Monday 17 November 2008

Blogger Wars: Of Mangkuk Hayuns and Blind Mice (Postscript)

Well it finally flares up in the open. It was bound to happen especially after Rocky, in comments to the Star newspaper, alluded to Bernard Khoo aka Zorro Unmasked, Haris Ibrahim and Raja Petra as being "...either inspired or sponsored by Anwar”. There was buzz in blogosphere Malaysia for weeks now, that Rocky had "turned" (or had been turned). I was wondering what that meant...turned, how so? By whom, for what? For titles and spondoolies? Or for flag, race and personal loyalties?

Zorro's The "Outing" of Rocky Bru labels Rocky an apologist for PM to be, Najib Tun Razak (and by extension, a Mahathir apologist too?) and apparently this is what is meant by "turned".


Actually, I think Rocky has always showed he was "pro" Mahathir so there is no "turning" in that sense. Rocky is probably trying to justify his rightist sway by insinuating his "former" counterparts feel ok to be obviously leaning left and with heads snugly on Anwar's lap. Zorro's beef is with the expected shenanigans to come and as he puts it in the conclusion of his post;

"Folks, let’s brace ourselves for the upcoming editorial reign of Rocky Bru under a Najib administration.

Shading the half-truth, deploying the sly dig – the stock-in-trade of the Mahathir era – will make a grand return. Dang, this is more than over-drive….you got a sixth gear? Go ahead Rocky, post this on to Ashraf Abdullah. Let’s see how he does a journalist blow-job.

Who says we have seen the last of Mahathirism.

So saudara Rocky, as a former blogger-buddy, as and when we do meet, I can still enjoy a beer or malt with you, I hope."

Now we will probably see Haris Ibrahim throw down the gauntlet by issuing a statement of his own. Din Merican has weighed in rather unconvincingly with his own post on the subject but I like what he said which I have heard from Haris before;

"These guys are what I would call “social entrepreneurs” (refering to RPK and his coterie) who are for freedom, democracy and justice. In fact, Haris, the most blunt of the three, told me in no uncertain terms that “if PKR and PR screwed up”, he would come heavy on us"

Well, if nobody really can know what promises will ultimately be delivered (if ever they are) then no blogger has the right to claim he is helping to lead Malaysia towards freedom, democracy and justice. What if Anwar does not deliver? It would be naive to think all the cyber venom from these same Anwaristas would bring him down in the short term...go ask Nallakaruppan!

On the other hand, Rocky's obvious example of journalistic toadying, "No Such Thing As Mahathirism" can be found, here

This is war and it will have its fair share of traitorous Mangkuk Hayuns and loyal foot-soldiers of blind mice.

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