dirty tricks in the book to sabotage the proper functioning of a democracy. Not just that - the imbecility of the so-called "opposition" politicians, and NGOs who seem to exhibit some weird form of "political masochism" - they just relish the opportunity to flog themselves and each other to death, when the people have given them a mandate to talk to each other and rule with accountability.
RPK on his part, has confessed that he is for once speechless, watching the antics of the clowns in Pakatan Rakyat who aspire to be leaders - and we thought, only BN/Umno was bad ....

The following phrases might seem quite familiar to all of us:-
"I don't like Politics", "Politicians are crooks", "Politics is not for me", "I just wanna go on with my life", "it's useless", "You not afraid, ah?", "It is so sick....",
"I've got a family/business/job to think of ...", "I've got loans ....", "Let them do it..."
"I don't know anything about politics, and don't want to know anything about politics"

Yes- these are the excuses they'll use to avoid making a stand for their dignity or the future of their children. They'd rather sacrifice it all at the "altar of prosperity", for the little pleasures they can enjoy today, at the expense of Rule of Law and good governance. They don't mind it the least bit if they are the very ones who feed the cancer that rots the fabric of the nation. These are the cowards who will cry the most when they or their children go hungry or die of the consequences of the corruption prevalent in our society.
These are the people who cling to the cause of the disease in society, and hope to wish the results away. It is precisely what makes UMNO tick and smile - that sense of helplessness.

***************************

We do not err because truth is difficult to see.
It is visible at a glance.
We err because this is more comfortable.

--Alexander Solzhenitsyn

**************************

And that reminds me of a conversation I had with a "Facebook friend", wherein he actually implied that he doesn't give a damn about the "Rape of Perak" or the "stealing of elections" as in most despotic regimes. The reason for this was just that the "government has to function".
He went on to say that, "Legal or illegal. Just stop it. Perak must not become the platform to examine the essence of the Constitutional Law or Parliamentary Democracy. Enough is enough....Do you know that economy must function? Daily activities must continue." (He was however quite quick to claim that he was no fan of BN, though!!!)
It is the language of despair and powerlessness that speaks out from this friend of ours - not that he doesn't care. It doesn't matter to him that the country has been robbed, and he'd rather work with the devil who holds his balls and plays with it, than have his rice bowl threatened. It is what Frank Herbert described in the above quote - but such people rather not see that ..... as ignorance is indeed bliss.

R. Shan (aka "Human Being"), had a letter published (on MT) in which he appeared to deplore this "Malaysia Boleh" spirit of malaise, which he saw on MT. He thought it was possibly "escapism" among readers/commenter. Well, to that, I can only say- Yes and No. And he probably suffers from a little frustration, due to the pace of what little changes that are taking place. Although I believe that there are "other reasons" for this creeping malaise that has set in in MT (despite the plethora of news overload) where "expression" is concerned, much of what he said is quite true - and I thought I was the only one who felt it, until I started getting calls asking me "what's with MT, these days?".
He concluded his article by saying, "I am not preaching, but fail to understand why every action that we do or embark in is for ourselves rather that for the community that we live in....What ever the theory it can be, nothing happens if you can only think of yourself."

True, what Shan said- the reason being, for many it was like a "hard-on" which withers after the heat of action. They are too comfortable in their comfort zones, expect quick-fix results, and do not have the stomach for a "struggle". They'd rather live a life that is "drugged into a stupor", and enjoy the delusional matrix created for them by their ruling elite.
What matters to them is that they can make their money, have their fun, and go about without thinking about the ramifications of their fear and apathy. That's life, and being Malaysian is all about, for them. It does not matter to them if they are actually feeding the "cancer" that's eating into the system that will destroy the future for their children. What matters is that they have their fill of the scraps that fall of the table of the pirates who rape the nation.

**************************
"He that is conscious of guilt cannot bear the innocence of others:
So they will try to reduce all others to their own level. "
-Fox, Charles James
**************************

Anyways - there definitely is a growing malaise and frustration that is setting in with the people - with all the "injustice, incompetence, news, dirt and controversy overload" in the media (MSM or Online), created by those with vested interests. Then we have the gullible Pakatan Rakyat Aduns & MPs who out of sheer inferiority complex, megalomania or disillusionment at their own failures, are taking to controversy and squabbles like ducks to water .... like big, hot, dickheads - instead of talking and planning a future for Malaysia together..... while on the sidelines, we have the BN/Umno wringing their hands in glee - hoping for PR to self destruct.
Despite all the opportunities that we may have at our doorstep to renew our faith in the political system, we and the politicians still, unwittingly support pirates (or at least their ways), and prefer to point fingers and despair at the sideshows.
So despite all the facts thrown at and spat at our faces, by the ruling elite from BN/Umno, still -
many among us choose to, cling to the cause of our malaise, and hope to wish the results away .....

**********************************

"There is a kind of dictatorship that can come about
through a creeping paralysis of thought,
readiness to accept paternalistic measures by government,
and along with those measures
comes a surrender of our own responsibilities
and therefore a surrender of our own thought
over our own lives and our own right to exercise the vote."
- Dwight Eisenhower
************************************

P.S.
It is my opinion that MT should publish articles that help the people learn to think & discern. There has been too many updates- unlike no other website, and as such has lost its "soul". They need to be more selective in their publishing, and slow down their updates so as to allow the readers time to digest and understand the messages in many articles, and debate them rationally.
There was a time when reading comments on MT was a delight.....
On another note - someone came up with the theory that DSAI is probably creating bushfires (through the PAS-Umno talks/ Kedah issue) to distract BN's agenda to destroy PR -I don't buy that, though.

Related
Cry my beloved Malay soul [From MalaysiaKini (Opinions)]
Where is the Spirit of Merdeka?
Some Umno myths young Malaysians should know.
A Malaysian Disease of Fear and Apathy
Clinging to the Cause .... Wishing the Results Away
The "Social Contract" - A Malaysian "Cold War"?

Cry my beloved Malay soul

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
... ...

$$$$$$$$$$$$
“It took me six months to be nice, to bribe each and every individuals to get back into their good books before our files were attended to”
-Allegedly "misinterpreted" words CJ Zaki, now head of the JAC.

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

From MalaysiaKini (Opinions)

Cry my beloved Malay soul

AB Sulaiman | Feb 6, 09 10:51am

When Alan Paton wrote ‘Cry The Beloved Country’ he was lamenting over the inhumanity of man over man, of how the whites can devise, construct and implement race- and colour-based social and economic injustices over the blacks in apartheid-era South Africa.

The whole world had condemned this practice; we were among the loudest screaming against it.

South Africa has moved on since then, and today it is one shining example of an emancipated, open and progressive country, enjoying a respectable place in the community of nations. It has thrown apartheid into the bins of its history.

Here in Malaysia, yes we condemn apartheid, and quite rightly so. But in the same breath we were and are still its major proponent our version of apartheid.

We do not call it apartheid; of course not. We call it instead ‘Ketuanan Melayu’ under the guise of ‘championing Malay rights,’ and implementing it under the New Economic Policy. It’s smart, right? In none of them does the word ‘apartheid’ appear!

Yes, we are smart. We do not blatantly call it apartheid, we merely perfected the process of social separation. First of all we ensure the great majority of civil servants, the police, and the military are manned by Malays (the target benefactors). We give them good salaries, good perks and assured employment. We then devise rules and regulations, and even laws, to ensure the NEP’s easy implementation.

We then brainwash our Malay brethren with the notion ‘untuk agama bangsa dan negara’ that there is a higher ideal beyond performing a duty with professionalism and dedication, and that is doing things in the name of religion and race.

We devise rules and regulations, and even laws, to ensure the NEP’s easy implementation.

Then we design and implement social and economic policies like channeling lucrative government contracts, separate education streams, housing rebates, banking and financial support, in favour of, you guessed it, the Malays.

It does not stop there. We devise measures to prevent the people from raising too much objections to all these by introducing or continuing legislation and religiously implementing them.

The Sedition Act for example stops people from talking too much about language and religion. The Official Secrets Act prevents people from gaining access to government files.

Students and lecturers are not allowed to discuss and make public any subject that would appear to be critical to government (yes, government, not political) policies and philosophies.

All publications must, first of all, get operating licences. Newspapers must not only get a licence before publishing but it must be renewed every year.

Sacrifices conveniently forgotten

The king of all of the suppressive and oppressive laws is the Internal Security Act, when a citizen can be put under detention without the benefit of any charge!

All said and done, we sacrifice the rule of law in favour of rule by private individuals. To show that we are really smart, we pooh pooh the loyalty and patriotism of the non-Malay segment of the population.

We call them pendatang or immigrants bearing the stigma that they are social discard from their original country, similar to rogues, rascals, refugees, mercenaries and scoundrels. We just ignore their proven talent and ability in wealth creation and economic productivity, as well as to their demonstrated loyalty and patriotism.

Many of such pendatangs have made the ultimate sacrifices as military personnel defending its security, during the Emergency, the Confrontation period with Indonesia and as policemen while policing the social environment.

They have contributed and are continuing to, in sport and the arts. Their record as loyal and patriotic Malaysians is quite impeccable. But we do not really care.

The perplexing thing is that despite these attributes and positive records of the non-Malays, we are still going about championing and implement apartheid principles. In this new year, perhaps we can do with a little reflection: why are we doing all this?

We do this apparently to recover our lost soul. We perceive that we have been victims of colonisation when the Portuguese, Dutch and British colonisers all but butchered the Malay entity, psychology and culture. In the process we perceive that we have lost our Malay identity.

With independence, we thought we could recapture the lost glory of Malay suzerainty by

becoming masters of all facets of a nation, especially its commerce, and economy. We found out that the Chinese community had beaten us to it.

We felt the Chinese had capitalised on our weakness and captured the economic initiatives (and wealth) as well as the social characteristics of the country. We lost ‘face’.

Now we want to regain the mertabat or dignity and pride of the Malay race!

Yes, we feel that we have to recover our soul and it is here that we are reminded of Paton’s book title, but in this case suitably paraphrased to – cry my beloved Malay soul.

Our Malay soul needs to cry for doing the right thing for the wrong reason or the wrong thing for the right reason; even for the wrong thing for the wrong reason, but not for the right thing for the right reason.

To start with colonisation is really not an excuse for our psychological malaise and ineptitude.

Colonisation has been a feature of human history and felt all over the world. There are very few countries that have not been colonised in the world.

It is thus a neutral concept in human social and economic development. It is certainly not an impediment to social or economic progress as we are wont to portray it. We should dump this notion that we hold dear into the bin of history.

Rethinking our way of thinking

Just look at the records. The Koreans were once colonised by the Japanese, but today Korea is an industrial power house. Singapore was once colonised by the British and was indeed a part of us, and today we see this tiny country being a solid financial, trading and industrial entity.

Most pointedly of all, the US was once a British colony and today it is the mightiest nation in the world. Our second grouse - that the Chinese have cornered the economic sector of the country also needs re-looking into, on two counts.

First, the Chinese did not become successful based on any conscious and concerted economic programme to economically marginalise us.

We did this self-inflicted wound ourselves. As proof, we have to note that most of the Chinese came to our shores with only their feet, hands, guts and brains and perhaps a bundle of clothes, nothing more.

They become successful for their hard work, both physically and mentally and for the sacrifices they were prepared to make and had undertaken. They were successful for having the mental fortitude to seek opportunities, grab those that come along and worked extra hard to realise the potentials of these opportunities.

Secondly, we have been given a chance to be equal with them, both under numerous 'special privileges' enshrined in the Constitution, as well as under its NEP implementation programme.

The special privileges have always been in the constitution while the latter began in 1970. In short, we have been given the chance - the opportunity - many times over, to better our Malay polity.

Whereas the Chinese had to struggle just to find and identify the opportunities, in our case they were handed to us on a silver platter!

Thus far we have failed to capitalise adequately on them. It rather shameful we missing out on these chances specially created for us in the first place.

Either way the root cause of our weaknesses and the strength of the Chinese lies in two words - positive thinking. Our thinking is mired with so many dos and don’ts, so many musts and musn’ts, so many cans and cannots, may and may nots, plenty enough to created and internalise doubts and fears in our minds.

So much so that we have doubt over what we can and what we can’t do, what is allowed and what is not. We spend a lifetime looking for these highly complex cans and cannots, musts and must nots, that we have hardly any mental energy left to develop and self-confidence to get on and face the realities of life.

Let’s refer to this case as the ‘can’t don’t and won’t syndrome’. The Chinese by the way are not encumbered by such syndromes.

What appears to have happened is that this syndrome has affected our mental ability to conceptualise. We see things on the straight and narrow. We accept wisdoms handed down to us by our elders as the gospel truth.

Blinded by sentiment

We do not see that things can be seen and interpreted in many alternative ways. We feel we have the monopoly on truth; we therefore think that we are right all the time and other people are wrong all the time. Witness the way we see religion for example.

We think that we as Muslims are right and other people who profess other religions are wrong, all the time.

We need to cry for thinking that we can and have doctored the way the people think and do things. We have been intimidating the people with what they can read or write or think and do.

We seem to be saying "you can think anything, do anything, write anything so long as it does not criticise or condemn the government".

Soul-searching and resuscitating is not or should not be about pointing accusing fingers at some bogeys. That would be a most negative thing to do. It would be better for us to be open-minded and be able to identify our own strengths and weaknesses.

We improve upon our strengths and dump our weaknesses. Mainly we must be able to develop the awareness that we have both the strengths and weaknesses in the first place.

To illustrate, the NEP has proved many time over as a failed strategy for our socio-economic advancement. Let us be aware of this in the first place and move on seeking other ways with better chance of success.

How about secularising the Malay mind? It might make for a good start for we can see many of the don’ts, can’ts, musn’ts dissipating into the wind.

In the meantime, here we are in the early days of a new year. We should begin by realising that whatever 'smart’ moves we had undertaken all this while have not really been that smart after all.

The joke is on us. Everybody says so – the liberated Malays, the non-Malays, our neighbours and the rest of the international community. Only those of us basking in our closed mind and benefiting from the profits of the status quo say it’s alright.

Happy New Year all the same and here’s hoping this year we can get a good perspective as to what propagating a good mertabat really means. It’s long overdue.

In the meantime, cry my beloved Malay soul.

===================================

Related
Where is the Spirit of Merdeka?
Some Umno myths young Malaysians should know.
A Malaysian Disease of Fear and Apathy
Clinging to the Cause .... Wishing the Results Away.
The "Social Contract" - A Malaysian "Cold War"?

Clinging to the Cause .... Wishing the Results Away

****************************

"O liberty! how they have played with you."
- Mme. Jeanne Roland de la Platiere, before death at the guillotine
***************************

For a nation to come crumbling down, there are but three kinds of people in leadership, with three different characteristics that is required, namely -

• the untamed passions in a gifted man,
• the wanton power in a weak man, and
  
• the unteachable temperament in a privileged man.

How "lucky" we are, that we have all three in just one man, who I shall leave unnamed.

C.S. Lewis said, "When a ship goes out to sea, there are three things that it has to know -
First is, why it is there in the first place.
Then she has to how to keep from sinking,
and third, how to keep from bumping into other ships".

In life, the answer to the above three lies in ethics.
For us, Malaysia is that ship - sailing around in the high seas rudderless, and changing course as and when it pleases, without an idea as to where it's headed or why it is there doing what it is doing.

In "debating" the issues, we appear to have all our priorities and answers all wrong, or simply mixed up.
Karpal calls for DSAI's resignation after the Perak fiasco despite the fact that it was a DAP MLA's defection that triggered this crisis. Mahathir laughs at Anwar's apparent double standards at Nasarudin's re-hopping, Hamid Albar and Khairy screams "treason", and Shad Faruqi says that anti-hopping laws should solve the problem.
Of course there are many peasants among us who feel let down by the decision of a certain high office - having put them on a pedestal, after their lip service to "justice" in their high-flung speeches.

Shad Faruqi the Pakistani "constitutional expert", in his Reflecting On The Law column in The Star said, "What is worrying is that the fall-out of this crisis is sullying the reputation and credibility of many legal and constitutional institutions while the root cause – the despicable phenomenon of party hopping – remains unaddressed." (like as if they have any worthwhile reputation in the first place!)

Shad, after earlier proposing that it is the Sultan's prerogative to "Hire" and hence, by virtue of the Interpretation Act, is entitled to "fire", now makes a U-turn to suggest otherwise by saying that, "This implies that an MB cannot be dismissed except by a vote of no confidence in the assembly. If an MB who has lost confidence, and is refused dissolution, is shameless enough not to walk away, then the Sultan would be justified in dismissing him ......
The question of losing confidence was not constitutionally investigated."

He then spins to justify the extra-constitutional actions of the EC in undermining the constitutional right of the Speaker of the Assembly, by saying that - "In the light of this decision and the denial by the two defectors, the Election Commission had some basis to make up its own mind and to declare that the seats had not fallen vacant..... ".
Has he forgotten the prerogatives of the Speaker and the duties of the EC?
So much for "constitutional experts", I suppose.

Anyway, he is once again, grossly mistaken on the matter of party-hopping - it isn't in the least bit, "the root cause", as he claims it to be.
The fact remains that party hopping is legal, and justifiable, should the reasons for it be morally valid, and it reflects the people's mandate - hence not an "issue". It is the premise upon which such an action is taken, that needs scrutiny - not the act of "hopping" in itself.
It would be wrong to ban it completely - and I maintain that it is wrong for Karpal and gang to demand an anti-hopping law, or reprimand DSAI for it.
I would rather suggest that certain criteria be fulfilled and procedures be adopted - so as to reflect the people's mandate, and also to restrict the exploitation that it may be subjected to by those who wield power and money.

*************************************

"He that is conscious of guilt cannot bear the innocence of others:
So they will try to reduce all others to their own level. "
-Fox, Charles James
**********************************

The issue here is the fact that the Nizar Government is the Constitutional Government!
The political coup d'etat which was perpetrated by the DPM, to install a Government in the State of Perak was simply through purchase of "commodity" (or so it seems), is unconstitutional and illegal - whether the Sultan swore them in or not!
The DPM mocks the very Constitution which Shad speaks of. This makes all documents, agreements and contracts drawn out by this government, "illegal"- and those who partake in their activities would be rendered criminals.
The perpetrators of this crime are however, lauded as "heroes" in a certain party which happens to rule the Nation!!! One can only speculate the level of respect these goons have, for the Federal Constitution or the rule of law .....

The question however remains -
Just what is the malady that afflicts the Malaysian leadership and the electorate, that it is so difficult for us to bring about the change we desire?

The way I look at it, it is simply a crisis of faith in our Federal Constitution (and of course, that of the states), which stems from the 600+ amendments made to it by the lawmakers of BN, starting from Tun Razak - to perpetuate the evil called the NEP.
Anything done toward this end- criminal or not- is "fair game"!
To make matters worse, we have "legal eagles" in high academic/ professional office, who try to play the apologist for these "criminals" in office, through various subtle spins in the MSM and brutal enforcement on the streets.

It isn't enough that there is content in the Federal Constitution, and one more amendment as Shad Faruqi/Karpal/Guan Eng recommends isn't going to make a difference. Nor would the resignation of DSAI, Hadi or Kit Siang cut it.
What matters more than the content, is the conviction in its purpose, which should translate into faith in the Federal Constitution - that which is absent among politicians who disregard it. It is today nothing more than a taxi - a vehicle for the elite to ride on for a fee (or free), only for convenience - beyond which, it is simply, "toilet paper".

Until and unless we are willing to admit our faults/mistakes, we are doomed to sail rudderless - while pirates help themselves, until the day we are blasted to smithereens by that one pirate who cannot find anything to rob from us.
Thus far, this is being avoided by "refilling the empty decks", so that newer pirates can still have their fill - thus the myth that we are still a prosperous ship.
But we have warlord-leaders in denial like Muhyiddin who claim that the NEP "is perfect", and it is only the delivery system that is flawed. (That's like saying that Proton is a good car, and it is only the owners/customers/drivers who don't maintain them ....)

How can we cling to the cause - namely the NEP, which perpetuates wholesale piracy and daylight robbery, and wish the results away?
It is a system that thrives on the evils it cultivates - the immoralities of corruption, greed, undeserved rewards, intellectual bankruptcy, idolatry, sloth, envy, covetousness and hatred - albeit, under cover of the veil of religiosity or blatant racist bigotry.
Therefore, the lives of many Malaysians today is ruled by a dichotomy in which, they do what they hate, so that they can wash away their sins through repeated "acts of penance", or simply indulge in their pleasures to forget their evil deeds.

It all springs from our lack of ethics in our politics & education system - we have forgotten where ethics comes from, and hence, have unwittingly subverted our Federal Constitution in the process. As a matter of fact most of our lawmakers who scream "treason", have no idea what the word means, as they trample on the Federal Constitution.
We then have an electorate with paralyzed thinking faculties, and made to believe in their powerlessness. They are given to emotional upheavals and religiosity - they'd rather scream themselves hoarse and bang their heads on the roads for an unknown Palestine, while they squander away their own rights for pittance or nothing, by subverting their own Constitution.
To top it all, we have a CJ who confessed to indulging in corruption (at least that's what the media reported), and is now appointed as the head of the JAC!!

The Federal Constitution which is supposed to be the supreme entity, is no longer the living document upon which we build our nation - it is simply the toilet paper with with we wipe away the dirt we leave behind. It is simply an instrument which "modified" and "enforced" at will by politicians, to perpetuate their agenda of greed.
It has been replaced by corrupt & vainglorious men who wield power (and not real leaders), who seek to rule - and they can only do so essentially, by bribing the electorate and their representatives.

This is a system which can only survive through the deprivation of civil liberties and the emasculation of thought - and hence in has to be enforced by an enslaved "security apparatus" and civil service of the state, through the primitive laws and bigotry that we are famed for. What we have is a dictatorship of oligarchs.

No wonder Frank Herbert (Dune) said, "If you think of yourselves as helpless and ineffectual, it is certain that you will create a despotic government to be your master. The wise despot, therefore, maintains among his subjects a popular sense that they are helpless and ineffectual."

And yet, we still, cling to the cause, vote for pirates
and prefer to point fingers at the sideshows, so as to wish the results away .....

**********************************

"There is a kind of dictatorship that can come about
through a creeping paralysis of thought,
readiness to accept paternalistic measures by government,
and along with those measures
comes a surrender of our own responsibilities
and therefore a surrender of our own thought
over our own lives and our own right to exercise the vote."
- Dwight Eisenhower
************************************

Licking the Wounds ... of a Blessing in Disguise

What happened in Perak is good. I hope it will teach Pakatan Rakyat that it has to get its act together. ......
A mere car brought the Perak government down. If this is what brought the Perak government down, then it deserves to fall. I can only say that this serves Pakatan Rakyat right. They had it coming. When personal interests and racial issues override everything else, you deserve to fall.
And there are many low quality wakil rakyat still in Pakatan Rakyat .............Next time, get better candidates. Some of the Pakatan Rakyat wakil rakyat are so low standard I would not even trust them to baby-sit my dog.

- RPK

***********************************

So said RPK.
PR had lost their "bearings" when they got more than they could handle in it's infancy.
Well, I actually said the same (not verbatim lah) at while "Fishing", to PatLu, Segar & Viki- I actually said, "I wouldn't feel sorry for them if they lose the Perak Govt - they have forgotten what got them there!" (But I did feel sorry ...)
Still, it was heartbreaking to see the Nizar Govt fall in such a manner - I wouldn't have felt as such, should Pakatan have been ousted through a "No Confidence" motion. To make matters worse, we had to put up with the smug look of Mr. Mongolia at the press conference .....

"Gamuda" or not - this was realpolitik at play (and IMHO, plenty of "Mahathirism" stamped all over it!). Is it any wonder that Mahathir couldn't hide his glee, and as a "statesman", writing on CheDet,
"Lompat masuk (perangkap) boleh tapi lompat keluar tak sah!! He, he, he!".
(reminds me of how some guys write comments on MT, despite the availability of emoticons)
Yes - Anwar was outwitted in his naivity, and suckered in his own game, although with a little difference in style.

Taking the Stephen Kalong Ningkan case into consideration, we all know that Nizar is still the legitimate MB of Perak, the BN style is to use extra-constitutional methods to launch a coup - always has been, and always will be. Just letters don't cut it, when one claims majority - only the assembly decides. The Constitutional Head of state simply carries out the wishes of the people as expressed by the legislature. It would therefore do well for us to disregard the Pakistani academician cum "constitutional spin doctor" - Shad Faruqi, who claims that the Sultan can Hire & Fire at his pleasure like an autocrat.

Let's hope the case will give PR at least, a moral victory - but we all know that Karpal has a recording of a judge who confessed to being advocate of corruption.
So, we shall keep out fingers crossed.

There were many things that were unsatisfactory with the Pakatan electoral pact - but it was a pretty steep learning curve for them to negotiate. The attitudes of the DAP men in the past, isn't relevant as of now, (although RPK did bring it up).
RPK has also resorted to whacking PR now, in frustration - menyampah (or maybe just a bad flu). Whatever his reason may be, he, just as anybody else, is entitled to it.

I share many of the sentiments expressed by RPK - yes, I concurred with RPK on the dissolution idea, and posted something asking Nizar to dissolve the Assembly ASAP in DISSOLVE THE PERAK STATE ASSEMBLY, NIZAR!!!
(sometimes, I too like to be perasan lah -like as if anybody significant is gonna take me seriously!).

However, I'd look at the events that transpired in Perak in a positive light - it is a baptism of fire for Pakatan, and they better learn the taste of defeat fast - and I mean REAL fast. Or else, they will very soon bite the dust elsewhere as well.
It is a price you pay, when you take power for granted - with the presence of turncoats in your midst.
Actually, I'm surprised they lasted so long and it took this long for Najib to make his move ....

Recent events will make Pakatan realize that it isn't worth fighting among themselves, and that there are bigger things to fight over. Having tasted the sweetness of office/power and the bitterness of defeat, it will also make them fight harder & with more strategy in future.
Things may swing in their favour, if they can keep the desire for reform & negative sentiments towards BN burning in the hearts of the electorate.
In short - it may be a blessing in disguise!

While they take a step back to recoup their strategies, lets hope they do not lose sight of the other states in their grasp.
Meanwhile, just get better reps in future lah - in the last elections, many seat would've been won had they even decided to field donkeys!
And a last piece of (unsolicited) advice -
don't let your egos neglect the "Barisan Rakyat's" opinions!!

For what it's worth - all the best Pakatan!
Overall, you were "passable" in my book - The people are still with you.
And to Najib, the "man of the day" - your day of reckoning is yet to come.
Legitimacy doesn't seem to be a priority to you - You seek for glory within Umno, at the expense of the electorate.
Hardball is what you play, hardball is what you'll get from them
- Cheers to you, Najib!

"Transformers" - In search of "Optimus Prime" ....

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Last Christmas, after a very long time, I watched a movie which I considered "spinal" - it was "Transformers"!! There were two scenes which really caught my attention (other than the fantastic special effects)- the first was that of "Optimus Prime" asking that he be sacrificed so as to destroy "The Cube" and hence, the "deceptacons".
The other was when a harmless cellphone was transformed into a hyper-active & very destructive robot (a "deceptacon") when given an energy pulse from the cube.

Coming to our real world, it would not be too far fetched to imagine what the corrupting power of politics does to seemingly harmless, virtuous and idealistic men, when in power. In Malaysia, we have seen what three decades of the "Mahathirism" energy has done to Barisan Nasional and the country at large.
On the other side of the fence, we have an alliance of the most unlikely partners in PAS and DAP, with PKR as the cementing factor. On either side of PKR, although they march in formation, they appear to be heading in different directions, with very different motives. Depending on the strength of the "pull" on either side, Newton's Laws dictate that it is inevitable that PKR be swayed in either direction, should the pact prevail.

Pas appears to insist on its hardline/dogmatic Islamist stance (despite its apparently "accommodating" politics of late), while its pragmatic partners are more concerned with the socio-economic and political realities. The bottomline in PAS's politics seem to the people, is to be having a greater say in policy matters, without accepting the status quo as it is within the PR. A certain faction appears to be bent on creating discontent within its folds by looking for ghosts under the bed.
They're disturbed & ill at ease with the fact that the other partners have surpassed them in political achievement, despite their weaker "networking" - which makes them vulnerable to "Islamic overtures" from Umno.

First, it was the "muzakarah" by Hadi & Nasha which we all know about, then it is the "hudud" factor. They seem to be bent on creating a Sharia state while hiding their true intentions, with the Pakatan only as temporary allies.
They seem to be oblivious to the fact that they would hold greater sway among the Malays and the non-muslim electorate, should they be more progressive in their ways.

RPK did support Hudud "In principle", and without a doubt, with the impending KT by-elections, they are only using religion to "buy" votes among the conservative Malays of KT.
"In Principle", I too would support Hudud as a deterrant. After all why should a non-muslim complain when there'll be greater job opportunities, when their Muslim brothers walk around handless, right? Moreover, we can expect aspiring hand/ micro-surgeons of Malaysia to get much needed practice in putting hands back on those who win their appeal or at least get some medical tourism from hand/ feet (or other body parts) transplants ..... & Malaysia can be at the cutting edge of medical sciences plenty of hand donors too!

It beats me how they can say that Hudud is fine, as it doesn't affect the non-muslims when it is divisive in nature and destroys the idea of nationhood where the people are meant to live in equality under the same laws.
Hadi likens Hudud to surgery! Discussing Hadi's silly analogy would be an insult to my intelligence - so I shall leave that to the PakCik-MakCiks of Kg Cenereh/ Menjing/ Keruak or wherever, and let it pass (until of course, the day medical sciences classify Muslims differently & devise special surgeries for Muslims only).
In defence of hudud, there was an article on this matter by Zulkifli Sulong in The Malaysian Insider, equating Hudud with circumcision! It was entitled "William Leong antara khatam dan hudud". Are these columnists so brain-dead that they don't see the difference?
Let's forget the fact that Zulkifli Sulong spelt "Khatan" wrong - but to equate & compare the two, is simplistic and myopic at best.
One is a religious ritual/ covenant adopted by the faithful, while the other is a set of laws that prescribe irreversible mutilation as punishment of people declared convicts (which may be out of error, in the corruption prone human judgement), and places a Muslim's testimony above that of non-muslims', in a court of law (even if the Muslim lies).

It isn't that I oppose the spirit of Hudud per se - but I do not understand what is so "unIslamic"/kafir/jahilliyah with common law which has created dynamic societies and defeated outdated societies of the caliphates (other than what they claim the good book says). That too, when many a Caliph/ "Islamic" leadership ascended their "thrones" in less than ethical ways.
Why can't the PAS leadership stop using religion as a divide so as to achieve their ambitions of political power. Are they so bankrupt of ideas, that they have to keep harping on Arabic literature the unethical leaders of medieval times, just because they used sacred literature to justify their ideas?
Do they need to speak in unintelligible Arabic tongues to hoodwink the peasants?
They seem to be so focussed on Arabic culture/ "Islamic" laws and edicts, that they forget about instilling positive "values" through modern, progressive and scientific education.
The negative connotations of their insistence on dogmatic religiosity/ politics, does nothing to increase their stature as leaders who are in touch with the socio-economic realities of the 21st century.
Have they forgotten what "theology" is all about in preaching religious politics, or are they trying hard to be what RPK might've implied?

What is Hudud?

Noun - 1.hudood - Islamic laws stating the limits ordained by Allah and including the deterrent punishments for serious crimes hudud Islamic law, sharia, sharia law, shariah, shariah law - the code of law derived from the Koran and from the teachings and example of Mohammed; "sharia is only applicable to Muslims"; "under Islamic law there is no separation of church and state"

Here is what Aliran wrote in 2002:-

10. Is there a chance that Hudud may overstep the legal rights of non-Muslims?

In all likelihood it will. As Malaysia is a plural society and where the concentration of one ethnic community is not necessarily confined to one region or state there are bound to be clashes and overlaps in application. For example in any crime the victim and perpetrator may be of different religions. If the alleged rapist is a Muslim and the victim is a non-Muslim, there will be the question as to under what law the charge would be brought about. Under Hudud the alleged male perpetrator may stand to gain because of the impossibility of getting the testimonies of four Muslim male witnesses. Under Hudud, Muslims who commit robbery of property that is valueless in Islam e.g. liquor or entertainment equipment will have a chance of escaping any prosecution. In another worst-case scenario, such as in an incident of gang-rapes, where there are multiple perpetrators and victims (comprising Muslims and non-Muslims), eye-witness accounts of the rapes which may be offered by the victims would not be admissible as evidence as they may not be Muslim and male. In all of these hypothetical cases non-Muslims will stand to see justice taken away from them.

11. What effect will Hudud have on race relations?

The bleak scenario is that Muslim and non-Muslims will be forcibly divided not just in the cultural and social sense but in a legalistic sense too. A parallel legal system established exclusively for Muslims will lead to the enhancement of structural discrimination, where race and religion (and gender) can be legally invoked to justify unequal treatments and other unfair provisions in society. Eventually it will also lead to a geographical divide between Muslims and non-Muslims where one can expect an exodus of non-Muslims to more “non-Muslim” states or even emigration abroad.

17. What is to be done?

It will be difficult to repeal any law once passed. The strategy of stalling the implementation of Hudud (in the Kelantan case) is only temporary. If PAS manages to win the overwhelming support of the Malay electorate there will be less of a reason to postpone the implementation of the law.

On a long-term basis the struggle to repeal Hudud law must involve the struggle to repeal all draconian and unjust laws, whether passed under religious or secular guises. All laws that violate the principles of human rights and equality must be abolished. The movement to institute human rights is not necessarily western-oriented. It is as much a cultural need to want human dignity to be protected as it is a universal obligation to appreciate the rights of a community to cultural and religious practice. However, ultimately we must recognize that the greatest rights worth defending are rights that are invoked purely on the basis of us being humans. Which means equal treatment, equal access to opportunities and equal dignity for all, regardless of religion, race, class, nationality and gender. The only viable movement in this direction would be to restore our democratic institutions and push for a genuine regime of human rights.

Given the above mentioned scenarios, Hudud is anything but a fair law in a plural society and is divisive in nature - and thus would lead to a sectarian divide and conflict, and the demise of Malaysia as we know it.
IMHO, That can hardly be described as a law that's divine in nature .....
So what exactly is the PAS leadership under the author of "Amanat Hadi" up to, in trying to play up dogma and at the same time denying that it will not affect non-muslims who have an equal (if not more than the newly "Malaysianised") stake in the nation. Are they intent on playing up the delusion of an Islamic Utopia so as to hoodwink those in the dark about their humanity?
Are they trying to replace "Ketuanan Melayu" with "Ketuanan Islam" in a two-tier society?
Are they trying to deceive the non-muslims into believing that they will not be affected by Hudud?
Are they intent on injecting an energy pulse into the Muslim masses, so as to give them the "delusion of power" and have them dance around like the harmless phone which turned into a deadly "deceptacon" (in the movie I mentioned above)?

I appeal to the PAS leadership to refrain from exploitative political tactics using medieval laws & dogma, and transform itself into a pragmatic and progressive political ally in the Pakatan Rakyat for the good of the nation.
For the good of a dynamic and progressive Malaysia, please drop the Hudud & Islamic State rhetoric.
There is nothing but honour in giving up regressive ideas based on medieval laws which may be divine only in part. If it is divine, then IMHO, its divinity stops when references may be from man made texts/literature of the Sunna/ Ijma/ Qiyas, which the different Sunni or Shiite schools of thought may interpret differently. Denying human frailties in interpretations are characteristics of "Godmen Politicians" and would be very unbecoming of true "men of God", whichever school of thought they may belong to.

Let us learn to articulate our ideas well, embrace various philosophies and refrain from the arrogance of claiming to have the monopoly on truth and justice. Let us inculcate positive values/philosophy (which can be Islamic and Universal) into the hearts of people, without having to merge religion/church and state.
There are many things about which PAS needs to "level" with the general public, despite its laudable cooperation in the Pakatan Rakyat. However, for now, should I be a KT voter, come what may, I'd still vote for PAS over any BN candidate, considering the nature of the Umno/BN regime.
To me PAS is still a better bet - at least for now ....

In the words of RPK, "I challenge PAS to prove its critics wrong. Re-endorse the People’s Declaration and prove, once and for all, that a civil society and not the cutting off the hands of thieves is the priority of the party. In response to the move by PAS to, again, endorse the People’s Declaration, the civil society movements, even those whom PAS labels as ‘deviant Muslims’, will go down to the ground to explain the issue to the voters. This, we promise PAS.

I can assure you of one thing. Even those who are not Muslims plus those, Muslims and non-Muslims alike, who are opposed to the setting up of an Islamic State and Hudud will be campaigning for PAS in the Kuala Terengganu by-election. Re-endorse the People’s Declaration and see whether this happens or not."

Wish you all a Very Happy and Prosperous 2009!

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Further Reading:-

• Q & A on the Hudud and Qisas Enactment

• No Holds Barred (RPK)- The hypocrisy in man

• An outline of Hudud, Ta'zir & Qisas

• Hudud

• Islam and Violence in Malaysia
  

Total Recall - "Trojans" Revisited ....

"Who are the oppressors but the Nobility and Gentry; and who are oppressed, if not the Yeoman, the Farmer, the Tradesman and the Labourer?
... your slavery is their liberty, your poverty is their prosperity; yea, in brief, your honouring of them, dishonoureth the commonality... Unlord those that are lorded by you."
- Ranter Laurence Clarkson, 1647 (p. 81), The Many-Headed Hydra

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Lately, as I was going thru the web for some reading material, I found this image of the three legged stool at a DIY blog - and guess what I thought of as I read the author's comment (below)?
It was none other than BN and its "NEP/social contract/Ketuanan Melayu" rhetoric!
"I like the design, but crutches are pretty expensive, so unless you have access to broken ones, it’s a bit prohibitive."

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I also stumbled upon reviews of this book which I wish to get soon:

The Many-Headed Hydra is a book which explains how the ruling elites used legitimizing myths based upon metaphors of societal "terror" to manipulate cultural understandings in order to justify repressive violence against culturally defined "punishable categories of people".......

Be that as it may be, what actually plagues the nation now isn't just BN, but also the lack of conscience among politicians - more so, among those who trumpet "religious dogma" and not "values", so as to exploit the masses.

The recent removal of YB Khalid Samad as the PAS Dty. Commisioner from the Selangor line-up spoke volumes about the sincerity of the high profile BN-moles within the PAS hierarchy.
Therefore, calling these currently defensive guys in the leadership, "Trojans", as I did in a post here (it was mainly an interesting discussion on MT - Trojan Horses in the opposition ranks - early this year), wouldn't be too far from the truth.

With the PKR AGM currently afoot, it would be wise for the leadership to bear in mind - that anything which compromises the principles of the desired end result, is morally unsound. The electorate to bear in mind the Achille's Heel of the Pakatan Rakyat coalition, which threatens to derail the process of reform that has begun with 308. Hence, it is imperative that PKR and DAP strengthen their bonds and alliance, and consolidate their position - while not neglecting other partners.
So long as "these elements" do not apologize for the threats that they pose, but remain within the fold, instability and the possibility of derailment cannot be ruled out. These are elements who feel sidelined and apparently do not have not achieved "stature" in national politics befitting their "image", despite their popularity among their faithful. They definitely feel that "smaller" politicians have stolen the limelight which they seek for themselves..... hence the refusal to "play second fiddle" to PKR, but the willingness to be the "expensive crutch" (as in the pic) to Umno's "DIY stool", so as to "hide the shame".

BN/Umno, being masters at what they do, definitely wouldn't mind paying a kings ransom to ascertain their grip on real power, while dishing out peanuts for their "allies". With the might of the instruments of state on its side, let us not be so naive as to believe that Umno doesn't have moles within PAS - they have much more than we may realize, and DSAI knows that quite well.

While I value the electoral partnership that PAS has provided, never for a minute have I been convinced of their sincerity or their intellectual prowess (referring to these "certain individuals").
Although they never expected the electoral "windfall", they did it grudgingly - simply out of their hunger for power - and now their thirst don't seem to be unquenchable! Call me "politically naive" if you like - but I still maintain, that the least trustworthy in a roomfull of politicians, are those who have the need to hide behind the cloak of religion (at least, physically).

Here we have some politicians in "religious" garbs, clamouring for posts and making a pretense of their intellectual credentials, which only impresses the politically illiterate of the nation. They never hesitate to lie to the masses to hide the greed, envy and deceit that they harbour in their hearts.
These are the people who trumpet the virtues of a "theocracy", while they espouse the politics of sectarianism and subjugation.

They are just political wannabes and Umno "drop-outs", who just like their counterparts in Umno/BN, use the platform of democracy, to garner absolute power (but under the cover of religion). They do not care about the economy, democracy, justice or nationhood - they only care for power. These "godmen" would agree to any deal, as long as it can assure them access to power and control. They wouldn't mind being just one of the expensive crutches that would hold up a thoroughly corrupt regime, despite all their religious convictions and psycho-babble.
Their tool is ignorance (of course, once again under cover of religion) among the cloistered and isolated "unreasoning faithful".
Until and unless these guys have had their fill of "power" within the coalition, the danger of BN/Umno rearing it's one of its ugly heads from within would remain.
Just like the mythical Hydra, you can chop it off - but another would grow in its place.

This doesn't mean that PAS as a whole cannot work with their allies, as there is still a significant voice of "reason" within it's fold, which is unfortunately suppressed due to the lack of progressive politics, democracy and open debate (despite all the show we see). They are however, merely "tolerated" rather than accepted in the hierarchy. When push comes to shove, I seriously doubt that people like Khalid Samad and Husam Musa can withstand the onslought of the "godmen", who hold the minds of the unthinking faithful in a vice grip. It would be best for them to align themselves with PKR, and fight for their values from there.

Considering the frail & aging Nik Aziz, and the culture of "idol-worship" that's prevalent, the salvation of PAS's politics hinges on their "Erdogan-ization" - intellectuals and pragmatic in their fold. The so called "Erdogan Faction" within PAS should be embraced for their pragmatism and intellectual clout, while the heroes of "Amanat Hadi" should be zippered. In the event that the current PAS leadership resorts to Mahathirism (or Khomeini-ism) to suppress them, they would only fade once again into the political oblivion of radicalism, even if they were to ally themselves with Umno.
Considering the circumstances, the scepticism which DAP might harbour with regard to the sincerity of these "trojans" is, I'm certain, shared by PKR and Anwar.

But let's not write them off as yet - there's still hope that PAS will embrace positive values advocated by the intellectuals. There is hope yet, that they would be willing to open the minds of their followers to change, instead of recoiling into "Amanat Hadi"s of the future.
Let's see how they evolve, and what the future holds for them in Pakatan Rakyat ..... or maybe even in Umno!

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
Related:
Fearing the 'Trojans' of 916?
The PAS factor - A Viable Alternative?
The PAS "Cooperation" and Vote.
Class Politics - the Other Option?

Constitutional (Amendment) Bill 1983, revisited

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“Immunity is quite essential. Take the situation where we have a hung Parliament, the Ruler comes in to decide on a Prime Minister from one side of a political party and imagine if the other side of the political party opposes it and takes the Ruler to court”
- Tunku Naquiyuddin

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Well, well, well - first it was TM Pahang who said this.
Now we have Tg. Naquiyuddin asking for "immunity". Is it simply because of this immunity that the Rulers aren't able to "perform their duties" in defending the Federal Constitution?
It escapes me, if the Rulers can be charged in court for carrying out their duties as per the Constitution. Here I was thinking that they are not immune from the law, only in their conduct in their personal capacity. Shouldn't it be a source of pride that the Royalties in their personal capacity, are bound by the laws of Humanity? I cannot say if just possibly, maybe - Tg Naquiyuddin feels otherwise.

It is sad that some people are quick to request that they are given "powers to defend the constitution", when they have hardly raised a whimper when the people's rights have been subverted repeatedly all these years (even in the immunity years).

While I may not exactly be a fan of Mahathir, this was probably one of the best things he's done - impressing upon all that none is above the law. However, that he erred in that he took that privilege for the executive is regrettable. It shouldn't have been to the extent that after 30 days, the King's assent was insignificant to the passing of Laws. There should have been some middle way, where neither the King nor the Executive held absolute power.

It's strange that the most outspoken, publicly respected and erudite of the Royals - HRH Raja Nazrin - who has been at the forefront of this struggle for socio-political reform, isn't too concerned about "power" or "immunity from the law".
I wonder why anyone would want absolute "immunity" from the Law - what have they got to fear? Maybe we should ask Bruce Willis, StanChart or maybe we should ask all those who have been in the limelight for "various reasons" .... that should answer many questions, I suppose.

Anyways, I did some checking up on the matter of the Ammendments ....

"The immunity of the Malay Rulers and the royalty in the performance of their official/state duties has never been taken away. They continue to enjoy that immunity.
.......Although their private immunity was taken away, they continue to enjoy the privileges of being tried by special courts.
So, in my humble view, the question of restoring royal immunity does not arise because they have never lost that protection."
- Kadir Jasin, Royal Immunity is Never Withdrawn

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"But R.S. Milne and Diane K. Mauzy, in Malaysian Politics Under Mahathir, citing interviews with Umno ministers, suggest that what became known as the 1983 constitutional crisis “was precipitated by reports, received by Mahathir, that the Sultan of Johor stated at a gathering that when he was elected Agong he would unilaterally declare a state of emergency, and with the aid of the army, throw out all the politicians.

“Compounding this were stories that the Sultan was close to certain key military men, and that the army chief, General Tan Sri Mohd Zain Hashim, had criticised Mahathir’s approach and had questioned where the army’s loyalty rested.”

Whatever the case may be, on Aug 1, the Government brought the Constitution (Amendment) Bill 1983 before both houses of Parliament, and it was quickly passed.

The bill put forward 22 amendments to the Federal Constitution, including three very significant changes to the position of the Malay Rulers.

First, it removed the need for the Agong to give his Royal Assent to a piece of legislation before it could be gazetted as law. Instead, it stipulated that if the Agong did not give his Assent within 15 days, he was deemed to have done so, and the law could come into effect.

Second, it introduced parallel provisions removing the need for a Sultan to give his Assent to State laws.

Third, it transferred the power to declare an Emergency from the Agong (who was, in any case, supposed to act on the advice of Cabinet in this regard) directly to the Prime Minister, who was not obliged to act on anyone’s advice.

The Prime Minister’s Department had ordered a press blackout on the Constitution (Amendment) Bill 1983 and, so, while the fact of the bill’s passing was mentioned, its significance was downplayed, and the debate – including an impassioned speech in opposition to it by DAP’s Lim Kit Siang – did not appear in local media.

For the following two months, nothing appeared. But a right royal storm was brewing.

Immediately, the liberal intelligentsia opposed the provision that allowed the Prime Minister to unilaterally declare an Emergency.

On Aug 2, 1983, Aliran issued a statement condemning the Bill, claiming the proposed amendment “opens the way to political abuse. For the Prime Minister is, in the ultimate analysis, a political personality very much involved in the conflicts and compromises of party politics. There is no constitutional mechanism for ensuring that he will not use his emergency powers against his political foes from any quarter.

“It is simply not possible to prevent an ambitious Prime Minister in the future from emerging as a ‘supremo’ after the proclamation of an emergency.”

But, under the strict press blackout, it was not reported.

Meanwhile, unbeknownst to the public, the Agong, under pressure from his fellow Rulers, refused to give his Assent to the Bill.

The Rulers maintained that the Bill contravened Article 38(4) of the Constitution, which stated that “No law directly affecting the privileges, position, honours or dignities of the Rulers shall be passed without the consent of the Conference of Rulers.”

The Rulers had also come to understand the full legal implications of removing the need for Royal Assent to legislation. It meant that if Parliament voted to abolish the monarchy, the Rulers would be powerless to stop them.

Tensions continued to build behind the scenes. It was only in October, when Senu Abdul Rahman circulated a letter condemning the amendments, followed by Tunku Abdul Rahman defying the gag order by writing about them in the pages of this newspaper, that Malaysians woke up to the crisis.

There were also disagreements within Umno; as Gordon P. Means notes in Malaysian Politics: the Second Generation, “? many in the ruling coalition were distressed by the contents of the amendments and the confrontational style of Dr Mahathir towards the Malay Rulers.”

Some establishment figures believed the Prime Minister had far-reaching aims. In a 1988 interview transcribed in K. Das & The Tunku Tapes, Tunku Abdul Rahman and the veteran journalist discuss the constitutional crisis.

If one can look past the bitchy, surat layang (poison pen letter) tone of their stories about Dr Mahathir’s children, one can get a snapshot of the groundswell of suspicion.

Tunku: “You see, the Malays have a cause for adat, resam and so on ? tradition. I have a respect for it but he has none. He dislikes it. You see, his whole aim is to upset the constitution and turn this country into a republic. His son was in London talking quite openly amongst the students that his father is going to be the first President of Malaya.”

Das: “I heard his daughter was also talking about it here. Apparently she was caught talking about it at a party not knowing that behind her was one of the Tengkus from Negri Sembilan who overheard it. She said that as soon as the constitution amendment is signed, it is finished, we can become a republic.”

Against this background of suspicion, the 1983 constitutional crisis "
-Huzir Sulaiman, The Mahathir years, StarOnline

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A major constitutional crisis broke out in 1983 when the Mahathir government sought to amend the constitution to clip the assumed power of the King (Yang di-Pertuan Agung) to confer royal assent to parliamentary bills before they became laws. When the Conference of Rulers objected to the government's bill of 1983 which required compulsory granting of royal assent by a period of 15 days, the Prime Minister went on a country-wide campaign to drum up support for the government's position.

Thus, four years later when the Judiciary came under siege, the Prime Minister had a very compliant set of rulers on his side. This set of events led to the removal of the Lord President, the highest ranking official of the judicial branch, the suspension of five Supreme Court judges and the eventual sacking of two of them. The events that brought this about were a complex intertwining of politics and litigation, which led to the accusation that the judges, including the Lord President had become embroiled in politics (See box).

In truth it was the chagrin and hubris of a Prime Minister who was unable to accept legal decisions working against his party's political and economic interests that led to the bizarre developments. Various interpretations of these events have been written but the main outcome, all will agree, has been the further strengthening of the hand of the executive vis-à-vis the Judiciary to the extent that judicial independence has become a chimera in the Mahathir period (Lee, 1995, Lawyers Committee for Human Rights, 1990). This together with the emasculation of the role of the traditional Rulers has made executive dominance in government a stable and underlying feature of the state.

-Executive Dominance, http://www.aliran.com/oldsite/hr/js2.html