TRIBUTE TO BERSIH AND MARCHERS

I LOVE ALL YOU GUYS WHO STOOD UP FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS.


TO ALL BRAVEHEARTS OF MALAYSIA - MY SALUTES!


Thank You BERSIH, DSAI, Tuan Hj Hadi, PSM, SNAP!

Take a look at this video, made for the occassion.

Rave reviews - Shocking & Spanking the Monkey

Feel free to enjoy the song "Shock the Monkey" from the album "When Pigs Fly" (different versions), while you read. Thank You.

• Warning: The following article has been classified by the Koreksia National Censor Board - 18.PG.SX

The recent winding-up speech at the United Communist Notional(sic!) Organ orgy, has drawn rave reviews in the "grate" media - newspapers, television, radio, magazines, tabloids, paparazzi, and what not were all hysterical in their praises- except for one irritating group - the "loggers".

These "loggers" seem to be able to chop down every imaginable "parasitic, twisted idea" that the "Grate Lidder" plants.

Since they aren't too supportive of UCNO fetishes, we shall refrain from using their ammunitions against the "great, beloved, humble and pious leader" of the grate party. We'll deal with them one way or other ....... ehem!

(Yeah man! It was a great lively party - with lots of back-slapping, spanking , stabbing, kinky kissing fetishes and hot chicks too!)

It has to be highlighted that many delegates displayed fetishes of BDSM, ie self-flagellation, Long hard and sharp objects, and as the poetic Deputy Grate Lidder put it, the "honorable" tips of the tongue, "Linggam"(aka “anunya”), Dagger and Bananas. (Speaking of bananas, the monkeys in the background were always fed peanuts only, as seen on the TV screens).

It was indeed a very satisfying event for all monkeys, especially for the Grate Lidder who appeared to be on ALD (aka amphetamine-like drugs, "speed", ecstacy) when his hoarse faltering voice was raised intermittently, to magnify his "firmness" on issues of the day, namely about addictions to cost-efficient labour, subsidies, subtle taxation of the middle class, “ the understandable suppression of 'our friends', stability and parliamentary dumbocracy”.

For those who are ignorant, Please take note that Delegates will be respectfully addressed as Gros. (short for the esteemed title "Granpa of Shiners" that is given for their "servicing" the tools of the "Grate Lidder"). If the title were translated to Bahasa Melayu .... no Malaysia ..... mmmm Melayu ...... - aaah, to hell with it - you know what I mean, right?

The following are the anticipated responses from the footstools of "The Grate Lidder" of Koreksia.

I regret to say that I was not permitted at the venue, as I did not posses such

impeccable reputations, fetishes, heritage and "beliefs". These interviews were downloaded from the UCNO website.

So, here it goes .......

Gros KataNothing:
"It was an extremely progressive winding-up speech by the Grate Lidder -

I could feel it in the depths my loins.

The fragrance of his flatulence was intoxicating, to say the least.

I've come here a couple of times before, but this time was the ultimate feeling. It was

Hot.
It aroused such passions among the participants, that they all stood up in standing ovulation ..... err, sorry - I meant standing ovation.
Anyway, I'm quite certain that it is obvious to all that the great leader has spent sleepless nights to articulate his passions and love for duty.
All in all, the people should be very proud that we have a man with such dedication to the satisfying climax of the party, and the country as a hole (sic)."

Gros Toupee Value:
" .... I need another stiff one - thank you. (a drink later ....)

As I was saying - it was the very spirit of mutual understanding and dependence that we have succeeded in enriching everybody. We should never question the contract - by the way, you must be aware that we never signed the contract, and so whatever said and done, it is always legal and correct.
Nobody makes mistakes around here .... The Grate Lidder has warned those who questioned the unsigned "contract", and also those who waved their weapons provocatively, as it could frighten the ladies.
He reassured them that the weapon was meant to protect them and not to rape them, as did the pedophiles of late. The Pedophiles and Elopers of UCNO never do such things -

I trust them with my @$$.

As for me, I'm mighty proud that they have offered to protect my black @$$ with their tools of trade, while I have the other smalltime @$$es under mine.
So we can rest @$$ured that the great leader has our @$$es covered - the burial has been delayed, though ..... I'll check if the project has been canceled."

Gros Sukun:
"What you see is an extreme expression of commitment to the people who hunger for a great nation.

It was this amazing unsigned contract that has made all of us rich - when I say us, I mean the country as a Hole.
The Grate Lidder has assured us that all sectors of society will be penetrated, with the available protection of the instruments on display here - the dedication was illustrated and sealed with a kiss. Did you see the spit spraying and mouths frothing? Those are hallmarks of passion, commitment and dedication!
What more could a man .... or woman ask for, huh?
I'm so elated, with such a climax to the hole event."

Gros Prin KaTingan:
The Grate Lidder has renewed his pledge towards

development in the land above the storm.
We don't entertain nonsensical issues about aliens landing on our shores - these were all delusions and lies spread by the "loggers" community.
We have sent a man to space to reassure the people that aliens don't exist. We've even

acquired some submarines to make sure they don't exist in our seas - never mind the fact that some aliens were bombed to smithereens in the process.

In the spirit of space travel, our Deputy Grate Lidder has even coined the phrase, "spaced-out race" - but it sounds better in Bahasa Melayu .... I mean Malaysia ... heh .... heh. The deputy has made it his motto in life to make sure we have a "spaced-out race".
This in memory of our achievements and sacrifices towards taking the people towards greater heights of comfort, using the organs and instruments displayed, with plenty of tender loving care and kisses.
We should never question the use of the Tongkat as the symbol of support for the "spaced-out race". Just don't underestimate the Tongkat - we'll make sure we shove it where the sun don't shine, just like what was done when I did .... ha, hah!

One other notable comment was from Gros SIL-ly - he said that all patriots aka rempits on "kapcais" should continue to get subsidized petrol even after the price has gone up, subsidies removed and Petrobras company has gone bust. According to Gros SIL-ly, "... it is only when we have these patriot on kapcais, can we achieve "spaced-out race" targets! Who else would monkey around our streets to entertain the tourists and showcase our achievements?".

In conclusion I would like to add that many more deserving accolades were dished out to the Grate Lidder, by luminaries such as Gros Badut-din, Gros Mm, Gros KUS (that's the Pariah Party Pooper who was told to get out, but having a fetish for

humiliation, sat through it all), and Gros Kissamudin (who could put the rock band KISS to shame).

Thank Goodness for ALDs, all participants took an active part in the event by laughing at SIL-ly Goblok Banana jokes.

Lastly, whatever their fetishes may be, the sad part of it all is the fact that, good or bad, racist or not, they (UCNO) are the only ones who seem to be having an agenda and methodology, in an environment that has most others “grate leaders” of other parties dancing to the tune of sectarian monkey politics.

I hear someone singing & gloating - "We are the Champions ......"

Quite a Catch-22 situation for the critics .......

Disclaimer: The above is a political parody and purely a figment of a vulgar imagination, equivalent to the fetish of kissing of sharp metal objects in public. All ideas have not been fully thought through. Any likeness to anyone dead or alive is purely coincidental. The writer is willing to withdraw any statement that might be deemed insulting, with apologies.

Happy Diwali

Happy Diwali To All.

Thots of Malaysia, UMNO and AGMs ....

Many, if not most youngsters and juniour Umno members are actually oblivious and ignorant to the truth behind Umno, the "Malay Leftists", and the "struggle for Independence" - most have swallowed the myths propagated by certain quarters with vested interests, lock, stock and barrel.

What they know are only the "doctored" versions in history books today, that don't really give room for question.

There appears to be no room for the ideas and ideals of Dato' Onn Jaafar, Samad Ismail, Ahmad Boestamam, Burhanuddin Helmi, Tun Dr. Ismail, or other early nationalists and Indian/ Indonesian influences towards their struggles. It is a known fact that many early nationalists took their cue from India (Gandhi, Nehru, Bose) and their Indonesian counterparts (Soekarno, Hatta). For history of early Malay Nationalists, Click here.

Why is it that we don't hear of these chapters in History? Why is it that we are faced with the primitive old world philosophies of "idol worship" and personality cults of those deemed as our leaders?

Who stole the past? Who stole our History? Who stole Malayan History? Who stole Malaysian History? Don't they know that one who cannot acknowledge and learn from history, are doomed in their future?

Do we even care?

Most youngsters today are much obsessed with "feel good infotainment" dished out by the state.

Any "dissenting" viewpoints or versions of history is frowned upon, and invites retribution in terms of educational or economic benefits.

What we have today is a generation of youth, cowed into submission- into indoctrination and apathy- for want of "easy comforts" in the seductive appeal of the NEP. The feel good mentality is quite unmistakeable, especially from the apathy and intellectual bankruptcy manifested in the students at our "Universities", who are unable to think beyond the indoctrination that they are exposed to.

The effect of this on the much trumpeted "educational excellence" in our institutions of higher learning and its products is quite telling. Taking into consideration our "educational excellence", some of the politicians who are most likely graduates of these very institutions, are to be forgiven for their infantile "words of wisdom", which is laughable at best. The same could be said of many a spin doctor and apologist for the myopic policies that are testaments to the "Malaysia Boleh", "Wawasan 2020", "Ketuanan Melayu" (and now - "2057") spirit!

These policies that keep the Malay minds in "philosophical straightjackets" has resulted in an UMNO that is unable to accept and respond constructively to criticism, to the detriment of the nation. Year after year, we are fed with choreographed events, which are meant to propagate primitive ideas as part of their propaganda, in what is called the AGMs. Gone are the days when there were democratic ideals by which they lived up to. Gone are the intellectuals. Gone are the healthy debates and criticisms.

All views that do not subscribe to "conventional wisdom" of certain quarters, are suppressed and repressed, so as to further their own selfish agendas. Platitudes upon platitudes ad nauseaum, ad infinatum, are heaped upon sleepy and yawning "great Leaders" - reminding one of totalitarian states of the third world. Political patronage has become the "in thing" - "bodek" is the name of the game .....

Yes indeed- UMNO needs to rethink its strategy for a dynamic, better and more progressive Malaysia (and Malays) in the 21st century, instead of playing the narrow, isolationist, "music of Malay hegemony" of a bygone era.

With the ballooning of the Malay population and UMNO membership,there is bound to be dissent within and without the community - the real challenge to UMNO is actually democracy within its folds, and not the threat from "non-bumis". The political threat from the "Chinese" community would be rendered obsolete within the next 5-10 yrs. The Indians are already insignificant as a political force.

They are quite aware that the non-Malay community can only dream of grabbing political power from the Malays, given the reality of demographics- and scaring them away with ethnocentric rhetoric, would only impoverish the Malays themselves.

So why the usual "racial undertones" at UMNO AGMs? A little introspection on the part of the "leaders" would go a long way, towards making Malaysia the economic powerhouse that it could and should have been, without the corruption, plunder and rape of its resources by the "goodfellas" of Malaysia.

Having said that, the sin of envy that is frequently drummed up against the rich "others" (while disregarding the ill-gotten gains of their own kind) for political mileage at AGMs every year, is actually killing them as a whole, by masking the other deadly sins that it permits. It has reinforced a seige mentality among its advocates, who are incapable of thinking out of the box (despite being awarded as educators).

It is time that the leadership learns to deal with the real problem at hand - the lack of, or repression/ suppression of the Malay intelligentsia, and the rise of the "Islamist right/ extremism". It is time that the leadership realizes that it is this very repression, that becomes the fertile breeding ground for the forces of extremism - both racist and religious - as desperate reactions to realities of the day.

On the occasion of the UMNO AGM, I wish all the best to UMNO members as a whole, and hope there will be some positive outcome this year, as opposed to the normal drivel for the past 25yrs.

06/11 13:43:45

03/11: Some Umno myths young Malaysians should know about

Posted on Malaysia Today, 3/11/07

Category: General

Posted by: Raja Petra

GUEST COLUMNISTS

by Fan Yew Teng

In the remaining months of the year in which we are celebrating the 50th anniversary of Merdeka and the 44th anniversary of the formation of Malaysia, and to reflect on the meaning of nationhood, it is perhaps important and necessary to examine some of the more persistent myths upon which Umno, the predominant party in the ruling coalition for the past 52 years, grew and deceived - and are still deceiving - the populace, particularly the Malays.

For a start, after 61 years, Umno is still unashamedly the political party which claims to unite and represent all the Malays. Hence, the misnomer the United Malays National Organisation, always in English, however much you might want to remind them of their claim to be champions of Bahasa Malaysia and Malay nationalism.



Most Malaysians who have been around for the past quarter of a century would very likely know or remember the interesting power struggles within Umno during the Mahathir years (1981 - 2003). The Mahathir - Tengku Razaleigh contest for the Umno presidency in 1987, which spilled over into the deregistration of Umno itself, the fights between Team A and Team B backed by the then ailing former primer ministers Tunku Abdul Rahman and Hussein Onn, the massive 'Operation Lalang' crackdown on dissidents, and the highly sensational and controversial sacking of the top judge, Lord President Tun Salleh Abbas. And then, 10 years later, Mahathir's sacking and subsequent arrest of the then deputy prime minister, Anwar Ibrahim.

However, up to this very day, many Malaysians in general and many Umno members and supporters in particular are woefully ignorant of the tensions and undercurrents among the earlier generation of Umno leaders.

One of the enduring myths that has dominated Umno all these years is that its founding fathers - or at least the early leaders - were all self sacrificing and had always put party unity - and by extension, national unity - before personal interests.

The truth, however, is more complicated.

May 1946. Umno is born, as a movement of many Malay organisations and groups against the Malayan Union, a constitutional arrangement created by the returned British colonial masters after the Second World War.

Dato Onn Jaafar of Johore became the man of the moment after the British decided to withdraw the Malayan Union scheme, to be later replaced by the Federation of Malaya constitutional arrangement. Umno, as a confederation of Malay organisations throughout Malaya and Singapore, was triumphant. But there were already problems of disunity.

As a matter in fact, even before Umno was established, Dato Onn had faced some hostility from some influential Malay leaders in his home state of Johore. There were some strong differences between Dato Onn and Dato Abdul Rahman bin Mohd Yasin, a pre war Johore Treasurer in regard to the behaviour of Sultan Ibrahim over the MacMichael Treaties (for the Malayan Union).

Dato Abdul Rahman and some other Malay leaders in Johore had thought that Dato Onn was being too kind towards the Sultan. His two sons, Sulaiman and Dr Ismail (later Tun Dr Ismail) had refused to join Umno until after Dato Onn's resignation as Umno president in 1951.

More serious was the withdrawal of the Persatuan Kebangsaan Melayu Malaya (PKMM), the Malay Nationalist Party, from the Umno confederation at the Umno meeting in Ipoh on 29 and 30 June, 1946. Ostensibly, the withdrawal was due to differences over the Umno flag. But, as Firdaus Haji Abdullah points out in his book Radical Malay Politics, "behind this issue, there were serious and substantive disagreements over policy."

The PKMM's proposal for the symbol was defeated by one vote. After a lengthy speech by Ahmad Boestamam, he and all other PKMM representatives and supporters walked out. The Malay left had broken ranks with Umno. At the same meeting, and for the same reason, the Persatuan Pekerja-Pekerja Junior Malaya also withdrew from Umno.

In mid 1947, when it was proposed to turn Umno into a political organisation and that affiliate member organisations should dissolve themselves and merge completely into Umno, the move was opposed by several organisations which, apart from the fear of losing their identity, were established long before Umno itself. Moreover, there were organisations whose leadership were drawn from the working class rather than the aristocracy and the English educated administrative group.

Thus, the Singapore Malay Association, the Sabak Bernam Malay Association and Saberkas of Kedah (which had some radical and 'socialist' orientation), chose to remain as associate member organisations only rather than dissolve themselves. The Perikatan Melayu Kelantan and the Kesatuan Melayu Johore withdrew completely from Umno.

More serious splits were to come.

In February 1950, mainly to draw away support from the Hizbul Muslimin, the Muslim Party formed during the second week of March 1948, UMNO formed a body within itself called the Persatuan Ulamak Sa-Malaya. Haji Ahmad Fuad, Dato Onn's friend, became the leader of this body.

(Consider for a moment the irony and hypocrisy of Umno leaders who now say that politics and religion shouldn't mix)

In June 1951, however, the Persatuan Ulamak Sa-Malaya teamed up with another Islamic group consisting of former adherents of the Hizbul Muslimin, at the former's meeting in Kepala Batas, Penang. At this moment, the Persatuan Ulamak Se-Malaya decided to change its name to Persatuan Islam Sa-Malaya,to be known in short as PAS.

Another shock was waiting for Umno. After Umno had rejected Dato Onn's proposal to open Umno to the non Malays and transform it into a Malayan political party, he resigned formally from Umno on 26 August, 1951. His position was taken over by Tunku Abdul Rahman, then an unknown deputy public prosecutor.

After Merdeka in 1957, the public perception of the Tunku as prime minister and Abdul Razak as his deputy was that their relationship was one of great harmony. Some even characterised it has a father and son kind of relationship. But it was only valid for a while.

For none other than the Tunku himself had exploded the myth that his relationship with Razak was as harmonious as commonly believed. Writing in the 29 August 1983 issue of The Star (and later reproduced in his book Contemporary Issues in Malaysian Politics), the Tunku related a telling incident in this vein: "Once at the Residency, Khalid Awang Osman, the former High Commissioner to India, mentioned in front of Tun Razak that he (Razak) would have to wait for a long time before he could become the Prime Minister. I could see the shocked surprise on the face of Tun Razak. As it happened, after that day I noticed his attitude took a change."

Well, well, from the horse's mouth, so to speak. The myth of an almost perfect political and working relationship was, well, just a myth. In an article published in The Star on 20 February 1978, the Tunku said that Asiaweek's M.G.G Pillai had alleged in the 17 February 1978 issue of that magazine that "many political figures still insist privately that the Tunku stepped down unwillingly in 1970 and that he was in fact pushed aside by Tun Abdul Razak."

The Tunku commented: "As regards the late Tun Razak pushing me aside, he made no attempt openly to do so but it must be admitted that he felt a bit small to be my deputy for so long, and being an ambitious man, he would no doubt have liked to take over as prime minister. Only those around him wanted to take over dramatically and with a blare of trumpets."

It may be true that Tun Razak made no attempt openly to push the Tunku aside. But did he make any attempt secretly to do so? And who were those around Razak?

Mahathir, Musa Hitam, Harun Idris, Syed Jaafar Albar? And some other Umno extremists or ultras?

It is interesting to note that the Tunku, in reference to what Khalid Awang Osman said, as mentioned earlier, had added: "I took the remarks as a joke, but soon after things began to happen."

What things began to happen?

Well, in an interview with Asiaweek, published on 10 May 1985, exactly 16 years to the day after the fateful general elections on 1969, the Tunku actually blamed Tun Razak and other colleagues for his political downfall. In relating the charged atmosphere just before the 1969 general elections, the Tunku said: "It started when one of them (alleged communists) was killed near the airport, and they asked for a funeral procession to bury the dead. I would never have allowed that. But I was not there. I was away campaigning. But my colleagues, who were trying to make trouble for me, gave permission, and so when the communists carried the body, they stopped at every corner to harangue the people, to curse the government, to curse me..."

Responding to further questioning, the Tunku actually said that "My deputy allowed it", meaning the procession.

To another question, the Tunku said: "I couldn't have stayed on. To stay, you have to be sure of the loyalty of your friends and colleagues. I wasn't sure. In fact I was very, ah, frustrated with the behaviour of some."

The Tunku had often said that he wanted to be the "happiest prime minister in the world" - but how could he be happy when some of his friends and colleagues wanted to stage a coup against him?

In order to get rid of the Tunku politically, some criminal elements and over ambitious leaders in Umno orchestrated the bloody May 13 Massacre which killed a few hundred Malaysians, maimed a few hundred more other Malaysians, burned down a few hundred shophouses and homes and looted some of them and burned scores of cars and other vehicles. All crimes against humanity.

No inquiry after 38 years. Who says law is law? Why then no rule of law as far as the May 13 Massacre is concerned? Why is this continued rape of law being allowed? In whose interests?

And what about other Umno crimes against humanity like the Memali Massacre in the mid 1980s? When will there be an accounting? Where is the transparency? And where is the much talked about integrity? Including the integrity of the law?

Armenian Genocide - 1915-1918 - 1,500,000 Deaths

The Armenian Genocide, the first genocide of the 20th Century, occurred when two million Armenians living in Turkey were eliminated from their historic homeland through forced deportations and massacres.

For three thousand years, a thriving Armenian community had existed inside the vast region of the Middle East bordered by the Black, Mediterranean and Caspian Seas. The area, known as Asia Minor, stands at the crossroads of three continents; Europe, Asia and Africa. Great powers rose and fell over the many centuries and the Armenian homeland was at various times ruled by Persians, Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs and Mongols.

Despite the repeated invasions and occupations, Armenian pride and cultural identity never wavered. The snow-capped peak of Mount Ararat became its focal point and by 600 BC Armenia as a nation sprang into being. Following the advent of Christianity, Armenia became the very first nation to accept it as the state religion. A golden era of peace and prosperity followed which saw the invention of a distinct alphabet, a flourishing of literature, art, commerce, and a unique style of architecture. By the 10th century, Armenians had established a new capital at Ani, affectionately called the 'city of a thousand and one churches.'

In the eleventh century, the first Turkish invasion of the Armenian homeland occurred. Thus began several hundred years of rule by Muslim Turks. By the sixteenth century, Armenia had been absorbed into the vast and mighty Ottoman Empire. At its peak, this Turkish empire included much of Southeast Europe, North Africa, and almost all of the Middle East.

But by the 1800s the once powerful Ottoman Empire was in serious decline. For centuries, it had spurned technological and economic progress, while the nations of Europe had embraced innovation and became industrial giants. Turkish armies had once been virtually invincible. Now, they lost battle after battle to modern European armies.

As the empire gradually disintegrated, formerly subject peoples including the Greeks, Serbs and Romanians achieved their long-awaited independence. Only the Armenians and the Arabs of the Middle East remained stuck in the backward and nearly bankrupt empire, now under the autocratic rule of Sultan Abdul Hamid.

By the 1890s, young Armenians began to press for political reforms, calling for a constitutional government, the right to vote and an end to discriminatory practices such as special taxes levied solely against them because they were Christians. The despotic Sultan responded to their pleas with brutal persecutions. Between 1894 and 1896 over 100,000 inhabitants of Armenian villages were massacred during widespread pogroms conducted by the Sultan's special regiments.

But the Sultan's days were numbered. In July 1908, reform-minded Turkish nationalists known as "Young Turks" forced the Sultan to allow a constitutional government and guarantee basic rights. The Young Turks were ambitious junior officers in the Turkish Army who hoped to halt their country's steady decline.

Armenians in Turkey were delighted with this sudden turn of events and its prospects for a brighter future. Both Turks and Armenians held jubilant public rallies attended with banners held high calling for freedom, equality and justice.

However, their hopes were dashed when three of the Young Turks seized full control of the government via a coup in 1913. This triumvirate of Young Turks, consisting of Mehmed Talaat, Ismail Enver and Ahmed Djemal, came to wield dictatorial powers and concocted their own ambitious plans for the future of Turkey. They wanted to unite all of the Turkic peoples in the entire region while expanding the borders of Turkey eastward across the Caucasus all the way into Central Asia. This would create a new Turkish empire, a "great and eternal land" called Turan with one language and one religion.

But there was a big problem. The traditional historic homeland of Armenia lay right in the path of their plans to expand eastward. And on that land was a large population of Christian Armenians totaling some two million persons, making up about 10 percent of Turkey's overall population.

Along with the Young Turk's newfound "Turanism" there was a dramatic rise in Islamic fundamentalist agitation throughout Turkey. Christian Armenians were once again branded as infidels (non-believers in Islam). Young Islamic extremists, sometimes leading to violence, staged anti-Armenian demonstrations. During one such outbreak in 1909, two hundred villages were plundered and over 30,000 persons massacred in the Cilicia district on the Mediterranean coast. Throughout Turkey, sporadic local attacks against Armenians continued unchecked over the next several years.

There were also big cultural differences between Armenians and Turks. The Armenians had always been one of the best-educated communities within the old Turkish Empire. Armenians were the professionals in society, the businessmen, lawyers, doctors and skilled craftsmen. And they were more open to new scientific, political and social ideas from the West (Europe and America). Children of wealthy Armenians went to Paris, Geneva or even to America to complete their education.

By contrast, the majority of Turks were illiterate peasant farmers and small shopkeepers. Leaders of the Ottoman Empire had traditionally placed little value on education and not a single institute of higher learning could be found within their old empire. The various autocratic and despotic rulers throughout the empire's history had valued loyalty and blind obedience above all. Their uneducated subjects had never heard of democracy or liberalism and thus had no inclination toward political reform. But this was not the case with the better-educated Armenians who sought political and social reforms that would improve life for themselves and Turkey's other minorities.

The Young Turks decided to glorify the virtues of simple Turkish peasantry at the expense of the Armenians in order to capture peasant loyalty. They exploited the religious, cultural, economic and political differences between Turks and Armenians so that the average Turk came to regard Armenians as strangers among them.

When World War I broke out in 1914, leaders of the Young Turk regime sided with the Central Powers (Germany and Austria-Hungary). The outbreak of war would provide the perfect opportunity to solve the "Armenian question" once and for all. The world's attention became fixed upon the battlegrounds of France and Belgium where the young men of Europe were soon falling dead by the hundreds of thousands. The Eastern Front eventually included the border between Turkey and Russia. With war at hand, unusual measures involving the civilian population would not seem too out of the ordinary.

As a prelude to the coming action, Turks disarmed the entire Armenian population under the pretext that the people were naturally sympathetic toward Christian Russia. Every last rifle and pistol was forcibly seized, with severe penalties for anyone who failed to turn in a weapon. Quite a few Armenian men actually purchased a weapon from local Turks or Kurds (nomadic Muslim tribesmen) at very high prices so they would have something to turn in.

At this time, about forty thousand Armenian men were serving in the Turkish Army. In the fall and winter of 1914, all of their weapons were confiscated and they were put into slave labor battalions building roads or were used as human pack animals. Under the brutal work conditions they suffered a very high death rate. Those who survived would soon be shot outright. For the time had come to move against the Armenians.

The decision to annihilate the entire population came directly from the ruling triumvirate of ultra-nationalist Young Turks. The actual extermination orders were transmitted in coded telegrams to all provincial governors throughout Turkey. Armed roundups began on the evening of April 24, 1915, as 300 Armenian political leaders, educators, writers, clergy and dignitaries in Constantinople (present day Istanbul) were taken from their homes, briefly jailed and tortured, then hanged or shot.

Next, there were mass arrests of Armenian men throughout the country by Turkish soldiers, police agents and bands of Turkish volunteers. The men were tied together with ropes in small groups then taken to the outskirts of their town and shot dead or bayoneted by death squads. Local Turks and Kurds armed with knives and sticks often joined in on the killing.

Then it was the turn of Armenian women, children, and the elderly. On very short notice, they were ordered to pack a few belongings and be ready to leave home, under the pretext that they were being relocated to a non-military zone for their own safety. They were actually being taken on death marches heading south toward the Syrian Desert.

Muslim Turks who assumed instant ownership of everything quickly occupied most of the homes and villages left behind by the rousted Armenians. In many cases, local Turks who took them from their families spared young Armenian children from deportation. The children were coerced into denouncing Christianity and becoming Muslims, and were then given new Turkish names. For Armenian boys the forced conversion meant they each had to endure painful circumcision as required by Islamic custom.

Turkish gendarmes escorted individual caravans consisting of thousands of deported Armenians. These guards allowed roving government units of hardened criminals known as the "Special Organization" to attack the defenseless people, killing anyone they pleased. They also encouraged Kurdish bandits to raid the caravans and steal anything they wanted. In addition, an extraordinary amount of sexual abuse and rape of girls and young women occurred at the hands of the Special Organization and Kurdish bandits. Most of the attractive young females were kidnapped for a life of involuntary servitude.

The death marches during the Armenian Genocide, involving over a million Armenians, covered hundreds of miles and lasted months. Indirect routes through mountains and wilderness areas were deliberately chosen in order to prolong the ordeal and to keep the caravans away from Turkish villages.

Food supplies being carried by the people quickly ran out and they were usually denied further food or water. Anyone stopping to rest or lagging behind the caravan was mercilessly beaten until they rejoined the march. If they couldn't continue they were shot. A common practice was to force all of the people in the caravan to remove every stitch of clothing and have them resume the march in the nude under the scorching sun until they dropped dead by the roadside from exhaustion and dehydration.

An estimated 75 percent of the Armenians on these marches perished, especially children and the elderly. Those who survived the ordeal were herded into the desert without a drop of water. Being thrown off cliffs, burned alive, or drowned in rivers.

During the Armenian Genocide, the Turkish countryside became littered with decomposing corpses. At one point, Mehmed Talaat responded to the problem by sending a coded message to all provincial leaders: "I have been advised that in certain areas unburied corpses are still to be seen. I ask you to issue the strictest instructions so that the corpses and their debris in your vilayet are buried."

But his instructions were generally ignored. Those involved in the mass murder showed little interest in stopping to dig graves. The roadside corpses and emaciated deportees were a shocking sight to foreigners working in Turkey. Eyewitnesses included German government liaisons, American missionaries, and U.S. diplomats stationed in the country.

During the Armenian Genocide, the Christian missionaries were often threatened with death and were unable to help the people. Diplomats from the still neutral United States communicated their blunt assessments of the ongoing government actions. U.S. ambassador to Turkey, Henry Morgenthau, reported to Washington: "When the Turkish authorities gave the orders for these deportations, they were merely giving the death warrant to a whole race..."

The Allied Powers (Great Britain, France, Russia) responded to news of the massacres by issuing a warning to Turkey: "...the Allied governments announce publicly...that they will hold all the members of the Ottoman Government, as well as such of their agents as are implicated, personally responsible for such matters."

The warning had no effect. Newspapers in the West including the New York Times published reports of the continuing deportations with the headlines: Armenians Are Sent to Perish in the Desert - Turks Accused of Plan to Exterminate Whole Population (August 18, 1915) - Million Armenians Killed or in Exile - American Committee on Relief Says Victims of Turks Are Steadily Increasing - Policy of Extermination (December 15, 1915).

Temporary relief for some Armenians came as Russian troops attacked along the Eastern Front and made their way into central Turkey. But the troops withdrew in 1917 upon the Russian Revolution. Armenian survivors withdrew along with them and settled in among fellow Armenians already living in provinces of the former Russian Empire. There were in total about 500,000 Armenians gathered in this region.

In May 1918, Turkish armies attacked the area to achieve the goal of expanding Turkey eastward into the Caucasus and also to resume the annihilation of the Armenians. As many as 100,000 Armenians may have fallen victim to the advancing Turkish troops.

However, the Armenians managed to acquire weapons and they fought back, finally repelling the Turkish invasion at the battle of Sardarabad, thus saving the remaining population from total extermination with no help from the outside world. Following that victory, Armenian leaders declared the establishment of the independent Republic of Armenia.

World War I ended in November 1918 with a defeat for Germany and the Central Powers including Turkey. Shortly before the war had ended, the Young Turk triumvirate; Talaat, Enver and Djemal, abruptly resigned their government posts and fled to Germany where they had been offered asylum.

In the months that followed, repeated requests by Turkey’s new moderate government and the Allies were made asking Germany to send the Young Turks back home to stand trial. However all such requests were turned down. As a result, Armenian activists took matters into their own hands, located the Young Turks and assassinated them along with two other instigators of the mass murder.

Meanwhile, representatives from the fledgling Republic of Armenia attended the Paris Peace Conference in the hope that the victorious Allies would give them back their historic lands seized by Turkey. The European Allies responded to their request by asked the United States to assume guardianship of the new Republic. However, President Woodrow Wilson's attempt to make Armenia an official U.S. protectorate was rejected by the U.S. Congress in May 1920.

But Wilson did not give up on Armenia. As a result of his efforts, the Treaty of Sevres was signed on August 10, 1920 by the Allied Powers, the Republic of Armenia, and the new moderate leaders of Turkey. The treaty recognized an independent Armenian state in an area comprising much of the former historic homeland.

However, Turkish nationalism once again reared its head. The moderate Turkish leaders who signed the treaty were ousted in favor of a new nationalist leader, Mustafa Kemal, who simply refused to accept the treaty and even re-occupied the very lands in question then expelled any surviving Armenians, including thousands of orphans.

No Allied power came to the aid of the Armenian Republic and it collapsed. Only a tiny portion of the easternmost area of historic Armenia survived by being becoming part of the Soviet Union.

After the successful obliteration of the people of historic Armenia during the Armenian Genocide, the Turks demolished any remnants of Armenian cultural heritage including priceless masterpieces of ancient architecture, old libraries and archives. The Turks even leveled entire cities such as the once thriving Kharpert, Van and the ancient capital at Ani, to remove all traces of the three thousand year old civilization.

Refering to the Armenian Genocide, the young German politician Adolf Hitler duly noted the half-hearted reaction of the world’s great powers to the plight of the Armenians. After achieving total power in Germany, Hitler decided to conquer Poland in 1939 and told his generals: "Thus for the time being I have sent to the East only my 'Death's Head Units' with the orders to kill without pity or mercy all men, women, and children of Polish race or language. Only in such a way will we win the vital space that we need. Who still talks nowadays about the Armenians?"

MT archive: The true meaning of political doublespeak

Political emasculation of a people is a very potent tool towards creation of an "orderly society", and "peaceful transition" of the power structure in a nation state. One way or other, every nation with its own twists and turn in the constitution/ laws uses it for political expediency. Some are very open about it, some are more discrete and sophisticated.

One way or other, they all do the same thing, although not all apply crude and draconian measures to enforce it (in which case, it becomes labeled as a "totalitarian state"). Others plainly disregard rights enshrined in their constitution which is actually there for PR purposes or posterity, and indulge in "rules of the mob" using trojan horses to achieve their aim.

The following is an article that I came across in the Malaysia Today archives, by sheer chance. I believe, the website was then called "Loony Malaysia" which was the predecessor to what it is today.

This was long before I was anywhere close to what one may call "web savvy" (not that I'm that much better these days). So, Raja Petra was far ahead of us, as far as the blogging phenomenon is concerned .....

Speaking of "political double talk", not much has changed as far as all known politicians are concerned, local or foreign - everything is said and done for the sake of political expediency & convenience for the "man of the day".
I couldn't have spun the things mentioned, any better .... LOL.

I somehow believe that many more politicians (in many more nations), would in due time create the need for such a convenience, to help them enforce and "maintain law & order for the sake of greater security and progress of the nation".

Anyway, here it goes with regard to the much dreaded "ISA" of Malaysia ,(Article 149 of the 1957 Constitution (Merdeka Constitution) has a clause that such laws would automatically lapsed upon the expiration of one year from the date on which they came into operation. However the sunset provision was removed in the Constitution Amendment Act 1960 and the position now is such laws would continue to exist indefinitely, unless both Houses of Parliament passed resolutions annulling them.) as in this case.

(For those who aren't aware of what is stands for, please click here. And to compare it with the Patriot Act of the great US of A, click here.
For an interesting discussion and comparison on the two, click here & click here .)

Friday, November 04, 2005

The true meaning of political doublespeak

Raja Petra Kamarudin

(First published in the Free Anwar Campaign website on 3rd June 2004)

June 2001 (Act 1 Scene 1)

Q: Mr President, why is the US so opposed to Malaysia’s arrest and detention of the ten Anwar Ibrahim supporters under the Internal Security Act? Does the US not consider this as Malaysia’s internal matter, which the US should not interfere in? After all, Malaysia has a right to safeguard its nation’s security.

A: Matters concerning a violation of human rights cannot be regarded as an internal matter of any country. It is a matter that concerns the whole world. Malaysia arrested and detained the ten Anwar Ibrahim supporters in April merely because they oppose the dictatorial government of Dr Mahathir Mohamad. The Internal Security Act is a draconian law. No country should any longer have laws that allow for detention without trial.

And we cannot allow Malaysia to use “safeguarding its nation’s security” as an excuse for it to continue using this most inhumane law. If the ten Anwar Ibrahim supporters have committed a crime as alleged, then indict them and try them in an open court. If there is not enough evidence to try them in an open court, then how can there be enough evidence to detain them without trial?

Laws such as Malaysia’s Internal Security Act have no place in this modern world. The Internal Security Act should be repealed. It is an outdated and barbaric law. It is a law of medieval times.

June 2004 (Act 1 Scene 2)

Q: Mr President, what is the US response to Malaysia’s arrest and detention of the Sri Lanka businessman, B.S.A Tahir, under the draconian Internal Security Act? Should he not instead have been brought to trial if Malaysia has enough evidence of any wrongdoing on his part? And was his arrest more to satisfy US demands rather than the fact he is a threat to Malaysia’s internal security?

A: We cannot simply classify Malaysia’s Internal Security Act as a draconian law. Laws such as these are necessary to combat international Islamic terrorism and to maintain world peace.

B.S.A Tahir was involved in exporting to countries that are hostile towards the US certain components that could be used or aid in the manufacture of weapons of mass destruction. Of course, there is not enough evidence to bring him to trial so it was necessary for Malaysia to use the Internal Security Act against him, which sensibly allows for detention without trial in situations such as this where there is not enough evidence to secure a conviction. Malaysia’s Internal Security Act is a preventive law, which helps ensure would-be perpetrators are detained before they can commit a crime rather than after the crime has been committed. Laws such as these prevent a repeat of the 911 tragedy.

The US applauds Malaysia’s move to detain this despicable man who is a threat to the security of our nation. If more countries would act like Malaysia, then world peace would be guaranteed and international Islamic terrorism would be defeated. We look forward to more such arrests and detentions in the near future and we will help Malaysia in any way we can to put all these dangerous people out of business. Countries hostile towards the US should not be allowed to embark upon a nuclear arms program. And Malaysia has contributed greatly in ensuring Muslim countries never achieve the status of a nuclear power.

January 1988 (Act 2 Scene 1)

Q: Yang Berhormat, we can understand Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah and Musa Hitam being strongly opposed to Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohammad. But you have never been known as a strong critic of Dr Mahathir before this. Why have you aligned yourself to Team B?

A: Dr Mahathir is a dictator. He is bad for Malaysia and bad for Umno. If we want to save Malaysia and Umno, Dr Mahathir must be removed. He uses draconian laws such as the Internal Security Act to silence his critics. He does not allow dissent. He is opposed to free speech. Dr Mahathir does not believe in and will not tolerate democracy. We need a more democratic leader who respects the rights of the people.

The rights of the people must be restored. Democracy must be restored. Dr Mahathir must be removed. The future of Umno and the Malays, in fact, of all Malaysians, depend on this. I cannot remain an Umno member as long as Dr Mahathir remains its president. I will not rest until he is ousted and Umno is once again headed by a truly democratic leader. I will remain outside Umno and fight for change. The day I rejoin Umno will be the day Dr Mahathir is sent packing.

January 1999 (Act 2 Scene 2)

Q: Yang Berhormat, can you give us your comments on your recent appointment as Malaysia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister. What are your views on Dr Mahathir Mohamad as the President of Umno and Prime Minister of Malaysia? Do you feel, in light of your past history and strong opposition to him, you would face problems in working with him and supporting him as your boss?

A: Well, first of all, I would like to register my thanks and gratitude to Dr Mahathir for having the trust and faith in me by appointing me as Malaysia’s new Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister. I am certainly greatly honoured.

Of course, as his number two, I shall give him my undivided and complete loyalty and support. A number two must always believe in and support his boss. If he cannot, then he should resign. There are no two ways about it. There is no way a number two can work with his boss if he does not subscribe to his boss’ policies.

Dr Mahathir has done a lot for Umno and the Malays. In fact, he has done more for this entire nation than all the previous Prime Ministers put together. This country needs a man like Dr Mahathir to lead it to greater heights. Only Dr Mahathir dares face more powerful nations like the US and tell it what he thinks about it. No other world leader has the guts that Dr Mahathir has in facing these countries that imagine themselves as the police of the world and tell them what he thinks of them.

Dr Mahathir will be recorded in the history books as the greatest Prime Minister this nation has ever been blessed with. I am honoured and delighted to have the opportunity to work with him. I also pledge him my undying support and loyalty.

October 1987 (Act 3 Scene 1)

Q: Yang Berhormat, what are your views on the recent arrest of more than 100 Malaysians under the Internal Security Act?

A: Laws such as the Internal Security Act have no place in modern Malaysia. It is a draconian and barbaric law. What offence have these people committed? All they did was oppose the government. Is this so wrong?

In a democratic society, there must be room for dissent. People must be allowed to express their opinions. And not all these opinions must be complementary to the government. We should also be able to accept criticisms.

Malaysia is going to be the laughing stock of the entire world. Only military regimes like in some African countries do things like arrest and detain people without trial. Malaysia is a Parliamentary democracy. It has a government elected through free elections. There is no place in Malaysia for outdated laws such as the Internal Security Act.

October 2003 (Act 3 Scene 2)

Q: Yang Berhormat, human rights groups and non-governmental organisations have come out strongly to criticise Malaysia on its arrests and detention of various individuals under the Internal Security Act. At the moment more than 100 people still remain under detention in Kamunting. They accuse Malaysia of using the Internal Security Act to silence critics and dissidents. They also allege that all those so-called, KMM, JI, and so on members are not really Islamic terrorists but that Malaysia is creating this illusion that Islamic terrorism exists so as to frighten the electorate, in particular the non-Muslims, and ensure they do not support the opposition.

A: This is utter nonsense. This is nothing but opposition propaganda. And these so-called human rights groups and non-governmental organisations are merely fronts for the opposition to oppose the government under disguise.

The Internal Security Act is a necessary law. Without the existence of laws such as the Internal Security Act, Malaysia will suffer the fate of the United States that saw a great tragedy known as 911.

We have never misused the Internal Security Act. All those detained under the Internal Security Act are proven threats to society. Thorough police investigations have been launched and the evidence reveals these people all intended to commit a crime that would threaten the peace and stability of this country.

No doubt, they have not actually committed any crime yet. If they had, then we could arrest them and charge them in court. But they have certainly been thinking of committing a crime. It was in their thoughts. So we need to detain them before they act on their thoughts.

The Internal Security Act is a preventive law. It is to ensure we can detain people before and not after they commit any crime. It is no use arresting them after they have committed a crime. Most likely they would be far away by then and we would never be able to find them. The Internal Security Act can catch them by surprise. Just as soon as they start thinking, we detain them and stop them from further thinking about it.