MOJO

As you may have noticed, I haven't been posting much these days - and the reason was/is Mojo, my Beagle. It was a big decision for me, as I deem it a cruelty should I not be able to give it due love & attention.

After much deliberation (and initially chickening-out), I decided to take up the responsibility - and I have no regrets, despite being tired out by this bundle of joy, at the end of every day.

Mojo is now 3 mths old, and has never been trained - and yet, it has learned in a few short days, simple commands like "No", "Sit", "Come", "Bad Girl" .... and she can play non-stop!!

She is especially a "good girl" when she wants us to take it out of the play pen to run around freely - it sits quietly with its pleading eyes. (A friend told me that we shouldn't melt, as they're cleverer than Umno guys, who know who the boss is instinctively, know whom/when to bodek, how to plead, bribe and then misbehave when they can get away with it!)

Despite Beagles being known to be "barky" dogs, Mojo has been very well behaved - it never barked unnecessarily to disturb the neighbors (which is I suppose more than I can claim about our Umno/BN politicians!! Ha Ha!!). It of course barks (beagles actually "bay", rather than bark) when it wants some attention & manja/pampering when it sees people- which is quite understandable for a pup.
Mojo is probably the best decision I've made in a long time - and I'm glad I got her for Christmas. Hope I'll have many more years with Mojo .....

RPK - On Anak Bangsa Malaysia.

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Stop the HOGWASH & deliver the 3rd vote, PR!!

PR- You will lose all that you gained,
if you fail to deliver on a signed agreement with the people.
Don't even think of using Racism as an excuse not to deliver - EVER!!!
Now PR - stop the racist hogwash & Listen up!!
The following from Haris couldn't have said it better....

Pakatan Rakyat akan mengukuhkan demokrasi kerajaan tempatan? Is that it?

December 18, 2009

“Genuine democracy must provide meaningful space for the people to express their views and to participate in various processes of daily administration and not merely to voting once in five years. All interest groups must be allowed to present and debate their views. Information will be freely available subject to strictly defined restrictions. To this end, we will pass the necessary legislation to provide for local council elections“ - Item 1 of Part B, entitled ‘Build A Genuine Democracy’, of The People’s Declaration.

The People’s Declaration was formally endorsed by DAP, PKR and PAS on 23rd February, 2008, just before the 12th General Elections, without any reservation. The 3 parties must therefore be taken to have agreed to the aspiration of the rakyat to restore local council elections. You can view the video evidence of this endorsement HERE.

“The other key electoral reform that PR pledges to implement relates to the revival of local elections. Local government forms the underpinning of democratic values and public accountability at the grassroots. On March 2, 1965, the then government suspended local government elections in the nation. Since then, it has consistently refused to restore local elections, knowing full well the anti-BN mood of the urban electorate. In the meantime, the present unelected form of local government established under BN rule has engaged in systemic wastage, mismanagement and corruption. PR pledges to reintroduce local government elections as a major step forward in curtailing the inefficiency, power abuse, mismanagement and corruption that is presently endemic in local governments” - as provided in the draft Common Policy Platform for Pakatan Rakyat, prepared by Zaid Ibrahim and presented to the leadership of DAP, PKR and PAS for their consideration.

You will note that the pledge incorporated into the Zaid draft is consistent with the declared aspiration of the rakyat as contained in The People’s Declaration.

“Keberkesanan amalan sistem demokrasi bergantung kepada keutuhan pelaksanaan doktrin pemisahan kuasa. Integriti sesebuah kerajaan bergantung kepada kebebasan, kebolehpercayaan dan kewibawaan institusi-institusi yang diamanahkan untuk menjamin keseimbangan antara cabang eksekutif, kehakiman dan legislatif. Pakatan Rakyat akan mengukuhkan demokrasi kerajaan tempatan dan meningkatkan kecekapan serta keberkesanan sistem penyampaian dan menjamin ketelusan di semua peringkat secara demokratik” – draft Common Policy Platform for Pakatan Rakyat, finalised by the drafting committee of the Pakatan Rakyat secretariat, for deliberation at the Pakatan Rakyat Convention on 19th December, 2009.

I shall be attending the Convention to hear first hand the rationale why the drafting committee of the Pakatan Rakyat secretariat has dropped the pledge, as proposed in the Zaid draft, to restore local council elections, from the Common Policy Platform for Pakatan Rakyat.

I also want to see for myself whether Pakatan Rakyat elected representatives who have assured me that they will be rasing the matter of the restoration of local council elections at the Convention, in fact walk their talk.

Second Class?!! They Shed Blood, So That You Could Eat!!

"Its proven historically that this is Tanah Melayu.

Others are categorised as second-class citizens."
~Ahmad Mahayuddin Abd Manaf (of the Cowhead Dirty Dozen).

'Keling' - they helped make this country great
(Letter from MalaysiaKini)

Lt Col (Rtd) Mohd Idris Hassan
Dec 11, 09
5:23pm

I refer to the Malaysiakini report Of noisy Indians and 'keling' blood: Utusan strikes again.

The attacking of fellow Malaysians by the mainstream media Utusan Malaysia because of their race is unwarranted and most uncalled for. I remember in the late forties when I was a little boy living in my hometown of Raub, Pahang.

I used to pass road gangs of Tamil labourers toiling in the midday's scorching sun from dawn till dusk. Armed with only picks and shovels, they would be hacking at solid rocks to carve out roads along the mountain side.

They had no proper attire, just a withered white towel tied in turban form on their heads. They would wrap rags around their spindly legs to prevent the hot molten tar from scalding them as they went about their chores.

Yet they had time to smile and wave at passing cars. They used to be referred to as 'coolies' and their slave-like living quarters as coolie lines. My late father used to tell us that most of the roads in Malaya at the turn of the century were built solely by Indian labour.

They toiled in the malaria-infested rubber estates, living with their families in filthy inhuman conditions. The white 'tuan' treated them like slaves and allowed them to indulge in drinking toddy to forget their woes .

Yet again it was the same coolies called 'toties' who serviced our bucket system latrines until the early sixties as there were no takers for this job from the other races. I have seen for myself these 'toties' cleaning the rubber tubs at a stream not far from my house with their bare hands.

In short, when there was any dirty, menial job to be done, it was this Tamil coolie, then often called by the derogatory term 'keling', that did it for us.

Now times have changed and their offsprings have made much progress in all fields and want to take their rightful place in our society .Let's not pour scorn on them and laugh away their pride.

As a soldier I know that many of my Indian/Tamil friends who fought and died for this country . They all are a part of those who stood by us during the good and bad times, they have helped make this country great.

A country which rightfully belongs to all Malaysians.

The Conflict is Between Religiosity & Spirituality - Not Secularism & Religiosity.

"If PAS wants to avoid falling into this trap it should have
very clear and very public objectives about how it wishes
to resolve this conflict between secularism and religiosity."
~Batsman, "So Where Do We Go From Here"

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The following is a comment I gave in reply to the above article (with minor editing):

Dear Batsman,
I must say that this is a nice piece - in fact, I myself had similar sentiments. However, I would like to suggest that you replace the word "religiosity" with "spirituality" and "conflict" with "balance", in the context of the following sentence above:-
"If PAS wants to avoid falling into this trap it should have very clear and very public objectives about how it wishes to resolve this conflict between secularism and religiosity."

Before I say any further, allow me to apologize, should any of the following be flawed from the perspective of Muslims - and I would welcome any criticism.
As I see it, Islam isn't about religiosity, which entails the observation of rituals - I believe that it is more of "good practices in the context of spirituality".

Having said that, spirituality requires enlightenment and reason, so as to bring about justice through good practices – and this precisely what the ideal of "secularism" is all about. Contrary to your opinion, it is my belief that "secularism" isn't necessarily in conflict with the tenets Islamic (or any other) spirituality, in the big picture – but it is definitely in conflict with religiosity, which PAS advocates in its politics, through the trappings of "cultural" practices and outdated opinions.

It is is also the opinion of quite a number of thinkers, that secularism does not necessarily mean "secularization of society" - wherein religious convictions are frowned upon. It only describes the polity which is required in achieving towards building a dynamic nation, which practices equality. It is a polity that requires reason as opposed to rules based on primordial Arab/Islamic/Roman/Christian societies which claimed to represent "Godly" motives.

Today, "secularism" has been demonized by the religious communities as being "evil", through ignorance and bigotry. They fail to understand that "secularism" not only protects the rights of individuals to freedom of religion, but also protects religion from the corruption of politics, and in fact even itself, by limiting the idiosyncrasies of power hungry "godmen".

Little do many a faithful see, that much of what has been touted as "god-ordained" in religious polity, is nothing but thinly veiled greed and envy. Having failed in its ability to reason, the advocates of this system (clamouring for issues and a new agenda to perpetuate their greed and envy) now choose to preach intolerance, “arabization”, and religiosity in the name of God, to further isolate, and “drug into a stupor” a beautiful people that was once open to change.

Even if we aren't too accurate in our assessment, much of what that has been passed off for Islamization by many of these "godmen", is nothing more than frothy God-talk - mindless, thoughtless, and in its exploitation of people, heartless.
(With some exceptions)The “one-upmanship” practiced by the various institutions that espouse religious chauvinism, is in fact a pathetic display of their failures and insecurities.

Kesopanan & Kesusilaan - BolehLand Style

Between the Devil and The Deep Blue Sea.

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As much as PAS might argue that an Islamic system does not mean that Malaysia would transform into a theological state, the people will not buy this.
They are still suspicious that an Islamic system translates to a theological state. And they remember what it was like in the old days when religion once ruled the world.
That was the worst period in the history of mankind.
~ RPK, It's Not About Islam; It's About Religion

No, it is not the Malays who give Umno power.
It is the Chinese, Indians and natives of Sabah and Sarawak.
So, if you are in the mood to whack someone, don’t whack the Malays.
Whack the Chinese, Indians and natives of Sabah and Sarawak.
~RPK, Why Whack The Malays

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Recently, RPK came up with two articles consecutively (above), followed by "Splitting What Is Already Split" - which highlights the fact that the Muslim Ummah has been split from the very beginning. They made some real good reading, with some good points to note.

However, I'm inclined to say that there is much denial in all the articles, peppered with misguided opinions & statistics that are at best misleading, considering the circumstances in our political landscape.
Although I have refrained from commenting on MT as I used to in the past, I couldn't help but note the anger and frustration expressed by one commenter - Rainbowseahorse. He couldn't understand, why the natives of Sabah/Sarawak should be held responsible, when they have been suffering for their rebellion against Umno for 20yrs - ever since the "coup d'etat" (led by non other than Anwar Ibrahim, of course) using Muslim illegal immigrants against the Kadazan-Christian dominated PBS of a much younger Huguan Siou, Joseph Pairin Kitingan (back in '84, I think).
Here is the interaction we had (Please pardon the "french" in his comments):-

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written by Rainbowseahorse, December 07, 2009 19:37:53
To all you West Malaysians who “whacked” us Sabahans, where the fuk were you Malayans from 1985 to 1994 when WE DARED to be the OPPOSITION STATE? You, along with MOST of you “WANKERS” here who knows nuts about Sabah politics were cozily snuggled inside mamakthir and the rest of UMNO’s sarongs, all smiling with containment and praising the BN for being such a good and caring government. Then come the GE, you “WANKERS” smilingly and happily voted the BN into power yet again and without a bloody though to US SABAHANS who were fighting your mamathir, the whole bloody corrupted BN, and, yes, your NOW much beloved DS Anwar who was the second most powerful man in Malaysia at that time.

Now, and only now when you “WANKERS” suddenly realize that the PKR cannot win the GE without our Sabah, and Sarawak, Parliamentary seats, you “WANKERS” start calling us names and hurling all sorts of accusations at us.
You “WANKERS” don’t seem to realize, or too thick and numb skull to begin to understand that it’s all too bloody late to recruit Sabah as WE ARE OUT VOTED AT LEAST TWO TO ONE by migrant voters (all complimentary of your Malayan government) and have no more POPLE’S POWER to kick out, in particular, UMNO Sabah who controls or is being controlled by these legalized migrants.

You “WANKERS” still have at lease 6 Malayan States who HAVE NEVER EVER been an opposition State. You “WANKERS” go tell your fellow Malayans in these 6 States to have the balls to kick out the BN for once in their miserable life instead of voting them into power time and again for the last 52 bloody years of your independence, before telling us Sabahans (who have been an opposition State for eight long years, to have the guts to vote out the BN when we simply don't have that power anymore.

Come to think of it, why did it have to take your 4 Malayan States so long (over 51 years) to become an opposition States only until very recently? It must be you Malayans like the inside smell of the BN or too contented to even consider voting them out of power.

You Malayans are the epitome of hypocrisy and self righteousness!

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written by cruzeiro, December 07, 2009 21:43:43

written by Rainbowseahorse, December 07, 2009 19:37:53
You Malayans are the epitome of hypocrisy and self righteousness!
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Guilty as charged, my man! Guilty as charged.

Only thing is - today, we try to make up for it ....
And the question is - if you're willing to stand with us for a better future, or do you wish to screw it all up?
Hang the fellas who talk-cock like they know about the circumstances Sabahans are faced with - it is time to enlighten the ignorant, and work with us - even if we are wankers.
Peace bro - I know what you guys are faced with, and I sympathize/empathize.
Sabah/Sarawak has been betrayed by Umno time and again - and most Malaysians don't know about it. Please guys - stop the brickbats against Sabah/Sarawak .... they're in a much worse situation as a result of our ignorance.

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written by Rainbowseahorse, December 07, 2009 23:31:35

cruzeiro,

We would like to work with the PKR, but they too are totally in the dark as to how to take on Sabah, and the one of the very few good people they have, like Christina Liew, has even thrown in the towel in exasperation!

Show us a good leader, and we will surely follow that person! DS Anwar is not that hot with us as he had a hand in project IC.

One more thing, please don't put Sarawak in the same context as Sabah. Sarawakian votes have not been diluted by any large scale project IC as the powerful Chinese Politicians made that quite difficult.
Sarawakians are much more complex people, as is their political climate. There, absolute power over everything, including food on the table, are controlled by Chinese T raid Politicians & Businessmen with that smiling Tiger Taib hand in gloves with them. As I said, it's really2 complex there, compounded by the fact that many of their people still living in scattered communities far from any good roads, it's most certainly no political campaign picnic.

As I said, give us a good leader, and we shall see what we can do to revamp the present corrupted and badly diseased government.

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written by cruzeiro, December 08, 2009 12:08:35

Of course - circumstances in Sarawak are quite different.
True what you say about the "triads" - and from what I hear, it is the "foochow" clans that control it .... including the PRDM of Sarawak, while the Melanaus present another version of the "ketuanan Melayu/Islam" policy for posterity. In fact, from what I gather, these "triads" have spread their wings to the W.Malaysian parties as well - Umno included. They have managed to enslave many through their capital controls, with many AliBabas as a front for their NEP compliant policies.

I'm no Anwarista, and as such don't make any apologies on his behalf. Anwar was definitely at fault back then, and as such "ain't too hot"- however, he does present and alternative which can bring about some change. Moreover, with his shaky popularity, he would have to appeal to the electorate to garner more support.

The question is - Are you willing to take a chance on change, or are you content with the status quo which has reduced Sabah to being beggars.
The choice is yours - and it is between hope and hopelessnes .... not good & better.
Cheers, mate.

Now - about "whacking the Malays" ....
Why whack the Malays??
Well, why not - there are still many Malays who subscribe to the ketuanan ideas, even if they don't support Umno. Don't believe me? Just talk to the PAS guys, and dissect what they say well - you'll see that their Islamic state agenda is simply a means towards perpetuating this same ideal.
Ask them about the economic status - they'll say that the "chinese" are still the rich ones, and hence the NEP is a necessity. They themselves, are slaves to the ruling elite, whom they perceive as their protectors. The only difference is - they wish to impose the same ideas in the name of Islam under the patronage of some self-proclaimed Godmen.
Mind you, We are talking about people who would go to great lengths to destroy the secular spirit of our Federal Constitution, here!! And they are Malays!!

This being the situation, many a non-Malay is left in a dilemma, to choose between two kinds of hypocrisy - do they have more of the same with the added garnishings of "Islam-as-I-say-tion" , or allow Umno's acknowledgement of the secular nature, together with the corruption.

Those who call it Islamophobia, are grossly mistaken - far from it, it is actually a phobia for ignorant hypocrites who brandish God's name, so as to justify changing the nature of our nation. That is a terrifying prospect, for any right thinking man or woman - and we are asked to help them achieve power based on good faith ..... despite their silence on the secular nature of our Federal Constitution.

Now - What was the title of this article again??
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On another note - Mahathir admits that Umno is racist, after spinning all this while that it was only "racialist":-

'Umno is also racist'

He said that since Nazri belongs to a racist party, the minister must then resign from the party deemed to be racist.

"Nazri says I am a racist. Umno is a racist party, it caters to the Malays.
If he feel that he does not belong to the racist party he should resign from the party."