Signs are clear
I think it’s quite clear.
Don’t go at it alone.
Don’t screw your team.
Don’t leave them behind.
See ?
Menteri Besar Lama – Update
So the guy from Pangkor managed to get the court of appeals to stay the decision of the high court in KL. It’s their right, but keep in mind 3 months is a long time for a state to have no functioning and effective political leadership.
Even an UMNO veteran is sounding the alarm bells.
Too much of this and everyone will just walk away in disgust.
Who is to blame after that ? The lying new media?
Menteri Besar Lama
It’s true. After much drama and debacle befitting a lazy afternoon episod of the Bold and the Beautiful, Nizar (and everyone in Malaysia who understands and adheres to the concept of democracy) has finally got the victory and ruling they so desired.
Victorious Nizar! - The Malaysian Insider
There’s lots of cheers from everyone, but there’s also caution.
I don’t know. I see everything in equal terms and possibilities.
We should be worried, but this is a very different world from the sixties.
So What Now?
May 7th came and went. It went where everyone knew it would go eventually. To the victor with the bigger army and better guns. Frankly after the fracas that happened in Perak could you ever honestly trust the Barisan National to be sincere? Put political bias aside.
The story/end result is still the same. Certain parties drove events in Perak that led to this farcas and used whatever it had at its disposal to win, at any cost.
I’m not really sure how these people sleep soundly at night. I know what I can do though. I pay my taxes every year and I have my rights as a citizen to vote. I’d strongly recommend all Malaysians to exercise their choice at the next general election.
Some interesting comments and remarks:
- Self-installed Kings
- May 7 is the Day of Infamy for Perak and Malaysia
- Careless Whisper
- An inconvenient judge
Just today the prime minister announced a willingness to cooperate with Pakatan Rakyat to resolve the Perak crisis. Sorry but I don’t really think anyone can think that this could possibly be a sincere peace offering after what has been said and done.
Unless they have something to gain from it.
Post By-election Analysis
Saw on Malaysiakini that there was a thorough and academic analysis of the victories and defeat of yesterday written by Dr Bridget Welsh. Basically I think she implied that people in West Malaysian ain’t suckers anymore. I think she is right….
Anyway you can get a reprint of the article here.
At the moment….
I’m trying to finish reading this:
A Moment of Anguish
It’s quite a interesting read, really throws everything you learnt in secondary school out of the window. It’s either a genuine mistake in simplifying everything that happened or just a blatant attempt at…. oh I give up after figuring out what they try to do to history books for the childern in our school these days. Anyway, this part of what has happened felt so relevant today in Singapore. I guess history repeats itself.
Be right back 🙂
Malaysian Mini Budget 2009
Normally parliament doesn’t do the budget at this time of the year. Since the world economic crisis is really hitting Malaysia where it hurts we’ve just joined the stimulus budget club after everyone else. Sometime in the afternoon today Najib announced the stimulus budget, more specifically ‘Supplementary Supply (2009) Bill 2009‘ in the Dewan Rakyat.
Is my teh tarik gonna cost some more? (Photo from The Star)
Choice highlights are as follows (from the text of the speech):
- Budgeted around 60 billion ringgit Malaysia
- Split into four thrusts (parts or phase, why couldn’t they use that instead)
- Each thrusts is supposed to address (or for the lack of a better word stimulate) specific areas where the economy is perceived to be not doing well.
- First Thrust – reducing unemployment and increasing opportunities.
- Second Thrust – Easing the burden of the people. Including vulnerable groups (sic)
- Third Thrust – Assisting the private sector in facing the financial crisis
- Fourth Thrust – Building capacity for the future.
Of interest to me and probably all you peeps out there is the Third Thrust – Private sector. I read the full text of the speech on the Malaysian Insider but I couldn’t really find anything specific that would say how some things could be done for the affected industries. Which is a big problem because if you skim through the text, that’s just what it is. At the moment it just lacks details on information. Anyway the jury is still out on what’s been tabled and will be dissected eagerly by everyone else on the web. Places you should watch for critiques & opinions:
- Lim Kit Siang’s blog
- Malaysia Today
- Malaysian Insider
- Jeff Ooi’s Screenshots
Full text of ‘Supplementary Supply (2009) Bill 2009‘ can be found here.
I think Jeff’s take on it pretty much summed up what I thought after reading through it. It felt pretty general.
Half Naked Students at UM Function
Really?
Saw a little excerpt from Lowyat.Net forums on this. Apparently Mahasiswakini.com ran an article about University Malaya 8th College ladies night function where they claimed the ladies were half naked. Now this really could be exciting news but keep in fact that the peeps who write for Mahasiswakini have very conservative and somewhat Talibanistic view of fashion in Malaysia. So really what did they wear?
They look fully clothed to me. In fact they looked like they were having a good time at the said formal event. Not a fashion guru but they are dressed decently and appropriate for the event that stipulates that level of dress code. I’d like to emphasize that being dressed like that doesn’t even border on being half naked like the article suggested. In fact people here dress like that all the time for functions like this which ever race you were.
Really it boils down to a matter of opinion and what you really end up with is a bunch of dweebs who want to impose their brand of decency on the general public. The deputy education minister was even a bit weirder with a quote from him:
“It is normal for Chinese girls to dress like this,” he said, referring to girls in bareback.
“But they cannot dress like this when attending lectures. I will ask the university to look into the matter.”
Can’t really decide which side he is on but if you ask me who in their right mind would actually attend lectures like this unless you want to catch a cold?
Wow ~~~~
The internet really sucked in the last few months, hence the few updates between entries. Webshots and WordPress never really worked (half assed loading) thanks to Telekom Malaysia. Since then my only real recourse really was to just bear with it. Sometimes this website would work sometimes other would not.
Back to real life, some things have been happening in Malaysia as its citizens become a little more politically aware of what their rights are (in no particular order or importance).
- A. Kugan dies while in police custody.Something smelt fishy and immediately it becomes clear to everyone with half a brain that water in the lungs (no mater how official sounding it was) wasn’t responsible for his demise.
- 2 leaders in one state which triggered a constitutional crisis in Perak which hasn’t been resolved at the time of writing. Lots of backroom shenanigans and back hand tactics are being employed. Public opinion of this situation doesn’t really seem to approve of what a certain party did.
- Nude photos scandals. Dare I say that the timing of this was pretty convenient ?
- Malaysian Agency for Cash & Cows. Again, more convenience than all the 7-11’s in this country.
- A elected rep who really cares about what she does and what she stands for. Seriously this gal is all over the place making sure things are being done. She actually got that abomination of a park to go away. Definitely need more dedicated reps like her.
- Bunch of monkeys beat up a disabled person in parliament. How low can anyone go? Apparently very low. This guy justified it till the cows came home. Dude, your grandfather is rolling in his grave!
- LCCT Labu. Do I really need to pay for taxi fare to Seremban now? It already costs ~RM 60 to get to KLIA.
- There’s a toll hike and then there’s none!
Update: Found a video on YouTube where Karpal Singh is being verbally harassed in Parliament.
Later all 😛
Hypocrita
hyp·o·crite
- a person who puts on a false appearance of virtue or religion
- a person who acts in contradiction to his or her stated beliefs or feelings
Today’s a very strange day. Saw, read a lot of things in the papers today which make me believe that the world we live in is full of hypocrites. No matter how you play it they are there in your life. Sometimes you find people you work with are exactly like that as well. Nothing but a facade, illusion that is easily unmasked.
I almost feel sorry for them.
The web is exploding with follow ups on this. Here’s a judicious selection of links to follow up on:
Yes we are embarrassing ourselves throughout the world.
The 44th President of the United States of America is……
Barack Obama. He also happens to be the first African American president in the history of the United States of America. Congratulations to Barack on his victory. You know frankly I think he played his campaign pretty well and it helps if your opponents foo bar themselves at every point in the campaign. Time will tell if he makes good on his election promises.
We here in Boleh Land can only dream but never see the reality of any other race being equal in any sense. It’s their right apparently.
Are we living in the past?
Barack Obama image source: Biography.com
The Chinese Zodiac
As a pragmatic and rational (ok ok some of you think I’m dull and boring) person I’ve never taken a interest in the Chinese zodiac animals because I never really believed in it. For the record I’m a snake therefore I *should* share many characteristics of that creature 😛 .
The last couple of years have been interesting, in particular I find myself observing the behavior of people I am around with.
I’ve come up with a interesting amalgamation of behavioral traits of people and I’ve kind of mangled and generalized them into two particular animals which are represented in the Chinese zodiac. Apologies to friends and families who love these zodiac animals, I like them very much but take it in good stride and humor 😛
The Skinny Dragon
Is a person who is flamboyant and has tenuous symbolic association with wealth and power. He/She 
is also self confident and able to create a quick impression with the necessary hurrah. Very much like their zodiac counterparts they are egotistical self-aggrandizing and ambitious but with little genuine care for the well being of others around them (a stark contrast to the Zodiac counterparts). Such a person will not step forward in the field of strife, instead choosing to turn tail and seek the comfort of shelter hoping that the prevailing storm will pass. Because they are proud and prominent in nature, to loose face is a greater defeat than losing a conflict. The skinny nature of the dragon is due to the lack of confidence in social (family situations) and unfamiliar events. More accurately it is a manifestation of his/her self esteem and confidence (or the lack of it).
The Fatty Tiger (also available in paper version)
The Fatty Tiger is a person who presents a fierce and strict appearance. Looks can be deceiving. He/She uses this appearance as a facade to their advantage hoping to shake and rattle unsuspecting persons with their demeanor. In truth the Fatty Tiger bears little resemblence to their zodiac counterpart, apart from the demeanor. 
Persons who fit into this category have very little substance instead uses deceit and intimidation to their advantage. At a glance they appear to be friendly and helpful a useful show they often put on. Self centered and inflexible they will prioritize themselves at the expense of everyone else. Also available is the paper version of the Fatty Tiger, lots of growling but with little bite when confronted with facts. Lastly like its name sake, the Fatty Tiger would always through its weight around causing anxiety around it.
Dealing With The Two Animals
Where ever you go you are bound to encounter the two of these personalities. The good news is that it isn’t a lost cause for other zodiacs. These two personalities if are like oil and fire. They will not mix well with each other. The Fatty Tiger will always assert itself and reinforce its understanding and needs. The Skinny Dragon being a proud and self indulgent creature in nature will have plans and dreams but lack the courage and self esteem to carry it out. It will seek out the Fatty Tiger as a common friend believing that his sovereign up bringing would make him an invaluable ally to the Fatty Tiger. The deceitful friend will feign understanding, compassion and plots to undermine the Skinny Dragon at every turn. The Fatty Tiger will win the conflict eventually, the Skinny Dragon is too proud to ever realize defeat. When dealing with the Skinny Dragon appeal to its ego and ambition. The Fatty Tiger is easy to deal with, confronted with facts his deceit and intentions are clear for all to see. The louder bark/growl wins the day. In cases where they are in a mutual alliance, the above facts are useful to break the tenuous alliance in place. In the cycle of life & death these two personalities are always in conflict.
The good doctor has also written a piece on this although he has his own interpretations of them 😛
What’s next ? The Snowy Rabbit ?
This man says…… ‘Retain 30% of bumiputra equity’
Screams the headline from the Star 
Every time I hear someone saying that in Malaysia, it reminds me of a important thing Malaysia needs to look at. We’re not progressing very well as a nation (both economically and politically). Before I get pulled out of my comfy chair by an angry mob, hear me out. When you look at Malaysia’s history you have to admit we have a lot going on for us and at a certain point in time, we were on equal footing with Singapore. So what’s the big difference between our neighbourinos and us? Only one thing if you ask me:
Every person in Singapore is a Singaporean !
Until that concept really takes off sometime soon in this country, I think things will be as they always have, perhaps even worse.
The Good Doctor Is Back…..
Indeed he is. Reinvigorated and refreshed he brings us a curious tale which I appreciate 😛
Play The Name Game
The usual busy night in Jalan Alor
So Jalan Alor has been renamed to Jalan Kejora. The food haven that everyone (well I haven’t gone there in 10 years or so to eat) is so fond about is about to get a ‘new image’:
Datuk Bandar Datuk Ab Hakim Borhan said the move, which was planned three years ago, would give the tourist destination of Bukit Bintang a new image
At the surface level I’m unconvinced of the need to make such changes to the road name simply…. because it is not necessary. Actually they do give a reason further along in the article:
City Hall explained that the name was changed at the request of the National Economic Action Council to meet requirements under the road naming guidelines and to go with other roads in the vicinity
I’m not really privy to those guidelines but if ya’all ask me this sounds like a decision made arbitrarily. Sigh. You live in this country, this is crap number 2500 that you have to deal with.
Source article: the Star Online
Image: Gerald Oskoboiny
Afternoon nap 