Oh Yes I Support Malaysian Authors 😍 (repost)

May Lee (a well-named marketing executive at MPH) welcomes me to the
Malaysian Authors' High Tea at MPH 1 Utama

Whenever I manage to get a book published I'm fashionable for at least six months. I've been getting invites from MPH to appear in the Merdeka issue of Quill, their in-house magazine; last Saturday there was this forum hosted by MPH on where Malaysia's book industry is heading (don't know why, but the word "industry" makes me shudder).

And next week (3-4 PM on Sunday, September 9th) I'll be giving a short talk on "Mythology in the Digital Age" at MPH Mid-Valley (to which everybody is cordially invited - pick up a copy of Tanah Tujuh and I'll happily scribble on the title page!)

At Saturday's Malaysian Authors Forum I found myself sitting behind Rehman Rashid, whom I hadn't seen in... well, quite a while.

Rehman was his usual larger-than-life comic-book Titan self. It was good to see somebody familiar in that room full of unknown faces (quite a few very prettily framed in designer hijabs). Maybe there are more Malaysians writing books than those actually reading them?

First-time novelist Kam Raslan was conspicuously absent - but I guess his book is doing well enough (a brilliant read, by the way, if you haven't picked up a copy of Confessions of an Old Boy: The Dato' Hamid Adventures).

There was talk of getting all Malaysian authors to form themselves into a guild. Apparently this may be the only way we'll ever break through the protective walls surrounding the literary game in the UK and the US (where the big money presumably is). Only as a organized collective will Malaysian authors have sufficient clout to set up their own literary agency and send representatives to hobnob with the movers and shakers. That's roughly what it takes to break into the global book market, according to those in the know.

I'm not much of a joiner myself - and I doubt if many writers are. Writing books is pretty much the domain of solitary types who enjoy the quietude and tranquility of the graveyard shift. Even if we do manage, out of pure self-interest, to assemble all at once and form ourselves into the semblance of a guild, it's almost a foregone conclusion that the administrative aspects will have to be farmed out to more pragmatic minds. In the end, the writers guild will most likely be hijacked by the few natural-born hustlers amongst us who get a real buzz out of entrepreneurial exertions.

In any case I can't help wondering what a Malaysian - brought up to be polite and face-giving and acutely conscious of other people's sensitivities - might have to say to the world at large. Since we've been told from a tender age never to use swear words or make fun of others - and that it's an absolute no-no to ever speak ill of VVIPs or even mention crooked judges and corrupt ministers - will we end up churning out cook book after cook book? After all, food is undeniably our unifying passion.

That's right, in Malaysia we're very good at cari makan - not cari makna!*

And yet, Malaysians have gained worldwide notoriety for three things: destroying forests by exporting loggers, committing credit card fraud with impunity, and using abusive language and venting unmitigated rage on web forums. Maybe e-publishing is what we ought to stick with?

Literary blogger Chet accosted me while I was assuaging my hunger with a few hastily swallowed curry puffs and introduced me to a svelte young lady named Choong Kwee Kim who recently published her first illustrated children's book - Ah Fu, The Rickshaw Coolie. What to do, I had to buy a copy for my grandson Max who turned seven on August 28th. Of course, I read it before wrapping it up. Excellent drawings, lovely story, Kwee Kim, very well done indeed!

-----------
*Trans: cari makan = look for food (earn our keep); cari makna = look for meaning (quest for self-knowledge)

[First posted 30 August 2007]

I WEEP FOR YOU, POOR DR M (revisited)

[It's been nearly 20 years since I sent this impassioned email to Dr M, at the height of Anwar Ibrahim's mock trial at Augustine Paul's kangaroo court. Guess I was emotionally distraught at the time, despairing at the evil I saw permeating every one of our institutions and seeing so many true patriots arrested under the accursed ISA. My feelings haven't changed, though these days I would probably be a wee bit less self-righteous and a little kinder, having realized that Dr M is, after all, just my own autocratic aspect on a permanent bad hair day.]

Subject: I weep for you, poor Dr M
Date: Sun, 13 May 2001 18:36:53 +0800
From: Antares
To: The Prime Minister of Malaysia


I WEEP FOR YOU, POOR DR M
[Delivered in lieu of a tight slap]


I weep for you, poor Dr M
For the terror you must feel
As you gaze upon your final days
From the dizzy heights you've climbed
And you begin to realize
There's nowhere else for you to go
But down, down, down.

The evil you have brought to bear
Upon the spirit of our nation fair
Will never be forgotten -
Not in a hundred years;
And though you cry a thousand tears,
For you there can be no atonement.

You have forfeit your right to a fair trial
By your denial of the basic rights of those
Who oppose your ugly creed;
Your thoughts and deeds have become so vile
As to be almost unspeakable -
I feel the utmost loathing when I think of you
And yet I am driven to feelings of pity.

How will you plead when your soul is weighed
Against all the principles you have betrayed
In your ruthless ambition to succeed
By toying with the forces of fear and greed?

I know you couldn't have done it all alone;
You had to corrupt everyone
Who came into contact with you -
All the men in black and all the boys in blue,
Even the men in white, and your own children too.

Courtesy of Lulu's blog

You could say it was Siti Hasmah who made you do it -
You may curse her with your dying breath
For turning you into another Macbeth.
Both of you sought power and glory
Yet no one knows her sad, sad story:
She wanted her husband to be Mr Big
To make up for the fact that she wears a wig!

I weep for you, Augustine Paul and Abdul Gani Patail:
One fine day you'll be brought to trial
Before the Court of True Justice
And all the innocent ones whose lives you have defiled.
And as for you, Mohtar Abdullah, who knows no shame:
I believe all your children will have to change their names.

I weep for you, poor little rich henchmen (and women)
Who have signed a blood pact with Dr Mephistopheles:
All you corrupt and cynical backers and backbenchers
Of the Barisan Nazional who ought to have quit
While you still had a chance to go down in history
Untainted.

But it's too late now, you've blown your chance!
Your bank balances you had hoped to advance,
Regardless of how low you had to go
To keep up a show, to save your own face,
And protect yourselves from utter disgrace.

I weep for your benighted souls
And your hearts that have turned so cold;
I shed a tear for the decency and humanity
You have mortgaged in utter vanity.

I do not weep for those who have died
Or have been arrested, tortured, and tried
For merely voicing aloud their minds
In hopes of fairer, freer times.
Those who have suffered at the hands of villainy
Have already won a permanent place
In the gallery of national heroes.
Excuse me now as I chant a litany
To rid this land of noxious tyranny:

Hidup Keadilan!
Hidup Kebebasan!
Hidup Kebenaran!
Hidup Rakyat Malaysia!
Hidup Semangat Demokrasi!

=====================
BEBASKAN WARTAWAN KITA!
BEBASKAN KEHAKIMAN!
=====================


Dr M, I invite you to come and have a heart-to-heart chat with me. I'll even serve you tea and cakes. But please arrive without your heavily armed goons. True communication is only possible between equals. Perhaps you're not really interested in true communication - only obtaining PR mileage from being photographed with the likes of Nelson Mandela and Fidel Castro (if only they knew what damage they have done to their own credibility and stature as world leaders!)

Well, even at this late hour, it's still possible to redeem yourself and facilitate a genuine reconciliation across the nation. I would be the first to shake your hand if you would only concede that you have allowed your personal whims to override the national interest: that you have grossly overreacted in seeking vengeance against your erstwhile heir apparent, Anwar Ibrahim, and have in the process effectively privatized the Royal Malaysian Police and made it your personal terrorist squad; that you have been barking up the wrong developmental tree, promoting physical growth at the expense of mental and spiritual - and thereby putting the integrity of our ecosystem in grave jeopardy. Merely concede that serious misjudgments have brought about the current political divide and economic malaise - and we can begin again together to heal and restore this beautiful and prosperous country to its true destiny, not as a nation of criminally-inclined and egomaniacal fools, but as courageous, compassionate, enlightened men and women worthy of planetary - nay, galactic - citizenship.

Upon receipt of this open letter addressed to you, you can choose one of three options:

1) Ignore and delete, dismissing this message as the rantings of yet another lunatic dissident, another "voice in the wilderness." But do so at your own peril. I have never been inspired to address you directly. The fact that I have indicates the gravity of the situation.

2) Order your secret police to investigate and, if necessary, arrest and interrogate me.

3) Call a special press conference and announce three things: (i) you will permit Anwar Ibrahim to receive the medical attention he seeks in Munich and begin legal proceedings to drop all charges against him (hasn't the man and his family suffered enough already at your hands?); (ii) all political detainees will be immediately and unconditionally released with sincere apologies to their families for the anxiety and distress caused; (iii) you will accept Suhakam's recommendations to abolish the ISA, the OSA, the Printing Presses and Publications Act, the Universities Act, and the Illegal Assembly clause in the Police Act.

I'm positive that all Malaysians will receive this news as a veritable miracle (and Heaven knows we're desperately in need of one). No one will actively push to punish you or your family for whatever financial misdemeanors may have been perpetrated in the past. All your best intentions and noblest visions for the nation will be reassessed in a more positive light, and your lifelong dedication to the nation's service will be acknowledged and honored.

For too long you have surrounded yourself with those who are either aligned with your personal agenda or who are in utter fear of your displeasure. Inevitably, you have become disconnected with reality, with how the masses honestly feel about your autocratic management style (which is fast becoming anachronistic as we move into the 21st century).

I neither fear your displeasure nor seek your destruction (truly, I ask only that you re-examine your worldview and make the necessary reattunements before it's too late - believe me, it's NEVER too late!).

Without intending to overdramatize, Dr M, this is definitely your last chance to turn inevitable disaster into the greatest triumph of your political career - to become once again a loved and respected world statesman.

Sincerely,

Antares (the erstwhile Kit Leee)
Mother's Day
13 May 2001

This email was posted TWICE to Dr Mahathir. Once on May 13, using my tmnet SMTP server with a bcc to myself and about 130 others. When the post failed to appear in my inbox I reposted it from my Yahoo! address. Recipients on the second posting have confirmed receipt. A week later, I have received no response from the Incurable Doctor. [May 20, 2001]

[First posted 26 March 2008]

 

It's official: Malaysia is now a Kakistocracy!

LEARN A NEW WORD!

Kakistocracy: Governance by a clique representing the worst elements of society, from the Greek, kakos, meaning foul, or filthy.

In the case of Malaysia, the word kakistocracy may derive from kaki - the colloquial Malay word for "crony" or "accomplice in crime."

Meet the new Najib-appointed Attorney-General!

Don't you think we deserve better?

Malaysia's cultural icon P. Ramlee (1929~1973) was indeed a prophet in mufti!

Raja Bomoh Sedunia Nujum VIP (World Shaman King & VIP Oracle) @ Datuk Mahaguru @ Ibrahim Mat Zin performs a magical ritual at Kuala Lumpur International Airport on 11 March 2014 in an attempt to locate MAS Flight 370, missing since 2:40am on 8 March 2014 with 239 on board (including 12 crew). The bamboo binoculars are to aid his inner vision, while the fish trap is to capture "mischievous spirits" who may have stolen the Boeing 777 and hidden it in the astral realms (which explains why nobody has been able to find a single trace of it despite a massive search and rescue operation involving more than 12 countries).



An episode from P. Ramlee's 1973 film Laksamana Do Re Mi  is eerily prophetic of events taking place more than 40 years in Malaysia's future...

Raja Bomoh Sedunia Nujum VIP with his two apprentices board a flying carpet equipped with
young coconuts to do mortal combat with the wicked elves who hijacked Flight MH370.
A Mahathir loyalist, Datuk Mahaguru pledged to save Malaysia from street protests, violent chaos,
Anwar Ibrahim's rise to power, and the demise of feudal traditions.

Watch the short video on facebook (sorry, couldn't embed)!

In Memory of an Umno Warlord (reposting as a public service message)

I WONDER WHO LIVES HERE...


















Zakaria Mat Deros, a Klang state assemblyman (UMNO) in Selangor, began building his RM8-million 16-room mansion in 2006 without any construction permit from the local government. He built the illegal mansion on a large tract of state land purportedly worth more than a million ringgit (but purchased in his wife's name for around RM180,000). The area had earlier been allocated for low-cost housing. Under Selangor state law, his illegal mansion should have been seized and Zakaria prosecuted. In a gesture designed to appease public opinion, Zakaria invited 400 orphans to celebrate Hari Raya at his newly completed palace.

Former Selangor Chief Minister Mohd Khir Toyo has been criticized for overlooking Zakaria's "mistake" and not taking any action against the errant assemblyman who was a close personal friend. Zakaria subsequently resigned from public office after he was taken to task by the Sultan of Selangor. The former assemblyman reportedly died of a heart attack in his home on 11 March 2008 at about 1:30 a.m., soon after Malaysia's historic 12th General Elections on 8 March 2008 which saw Selangor wrested from UMNO control, along with Penang, Kedah, Kelantan, Perak, and the Federal Territory. Some say Zakaria Mat Deros actually hanged himself. Rumors persist, however, that Zakaria Mat Deros actually died in a conference room in the PWTC shortly after the election results were tabulated and it was learnt that Selangor had fallen into Opposition hands. According to well-informed sources, Zakaria was summoned to an emergency meeting by then deputy prime minister Najib Razak who instructed him to get his henchmen to start a racial fracas in Klang. Zakaria, already under extreme pressure because he was blamed for the loss of Selangor, got into a violent argument with Najib and collapsed. [Adapted from the Wikipedia entry on Mohd Khir bin Toyo]

SEEMS LIKE I WAS TAKEN IN BY ANOTHER EMAIL HOAX! APPARENTLY THESE IMAGES ARE NOT FROM 'ISTANA ZAKARIA' AFTER ALL BUT RATHER THAN DELETE THIS POST, I SHALL RETAIN IT WITH THIS DISCLAIMER: THE LATE UMNO WARLORD DID BUILD HIMSELF AN RM8-MILLION 16-ROOM PALACE... NOT QUITE AS "TASTEFUL" AS THE ONE SHOWN HERE BUT JUST AS OSTENTATIOUS. MY SINCERE THANKS TO ALL THOSE WHO SET ME RIGHT WITH THEIR COMMENTS.

[First posted 27 March 2008]

Have we become a kakistocracy?

LEARN A NEW WORD!

Kakistocracy: Governance by a clique representing the worst elements of society, from the Greek, kakos, meaning foul, or filthy.

In the case of Malaysia, the word kakistocracy may derive from kaki - the colloquial Malay word for "crony" or "accomplice in crime."


Don't you think we deserve better?

PDRM: A tale of the tail wagging the dog

By Tunku Aziz | Malaysian Insider | 25 May 2009

MAY 25 — The only reasonable conclusion I can draw as a reasonable man from the PDRM raid on the DAP headquarters last Saturday evening is that the police leadership need their heads examined for signs of mental degeneration.

It was Euripides (480–406 BC) the Greek playwright who said, “Those whom God wishes to destroy, he first makes mad.” Police behaviour in recent times has convinced me more than ever that there is something rotten in the state of our country, with apologies to William Shakespeare.

The beleaguered police, as far as we are concerned, are in moral retreat. It beggars the imagination that with all the relentless assault on their reputation, they do not seem to care one iota about public opinion.

This is frightening self-indulgence. To be deaf to public strictures is really a symptom of a deep malaise associated with a diseased culture of impunity that has brutalised the police psyche.

For the guardians of the law to show nothing but utter contempt, disregard and disdain for the legitimate concerns about their actions, often bordering on the criminal, is indeed a serious breach of stewardship and public trust, the antithesis of ethical policing in a democratic society.

I plead guilty to being one of the harshest critics of the police. I am hard on them because I so desperately want them to succeed. At the same time, I can claim to be their admirer when they not only operate within the law, but, more to the point, when they are seen to be both law-abiding and respectful of the rights of every individual under the law.

I want a police service that is among the best that I can be proud of, and not “the best police force in the world that money can buy.”

As a keen observer of the police in action, I can say without fear of contradiction that the standards of policing took a dramatic fall from grace when the greatest-ever Malaysian IGP, Tun Hanif Omar, stepped down.

Hanif (left) was not only a thoroughly competent officer but an ethical one, and, therefore, was able to withstand political pressure, even from Mahathir Mohamad, the prime minister of the day whose meddling ways were directly responsible for the dismemberment of many of the country’s most important institutions.

Hanif could stand up to the bully because of his strong personal values: he offered to resign on at least two occasions. His letters of resignation were turned down. As with all bullies, you cannot back down or they will climb on your head.

Sadly, subsequent IGPs, with the exception of Tan Sri Mohd Bakri Omar (right), have, by common consent, been a great disappointment and a disgrace to the uniform.

I have, in keeping with the times, been referring to PDRM as a police service in previous speeches and writings in order to help soften its image. On reflection, I may have been a trifle premature because PDRM is obviously not yet ready to be accorded that designation: it still has a lot of house cleaning to do before it can join the ranks of the police in other parts of the civilized world where accountability is the foundation of ethical policing.

7 May 2009: Perak State Assembly Speaker V. Sivakumar unceremoniously removed from his seat by plainclothes policemen

PDRM must perforce remain a police force that carries with it all the unsavoury connotations of an organisation that has lost its way. With proper leadership, and the necessary political will, PDRM can still find salvation.

It is a great pity because there are thousands upon thousands of honest to goodness people whom we admire, trying very hard to do an honest day’s work to serve the nation, and we salute them for their courage, loyalty and devotion to duty. They are, however, badly officered which leads me to my favourite conclusion that there are no bad policemen and women, only bad officers.

The rot started when ethically deficient, unprofessional officers allowed, without a murmur, the politicisation of the force by Mahathir who used it as a handy tool to manipulate the system in order to advance his own political ambitions.

Brickfields OCPD Wan Bari Wan Abdul Khalid barking at Legal Aid Bureau lawyers
who came to the aid of those arrested for "illegal assembly"

In return, many people believed, rightly or wrongly, that senior officers were given protection against possible prosecution for corruption. A very senior ACA officer, himself not above a bit on the side, now mercifully, in comfortable, contented retirement, claimed in private that he could have put at least 20 corrupt top police officers behind bars without too much trouble, but could not for reasons best known to himself.

As long as we allow the police to dictate terms to us, in particular over the implementation of the IPCMC (Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission), the highlight of the Royal Commission to Enhance the Operation & Management of the Royal Malaysia Police’s report, we will always be subject to police excesses.

It is a sad commentary that both Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Najib Razak have seen nothing wrong with the police insubordination of threatening dire repercussions if this important recommendation for the good of both the citizens and the police in a new, open society is “forced” upon them.

Pic courtesy of The Nut Graph

The police, many feel, have got too big for their boots. Has the “People’s Prime Minister” the interests of the people at heart? Given the state of affairs in our country today, may we humbly urge Najib to keep the police on a short leash, and not allow the tail to wag the dog.

Tunku Aziz, one of the prime movers in setting up Transparency International Malaysia, in happier times was regarded by Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi as "one man (who) was able to harness his personal passion and deep commitment to the values of ethics and integrity, give it a larger purpose and meaning, and turn it into a force to transform society for the better." Why then was he left out of the MACC Advisory Group? He is regarded as being too outspoken for comfort and, therefore, difficult to handle.

Are We A Nation of Thieves?

A few hours after I paid my June phone bill online, my land line went dead. It must have been in the wee hours of July 5th, a Saturday. A couple of friends were kind enough to lodge a 100 report on my behalf and I called Hamdan, my Telekom contact in Kuala Kubu Bharu, who said a technical team from Rawang would be sent up to sort out the problem on Sunday. So I had to monitor the Kelana Jaya Stadium Protes Event from a cybercafe in KKB. Sunday came and went. Still no phone service! I called up Hamdan again and he said the Rawang crew had inspected the equipment and everything was working fine. So how come I still had no service? Hamdan went up to take a look and called me with the bad news: "Thieves have stolen a section of the cable near the bridge!" This is the third time this has happened. The first couple of times it took nearly two weeks to get my land line up again - because right after one section of cable was replaced, the same gang struck again and stole another cable section! To make matters worse, the Telekom techies used the wrong type of cable (one that didn't support Streamyx) and so they had to do the job all over again. Each time this sort of breakdown happens, I add another entry to Mahathir's long list of crimes against Malaysians.

Why Mahathir? He's the Bloody Nincompoop who privatized (read, piratized) our essential telephony, electricity, water, and train services by handing them on a silver platter to his Umno cronies who swiftly proceeded to make them even more inefficient - and, in the case of Telekom, the privatization exercise included the creation of a whole slew of private limited Bumi companies owned and operated by former Telekom employees who were given exclusive contracts to supply components, install wiring, and undertake cable replacement. That in itself need not be a problem. However, these crony companies have a very different attitude to service than your typical Chinaman run auto workshop. If your car breaks down in the middle of nowhere, chances are you'll be rescued by a roadside workshop who will tell you in 15 minutes what part needs replacing and then proceed to phone a parts supplier in the nearest town. Within an hour a guy on motorbike will arrive with the required part and within another 30 minutes your car will be on the move again. Now, if only Telekom Malaysia and its associated suppliers had this sort of work ethic!

Instead, the technical team from Rawang that supposedly checked the equipment on Sunday saw that the relay switches were functioning fine and didn't even bother making a test call on the line. Then they would have known it was dead and perhaps would have discovered that a cable section was missing. Instead they turned around and went home, believing their job was done. So on Monday did they get the problem fixed? Of course not! What they did was send a team out to Shah Alam to obtain the replacement cable from their store. That's right, that took an entire day to accomplish. Hopefully, today, they will manage to get the cable replaced and my phone line will be working again. But with Telekom Malaysia on the job, one can never assume anything. Betul TM = Tak Malu. It must be obvious to anyone with half a brain that in Malaysia mono-ethnic companies simply don't work - especially if they're in high-pressure businesses like airlines, commuter train and telco services.

Why is the crime rate so high in Malaysia? Just look at our so-called leaders in the Barisan Nasional. All they have done in the last 25 years is steal from the Rakyat - whether it's Petronas revenues or submarine deals or even Chinese New Year decorations, they grab whatever they can any chance they get. Right after the March 8th election results came in, Umno stste governments began looting their offices of computers, printers, fax machines, even furniture - while furiously shredding whatever evidence might incriminate them. Even their wives quickly stole state money intended for charities. Have the police been around to investigate these Umno wives? Crime has become part of the national culture! Now, no thanks to Najib, murder may become the Malaysian way to cover up corrupt deals and politically embarrassing liaisons. Am I being unfair to prejudge the man? Hey, just read those chubby pink lips!

(Photo courtesy of Tian Chua)

BACK ONLINE AT LAST!

Since the afternoon of January 15th I've had no Streamyx access. Service was restored around 1 p.m. on January 21st. That's one whole week and probably a dozen phonecalls to TMNet Customer Care. Impressive.... NOT!

All systems can and occasionally do break down. However, when it comes to essential services like telecommunications, electricity and water, prolonged downtime causes unquantifiable losses and that's why a turnaround time of 24 hours must be the maximum acceptable limit. Beyond that the companies responsible need to be made financially accountable. That should speed up the maintenance and repair department a little - when their annual bonuses are on the line.

To make matters worse, whenever you call TMNet Customer Care, they invariably put you on hold for several minutes during which you're blasted with idiotic ads for TMNet ("Dedicated to bringing you the best in internet and multimedia services" - my foot!). Talk about rubbing salt into the wound...

So who's responsible for making something as vital to modern life as telecommunications a privatized monopoly business? And not just a privatized monopoly - but an almost entirely monoethnic one to boot?

Saw a great T-shirt on sale at Central Market recently. It features a bold TM logo underscored by the tagline: TAK MALU ("No Shame" in Malay). Come to think of it, TM could also stand for Tun Mahathir - the Supermamak who gave Malaysia privatized electricity, water, telephone, and medical services!

BAH! (I wanted to say NIAMAH! but Patrick Teoh has taken out a patent on that one).

Rot and More Rot in Malaysia’s Judicial System

by "Mat Salleh" | 06 August 2007
Asia Sentinel

The “retirement” of two top prosecutors is the latest fallout from the Mongolian murder trial, but the problems run deeper.


With the trial of three defendants for the brutal murder of Mongolian translator Altantuya Shaariibuu entering another week, the Malaysian judiciary system is facing arguably its biggest crisis since former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad sacked the Lord President, Tun Salleh Abbas, and two Supreme Court judges in 1988, ending the court’s independence.

The immediate concern is the threatened resignation of two top prosecutors, Yusof Zainal Abiden, the head of the prosecution division, and Sallehuddin Saidin, the deputy prosecutor and head of the classified cases unit. Although the Attorney General’s chambers denied the two were resigning, they later said they were applying for “optional retirement.”

Although no reasons have been given for the retirement, Malaysia’s gossipy legal fraternity seems to believe that the two are leaving because of dissatisfaction over problems in the politically charged murder case. Other top prosecution figures are reportedly considering quitting as well despite the denials.

In fact much of the spreading dissatisfaction with the judiciary relates to how the case is being handled. Sallehuddin had been named head of the prosecution team until he was abruptly dropped from handling it by Malaysia’s attorney general, Abdul Gani Patail (pictured left), the night before the trial was to begin. The attorney general’s office issued a statement that the dismissal was because Sallehuddin had been seen playing badminton with judges, an explanation that few in the legal system believed. The prosecution was replaced by a new team led by Majid Tun Hamzah.

Before the 28-year-old Altantuya was murdered and her body was blown apart with explosives in a suburban jungle clearing last Oct. 19, she was the lover of Abdul Razak Baginda, the head of the Malaysian Strategic Research Centre and a close advisor to Najib Tun Razak, the deputy prime minister. Abdul Razak was charged, along with Chief Inspector Azilah Hadri and Constable Sirul Azhar Umar, members of Najib’s personal security team, on suspicion that the political analyst had prevailed on the two security men to get rid of her.

The Russian-educated Altantuya, who spoke five languages, and the high-flying political analyst were involved in a whirlwind affair that included expensive gifts and trips to Europe, as well as payments up to US$10,000. After the married Abdul Razak had apparently tired of his paramour, the woman came to Malaysia to demand US$500,000 from him as support for a baby he allegedly sired.

From the time of the arrests, the case has been treated with extraordinary sensitivity in Kuala Lumpur, with every effort being taken to keep Najib’s name out of the trial – attempts that failed when Altantuya’s cousin testified in court that she had seen photos of Altantuya together with Abdul Razak and Najib at a dinner.

Strangely in what is presumed to be a court of law, both the prosecution and the defense asked that her testimony be stricken from the record, and neither side bothered to attempt to subpoena the picture. Nor at any time during the trial has either the prosecution or the defense attempted to ascertain how Abdul Razak, a private citizen, could prevail on Najib’s bodyguards to get rid of the woman without informing Najib about the matter. Najib has never been questioned or asked to testify.

[Read the rest here]

Sex and murder scandal casts a political cloud in Malaysia

Jonathan Manthorpe, Vancouver Sun
Published: Wednesday, July 18, 2007

The political future of the man earmarked to be Malaysia's next prime minister is in doubt because of his links to a sensational court case involving the murder of a beautiful young Mongolian translator.

There is already speculation in Kuala Lumpur that deputy prime minister Najib Razak has been forced by the daily courtroom drama to shelve plans to grab his political inheritance early by ousting the lacklustre prime minister, Abdullah Badawi.

Some Malaysian analysts contend the murder of the young woman in October last year has already seriously disturbed Malaysia's power structure because Prime Minister Abdullah, a saintly Islamic scholar with little taste for the rough-and-tumble of politics, has delegated much of the day-to-day administration of the country to his deputy, Najib.

[Read the rest here.]


Oh, oh, here comes that sinking feeling...