Why can't we be... Just Good Friends? (repost)

Why can't UMNO get along with Everybody Else? Why does PERKASA have to play childish games of holier-than-thou, been-here-longer-than-thee, got-more-political-clout-than-you, nyeh-nyeh-nyeh-nyeh-nyeh... and my songkok much bigger than yours, heh heh heh?

55 years after 13 May 1969, let's grow up, people! Stop kicking that race and religion shit around... you'll only end up with Stink-Foot and lose all your friends. It's time we grow up and realize that hooliganism and violence are the most dimwitted way to deal with differences of opinion; that hiding under the skirts of established institutions and traditions keeps our mindsets locked in the past; and that the way to the future lies in embracing the necessary changes and integrating the foreign with the familiar.

It's time we understood that the primary prerequisite of making it through the gates of paradise isn't how much big your mansion is... or how good you are at fooling others... or how much fear you can instil in others... or how long your listing is in the Who's Who... but simply how open-hearted and honest you can be.

Those who cling to power because they fear the consequences of their past misdeeds are already the living dead, they are without souls... they are zombies disguised as humans... they are the condemned... and the only way they can be released from a hideous damnation of their own making is to seek forgiveness from those they have wronged... and then throw themselves at the mercy of heaven.

[First posted 13 May 2011]

EXCERPT FROM THE CRUMBLING EMPIRE STRIKES BACK! (repost)

Things that resemble overfed maggots have been stirring within Umno. The hidden hand of Mahathir can be seen behind fractious factional splits (he’s not exactly a subtle despot). He is rumored to be quietly funding ultra-rightwing Malay rights groups like Perkasa. Indeed, the Malaysian billionaires’ club has rallied behind Brand Najis, mainly to protect their own vested interests.

In our jubilation at the prospect of seeing a Pakatan Rakyat government with Anwar Ibrahim as PM, we have overlooked a particularly influential segment of society – the moneyed, privileged class (in effect, the Sadduccees, for those biblically inclined). 

These are the ones who live comfortably insulated from the nitty-gritty world in their gated cities and superluxury condos. Most have benefited from lucrative contracts or clever investments made during the Mahathir era – so they were never too bothered about silly things like the ISA, OSA, police harassment, tear gas and water cannons. 

So why should they bother now? One despot behaves pretty much like another – whether his name is Herod Antipas, Constantine, Napoleon Bonaparte, Mahathir Mohamad, Saddam Hussein, George Bush, or Najib Razak. In any case, despots are known to throw lavish parties – they’re certainly funkier hosts than semi-ascetic leftwingers like Nik Aziz, Karpal Singh and Lim Kit Siang. As Hindraf co-founder P. Waythamoorthy recently declared: "It doesn't matter whether Rama or Ravana rules, so long as Indians get a fair share of the money." 

Most despots have blood on their hands (or they wouldn’t qualify as despots, would they?)

You and I may rankle and rant at the idea of a moral degenerate ascending to power as PM – but morality, as the privileged class knows full well, is all so very... relative, isn’t it? No vegetarian, non-violent contemplator-of-navels ever attained the world-conquering status of a Genghis Khan, as far as I know. So why make such a big fuss about a few billion ringgit vanishing into this or that offshore account, a few troublesome mistresses snuffed, a dozen greasy Indian heads bashed in by police truncheons, and a few hundred loudmouths locked away in dungeons of iniquity?

Well, I see these turbulent days as the build-up to a quantum shift into a whole new octave of being wherein our hardwired survival programs and reptilian fear conditioning will no longer apply. If you’re a devout Muslim or Christian you’ll probably call it Khiamat or Judgement Day. A Hindu might think of it as the end of the Kali yuga and the arrival of Maha Avatar Kalki (or perhaps the conclusion of the 7th manvantara); while a Buddhist may anticipate a Maitreya incarnation that will facilitate planetary enlightenment.

The more eclectic and esoterically inclined will call it the dawning of the Aquarian Age, the advent of the Water-Bearer - who symbolizes dissemination of true knowledge, leading to the decentralization and democratization of sovereignty and power.

In short, Ketuanan Rakyat as preached by Anwar Ibrahim.

Astrologer Stella Woods reports that Pluto moved into Capricorn on January 26th, 2008 – and will remain there until 2024. She believes “there will be a backlash and rebellion against [authoritarian] control, with people refusing to conform, leaving the system and insisting on the ethical use of power. 

Scandals and corruption in government and large corporations will come to light and the reputation of many of our cherished institutions will be tarnished. In fact many old forms of government and ways of doing business are likely to disappear altogether.”

Go on, Pluto, move your ass, good dog!

[First published 22 October 2008. reposted 28 April 2013]

THE CRUMBLING EMPIRE STRIKES BACK! (reprise)

The euphoria that swept across the nation one day after the 12th general election created a ripple effect of unmitigated optimism that carried us through Anwar Ibrahim’s triumphant return to Parliament as Opposition Leader right after he trounced Arif Shah at Permatang Pauh on August 26th.

However, the road to Putrajaya appears perilously booby-trapped.

September 16th came and went and suddenly the political atmosphere just got denser and duller and heavier. How did I feel about 916? As an unabashed and unapologetic admirer of Anwar Ibrahim’s extraordinary intelligence, political savvy, oratorical skills, effortless charisma and, above all, his amazing wife Azizah and their lovely children (though I’ve only met Nurul Izzah thus far), I would have rejoiced wholeheartedly at Pakatan Rakyat’s successful takeover of the federal government – along with, I think, at least 25 million other Malaysians.

The actual date was immaterial. I believe Anwar came up with September 16th to emphasize and include our brothers and sisters in Sabah and Sarawak. As a meme, 916 has undeniable power because of its association with 22-karat gold, the purest form in which it can retain its solidity; the number also reads the same upside-down.

It’s been a little more than a month since the mammoth Malaysia Day Rally at Kelana Jaya stadium on the eve of 916. The seeds of hope and a powerful desire for genuine reform were undoubtedly planted amongst the 30,000 who attended – and the millions more who viewed the speeches on YouTube or read the blog reports. Anwar says he requested a private meeting with Abdullah Badawi to negotiate terms of a peaceful Pakatan Rakyat takeover but was refused. Instead we witnessed a spate of ridiculous and infuriating ISA arrests. Raja Petra, Anwar’s most outspoken ally, was forcibly removed from the scene, while 50 Barisan MPs were shipped off to Taiwan to experience earthquakes and typhoons.

Anwar then requested, as Opposition Leader, that the incumbent PM convene a special parliamentary session to establish if the Pakatan Rakyat had enough MPs to form the next government. Again, Anwar was rebuffed. All hopes now revolved on Anwar being granted an audience with the Agong. That didn’t happen. Instead, there was talk that the Agong was doing an umrah in Mecca.

October 13th was the day Parliament reconvened after a long break. We waited to see if anyone would propose a vote of no-confidence against the PM. Nobody did and Anwar himself opted to focus on Badawi’s 2009 Budget, criticizing it as irrelevant in the face of ongoing tectonic shifts in the financial world. At a press conference, Anwar insisted he still had the numbers to form a new government, but added that the Pakatan Rakyat had decided to move slowly rather than risk triggering a violent reaction from Umno loyalists who have mastered the martial art of pre-meditated mengamuk (running amok).

Anwar’s detractors would like us to believe “the moment has passed,” and that the window of democratic opportunity is once again shut tight. Just ban Hindraf and Makkal Sakthi will fade away. Arrest RPK and resistance to tyranny will wilt. This is the first time I’m doing it in print but I just have to go bwahahahahaha.

Meanwhile, things that resemble overfed maggots have been stirring within Umno. The hidden hand of Mahathir can be seen behind fractious factional splits (he’s not exactly a subtle despot). Former finance minister Daim Zainuddin is rumored to be quietly funding Najib’s bid for Umno presidency. Indeed, it’s safe to speculate that the Umnoputera billionaires’ club has rallied behind Najib, to protect their own vested interests.

And, going by the inscrutable utterances issuing from the Conference of Rulers, the monarchs, too, appear to be wary of radical change. After all, apart from having some of their constitutional powers pared down by Mahathir’s amendments, they have all been fairly comfortable under Umno/BN. Most of them have directorships in a variety of businesses and they never have to pay a single phone bill. Even so, they aren’t entirely immune from the vicissitudes of life. One was recently faced with bankruptcy proceedings.

The fact that the Agong meekly confirmed Zaki Azmi’s appointment as Chief Justice hardly reassures reform-minded Malaysians that any significant changes are about to occur. After all, Zaki is up to his eyeballs in Umno business - which doesn’t necessarily disqualify him from doing a laudable job as CJ, but given the murky circumstances surrounding Lingamgate and the absolute refusal of the grotesquely compromised Attorney-General to hang his head in shame and resign – this is yet another indication that “business-as-usual” is the only reality some folks know.

In effect, it would appear that the crumbling Umno Empire has struck back, and that the future is now bleaker than ever.

Is it? I’m not buying that perception at all. I’ll concede that the joy of witnessing a national rebirth and transformation may have been delayed somewhat – and the most painful aspect of this postponement is having to endure our feeling of helplessness and frustration over the fact that the ISA detainees and their families will be unable to celebrate Deepavali this year, perhaps not even Christmas, who knows about the Lunar New Year?


In our jubilation at the prospect of seeing a Pakatan Rakyat government with Anwar Ibrahim as PM, we have overlooked a particularly influential segment of society – the moneyed, privileged class (in effect, the Sadduccees, for those biblically inclined). These are the ones who live comfortably insulated from the nitty-gritty world in their gated cities and superluxury condos. Most have benefited from lucrative contracts or clever investments made during the Mahathir era – so they were never too bothered about silly things like the ISA and police harassment and water cannons. So why should they bother now? One despot behaves pretty much like another – whether his name is Herod Antipas, Constantine, Napoleon Bonaparte, Benito Mussolini, Saddam Hussein, George Bush, Idi Amin, Robert Mugabe, or Najib Razak. In any case, despots are known to throw lavish parties – they’re certainly funkier hosts than semi-ascetic leftwingers like Nik Aziz, Karpal Singh and Lim Kit Siang.

No doubt, most despots have blood on their hands (or they wouldn’t qualify as despots, would they?)

You and I may rankle and rant at the idea of a moral degenerate ascending to power as PM – but morality, as the privileged class knows full well, is all so very... relative, isn’t it? No vegetarian, non-violent contemplator-of-navels ever attained the world-conquering status of a Genghis Khan, as far as I know. So why make such a big fuss about a few billion ringgit vanishing into this or that offshore account, a few troublesome mistresses snuffed, a dozen greasy Indian heads bashed in by police truncheons, and a few hundred loudmouths locked away in dungeons of iniquity?

Well, I see these turbulent days as the build-up to a quantum shift into a whole new octave of being wherein our hardwired survival programs and reptilian fear conditioning will no longer apply. If you’re a devout Muslim or Christian you’ll probably call it Khiamat or Judgement Day. A Hindu might think of it as the end of the Kali yuga and the arrival of Maha Avatar Kalki (or perhaps the conclusion of the 7th manvantara); while a Buddhist may anticipate a Maitreya incarnation that will facilitate planetary enlightenment.

The more eclectic and esoterically inclined will call it the dawning of the Aquarian Age, the advent of the Water-Bearer - who symbolizes dissemination of true knowledge, leading to the decentralization and democratization of sovereignty and power.

In short, Ketuanan Rakyat as preached by Anwar Ibrahim.

Astrologer Stella Woods reports that Pluto moved into Capricorn on January 26th, 2008 – and will remain there until 2024. She believes “there will be a backlash and rebellion against [authoritarian] control, with people refusing to conform, leaving the system and insisting on the ethical use of power. Scandals and corruption in government and large corporations will come to light and the reputation of many of our cherished institutions will be tarnished. In fact many old forms of government and ways of doing business are likely to disappear altogether.”

Go on, Pluto, move your ass, good dog!

[First posted 22 October 2008]

AN OPEN LETTER TO MALAYSIANS FROM RAFIZI RAMLI (reprise)

My fellow Malaysians

I was born in a small wooden house surrounded by rubber trees about 36 years ago. My first recollection of life was that of a water well because my house did not have a running water supply until much later.

Like many kampung Malay kids, I grew up not having much of anything. My worldview was shaped by my surroundings. Since some of my elderly cousins became teachers, I wanted to go one step ahead of them – so I started my young life wanting to be a university lecturer (which was the coolest job I could think of when I was eight years old).

Although life was difficult and we were always conscious that we wouldn’t have enough to go around, I grew up full of pride. My parents raised us not to be apologetic about anything. From a very young age, I learnt that a man’s mortal enemy is his own self pity.

Thus, I grew up in a family environment that was full of energy and positivity. Living a dignified honest life on my own terms becomes an objective that I pursued doggedly from a young age.

We are, after all, the masters of our own fate and fortune.

It is this belief that forms the bedrock of my conviction that for Malaysia to progress, we must heal from the self-inflicted wound of mistrust, mediocrity and mismanagement.

After four decades of divisive policies that favour only the well connected elites of the society, the cancerous downside effects on the society’s morale and self-confidence are all too apparent. The very prerequisite that can make this country great again – pride in ourselves – diminishes by the day.

The Umno elites predictably resort to scaremongering and running down the very group they claim to protect i.e. the Malays.

Every day, the Malays are being fed with a concoction of lies that they cannot survive on their own without the government’s protection. The good Malays were systematically replaced by the mediocre Malays in every sphere when the Umno-led BN government ditched meritocracy in exchange for mediocracy – it was no longer skills, qualifications or business acumen that got you a big break, it was which Umno or BN ministers you know.

The unintended consequences of such selfishness and shortsightedness were devastating to nation-building efforts. A culture of mediocrity and mistrust perpetuated by the Umno-led BN government finally allowed for mismanagement of the nation’s wealth to go unchecked.

I have always advocated that a change to a needs-based policy (from race-based) is not only morally right to ensure fairness to all, more importantly it is a necessity to instill pride and goodwill in every single Malaysian so that we can move on confidently.

It is not fair to burden the young Malaysians with the baggage of the past.

They have every right to grow up believing that they can achieve their fullest potentials under the Malaysian sun if they are morally upright, honest, industrious and smart. They deserve a society that can feel good about itself, without the bitterness of mistrust and racial connotations. They need to have the confidence that the government will take care of the most vulnerable groups in the society regardless of background and affiliations.

Our young Malaysians deserve to grow up in a positive environment that thrives on the utmost confidence we have in ourselves and our capabilities, only then we can break free from the ghosts of the past which inhibited Malaysia’s potential all this while.

We have a lot of work to do if we hope to accomplish this. We need to fix the schools because fixing the schools means we fix the society. We have to ensure that the good ones in the society are given the best opportunity to soar to the sky while we build a net to catch those less fortunate so that no one is left behind.

Malaysians have to look at each other differently. Instead of looking at our differences, we are better off cherishing the common fondness that binds us together – our colourful food does more justice as a testimony to our ability to appreciate each other than we ever dare to give credit to ourselves.

A lot of my friends said that I am a foolish dreamer. They taunt me that there is a fine line between idealism and foolishness. Yet each time detractors belittle my dream of a better Malaysia for all, I am constantly reminded of the beautiful words of a song from the past:

“You are still so young to travel so far, Old enough to know who you are, Wise enough to carry the scar, Without any blame..”

Malaysia is a young nation. It has gone through a lot and the experience accelerated its maturity. It may have erred in the past, but its future is the brightest on this side of the horizon. Let us look forward to that future and leave the past behind without any blame.

Looking back, I am ever grateful that I was able to cast off my inferiority earlier on in my life. I could because I had a good support system and a good education.

The future of our society lies in our classrooms and with our young people. I am glad that while I may have pursued a different professional career, the yearning for teaching and knowledge never dies. Deep inside I have always been a student and a teacher that allowed me to go through a journey of humility to see life from different perspectives.

We must ensure that education reforms become an obsession of our next government because every child deserves a chance to cast away his/her inferiority and inhibitions earlier on in life, so that they can do wonders later on.

As we go to the polling station this Sunday, I hope my fellow Malaysians hold our heads high and look to a brighter future. The days when we are put down by our own government shall be over. We shall be the masters of our nation’s destiny and fortune.

I may be relatively young, foolish and naïve to hope for better things for Malaysia. I don’t pretend to know what my fellow Malaysians want, but I offer my youth, energy and undying love to make it a better home for everyone.

Because we owe it to our young people and ourselves to put Malaysia where she deserves.

Rafizi Ramli
5th May 2013

[First posted just before 5 May 2013. Cartoons courtesy of Lat] 

The Unstoppable Tide of Inevitable Change Keeps Rising!

Padang Timur, Petaling Jaya, 25 May 2013, around 6:45PM

As dusk fell so did a gentle rain...

... but the crowd came prepared & stayed put!

Enterprising young man does a brisk trade with rally paraphernalia

Does the sign read "Reformasi" in Chinese?

Alongside the festive atmosphere, a grim determination to reclaim the nation

Student leader Safwan Anang in training for a promising career

What a neo-Nazi criminal regime fears most: a Malaysian Spring of hope!

Election Commission heads MUST roll!

Badrul Hisham Shaharin @ Chegubard: an inspiring reformer

Never before have Malaysians been so united...

... against the real enemy of the people, a corrupt kleptocratic elite!

Most stayed till late to welcome Ambiga, Tian Chua, Haris & Anwar

Before the rally dispersed, the floodlights dimmed...

... turning the event into a beautiful manifestation of hope, optimism & light!

LIVE REPORTS

11.45pm -  After seven hours, the Suara Rakyat 505 rally came to a close with everyone singing Negaraku. Prior to that, emcee Badrul Hisham Shaharin says he needs 500,000 volunteers for an event he called "March to EC", hinting that there are far bigger rallies being planned.

11.20pm - In a show of humility, Anwar Ibrahim tells the crowd that he is sorry that Pakatan Rakyat was not able to form the federal government.

"So some of our plans can't be implemented because of that," he said.

Regardless, Anwar (left) says that Pakatan will never give up and that it was BN who should be accepting defeat.

He says that the White House had congratulated Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak with a condition: That the polls must be free and fair.

"That's why the EC must resign now! Now! Now!" he said.

He said that Monday is the last day for the public to lodge police reports on electoral fraud and urge them to do so, particularly over the fact that "indelible ink" was removable.

He added that there will be a few more Black 505 rallies left.

"Do we go on or stop here?" he asks, to which the crowd replied "Go on!".

He then promises that any mobilisation of the people will be done peacefully.

11.05pm - Emcee Badrul Hisham Shaharin has called for the Dataran PJ floodlamps to be switched off and for rally participants to whip out their phones and lighters to light up the venue.

The idea is to celebrate the release of Adam Adli, a student activist accused by the state of sedition. He is Penang now to visit his ailing mother.

"We will shine a path for democracy," he said, while estimating that the crowd size has now swelled to 70,000.

The crowd oblige and the wave their electronic devices. Looks like a swarm of fireflies.

10.45pm - Lembah Pantai MP Nurul Izzah Anwar (left) says that the Election Commission must pay for their "crimes".

"You can never escape the clutches of the law," she said.

She said Pakatan had scored a moral victory on May 5 but the coalition and their supporters still have much to do.

"Tough times don't last. Tough people do," she said.

She adds that Pakatan will continue to mobilise the public to ensure that BN doesn't get its way when the electoral boundaries are re-drawn.

10.40pm - Haris Ibrahim urges the crowd to boycott media organisations that are lopsided or aligned to BN.

Following this, he announced that the Asalkan Bukan Umno group has prepared a video clip to show how BN had cheated during the general election.

"We want you to bring this video to the rural areas, to show how they were being cheated by BN," said Haris.

10.30pm - After sharing a cell in Jinjang, Tian Chua (left) and Haris Ibrahim share the stage together.

"Don't think that these arrests will scare the people. We will not be cowed.

"It is not us that are afraid. It is they, for they are holding to power without legitimacy," said Chua.

10.20pm - Bersih 2.0 co-chairperson Ambiga Sreenevasan says she was not scheduled to speak today but  the recent arrest of Adam Adli, Tian Chua, Haris Ibrahim and Tamrin Ghaffar had moved her to do so.

He urges those with evidence of electoral fraud to approach Bersih's people's tribunal.

"If the EC has any dignity left, they must resign now. (The failure of the) indelible ink is reason enough," she said.

10.15pm - In a strange move, Kuala Kerai MP Dr Hatta Ramli and Sungai Petani MP Johari Abdul decided to speak at the same time.

But it was Hatta who stole the show with his wisecracks.

He said that BN was no so worried about a certain word and have asked the Multimedia and Communication Commission (MCMC) to investigate politicians who mention it.

"What is the word? The word is musim bunga. I dare not utter the word in English.

"What I got my car fixed, I couldn't tell the foreman to change my suspension. I had to say 'Please help me to change my musim bunga'," he quipped.

9.45pm - Pandan MP Rafizi Ramli (left) says there would not be enough jails for the government to incarcerate all those who voice out against electoral fraud.

Rafizi, who chairs Pakatan's committee to probe electoral fraud, says that people have lost confidence in the EC because the have broken their vows.

"If the rakyat says there is fraud, isn't it their duty to investigate?" asks Rafizi. He says that Pakatan will be filing about 29 election petitions and strongly hinted that Bersih 4.0 might involve occupying Dataran Merdeka.

9.30pm - The Dataran PJ field has now reached saturation point. Emcee Badrul Hisham Shaharin (right) announces that there are 50,000 people in attendance.

9.25pm - Blues singer Ito, from the Blues Gang fame, belts out "Ubah Sekarang" to which the crowd responds by waving their hands in unison.

9.20pm - Kuantan MP Fuziah Salleh (left in photo) is speaking now and she said that the Election Commission chairperson Abdul Aziz Yusoff is living off public funds.

She says that his wages will not be "halal" if the EC continues to disregard public opinion.

9.10pm: Badrul Hisham Shaharin, aka Chegubard, takes over as the emcee and introduces DAP's Ronnie Liu onto the stage.

"We need to reform the electoral system. If not, we won't make it to Putrajaya.

"I believe it is time we launch Bersih 4.0!" he said, to the crowd's approval.

9pm: As the rally continues, the crowd size had doubled to approximately 20,000.

8.15pm - The sky is threatening to open up on the crowd and is serving up a slight drizzle. Many people are sporting umbrellas.

7.30pm - Crowd size has grown to 10,000, which is much smaller than anticipated by the organisers.

7.15pm - Solidariti Anak Muda Malaysia (SAMM) chief Badrul Hisham Shaharin, better known as Chegubard, takes the stage and urge participants to call on their friends to join the rally.

"Tonight, we will be joined by the reformasi 'tank' - Tian Chua! Then there's another person, whom before we had a chance to invite him told us that he will join us - Haris Ibrahim!" announced Badrul Hisham.

Chua, Haris and Tamrin Abdul Ghaffar are being investigated for making seditious speeches during a forum on May 13. Another speaker at the forum, Adam Adli, has already been charged for sedition. All four are expected to speak tonight.

Badrul Hisham (left), who is believed to be wanted by the police for making "seditious speeches" alongside the abovementioned group, also announced that PKR strategist Rafizi Ramli will be presenting a slideshow later to show examples of electoral fraud.

Meanwhile, Badrul Hisham said the main objective of the rally is to campaign for reform in the electoral system.

After Badrul Shaharin spoke, there is a short break for mahgrib prayers.

6.45pm - Student activist KS Bawani (right), of the "Listen, listen, listen" fame, urges participants to "incite" their friends and relatives to join the rally.

“We had said before the general election that if the EC cheats, we will go down the street, this is the right of the people.

“We don't want to talk anymore. We've had enough. The people are not stupid, we don't want to wait for another five years.

“We don't have much time, we need to incite more people. Please tell your uncles and aunties to come to Amcorp Mall,” she says.

[Photos & report courtesy of Malaysiakini]