Intelligent Intelligence? Comment By Dato' Seri Yuen Yuet Leng

There was a discussion thread in my old school eGroup regarding the alleged Google and CIA linkage, here.

One commentator was Dato' Seri Yuen Yuet Leng and it makes interesting reading because he digressed. The famed patriot and communist fighter could not help venting about how Malaysians are screwing up Malaysia probably because he perceives the Malaysia of today is not the Malaysia he put his life on the line for.

Please read:

Every intelligence organisation will do the same thing, us inclusive, if we have the same access and the means, if nessary or expedient and normal diplomatic or legitimate channels failed or are inadequate. The vehicle is not only communications but any form of national activity or people. The point is not to be caught in the act. If you are bone fide diplomatic rep you will be asked to leave. If you have no diplomatic immunity you may even face the firing squad. I will be very surprised if Chinese intelligence is not also exploiting googles as well in their own way.

I only wish our internal "Katak" types realise early their retrogressive primitive tribal like talk so much about race and negative political religion that outside in the world of globalisation, nobody gives you any handicap in the name of indigenous ethnicity - you have to compete to requisite defined qualifications not because you think your colour or creed is better. Nobody cares how great you were in the past. It is whether you are good enough in the present.

More should read Zainon Ahmad's article dated 17th January in the Sun on how Tun King Ghaz put perspective right when he said in the early 1 970s to a contending few, "You haven't read the constitution have you? Had you read, you would have noticed there is no such thing as Malay or bumiputra rights. The constitution only accords the Malays and bumiputras special position, not rights ot privileges." Tun should know he was a very relevant party in structuring the original 1957 Constitution, 1963 Malaysia agreement and the 1970 NEP and the Rukun Negara.

Again on 28 November 1978 he wrote about national unity, the imperitive need pf the NEP following May 13 and the dangers of a NEP not proper managed (and what in fact Tun Razak was also apprehensive about):

"The national gaol is plainly spelt out in the Rukun Negara. National unity stands in the forefront as an imperitive without which there would be no national security. A nation comprising people of different races, religions, beliefs and communal customs cannot have their main pre-occupation other than the continuing quest for a guarantee that these diversities do not transform themselves into sharpened edges of conflict. Indeed each day of peace and stabilty is a bounty which should be relentlessly be devoted towards blunting these edges by all manner of devices through policies of social and economic development, so that desirable changes are brouhjt about within the context of schemetic growth and controlled distribution.

Thus the New Economic Policy should be viewed in this light. It is a bold attempt at societal engineering with the objective primarily to create the environment within a given time which would condition the steady evolution of a valuational system ommon to all races and creeds within respective general vocational framework. This together with some other objectives as poverty redressal which are mutually reinforcing would, it is envisaged, bring about national resilience and stability conducive to strengthening national unity.

In the short term time frame, firm measures would have to be taken to nip in the bud the emergence of issues which may bring about physical conflicts between communal groups as a result of extremisms."

A GOOD NEP ABUSED AND TURNED INTO EXTREMISMS of misguided RACIAL RIGHTS & POLARISED RELIGIOUS AND MISGUIDED ANTESCEDENCE while purist idealism on the other divide affords no compromise - on principle of law, I agree but on implementation of decision of law - it can be discussed without compromising law itself.

It is a pity that our English media did not convey fully what PM stated two days ago. Sin Chew carried something extra in mre details. The PM mentioned that one of best universities in the Middle East was managed by a non-Muslim professional from Singapo and of course he mentioned if we do not get out of the xenopobic box of prejudice and every possible fear we may be (WE ARE) being left behind economically by China, India and Vietnam while our racist and fundamentalist bigots hold tightly their own interpretation of respective faiths.

DSY

Three Sons Of Ibrahims

Talk about bread and circuses...the latest circus in town is Tiger Zulkifli Noordin and I say "Tiger" because he comes from the same school that I did, King Edward VII School Taiping and we refer to each other as Tigers.

Perhaps Tiger Zul is not a one-man circus but just an act hired to fill in between performances. The real circus in town now is of course the "A" word circus which seems to be in interlude. The limelight thus shifts to Tiger Zul and his Tiger Show (or is it Thai girl show?).

However, we have seen Tiger Zul's performance many times before and it is the same old thing with the same old theme that is 1,400 years old. He postures as the greatest protector of Islam as if there is no other, or that the religion or the Ummah or ultimately, even Allah needs his protection.

But this blogpost is not about Tiger Zulkifli Noordin per se. It is about the ringmaster and we the audience being the clowns. No need to write so much here. Just read the following two articles. One is from Haris Ibrahim's blog and the other from the Malaysian Insider on Zaid Ibrahim's latest blogpost. Both are about that other son of Ibrahim...Anwar. Well, Haris...hate to say this but, "I told you so!"

Please read on and you decide who may be having his his balls tied to his arse.

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Zul no fear little pharaohs. Zul have Big Chief Sitting Bull by the …
January 27, 2010

Lil’ Hummingbird caught up with me for drinks last night.

“Zul got a battering from most of those at the PKR politburo meeting earlier. Most made it clear that this fool had become a liability to the party and would no longer be tolerated.”, he volunteered, as he beckoned the waitress to attend to his near-empty glass.

“Guess who came to his aid, though, and saved his sorry ass, for now at least?”, he asked, practically emptying the glass that had just been filled.

“Who?”, I asked, just as I caught the attention of the waitress and signalled her to get him another pint.

“Big Chief Sitting Bull and his two sidekicks,”, he volunteered.“Who the hell is that?”, I asked.

“Damn it, can’t you even figure that one out?”, he threw back at me.“Who?”, I repeated, my impatience showing.

“Anwar, as lead counsel, Azmin and Jui Meng playing second fiddle.”, he rattled.

“Aw, come on. Even Malaysiakini reported yesterday that Anwar had said that this time the idiot had gone too far, and had demanded an explanation from Zul. Having taken such a position publicly, why the about-turn now?”, I asked, unable to hold back my dsibelief at what I had just been told.

“Aiyoh, you are so @#$%^&* naive. Bloody politician, isn’t he? When do they ever say anything and really mean it? They just tell us what they’re sure we want to hear. Bloody sandiwara, that’s what it was. A lot of ‘cakap tak bikin’.”

“You know why? Anwar’s afraid of how Malay voters will react if Zul is sacked or suspended for what some may perceive as he having acted in defence of Islam. So what does he do? Orders Zul to shut the @#$% up and send this matter to the Disciplinary Committee of the party. That way, if the DC takes any decisive action, at least no one can point a finger at Anwar. Better still, may be between now and when the DC is supposed to hear this matter, something else will come up to draw attention away from this idiot’s latest antics,”, he went on.

“People, even within the party, are beginning to talk, though.”, he offered, and, deliberately, I think, left it at that.

I took the bait.“Ok, what’s the talk?”, I asked.

He looked impishly at his empty glass.

“Miss, one more for my friend, please”.

“Zul has Big Chief by his you-know-what. Nobody knows quite what it is, though. At least, no one is saying anything. Just yet.”, he blurted, as he gulped down the newly arrived pint.

He got up to go, but paused long enough to promise to go dig for details if he thought I’d be a little bit more generous next time round.

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Zaid slams PKR over Zul’s case

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 27 — Pakatan Rakyat ideologue Datuk Zaid Ibrahim today slammed PKR for treating Kulim Bandar Baharu MP Zulkifli Noordin with kid gloves, saying the party could become a “poor man’s version of Umno” that was incapable of defending its principles and bringing reform.

The political maverick also accused certain quarters in PKR of fearing to take action against Zulkifli as they felt the lawyer was popular among the Malays for his Islamic issues.

“Many feel that PKR is not serious in taking action. In fact, there those who predict it won’t take strict action within the time given,” Zaid wrote in a post headlined “Little Napoleon” in his weblog this morning.

PKR’s political bureau yesterday slapped a gag order against Zulkifli who went against the party line to lodge a police report against Shah Alam MP Khalid Samad over the “Allah” issue.

PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had said the bureau had also referred Zulkifli to a disciplinary panel for further action within 30 days.It is understood that the political bureau meeting was fiery with many asking for action against the former Anwar lawyer who has crossed the party line a few times since being elected in Election 2008.

But a few felt action against the former PAS member would jeopardise the party’s standing among the majority Malay Muslim electorate.

Analysts said the episode exposes the soft underbelly of Anwar’s party — the desire to portray itself as multiracial but living with the constant fear of losing its pull with the Malay voters.

Zaid lamented that Zulkifli has ignored the gag order and has continued to insult the pact’s stand in rival Umno-controlled media.

“It’s strange that Zulkifli Noordin is an ‘untouchable’ in the party; one wonders why there is something special here.“That is why he can criticise anyone as a ‘Little Napoleon’ or those who are powerless, people like me ,” he added.

The former Umno minister said the episode has convinced him that PKR cannot defend core principles in its struggles.

“Only the easy and expedient. PKR today is not that different from Umno, only its mold or just ‘a poor man’s version of’ Umno,” Zaid wrote.

Saying it was clear that Zulkifli’s action was to destroy the party from within, Zaid noted those who fear taking action against Zulkifli felt they risked alienating his supporters.

“But Zulkifli Noordin is not a warrior of Islam, not a Malay warrior. His attitude, action and words are the same as Umno champions,” he said, adding the politician had clearly made statements that are against decisions of the party and Pakatan Rakyat.

“He has given the impression to the people that PKR and Pakatan Rakyat have betrayed the Muslims and Malay Rulers for allegedly allowing those of other faiths to insult Islam especially in the “Allah” issue.

“For me, if we are not confident of our stand in the ‘Allah’ issue and other issues brought by Zulkifli Noordin, then just follow Umno and Zulkifli Noordin. But if we are confident and we hold to principles in the Federal Constitution, and the religious scholars, we must persist with our stand.

“Until when do we want to play politics in two worlds, sticking to one principle there and switching to another here,” he wrote.

Zaid noted there are party colleagues who will now ask him to be patient and follow the legal steps for action to be taken against the recalcitrant Zulkifli.

“I agree. That’s why we should suspend Zulkifli Noordin until the investigations are completed because his offence is clear and continues for those who can and want to see,” he added.

Zaid said PKR must be fair to Zulkifli but also equally fair to the thousands of members who need to be protected when defending party and Pakatan Rakyat principles

“In saying all this, I might be sacked by PKR because I don’t have invincibility like some PKR leaders. But I am used to being sacked and I will continue to voice political struggles that are principled and healthy for the good of PKR and Pakatan,” said Zaid, who had joined PKR after being sacked by Umno in late 2008.

“We are incapable of being a party to bring reforms to national politics and administration if we can’t settle the Zulkifli Noordin issue in the appropriate way,” he added.

Zaid concluded by saying PKR ally PAS has shown its principles and courage for taking action against Selangor PAS commissioner Datuk Dr Hasan Ali, “but PKR is afraid of the Kulim Bandar Baharu MP”.

******************************************

From Zaid Ibrahim's blog:

Little Napoleon

Parti Keadilan Rakyat hari ini membuat keputusan merujuk kes Zulkifli Nordin kepada Jawatankuasa Disiplin parti untuk menyiasat serta membuat keputusan terhadap beliau dalam masa 30 hari. Parti juga mengeluarkan “gag order” atau larangan supaya beliau tidak lagi mengeluarkan kenyataan yang boleh memudaratkan parti serta merosakkan perpaduan Pakatan Rakyat.

Hebat bunyi keputusan PKR. Nak ikut “due process “atau proses keadilan dalam undang undang.Sebenarnya ramai orang merasakan PKR tidak serius untok mengambil tindakan. Malah ada yang mengagak tidak akan ada satu keputusan yang tegas akan diambil dalam tempoh tersebut. Sementara itu Zulkifli Nordin setiap minit akan terus menghina pendirian Pakatan dalam TV UMNO dan surat khabar UMNO dan tidak akan peduli arahan parti, sama seperti yang telah dia lakukan pada masa-masa yang lepas.

Hairan juga keadaan ini, seolah-olah Zulkifli Nordin adalah seorang manusia yang tidak boleh disentuh oleh parti; entah mengapa ada keistimewaan itu. Sebab itulah Zulkifli menggelar sesiapa saja yang mengkritiknya sebagai “Firaun Kecil” atau “Little Napoleon”, iaitu merujuk kepada pegawai parti yang tidak ada taring; maksudnya orang seperti saya.

Selepas hari ini, saya yakin PKR tidak mampu mempertahankan sesuatu prinsip utama dalam perjuangan nya. Hanya yang mudah dan expedient,.PKR hari ini tak jauh bezanya dengan UMNO; cuma ia hanya seperti acuan atau “a poor man’s version of” UMNO.

Ada pihak amat takut untuk mengambil tindakan terhadap Zulkifli Nordin, walaupun jelas tindakannya yang mahu menghancurkan parti dari dalam, kerana bimbang dengan persepsi bahawa orang Melayu dan Islam sayang kapada Zulkifli Nordin . Dia konon nya popular dengan “isu Islam nya”. Tapi Zulkifli Nordin bukan wira Islam. Bukan wira Melayu. Sikap, perbuatan dan kata-katanya sama dengan jaguh-jaguh UMNO. Lagi pula Zulkifli Nordin terang-terang membuat kenyataan yang bertentangan dengan keputusan parti dan Pakatan Rakyat. Apa yang dilakukannya hanyalah memberi gambaran kepada umum bahawa PKR dan Pakatan Rakyat telah mengkhianati umat Islam dan Raja Melayu kerana kononnya sanggup membiarkan orang agama lain menghina Islam, terutamanya dalam isu penggunaan perkataan Allah.

Bagi saya, kalau kita tidak yakin dengan pendirian kita dalam soal penggunaan perkataaan Allah ini, dan isu lain yang dibawa olih Zulkifli Nordin ikut saja UMNO dan Zulkifli Nordin. Tapi kalau kita yakin, kalau kita berpegang kapada prinsip dalam Perlembaggaan Persekutuan , dan pendapat alim ulamak maka kita mesti teruskan dengan pendirian kita.. Sampai bila kita mahu berpolitik dua alam; di sana kita berpegang kepada satu prinsip, di sini kita bertukar kepada prinsip lain pula.

Mungkin ada rakan-rakan yang akan berkata tindakan akan diambil selepas siasatan jawatankuasa parti, dan minta saya bersabar. Ikut lunas undang undang. Saya memang setuju, sebab itu kita sepatutnya gantung Zulkifli Nordin sementara siasatan selesai. Kerana kesalahan nya jelas dan berterusan bagi mereka yang dapat dan mahu melihat. Kita perlu berlaku adil kapada dia , tetapi kita juga perlu berlaku adil kapada ratusan ribu ahli parti yang mengharapkan pembelaan dalam mempertahankan prinsip perjuangan parti dan Pakatan Rakyat.

Dalam memperkatakan semua ini saya mungkin dipecat olih parti Keadilan kerana saya tidak ada kekebalan saperti sasetengah pemimpin PKR. Tapi saya biasa kena pecat dan saya akan terus menyuarakan perjuangasn politik yang sihat dan bermaruah untok kebaikan PKR dan Pakatan. Kita tidak mampu menjadi parti yang akan membawa perubahan kapada politik dan pentadbiran Negara kalau Zulkifli Nordin pun kita tidak bolih selesai dengan cara yang sepatutnya. Nampaknya PAS lebih berprinsip dan berani kerana sanggup mengambil tindakan kapada ketua negeri Selangor nya Dr Hassan Ali, tetapi PKR takut kapada ahli Parlimen Kulim Bandar Baru.

Post Generation Y?

I am watching with interest and amusement how some of our youngsters are trying to cope with the new or social media paradigm.

It is heartening to see most are trying to embrace the empowerment presented by fast improving technology and vast opportunities for social intercourse and networking. By and large, most are content to use these new tools just to fraternize but the more adventurous attempt to "ride the tiger" so to speak and get involved in e-enabled commerce, either as sellers or buyers of services or goods off the Internet.

Faced with the frightening prospect of being unable to keep pace with an expected increasingly competitive environment, many youngsters impatiently plunge into the realm of e-business for fear of being left behind by their peers. As a result many throw themselves into the deep end and try to ride this new wave on a wing and a prayer; most of the time, armed only with the diligence to scour the Net for bargain merchandise for reselling to equally diligent bargain hunters.

Youth-run online business websites and blogs are sprouting up like mushrooms after a storm. The majority are e-trading sites retailing everything from boutique clothes, cosmetics, accessories, etc. to confectionery, appliances, gadgets and what have you.

The great information superhighway was supposed to create the perfect free and open marketplace where laissez-faire is the order of the day. Yet the reality is that we are just not there yet. While information is virtually free-flowing, it forms just one part of the business and transactional cycle. A major component of e-trading is the management of logistics coupled with the "rules of engagement".

Usually, the buyer and seller need to trust each other and this runs counter to basic human nature; the average person is pragmatic in believing the end justifies the means in being perceived as individually successful. This rugged individualism in human attitudes runs counter to universalism and resolution between the two is made all the more difficult because the need for personal status and upmanship is equated with happiness!

However, the rulebook on engagement is a work-in-progress awaiting further development in both enabling technology as well as more effective legislation. Alas, the learning is steep on a curve that is itself only now being defined.

Therefore, things are still very much grey in the world of e-trading and this is reflected in the acceptance that there is an inherent level of risk when one chooses to trade or purchase online. Without the wisdom of experience and knowledge, most immature minds cannot cope with the demands for real business responsibilities and ethical behaviour whether they be the seller or the buyer. Conflict occurs when minds do not meet and anarchy erupts.

To compound matters, aggression and avoidance behavior has been a means of survival for humans since the Stone Age and in our evolutionary process, we have a brain which does not as yet have complete control over our physiological responses. Under high emotional stress, we tend to lose rationality. As Carl Gustav Jung aptly puts it; "The rational and irrational exist side by side and healthy people recognize the workings of both forces within themselves. We should look to our mental neuroses and physical ailments as unconscious value patterns".

I am bemused while witnessing a classic dispute happening to JJ relating to an online transaction gone awry and obviously blown out of proportion by over-reaction. Self-explanatory exchanges can be found here and here. For JJ it is a learning curve.

While fault is debatable and hardly a case for the Police Commercial Crime Division, some rudeness and hassle have spilled over to my blog. Invasion of privacy aside, harassment and intimidation are definitely criminal and I will decide soon whether to press charges.

Obviously, the phone number and exact address of the perpetrator and screenshots are with me.

The Next Generation. Succession.

I remember my nephew Michael (my eldest sister's son) at about four years old in 1985 when they were staying in Damansara Utama. Jeannie and I were not even married then and we used to take him out to nearby department stores, Kimisawa and Printempts located at what is Atria Damansara Jaya today.

Jeannie and I had just known each other a few months then but years later whenever we reminisced about those days, feeding Mike Kimisawa foodcourt curry mee soup (he loved it) always came up. Somehow, for Jeannie and I, the image of Michael enjoying his curry soup (at that age) froze-framed the memory of our own feelings together at the time.

Mike was obsessed with the garbage truck that came around and he called it a metal dinosaur; he even aspired to be a garbage man. When he dropped out of kindergarten, we were certain he was on his way towards achieving his ambition. Nothing wrong with that...isn't that part of what life is about? Setting goals and achieving them?

Fast forward to yesterday, 23rd January 2010 - 25 years later and Mike is 29 this year. After graduating as an engineer from Imperial College and a few years working at Morgan Stanley, London he is back in Malaysia. Yesterday, Mike and long time girlfriend, Lay Peng did what Jeannie and I did on 28th February, 1986; they got registered. To me, they seem a very complementary couple. The cycle of life continues with the succession of generations.

From my parents' side Mike is one of 5 grandchildren; the third generation. This third generation had very different upbringings because of their respective parents and Krystyn (born 1986) & JJ Cheah (1990) are only just getting to know cousins, Elaine Goh (1982) and Sharon (1980) & Michael Phang (1981) better (vice versa). It is not because of age difference or the timely advent of social media but mainly due to parents.

Over the years as adults I hardly met my elder sister Grace except on occasions and as for my eldest sister June, I had not, nor chose to meet in almost 10 years before yesterday. When June phoned me a couple of days ago to invite me for Michael and Lay Peng's matrimonial tea-ceremony, I was always going to attend and Jeannie would have wanted too.

Yesterday, at June's house I watched as the next generation begin to claim their station as adults in the family with Mike's marriage being the watershed. Grace's Elaine is an only child and currently working in Singapore so could not attend. Sharon and Mike have a good sibling relationship and though they may not be as openly expressive of their mutual affection like Krystyn & JJ, they nevertheless are close. I see that Sharon and boyfriend Melvin are good together and am confident Elaine, Krystyn and JJ will one day find their life-partners too.

What is important is that they be allowed to make and learn from their own decisions/mistakes as consenting adults. But why did I sense the vibe of a possible ambient perception (an erroneous one, I would add) that Mike was being dragged to the alter? Perhaps it was just my imagination. Perhaps generations should be allowed to succeed generations.

Congratulations Michael and Lay Peng; here's wishing you both bliss and a wonderful life together...From Tua Khoo and on behalf of Ah Khim.

Broadside From The Old Man On Obama's Anniversary

Tun Mahathir does it again. I can finally claim to have something in common with our Tun...we have both watched "Avatar"!

This article was in the Malaysian Insider. The allegation about 9/11 being staged is not new. Michael Moore said it loud and clear in his documentary "Fahrenheit 9/11". Saddam was screaming it all the way to the gallows and with all the advances in surveillance technology, Osama Bin Laden is seemingly still comfortably having his dialysis purportedly in the boondocks of Afghanistan.

However, whether or not 9/11 was staged it is somewhat disconcerting to hear our Tun joining the ranks of conspiracy theorists when the "veil/shroud" of secrecy and spin is still firmly in place. I should think that this would be beneath someone of his stature (former) and it is yet another reminder that mere mortals cannot cheat Father Time. Welcome to the hoi polloi Tun.

But admittedly, I tend to agree with Tun on this particular allegation (I am especially skeptical about the absence of airplane debris after the crash at the Pentagon) and wait a minute! Perhaps that's another thing I have in common with Tun... wishful thinking.

Alas, my main concern here is not so much about what we think about 9/11 but about Malaysia generating more adverse publicity (we mostly know what the other issues are) and incurring the wrath of the "Jewish gods of money" who can rain hellfire and brimstone on our already fragile economy. He is Jew bashing again.

Do read:

Dr M says 9/11 attacks staged to hit Muslim world
By Asrul Hadi Abdullah Sani

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 20 — Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad today claimed the 9/11 attacks in the United States, that killed nearly 3,000, was staged as an excuse to “mount attacks on the Muslim world”, saying killing as an excuse for war is not new to the US.

The former prime minister also argued that Israel was created to solve the “Jewish problem” in Europe, saying the Holocaust had failed as a final solution against the community.

“In September 2001, the World Trade Centre was attacked allegedly by terrorists. I am not sure now that Muslim terrorists carried out these attacks. There is strong evidence that the attacks were staged. If they can make Avatar, they can make anything,” said Dr Mahathir during his speech at the General Conference for the Support of Al-Quds here. Al-Quds is the Arabic name for Jerusalem.

“Killing innocent people to provide an excuse for war is not new to the US. But whether the real or staged 9/11 attacks have served the United States and Western countries well. They have an excuse to mount attacks on the Muslim world,” he added.

Dr Mahathir also argued the creation of the Jewish state was decided after Europeans failed to massacre the community.

“The Jews had always been a problem in European countries. They had to be confined to ghettos and periodically massacred. But still they remained, they thrived and they held whole governments to ransom.

“Even after their massacre by the Nazis of Germany, they survived to continue to be a source of even greater problems for the world. The Holocaust failed as a final solution,” said the outspoken Malaysian leader who was noted for his anti-Western and anti-Zionist stand while in power for 22 years, until October 2003.

Dr Mahathir added that it was easier for the European powers to set up a Jewish state in Palestine.

“Creating a state for them was thought to be a better solution. It could be if some European territory had been allocated to make a permanent ghetto for the Jews. But of course if this was done then the affected European state would rise in arms and kill all the Jews the way they had been doing before. So the debate was about creating an Israeli state in Uganda, Africa, or somewhere in Latin America or Palestine of course.

“It was so easy to decide on Palestine, a British mandated territory. Restrictions on the disposal of mandated land could be ignored. This is nothing new — reneging on solemnly given undertaking is endemic with Europeans,” he said.

Dr Mahathir also accused democratic countries for being “hypocritical” and pointed out that the world is “partially civilised.”

“We live in a world that is only partially civilised. I say this because we still believe that the way to resolve conflicts between nations is to kill people in what is called war. The winner is the side which succeeds in killing the most number of people. Yet we vehemently declare that killing people is murder, a terrible crime worthy of the most severe punishment.

“We are being openly hypocritical. Mass killing is glorious but killing one man is a heinous crime,” he said in his speech.

Dr Mahathir also expressed his disappointment in Barack Obama and said that the US president has failed. Obama celebrated his first year in office today.

“Well, I am a bit disappointed because so far none of his promises have been kept. He promised to get out from Afghanistan but he ended up sending more troops there instead. He promised to close down Guantanamo but he has not closed down Guantanamo. Even other things he has not been able to do.

“It is quite easy to promise during election time but you know there are forces in the United States which prevents the president from doing some things. One of the forces is the Jewish lobby, IPAC,” he said.

Dr Mahathir had previously blamed the Jews for causing the Asian financial crisis.

Menteri Penerangan Ketinggalan Zaman? Repartee From Rembau.

Oi! What is this from Rembau? Breaking ranks? Whacking Father-In-Law's old friend? Trying to avoid the putrid smell of decaying mentality? Malaysiakini reported these twitters, apparently from Khairi Jamaluddin and directed at that twit of a twerp, Minister of Information who is better off dealing in air time. Next thing the twerp will tell Malaysians to avoid China because he thinks "Yellow Culture" is a chinky chink import. Please read :

Khairy delivers Twitter smackdown on Rais

Erna Mahyuni
Jan 19, 10
1:37pm

Information Communication and Culture Minister Rais Yatim has made a fair amount of controversial statements but his latest views have made him a Twitter celebrity.

Rais was recently quoted in a Bernama piece, 'Muslims must avoid being totally immersed in Facebook, Twitter' exhorting Malaysians to be wary of the popular Internet services.

His comments have gotten Malaysian Twitter users up in arms, with reactions ranging from ridicule to incredulity. Among Rais' critics is Rembau parliamentarian Khairy Jamaluddin.

Twitter users looked on in amusement as Khairy made snide fun of Rais' comments that urged Malaysians to be wary of compromising their culture to Twitterand Facebook's'Western' influence.

Khairy first made a big show of taking a break from Twitterby Tweeting: “Thanks for your views. As a responsible party man, I shall listen to party elders. This will be my last tweet for a very, very long time.”

Not 24 hours later, he posted: “Tried hard to resist the evils of social media as per someone's advice but clearly I'm easy meat forpenjajahan minda (mind colonisation) by dunia luar (the outside world).

In a post to a fellow Barisan rep in Kota Belud, Sabah, Khairy again made allusions to Rais' statement: “Shout out to @mpkotabelud who's (in) kawasan dilanda banjir (flood-affected area). Hope you're on the ground & not immersing yourself in the Satanic WesternTwitter.”

One final rejoinder so far has been this post on Jan 17: “Long day in Rembau. Now going to eat burgers & pizzas. Allowing self to be colonised by evil food. Ya, not letting this go yet, Mr Minister.”

Malaysian Twitter on fire

Rais also became a talking point on Twitter last night when news of a fire in downtown Kuala Lumpur broke first on Twitter. Twitterusers were reporting the blaze before major news services had gotten word.

Twitter users were the first to know, sharing pictures via the service of the blaze and relaying the location to fellow users.

The Twitter posts about the blaze were labelled with the tag #KLfire, creating a thread of sorts where Malaysians posted news and views about the event.

Somehow the thread devolved into a discussion about Twitter'susefulness and Rais' statement about the 'dangers' of Twitter.

One Malaysian tweeted, “Twitterprobably saved lives today by alerting fire dept and media and public quickly. Rais Yatim, saving lives = western influence?”

Another user also directed his Tweetto Rais, saying “Pakcik Rais, you see how fast and effective Twitter is?”

“Thanks to Twitter that Malaysians (are) being informed about #KLfire. I bet Rais still doesn't know about (the) news.”

According to the site TwitDir there are about 3,574 users who registered Malaysia as their location.

Blogger Zhiq, a social media commentator, put the actual amountof Twitter users in the country for 2009 at 21,657 with a likelihood of that quadrupling to over 80,000 in 2010.

What is certain, however, is that Malaysians are embracing Twitterand Facebook, whatever a certain minister has to say about it.

Misinformed Minister Of Information's Misinformation And Disinformation

The Ministry of Information is an important tool in the Government's toolbox but some would like to say it is a potent weapon in the BN's armoury. However, judging by the current Minister and his immediate predecessor, the government (or BN) must be either scraping the bottom of the barrel or plain arrogant to have chosen these two clowns.

Who can forget Zainuddin Maidin's TV interview with Al Jazeera just after the BERSIH rally in 2007? Just to jog your memory, here it is...watch it again and cringe again:



Then we have the current guy who replaced Zainuddin, the seemingly qualified yet idiotic Dr Rais Yatim. As Najib's choice to be his Goebbels, Rais Yatim is more articulate but he appears to be just as stupid. His latest statement is mind-boggling:

Minister Rais Yatim Says "Internet Will Erode Malaysian Culture"
Read here for more.

"Rais Yatim, Malaysia's Information and Communication minister, said Muslims and other religious groups must be wary of the INTERNET as it was introduced by the West."

His statement is stupid on 2 counts. The first is the absurdity of the statement itself. The second is the reference to "Malaysian Culture" by a man who clearly has his own warped idea of what "Malaysian Culture" is as seen in the following (now infamous) clip:



Well, is the Minister of Disinformation, Rais Yatim setting the right "Malaysian Culture" example for our Youth? Fortunately, the Youth are not buying it and this is what they think of him:



YOU BE THE JUDGE...

And We Think We Know "God"?

This very interesting video clip was circulating on my Facebook. It really puts things in perspective and to think it shows only our physical universe. What if our physical universe coexists with other physical and mental dimensions? What if these alternative dimensions of consciousness are layered within our own physical space, parallel to our space, or linked by unknown designs around our dimensions? Imagine the possible reality of such parallel universes on different planes. Imagine the timeless spirit realm...just a heartbeat away.

Imagine, here we are exalting the gods, thinking we can know "Him" through our limited capacity as human beings...that is being rather conceited and presumptuous don't you think? Religion is indeed bad for "God" and serves only God.

More Rubbish!!! Now Sardarji Also Cannot Use...

All this is beginning to look like the McDonalds vs McCurry Wars. It can only happen in Malaysia folks! Malaysia Boleh!!!

Chicken curry or Big Mac anyone?

***************************************************************

Stones thrown at Sikh temple in Sentul
Jan 12, 10 12:12am

The attacks on places of worships in Malaysia escalated with yet another attack - this time against a Sikh temple in Sentul where stones were thrown damaging a glass door.

Police found about 20 golf-ball sized stones near the cracked window pane of the entrance door to the 100-year-old Gurdwara Sahib Sentul temple yesterday evening.

Temple volunteers who were doing gardening said they heard sound of broken glass at 6.45pm and went to investigate. One of the volunteers, who is a police officer, informed the police about the attack.

Temple committee chairperson Gurbial Singh said that no one spotted the assailants. He said that the Sikh scripture use the contentious word 'Allah'. Temple officials are urging devotees to remain calm.

The latest attack came in the wake of a spate of fire-bombings against churches across the nation, triggered by the High Court's Dec 31 decision to lift a government ban on non-Muslims using 'Allah' as a translation for 'God'.

The ruling in favour of Catholic newspaper Herald, which argued for the right to use 'Allah' in its Malay-language section, was suspended last week pending an appeal, after the government argued that 'Allah' is exclusive to Malay Muslims.

Exco and MP visit templeAt least nine churches have been attacked in Malaysia since last Friday in the wake of the High Court decision.Seven churches were firebombed - four in the Klang Valley, two in Taiping and another in Seremban.

The worst hit was Metro Tabernacle Church in Desa Melawati, Kuala Lumpur, where the ground floor of its three-storey building was gutted.

An additional two churches were attacked - a church in Malacca was splashed with black paint, while stones were thrown at a church in Miri, Sarawak, breaking one of its glass windows.

Selangor executive councillor Elizabeth Wong and Selayang parliamentarian William Leong visited the Gurdwara Sahib temple at 10.30pm.

The Gurdwara Sahib building was extensively renovated in 1988, during which a new three-storey building was constructed next to it. Known as the Sikh Centre Malaysia, the new building is home to the Malaysian Gurdwara Council.

'Allah' in Sikh holy bookAt the court hearing of the Herald case, Malaysian Gurdwara Council president Jagir Singh filed the application seeking an intervention.

In his application, he said the word 'Allah' was contained in the Sikh holy book, the Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji.

Jagir said the Sikh scripture was from God and that not a single word in it could be changed, amended or replaced.

The council, which represents the Sikh community, was among those which applied to intervene in the matter.

A number of Muslim organisations - the Penang, Terengganu, and Perak Islamic Religious Councils, Malay Customs Council and the Federal Territory Islamic Council - had also applied to intervene, arguing that they too had an interest in the case.

However, their applications were rejected by the court.

What Rubbish!!!

UPDATED: 16th January 2010

Just 10 years ago, few would expect the following to come out of someone in PAS. Well, it looks like a leopard does change its spots!

An Open Letter to Mr 1-Malaysia-Prime Minister.
Posted on January 16, 2010

Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad, Member of the Malaysian Parliament, Kuala Selangor and Member of the PAS Central Working Committee.

May I take this opportunity to remind you that you have called yourself the 1-Malaysia Prime Minister. I have no qualms in admitting that it’s a good slogan. To be frank I thought it was almost a perfect one.

Partisan sentiment asides, no one in his or her right frame of mind should ever entertain to reject it. But beyond rhetoric, you have now turned into an exact anti-thesis of anything except 1- Malaysia. That has become very distressing and indeed extremely deplorable.

It would be very mean and unfair, to remind that you are the only Prime Minister in our political history that came into office carrying huge political baggage that might have disqualified you and derailed your dream of becoming the Right Honourable PM. Despite the onerous odds, you escaped and scrapped through.

Mind you, those nightmares may have faded for now but much as you wish, it couldn’t be buried forever.

But you had all the chance to be putting right all the many wrongs of your own or party’s ‘sins of omission and commissions’. It has gone past 9 months since you took the helm, the nation is wary and everyone is asking, where is the 1-Malaysia?

You shouldn’t need reminding that rhetoric without substance breeds contempt and distrust. You are dangerously treading the path of your immediate predecessor.

Much worse, you are now perceived as even weaker and perpetuating the legacy of lost opportunity by your unending flip-flopping in the typical fashion of the party you now lead.

What is ailing you Mr PM?

Did you not have the chance to correct the many years of BN’s usurpation of contractual rights of the people of Kelantan by negating the agreement between Kelantan government and Petronas? You didn’t!

The people of Sabah and Sarawak now wonder if the corresponding ‘Vesting Deed’ by which they vested all their rights in their petroleum resources to Petronas will remain in force, once a regime change happens in East Malaysia.

You betray a very poor understanding of the ‘sanctity of contract’ and the practice of Federalism. Against this political decision, your continuous sloganeering of 1-Malaysia seems shallow and remotely caring.

Did you not have the chance to equally denounce and revamp the BTN’s overly ‘racist-indoctrination-propaganda’ on Malay supremacy, as to provide nation-rebuilding and your 1- Malaysia a chance? Again you didn’t! It’s very scary imagining the people you actually listened to.

Did you not witness for yourself of how ‘lawlessness’ in the judiciary has become the norm and the nation quickly degenerating into Uganda and Zimbabwe? Constant overturning of judgments by superior courts smacked of unending Executive interference.

Did you not have the chance to cleanup the rot in the Judiciary after the ceaseless assault by the Executive? You had the chance but you didn’t!

You liberalised the service sector to provide the nation a chance to rekindle our nation’s competitiveness. It was quite commendable. You equally have the chance to prevent and pluck all holes of leakages by stopping abuse of power, corruption and cronyism to truly boost our competitiveness. Oddly, why didn’t you! Your selective amnesia seems baffling.

Matrade convention contract award stood as a landmark testimony to all your performance-first empty-rhetoric.

Apprehending small fries in the PKFZ-mother-of-all-scandal and allowing sharks to roam freely in Malaysian murky waters doesn’t augur well and at loggerheads with the effort to stamp off corruption, reminiscent of the earlier half hearted-war on corruption.

Now you have the chance to evade the looming battle on the usage of the name of Allah by adherents of other faiths. Very regrettably you don’t until it now has escalated to arson attack on 10 places of worships of the Christians and Sikhs?

Quite on the contrary and to everyone’s surprise, you consented to a demonstration by a deluge of disgruntled protestors to vent their anger and worse still, in mosques.

By so doing you are stoking flames of religious dissension and apparently condoning hard-liner’s stance. Isn’t this a great disservice to Islam? Isn’t this a great disservice to Allah? You have in fact fuelled the fire of religious bigotry.

You are in fact planting the seeds of extremism and discords in young Malaysian minds. Isn’t this diametrically opposed to your rhetoric of 1-Malaysia?

We couldn’t be faulted if we now perceive you as irresponsibly opening that flood-gate of self-destruction.

Were you totally oblivious of the far reaching ramifications of your action? Were you not aware of encouraging intimidation and violence as means to resolve religious differences in our truly plural society? Perhaps you weren’t.

That’s bad news for 1-Malaysia.

Finally, who are you really afraid of? Are we to understand that you are after all afraid of the party that you now lead? Are you really in control? Didn’t Pak Lah have all the good intention of putting the two decades of Tun M’s misdoings and failed for the same reason?

Are we witnessing a failing 1-Malaysia Mr PM?

*****************************************
This is 1Najib1Malaysia? First the stand is that he (and his merry men) cannot stop Muslims from protesting the "A" word thingy so they will allow protest. Then for some reason they flip flopped (I was naive to think this term went out with Sleepy Head) and had the great IGP issue warning. Now, apparently someone is protesting by lobbing Molotov Cocktails at churches, everybody is incensed by it!

After the taboo "C" word weapon, the new weapon of choice is now Molotov Cocktails is it? I hope all the wayang we are seeing will not spill out of the opened Pandora's Box! But Malaysians deserve the government that we have since it is our choice. So we had better shut up and go reap what we sow...

This is from the Malaysian Insider:

Najib angrily denies Umno raising tension in ‘Allah’ issue

Najib: Don’t point the fingers at Umno or anyone else.

UPDATED

By Neville Spykerman

PUTRAJAYA, Jan 8 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak today strongly denied Umno should be blamed for raising the mercury in the “Allah” issue which climaxed with today’s attacks on three churches.

“Don’t point the fingers at Umno or anyone else. We have always been very responsible. Don’t say this attack is motivated by Umno,” said Najib, who was clearly unhappy when asked if politicians especially from Umno should be blamed for fanning the flames.

The Metro Tabernacle church in Kuala Lumpur was firebombed at midnight and Live Chapel in Section 17, Petaling Jaya was attacked with a Molotov cocktail, causing some damage.

Another Molotov cocktail failed to explode in the Church of Assumption in Petaling Jaya at 4am.

Police have tightened security at all churches nationwide while bracing for protests by Muslim groups against the Dec 31 High Court ruling allowing Catholic weekly Herald to use “Allah” in its Bahasa Malaysia section.

Najib also disclosed that there have been two incidents and one threat reported thus far.

“I condemn the attacks and those responsible because this will destroy the harmony of the country,” the prime minister said.

He pointed out that the country's multiracial and multi-religious identity should not be threatened and the government will take all possible action to stop such attacks, adding he has directed Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan and Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein to step up security around churches.

He urged the public not to take the law into their own hands and use the right channels to express their concerns.

Both Najib and Hishammuddin had over the past two days said that Muslims had a right to protest the “Allah” ruling within mosque compounds despite fears it might escalate tension in the country.

DAP parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang said top political party leaders should take a common stand to condemn the spate of church attacks in the wake of the “Allah” controversy and ensure that there is no further escalation. "

What many Malaysians had feared would happen and which the Prime Minister and Home Minister had discounted with their far-from-responsible stances — the exploitation of the ‘Allah’ controversy by irresponsible and extremist elements — have unfortunately come to pass," the Ipoh Timur MP said in a statement.

He said Najib "should immediately impress on Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein to take all urgent and necessary measures to protect the good name of the country or be held responsible for any undesirable consequences".

"In just nine months, Najib’s 1 Malaysia slogan is facing its most critical test as its very credibility is at stake."

"Malaysia also cannot afford further adverse international publicity over the 'Allah' controversy, which would only aggravate Malaysia’s declining international competitiveness if there is escalation of deplorable incidents by irresponsible and extremist elements like the spate of church attacks," Lim added.

PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang condemned the “terrorising” fire bombings against the Metro Tabernacle Church and Church of Assumption.

Saying Islam allowed for freedom of worship, he said the actions went against its teachings and were committed by those who don’t understand their own religion.

“PAS members and supporters throughout the country and the people must always remember to be calm and not be influenced by the provocative actions of certain quarters,” Abdul Hadi said in a statement.

**********************************************

STOP IT NOW!
Malay Mail: Friday, January 8th, 2010

PRIME MINISTER Datuk Seri Najib Razak this morning condemned the actions of some irresponsible people, saying they were threatening harmony in the country.

Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein issued a stern warning to the trouble-makers to stop their cowardly acts.

They join politicians from both sides of the divide in condemning the attacks and calling on the people to be calm and not speculate. Police have promised to act swiftly to bring the culprits to book.

At Press time, it was confirmed that at least four churches were allegedly attacked.More to come...

Bully

The madness begins? The idiots have started. I think the other side is not so stupid as to react; they are totally out-numbered, out-gunned, out-everything. But this is not a Catholic church lah. A friend of mind is right, it's all about “Power”... and Bully is the word. To the idiots, I suppose you must think Allah is proud of you now for burning down His house.

This was in Malaysiakini:

Church fire-bombed ahead of protests

A church has been fire-bombed in an attack that gutted its ground floor, church officials said, escalating a dispute over the use of the word 'Allah' by non-Muslims.

A fire department official said all stations were on alert for more blazes at religious buildings, ahead of planned nationwide protests today by Muslim groups angry over the use of the word as a translation for 'God' by Christians.

The three-storey Metro Tabernacle church in Desa Melawati, Kuala Lumpur, part of the Assemblies of God movement, was set ablaze in the attack which took place around midnight, said church leader Peter Yeow, 62.

"Witnesses saw four people smash the glass and throw incendiaries into the church building. They came on two motorcycles," he told AFP at the scene as fire department forensic officers picked through the wreckage.

There were no casualties in the attack on the church, which occupies the corner lot of a row of shop houses and which Yeow said draws some 1,500 people weekly.

"The fire destroyed the administrative part of the church. We do not know if the prayer hall on the third floor suffered any damage," he said, warning all other churches to "double their guard" against any attacks.

Anuar Harun, who headed the fire department operation, said that forensic experts were working with the police and a canine unit to probe the blaze.

"We are investigating the cause of fire. We cannot provide any more details. It is a sensitive issue," he said when asked if it was a case of arson.

"We have asked all our fire stations to be on alert for such fires on religious premises," he told AFP.

Building erupted into flames

The High Court last week ruled in favour of the Catholic weekly, The Herald newspaper, which has used 'Allah' as a translation for "God" in its Malay-language section. The government has said the word should be used only by Muslims.

The ruling was suspended on Wednesday pending an appeal, after the government argued the decision could cause racial conflict in multicultural Malaysia, where Muslim Malays make up 60 percent of the population.

The security guard at the Metro Tabernacle church, 65-year-old V Mariappan, said he had just walked away from the main entrance of the building to use the bathroom when the building erupted in flames.

"When I came back, there was a huge fire inside the church building. There was a few loud explosions like bombs exploding," he said, adding he saw two motorcycle helmets lying on the road in flames.

The Herald's editor Father Lawrence Andrew has warned of a campaign of intimidation including hacker attacks against the weekly's website, protest plans and widespread criticism in the media over last week's ruling.

"We believe these actions (are designed) to create a climate of fear and a perceived threat to national security so as to pressure the court in reversing its decision," he said this week.

More than half of Malaysia's Catholics are from indigenous groups, most of whom live in Sabah and Sarawak and who mainly speak Bahasa Malaysia.

- AFP

What is the difference between Malaysia and Iraq or Afghanistan now?

"A" Word Protest Allowed? Tetapi Tak Cukup Quorum Kot...

Hishamuddin obviously said it, Najib said it by supporting it, Muhiyuddin said it differently, Selangor UMNO wanted to do it. But now, why are they all starting to back-track? The back tracks; here, here, here and more! Perhaps our great IGP threatened to arrest them (for sedition perhaps) since the police are going against the seemingly unanimous political stand (also check out here, here, and here just in case you think you are dreaming). I am referring to the threatened mass rallies about the "A" word lah!

What could have spooked the horses to stay after the barn door was opened, so to speak? Did someone mis-read the tea-leaves? Did someone over-estimate the magnitude of the anticipated groundswell? Did PAS checkmate UMNO on the "A" word issue? Maybe, tak cukup quorum kot; imagine if the rally did not draw enough participants to match even the famous Hindraf rally. Can you imagine the red faces if only say, 10,000 showed up? To prove its point UMNO needs nothing less 100,000 going to the streets on Friday. Without their Malay Muslim brethren from PAS, PKR and others, the world may get to see just how much (or how little) support UMNO has from Malays in reality!

Whatever the reason the horse will not bolt on Friday and even if Najib never owed IGP Musa Hassan anything in the past, he sure owes the latter something now. Did Musa Hassan save Najib's (and Hishamuddin, and the rest) backside (again?) by going against orders? Unlikely huh.

Anyway the real reason is probably because of Ku Li...yeah right!

Read this from Ku Li:

Ku Li says an intolerant Umno is fanning racial sentiments
Tengku Razaleigh says Umno’s response to the ‘Allah’ controversy is ‘short of leadership and moral fibre’. — File picBy Leslie Lau, Consultant Editor

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 7 — Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah lashed out at Umno today over its strident position on the “Allah” controversy, pointing out that the party was bent on fanning communal sentiment and digging itself into an intolerant hardline position with no parallel in the Muslim world.

He also suggested that racially-based parties should no longer be allowed to contest elections in multiracial Malaysia.

Speaking in Singapore today at the ISEAS regional outlook forum, his scathing remarks comes as Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak shored up Umno and the government’s position over the Allah controversy by backing the right of Muslim groups to hold a public demonstration tomorrow.

Umno and a number of Muslim NGOs have been in an uproar over the recent High Court ruling allowing the Catholic church’s Herald newspaper to use the word “Allah” to refer to God in its Bahasa Malaysia section.

The government has filed an appeal against the ruling and yesterday it won a stay of execution.

The Islamist PAS, however, has backed the court’s ruling by pointing out that the word “Allah” can be used by those of the Abrahamic faiths — Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

Tengku Razaleigh suggested today that the rejection of Umno and the Barisan Nasional (BN) communal politics model by large swathes of voters in Election 2008 had led the Malay nationalist party to pursue racial issues more stridently.

“They think this will shore up their ’base’. They are mistaken about the nature of that base. As they do so, they become more extreme and out of touch with ordinary voters of every race and religion whose major concerns are not racial or religious identity but matters such as corruption, security, the economy and education.”

He cited as an example the “Allah” controversy.

“In a milestone moment, PAS, the Islamic party, is holding onto the more plural and moderate position while Umno is digging itself into an intolerant hard-line position that has no parallel that I know of in the Muslim world.

“Umno is fanning communal sentiment, and the government it leads is taking up policy lines based on ‘sensitivities’ rather than principle. The issue appears to be more about racial sentiment than religious, let alone constitutional principles,” he said in his luncheon address.

He said Umno’s response to the “Allah” controversy was “short of leadership and moral fibre.”

Tengku Razaleigh’s latest attack on Umno and the government is not likely to go down well with the hardline conservatives in his party.

But the Umno veteran has been unrelenting in his call for reforms in Umno. Recently, he also slammed the BN government’s position in refusing to give oil royalties to Kelantan, which is ruled by PAS.

On the “Allah” issue, the former Finance Minister is particularly scathing in his remarks.

“Sensitivities is the favoured resort of the gutter politician. With it he raises a mob, fans its resentment and helps it discover a growing list of other sensitivities. This is a road to ruin. A nation is made up of citizens bound by a shared conception of justice and not of mobs extracting satisfaction for politicised emotional states,” he said.

Tengku Razaleigh said that when the government began speaking the language of sensitivities, it was a mark of the country’s decline.

He said the controversy over the use of “Allah” should not be about managing sensitivities but about doing what was right.

“This is what government sounds like when a political system and its leadership have come unstuck from the rule of law. It goes from issue to issue, hostage to the brinksmanship of sensitivities. Small matters threaten to erupt into racial conflict.

“The government of a multiracial society that cannot rise above sentiment is clearly too weak or too self-interested to hold the country together. It has lost credibility and legitimacy. The regime is in crisis.”

Tengku Razaleigh said that while the prime minister had made what he called “helpful gestures” towards freeing up the economy and pursuing multiracial policies, Malaysia was still in need of fundamental reform.

He urged an overhaul of the political system to rule out racially exclusive parties from directly contesting elections; a restoration of the independence of the judiciary and the media; and an all-out war against graft.