DAP, Tunku Aziz and Dissent

The unfortunate episode where Tunku Aziz finally quit DAP has occured. Much has been said by many people but in the final analysis, a highly respected individual like Tunku has gone down the path in a distasteful way.

Is it that DAP cannot handle dissent? On the contrary. Just as in Pakatan Rakyat, they have plenty of issues they cannot agree on but they can agree to disagree. You can’t see that in Barisan Nasional. If you disagree, keep it to yourself.

Tunku Aziz has stood up for many good and noble issues during his time as the leader of Transparency Malaysia International (TMI). He spoke fearlessly and without favor. The people loved him as a genuine and honest and sincere leader of the society. But those were the days.

When in a collective leadership in an organization like the DAP, Tunku forgets that he is not the TMI head any longer. He is neither the DAP head either. So when he takes a public stand against party position, he became the embarrassment for the DAP leadership. It is no longer about dissent. Once it becomes a public matter, Tunku has breached his honor to the party.

Opposition Does NOT Have To Announce Shadow Cabinet

There are calls by many quarters for the Opposition to announce a shadow cabinet. These are foolish demands by vested interest parties who knows nothing of political parties setting up a cabinet.

I don’t believe the Opposition needs to do that for the federal cabinet or for BN to announce one for Selangor.

It is definitely too premature to announce a cabinet because we don’t know how the GE13 results will turn out. How many seats will each party win? Will the intended leadership personalities win their seats?

Why put the cart before the horse? Even in the US Presidential elections, the only known role is the so-called shadow Vice President, the presidential candidate’s running mate.

President Obama only appointed Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State after he won the presidential election as with his “cabinet”.

So why is everybody clamoring for Pakatan Rakyat to announce a shadow cabinet? Maybe there are other parties that need to join forces to form the government. We shouldn’t think that there are only BN or PR only in the next GE13. We shouldn’t assume PR will win or BN will lose.

Enough About Hudud, On with the Economy!

The Hudud Issue has taken forefront over the other national issues particularly the electoral reforms as well as economic recovery actions.

It has become a political tool rather than a legal and religious matter. First, it was an attack on historical accuracy about our past if we were colonized or not. Then the independence fighter issue that revolved around the communists that Mat Sabu caused a stir.

It’s become an Umno vs Pas in multi-chapter episodes that the country has forgotten how serious the economic challenges are to Malaysia. The Greece potential financial repayment defaults will have a massive downside for us but we seem to be more concerned about raising hudud issues.

The Christian community has voiced out that there are no concerns as long as there is iron clad guarantee that non-Muslims are not affected.

Hudud – For Muslims Only! Unless…

The curent uproar on the hudud issue must not distract the politics in Malaysia.

MCA wants to pull out of BN if Umno wants to implement hudud.

DAP wants to pull out of Pakatan Rakyat if PAS insist on implementing hudud as the Islamic state is not part of their present agenda.

The Christian community has come out saying that as long as it affects only the Muslim community with a guarantee that non-muslims constitutional rights are protected that hudud law implementation is not really a problem.

Seen another way, if the Muslim community wants to implement hudud as part of their religious practice that it is their constitutional right. Just make sure others are not affected in any which way, even unforeseen situations.

MCA Questions DAP but Never Umno

MCA has started a barrage of questions to undermine the Pakatan-led state of Penang, particularly directed at CM Lim Guan Eng from the DAP.

GEORGE TOWN, Aug 1 — MCA continued today to fire anti-Chinese accusations at DAP, this time asking if the Penang government’s decision to award only 0.2 per cent of state projects to Chinese contractors meant they viewed the community as “incompetent”.

“I want to ask (Chief Minister) Lim Guan Eng why, despite the many Chinese in Penang, only a mere 0.2 per cent of the total number of projects were awarded to non-Bumiputera contractors?

“Does the chief minister mean to say that Penang Chinese ‘tak boleh’? How can the Penang Chinese swallow this — that they are incompetent?” Penang Wanita MCA chairman Tan Cheng Liang charged in a strongly-worded statement today.

(Read here)

It is good for the MCA to play a good opposition party role to foster check and balance in Penang. But this has nothing of that sort. MCA only wants to make noise but perhaps that’s the only thing they can do today.

Have we ever heard the MCA voice such things in the BN Government they are a part of? Have they ever question PM Najib on the award of projects only to one community?

No, they dare not lest they be kicked out of the BN.

Whenever any of the BN component parties shout out their disgruntled dissent on the Pakatan-led states, it will do them well to first ask the same from the Umno-dominant BN administration.

Good check and balance is necessary to ensure proper governance but if the present Federal Government is not practicing then the country is in disaster mode already.

Let the MCA do their part to ensure good governance in the Federal Government, to question all questionable actions, to bring the country back on our feet.

Can the MCA do that? Or are they already a basket case?

PAS New Dawn

A new dawn emerges in PAS. Hadi Awang remains as President. Tok Guru remains as the spiritual advisor.

The new changes appear in Mat Sabu as Deputy President and Husam Musa as the new Vice President of three such posts who are now all professionals but grown up with ulamas (the other VPs are Mahfuz and Salahuddin).

These changes now gives PAS a good professional balance to their brand of ulama politics that the Malaysians can more appreciate in PAS.

The messages that Hadi Awang clearly articulated to put Umno in their place that PAS will not turn their backs on the Pakatan alliance. He had said many things about Umno and what they did that PAS will not support and the answer for Malaysia is PAS in Pakatan. PAS is clearly rejecting the Umno overtures and considers them as detrimental to PAS.

“UMNO as a Malay-bumiputera majority party was entrusted with leadership but the wealth of the nation has been turned into the private property of its leaders, while the ordinary people struggle to make ends meet,” Hadi told the assembly.

“Umno has created a flock of Malays and Muslims who are blind and deaf to money politics, with entertainment and media used to turn Malays and Muslims stupid.” (Read here)

With the new professional blood in the top leadership in PAS, we shall see how they continue a progressive path for all Malaysians while applying their religious leanings.

Umno’s overtures to PAS is purely for political expedience and appears that the PAS wisdom won the day.

Hadi also lambasted UMNO, the dominant BN partner, for “disgusting acts like corruption, money politics, slander, racism, lies and all manner of things which embarrass even our children who are watching us”. (Read here)

There is a difference of extremes in the PAS 57th Annual Assembly compared to Umno’s General Assembly. It clearly shows the maturity of the PAS candidates in the 21st century Malaysia for sure.

PAS is attempting to address the pan-Malaysian issues genuinely while Umno is staying on the racial politics to drum a possible dwindling support.

“We need to realise that a plural or majmuk society is part of Islam’s political message. It is compulsory for us to spread the message of no compulsion in religion, and that Islam is fair for all so that non-Muslims can see how Islam should be practiced, and Islam’s image which has been tainted by Umno’s antics can be redeemed,” said Hadi. (Read here)

PAS is definitely emerging as a more tolerant Islamic political party than Umno can ever be. PAS is honest about their aspirations to institute an Islamic State but also knows full well they can’t as long as they don’t command majority votes. Nevertheless, they are honest about it and nobody can say they have a hidden agenda.

Interestingly, Hadi Awang never once mentioned the Islamic State but gave allusions to an Islamic welfare state to take care of the poor and needy as opposed to corruption squandering the money.

So, all three major parties in Pakatan Rakyat may have some conflicting aspirations but they managed to set aside those differences without any single party overwhelming the others unlike BN where Umno’s agenda dominates. That’s the maturity of Pakatan Rakyat.

Certainly, no single political party is perfect. Not PAS, and certainly not Umno. In the public perception. PAS emerges as more tolerant, mature and most understanding of the plight of all Malaysians. They have moved on from a pure ulama culture to a more moderate and progressive front with the inclusion of professional minds.

Will this new dawn in PAS bring strength to Pakatan Rakyat to gain more support from Malaysian voters both urban and rural? We now have deep and renewed strength in PAS and DAP with a “growing up still” PKR who is the glue.

In the coming days, we may see the incarceration of Anwar Ibrahim in the Sodomy 2 trial. This is the way to break the Pakatan Rakyat teaming arrangement. The popular thinking is that without Anwar, there is no Pakatan Rakyat.

The possible way forward is for the new PAS to strengthen their ties with DAP. That will checkmate Umno and BN for the coming GE13 which may happen as soon as end-June or July this year.

Will the new dawn in PAS bring about a renewed strength of Pakatan Rakyat and new confidence by Malaysian voters in PAS?

Hard Times Now in Malaysia

No one can deny that hard times are upon us in Malaysia.

The uncertainty of a General Election has caused reluctance of FDI into the country.

The removal of subsidies of diesel for commercial vehicles and boats of fishermen and the price increase of sugar and electricity recently have started a chain of inflationary events.

UPDATED June 6: Lorry operators will be increasing their rates by 20% to 30%. Fishermen will either increase significantly the price of their catch while they contemplate a stop fishing action protest. (Read here)

The Government wants us to believe the negligible impact they feel the economy will have. That’s plain baloney propaganda.

Consumer inflation has started to rise again. The actual impact is still not known as the costs increase are passed down to the end consumer.

Food and drinks and other consumer goods will go up further. Our disposable income has just been shrunk yet again.

Brace ourselves for a Ron 95 petrol and LPG price increase to happen very soon. That will trigger an unbelievable effect to diminish the Malaysian’s income to the maximum.

This will happen after the GE13 for sure as it is a certainty given the rise in global crude oil prices. The BN Government is playing for time but it is better sooner than later to recoup from subsidy cut.

Right after this will be GST that will haunt all Malaysians. This is aimed to increase tax revenue and collect it faster so that the Government has disposable income as opposed to the current stream of future collections.

While we don’t know of any other Government actions to curb excesses, leaks, corruption, etc and recover the unneeded IPP subsidies first, we the Rakyat will bear the biggest brunt of inflation running beyond our spending means.

This is a very sad picture painted. We urge for a change in Government spending, cut all possible excesses, recover all unfair subsidies and payments NOW!

It is not needed to turn Malaysia into a welfare state but a strong competitive and intelligent challenge on the global scene.

Use the people’s money wisely for once and help us earn more!

Another Soi Lek Rant

MCA President Chua Soi Lek has a knack to say the darnest thing. Today, it was reported that he accused the DAP of fostering a 2-race political system instead of a 2-party political system.

Read the report here.

His trend of thought appears totally skewed and off tangent. Nobody saw that coming and is totally illogical.

Why is it that he must see things from a race viewpoint? He seems to feel that as an extrapolation of the recent Sarawak election results that the Chinese community is voting DAP and abandoned MCA but strangely MCA never stood for election at that time. How can this conclusion be made?

Why does he make such sweeping statements that ignore all non-Chinese voters who voted DAP and Pakatan Rakyat for that matter?

Did he not realise that Chinese also voted BN too or now that they are considered non-Chinese all of a sudden?

Soi Lek’s Strawman
Soi Lek loves to create the impression he is tackling a major issue where it is totally non-existent. It exists only in his skewed mind.

General sweeping statements are intended to cause friction and does not help in nation building.

If he thinks stirring this angle helps Malaysians vote MCA, then he must have his head in the sand. Look at all the Malaysians of all ethnic communities who voted MCA and BN. Why must it be Chinese vs Malay? This is very mischievious indeed.

His strawman that he is beating serves no benefit to the country and talking out loud of a myth doesn’t make it true.

His statements in this case belittles all Malaysian voters. There are no constituencies with only Chinese voters voting DAP. It just simply doesn’t exist but perhaps it can create a sensational topic for this MCA President.

Focus on Country Building Ideas to Swing Votes
Instead, Soi Lek should put his thinking cap on to tell Malaysians why they should vote MCA and BN.

It should be for the reasons they are more superior in ideas and execution to bring about dramatic growth and prosper all Malaysians.

It should be for the reasons that uphold justice and eradicate poverty and corruption.

Unfortunately, MCA has fallen prey to staging strawman arguments that drives voters away instead.

Bankrupt of Ideas?
MCA had lots of brilliant people or was that in the past such that they resort to racial slants?

Soi Lek should get himself a bunch of economic advisors who can prop him up as a country growth champion instead of saying such wild rantings and ravings.

MCA should look at how to help all Malaysians prosper instead of blaming one section of Malaysians for their failings.

He is much ado about nothing really!

Christians Don’t Care Who is PM as long as …

The General Election is definitely around the corner. The season of building alarm bells for the Malay community against others communities to boost Malay votes for Umno has begun.

First, to demonise DAP and now the guns are trained on the Christian community. One on race, the other on religion. Both are equally sensitive but yet the PM has stayed silent to let this boil up.

Christian Issues
For the past few years, the Al-Kitab issue has been simmering with the confiscating of CDs and Bibles. Only a few weeks ago, Najib had to step into the muddied water regarding the Malay Bible to allow the Sarawakians to use the bible freely but not applying to Peninsular Christians.

Really a 1Malaysia, 2Rules situation.

But that appeasement helped not to let the issue boil over to hurt the BN votes too badly. BN survived the Al-Kitab woes but all strains and complaints remain unresolved.

Certainly, over the years, the freedom of Malaysians to worship have steadily eroded and curbed to the point the Al-Kitab was considered a national security threat under ISA. Such actions have pushed the Christians to a point that their patience quickly abated. In turn, they were accused of being extremists and threatening to Muslims for reasons that baffles everyone.

Now, pro-Umno bloggers have played up a seminar held in Penang as a political aspiration of DAP and Christians and lying to the public blatantly to stir up strife amongst the Muslims and Malay community against the Christians. If it was anybody else, they would have them locked up under ISA being seditious and all.

Umno daily, Utusan Malaysia, picked this up to publish as headline front page news thereby legitimizing the lies as truth and news.

And the authorities are looking the other way. In fact, Pembela had the gall to call on the police to investigate the Utusan propaganda.

Simple questions to answer: did anyone investigate the facts and truth of the matter or what pro-Umno bloggers and Utusan Malaysia say is always true? The answer is a vehement NO!

NO! Nobody checked the veracity prior to publishing the news which make these lies instead.

NO! Not everything they say is true. In cases like this, absolutely seditious, malicious and mischievious.

Lies, Lies, Lies
They accused the DAP working with the Christians to plan to change the position of Islam in the Constitution. They lie about the Christians wanting a Christian PM of Malaysia.

These are the worst kind of lies possible. Self generated without a shred of fact, self serving for a political purpose.

What is happening to our country?

The Christians Don’t Care
It is a fact Christians are not interested to touch the Constitution for whatever reason and they have zero interest in a Christian PM.

There is really no such need either. And the lies spreaded by pro-Umno bloggers serve to fan a fire that is not there just for political expediency.

The Christians don’t care for any of the things claimed so wildly concocted by blind politics. Christians only care for respect and constitutional right to freely worship. They ony want leaders who rule justly, fairly for everybody.

In fact, it is customary and instructed of Christians to pray for the leaders of the country that God will bless Malaysia, that we will have peace and harmony and prosperity and freedom to worship God.

By a sheer slanted view and incapable of appreciating Christianity, Utusan Malaysia propagated the lies of pro-Umno bloggers possibly to fan religious intolerance amongst Malays and to stir them up against non-Malays in hope they vote Umno in the upcoming General Elections.

This is most dangerous play and denying the truth and peaceableness of Christians and other religions.

No one can bring to pass any of the allegations. Not BN, not PR, certainly not DAP or most unlikely the Christians. So why all the ruckus and emotional uproar on baseless reports?

1Malaysia Fails
Najib’s 1Malaysia is about to be fully destroyed day by day by people related to Umno. It seems there are groups that will undermine Najib’s noble national unity interests.

But with Najib being quiet and not taking a clear stand to reprimand such dangerous behavior and seditious actions of Umno related parties, it seems that Najib may be assumed agreeable to these actions and thereby silently consented too.

This is not the time for Najib to be perceived weak and play to the Umno gallery to the detriment of his policies of unity as the PM for all Malaysians.

Speak up now, Mr Prime Minister. Take charge of unity or be accused of promoting a divide and conquer policy under your guise of 1Malaysia.

Do not fail Malaysia!

Put an End to Racial Politics

When will the political leaders of Malaysia ever learn that all Malaysians must be taken care of at the same time regardless who is voted to represent them.

The ethnicity doesn’t matter at all. It must be true Malaysian leaders representing all Malaysians and no bias to any one group.

At the present state of our country, all political assessments are still along ethnic lines. After 53 years, this narrow view is deeper than ever before prompting PM Najib to come up with the 1Malaysia slogan for unity.

That chameleon slogan uttered even as a greeting like “Selamat 1Malaysia” has given rise to the most obscure meanings and now it means anything to anyone who makes any sense out of it. Meaningless at best.

No point arguing what it means because even PM Najib doesn’t even know himself it seems with conflicting words coming out from him as he plays to the gallery.

In anticipation to GE13, Umno will realise that if MCA is rejected, BN will not be able to regain the 2/3 majority. However, PAS has also pointed out that with an 8% swing in Malay votes to Pakatan Rakyat, BN will lose the election.

Strange that all analysis remains along ethnic lines but that’s not how Malaysian thinks anymore.

In most if not all constituencies, it is impossible for a mere single ethnic group to determine the win of a seat. You need Malaysians from all ethnic background to win seats.

Yes, there are still racial bigots who will vote along racial lines. They can’t understand the bigger country picture.

Then there are those who are party bigots. They will vote their party no matter what. However, we see a change in GE12 where party members abandoning their own parties to vote the opposition or spoiling their votes in protest, the latter being the foolish.

Ignore the rantings that ethnicity in the Government will be best to represent various groups.

In modern Malaysia in the 21st century, all leaders voted to power MUST represent the interests of all parties without fear or favor. It is the capability of the leader and the political group leadership that matters as they seek to serve all Malaysians especially those in need.

Let’s choose wisely for our political representation in the country’s government. It is not the ethnic background. It is the capability to represent us all regardless of ethnic background.

Listen to the voices of those who present themselves for our votes and hear clearly what they say. See through their charade and cut to the chase. What have they done and what more can they do to make our lives better. Not tell us how to vote.

Let Malaysians NOT be divided but united to face the world. We need each other to make this happen.