Guess who came to dinner ...

I was among several bloggers invited to dinner last night with Datuk Sri Dr Rais Yatim (photo, right), the new Minister for Information, Communications and Culture at the Restoran Sri Melayu in Jalan Conlay. The sumptuous dinner was hosted by my blogger friend Datuk Ibrahim "Tiger" Yahaya, who now heads RTM.

I didnt see any non-Malay bloggers around. Aside from my friends Pokku, Pak Idrus and Elviza who are fiercely apolitical, I was probably the only other non pro-BN "so-po" blogger present. (Now this will probably make some of my other so-po blogger friends get their knickers all tied up in knots again ... sigh).

After making some mild threatening noises recently, the Minister really had nothing new to add in his speech. But acknowledging the importance and impact of the new 'alternate media' and the internet, he made an impassioned plea for us bloggers to simply tell the truth, and nothing but. Granted that there are some bad eggs amongst us bloggers, but considering that Bernama and other government controlled MSM have been equally guilty of telling fibs and "stretching" the truth lately, perhaps he should also direct them to do likewise.

Or else, we might as well rename the Ministry simply as the "Ministry for Propaganda and Public Enlightenment" * ... or something.

* a la the Third Reich, that is.

PKFZ: More Clarification Needed

The Malaysian Insider reports, here, that the parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC) will seek clarification again from the parties responsible for the Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) project whose cost is said to be exorbitant. New chairman Azmi Khalid said the PAC would call within two weeks all those responsible for the "RM1.8 billion-odd" project.

RM1.8 billion? Whatever happened to the RM3 billion?

In 2007, the PAC then headed by Shahrir Samad had summoned the parties involved for an explanation but "there are still matters to be explained further," he said.

If I can recall, Shahrir Samad had failed to summon the Attorney General for his take on the dubious land deal and the subsequent RM4.6 billion government bailout. ("Take" here means his versionlah). The audit report by Price Waterhouse Coopers is ready but Transport Minister Ong Tee Kiat has said, here, that it is up to the Klang Port Authority whether they want to release the report or otherwise.

Passing the buck, if you please. I am really getting pretty tired of this sandiwara.

Any bets that nothing will come out of this?

Unsavoury Characters

To those who have been gushing over Najib's "dream team" new cabinet, sorry if this is going to rain on your parade but former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir has just declared that there are several "unsavoury characters" in the new line up.

In his latest blog posting, here, Che Det a.k.a. Tun Dr M wrote: "The exclusion of Khairy Jamaluddin, UMNO Youth head who was found guilty of corruption by the UMNO disciplinary committee but allowed to contest for head of UMNO Youth seem to indicate a desire on the part of the new Prime Minister to rid UMNO of the blatantly corrupt politician".

"Unfortunately the inclusion of several unsavoury characters who had been accused of being corrupt while in the previous Government, seem to negate this desire," he adds. However, he did not state who these "unsavoury characters" are.

Since Tun Dr M has also vowed to work to oust Najib from the premiership if he appoints corrupt leaders in his cabinet, I do not really envy Najib right now.

B.U.M. 2009

Mark Saturday, May 16th 2009 in your diary for the Bloggers’ Event of the Year.

The new media scene has attracted a lot of interest after its influence and impact at the March 8, 2008 General Elections were duly noted by many quarters, both social and political. Bloggers’ Universe Malaysia (BUM) 2009 will be organising another day long session in a month's time at The Lake View Club, Subang Jaya, with the central theme: "4th and 5th Estates — on Collision Course?"

So as they say, watch this space ... or go direct to the BUM 2009 website for updates, here.

Stupid Bridge

For me, Johor Baru is one hell of a depressing town. After more than half a century of BN rule it has degenerated into a filthy and crime ridden southern gateway for the country and an absolute disgrace to us all.

The Malaysian Insider reports, here, "Over the past few days, the mainstream media has been making a case to revive the crooked bridge across the Johor Strait, a project cancelled by Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi in his early days as prime minister that irked his predecessor Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad". It was also no surprise to me when the JB UMNO youth head was reported as saying that “The people of Johor are placing high hopes on the (new) prime minister to review the decision to cancel the crooked bridge project across the Johor Straits".

Oh no, not again, I thought. Whoever thought of this crooked bridge clearly has got their crooked brains in their crooked backsides. If it was meant as a panacea for all traffic ills then they have got another thought coming because it certainly will not solve the problem of choke holds on both sides (ends) of the bridge.

If it was meant to allow a safe passage for ships, its really a no-brainer because the Johor Strait is too shallow for ships and besides, the swing bridge (on left of photo) is only meant for small craft. This will be very expensive to maintain just so that a few millionaires can sail their luxury yachts through at our expense.

If it was due to environmental concerns to allow water on both sides of the causeway to flow freely, well, haven't they heard of tunnels?

I believe the Singaporeans are also not thrilled to bits about the idea in the first place and I doubt if they will change their minds soon, especially during this economic downturn. Their factories are retrenching workers and with about 300,000 Malaysians in Singapore who may soon lose their jobs, perhaps JB UMNO Youth should look elsewhere to fill their pockets. Lets just forget about it and dont make us all look like idiots of the first order.

Surprises, Surprises

(Source: Malaysiakini)

I believe I am man enough to admit that I am wrong and I was really surprised that the 2-man personal police security detail of Najib, chief inspector Azilah Hadri and corporal Sirul Azhar Umar (photo) has been found guilty of the grisly murder of Mongolian beauty Altantuya Shaaribu some time in October 2006. I had expected them to go free since there was no clear motive for the murder and they never knew the victim from Eve. It was also never established whether the two had acted on their own or were directed to act by someone else. But this morning, Shah Alam High Court judge Mohd Zaki found them guilty and sentenced them to death since "the prosecution has successfully proven its case against both accused beyond any reasonable doubt" based on the circumstantial evidence that had been adduced.

But then again, this is not the end of the story since both men will be appealing to higher courts. Lawyer Karpal Singh, who was holding a watching brief for the Altantuya family, has said the battle is not over as he had filed for a judicial review to compel the prosecution to file an appeal against the acquittal of Najib's pal Razak Baginda, the dead woman's former lover. (Read the Malaysiakini report, here).

Another big surprise is the inclusion of Mukhriz Mahathir, the losing contender in the recent fight for the post of UMNO Youth chief, as a deputy minister in Najib's nondescript new cabinet which was also announced this afternoon. This must be a tight slap in the face of Khairy Jamaludin, the new youth chief, who has been left out in the cold amidst talk of the revival of 'Mahathirism' in the BN government.

Or perhaps I am not really that surprised either.

Fools on the Hills

At this stage of my life, I do not suffer fools gladly.

When the by-election results were announced late last night with Pakatan Rakyat (PR) winning 2 out of 3 seats, the first thing that struck me quite honestly was those 14 independent candidates on the two bukits, who all lost their deposits ... what were they thinking? Or do I smell rats here.

I was also probably the only non pro-Barisan Nasional (BN) blogger at a lunch meeting yesterday, where the quiet consensus was that BN would win 3-0. These poor misguided youngsters will have to eat humble pie now.

And Muhyiddin has the gall to say that 'the feel-good factor' from Najib coming to power on Friday is still 'too new and has not sunk in.'

What 'feel good factor'? The only people who must have felt good about it are the UMNO/BN ship of fools, a delusional former apa nama prime minister, and of course those impoverished dayaks in Batang Ai, who obviously now truly deserve the government they have got.

The writing is already on the wall and the word is: CHANGE.

And change we must, lest we become a Nation of Fools too.

Loose Ends

I think I am a reasonable man, with reasonable expectations. As an old salt, I have always been uncomfortable with loose ends*, i.e., when there is no simple closure or simple answers to simple questions, such as:

Who ordered the 'neutralisation' of Mongolian beauty Altan whatshername?

Where is private investigator Bala whatshisname? etc., etc.

I simply cannot accept pulling of rank by swearing to a higher authority in His house that one is innocent and had nothing to do with all these mysterious happenings and disappearances. I would if I was born yesterday.

One of the first things Najib did as the new PM was to release 13 Internal Security Act (ISA) detainees and also lifted the ban on two opposition publications. Big deal. He also espoused a new 1-Malaysia concept, whatever that means.

Sounds familiar? Before we go gushing over this, many of us old timers may recall that former PM Tun Dr Mahathir (Oh how we adored him!) also pulled the same stunt when he became prime minister. He released some ISA detainees but a few years later dumped many others into the slammer in Ops Lalang. Remember BCA for Bersih, Cekap, Amanah? Now where did that lead us.

More form than substance I would say. So lets not be bloody gullible here.

Lets not fall for the so-called 1-Malaysia claptrap either.

* Nautical etymology: based on the idea of a wire or rope with untidy ends that are not neatly tied or spliced together.

A Day of Infamy

I didnt buy the rumours via SMS going around town that the swearing in ceremony of the new PM at the palace was being postponed from 10 a.m. today to a later date. Despite some cock-ups about protocol (read about it, here) and a petition by 81 MPs asking the King to postpone appointing Najib as PM until he was cleared of allegations against him, etc., I believe the ceremony would go on as scheduled.

The petition noted that "Lately the DPM has been implicated in many scandals such as the commission for the purchase of French submarines. The most shocking is the murder of the Mongolian woman in which his name has been implicated. This has been published by newspapers around the world.

“Because of all these things and the fact that the position of the PM is very important, it is appropriate for Seri Paduka Baginda postpone the swearing-in ceremony of the PM until all the allegations are investigated by an independent commission and his name is cleared.’’

I am not really surprised that His Majesty has chosen to ignore this petition.

Folks, our nightmare has just begun.

April Monkeys

In the run-up to the April 7 by-elections, the opposition is now barred from bringing up a number of controversial issues including the murder of Mongolian national Altantuya Shaariibuu in their electoral campaign. This was announced by Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar, probably as his last hurrah if he cannot make it into incoming premier Najib's "dream team". (Read the Malaysiakini report, here).

This must really take the cake especially since the poor dead woman's name is now already well known in every town and kampung in this country.

My old classmate Dr Nik Azam in Kelantan writes of his kampung coconut plucker who has named his female monkey "Altantuya" and happens to be a staunch "dacing" or BN supporter. Not to be outdone, his only business rival in the same kampung who is a "bulan" or PAS supporter has named his male monkey "Razak Baginda".

Now what will our men in blue make of this?

Sokmo mu, Pak Habib. Benata beruk.

CIMB Woes

Last month I blogged, here, about a worsening ownership battle for a planned Malaysian ship bunkering facility, the Asia Petroleum Hub, on a reclaimed island in Johor to rival Singapore’s which is threatening to derail the project and could hurt CIMB, one of the country’s largest commercial banks.

The project leader, KIC Oil and Gas, has drawn nearly half of its RM1.4 billion financing facility from CIMB to fund construction work. But it has failed to resolve problems with another key shareholder Seaport Terminal and this has prompted CIMB to consider suspending further funding for the construction.

Among the questions which arose then was why was the funding released by CIMB before the ownership problems are resolved. Adding to the mystery is an affidavit filed a few years ago in Singapore, here, in a suit between KIC and an ex-employee that the salary offered by KIC was only for "budgetary" purposes in a "dummy" contract which was used for the purpose of obtaining loans.

Meanwhile, The Malaysian Insider has today reported, here, that CIMB has asked its 36,000 employees to consider taking up to 6 months of no-pay leave as it aims to cut costs in the economic slowdown, the first major Malaysian company to do so. However, Group CEO Nazir Razak (photo) has said there was no set target on the number of employees accepting the offer and denied the company was cutting staff.

If we are looking at yet another bailout again, Nazir certainly has nothing to worry about. After all, big brother is going to be the country's numero uno.

These people never learn. Thank God two of my children who were with CIMB have already left the bank.

Crocs

On this lazy Sunday morning, I would like to share with you a joke about crocs (not those rubber sandals lah) which my old buddy Capt. Gian Singh Sehmi sent me. Enjoy.

Two crocodiles were sitting at the side of a swamp near a lake in Putrajaya.

The smaller one turned to the bigger one and said, "I can't understand how you can be so much bigger than me. We were the same size as kids. I just don't get it."

"Well," said Big Croc, "what have you been eating?"

"Politicians, same as you," replied Small Croc.

"Hmmm. Same here. How do you catch them?"

"Well, I crawl up under one of their Mercs and wait for one to unlock the car door. Then I jump out, grab them by the leg, shake the $hit out of them and eat 'em!"

"Aha!," says the Big Croc,"I think I see your problem. You're not getting any real nourishment. See, by the time you finish shaking the $hit out of a politician, there's really nothing left but an a$shole and a briefcase!"

P.S. Many thanks, Gian sahib. I now owe you a double patiala ...

Winners and Losers

An anonymous reader wrote a one-liner in my blog recently: "Kamulah Melayu yang akan meranapkan bangsa sendiri". He didnt elaborate on how he came to this earth shattering conclusion so I consigned his remark to the trash bin.

It didnt strike this twit that UMNO, a party corrupt to the core, has lost its moral authority to govern the country and are destroying the Malays.

Najib, Muhyiddin, Hishamuddin, Zahid and that Sabah fellow whatshisname. A "dream team", my ass.

A big bunch of delusional and misguided 'youths' with Class F contractors and mat rempit mindsets elected Khairy Jamaludin, found guilty of "money politics" - a glorified term for bribery and corruption if you ask me, as the new UMNO Youth head. This makes him a prime candidate for a post in Najib's new cabinet.

The others voted in UMNO's Majlis Tertinggi are nobodies who do not really inspire much confidence, either.

Winners all perhaps but the losers are definitely the rakyat.

And former prime minister Tun Dr M did indeed vow that he will work to oust incoming premier Najib should he appoint "corrupt leaders" in his cabinet.

Over to you, Tun.

Earth Hour 2009

This Saturday 28th March 2009, 2,398 cities, towns and municipalities in 83 countries will be observing the WWF Earth Hour 2009, in a move to let world leaders know of the worldwide concern about global warming and demand action on climate change. In Malaysia, this simple act of switching off all lights for an hour will be at 2030 hrs. All are encouraged to do the same. (Go to the Earth Hour website, here).

Googling for more information on the subject, I stumbled on the fact that actually cattle farming accounts for more greenhouse gas emissions than, say, the entire transportation sector i.e., all road vehicles, trains, aeroplanes and ships combined. According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), bovine burps and flatulence in livestock production contribute 18 per cent of the greenhouse methane gas emissions believed to cause global warming.

In other words, cattle farts (kentut lembu) are warming up the planet!

But rising sea levels and the recent droughts and fires Down Under, for example, are no laughing matter.

Perhaps it is time now for all of us to seriously consider saying goodbye to McD, T-bone steaks and sup ekor ... and go vegetarian.

Sheeesh.

In the meantime, we can all also do our part in our own small ways. So lights off Saturday night for an hour at 2030 hrs. Afraid of the dark? Go light a candle.

UMNO: Beyond Redemption

Quite frankly, if the ground would open up during an earthquake and swallow the entire PWTC building this week while the UMNO general assembly is in progress, I would be the last person to shed any tears.

In the first place, the UMNO that we have now isnt really the original UMNO of Onn Jaafar, which started the fight for the country's independence. After its deregistration during the 1988 constitutional crisis, former prime ministers Tunku Abdul Rahman and Hussein Onn didn't even bother to 'rejoin' the new 'UMNO Baru' of Mahathir Mohamed, clearly expressing their disgust at what took place. About a year ago, Mahathir himself quit the party, also in disgust, expecting many others to follow suit but nobody of any consequence did.

In her latest blog posting, Nini Talk has it right on the button when she writes, here, that "In the present era of openness and transparency, it becomes all the more crucial to have leaders with very few skeletons in their cupboards. As the nation's role models, they must be looked up to with the highest regard. When they talk of integrity, they themselves must be examples of it".

The so called 'UMNO' that incoming premier Najib will inherit will be helmed by misfits, devoid of any morals, integrity and with plenty of skeletons in their cupboards. Since Najib as the next UMNO president himself has many Swords of Damocles hanging over his head, this UMNO is clearly beyond redemption.

As I have said before and I will say it again, that the country's future will be decided in the next few days by 2000-odd Class F contractors and their ilk really gives me the shivers. May God help us all.

Limbang

What have the people at the government news agency Bernama been smoking when they went to town with the story a few days ago, that the Brunei government has dropped its claim over the disputed territory of Limbang in Sarawak? I had thought then it was damned sporting of the Bruneians. I also believe the Borneo Post even went a bit further claiming that Sarawak chief minister Taib Mahmud also played a prominent role in the negotiations.

A senior Brunei minister has since refuted this, saying that the claims on Limbang were never discussed during the recent meeting between Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei and the Malaysian prime minister.

Today's the Sun frontpaged its headline "Red-faced over Limbang", here, and the news that foreign minister Rais Yatim is now doing damage control and making soothing noises over the fact that what we 'perceive' may not necessarily be the same as what they, the Bruneians believe. A simple matter of perception then, really, but irresponsible reporting can do a lot of harm to good relations between two very close neighbours.

After charges that many of us bloggers are indeed frauds and charlatans who shoot off our rabble-rousing mouths etc., etc., made by a pompous NST editorial some time ago (read my earlier blog "The Loony Fringe", here), what do we call this brand of journalism by government newspapers and agencies?

Klang's "Little India"

(Source: The Star)

There has been a lot of hype in the Barisan Nasional owned mainstream media about the proposed change of the name of Klang’s famous "Little India" to "Medan Kelana" by the Majlis Perbandaran Klang. (Read today's the Star online's report, here). A lot of hogwash to politicize the issue and mislead the public, I think.

As a former long time denizen of Port Klang, I cannot recall ever seeing any signboard along Jalan Tengku Kelana (photo), which says that the place is indeed officially named "Little India". What everybody seems to forget is that it is only a convenient nickname for the neighbourhood, the same way that KL's Brickfields and even Singapore's Serangoon Road areas are also well known as "Little Indias".

Also the same way, I suppose, that Kuala Lumpur's Petaling Street or even Singapore's Selegie Road areas are also still today known as "China Towns" when the whole bloody city is one big China town.

Sheeesh.

Illegal Grab

Rather late in the day and more than a month after the ouster of the Pakatan Rakyat government from Perak, former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir (TDM) yesterday finally declared that the Barisan Nasional (BN) takeover of the state was not done according to the law. (Read the Malaysian Insider report, here).

"You cannot topple a menteri besar or a prime minister without a no-confidence vote in the assembly. There is no other provision," he said.

TDM said that BN should have done it properly and not "be in conflict with the law" as the courts may now rule that the Sultan of Perak has no right to sack a menteri besar. He added that a Sultan could only reject a candidate for one of his choice after an election but even this candidate could be defeated in the assembly by a vote.

Well, he should know. He was the man behind the past many constitutional amendments affecting the Rulers' functions and responsibilities.

An anonymous reader once commented in my blog that perhaps the Sultan only wanted to 'test' the legal system and laments the possible resultant 'collateral damage' inflicted on the rakyat. Anyway, lets see now if any UMNO hotshot would also like to charge the former PM for derhaka or treason or whatever too.

TDM has also vowed to work to boot out incoming premier Najib should he appoint "corrupt leaders" in his new cabinet. (Read the Malaysiakini report, here)

Hmmmm ...

Language Controversy

(Source: Malaysiakini)

My late father Haji Ahmad Abdul Jalal was a nationalist. A school teacher who was active in the national Malay Teachers Union*, he had fought hard together with his contemporaries for the establishment of a Chair for Malay Studies at the University of Malaya many years ago. He had shed tears when he was invited to Pantai Valley to witness the launching ceremony and would have cried in anguish if he was still alive today to see his fellow teachers being bombarded with water cannons and teargassed by the police at Saturday's protest march (photo), for fighting for what he and his peers had fought valiantly for, half a century ago. (Read the Malaysiakini report, here)

But my father was also a pragmatist. My siblings and I grew up learning English by reading the Straits Times and the occasional copies of Readers Digest and the Dandy and Beano comics which he could barely afford with his meager salary. We didnt do too badly, I think. How many Malay parents would do the same today, I wonder.

Some years ago, I believe I did my bit for the national language when I served on a Dewan Bahasa & Pustaka committee to translate English nautical and shipping terms into bahasa. It was indeed a learning and eye-opening experience for me when I discovered that it was almost next to impossible to deal with many of the English words and terms without simply bastardising the same. Perhaps for this reason only that the courses at the Akademi Laut Malaysia (ALAM) in Melaka, for example, are still being taught exclusively in English.

What I am really against is the 'flip-flopping' on the issue of the language to be used in the teaching of science and mathematics in schools, despite denials from the prime minister. This will be very hard on our children. (Read my earlier posting: "Don't belok-belok", here). On the other hand, high handed government action on peaceful dissent on the matter are not going to make things any better, either.

Perhaps Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah or Ku Li is the only UMNO leader worth listening to nowadays, but sadly nobody in the party appears to be listening to him. I agree with Ku Li when he says, here, that "UMNO is utterly alienated from its meaning, purpose and spirit. No longer the party of the Malay schoolteacher but of the power that directs water cannons and teargas at them. No longer the grassroots party of the Malays, but of opportunists who hide behind the Rulers while they fan hatred between the people."

* Persatuan Kesatuan Guru-Guru Melayu Semenanjung.

High Noon in Perak

Perak is in deep shit. Will Dr Zambri's de facto Barisan Nasional (BN) government which has called any attempt to hold an emergency sitting of the state assembly this morning a “threat to national security”, declare emergency rule today? Well, your guess is as good as mine.

Its crystal clear to all and sundry that BN wants to cling on to power by any and all means by trying to stretch to the limits its advantage of incumbency to prevent a vote in the assembly today, which it may lose. I am also shocked at the way the police and state civil servants are also getting into the act which I believe is completely unwarranted.

Amidst the flurry of activity with the Executive now getting involved in the affairs of the Legislature, the one man who can put a stop to all this madness is keeping mum. Whither the Sultan?