Ignorance + Freedom = Chaos

RPK recently publish an article on No Holds Barred entitled "Robespierre on freedom of the press" which advocates total, unfettered freedom of the press. This was written in relation to the "criminal defamation" and "sedition" charges the people can be subjected to under the restrictive laws of this country - and as such, in principle, I'm inclined to be in agreement.

However, it is my opinion, that an ignorant society cannot "handle" freedom - it would be akin to setting free a caged animal which is fed its meals, and having lost its survival instincts.
In order for a society to appreciate the value of freedom there first has to be freedom of thought and a liberal education. The education referred to here doesn't refer to the schooling under shackles of restrictive laws that we have in Malaysia. It refers to that which requires students to be exposed to fresh ideas, challenge established norms and debate ideas that are deemed "alien" or even "dangerous". Without the ability of the public to grasp ideas and concepts, they would be prone to irrational emotional outbursts of "flight or fight" response of the mid-brain, as seen at the Bar Council forum (led by the intellectual amoeba - Zul Nordin).

Had this liberal education been prevalent in Malaysia, RPK's writings would never have been considered "dangerous" by our political elite, and BN with its intellectually bankrupt political ideologues would long ago have been history. The ignorance we see among our "educated" graduates is an essential element, that ensures the perpetuation of the rule by these pirates who plunder the nation. It is the one reason we have institutions like BTN and religious enforcement bodies- to ensure that the minds remain in bondage - it will ensure that the people live in fear of the very freedom they seek and demand a "strong government" to keep them on a leash.
It is the stuff which, as Imran Imtiaz calls them - "benevolent authoritarians"(aka dictators) , dream of.

It was keeping these things in mind, that the following (minimally edited) comment was put up in the comments section on No Holds Barred ....

Robespierre did say all those things about freedom - however, without a rational people and sound philosophy to back it up, the french revolution resulted in plenty of bloodletting (which ended in his own).

What I write now is a generalisation of Malays indebted to Umno out of ignorance. The reason for this is simply becos Umno rules, and Malays form the majority. This isn't meant to be a racist tirade - I know of many good Malays who want change.
However it also applies to many in other communities.

Anyway- as you said Pete, it's about the money.
The sad part of it all is - the Malays think it's about Ketuanan Melayu, and insist on giving their support to Umno.
They do it even if it means surrendering their liberty and remaining in shackles - mind, heart & soul. They don't seem to care if religion is just a tool to promote fascism.
I remember clearly, one comment in this column (some time last year), stating that they don't mind living in the jungles, as long as they feel they are in control.

Liberty, freedom, economy, education, integrity, nationhood etc, etc don't seem to matter to them at all. These higher ideals are foriegn, greek, kafir to them. They just need their "opium" - religion, and ego.
They don't mind living in "denial" - like how some claim that "Tanah Melayu was never really colonised - only took advise from Brits". It is the same thing that goes on in their minds where Umno is concerned - and as a result they fear living without their (psychological) colonial masters.

What matters to them today is, that they get their pittance and feel they are bosses, while gawking with empty pride at the high and mighty god-like "cemerlang & gemilang" Malay elite, or the concrete structures that apparently depict their progress.
What matters is they have handicaps over (who they believe are) "pendatangs/kafirs", provided for them by their political masters.
What matters is they have the ability to spite & sneer at those they are made to perceive as foreigners.
They just want to go on "living" the way Umno (thru BTN) has taught them - living on the empty pride that they are masters of the land, while begging for handouts (coming from taxpayers) and envying the success of others.

Even if there were to be a change of govt, there will be a lot of discontent among the Malays, should they not understand the reality they are faced with - and this would create a lot of instability.
In a nation of easily hoodwinked, unthinking, gullible masses, and impotent instruments of state created by authoritarian rule, it is something that's sure to happen. It would create chaos in the delivery system that has for ages been infiltrated & controlled by Umno - and they know how to play the game of sabotage.
That is why TDM boldly says that race-based politics is still relevant. He knows that many (rich & poor) are paralysed without it. He knows that the independence we celebrate is actually hogwash. What we have today is a people who gladly enslave themselves to the elite, for the privilege of crumbs - the sellout of Mahathir for RM200 is one good case.

A free media would definitely help alleviate this situation - however in the current situation, I guess there should be controls in content, where one shouldn't use the liberty to subvert it (just like some politicians who use democracy to impose religiosity that curtails it). This ignorant public, is an excuse which authoritarian govts use to suppress freedom - and it can only be done by emasculating the other pillars of state with popular support (as TDM had done).

The only way out of this predicament is through education - until and unless the system roots for meritocracy (with need-based affirmative action), things will not change. Students today are taught to fear the unknown & feel insecure without their privileges. The students of today hold the future in their hands. It is they who need to awaken and rage against the system.
UUCA together with the ISA, needs to be repealed. Abolishing the ISA alone won't unshackle their minds or cut out the rot.

With a liberal education and healthy debate, BN would long ago have been history - which is why BN ensures "indoctrination of the educated".
This would encourage people to think about and accept philosophically sound ideas from various schools of thought - instead of seeking solutions and a safety net in race-politics, privileges, religiosity and mindless "God-talk".

Only then can the idea of freedom & Malaysians as one people take root.

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

PS
"Ty" has correctly suggested the words "Critical Pedagogy". Here are some links ....
Further Reading:-
Critical pedagogy
What is Critical Pedagogy?
What is Critical Pedagogy?

Offensive "Spin Doctors" ......

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The intended title to this post was supposed to be "Spin Doctors on the Offensive", but it turned out as above - and I thought I'd let it be. It shouldn't have sounded the way it does - after reading the "spinterview" man of Malaysia Today, it was a spontaneous thing- if you know what I mean ....
There were two very interesting articles on Malaysia Today, today!
Both came for the man who contributes oneliners and a few questions in the Face to Face column on Malaysia Today - the one and only IMRAN Imtiaz - don't mistake him for Malik Imtiaz of Disquiet who defended RPK recently.
The most "enlightening" of his "spinterviews" was with Rocky of Rocky's Bru
(the link to the blog has since been removed from Cruzinthots)
I tell you, Guys - This is just a new "Mathias Chang" in the making ....

The two articles are
1. Stephen Doss Strenuously Protects Khairy Jamaluddin-A Rejoinder
2. Every Man A King

Here's a comment from one reader in the first article:
I myself have my own disagreements over some of Stephen Doss's writings, but he does have his points, which begs the question - What is yours ?
As Mr.Doss puts it succintly when he refers to you " a young man not well versed in political happenings"

I tell you what Mr.Imtiaz, just put on a pretty suite and stick to what you do well- as the "The Interviever " in " face to face" series of articles.

because it seems that you are out of your depth, and political analysis does not seem to be your forte.

Vijay Kumar Murugavell

and another ....
written by SCM, November 13, 2008 10:24:47
Hey Imran, you seem to be doing exactly what Steven Doss is doing for Khairy, but for Mukhriz. How are you different from Doss? Did you actually say that Mukhriz had to "beg for his rice bowl to be returned to him"? Rice bowl? Wouldn't it be more accurate to use the term "gold inggots" or "diamond mines" to be returned to him? This Mukhriz guy and his family raped us for 22 years and have become one of the richest families in the WORLD. And you refer to this billionaire as an underdog?

Well, as far as I am concerned, they are both dogs. One is a mutt while the other is a mutt with a fake Oxford degree and parades around like a slimy worm.

The latter article was a diarrhoea of words that ran 1800 words - and I couldn't bring myself to go far ....
Among the words (written in bullet-form as "you-know-who") were these:
1. The problem with this country is that we have nominal and displaced persons on the fringes of mainstream society that try to make a name for themselves by taking pot shots at upright citizens. Malik Imtiaz Sarwar is one such person who hopes to gain some selective notoriety by not only displaying his bias for all to see but has also resorted to personal attacks against Mukhriz Mahathir.
5. Our judicial system in its trials and tribulations throughout the years has met up with various "incidences" which has created unhappiness, particularly in respect of the 1988 judicial crisis- which the bar council and disgruntled lawyers have unilaterally spun as a crisis. It was actually a wind of change for the better under the prevailing circumstances during the premiership of Tun Dr. Mahathir whom had the unpleasant task and had to accept the unpopularity of disciplining the rebellious judges who had abused their positions thinking that they are all supreme– over and above the law- believing that no action can be taken against them.
15. The writer also seems to rely on Zaid Ibrahim (former de facto law minister) to strengthen his arguments. For the record Zaid Ibrahim is hardly a maverick but a total political failure. ..... Nobody knows really what reforms he intended to carry out in the first place. In this regard, the writer needs to be reminded that the outgoing PM and Zaid together with the bar council held a dinner in honour of the rebellious judges with the sole purpose to hit back at Tun Dr Mahathir and attempted to humiliate this great statesman. The act of paying compensation to the rebellious judges is an ultra vires act and it involves public money which was paid by the government not only for the dinner but also for the said compensation. No country in the world particularly a Commonwealth member country will resort to such an ultra vires and unlawful act.
(Bold Italics, mine)

Now for some interesting comments to the above ....
...
written by Jit Dharma, November 13, 2008 12:38:38
Mr. Imran, anyone who calls Mahathir a great statesman must be retarded.I think
that you fancy yourself as a kind of intellectual/ hired gun/mercenary. I don't
listen to the hot air expelled by our so called 'intellectuals', because like you, they are mostly airy fairy wimps lost in the high of listening to their own voices. Give me an indication that you and your 'observations' are unbiased and rooted in the real world, as for now you come across like a blind idiot.
Mukhriz Mahathir? Are you trying to sell this clown to us? Please lah, even the
security guard in my area is more of an intellectual than you. Get a real job!!

...
written by temenggong, November 13, 2008 12:49:27
Imran, I read the piece on 'all the king's men' and did not find anything you describe. It is a call to put judicial reform upfront! What's wrong with that?

I think you are barking up the wrong tree, or perhaps a stooge for the Mahathir clan.
"The Rakyat of all races, class and creed have thrown their support behind him (Mukhriz)."

You are a joker, Imram! Even my arse is laughing! smilies/grin.gif" border="0">

...
written by SocratesI, November 13, 2008 16:42:59

What a Crock of SH*T !! It is amazing what lengths these Barisan Najis and UMNO minions will go to, to ampu their masters' B@LLS and tripod them to ever dizzying heights !! IISY takes the cake in this respect, and has earned my undying ODIUM for all his warped and perverted reasoning, his rose-tinted skewed vision, and the stink of his verbal diarrhoea !!!

He must qualify as THE master "Bodek-er" of Maha-Shithead and his dynasty !!Is there a spitoon in the house ... can't rush fast enough to the bathroom to throw up ... aaaaarrrggh ...


There you have it Guys
- this guy knows the problem with this country, and it is personified by Malaik Imtiaz Sarwar!!! At least that's what the "beneficiaries" of this write-up and the political masters of the writer thinks ...
Wanna know why this guy writes this "crock of sh1t" (as socrates calls it)?
Fazda commented on the former "crock of sh1t" to give us a clue as follows...
...
written by fazda, November 13, 2008 17:47:04
Wanna know why this Imran guy sucking up to Mahathir and his baby son?

Read here:
http://stephendoss.blogspot.co...html#links
(If the link doesn't work, click the following - Living In Glass Houses )

Sad that we have one of these twisted specimens, with a practically defunct "spinterview" Face to Face column in Malaysia Today ...
We await for more "crocks of sh1t" from this guy - on Face To Face/ Malaysia Today ....
Yoohooo - Mathias .... where are you?
You've been upstaged!
You're no more the "King of Spin" .....

Artificial turf for schools?

StarOnline
Published: Thursday November 13, 2008 MYT 1:38:00 PM
By KAREN CHAPMAN
SHAH ALAM:

The Education Ministry is looking into the possibility of using artificial turf in some schools as the maintenance cost was cheaper compared to managing real fields.

Education Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein said the ministry was pioneering the use of artificial turf in certain areas to see if it worked.

“All Singaporean schools use this but we are not sure if this will prove suitable for us as it is quite a different feeling compared to playing on a real field,” he told reporters Thursday after presenting a trophy to the football team from SK Alam Megah 3 for winning the Piala Raja Muda Selangor 2008.

He said the ministry was upgrading the fields of the 34 schools involved in the football competition as a reward as the effort put into the event “went over and above the call of duty”.

“The cost of repairs for the field of this particular school, SK Sekyen 24 which hosted the competition is RM198,000 as it had drainage problems,” he said.

The other school fields might not have the same problems so the cost of repairs could be less, he added. ....

For full article click HERE

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

Comment:
With the upcoming Umno elections, we need more avenues to dish out contracts under 9MP. That may assure more contracts for maintainance, quality of which Bolehsia is well known for.

Our boys & girls need it! Without it they cannot be that cemerlang, gemilang and temberang "Tuans" required of NEP!
How else can our students achieve academic exellence!
Without these astroturf pitches, our children cannot compete with the Africans, Chinese, Arabs and most importantly, our much hated bogeyman - Singaporeans......

Mr. Chris, you're a genius!!

Facing the Music - Education Malaysia

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"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."
- Ravi Zacharias

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It is surprising that NST should come out with something deemed as "controversial" or "sensitive" as "Malaysian Education: Revert to Old School Set-up"!
Truly impressive in its honesty - but we need more truth like this, for us to start trusting NST once again.

A whole generation of people have been deprived of a decent education, despite all their schooling. In this interesting article, Mr. Hassan Talib has rightly said, "After completing school, these children would envy those who are articulate in English".
To quote G.K Chesterton, "What we need is a Leadership that is not only right where we are right, but right where we are wrong". But no - what we have is a leadership that is bent on perpetuating their rule at whatever cost - even if it means that they have to corrupt & destroy the minds of the people via the propaganda machinery that masquerade as "MSM".

In "Where is the Spirit of Merdeka?", I had written -
"The spirit of Merdeka has been subverted by racists and the religious zealots over the years, and has been replaced by chauvinism – racial and religious..... Unfortunately, we are a society so paralyzed by symptomatic solutions one has to wonder whether we will learn anything from this mindless atrocity.......

Having failed in its shortcut to an economic miracle, the advocates of the system (clamouring for issues and a new agenda to perpetuate their greed and envy) the now choose to preach intolerance, “arabisation”, 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 has been passed off as Islamisation by the govt was nothing more than frothy God-talk - mindless, thoughtless;
and in its exploitation of people, heartless.
The “one upmanship” practised by the various institutions that espouse religious chauvinism, is in fact a pathetic display of their failures and insecurities......
Malaysia today is a nation that has lost its conscience. "

The writer has rightly said that our education system bred "envy", despite all the trumpeting of Mr. Hishamuddin or his predecessors under Umno - Najib, Anwar and Mahathir - who set the stage for the destruction of an excellent education system (which was the envy of other nations) using NEP as an excuse.
The outcome of these "smart & modern" systems has been the production of "educated" but unthinking automatons -youngsters/politicians who suck up to primitive godmen or politicians, and get upset by the prospect of meritocracy, a different creed or skin color.

"Revisionist" history and ideas were used to reinforce and justify the idea of the "indispensibility of ignorance", which made 'envy' produce its offspring - the six other deadly sins.
What we had was the teaching of the seven deadly sins in school.
Envy is the root of all the evils perpetrated by pirates who pretend to be wise leaders in Malaysia.
It is this very envy that was and is increasingly used to manipulate the NEP into a racist concept. Envy is the root of the fascistic Ketuanan Melayu concept, which breeds hatred, racism, narrow religiosity, xenophobia, etc ,etc, etc.

To make matters worse, the narrow religious ideas are touted as the panacea for all the ills of the prevalent system, and infused into young unsuspecting minds. Evidence of this can be seen all around us today - in the urban/ rural, mental/ physical "ghettos" nationwide, with a mindless adoration of a morally and intellectually bankrupt leadership.

For all this, we can thank the great grand-daddy of this ideology of hate - an old man in the political sidelines itching for his salvation, so as to perpetuate his legacy of an ignorant and apathetic citizenry.
Only then will the pirates be able to plunder the nation with scant regard for accountability.
This has-been may well rise again to provide a political platform for his progeny, by using ISA on those suspected of "money politics" in Umno, after his political demise (and soon to be, physical too).

The salvation of the rakyat and the nation lies in the dismantling of the racist ideas driven into the minds of our young ones at school through a certain "Biro", and quasi-political institutions masquerading as religious police.

A liberal education is what the people need, so as to do away with feudal mindset, to herald a mature and open society. A more mature society with the ability to adapt and accept progressive ideas, would understand why the so-called socio-economic crutches deemed necessary (when they are actually given pittance and held at ransom to facilitate the plunder by the elite) should be done away with.
It can help inculcate the virtues and positive values which are sorely lacking, in the corrupt and politicised system prevalent in our educational institutions, which promote the "ghetto" psyche in our children.

Yes - bring back English education, Bring back the La Salle/missionary school system!!
But we cannot do this at the expense of the National Language. We need to have this education, which can complement, preserve and enrich Bahasa Malaysia for a more progressive nation!!

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"Where is the life we have lost in the living?

Where is the wisdom we have lost in knowledge?
Where is the knowledge we have lost in information ?
The cycles of heaven in twenty centuries
bring us farther from God and nearer to dust."
- T.S. Elliot
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Ronnie Liu arrested !!!

Found this on AnilNetto:-

Ronnie Liu arrested

Selangor state exco member Ronnie Liu has been detained or arrested, according to two sources.

He is believed to have been arrested in Shah Alam in connection with a 2007 case for obstructing MPSJ officials from carrying out their duties.

A 2007 case?

Ronnie of course played a prominent role on Sunday, 9 November during the candlelight vigil and was one of the 23 arrested that night - but he was subsequently released.

And now this.

This time, he is expected to be released on bail at 4.00pm.

Raja Petra trial: Prosecution wants to re-analyse PC

Tuesday November 11, 2008 MYT 5:07:00 PM
Updated: Tuesday November 11, 2008 MYT 8:46:18 PM
By M. MAGESWARI , StarOnline

PETALING JAYA: A computer forensics investigator told the Sessions Court here that data on a notebook computer seized from Malaysia Today editor Raja Petra Raja Kamarudin had been deleted.

ASP Wa’ie Isqal Kria Abdullah, 38, said this was why there were no records of the computer accessing the Malaysia Today website between April 11 and April 26 this year.

Questioned by DPP Farhan Read on Tuesday, the seventh witness said he was of the opinion that the computer user had used the CleanIt programme to delete all temporary files.

“I found that the www.malaysia-today.net (Malaysia Today) website was accessed several times for the year of 2008 and it was done by the administrator user,” testified the officer who is attached to the Computer Forensics Investigation division.

Asked regarding the meaning of “administrator user”, he said the user has “full access to edit, delete and add”.

He said he had stated in his report that the user name of Raja Petra belonged to the administrator user.

The blogger had on May 6 claimed trial to publishing a seditious article on the Malaysia Today website on April 25.

In the afternoon proceedings, in an unexpected move, the prosecution applied to the court to allow ASP Wa’ie to re-analyse a CPU and the notebook seized from the blogger.

Lead prosecutor DPP Ishak Mohd Yusof said he was applying under Section 425 of the Criminal Procedure Code which stated that the court has the power to summon and examine any person at any stage of the trial if his evidence appears to it essential to the just decision of the case.

He said ASP Wa’ie had testified to have analysed both computers based on an application by investigating officer DSP Mahfuz Abdul Majid.

“The investigating officer just ordered him to find out about a seditious article entitled “Let’s send the Altantuya murderers to hell” and accessibility to the Malaysia Today website.

“ASP Wa’ie however has testified to have spotted several folders on both computers but he did not open and read those as he wanted to follow the investigating officer’s order,” argued DPP Ishak on the seventh day of the sedition trial.

He asked the court to allow ASP Wa’ie to re-analyse both computers and extract several folders found in them.

“The folders are important for the court to reach a just decision. It could give evidence for the prosecution or defence,” he said.

In stressing his points, DPP Ishak said he depended on a case law where a trial judge of a drugs case had allowed the drugs to be sent for re-examination for justice.

DPP Roslan Mat Nor argued that it was important for the court to evaluate the overall evidence in the trial.

In asking the court to dismiss the application, lead counsel J.Chandra said Secton 425 is not applicable as the seventh witness was still in the midst of giving his evidence.

“We have a report (on the examination on both computers) and the witness who prepared it is also here, in the witness box. It is also (a question of) justice for the accused,” he said.

Chandra argued that ASP Wa’ie had not been authorised to look into folders as his terms of reference were very specific on the request for his analysis.

“Besides, there is no evidence that these folders are relevant to the subject matter of the charge,” he said.

Chandra said the findings over the computers by ASP Wa’ie were very clear in the report.

Judge Rozina Ayob set Wednesday to deliver her decision on whether to allow the prosecution to re-analyse the computer and CPU.

Letter to a Fellow Catholic ...

(I received a forwarded email this morning, and my reply follows)

Fw: FR. Paulino

Father Paulino of CHURCH OF DIVINE MERCY , Shah Alam was picked up by the police yesterday at the Anti -ISA Rally he attended at the Am Corp Mall.

Pls pass the Word and Ask for Prayers.

Did you know about this? He's our parish priest. I go to CDM.

.....................................

Dear XXX,
Yes - I'm quite aware who Fr. Paulino is.
It is admirable that he made a stand, despite the church's "passiveness" in this predicament. Same goes for Fr.OC Lim, who has been at the forefront of the struggle against ISA for years (although ealier, I did have reservations on his methods).

However, the fact that he is a priest isn't an issue - just like you & I, he is only another child of God & a Malaysian citizen first, just like Tony Pua, Lau, Haris, RPK, Ronnie Liu, all the ISA detainees - alleged Al-Maunah, KMM, forgery and other unknown "dangerous elements".
Therefore, I hope the righteous passion against this travesty of justice will be shown, and prayers offered for all our brothers (regardless of color, creed or culture) who are incarcerated under the ISA.

I was supposed to be there but couldn't make it.
Later I heard about the high-handedness of the FRU.
A Very sad reality, really- that we as Malaysians are deprived of our dignity and freedom.

Sadder still is the culture/disease of selfishness, fear and apathy among many Malaysians who believe that the fight for justice "isn't for me" or "politics isn't for me" or "it isn't my fight".
It appears that Malaysians believe in sacrificing their humanity, dignity and their God-given right of free choice, at the altar of prosperity.
Despite all the verbose religiosity, it isn't a very "Godly" thing to do really - whichever creed one may belong to.

Anyway, being optimistic, the good sign here is that the Govt is beginning to fear the people.
It is imperative that the people show solidarity so that the future of our children is secured from the fascists who plunder this nation.
Hopefully Malaysians will come forward in solidarity to voice their opinions, instead of only deploring actions upon those who come forward - more so when only one who is considered "their own" is persecuted.

God Bless You and all Malaysians.
Cheers.
--------------------------------------

Please note that I no longer have any reservations on the "methods" (I mention above) of Fr. OC Lim any longer. It was just that I believe that religion loses its sanctity when politicized - but
Fr. OC has consistently kept from "politicization of religion". Therefore, he is justified in his way of expression while preaching.
In fact, I always look forward to his dynamic ideas these days ....