Death at MACC HQ!!! (1-Dead-Malaysia)

Datuk Mohd Shukri Abdul said Teoh was questioned from 5pm yesterday to 3.45am and was released soon after.
However, Teoh apparently said he was tired and so he rested on a settee in the lobby. He was seen sleeping on the settee at 6am.
At about 1.30pm, Shukri said, they heard that a body had been found on the 5th floor of the adjacent building and when one of the MACC officers went to investigate, he realised it was one of their witnesses.

Teoh (right) with Ean Yong and an MACC officer at the executive councillor's office yesterday.
By Neville Spykerman -MalaysianInsider

SHAH ALAM, July 16 – The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission’s (MACC) controversial probe into several DAP assemblymen’s activities was thrown into more turmoil today with the death of political aide Teoh Beng Hock at the anti-graft authority’s Selangor headquarters.

The 30-year-old’s death will put more pressure on the MACC, which has been accused by the opposition of conducting selective investigations.

Teoh, the political secretary of Seri Kembangan assemblyman Ean Yong Hian Wah, was taken in for questioning by the MACC yesterday at its 14th floor office in Plaza Masalam in Shah Alam.

MACC said he was freed but his body was later found sprawled on the roof of a five-storey building next door.

It is unclear if Teoh, a former journalist with Chinese daily Sin Chew Jit Poh, fell or jumped from the MACC office.

Ean Yong and several other DAP lawmakers are at the scene now, including M. Manoharan, Gan Pei Nee and Teresa Kok.

DAP’s Ronnie Liu said the police has confirmed that the body is that of Teoh. He added that he does not understand how this could have happened.

Forensic investigators examine the body of Teoh Boon Hock for clues. Teoh was found dead next to the MACC’s office today, after being taken in for questioning yesterday.

At a press conference, the MACC director of investigations Datuk Mohd Shukri Abdul said Teoh was questioned from 5pm yesterday to 3.45am and was released soon after.

However, Teoh apparently said he was tired and so he rested on a settee in the lobby. He was seen sleeping on the settee at 6am.

At about 1.30pm, Shukri said, they heard that a body had been found on the 5th floor of the adjacent building and when one of the MACC officers went to investigate, he realised it was one of their witnesses.

Shukri said Teoh was not a suspect but was questioned as part of their investigations into the misuse of state allocations.

Selangor police chief Datuk Khalid Abu Bakar said the deceased was found lying in a pool of blood clad in a white shirt, black pants and jacket.

Police have not allowed anyone to view Teoh’s body, which has still not been removed at 6.30pm, when his brother was at the scene.

In an immediate reaction, DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang expressed shock and asked in his twitter account, “Is there now the first case of death in custody, not police but MACC? If so, heads must roll!”

The DAP leader is in Penang and said he was waiting for a full report about the tragedy.

“What has this country come to?” he asked, adding later he and other Pakatan Rakyat leaders will meet the MACC on Friday for an explanation.

According to Kit Siang, Teoh, an Alor Gajah boy, was to register his marriage tomorrow.

Kit Siang also confirmed he and Anwar will meet reporters at the MACC building in Shah Alam at 10am Friday.

Teoh was taken in for questioning yesterday after MACC officers raided Ean Yong’s office in the State Secretariat as they were investigating complaints about the failure of state allocations to reach the people.

Selangor State Assembly Speaker Teng Chang Khim weighed in by saying the MACC is responsible for the incident.

His lawyer M Manoharan, who accompanied Teo to the MACC office yesterday, said the deceased looked normal and showed no signs of being under stress.

“He was happy and looked composed. I had advised him how to handle the interrogation as I was not allowed in during questioning,” he said.

Manoharan, who is the Kota Alam Shah assemblyperson, last saw Teo at around 7pm yesterday.

Ean Yong said it was highly unlikely Teoh took his own life since he was due to register his marriage tomorrow.

"Furthermore, there was no reason for him to linger (after the interrogation) because his car was here," he added.

Selangor executive councillor Elizabeth Wong expressed shock over Teoh’s death and added to the chorus that MACC was responsible for it.

“This tragic incident is another reminder of the recklessness of supposedly public institutions like the MACC in pursuing the goals of their political masters,” she said in a statement.

Wong said MACC investigations director Datuk Mohd Shukri Abdul’s explanation flew in the face of logic, adding that the authority should operate within acceptable guidelines when conducting interrogations.

“Even the police stops interrogating suspects at 6pm. Did the MACC think it holds powers greater than the PDRM when it interrogated Teoh from 5pm to 4am the next day?” she asked.

She said the incident has prompted her not to allow her staff to be questioned by the MACC unless accompanied by legal counsel, adding the police should also seal the office for investigations.

“ Datuk Mohd Shukri … should save whatever honour he and the MACC have left by resigning,” said the Bukit Lanjan assemblywoman.

In a statement, Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said the MACC must bear full responsibility for this death as Teoh was in their custody at the time.

“MACC should stop its political persecution of PR, especially DAP leaders and members, that does not serve the interest of fighting corruption or justice,” he said. “Such political games have caused the loss of life of a bright young idealistic DAP member.”

“There must be a full investigation on how he died. Unless MACC can clear its name, the public may suspect that Teoh was mistreated and MACC had a hand in his sudden death. There must be full transparency and accountability.

“DAP extends its condolences to Teoh’s family for this tragic loss and assures them that all steps will be taken to ensure that the culprits or those responsible be punished.”

Sekinchan assemblyman Ng Swee Lim, who was weeping openly at the press conference, said he had wanted to take Teoh for seafood yesterday.

Meanwhile, PKR vice president K. Sivarasa calls this a “death in suspicious circumstances.”

PKR assemblyman Xavier Jeyakumar is questioning why a normal young man would want to kill himself over being questioned about state allocations. A vigil is now being organised for Teoh outside the MACC office from 8.30pm tonight.

Beautiful Greenery on MRR2.......

PPSMI- A Pro Choice Argument.

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The people, in whom the supreme power resides,
ought to have the management of everything within their reach:
that which exceeds their abilities must be conducted by their ministers.
-Montesquieu, Spirit of Laws, bk. 2, CH. 2
(Of the Republican Government, and the Laws in relation to Democracy)

#######################

The Govt has once again flip-flopped, so "suffer the children" now. Muhyiddin was conveniently made to be the fall-guy for this predetermined decision to bring about this populist decision - while Mr. PM's cousin, Mr. Chris, sits pretty with the HM and his "reformist" rhetoric.

What I don't understand is why we need to be so rigid in our ways - every aspect of our life seems to be decided by the Govt who insists on a "Nanny State". Why can't they provide us with an option? What have they got against dual streaming in National schools? Is it the same rhetoric that they used against the noble La Salle teaching tradition/schools?
They appear not to recognize the need for the freedom to choose as individuals, and we are dictated to on every matter. They people are regarded as incapable of making decisions for themselves, and treated as such. This allows them to control the masses with great ease, and indoctrinate the masses to their liking. It is this creeping paralysis of thought that the Govt desires, so that they can impose their will upon the people through a dictatorship that masquerades as a democracy.

The Govt conveniently absolves itself of the duty to provide for the quality education for the general public - as that which was accorded to them in their (the politicians) days as students. It in turn transfers that role to the mushrooming private sector, who now cater to only those who can pay premium fees for quality, world-class education (read "International Schools").

What could go so terribly wrong if we had an English-medium as a safety-net, to ascertain that we aren't left behind, together with Malay-medium for those who intend to protect the viability and progress of BM as a language for communication, science and technology? Just as they intend to enhance the teaching of English in the currently Malay-medium schools, they could do the same with the English-medium which we could have.
Nobody loses, and everybody is happy - and market forces will determine that the less competitive schools become less popular, while those obsessed with their cultural heritage have that option to indulge themselves.

The freedom to shoose is an essential component of a democracy.
"Choice", however is a word alien to the ruling powers in Malaysia. They appear to believe that statecraft entails the removal of this element of choice from the books - in all facets of life .... from the area of expression, to clothing, gathering, to entertainment. From religion, to politics, to business, to jobs, to education - the people are denied this element of "Choice" in one way or other. This has led to the malaise that afflicts the nation.

To this demand for "Choice" in the matter of PPSMI - they have my vote. The people have a right to Choice, in deciding their future.
This element of choice is essential if we want to create a progressive civil society.

Yes - I'm PRO-CHOICE!
How about you?

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

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

Clinging to the Cause & Wishing the Results Away.

"Guilt that is concealed seldom stops with the one who harbors that hurt. Sooner or later that pain of fear and guilt is spread to others, particularly to those closest to us. “Victimless” crimes are an illusion, for deceit is a monster that needs constant feeding. It would be foolish for us to think that we can deal with guilt by somehow covering it up.
The moment that we cover our guilt we escalate the tension in our lives by adding the dimension of fear. We may then become people who seem okay on the outside, but inside we are struggling to maintain the facade.......
Carried to a different level, this same tendency underlies all our national preoccupation with one social or economic crisis after another. No one seems willing to admit that at the heart of our malady is a mangled spirituality."
-Ravi Zacharias

For a small nation that should by right be striving for unity in pluralism and held fast by the secular spirit and principles of the constitution of 1957, Malaysia is a nation that is struggling silently through a turbulent time of social reconstruction - albeit in the wrong direction.

Indeed, what Ravi said rings very true if we were to reflect on his words against the backdrop of our woes, at the heart of which lies the greed and sectarian politics practised by our political masters. Here we do not have the luxury of "whacking" the usual bogeyman, the Government or BN (aka UMNO Baru).

No - all of them in the opposition too, practice the very same evil by embracing "race or religion" based politics - this has been the curse that has been handed down to us by those who refused to accept and thus betrayed the the ideals that Dato' Onn Jaafar, the Father of UMNO, stood for.
They instead killed every opportunity to build a nation based on "Values and Principles".
They preferred to play the race game that would be a short cut to power consolidated upon those politically "victorious", ie the Muslim Malay race.
That being the case, all the "others" also joined the bandwagon of the most primitive "race/ religion" political game.
YES - This is the curse that we inherited from certain idolized "leaders", who were actually the perpetrators of cardinal sins that would one day spell the doom of this nation (unless it is undone).

Political parties in Malaysia were never forged out of principles of the democracy that they all swore to protect and nurture - they were there simply to fight for the rights and "interests" of specific races/ religions.

Would it not serve Malaysian interests well if our politicians seek to emulate their selfless struggle against injustice under tyrants and religious extremists?
How I wish I could hear the music of politicians shouting out against the subtle persecutions against the all Malaysians be they Muslim, Christian, Hindu, Buddhists or Animists, be they of BN or the Opposition.

But No - they only do it so long as it serves their greedy, sectarian or racist political agenda. Listen to the sound of silence among members of one "party", when rights of the the other is trampled upon - it is so deafening, that you are tempted to doubt the legitimacy of your rights!
They believe that it isn't their struggle, unless it involves their "own people". Politicians fear "breaking ranks" with party bosses, even if it means betraying fellow Malaysians that they have sworn to speak for - all in the interest of "party unity".
How low can politicians go - they prefer to appeal to the lowest possible denominator, toe the party line and be subservient to "great leaders" and be slaves of the party, rather than stand up for noble values/principles of humanity, truth and righteousness.

Dear friends, it is a grave sin indeed for one to dance to the tune of divisive and sectarian politics that caters to primitive, selfish and narrow interests of only certain communities. We need to change our mindset to support leaders who aren't slaves to the dictatorial party leadership, but to principles of humanity.
For that to happen we need to make a concerted effort to change the mindset of all Malaysians, so as to be able to regard his neighbour as a brother/ sister first - race , religion, beliefs, creed, class and whatever divisive factor shouldn't figure in the equation.
For that to happen, the small-minded "leaders" who bark in Parliament need to realize that all parties need to "overhaul" their constitutions so as to be inclusive, and practice it in word and deed.

G.K Chesterton once said - "What we need is a Leadership that is not only right where we are right, but right where we are wrong". So then, let us make up for the betrayal that our forefathers meted out to the Founding Fathers of the Nation. Break down the walls of our insecurities, pride, prejudice - and embrace instead principles of humanity, so that we may not live in fear, but in hope.
Let us turn not opt for the same fate as Dorian Gray, who chose to destroy the hideousness of the painting (of himself) that he saw, and had stabbed himself in reaction.

Many of you might say that it is just a pipe-dream - maybe so - but we must have hope in this dream.
Until and unless this can be done, Malaysia is headed for further conflict among the various groups/communities.
This may of course be conveniently averted through the use of "Rule by Draconian laws" by a dictator, wherein every citizen has to give up his/ her rights, in the interest of "maintaining law and order", with the interest of society at large - which is incidentally the "Asian Values", sold to us by some "great leaders".
Advocate not denial, and grasp at straws so as to prop up the evil that plagues the nation, for our own selfish interests. Let us take the nation back from the politicians, and make it ours - for once.

"It will not do to cling to the cause and wish the result away.
Reality does not play mind games.
What is more, to anesthetize the mind in order to abort what comes to birth when wrong ideas are conceived and borne in the womb of culture, will only kill the very life-giving force of the nation that nurtures the idea.
We must learn, in the words of one cultural commenter, to live as wise as serpents and as innocent as doves."
-Ravi Zacharias

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

NOTE:
The above is an edited version of "A Curse in the Malaysian's Embrace" on CruzinThots (18/2/2008).
It was inspired by Oscar Wilde's "The Picture of Dorian Gray" and Ravi Zacharias's lovely take on it which appears as the preface at
http://cruzinthots.blogspot.com/2008/02/political-racial-profiling-curse.html

MOVES in 100 BLACK DAYS .....

"The poll by the Merdeka Centre shows that his approval rating is 65 per cent, a spike from the tepid 46 per cent in mid-May and 42 per cent just before he became the country’s sixth leader."

"But the bottom line is Malaysians have approved his leadership."
-Wong Chun Wai (The Star)

Guess who/what Else is Flying High!

"The poll by the Merdeka Centre
shows that his approval rating is 65 per cent,

a spike from the tepid 46 per cent in mid-May and 42 per cent
just before he became the country’s sixth leader."

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
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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"?