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.

History Unbelievable – What is Malaysia Becoming?

It all started a week before Merdeka Day. Mat Sabu made a speech and happened to mention that Mat Indera, who apparently led an attack on the Bukit Kepong police station, was to be considered an independence fighter. That happened in 1950 before Merdeka.

Utusan Malaysia started a barrage of attacks on Mat Sabu accusing him of being sympathetic to the Malayan Communist Party (MCP). This put PAS on the defense and they retorted with a clear stand that since the event was pre-independence time that anyone fighting the British for the country’s independence can be called an independence fighter.

Then all logic went out the window. Zainal Kling of UPSI made the controversial comment that it was untrue that Malaya had been colonized by the British, who only gave us their “protection”. He also claimed that only Singapore, Malacca and Penang were British colonies.

Then Higher Education Minister Khaled Nordin said the history syllabus for schools will be revised following “new findings” on the nation’s past. This was implying that our history needs to be rewritten to declare Malaya as a British protectorate rather than a British colony.

Today Tun M and a few days ago DPM Muhyiddin came out in support of such warped view. They had accused others of rewriting history when in reality they came out with the distortion.

Can all these VIPs and politicians publicly deny history and accuse us of misunderstanding history?

Here are some pertinent questions these public figures must answer.

1.  Why did we negotiate for independence from the British if we were not a British colony?

2.  Why were we part of HM Commonwealth?

3.  Why did we have British Commissioners, Governors and other British government officers of the crown?

4.  Who did Tunku, Onn Jaffar and other Umno founders work for if not the government of the day which was Britain?

5.  Who granted us independence in 1957 if not Britain?

6.  Did the MCP not fight for the freedom of Malaya with the British during the Japanese occupation?

7.  Did the MCP not march in the 1946 victory parade in London? The

8.  Did Umno not support the establishment of political and economic ties with communist China who supported the MCP? Even DPM Muhyiddin hosted a top official from China recently, the very country who financed and encouraged the MCP.

9.  Did we not have a “look east” policy towards Japan for economic progress, the same country that forcefully occupied our country and is responsible for the brutal deaths of hundreds of thousand of our countrymen but instead view the MCP with more disdain?

10.  Did our government not sign a peace treaty with the MCP? Then why is Umno and Utusan Malaysia so agitated about Mat Sabu’s comments?

When the country concocts imaginative changes to our history and our government is distracted from real economic challenges they were entrusted to build for us and our children, we are truly in trouble.

In a world of economic and financial turmoil, our government is bent on rewriting our history to reflect that it was all Umno who brought us independence. From what?

Out of Control in DUMC Raid by Jais and Police

Seems like it’s PAS turn to rein in mavericks like Hasan Ali or shut him down before he burns the party and ruin the hardwork done in Selangor.

PAS maverick Hasan Ali is at it again. Long accused of being more comfortable with his UMNO friends, the former Selangor PAS chief acted on his own, without the knowledge of his party, the Mentri Besar or the Selangor state government, over the Damansara Utama church raid.

“This is why we have asked for a full explanation from him because what has happened is very serious. We hope he understand this. He should have consulted the party, the other Muslim leaders in Selangor Pakatan but it looks like for some reason or other, he took it upon himself to handle the matter,” Khalid Samad, the Shah Alam MP, told Malaysia Chronicle.

(Read here)

In the zeal of enforcing anti-proselyting of muslims, Jais and the police have lost all sense of decency, protocol and respect. Is this the spirit of multi-religious harmony? Absolutely not!

Their latest act being a raid (although Hasan Ali says otherwise) of DUMC Thanksgiving Dinner where 30 people from Jais and the police barged in without a warrant, without telling what the complaint was and without any decency to act professionally.

MCA Gan Ping Sieu as well as Umno Khairy tried to deflect the problem to Khalid and DAP Teresa Kok blaming them for not making a public apology.

Jais and the police do not report to the Selangor MB but to the Sultan of Selangor. Jais appointees are mostly from Umno. But MB Khalid did the right thing to apologize and find out on what basis Jais acted. Although not Khalid’s fault, this happened in his state.

Instead, MCA shot themselves again and their rhetorics showed their foolishness not knowing how Jais and the police work under Umno instructions. MCA and especially Umno should make the same public apology.

In a nutshell
So, Hasan Ali should be canned. MCA should do better homework before pointing their finger and shooting their mouths. Umno should do well to check their slide in causing more uproar against themselves through sheer silliness.

Malaysia is fast losing the liberty to assemble, freedom to worship, and freedom to vote – all enshrined in the Federal Constitution. When the Constitution itself is not respected or manipulated or misinterpreted, the country will spin into chaos fast.

Either the BN Government must check the slide or Malaysians will check in Pakatan Rakyat in the next General Election. There won’t be any other options left.

Umno Questions PAS but Never Themselves

Today, it is Umno’s turn to launch questions to undermine the Pakatan-led state of Kedah. This state is under PAS leadership.

This was what Mukhriz said:

PETALING JAYA – The rise in illegal entertainment outlets and massage centres in Kedah has raised doubts about PAS’ ability to govern the state effectively, said Deputy International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir.

Mukhriz said the growing presence of illegal businesses in the state contradicted the party’s claims that it championed Islamic values.

“Although the state government said these entertainment outlets were unlicensed, it has not held them accountable for their illegal activities. This has raised questions about the enforcement.

(Read here)

Given over 53 years of BN rule in Malaysia, did Mukhriz know that there are lots more illegal centers as he complained about all over the country, especially in KL.

So what has Umno done about it? If after 53 years they can’t do it, what can PAS do in 3 years?

This is not an excuse. PAS must work harder to govern properly.

But Umno has done it for 53 years and the situation is far worse.

Let not the pot call the kettle black.

We need action, not political rhetorics. Malaysians have enough of talk. Let’s see some action please!

Panic Attack on PAS

Quite unexpectedly, we are seeing the first reactions on the just ended PAS 57th General Assembly coming from Umno.

Perkasa, Utusan Malaysia and Umno have all come out to provide their negative commentaries on the party elections. This is most unbecoming of politicians and political tools and PAS meeting had nothing to do with them in the first place. Utusan interfered by spreading propaganda to promote the ulama against the professionals but the voice of PAS grass roots have spoken out clearly in the elections.

Perkasa’s Ibrahim Ali was first out of the block on a nonsensical charge that the elected leaders represents Anwar’s voice (read here). His standard wild claims that Hadi Awang and Nik Aziz will continue to support Anwar belittles these top PAS leaders who are mighty in their own right and that Ibrahim Ali rode on a PAS ticket to win the GE12 seat adds salt to the wounds. Ibrahim Ali shows total disrespect for PAS.

Then the Perkasa Secretary General Syed Hassan tries to belittle the newly elected Deputy PAS President Mat Sabu as not finishing his ITM studies and not having any Islamic qualifications. What the PAS grass roots voted is none of his business unless he too stood for elections. The criteria to be voted was to stand for election.

Perhaps it was in reaction to PAS Secretary General Mustafa Ali who led the snub on Perkasa (read here) and outright rejecting the organization’s “ketuanan Melayu” stance and Perkasa felt the PAS rejection very strongly.

Utusan Malaysia today said that Hadi Awang and Tok Guru Nik Aziz have stopped the rise of the ulamas and allowed the professionals to take lead (read here). It appeared that the PAS ulamas were open to unity talks with Umno and now the election results have shut the door on them, thus, placing the balme squarely on the PAS top leadership. What has PAS to do with Umno and Utusan Malaysia? Only their ulterior motives may have been realised by PAS it seems and so this unusual reaction. And the only reason for this is that the top leadership is against all that Umno stands for.

Next is Mukhriz who complained that PAS is giving up on the Islamic State idealism to a Welfare State pragmatism. Although modeled after Islamic thinking, this stance will allow PAS and DAP to further strengthen their cooperation and that Umno will not obviously approve. He contends ludicrously that PKR and DAP have somehow influenced the grass roots votes (read here). One thing for sure, there is no money politics in PAS and that statement Mukhriz made is a wild reaction having nothing better to say.

Then comes Muhyiddin. He claims that PAS has strayed from Islam because of politics (read here). So strange after Hadi Awang drove home so vividly his disenchantment of Umno in straying from Islam too. And Hadi Awang minced no word to attack the corruption, cronyism, and all kinds of claims that Umno has failed.

All in all, Umno and related political tools have attempted to smear the PAS results and newly elected leaders because they know this PAS leadership will no longer be open to Umno’s overtures any longer.

That means the political expedience of using PAS to gain all Malay votes no longer works. Umno has to go back to the drawing board and seek real strategies with meaningful impact on voters rather than a pure political ploy of convenience to garner votes.

As PAS continues to grow its influence on rural communities, they have opened up more maturely and progressively to address issues across all communities. This will definitely increase its appeal to all Malaysians.

PAS is now considering fielding non-Muslims in the coming GE13 (read here) and DAP will continue to field non-Chinese candidates. The success of these two parties will increase Pakatan Rakyat’s chances and diminish the reliance on wobbly PKR and Anwar Ibrahim in the event he is incarcerated yet again later this month.

The panic statements are reactions to a more mature, forward thinking, pan-Malaysian focus, professional outlook and Islamic based party – the “new” PAS, that Umno is frightful of now.

There is a very real alternative to Umno in today’s PAS.

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!

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.