Roping in the "Pribumi" for Legitimacy?

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Another Brick in The Wall had this post on Perkasa's declaration at a forum which was strangely called "Hak-Hak Pribumi dalam Perlembagaan"- which I saw as an attempt at upping the ante on the seige mentality of a racist ruling elite.

This time though, they have roped in the "Pribumi" of Sabah and Sarawak (they forgot about the West Malaysian Pribumis, apparently), to justify their claims of an "attack" on their well being.
As such they have conveniently declared themselves as "Pribumi" on their Logo.
Their concerns were purely ethnocentric, although they did insert some decent suggestions for good measure. Upon reading the declaration, one could be forgiven if he thought that we were in the midst of a real war, should the reader not be aware of the intentions of certain sectors.

They have managed to insert a few decent suggestions on the supremacy of the Federal Constitution (probably as 'flavouring'), while highlighting their fear of an apparent psychological war that apparently intends to deprive them of their rights!! They have this perception that they are under attack, and thing will fall apart without the racism, the NEP crutches and the corruption that have kept them afloat, while depriving citizens of their rights.

The Ketuanan Melayu is apparently misunderstood - and they now, (just like every other defensive spin-doctoring Umno apologist who attempts to redifine, rearticulate and re-present such a "noble idea") have the real meaning of it at last. It is supposedly something that's "melalui ketuanan berhemah"- somewhat like "through compassionate supremacy" .....

Yesss - At last, all Malaysians can be proud of this oxymoronic fascist concept!!!
They probably also believe that the repeated calls to "bathe the kris in chinese blood" by some Umno head honchos, was misundertood too.
While stressing on these apparent fears, they surprisingly haven't mentioned anything about "Ketuanan Pribumi" - but strangely, mentioned the need for "Negara Bangsa Malaysia".

With all the lawyers in their midst, never once have they spoken of the need for freedom, democracy, the doctrine of separation of powers or equal rights. Never have they requested that evil laws that rob the people of their rights be repealed or reviewed. Never have they demanded that sunset clauses be inserted to emergency laws. Nothing of the sort.

But of course they need to address everything from the perspective one who desires a people divided and classified by race.They only stress on race.
That's all that they seem to care about.

While they go on harping on racism and their "Pribumi-ness", little do they realize that a vast majority the Pribumi of Sabah/ Sarawak (at least the ones online and the ones I have spoken to) wouldn't want to have anything to do with these guys who have raped and plundered their lands, while stripping them of their rights (maybe Project M will ring a bell ...).
Anyway, I find it strange that these Pribumis of Sabah/ Sarawak - a great many of them non-Muslims - would want to work with the Muslim Lawyers Association to defend their rights!

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

**A message for Perkasa before the declaration below -

Below is the declaration of Perkasa taken from Another Brick in the Wall
(minor typo editing & bold italics, mine)
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BISMILLAHIR-RAHMANIR-RAHIM

1) MENGINSAFI BAHAWA kelangsungan dan kejayaan Persekutuan Malaysia akan sentiasa bergantung kepada kejayaan sebenar usaha-usaha pengisian Kedaulatan Melayu dan Pribumi dalam proses kenegaraan dan amalan masyarakat Malaysia;

2) MENYEDARI BAHAWA sebarang usaha untuk menafikan kedudukan, kuasa, wibawa, kepentingan dan peranan Kedaulatan Melayu dan Pribumi dalam proses kenegaraan dan amalan masyarakat Malaysia akan menghasilkan ketidaktentuan kepimpinan negara dan amalan politik yang tidak terarah dan lemah;

3) MENYEDARI BAHAWA ancaman-ancaman terhadap kelangsungan dan kejayaan Persekutuan Malaysia yang berteraskan kepada Kedaulatan Melayu dan Pribumi, telah dan sedang berlaku dengan hebat, tersusun dan menyeluruh, yang menuntut perjuangan dan tindakan-tindakan penentangan dari bangsa Melayu dan pribumi, serta masyarakat terbanyak;

4) MENGETAHUI BAHAWA kaum bukan Melayu di Malaysia memiliki jaminan hak dan kepentingan sah pada tahap paling tinggi di bawah perlindungan Seri Paduka Baginda Yang DiPertuan Agong;

MAKA dengan berpandu kepada fakta-fakta yang benar, bukti-bukti sejarah dan bukti-bukti terkini dan hujah-hujah yang sah, KAMI Pertubuhan Pribumi Perkasa Malaysia (PERKASA) dengan kerjasama Persatuan Peguam-Peguam Muslim Malaysia yang bersidang pada hari ini, 16 November 2008 bersamaan 18 Dzulkaedah 1429H, dalam wacana Hak-Hak Pribumi dalam Perlembagaan di Auditorium Memorial Tun Hussein Onn, Kuala Lumpur, dengan tegas dan lantang menyatakan bahawa :

SATU - MENGGESA pihak kerajaan (persekutuan dan negeri ) agar sentiasa mendapatkan restu dan perkenan DYMM Raja-Raja Melayu bagi apa jua tindakan pentadbiran yang menyentuh atau berkaitan dengan hak dan kedudukan istimewa orang-orang Melayu dan Pribumi di Sabah dan Sarawak serta kepentingan sah kaum-kaum lain;

KEDUA - MENGGESA semua pihak supaya menghormati semangat perlembagaan yang mendasari dan menjadi paksi kepada kedudukan Bahasa melayu sebagai bahasa kebangsaan serta tidak melakukan sesuatu tindakan yang secara langsung atau tidak langsung menjejas dan menggugat kedudukan bahasa Melayu sebagai Bahasa Kebangsaan. Di atas semangat yang sama, kami menuntut dilaksanakan penggunaan sepenuhnya Bahasa Melayu dalam urusan perundangan dan kehakiman negara;

KETIGA - MENGINGATKAN bahawa peruntukkan asas perlembagaan adalah suatu piagam yang tidak boleh sama sekali di ubah, dipinda, dibuang, dimansuh atau dicabar secara sewenang-wenangnya. Ini kerana peruntukkan-peruntukkan asas tersebut bukan sekadar suatu dokumen undang-undang, tetapi ia mencatatkan dan melambangkan semangat permuafakatan dan kerjasama pelbagai pihak dan kepentingan;

KEEMPAT - MENCADANGKAN agar kedudukan tanah rezab Melayu dan regimen askar Melayu dimasukkan di bawah perlindungan Raja-Raja Melayu melalui pindaan kepada perkara 159 Fasal (5) dan perkara 10 fasal (4). Ini berdasarkan hakikat bahawa perlembagaan adalah suatu piagam yang di dalamnya terjamin maktub struktur asas Negara bangsa Malaysia ;

KELIMA - PERCAYA bahawa fahaman ketuanan Melayu sering disalah tafsir sedangkan ianya adalah satu hakikat sejarah bahawa orang Melayu dan pribumi lainnya adalah tuan rumah asal negara ini. Pembuktian mengenai faham ketuanan ini secara langsung telah dilambangkan melalui institusi Raja-Raja Melayu melalui ketuanan berhemah seperti yang terjamin maktub di dalam perlembagaan persekutuan. Justeru, itulah seluruh peruntukkan dalam perlembagaan Raja Melayu dan pribumi tidak boleh dipertikaikan;

KEENAM - MENGUSULKAN agar beberapa peruntukkan khas perlu diadakan dan dilindungi di bawah perlembagaan bagi memelihara dan memajukan kedudukan dan kepentingan golongan yang daif dan miskin secara saksama tanpa mengira bangsa, keturunan dan agama;

KETUJUH - MENGGESA agar semua rakyat, terutamanya generasi muda serta pemimpin semua peringkat, wajib memahami isi kandungan serta peranan perlembagaan dalam menjamin ketenteraman dan keharmonian Malaysia sebagai sebuah Negara bangsa. Untuk itu kerajaan pusat dan negeri harus mewajibkan kefahaman ini kepada kumpulan sasar melalui sistem pendidikan atau kursus-kursus khas seperti pusat latihan khidmat Negara ;

KELAPAN - MENGGESA agar semua parti politik dan badan-badan bukan kerajaan agar mengakui dan menerima peruntukkan-peruntukkan yang berkaitan hak-hak keistimewaan kaum melayu dan bumiputra serta kepentingan-kepentingan sah kaum lain serta tidak mengeksploitasi peruntukan di atas bagi maksud-maksud sempit sehingga menggugat keharmonian dan kestabilan Negara bangsa.

Menginsafi dan menyedari bahawa perjuangan mempertahankan yang hak dan benar dan memperkasakan Kedaulatan Melayu dan Pribumi memerlukan beberapa tindakan segera, maka KAMI mengesyorkan :

(i) Supaya dirangka dan dilaksanakan satu program raksasa memberi pendidikan dan memasyarakatkan, berdasarkan kumpulan sasaran yang ditetapkan akan kedudukan, kuasa, wibawa, kepentingan dan peranan Kedaulatan melayu dan pribumi dalam proses kenegaraan dan amalan masyarakat Malaysia, di mana Institusi Raja-Raja Melayu mohon Menjungjung Kasih akan berperanan sebagai Penaung dan Penasihat;

(ii) Supaya diambil tindakan menyusun kurikulum program pemasyarakatan ini secara lengkap dan kaedah penyampaiannya ditentukan supaya berkesan ditahap di mana kumpulan sasaran berupaya menjiwainya;

(iii) Supaya disusun strategi yang menyeluruh dan bertindak secara bijaksana dan berkesan bagi mengalahkan peperangan psikologi dan saraf, usaha-usaha halus dan terang-terangan penghakisan dan pengkhianatan terhadap asas-asas, struktur-struktur dan kekuatan Kedaulatan Melayu;

(iv) Menggesa pihak yang bertanggungjawab agar merangka pelan-pelan dan jangkamasa tindakan serta pengukuran kejayaan terhadap usaha-usaha memperkasakan hak-hak istimewa bangsa Melayu dan pribumi serta mendapatkan pandangan dan maklum balas dari Duli-Duli Yang Maha MUlia Raja-Raja Melayu selaku Penaung dan Penasihat, dan melaksanakan semua pelan-pelan tindakan ini sehingga berjaya.

KUALA LUMPUR
16 November 2008/ 18 Dzulkaedah 1429H

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RPK in Sentul

Politics of Fear & Racism - Umno Revivalism

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"What good fortune for those in power that people do not think."
"Besides this we always find two great catchwords, 'Freedom' and 'Democracy,
' .... The masses themselves naturally believe that under the term 'freedom' they possess the right to a quite peculiar freedom of motion - freedom to move the tongue and to say what they choose, freedom to move about the streets, etc.
A bitter deception!"

- Adolf Hitler

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

"What we need is a Leadership that is not only right where we are right, but right where we are wrong" - so said G.K. Chesterton. In Malaysia though, our politicians insist on ideas that reinforce the wrongs, even when the people are right!
Our politicians insist on classifying its citizens just like how the Apartheid legislation classified inhabitants and visitors into racial groups (black, white, coloured, and Indian or Asian). It is justified in Malaysia as some sort of "payback" for the apparent injustices (in the hands of "pendatangs") that they have had to suffer in colonial days.

Then came the silly arguments about a social contract that's a figment of their delusions - until recently it was a term that was used to threaten the people with the BN mantra, "Don't Question this or that"(this was also used by all the "second-class allies" within as well!). This, they did so well, that many Malaysians once believed that it was indeed a document in existence.
Those who once shouted out boldly claiming that the "social contract" was "ketuanan Melayu", or that the social contract is in the Federal Constitution, are today either silent, or engaged in plenty of wordplay to justify their ignorance.

After a short period of somewhat muted rhetoric over the increasingly discredited "Ketuanan Melayu" and NEP, of late, there has been an increase in the racist rhetoric by their proponents. With the upcoming Umno elections, at the forefront of it all this fascist spirit, is of course none other than our "beloved" fear monger & self-confessed racist - another has-been - who needs to build a platform for his political-OKU son, Mukhriz to challenge the Oxford newbie.
There are of course, other has-beens and leader wannabes like MMT, Khir Toyo, Rais Yatim and Ali Rustam who use the same line of argument, wherein they'd resort to their only "modal" of fear-mongering among Malays, to shore up their depleted credibility.

These days, their ideas seem to be more of a confession of their inadequacies.
Just listening to the racist rhetoric every wannabe Umno Malay leader or reading Utusan Malaysia & the twisted reasonings of Umno apologists would be evidence enough towards this. Latest was Rais Yatim's racist outbursts about alleged insults - "penghinaan" - that Malays have to put up with.
Ali Rustam's assertion that after 50yrs, BN is now ready to implement the NEP in full, and hence NEP shouldn't be abandoned - which means that it was never implemented properly at all!

Despite all the warnings of "don't question this and that", being well aware of their ideological & intellectual bankruptcy (i.e. beyond the idea of greed & envy), Umno now has resorted to getting intellectual mercenaries (like Prof Shamsul and Chandra Muzaffar) bent on currying favour, to do some spin-doctoring.
Lately, they had some "forum" organised by Perdana "Leadership" Foundation, (under the patronage of u-know-who) at which they dismissed totally a "Malaysian Malaysia" for a "Bangsa Malaysia"( which is apparently inaccurate, and better defined as Mahathir's "United Malaysian Nation")!
However, their reasonings towards a "progressive nation" just keeps going back to ideas of "Malay supremacy" and the out-dated and much abused NEP - even if it is repackaged as "Kesinambungan Kedaulatan Melayu". Anything that does not go along the lines of Mahathirist ideas is outright dismissed or criticised as "inaccurate". Whatever said and done, they will not accept that the "Ketuanan" ideas are just a delusional fantasy and has to be discarded - they would insist on a new spin to its definition - even if it means nothing in practice.

Let's take a look at how Mahathir reasons - As usual, he resorts to blackening his rival to make himself (read Umno) look good.

In his latest post on his blog, "RACISM AND 2008 ELECTIONS", he defends "Racism" and its relevance to Malaysian politics. "If it is because the Malaysian electorate had rejected racial politics, why did they vote for such parties as PAS, a very Malay Muslim party, and DAP, a Chinese dominated party. Even the Keadilan is made up of violently racist Hindraf Indians, ........", said he. He then goes on to attempt to paint Keadilan as a non-Malay party by saying that, "Keadilan talked about reforms etc., but the stress was on Hindu Rights and anti-Malay racism."!! I won't even attempt to say anything on this delusion of this worn out grey matter - it is a perception that is at best, laughable!

It beats me, how he came to the conclusion that Keadilan is made up of Hindraf, or how Hindraf can be deemed "violently racist". Obviously he needs to hide that fact that it was some other party that started the May 13th riots or have threatened the Malaysians with another riot, should they lose their domineering role. Or even the fact that they have threatened to bathe the kris in the blood of Malaysian tax-paying citizens. Maybe he's just confused - I just cannot say.
It must the guilt which haunts him, that he projects upon his political victims - the people he wishes to lead.
It doesn't matter to him or his idol-worshipping minions that his assessment of Keadilan is totally out of line, as they hardly consist of any Hindraf "members".

He goes on to say, "What we are witnessing today is an explosion of racial politics that is more bitter and blatant than ever before. Even the least observant cannot fail to notice how Malaysian politics now is more about racial inequities than about liberalism, human rights, openness etc."
Well then, my dear Mahathir - in your book, I'd be happy to be less than the least observant, for I do not see things that way.
The expression of discontent about inequities and Mahathirist corruption, is in the form of demand for liberalism, human rights, openness etc that you mention - and I feel sorry for those in denial, who cannot see such a truth staring at their face!
Maybe it's just the fossilized arrogance, pride & prejudice that clouds his failing vision.
He is today, blind to the fact that this "explosion" isn't so much that of "racial politics" or racism, but the anger/discontent towards the racist and fascist policies of Umno/BN.

He may be correct though, that the people did not reject sectarian politics outright, as Umno would reject any suggestion of its imbecility - but it remains a fact that the people were sick and tired of the fascist policies of Mahathirism in BN.
That they voted for other parties which he perceives to be sectarian as well, is simply because there were no better alternatives.
That the people still think along sectarian lines, is simply because BN/Umno ideologues (read BTN), with their control over the MSM & education, wouldn't allow Malaysians to evolve into a nation with one people with a common ideal.

Rustam Sani - Malaysia is just a state without a nation.

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Naib Presiden UMNO, Datuk Seri Mohd. Ali Rustam berkata,
"sekarang merupakan masa yang sesuai bagi melaksanakan
semua dasar dalam DEB ......."

"cukuplaaaa woit .... jangan buat kerja tipu melayu lagi....."
- Sham Rais,
BUBAR MAJLIS PEGUAM....., KATA ABU ZAHAR - melayau
**********************************

Related:
The Racist's "Reasonings".
Reply to TDM's Criticism on CheDet.com

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" ......

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

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

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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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