As I Begin Another Solar Orbit...

It's good to have friends like Din Merican the "Malaysian DJ Blogger"!

Anoora succumbed immediately to Din's effortless charm...

Lucky guy Din was chauffeured by the world's most beautiful dentist,
former Elf Queen Kamsiah Haider ;-)

Portrait of a pensive bunyip named Ahau by Annette Manuela Navis

Punk princess on the rocks (pic by Din Merican)

Punk princess on the rocks with her blogger hubby

4 topless guys by Tricia Yeoh (L-R): Peter Walker, Gerald Wee, Azmi Sharom & Yours Truly

RPK: A Threat To WHOSE Security?

Din Merican blogged this today and I'm showing my support by replicating his post here...


RAJA PETRA FOR FREEDOM, DEMOCRACY AND JUSTICE

It is easy for most of us who are still relatively free and safe to forget that Raja Petra and other Malaysians are detained in Kamunting, Perak under the cruel and anachronistic* Internal Security Act, all of whom stood for freedom, democracy and justice.

Interest in his fate by the Malaysian public is difficult to sustain, but I am proud to say that his friends like Haris Ibrahim, Bernard Khoo aka Zorro Unmasked, KP Waran, Bangsar Bala, Amarit Sidhu and Visu, and others who are part of the fraternity that meets frequently at the Fisherman’s Wharf in Taman Desa Danau, Members of Parliament like YB Lim Kit Siang, YB Gobind Singh, YB Ronnie Liu, YB Teresa Kok and members of the Anwar Ibrahim Club led by Farhash Wafa Salvador and Najwan Hilmi have remained steadfast and faithful to the mission of securing the release of Raja Petra and his associates. The vigils are intended to remind us that Raja Petra and others are being denied their freedom.


However, we need to see more Members of Parliament and State Assemblymen and the Malaysian public at vigils which are being organized in the main urban centers throughout the country by Free RPK campaigners. We also require the support of bloggers and the international community, especially Amnesty International, and television networks overseas to keep the anti-ISA movement active and alive, since we cannot expect the mainstream media to help the cause.

I spoke to Marina Petra this morning (November 3, 2007) to find out how she and her two daughters and the Petra grandchildren were coping without their patriarch. She told me that she was doing fine (but it would be better if Pet were around and blogging away furiously from morning till late into the night on Malaysia Today and I suspect Marina must surely miss his sense of humor and companionship).


She told me that she was looking forward to November 7, 2008 for the court’s decision on Pet’s habeas corpus application. Having heard the arguments presented by lawyers on both sides, the court will in its wisdom will set him free. There is no point in further detaining Raja Petra who is not a threat to national security. Please turn up in full force early in the Shah Alam courts to give Raja Petra our moral support. I hope to see you there.

Din Merican

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*Sorry, Din, I can't stand the word "draconian" - dragons are very wise beings and such an evil law is far from wise! [Vigil photos courtesy Zorro-Unmasked]

PERMATANG PAUH IN PICTURES

Pic © TV Smith (click on link to view original!)

Pic © TV Smith (click on link to view original!)

Pic courtesy of Din Merican

Pic courtesy of Din Merican

Pic courtesy of Din Merican

I was there in spirit, yelling "Reformasi!" along with Nurul Izzah - and (some say) 100,000 Anwar supporters. So far, the eye-count for the Reformasi crowd on Nomination Day at Permatang Pauh, 16 August, ranges from a low of 15,000 (Reuters) to a high of 150,000 (PKR sympathizer). But most reports concur that the BN crowd numbered at most 5,000 - not counting 3,000 police and riot squad personnel. Thanks to my old pal, T.V. Smith, for the inspired images; and also to Din Merican, PKR Program Director, for capturing the excitement of the moment. Can you feel the winds of change, people?

Courtesy of Anwar Ibrahim's YouTube Channel

PKR’s Gobalakrishnan wears an Anwar mask at Permatang Pauh on Nomination Day (photo courtesy of Anil Netto)

Please Comment on My Comments!

Patrick Teoh was the blogger who inspired me to start my own back in December 2006. I love leaving comments on his highly popular Niamah! blog - but Pat moderates all comments before publishing and sometimes it takes more than 24 hours to see one's comment posted...

Military intelligence is a great deal more efficient and effective than the Special Branch and operates in ways hidden from public scrutiny. There are officers in Military Intelligence whose loyalty is primarily to King and Country - not any political party or politician in power. RPK's royal connections makes him privy to certain things others are not. I do not doubt that the Military Intelligence report RPK alludes to exists and that a copy was handed personally to the PM. Undoubtedly there are others who have copies of the report. It's not unreasonable to believe the Agong may have seen the report. If so, RPK would have been given the nod to lob his grenade directly into the political cesspool that Umno has become. In effect, in RPK's shoes I wouldn't put my name to such a bold statutory declaration unless I had a copy of the report. Now, whoever does the laundry for the PM and DPM would be in the best position to tell us how badly stained their underwear has been since 18 June 2008.

26 June 2008

A. Kadir Jasin was Group Editor-in-Chief of the NST during the Mahathir era. These days he's a "simple blogger" like the rest of us virtual loudmouths. Now that he's no longer in cari makan mode Kadir's views appear to have become more "neutral" - at least he doesn't have to bodek anyone now!

The game of politics, as in poker, requires mastery of stonewalling - the proverbial poker-faced response to even the most explosive and damaging accusations. From their calculated denials in the press, both the PM and DPM reveal themselves to be seasoned political poker players. However, viewing Najib on Malaysiakini.tv as he was speaking to reporters about RPK's statutory declaration, my flesh began to creep. Najib's was not a HUMAN response. There was absolutely no emotional content in his voice, which struck me as cold-blooded and dispassionate. He showed no anger, no sadness, no outrage. To be so calculative when confronted with such a serious accusation reveals a man who no longer behaves like a human being and therefore is capable of inhuman decisions. That alone, in my sight, disqualifies Najib Razak as somebody I can trust to lead the nation. Personally, it matters not if the guilty parties are clapped behind bars or merely sent into exile. For some folks, not being in power alone is punishment enough. But I heartily resent a single cent of the Rakyat's money being paid into Najib Razak's account as his public servant's salary - and I'm sure he receives two salaries for his official positions as DPM as well as Defence Minister. As for Abdullah Badawi, nobody wishes the man ill simply because his public persona does not invite a hostile reaction (unlike his predecessor's). However, as PM, he has used up whatever credibility he had to begin with. So when some readers comment that RPK's agenda is to bring down the government, I feel it would be more accurate to say he merely wants to bring down the irredeemably corrupt BN government.

26 June 2008

Din Merican served in the Foreign Ministry but is now program director of PKR. He calls himself "the reluctant blogger" but he seems to be really enjoying the high traffic flow to his blog :-)

They tried to bring Clinton down with allegations of oral sex and with Anwar it’s anal. Frankly, people, anyone of legal age who has never tried either or both or - at least fantasized about it - deserves to be the son of a BN Backbencher! My point is: regardless of whether the accusation is true or false, an individual’s sex life is his or her private affair - unless force comes into the picture, in which case we’re talking about RAPE. The biggest rapists I know are the BN who have raped Mother Nature every which way since Mahathir launched his stupid and shallow Vision 2020 - and the Dirty Old Man also raped the Malaysian Judiciary and the Polis Di Raja Malaysia - in fact, he also sodomized the Civil Service, Academia, and an entire generation of young Malaysian psyches. In any case, these desperate moves by the BN reveals their level of panic. Ladies and Gentlemen, even before September 16, BN will have killed itself with its own criminally insane stupidity. Long live Saudara Anwar, Pakatan Rakyat, and all freedom and justice lovers in Malaysia!

29 June 2008

Mohd Fudzail worked at TV3 from 1992-1999 and then relocated to Dubai where he serves as a consultant on IT and media related projects. He has hosted Anwar Ibrahim on some of his recent Dubai visits.

The polygraph or lie detector is ancient technology and has been around for decades. Why use it just on Saiful? It would be in the interest of Malaysia's future as a nation if we can subject everybody named in RPK's statutory declaration of 18 June to a polygraph test. I'm willing to bet real money that Badawi, Najib, Rosmah and Khairy will flunk spectacularly. But why stop there? Apply the polygraph test to Gani Patail and Musa Hassan too - see if they can pass! Ask them any question, they will lie - because it's the only thing these goons know how to do - and they don't even do it well!

29 June 2008