BN Cybertrooper Posting on Malaysiakini?

I couldn't resist responding to this patently spurious letter published on Malaysiakini today.


Chin Chai Ho? Is that a bona fide by-line, I wonder - or one of Azalina's legendary cybertroopers out on an anti-Anwar spin? Sorry, Chin Chai Ho. You'll have to do better than that. Your opinion piece looks like an opinion; it even reads like an opinion piece; but when I hold it against my nose, I smell styrofoam. And perhaps a whiff of cincalok.

Take this paragraph for example:

"Anwar Ibrahim and his associates in the DAP and PAS want the people to believe that the country is coming apart due to massive corruption and mismanagement by the Barisan Nasional government. Yes, there have been some corrupt practices by certain quarters in the government; no one condones them. One Zakaria of Klang does not make all the 500-odd state assembly persons in the country corrupted too. There are other cases of corruption but definitely the country is not riddled by these corrupted officials nor the country is coming apart. Our officials and civil servants are generally a dedicated and honest lot."

Hello, Mr Chin (Or is it Mr Ho?)! I've lived here since I was born a very long time ago and I don't need Anwar, Kit Siang or Nik Aziz to tell me BN has mismanaged my country for as long as I can remember. The only reason why I chose NOT to migrate is that I am a warrior at heart - and I decided 20 years ago I would grow a deep root here and live to see the demise of fear-and-greed driven politics and the passing of the Age of Corruption. We're almost there now... if not for the unfortunate fact that the BN still retains control of the federal government apparatus. Which means they can choose to maintain repressive laws and retain well-trained goons like Gani Patail, Musa Hassan and all the wet-bummed hacks running the mass media. Indeed, many of us don't need any convincing that BN actually LOST control of Malaysia on March 8th. If it hadn't been for the massive cheating and unfair advantages at BN's disposal, right now they would be crushed beyond recognition, blown to smithereens like some Mongolian Mata Hari.

In their hearts BN know they have no business forming the federal government anymore. But it's scary to find yourself suddenly vulnerable and liable to prosecution for gross abuse of power and misappropriation of public funds. Doesn't matter if you're already retired. As Param Cumaraswamy rightly says, "There is no expiry date on crime." That's why you would cling by your fingernails to the last vestiges of power and, with your last ounce of strength, try to push your political foes down the stairs or trip them as they walk by.

The day Anwar Ibrahim (or Wan Azizah) becomes PM, many in the BN will shit their pants and quite a few will do a Zakaria Mat Deros. Anwar returns from the political wilderness of his 6-year imprisonment like the ghost of Altantuya Shaariibuu or Jalil Ibrahim (the conscientious auditor who was murdered in Hong Kong while investigating the BMF scandal). To be publicly humiliated and privately beaten up, poisoned, and punished for being ambitious - and since when has ambition been a crime? It's no secret that Anwar was already in line to become PM, having been given the post of Finance Minister as well as Deputy Prime Minister. But Mahathir is one of those aberrated egos who cannot tolerate being overtaken on the road to immortal glory - he is the original source of road rage! Not that I believe the Pakatan Rakyat government will be vindictive. But just for them to do their job honestly and efficiently would be punishment enough for all the arrogant and greedy cacing that have had their heyday under the dacing.

Mr Ho Ho Ho says: "For goodness sake give us a break. Surely the people can see his true intention. All he wants is the prime minister-ship and the power that goes with it."

My friend, whoever you are, we all know that. Everybody knows that. Anwar Ibrahim would like to be the PM because he has been training his whole life for the job, since he was a kid, probably. I've watched him address the crowds at ceramahs. I've studied his every move and raised my cap in admiration of his stamina and strength-of-will. I know he wants to be PM and I would very much like to see him get the job. In fact many of us have been waiting since 1998 to see justice done and destiny fulfilled. And you know what quality Anwar Ibrahim has that makes me name him our best candidate for PM? Natural intelligence. That's one quality that has been conspicuously absent in politics for a very long while. And don't point at Mahathir and tell me he's even more intelligent. Mahathir is indeed cunning - but that does not equate with true intelligence or he would have apologized, shut up, and relocated to Mauritius years ago.

So what the dickens are you talking about? Chin Chai Cakap ah?

PARTY HOPPING & THE ETHICS OF DEFECTION

ONG KIAN MING is a PhD candidate in political science at Duke University and OON YEOH is a writer and new media analyst. You can listen to both of them discuss this topic in their Realpolitik podcast. Read the original post at Malaysiakini.

I can understand and, in principle, agree with Ong Kian Ming and Oon Yeoh's prescription of choosing the moral high ground over the political expedient of accepting crossovers to the Pakatan Rakyat from a disintegrating BN. However, much as the strategy of accelerating the Pakatan Rakyat's takeover of the Federal government through negotiated crossovers is fraught with uncertainties and ethical ambiguities, I would applaud - and even encourage - such a move.

One month after the tectonic shift of the March 8th elections, it is clear to all observers that the BN sadly lacks professional ethics and dedication to the national good. Instead of quickly regaining their dignity by openly and willingly cooperating with the new Pakatan Rakyat state governments, BN diehards like Azalina Othman and Mohd Khir Toyo are actively focused on sabotaging and punishing what they perceive as the enemy. They are unable to see that the Pakatan Rakyat represents the will of an overwhelming majority of Malaysians. By declaring war against the Pakatan, BN has effectively become the enemy of the people and, as such, cannot be trusted to act in the public interest rather than its own narrow party interests.

Each day the Federal government continues to be under BN control is another day of momentum lost in the direction of genuine reform. There is no political will within BN to address urgent issues like judicial rot and a less than professional police force. Abdul Gani Patail stubbornly clings to his position as Attorney-General and nobody has resigned from the ACA. Police reports filed against members of the former state excos in Penang, Kedah, Perak and Selangor for illegally removing or destroying official documents and records have led to absolutely no action - or at least none that I'm aware of. THe BN-owned media obstinately persist in their ingrained habit of partisan reportage, and all Umno can think about is its own survival as a no longer relevant monoethnic political party in a new transethnic political landscape.

One thing we can be sure of: every move the BN makes from now on will be aimed at undermining the Pakatan Rakyat instead of seizing this historic moment to genuinely reform itself.

So, even though it will spawn a measure of ethical ambiguity, the pragmatic wisdom of dealing the BN government a death blow NOW - before they have time to drag us deeper into irreversible ruin - holds a strong appeal. Many of us, like Ong Kian Ming and Oon Yeoh, are wary of sudden, radical change. Ong and Yeoh are academics and theoreticians with no dirt on their hands. Seasoned politicians like Anwar Ibrahim, Nik Aziz and Lim Kit Siang understand that no movement is possible without a little bit of zigzagging - indeed, that's how bipeds move in an apparent straight line, by swinging from left to right and back again. Instead of fearing contradiction, let us embrace it as the only way to organic truth.

I would prefer to give the BN crossovers the benefit of the doubt. It would be totally unrealistic to assume that everybody who enters politics does so to serve his or her community. Every creature is programmed to seek optimum advantage for itself. The more intelligent ones know their self-advantaging activities have to align and coincide with what benefits the greater community, otherwise they will soon be curtailed. Let's envision this: if 30 BN crossovers allow Pakatan Rakyat the option of taking over the Federal government in 2008 instead of 2012, there will be far less likelihood that we will all be dragged down with the sinking BN.

Perhaps the price isn't such a high one? Some of these crossover politicians are doing so primarily because they feel their leadership potential hasn't been appreciated and cannot be realized within BN. Why not give them a chance to prove their worth as Pakatan Rakyat MPs? Take a closer look at the illustration of a frog above. If you lean your head to the right you'll see it turns into a horse - and right now the Pakatan Rakyat requires more horsepower to outrun the vicious BN dogs snapping at its heels.

Hey, Let's Start A Hand Fart Orchestra!

While sitting in front of your computer watching the BN implode and disintegrate, here's something to entertain and inspire you. Yes, just like the filler programs TV stations broadcast on election night while you're waiting for the results to come trickling in. Who knows, some of the BN ministers who suddenly found themselves jobless after March 8th may turn out to be closet musicians - now they have so much time on their hands!

MAY THE FARTS BE WITH YOU! HERE'S THE ORIGINAL "HANDS SOLO"...


His name is Gerry (Jerry) Phillips and he has been playing songs on his hands for 40 years. This is Jerry's interpretation of Dragonforce, Through the Fire and Flames.

JERRY PHILLIPS PLAYS HENRY MANCINI'S 'PINK PANTHER' THEME:


Jerry Phillips: "This goes out to all my nieces and nephews in Australia and New Zealand (yes, you too, Elliott!) Merry Christmas! I love all of you (yes, you too, Elliott!) I used a digitech whammy pedal and a boss digital delay pedal on this song."

Fart of The Bumblebee by Jerry Phillips.

THE THEME FROM ROCKY:


Jerry Phillips: "My wife, Queen Elizabeth, wanted me to play this song. so, happy sweetest day honey! I used a digitech whammy pedal, a boss auto wah, and a boss digital sustain pedal."

JERRY PHILLIPS AND THE FAMOUS 007 THEME:


Jerry Phillips: "My mission (if i choose to accept it) is to stop Ernst Blowfart and his organization S.P.H.I.N.C.T.E.R. from gassing the world! I used a digitech whammy pedal, a boss metal zone pedal and a boss digital delay pedal on this song."

DAVE BRUBECK'S TAKE FIVE:


Jerry Phillips: "This song put jazz on the charts. It's always been a favorite of mine. a very hard song to play on any instrument because of the 5/4 time signature. I used a digitech whammy pedal on this song."

A TUTORIAL ON HANDFART TECHNIQUES BY JERRY PHILLIPS:



OTHER "MANUALISTS" OF NOTE...


Christopher Grubb does the overture from Star Wars.


Grubb performs the Marine Corps Hymn as a tribute to American Imperialism.


Bruce Gaston accompanies himself on Love Me Tender.

[Thanks to Richard Lau for alerting me to this phenomenon :-)]

AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT...

THE BOTTLE OF WINE

For all of us who are married, were married, wish they were married, or wish they weren't married, this is something to smile about the next time you see a bottle of wine:

Sally was driving home from one of her business trips in Northern Arizona when she saw an elderly Navajo woman walking on the side of the road.

As the trip was a long and quiet one, she stopped the car and asked the Navajo woman if she would like a ride.

With a silent nod of thanks, the woman got into the car.

Resuming the journey, Sally tried in vain to make a bit of small talk with the Navajo woman. The old woman just sat silently, looking intently at everything she saw, studying every little detail, until she noticed a brown bag on the seat next to Sally.

"What in bag?" asked the old woman.

Sally looked down at the brown bag and said, "It's a bottle of wine. I got it for my husband."

The Navajo woman was silent for another moment or two.

Then speaking with the quiet wisdom of an elder, she said:

"Good trade....."


[Courtesy of my friend Mei]

Just say "ANWAR IBRAHIM" at an Umno forum!

Umno “gentlemen” at their best, at the mere mention of Anwar. It’s crazy how this can be both so distressing and amusing at the same time. Read the rest at Nat's blog!

DOLLAH GOES DEEP SHIT FISHING...

In his own inimitable style, breaking news from Sheih's kickdefella blog (Heaven knows how he gets these amazing scoops, must be a 'Ganu insider!):

HRH The Agong has spoken. The King has sent Dollah (right) on a deep shit expedition. It surely will not be an easy one for Dollah especially after he was given the ultimatum to accept the appointment of the Terengganu Menteri Besar or face more shit on his face.

Dollah was asked to provide the detailed expenditure of the RM1.2B a year that Idris Jusoh received from the federal government since he became the MB of Terengganu.

Are we going to see the establishment of a Royal Commission if Dollah fails to present to the King the detailed expenditure?

Are we also going to know who is the real MB of Terengganu from 2004 until March 2008?

Patrick "Badawi" Lim Soo Kit's private helicopter.

Who is Patrick Badawi and what is his relationship with Kamaluddin Abdullah’s wife? What is the business relationship between Kamaluddin and Patrick Badawi?

The Man from Equine with The Man from Scomi.

Why did the RM50M Crystal Mosque actually cost ten times more upon completion? Why has RM350M been spent annually on the Monsoon Cup and how has it benefited the poor in Terengganu? With only four years to go for Terengganu to enjoy the gas and petroleum, why is Terengganu still listed amongst the poorest states in Malaysia and with such a huge default in federal loans, etc, etc, etc and etc…… the list continues.

Patrick "Badawi" Lim with former Terengannu MB Idris Jusoh.

Surely, this is really a deep shit fishing trip for Dollah Derhaka. How will Khairy Jamaluddin come handy this time?

Enjoying the high life in Terengganu.

The Royal Party Pooper, Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin, puts his royal foot down on another Scumno scam. We the Rakyat salute you back.


[Photos from Sheih's kickdefella blog.]

Azly Rahman: A Brilliant Young Academic

For the benefit of those who have yet to subscribe to Malaysiakini (where I found this lucid and thoughtful essay by a brilliant young academic named Azly Rahman) I'm reproducing part of his post here. If you're subscribed to Malaysiakini click on the essay heading to read the entire piece...

BRAVE NEW MALAYSIAN IDENTITY EMERGING?
Azly Rahman | Mar 24, 08 3:49pm

"Our government teaches the whole people by its example. If the government becomes the lawbreaker, it breeds contempt for law; it invites every man to become a law unto himself; it invites anarchy." - Louis D. Brandeis (American Supreme Court Justice, 1856-1941).

"I do not wish to remove from my present prison to a prison a little larger. I wish to break all prisons." - Ralph Waldo Emerson, American transcendentalist.

The second wave of Independence, achieved with the storming of the "Bastille that is Putrajaya" in March 2008, in a phenomenon called "implo-volution" in which the old regime was crushed by its own weight of contradiction and one whose ruins were charted some fifty years ago, present an interesting possibility. It is that of the ethnogenesis (emerging new culture) of a new Malaysian identity. Political will is complementing this philosophical vision. The Internet is aiding in speeding up the process.

The wave is forcing the various ethnic groups to think of defining itself as a " new nation" when power-sharing of a truly multicultural nature at the state level is becoming a reality. Not only the different ethnic groups are fairly represented in what I call the "yellow" states of "Perak and Selangor" but religious background of the state leaders are also playing a key role in the evolving nature of the leadership.

The yellow states are forging ahead with care – aware of the sensitivities of the different ethnic and religious groups, focusing on the pragmatics and ethics drawn from each cultural tradition. Thus, we saw Penang CM Lim Guan Eng refusing to use thousands of ringgit of state funds to move to a new office, we saw the Kedah chief minister and we saw the continuation of Kelantan chief minister's commitment to the principles of Islam in governing the state with prudence and tolerance.

What is displayed is Confucianist-Taoist ideas and Islamic brand of ethical leadership – two seemingly radical philosophies that actually complement each other. When it comes to statecraft, both are useful in forming as basis for a philosophy of governance that appeals to the Malays and the Chinese. These ideals are no different that the ones taught in Christianity, Catholicism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, and the cultural philosophy of the natives of Sabah and Sarawak and of the Orang Asli.

The "ethics of authenticity" as philosopher Charles Taylor would put it, is universal enough to be a guiding light of this new nation. Ethics by any name is a system of check and balances of the Evil and the Good within. It is the Middle Path of Inner Statecraft.

Istana Zakaria and pondok Nik Aziz

In speaking of the manifestations of the excesses of greed and the imbalance of evil within, two installations of polar opposites are worth quoting as semiotics of conspicuous consumption, in a country such as Malaysia.

Istana Zakaria in Kelang (photo courtesy of Sin Chew Jit Poh)

The old and dying regime, Barisan Nasional too consists of Chinese and Malays. But the evolution of racial-politics necessitated the development of a style of leadership that requires extra-ethical means to be employed in order for power to be sustained via the control of wealth and resources. Not only these are controlled but they are displayed conspicuously and of late, with arrogance. This brought about the shocking defeat of the 50-year-old seemingly indestructible machine. The excess of this image of conspicuous consumption is in the Istana Zakaria.

The alter image to Istana Zakaria would probably be the house that Tuan Guru Nik Aziz inhabits (pictured left). But why do we have these contradictions? How have we come to this historical juncture in which the moral compass of the national leaders are misplaced or even lost and what we are seeing are the consequence of the capitalist system that is rearing its ugly immoral head. We have created monsters out of the freedom we give human beings to profit from the consumerist capitalist system we created out of the fear of socialism and Communism.

Billionaires and multi-millionaires in this nation are creations of a system. They are the products of the evolution of individuals that are installed by the institutions derived from the ideology of uncontrollable free enterprise constantly wanting to be freer and freer. Over a long period of time, the system creates a huge gap between the haves and the have-nots. It creates antagonism – of class and the hypermodern caste system. This is the Reaganomics of poverty - a mass deception of the "magic of the marketplace".

As a nation, what do we want to be known as? How do we re-engineer another evolution? How do we maintain a sense of personal freedom in the process of crafting a synthesis of "national identity and freedom?" Will the Internet be the great deconstructor of such an identity, once we forget it?

[Read the rest at Malaysiakini)

If you enjoyed this post from Azly Rahman, I suggest you also read an excellent essay I found on Azly's blog titled "A Malay View of Ketuanan Melayu."

WE CAN ALL BE HEROES!

"Mati ayam, mati tungaunya (if the fowl dies, its ticks perish too)" - an old Malay saying.

As far as I’m concerned, Umno-BN is deceased. Finito. R.I.P. Kaput. What happened on March 8th was a gigantic Samurai sword that moved so swiftly the 10-headed hydra of Might-Is-Right that has terrorized us for the last 25 years lost all its heads. The BN survivors of the March 8th debacle are all operating in Safe Mode now, their operating systems having crashed big-time. Perhaps the Umno-BN hard drive can still be booted up a few more times and some useful data saved - but the motherboard itself is on the verge of terminal malfunction. So let's not speak ill of the dead.

Anyone who hasn’t been brainwashed by establishment pundits with vested interests can see that Anwar Ibrahim has got what it takes to steer this floundering ship back on course. And what it takes is intelligence, courage, stamina, adaptability, good humor, experience, and most importantly, ethical sense. His resilience has been proven over the last ten years by his capacity to transmute tragedy into triumph, transforming himself from victim to victor - all the while maintaining his dignity, clarity, and focus.

Whatever his early political agenda, the Anwar Ibrahim of 2008 has been forged in the furnace of personal pain and endurance. In 1998 he could have taken the money and run - become an academic or corporate CEO. But he didn’t. He stood up to Mahathir (right) and fought like a man. That’s how he gained my respect and admiration and trust. There are very few in our midst today that I can describe as “heroic.”

Is Chandra Muzaffar a hero? He might have been once, back in the early 1980s when he left academia to battle the monstrous menace of Mahathir. But after his ISA experience in 1987, Chandra’s spirit buckled. He left Aliran to establish JUST and for a few years he continued to say the right things. But he had lost his fire, his fighting spirit. He had gone the way of Lee Lam Thye.

Is Raja Petra Kamarudin (left) a hero? Most certainly. He stood by Anwar Ibrahim in the early days of his rebellion against monumental odds and was arrested under the ISA for his efforts. He was a tireless webmaster for the official Reformasi website and that subsequently led to his launching Malaysia Today - a "no holds barred" local news portal that has played a crucial role in exposing the dark side of Umno-BN and gained an immense readership. Indeed, RPK grew to be such a thorn in BN's backside a police report was filed against him by an Umno hatchetman and he was interrogated for eight hours. He threw his energy into the Opposition campaign as a featured speaker at many ceramahs (political rallies). Although a bona fide prince, RPK has always been accessible, down-to-earth and his finger is firmly on the pulse of the people. A large part of the credit for what happened on March 8th must go to RPK.

[Since this essay was written, much has transpired that warrants the inclusion of a footnote: RPK was arrested under ISA in September 2008 and sent to Kamunting; in November a courageous high court judge ordered his unconditional release, and RPK subsequently went into self-imposed exile; recently, RPK turned petulant and began attacking Anwar Ibrahim, although it appears to be more a personal than political feud. This has dimmed RPK's heroic lustre to a serious extent, even if he remains a positive force for change.]

Is Tian Chua a hero? I would say YES! But his career as a politician is only just beginning and he has a lot of learning to do, especially in terms of his approach. Even so, his fearlessness in the face of police violence has inspired many to speak up or march for justice. There are many other heroes I can think of: Lim Guan Eng, the new Chief Minister of Penang, for example, jailed by Mahathir for speaking up on behalf of a schoolgirl gang-banged by the former Chief Minister of Melaka; Tony Pua, who sold his successful IT business to launch his political career as an outspoken blogger and DAP candidate; Sivarasa Rasiah, who has spent the last 20 years defending human rights... it so happens they are all in the Barisan Rakyat.

And then there's Steven Gan, managing editor of Malaysiakini, who stuck to his guns as a political journalist and quit The Sun when he rubbed the establishment up the wrong way. In 1999, at the height of Reformasi fervor, Steven teamed up with Premesh Chandran to launch Malaysia's first news portal. Over the years Malaysiakini has survived several police raids and the confiscation of its computers. For invaluable services rendered to truth-loving Malaysians, this news portal deserves a standing ovation - and a thousand-fold increase in subscribers!

But to my mind nobody can match what Anwar Ibrahim has accomplished: he has led us through the Chapel Perilous of racial politics and now, for the first time since Merdeka, we can look around and appreciate the beauty of our own diversity and say, “Vive la difference!” On March 9th I was blissed out by a tangible feeling that we are no longer stuck in the rut of ethnocentric tempurungism, that we have finally outgrown all that “Bangsa-Ugama-Tanahair” hot air. I went to town and felt the genuine goodwill and jubilation that shone from every face I saw - Malay, Chinese, Indian, Orang Asli, Dan-lain-lain!

What has been missing all these decades is the possibility that we can love one another as humans, regardless of skin color or creed - that’s because cold-blooded ambition and ruthless greed have no use for empathy and warm feelings, nor does it encourage compassion, kindness, and spontaneous joy. No, it feeds and fattens itself vampire-like on fear - other people’s fear. And now, on that bright Sunday morning after GE12, the fear had dissipated like a bad smell in the winds of change. PKR flags fluttered proudly against a glorious blue Selangor sky, proclaiming that the people's eyes were open at long last.

In the climate of fear Mahathir created during his 22-year reign, anybody who dared speak the truth became a hero - or martyr. Anwar Ibrahim, more than any other political icon in the country, succeeded in transcending his own childhood prejudices to embody the universal values that will unite rather than divide us as a nation. That is indeed the mark of a hero. Let us honor this hero (who nearly became a martyr) by giving him what he fully deserves - the chance to serve as prime minister (at least till he tires of it or we tire of him). At the same time, let us all aspire to become heroes too, so that we will no longer be scared children in need of a grown-up to lead us across the street. Let us each become, in time, self-governing individuals whose relationship to our political leaders is akin to an orchestra’s respect for the conductor, knowing full well that his job is to create a symphony from the potential cacophony of so many different instruments.


[Illustration by Antares from Two Catfish in the Same Hole; photos pinched from various sources]

Anwar Ibrahim: LETTER TO MALAYSIA

Anwar Ibrahim's letter to all Malaysians was released on March 7th, the eve of the epochal GE12. I found it on Elizabeth Wong's blog and rather than reproduce the entire letter here, just click on this link!

There are many reasons why I am voicing my support of Anwar Ibrahim's political comeback via Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) which as of today will lead a vigorous, newly elected parliamentary opposition.

My instincts tell me Anwar Ibrahim is a man of destiny and fully deserves our wholehearted support - but for now I am content to just let Anwar speak for himself.

I congratulate all Malaysians who voted with a vengeance on March 8th to foil BN's elaborate electoral fraud by the sheer force of their numbers.

Bravo, everybody! This has truly been a victory for People Power and I have never felt so optimistic about my country for as long as I can remember.

Before I sign off I just want to say to Dr M: you may be a cunning old crocodile but you are totally lacking in wisdom and humility. You were the one who sodomized Malaysia, not Anwar!

I JUST VOTED BN...

OUT! I solemnly swear I have NEVER once voted for the arrogance, mediocrity and stupidity that BN represents. And I sincerely hope that every Malaysian who voted today shares my feelings and voted BR!



I voted for an end to a corrupt, inefficient, politically biased and kurang ajar police force.



I voted for an end to crooked judges, capitalist cronies, and sleazy lawyers.



I voted for an end to complacent, smug and useless Elections Commission chairmen like Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman whose every word and deed reveals him to be an Umno supporter.



I voted for an end to slimeball attorney-generals like Abdul Gani Patail and disreputable Inspectors-General of Police like Musa Hassan (both promoted for their respective roles in convicting and jailing Anwar Ibrahim on Dr M's instructions).












I voted for an end to high-level ministerial kickbacks and scandalous misbehavior that have tarnished the name of my country and brought shame upon us all.



I voted for an end to disgraceful hooliganism at Umno General Assemblies with stupid keris-waving displays by dangerous airheads like Hishamuddin Hussein and Khairy Jamaluddin. I voted Barisan Rakyat today because I love Malaysia too much to see it destroyed by a bunch of megalomanic, myopic, and moronic descendants of pirates.

An open letter to ALL Malaysians…

... from former Bar Council president Yeo Yang Poh, on the eve of the General Election.

Dear Fellow Malaysians,

It is true that there are things that we Malaysians should be proud of, and be thankful for. It is equally true that many things are not well in our country. They have not been well for some time now. Matters of safety and security, price hikes, education, issues of equal opportunities and equal treatment, constriction of various forms of freedom, marginalization of several segments of society, the failing justice system, corruption in the public sector, the rising denial syndromes, the arrogance of wrongdoers nourished by their repeated ability to get off scot-free, and the numbness of the public reaction towards misdeeds and the lack of accountability, just to describe a few.

Many of the ills that we complain about in our society are the symptoms of the underlying causes. Some of the major root causes are: (a) epidemic corruption in a system that does little to prohibit or redress it, (b) lack of a system of transparency and accountability, (c) the suppression of various freedoms so as to turn a silent majority into a silenced majority, (d) a Government that is more interested in commanding than serving, (e) a Parliament whose overwhelming majority cares more about power-consolidation than nation-building, and (f) a weak "last bastion" in the form of a failing justice system.

Can things be allowed to go on this way? Can we afford to do so? Should our future generations suffer the consequences of our permissiveness? It is quite obvious that we need a better Government and a better Parliament. But that will not happen if we, the citizens of Malaysia, do little more than blaming the Government and criticizing our Members of Parliament. It is we who put our MPs in the Parliament. It is we who must take the ultimate responsibility. The buck stops at each and every one of us.

My earnest appeal to everyone is therefore as follows:

* discuss the need for a better Parliament and a better Government, with your family members, colleagues, friends and persons close to you;

* make it a point to go and vote in the next election, and to vote for change and for betterment;

* discard the notion or excuse that your single vote will not matter;

* discard the notion or excuse that politics is dirty and all politicians are the same, and therefore that there is no point in voting;

* influence and encourage as many of your family members, colleagues, friends and persons close to you as possible, to come out and vote for change and for betterment in the coming election.

It is meaningless for us to complain about our Parliamentarians and the Government, if we do not first discharge a simple but sacrosanct duty of choice.

Let us all take the time to look into the beautiful but expectant eyes of our children, and of the children of many others for whom we care. The future of our nation is meant for them. But millions of them cannot vote. They put their fate in our hands. They rely on us not just for their present living and support. They rely on us, too, to vote for a better future for them.

And after discharging our duty to vote, we must continue to be vigilant, and ensure that our elected representatives account for their actions, and make good their promises.

I humbly suggest to you that change and betterment are not empty dreams, if all of us play our respective parts. I invite you, and I urge you, to answer my appeal as set out above.

Thank you.

Yours sincerely,
Yeo Yang Poh
Advocate & Solicitor,
& a concerned Malaysian

February 28, 2008


[Photo courtesy of Jeff Ooi/Screenshots]

Good on you, Malaysiakini!

MALAYSIAKINI GOES FREE FOR ONE WEEK
Mar 4, 08 2:52pm

In view of the country's going to the polls on Saturday, Malaysiakini has decided to make its website free beginning today.

From 3pm today, readers will be able to access all Malaysiakini reports and articles without having to log in. The site will be locked again on March 10, two days after the general election.

As compensation to Malaysiakini’s existing subscribers, one additional week will be added to their subscription periods.

"We hope that voters will be able to access independent news so that they can make an informed decision on polling day," said Malaysiakini CEO Premesh Chandran in announcing the decision.

Our Bahasa Malaysia section went free last week, and now with campaigning into its final lap, we’ve decided to make our articles in the English and Chinese language sections free as well."

Chandran said the move is in line with Malaysiakini’s vision, which among others include the support for ‘the development of freedom of speech, social justice and democracy in Malaysia’.

"Democracy is about voters acquiring sufficient knowledge to make an informed choice. By making Malaysiakini available to all, we want to play our part in helping Malaysians exercise their democratic right," added editor-in-chief Steven Gan.

During this free period, Malaysiakini will allow its ‘news and views’ to be re-posted in blogs and other websites as well as to be printed and photocopied for distribution.

Read the rest here.

Now here are a selection of items from Malaysiakini that caught my eye...

MALAYS VERSUS THE MALAISE
Dean Johns | Mar 5, 08 1:55pm

Democrats of other races can kick, scream, demonstrate and vote all they like against the Barisan Nasional robber-barons and their minions, but let’s face it: Malaysia will never get rid of this indolent, incompetent and corrupt regime without the enlightened militancy of the Malay meritocracy and its increasingly numerous supporters.

I’m all too conscious that I’m venturing onto shaky ground here, aware as I am that BN jealously guards the topics of race and religion as its exclusive preserves, the more powerfully to manipulate sectarian passions and prejudices to its advantage. And also, as a total outsider, I’m woefully ignorant of many of the subtleties and nuances involved in these perennially sensitive subjects.

But still the point has to be made. Malaysia will never be rid of BN, or achieve true democracy, or reach its social and economic potential, without the opposition of the Malay majority.

Read the rest here.

ANWAR ROCKS PERAK, PAK LAH NO-SHOW
Andrew Ong | Mar 5, 08 2:36pm

As campaigning entered the crucial final lap, PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim blazed through Perak yesterday to rally voters.

At every stop, large crowds waited for hours to greet the former deputy premier, who started his tour in Tanjung Malim in the morning before making his way up north through Bota, Bidor, Tapah, Gopeng, Sungai Siput and finally Bagan Serai.

The crowds were wooed by his populist messages which included reducing fuel prices, providing free education and the release of the five Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) leaders detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA).

By about 7pm, Anwar had arrived at Simpang Pulai, Gopeng, where he was greeted with a hero’s welcome and rapturous chants of reformasi from a racially mixed crowd of more than 2,000.

Despite spending the entire day on the road, Anwar showed no signs of fatigue and rallied Gopeng voters to back PKR candidates Lee Boon Chye (Gopeng), Chan Ming Kai (Simpang Pulai), Chang Lih Kang (Teja) and PAS candidate Radzi Zainon (Sungai Rapat).

He also launched a scathing attack on the Election Commission for aborting the use of indelible ink at the eleventh hour. He lamented that "phantoms" would now roam on polling day.

"Barisan Nasional (BN) is scared of losing. That’s why they aborted the use of indelible ink," said Anwar to loud cries of "betul (correct)!" from the crowd.

Read the rest here.

WITHOUT FEAR OR FAVOUR
KJ John | Mar 4, 08 8:16pm

I have three politicians, I consider my heroes. The first is the late Tan Sri Dr Tan Chee Khoon (left), father of the now retiring MP for Segambut. The father, like the son, always spoke the truth, always spoke in love and always spoke with grace and hope. For the father’s long and unflinching service to the people, even the then government of Malaysia recognised his services and awarded him a PSM which carries the title of ‘Tan Sri’.

The second is the late Datuk Dr Syed Hussein Alatas (right), the former UM vice-chancellor who passed away recently. In a discussion before our 4th Integrity Congress, he advised me that the fight against corruption must be a peoples’ fight; it does not belong to the government. He explained how he was ‘removed’ as VC some years ago because he stood up for some perennial principles related to credibility and integrity.

The third person is a faithful but not-so-‘successful’ grass-roots politician - my father, a founder member of the Kedah MIC and community worker in Sungai Petani, our home town where he was popularly known as ‘Pak John’. He was a sincere politician but not a cunning enough one to make it big in politics; and therefore his advice to me was always to stay out of politics. I followed his advice for 27 years and then one day asked him at the age of 49, ‘Dad should I consider getting involved into politics?’

He looked towards my younger brother, and said, ‘I suppose now he can!’ But now that I have been involved in my own style of ‘non-partisan politics’ my father is still not sure, because I have started to speak and write against all those whom I believe lack integrity; the same principle I expect from of all my good friends who choose to criticise my views as well. I really believe that one’s credibility and integrity are a very good basis for all types of politics and an equal principle for integrity in our lives; for our every human action, and non-action.

Therefore, on July 6, 2000, I decided to opt out of public service. I wrote to the then chief secretary and the then public services head, and gave my many reasons for an optional retirement. One of the primary reasons, I argued, was that the Public Services Department was no longer interested in serving the public interest. It had lost its neutrality and had become blindly biased towards the Umno agenda...

Read the rest here.

Is this man irrelevant to Malaysian politics?

Throughout Anwar Ibrahim's six years in prison on trumped up charges, he conducted himself impeccably and with supreme dignity. That was Anwar's trial by fire. He spent 16 years in Dr M's shadow understudying the PM's job. This man has paid his dues. If he wants to be head of the nation, I say why not? More power to him - and to his beautiful wife Wan Azizah and daughter Nurul Izzah!

"UNDI DACING DAPAT CACING!"

UNDI DACING DAPAT CACING!*

That's what I'd call an inspired campaign slogan against the Embarisan Nazional party that has enjoyed 50 years of arrogant, incompetent, and mediocre misrule in Malaysia. I borrowed it from an SMS a friend sent a couple of days ago detailing an unending catalogue of sins committed by the BN.

I'm thoroughly fed up of apparently intelligent folks telling me: "Let's say we vote the Opposition into power. Is there any guarantee they won't be just as bad as the BN?" For the last time let's make this perfectly clear: the government exists, in theory, to serve the public. Even the highest paid minister is a public servant. Never let them forget that. As our servants, they either do the job we're paying them to do - or they get the sack. It's as simple as that. Or it ought to be. What has complicated matters is that any political party that has been in power long enough can amend the Constitution and bend the rules to suit itself. In our case, the outright ownership of the press and indirect control of radio and TV stations by the BN means you get nothing but official propaganda from the mainstream media. Even if you had the money to start a newspaper, magazine or TV station, the licensing laws in the country makes it imperative that you toe the party line or have your operating licence revoked.

And, of course, there are countless repressive laws like the Internal Security Act and the Official Secrets Act and the Police Act that serve one purpose only - and that's to keep the BN in power forever. Once we succeed in overthrowing these obsolete and oppressive laws, it no longer really matters who we hire to pilot the ship of state. If they do a great job we'll slap them on the back and offer them a pay rise. If they fuck up, we issue them their walking papers (perhaps after at least one warning, just to be fair).

My friends, the land belongs to nobody. However, all of us belong to the land. Never forget that. The government of the day are elected into office to administer the country, make sure the machinery is properly maintained, and to work constantly and devotedly towards the continued well-being of every citizen. They are not put there to enrich or aggrandize themselves with VVIP facilities and all that crap. The instant they forget this, we show them the boot. Comprende?

Now let's knock the goddamn BN down to size on March 8th and get on with the funky bizniz of living.

DON'T FORGET: 2008 IS A LEAP YEAR. ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN!!!

____

UNDI = Vote
*DACING (pronounced "dah-ching") = weighing scale, symbol of the Barisan Nazional
DAPAT - get
CACING (pronounced "cha-ching") - worms

Exquisite: The Complete FLOWER OF LIFE Symbol

Incomplete

Incomplete


THE COMPLETE FLOWER OF LIFE SYMBOL


Sacred Geometry is an endlessly fascinating subject. When you see it shimmering all around you and become attuned to the ultimate and absolute perfection of form expressed in these constructs, you shift into the Superconscious Zone. Read more about it here. Additional info at Valerie Phillips's DNAalchemy.com.

The study of sacred geometry dispels once and for all any lingering belief that Life may have begun as a series of random events. The precision and perfection of the mathematics alone make it self-evident that an unfathomable cosmic intelligence resides within every atom.

HANG on to your hats!

The hang can be placed on the lap or on a stand

I first heard about this delightful new instrument (inspired by the Caribbean steelpan) when a friend sent me an excited SMS a few days ago after viewing video footage of an Irish busker playing a hang. "Looks just like a UFO,"she said. That got me curious so I did a bit of research and found this entry in Wikipedia:


The Hang was developed in 2000 in Berne, Switzerland by Felix Rohner and Sabina Schärer (PANArt Hangbau AG) and introduced at the Frankfurt Music Fair in 2001. Its name comes from the Bernese German word for hand. The two hemispheres are hardened by a process known as gas-nitriding. The side considered the 'bottom' has an opening (Gu) in the center which is the bass note. When it is played in a dampened way it can change in pitch similar to a talking drum. On the 'top' are seven (in the bass version of the Hang) or eight (treble version) notes arranged in a 'Tone Circle' in zig-zag fashion from low to high. All are tuned harmonically around a low note (Ding) at the center of the Tone Circle.

[Images borrowed from OddMusic.com and Wikipedia]

WELL HANG!


Hang demo by Dante Bucci of Philadelphia who describes himself as an "obscure instrumentalist." He plays Hang, Theremin, Didjeridoo, musical saw, flute, acoustic guitar, Drums, Congas, and other misc. percussion.

Current Projects: Mutlu (www.mutlusounds.com), Various local Philly artists, and new solo project on Hang drum.

MIDI HANG EXPERIMENT BY JOHN PASCUZZI


John Pascuzzi lives in Orange County, California. These notes are from his YouTube channel:

If you like my music, feel free to hop over to my channel to check out the main instrument that I play, the "igil" at:

http://youtube.com/oddmusic

Thanks to all the commenters I haven't thanked, YouTube won't let me reply directly to comments that aren't on the most recent page of comments, something isn't working, and they go by so fast I can't keep up. And a special thank-you to the haters too, you're comments are quite entertaining! :)

The song is called Space Bunnies, and yes (to some folks out there who wondered or think I'm "hand-syncing" or that this is somehow "fake" lol, like lip-syncing to a pre-recorded song) it was recorded live in one take, with a contact mic (the thing that's taped onto the instrument) plugged into an AdrenaLinn guitar processor (for the echo delays and the regular drum beats) and then straight into the video camera... super lo-fi. They are kind of tough to mic properly, since the sound comes out all around the top, so I was trying out a "contact mic" which is stuck to the surface of the instrument and picks up the vibrations of the metal, and then I figured why not plug it into an echo delay effects unit for fun. Was just experimenting and playing around one morning for awhile and then turned on the camera, so some fellow Hang players out there could hear how it sounded through a Contact Mic. But then others out there in YouTube-land seemed to like it, so I left it online.

Some folks think it's some elaborate conspiracy hoax, lol. There are tons of videos on YouTube with others playing these instruments, I just decided to add a little echo to it, no big mystery, thanks much for stopping by and checking it out.

And YES, there are a couple parts, especially on the muted notes around :50 where you'll hear a note but not see me hit it, that's because what you are hearing is a delayed echo of a note that I hit a couple seconds before. Sorry for the long in depth explanation, but for some reason, some people think it's voodoo or something.

The little wooden rectangle on the Hang Drum is the Contact Mic, stuck to the surface with contact mic putty, the blue masking tape is to isolate and hold down the wire coming out of the contact mic so it doesn't rattle around while I'm playing, otherwise that noise would get picked up by the mic.

Whew!

More info about the Hang Drum at: http://oddmusic.com/hang

My website: http://www.asinglethread.com

myspace page: http://myspace.com/oddmusic

Hang Drum recorded using a Contact Microphone

Music by John Pascuzzi of "a single thread"

My Funny Valentine

My Funny Valentine
(Lorenz Hart & Richard Rodgers arr. Keith Jarrett)

Keith Jarrett (piano)
Gary Peacock (bass)
Jack DeJohnette (drums)

Live in 1996

Keith Jarrett has been a tremendous inspiration to me over the decades. Love his touch!

Keith Jarrett: Last Solo in Tokyo (1984)


Keith Jarrett & Chick Corea play Mozart

Concerto For 2 Pianos & Orchestra In E-Flat Major, K. 365 (K. 316a): III. Rondeaux: Allegro