A Thorn In The Flesh, A Pain In The Arse.

Hantu Laut

Personality cult have existed from time immemorial.It generally started with hero worshipping a person which later can transform to personality cult when the person attained political power.This deification can eventually lead to dictatorship or absolute tyranny.

History has given us cult of personality in the regimes of Stalin,Hitler,Mao,Sadam Hussein,Kim II Sung,Pol Pot and others.It's more common in a totalitarian system but have also been known to exist in some democracies.Eva Peron and her husband Juan Peron are examples of personality cult in a democracy.

These type of leaders were presented as god-like and seen as infallible by those with blind loyalty.The degree of blind loyalty can extend from giving simple moral support to committing atrocities,murders and genocide to keep such leaders in power.

Since gaining independence Malaysia has not had such leader and even the longest serving Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad would not fall into that category.

The support for Anwar Ibrahim is dangerously turning into a personality cult.Some of his supporters wouldn't give second thought to resort to violence to deliver their message.

If Anwar's support on the ground is strong his support online is phenomenal.The huge support from political blogs and blog readers have made it unbearably painful for the government of Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and an impossible task to turn the table against Anwar .It wouldn't be far off the mark to say that close to 90% of blogs and blog commentators were supporting him to be the next prime minister and Pakatan as their choice of government.

Any unceremonious story, past or present, on Anwar or his party members published by the mainstream media, true or false, would irk his supporters to no end.Some would counter such incidents with their own version of government conspiracy.Such was the case when 3 PKR Exco members from Perak were arrested for corruption.A pro-Pakatan blog has his story of conspiracy here

In the Permatang Pauh by-election Anwar would have an unassailable lead over BN's candidate Arif Shah Omar Shah.With a week to go to the poll not much change is expected to tip the balance in favour of the BN.

The BN, particularly UMNO screwed up the Anwar's issue big time.They have made a monster they are unable to control, a man seen by many a victim of government conspiracy.Its campaign against Anwar has gone completely gaga creating a bigger and angrier backlash instead of the desired outcome of bringing the voters back to the fold.

Sodomy II, named by his supporters, should not have been brought against Anwar even if there was a speck of truth in Saiful's claim.With the government's credibility at its lowest any attempt to demonise Anwar further would only bring more support to his side

Anything negative said of Anwar is incoherent to his supporters and majority would have no qualms using expletives and profanities to admonish anyone who dares to do so.A walk through Malaysia Today and Susan Loone's blog showed what a cause celebre Anwar is in blogosphere.

Harping on his sodomy issue and showing video of Saiful's swearing on the Quran is only going to add salt to the BN's wound and send charity knocking on Anwar's door.The BN campaign should have concentrated more on the 'whys' the people should vote for the BN candidate and the bigger benefits of doing so and less of the intrusion of Saiful's arsehole, which many Malay elders in the kampongs would find embarrassingly inappropriate subject to talk about over a cup of coffee.

Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, his cabinet and the government as a whole have to face the fact that the entry of Anwar to Parliament is imminent and face the fact that he is going to be a thorn in the flesh and a pain in the arse.

Related articles:

Malaysia bookies say Anwar a safe bet in local poll

Malaysia's high-stakes election

By-election campaign turns ugly

Nik Aziz,Gangsterism,Corruption And Violence In The Pakatan Camp

Hantu Laut

Here he goes again, now with some modification to his earlier tune.

Nik Aziz, the PAS spiritual leader said Saiful’s act of taking an oath on the holy book was Islamic but it was not according to the Muslim culture.

“In Islam, there is no need to place your hands on the Quran when you swear. Placing one’s hands on the Quran is an act of copying the Christians.

“When the Christians swear they put their hands on the Bible, right?” quipped Nik Aziz.

“Other people’s cultures have entered the head of the Malays,” he said.

Whether the Malays copy the Christians or any other religion does it matter now that it has become part of the culture.Most important is the significant of the oath using the Quran.

What would be the significant of your oath if the Quran is not physically present as testimony that you swear by it. Isn't it only right that you hold the Quran to symbolise that you swear by it in the name of Allah. This sacred act of oath taking is seldom used by Muslims unless there is great compulsion to do so.

The Malays have copied the practices of many culture, from being the original animism (which all culture originate from) to being atheist to Hinduism and finally Islam. There is no pure Islamic culture anywhere in the world including the place where it originates from.

Islam practised in Afghanistan would be different from that in Malaysia due to infusion of local custom and practices.The Afghans have embodied many of their tribal laws as part of Islamic culture when in fact it has got nothing to do with the religion.

In Malaysia the Malays have retained some of their animist and Hinduism past which clearly shows that Nik Aziz have either conveniently overlooked or ignored because I have not heard him speaking out against it.

Sorcery or bomoh (Shamanism) is still widely practised in this country and many including some ulamaks and Western educated Malays still consult Tok Bomoh if they fall ill or encounter some misfortunes that they have reasons to believe were caused by some supernatural elements. This practice is against the teachings of Islam but are still widely practised in Malaysia. Don't give me the crap that all bomohs are dukun because most of them are not.

The bersanding ceremony mandatory at every Malay wedding and the wayang kulit were Hindu culture that have stayed with the Malays.

The swearing on the Quran has been around since time immemorial and had become part of the Islamic culture in this country and to say otherwise is not true.

Nik Aziz should find ways and means on how to make Islam more progressive and respected instead of making contradicting statements that can confuse Muslims even more about the religion.

On 31st October 2007 the Associated Press reported Nik Aziz's statement on the state of abuse of Muslim's men mind:

Women’s Sexy Clothing Distracting Muslim Men From Sleep, Prayers

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia — Malaysia’s Muslim men are suffering sleepless nights and cannot pray properly because their thoughts are distracted by a growing number of women who wear sexy clothes in public, a prominent cleric said.

Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat, the spiritual leader of the opposition Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party, said he wanted to speak about the “emotional abuse” that men face because it is seldom discussed, the party reported on its Web site Wednesday.

“We always [hear about] the abuse of children and wives in households, which is easily perceived by the eye, but the emotional abuse of men cannot be seen,” Nik Abdul Aziz said. “Our prayers become unfocused and our sleep is often disturbed.”

Not all Muslim man is as libidinous as Nik Aziz, so he should only equate that to himself and not generalised to insult other Muslims.

With this type of character in PAS I would really be careful and think twice before putting Pakatan Rakyat to rule this nation.

The arrest of two PKR exco members for corruption in Perak shows they are no better than the devil we have now and what make them even worse and disgusting is the refusal to admit that gangsterism, corruption and culture of violence exists among their members and supporters.

Liars, damned liars.....and other short stories.

Hantu Laut

Liars, damned liars.......

"Saiful's swearing shows the allegation is serious", short of saying it's true the PM said "To me, swearing by the Quran is very serious and it is not easy for someone to swear in the name of AllahSubhanahuwataala"

The Prime Minister being an honest man(no pun intended) himself probably would not have imagined how many type of liars are there in the world. The two most common scientific terms would be pathological and congenital liars:

"If you are not concerned with the difference between truth and falsehood; you do not bother to distinguish fact from fantasy. In fact, your lying is a disease that no antibiotic can cure. A pathological liar

"If you have such a long history of persistent falsification that one can only suspect that your vice started when you were reposing in your mother's womb. In other words ... you have been lying from the moment of your birth. A congenital liar.

The above can be broken down into more specific branches:

"You are impervious to correction. Often as you may be caught in your fabrications, there is no reforming you 00 you go right on lying despite the punishment, embarrassment, or unhappiness that your distortions of truth may bring you. An incorrigible liar.

"Your ability is top-drawer -- rarely does anyone lie as convincingly or as artistically as you do. Your skill has, in short, reached the zenith of perfection. Indeed, your mastery of the art is so great that your lying is almost always crowned with success -- and you have no trouble seducing an unwary listener into believing that you are telling gospel truth. A consummate liar

"You never stop lying. While normal people lie on occasion, and often for special reasons, you lie continually -- not occasionally or even frequently, but over and over. A chronic liar

"You are completely without a conscience. No matter what misery your fabrications may cause your innocent victims, you never feel the slightest twinge of guilt. Totally unscrupulous, you are a dangerous person to get mixed up with. An unconscionable liar

"Everybody knows your propensity for avoiding facts. You have built so solid and unsavory a reputation that only a stranger is likely to be misled -- and then, not for long. A notorious liar

Last but not least:

Only Muslims,Christians and Jews ( people of the book...Ahl al-Kitab) swears by the holy book. You have no fear of divine retribution to save your own skin and are prepared to tell the untruth to harm others. A heretical liar

You would not be punished by another human being because only God would know whether you are guilty or innocent and human being should not make any form of speculation whatsoever on the status of your oaths especially those who are embroiled in your problem.

Yes! Prime Minister, you have been accused by Anwar Ibrahim of involvement in this matter, so it would be wise to stay clear.Since the matter is now in hand of the law, let it takes its own course and it is best not to make any statement.

We really don't know who is the liar, Saiful or Anwar? The truth will come.God's mill grinds slow but sure.

Note:Some(not all) of the description of liars above are taken from an American blog.

Return Of The King of Gamblers

Infinite opportunities to satisfy your passion for table games

In Kota Kinabalu Sabah the acting division head of Papar UMNO division Abdul Rahim Ismail is in a limbo on news that former disgraced Sabah Chief Minister Osu Sukam is trying to make a comeback by standing as divisional head of Papar UMNO.

Osu resigned in disgrace as Sabah Chief Minister and Papar UMNO division head in 2005 when he faced a law suit of RM7.14 milliom for gambling debts overseas.By right he should have been sacked from the party but UMNO does not have moral discipline as a condition to be a member or to hold public office.

I am not at all surpise. UMNO is quite comfortable with the Good, the Bad and the Ugly.

Most of you would still remember double-barrelled Mohammad who tried to bring in huge sum of money into Australia a few years ago but was caught by Australian custom and pleaded that because of his poor English he failed to declare the amount. He is now back in business, a minister in Badawi's cabinet.

The People's Parliament

Haris Ibrahim who own the People's Parliament blog wrote an open letter to Anwar Ibrahim seeking his assurance that he would serve the people well as promised when he takes over the government and to forgive but not to forget the sins of those who had done harm to him.He also reminded Anwar of the time he served in the evil empire of Mahathir Mohammed and told him in no uncertain term that he doesn't trust politicians, Anwar included.

I have put Haris Ibrahim on my blogroll for many months now without telling him because I like some of his writing ....remarkably honest, perceptive and anecdotal.

In the same letter to Anwar I am surprise he boggles the mind by using superfluous words to describe the government of Mahathir as a regime that commit atrocities.His rather ambiguous description of Mahathir's reign of destruction and pillage would suffice to chill the bones of those readers who has no knowledge of Malaysian political history.

Here are some samplings of his literary work:

"My sister, I like Chopin, has asked me to tell you that she has forgiven you your 16 years of involvement, at least by association and failure to dissociate, with the autocratic, dictatorial, corrupt Mahathir administration". I have no problem with that, it's probably the most appropriate description of Mahathir's tenure.

"Yes, most of my friends and I, like my sister, have long forgiven you for your involvement in the atrocities committed by Mahathir during his reign of destruction and pillage, even if only by association and your failure to dissociate with his regime". This certainly sounds out of tune and provoke a vision of violence, brutality or even murder and death.Not exactly fair to the former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad, who had not only by my own admission but the world at large, given him credit for the economic growth of this nation during his tenure or reign of terror if you like it that way.

I do not wish to indulge further on this subject. Other than the above misnomer on words, I think the piece was soul-searching, heart-felt and beautifully written and if I were Anwar Ibrahim I would take heed of what Haris Ibrahim warned him to do should he become prime minister of this nation.

Anwar should paste a copy of Haris Ibrahim's letter on his PM's table as a reminder of the promises he made to the people, so as not to make the same mistake as his antagonists.

If he becomes the Prime Minister.

Return Of Mr Bigot

Hantu Laut

File picture of Zulkifli Nordin (extreme right in songkok) at the Bar Council meeting.(Malaysian Insider) I wonder who's that guy in dark blue jacket,he looks more angry than Zulkifli.

The controversial Mr Bigot returned, unrepentant and defiant.

PKR MP Zulkifli Noordin has come out of hiding, still with heavy chips on his shoulder, insisted he was right in what he did at the Bar Council forum.

He said "For me Islam comes first. I am a Muslim first, a party member second. A Muslim first, a lawyer second. A Muslim first, an MP second.

"You attack Islam, I'll be there, even if I have to do it on my own.

Whatever it is, Islam comes first,"

With air of arrogance and a quirky show of grandstanding he said that sensitive matters should be discussed behind closed doors with the relevant agencies.

"When you talk of sensitivities of others, do so behind closed doors and only invite those in authority. Don't invite any Tom, Dick or Harry. You can talk about Islam but you cannot talk for Islam.

"I don't call any mamak chendol or kacang putih seller to talk about Hinduism, do I? That would only look stupid. I would call the priest, the authority and then I can get a better picture on Hinduism.

"Just because some mosquito group of Muslims start talking about Islam, they represent Islam. I don't think that is fair.

"We have authorities, Jabatan Kemajuan Islam Malaysia (Jakim), Yayasan Dakwah Islam Malaysia, IKIM, UIA ... we have a lot of authorities. Why invite those mosquitoes?

"We have to respect each other's rights.We Muslims have been tolerant enough all this while, for so many years we have been asked, forced to live under the law that is not Islam. We have been forced," (Malaysian Insider)

He also accused the Bar Council of being 'anti-Islam' and would ask Parliament to sanction the Bar Council, whatever that mean.

Gosh! For so many years we have been forced to live under the law that is not Islam. Did somebody say this guy is a lawyer.I wonder which law school he came from. What have the Bar Council got to do with the nation adoption of secular law.To be precise it is people like him who is responsible for the legislation and abrogation of the laws.That's why he is called a lawmaker or member of parliament.

Even more absurd our bigoted MP failed to realise that it is the Muslims who are in control of this nation, not the non-Muslims or the Bar Council.If he is unhappy the right forum to thrash it out is in Parliament or thrash the PM why are we not under Islamic law.

A leopard will never change its spot and this leopard is using Islam in furtherance of his political career, a brand tag used by every PAS politicians.

Wrong party lah, YB?