Sunday, June 29, 2014
Saturday, June 28, 2014
Friday, June 27, 2014
Theofascism and the myth of ‘Moderate Malaysia’
Theofascism and the myth of ‘Moderate Malaysia’
Today, Malaysian-made militancy made headlines all over the world, damaging Malaysia’s moderate image. It is time for the Government to give serious attention to the Wahhabi movement and no longer be fooled by them. Malaysia needs to clean herself from this plague as ‘theofascism’ is a threat to a multi-faith multi-racial country like Malaysia. Above all, Malaysian leaderships needs to enhance their international relations knowledge.
Today, Malaysian-made militancy made headlines all over the world, damaging Malaysia’s moderate image. It is time for the Government to give serious attention to the Wahhabi movement and no longer be fooled by them. Malaysia needs to clean herself from this plague as ‘theofascism’ is a threat to a multi-faith multi-racial country like Malaysia. Above all, Malaysian leaderships needs to enhance their international relations knowledge.
A German lesson for Malaysia
A German lesson for Malaysia
The system in Germany is constructed such that no matter what happens or who is in power, it matters not to the German people. This is because everyone has to play by the same rules. And these rules are non-negotiable.”
The system in Germany is constructed such that no matter what happens or who is in power, it matters not to the German people. This is because everyone has to play by the same rules. And these rules are non-negotiable.”
Thursday, June 26, 2014
Thursday, June 19, 2014
A Disastrous Void: Why The MH370 Public Response Failed
A Disastrous Void: Why The MH370 Public Response Failed
They just don't know.
It is better to just say that!
They just don't know.
It is better to just say that!
A happy PM, but a sad nation
A happy PM, but a sad nation
The simple fact is that we have a weak Prime Minister; an occasional PM.
The simple fact is that we have a weak Prime Minister; an occasional PM.
MH370: Time for accountability, heads must roll, forum told
MH370: Time for accountability, heads must roll, forum told
Forum participant Peter Chong, who is a close friend of Capt Zaharie Ahmad, said the tragedy should never be forgotten and efforts should continue to get to the truth.
“We need to know the truth so that the families can find some closure and to ensure this does not happen again.
“We need to rely on civil society to keep the momentum going,” he said.
You and me to finish the unfinished!
MH370: Time for accountability, heads must roll, forum told
MH370: Time for accountability, heads must roll, forum told
Forum participant Peter Chong, who is a close friend of Capt Zaharie Ahmad, said the tragedy should never be forgotten and efforts should continue to get to the truth.
“We need to know the truth so that the families can find some closure and to ensure this does not happen again.
“We need to rely on civil society to keep the momentum going,” he said.
You and me to finish the unfinished!
Wednesday, June 18, 2014
UMNO Selangor motion on hudud implementation withdrawn as Selangor PR State Assembly members from DAP, PKR and PAS fully united and had decided to vote against UMNO motion in keeping with the PR Common Policy Framework that justice, freedom and good governance and not hudud are the common PR agenda priorities
Thursday, June 12, 2014
Saturday, June 7, 2014
The best democracy’ debunked
- Finally, it has dawned on Najib Abdul Razak that Malaysiakini readers are not worth winning over and he is now going for the jugular by serving the news portal a writ of summons over defamation.
This is the man who, upon assuming the highest political office in the country five years ago, conceded that “the days the government knows best are over”, and went on to introduce a host of ‘reformist’ measures. He also declared unashamedly that he would make Malaysia ‘the best democracy in the world’.
But what evolved in the years after has proven beyond the shadow of a doubt that Najib had promised Malaysians gems but delivered worse than pebbles.
Indeed, he abolished the infamous Internal Security Act, but has kept intact, rather cunningly, the Sedition Act which was supposed to be also repealed.Had Najib been sincere in any reform agenda, his administration would have been refrained from using the Sedition Act pending its replacement. Instead, Mat Shuhaimi Shafiei, the Sri Muda assemblyperson, is stillfighting his case at the Federal Court, while Teresa Kok became the latest victim over her, okay, not-so-tasteful Chinese New Yearvideo clip.
Much as I detest the arbitrary law, it remains morally outrageous to see the Umno-friendly individuals - from Ibrahim Ali, Zulkifli Noordin, Ridhuan Tee to the Ikatan Muslimin Malaysia (Isma) clowns - above it. The shameless double standard only debunks further the myth of national unity as Najib has mendaciously pledged.
Still, the mainstream newspapers praised him to the skies back in April 2009 as if Malaysia’s elevation to a full democracy was nigh. Just look at Tay Tian Yan of Sin Chew Daily who wrote unabashedly of Najib as being “confident and capable... ready to be a prime minister for all Malaysians”. Yes, go laugh your head off before reading on.
But Najib’s desperate move only exposes his vulnerability within the party. When he sought to exert his authority as party president and prime minister by removing Ahmad Said from office, the former Terengganu chief minister pulled off a last-minute coup over, amusingly, his daughter’s wedding and the s**t hit the fan.
Prior to that, Najib had come under enormous pressure from the ultras within the party and a vengeful Mahathir Mohamad from without. His inability to rein in Ahmad Said is just another indicator of his untenable position, and so livid was he that he decided to punish Malaysiakini for his own failings.
Waging war with all parties except...
Truth be told, it is Umno’s mouthpiece Utusan Malaysia that has been churning out defamatory stories and waging war with all parties except its own political masters.For DAP, is it ‘a Christian agenda’; for PKR, it is ‘DAP’s poodle’; for PAS, it is ‘selling out the Malays’, for Nurul Izzah Anwar, it is ‘apostasy’; for Ambiga Sreenevasan, it is ‘a threat to Islam’; for Anwar Ibrahim, it is ‘sexual deviation’; for Malaysiakini, it is ‘the habit of defaming others’ and, for peace-loving Malaysians who took part in the Bersih rallies, what else but a bunch of ‘samseng’ who came with ‘knives, guns and stones with an intention to kill’!
If there is one person who should feel the righteous wrath at being insulted, humiliated and defamed on a daily basis, it should be the ordinary Malaysian who is yearning for change but is made to suffer all the innuendos and racist statements at the hands of Utusan and other Umno-controlled media, on which Najib has been conspicuous by his silence.And Raja Petra Kamarudin (RPK - right) has the nerve to accuse Malaysians of humbuggery in acquiescing to Anwar’s lawsuits against those who have defamed him.
I am pretty certain RPK has sold his soul to the devil and now chosen to seeonly what he wants to see. Anwar, or any potential rivals to Umno for that matter, is compelled to resort to court to clear his name precisely because his right of reply is persistently denied and even suppressed by the powers-that-be.
By contrast, not only that Malaysiakinihas afforded Najib a right of reply, but Umno has also the entire state machinery to rebut and even distort whatever that is reported by online portals. Can RPK who is purportedly wise and discerning not see the crucial difference?
Be that as it may, the public should welcome Najib’s lawsuit, for it will once and for all shatter his image as a pseudo-democrat.
I would say: Bring it on Najib, but make sure you will not be dodging critical questions in court. After all, it is you and your government that will be put on trial for the whole world to see, your advantage of having some malleable judges on your side notwithstanding.
JOSH HONG studied politics at London Metropolitan University and the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. A keen watcher of domestic and international politics, he longs for a day when Malaysians will learn and master the art of self-mockery, and enjoy life to the full in spite of politicians.
Jais intrusion on a Hindu wedding is an "embrassment"
- Catholic Bishop Paul Tan Chee Ing said the "cooked up" perception that Islam is under threat in Malaysia "is presently the biggest menace to national well-being."
"This perception resides in the fevered imaginations of a few and has spawned hate speech and intrusive actions that are an embarrassment to many and oppression to several," said the head of the Catholic Church in the Malacca-Johor diocese.
Tan said it was a relief that Selangor Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim was prepared to describe as an "embarrassment" the action by the Selangor Islamic Affairs Department (Jais) in intruding on a Hindu wedding at a temple last Sunday where the bride was taken away for questioning.
"Insofar as there is said to be a general culture in this country, an action such as that taken by Jais must be said to be embarrassing and uncultured," observed the Jesuit-trained prelate."I credit Khalid (right) in acknowledging this to be so - it comes as a breath of fresh air at a time when some religious people feel their principles must outweigh good manners and courtesy," said the bishop.
"Come to think of it, this is about the first time someone in high authority has spoken up on the need for manners over false rectitude. This must count as a minor triumph in the struggle for sanity in the face of religious hysteria," he asserted.
The outspoken prelate said that "given the silence amounting to craven acquiescence among people in high authority, a cabal of bigots is going around doing things as if they are a law unto themselves."
"As we have seen in every age, this type of behavior is a prelude to fascism. It only takes the continuing silence of those in authority and the submission of ordinary citizens for fascists to triumph and for the rest to knuckle under their reign," he said.
"It is amazing that the government has not said anything or taken any action against outrageous manifestations of fascism," he asserted.
Tan urged the silent majority of Malaysians to say "No" to forces that want to see good manners steamrolled by "people wearing brass knuckles in a religious cause.
Bishop credits MB's stand on Jais
Terence Netto | 10:31AM Jun 5, 2014
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