Hantu Laut
Sometimes, intellectuality can go awry, incoherence and illogical. The law of improbability can end up as law of unintended consequences.
Anwar Ibrahim, a well-educated, intellectual and charismatic politician, adored by many young urban Malaysians for his oratorical skills and fiery delivery is beginning to drown in his own intelligence and unwittingly devour his own political future by self-inflicted injury.
I read with dismay and disappointment the promises he made on his campaign trail in Wangsa Maju, Bandar Tun Razak and Lembah Pantai.
The making of such audacious statements and impossible to implement promises is not reflective of an highly esteemed politician . The thin crowd from the Malay community is a telling sign of his declining popularity and skepticism that people have about his ability to mount a strong and united apposition, let alone form the next government.
I am sure many Malaysians would share my feeling of being insulted by such ludicrous promises. Some of the promises he made have actually done more harm than good. Those with enough intelligence would not be easily bought by such stupendous promises.
He said when he was finance minister for eight years he never raised the price of petrol. That's true, but what was the price of crude oil then ? The average price of crude for the 10-year period of the nineties was US$17.9 per barrel. Today the price of crude has reached US$102 per barrel, about six times more than when he was finance minister. What benchmark is he using to compare during his time and now ? Was it an intelligent comparison or just casting a lure to fish for votes, hoping gullible Malaysians would take the bait.
Another equally empty as an empty vessel was his promise of "I will abolish toll charges, fix minimum wages at RM1,500 and provide free education until university level," to the crowd at Wangsa Maju.
To implement all the promises he would need to use all the foreign reserves and also use Petronas as a cash cow.The country would be bankrupted before he finishes his term.
For an ex- finance minister to make such ridiculous promises it's obvious he has little respect for the intelligence of the people of this country.He was so besotted with the accolades he gets from the Western world on his academic achievements he has forgotten that Malaysians are not all that stupid either, to believe in his useless promises.
It is obvious that this empty vessel that makes the most noise is not likely to change the political landscape in this country. Lies and promises are not going to buy votes unless majority of Malaysians are thick in the head, which is what Anwar assumed us all to be. He is completely immersed in self-glorification and thinks Malaysia is one big bodohland.
With all the stupefyingly dull and empty promises he is making and at the rate he is going, PKR would have run out of support come this 8th March.
Monday, March 3, 2008
Sunday, March 2, 2008
WHITE MEN'S TORMENTOR
Hantu Laut
The tight race between Hilary Clinton and Barrack Obama is getting hotter and dirtier by each passing day.The preliminary run for the White House has reached the highest momentum. The process of elimination would come soon in Texas and Ohio.
Take a look at the face and body language of Hilary Clinton in the video below, it shows the anger and hatred screaming inside her and that 'I wanna kill you' look on her face was a giveaway of her toffee-nosed and contempt against her arch-rival. She has used almost every dirty tricks in the bag to put a brake on Obama's advancement with little progress showing in her favour.
Obama has been confronted again and this time by conservative Republican that he is a Muslim and anti-semite. He had also been accused of consulting with anti-Semitic advisers. A photograph of him in Somali garb and using a turban was released through the Drudge Report website, which claimed it was leaked from the Hilary Clinton's camp, which she quickly denied.
America went round the world with guns and bombs to try impose its brand of democracy and freedom to other countries without putting its own house in order first. Racists and white supremacists abound in this land of the free. Hilary Clinton may not have put her racist feeling in words but you can see it written all over her face.
Clinton has accused him of plagiarism, derided his messianic oratory and rubbished his lack of experience in foreign policy. The mud-slinging coming out from her camp reveals her frustration and embarrassment at being placed behind a black man. She is prepared to do anything to try kill Obama's character and in the process hope to swing voters away from him and to her side.Nothing seems to work so far. Her last chance to save her running for president would be in Texas and Ohio.
She is at the end of her wits and is contemplating a lawsuit over the party's election rules. Her dirty tactics, tirades, incessant and superfluous attack on his personality has not brought her the desired results.It has backfired on her and making her task more daunting and may finally seal the coffin on her.
The tight race between Hilary Clinton and Barrack Obama is getting hotter and dirtier by each passing day.The preliminary run for the White House has reached the highest momentum. The process of elimination would come soon in Texas and Ohio.
Take a look at the face and body language of Hilary Clinton in the video below, it shows the anger and hatred screaming inside her and that 'I wanna kill you' look on her face was a giveaway of her toffee-nosed and contempt against her arch-rival. She has used almost every dirty tricks in the bag to put a brake on Obama's advancement with little progress showing in her favour.
Obama has been confronted again and this time by conservative Republican that he is a Muslim and anti-semite. He had also been accused of consulting with anti-Semitic advisers. A photograph of him in Somali garb and using a turban was released through the Drudge Report website, which claimed it was leaked from the Hilary Clinton's camp, which she quickly denied.
The Drudge Report ran this photo of Barack Obama in Somali garb from a 2006 trip to Africa. The Web site claims Hillary Clinton's campaign provided the photo to it.
Obama may have a Muslim middle name but so was Kahlil Gibran, the famous Lebanese-American poet, artist and writer who had a Muslim name but was a Christian Maronite. Obama is as American as any American can be and certainly not a Muslim by any figment of our imagination. Isn't America the champion of democracy, human rights and freedom of religion. So what's the problem if he black and a Muslim ?America went round the world with guns and bombs to try impose its brand of democracy and freedom to other countries without putting its own house in order first. Racists and white supremacists abound in this land of the free. Hilary Clinton may not have put her racist feeling in words but you can see it written all over her face.
Clinton has accused him of plagiarism, derided his messianic oratory and rubbished his lack of experience in foreign policy. The mud-slinging coming out from her camp reveals her frustration and embarrassment at being placed behind a black man. She is prepared to do anything to try kill Obama's character and in the process hope to swing voters away from him and to her side.Nothing seems to work so far. Her last chance to save her running for president would be in Texas and Ohio.
She is at the end of her wits and is contemplating a lawsuit over the party's election rules. Her dirty tactics, tirades, incessant and superfluous attack on his personality has not brought her the desired results.It has backfired on her and making her task more daunting and may finally seal the coffin on her.
Saturday, March 1, 2008
ZAHID: A VOICE IN THE WILDERNESS
Hantu Laut
I remember the famous speech made by George Bush after 9/11 when he tried to gather allies for invasion of Iraq whereby he warned other countries "If you are not with me, you are against me".
About a dozen or so European countries responded positively to his demand with the exception of French and Germany. To punish Germany and French for their refusal to give support to the invasion, Bush openly declared than no business dealing with Iraq would be given to French and Germany.
Back home in Malaysia, UMNO, the dominant partner in the BN coalition takes no nonsense approach to any member who criticises the party policies or makes suggestions for improvement if seen to clash with the orthodox practices of the party. Bright young ideas are not welcome in this Malay political fiefdom, where feudalism and autocracy are the rules rather than the exception.
Those that play balls would be rewarded while those who wanted to bring changes would be ignored, ostracized or expelled from the party.
In December 2007, I wrote a short review of Zahid Ibrahim's book "In Good Faith". He has been dropped to contest in this coming election, which I strongly believe was due to the inconvenient truth he wrote in his book about UMNO and the current government policies, lopsided and seriously imbalance to benefit mainly Malay bumiputras.
I reproduce below the relevant article:
I remember the famous speech made by George Bush after 9/11 when he tried to gather allies for invasion of Iraq whereby he warned other countries "If you are not with me, you are against me".
About a dozen or so European countries responded positively to his demand with the exception of French and Germany. To punish Germany and French for their refusal to give support to the invasion, Bush openly declared than no business dealing with Iraq would be given to French and Germany.
Back home in Malaysia, UMNO, the dominant partner in the BN coalition takes no nonsense approach to any member who criticises the party policies or makes suggestions for improvement if seen to clash with the orthodox practices of the party. Bright young ideas are not welcome in this Malay political fiefdom, where feudalism and autocracy are the rules rather than the exception.
Those that play balls would be rewarded while those who wanted to bring changes would be ignored, ostracized or expelled from the party.
In December 2007, I wrote a short review of Zahid Ibrahim's book "In Good Faith". He has been dropped to contest in this coming election, which I strongly believe was due to the inconvenient truth he wrote in his book about UMNO and the current government policies, lopsided and seriously imbalance to benefit mainly Malay bumiputras.
I reproduce below the relevant article:
Friday, December 21, 2007
Zahid Ibrahim's 'In Good Faith':An Inconvenient Truth
Hantu Laut
I have just finished reading Zaid Ibrahim's 'In Good Faith'. An explicitly honest analysis of the damning truth of the socio-political structure in this country. An admission, from an inside man, of the pseudo-interpretation of the social contract, perpetuated by those desirous of keeping the gravy train on track and on an infinite journey, more often than not, for pecuniary advantages and using hegemonic inculcation to subdue the minorities through coercion and consent.
The first Prime Minster, the late Tungku Abdul Rahman, in his book the 'Viewpoint', said "While I warmly welcome help for the bumiputras, I deplore any act that is likely to divide true Malaysians into two halves; division will benefit no-one.I have always said that this policy of"divide-and-rule" was a colonial practice, and with the era of colonialism behind us we should have seen an end of it.Yet "divide-and-rule" seems to linger on".
The discriminatory social contract should have been done with when it reached the end of its shelf life. However, the bumiputras, those in power and already spoilt by the easy picking have steadfastly refused to do away with this unfair and divisive policy. The iconic keris is a deplorable reminder to non-Malays not to toy with the idea of questioning the social contract.
Zahid, a Member of Parliament from the dominant ruling party, took a critical look at the various aspects of governance within the ambits of the bumiputra economic policy, Malay supremacy, economic mis-managment, rising religious intolerance, Islamisation of the country and encroachment of Sharia into the civil liberties of non-Muslims. His liberated views and forthrightness have given a breath of fresh air to many Malaysians. By the same token, I assume, it would have made him a pariah among his peers in UMNO. His views on some of the policies of government is diametrically opposed to those ossified by other leaders of his political party.As a lawyer with the biggest law firm in the country, he admits he had also benefited from the NEP, but would not lend his support to the perpetuation of such policy, which he thinks has a long-term negative side-effect on the bumiputras.A conclusion not far from the truth, as can be seen, from the failure to attain the 30% equity over the time frame initially given by the government. The NEP revivalists have unequivocally called for the NEP to be revivified without a time-frame.
Zahid must be the first elected representative in UMNO who was bold enough to go against the grain.An ideology that may make the top and middle echelon of the party very uncomfortable.Those before him that had fallen from grace, like Anwar Ibrahim, had been out of personal conflicts and power struggle, not differences of ideology. If there were more Malays like him in UMNO, this country would see a more progressive society.The unfortunate thing is, most Malays like him were not in UMNO.
The book was lucidly written, honest and splendidly readable.I would suggest every member of UMNO in particular and the Malaysian adult public in general to read this book. It was an unexpected surprise from a well-to-do and politically well-connected Malay.
ELECTION 2008: DO OR DIE
Hantu Laut
This coming election will see the demise of some political parties in Sabah.
One that faces mass desertion from some of its senior leaders is LDP (Liberal Democratic Party), formerly headed by former Chief Minister Tan Sri Chong Kah Kiat. Due to the Mazu controversy and a falling out with Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman, he resigned all his ministerial positions and as President of LDP and handed over the presidency to his deputy, Datuk Liew Vun Keong.
In 2004 LDP was given 1 parliamentary and 3 state seats in the ruling coalition. It lost the Sandakan parliamentary seat to an independent. Out of the three state seats, two were traditionally UMNO seats given to LDP during Tun Mahathir's rule. Objection from Sabah UMNO at that time was set aside by Mahathir. Chong was seen as his blue-eyed boy.Although his party only have 3 state seats at that time, he was made Chief Minister under the rotation system, to the consternation of other component parties in Sabah BN.Both seats, Tanjung Kapor and Merotai have predominantly Muslim voters.
Voting trends among BN coalition partners are based on comradeship. Every member of the coalition must deliver their support to any chosen candidate from any partner in the coalition irrespective of whether they like it or not. Occasionally there would be underhand tactics and sabotage if the candidate is not acceptable with other coalition partners, as was the case with LDP's loss of the Sandakan seat, which they blamed on SAPP headed by Datuk Yong Tet Lee. The seat was also coveted by SAPP on the basis of that it is a bigger party and has more members and supporters.
On Tuesday night nearly 200 Sandakan LDP members announced their resignation en bloc from the party due to dissatisfaction and objection to the fielding of an outsider to contest the Sandakan parliamentary seat. The candidate was the president himself, Datuk V.K.Liew. Sandakan LDP members have thrown their support behind Fong Vun Fui, LDP ex-State Deputy Youth Chief who resigned from the party and is standing as an independent against Datuk V.K.Liew. It appears that Liew is fighting an uphill battle and may lose the seat. Political pundits in Sandakan predicted he may even lose his deposit and rumours has it that the bookies are busy taking betting odds not in his favour.
The two state seats that are likely to end up the same way as Sandakan are Merotai and Tanjung Kapor. The dissatisfaction and objection was similar, putting an outsider to contest the seats.
The incumbent for Merotai Datuk Liew Vun Fah, although being a Chinese was a popular figure with the electorates in his constituency, was dropped as he was seen to be too close to Chief Minister Musa Aman. An outsider, Pang Yuk Ming was fielded in his place. LDP may have overlooked or didn't care that he obtained a majority of 4305 votes in 2004. The Muslims dominated constituency of Tanjong Kapur with eight-cornered fight would also see an uphill battle for LDP.
It is predicted that LDP may end up with zero seat or at the most only one, Karamunting in Sandakan, which was also given a slim chance.
Would it be do or die for LDP ?
This coming election will see the demise of some political parties in Sabah.
One that faces mass desertion from some of its senior leaders is LDP (Liberal Democratic Party), formerly headed by former Chief Minister Tan Sri Chong Kah Kiat. Due to the Mazu controversy and a falling out with Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman, he resigned all his ministerial positions and as President of LDP and handed over the presidency to his deputy, Datuk Liew Vun Keong.
In 2004 LDP was given 1 parliamentary and 3 state seats in the ruling coalition. It lost the Sandakan parliamentary seat to an independent. Out of the three state seats, two were traditionally UMNO seats given to LDP during Tun Mahathir's rule. Objection from Sabah UMNO at that time was set aside by Mahathir. Chong was seen as his blue-eyed boy.Although his party only have 3 state seats at that time, he was made Chief Minister under the rotation system, to the consternation of other component parties in Sabah BN.Both seats, Tanjung Kapor and Merotai have predominantly Muslim voters.
Voting trends among BN coalition partners are based on comradeship. Every member of the coalition must deliver their support to any chosen candidate from any partner in the coalition irrespective of whether they like it or not. Occasionally there would be underhand tactics and sabotage if the candidate is not acceptable with other coalition partners, as was the case with LDP's loss of the Sandakan seat, which they blamed on SAPP headed by Datuk Yong Tet Lee. The seat was also coveted by SAPP on the basis of that it is a bigger party and has more members and supporters.
On Tuesday night nearly 200 Sandakan LDP members announced their resignation en bloc from the party due to dissatisfaction and objection to the fielding of an outsider to contest the Sandakan parliamentary seat. The candidate was the president himself, Datuk V.K.Liew. Sandakan LDP members have thrown their support behind Fong Vun Fui, LDP ex-State Deputy Youth Chief who resigned from the party and is standing as an independent against Datuk V.K.Liew. It appears that Liew is fighting an uphill battle and may lose the seat. Political pundits in Sandakan predicted he may even lose his deposit and rumours has it that the bookies are busy taking betting odds not in his favour.
The two state seats that are likely to end up the same way as Sandakan are Merotai and Tanjung Kapor. The dissatisfaction and objection was similar, putting an outsider to contest the seats.
The incumbent for Merotai Datuk Liew Vun Fah, although being a Chinese was a popular figure with the electorates in his constituency, was dropped as he was seen to be too close to Chief Minister Musa Aman. An outsider, Pang Yuk Ming was fielded in his place. LDP may have overlooked or didn't care that he obtained a majority of 4305 votes in 2004. The Muslims dominated constituency of Tanjong Kapur with eight-cornered fight would also see an uphill battle for LDP.
It is predicted that LDP may end up with zero seat or at the most only one, Karamunting in Sandakan, which was also given a slim chance.
Would it be do or die for LDP ?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)