malaysiakini's NEWSMAKER of 2009....

As 2009 draws to a close, malaysiakini's readers have responded to their selection of the Newsmaker of 2009.
It is a tragic case for both the family and all Malaysians for a young man died while in the custody of the MACC who had detained him for interrogation in a minor corruption probe.
Even the inquest has been delayed for unknown reasons and one reason given is that the second autopsy report has not been completed. This happened after the famous Thai forensics expert Dr. Porntip testified that in her expert opinion the chance of homicide and not suicide was 80%.

TBH was just an ordinary citizen going about his young life, trying to eke out a living when his existence was so cruelly snuffed out.
According to the online poll on this blog,
53% of voters believe "The Truth Will Never Be Revealed".
31% think "They were holding him outside the Window and his Pants Tore"
10% believe "The MACC Allowed a Third Party to Kill Him".
3% feel "He Committed Suicide to Protect Others"
1% are ready to "Accept the Official Version".

As malaysiakini readers respond to its choice of the 2009 Newsmaker, 'Beng Hock will have his triumph in death' there is both anger and hope. Anger that the culprits have not been caught and hope that they will bring change in the near future. Let us all pledge that cases like TBH do not recur.

I wish all readers a Happy and Healthy 2010.

malaysiakini and the MOST LUDICROUS CLAIM of 2009..

They don't give awards for this category of news items but maybe Malaysia can start one in the concept of 1Malaysia?
The Selangor police chief is drawing a lot of public flak from malaysiakini readers in this article Ean Yong, police - 'Who is intimidating who?' after the politician made some remarks about the police in a speech.
We all know that some superficial changes were made to the police after the government baulked at the implementation of the IPCMC following the protests of some senior police officers.
We also know that many signs and badges were made against corrupt practices but I just wonder what really has changed to make the police any better compared to pre-IPCMC proposals - for one, death in police custody has not been stopped and the case is still ongoing for the TBH murder.
Surely the police have not changed from being bullies of detainees to becoming sissies?
Malaysia must be the first and only country where a senior police officer can feel intimidated by a speech from a politician. We all know the saying "The pen is mightier than the sword" - maybe the Selangor police chief fears that the truth will finally prevail and the misdeeds of many senior officers will become public knowledge.
Yes, the errant police officers should fear the public's cry for justice in Malaysia. We owe ourselves and our children that much.

malaysiakini and Do YOU Trust the GOVERNMENT ANYMORE?

The brickbats have been flying fast and furious with the belated discovery and reporting of the missing aircraft engines.
Readers of malaysiakini claim 'AG has no credibility to promise full probe'.
Based on past experience, it seems the AG's office acts as a major damage control center cum PR for the Prime Minister's office in the manner in which major scandals are processed.
The most glaring case is the Lingam tapes scandal in which a lawyer was video-taped fixing up judicial appointments with a senior judge. The inquiry decided that enough evidence was available to take criminal action but the case ended up as a NFA file.
In case you are not familiar, NFA stands for "NO FURTHER ACTION".
I was discussing with my sis-in-law about the English to BM switch in a few years and she told me her daughter would have to make the switch in Form 4 and parents are very concerned about the disruption and are making appeals for a change in government policy.
I told her that instead of making strenous efforts to make the government change, all the parents should channel their efforts to change the government.
Vote for the opposition in the next elections.

malaysiakini and ANUS HORIBILIS in Malaysia....

I know that Queen Elizabeth described the year as "annus horibilis" a few years back but in Malaysia, we have a case of "anus horibilis" with the Anwar sodomy case being reflective of what has gone horribly wrong with Malaysia's progress as a nation.
As we look back on the year, there have been so many problems that indicate a systemic failure in government.
If you consider that familiarity breeds contempt, it appears that the BN has become too familiar with the power of government for so many years that it treats ordinary citizens with contempt.

How else could one explain the following which is a sample of the articles in malaysiakini:

1.'Umno-linked contractors to blame' for the many building failures soon after completion. In most cases, contracts were awarded without competitive tenders. Expect some fatal injuries anytime soon - it is not a question of "if" but "when".
2.AG vows full probe on missing engines but how many of us really believe that the real masterminds will be charged in court and convicted of a serious crime? Stealing military hardware should be a case of treason and not treated like stealing a car.

As we are soon headed to a new year, I hope that 2009 has not been an "annus horibilis" for you. Make sure you register as a voter and prove to the political parties that that cannot continue their "business as usual" mind-set. If you do not change your attitude towards participating in the political process, don't expect the political parties to change.

Best wishes for a Blessed Christmas and a Happy New Year!

All I Want for CHRISTMAS is ......

It's that time of the year and having such a nice present will certainly brighten up my Christmas holiday.
Just imagine what the neighbours will think. Definitely a hard act to follow. All I need are the rest of the parts of the plane as the main part, the engine is available. Maybe it was put for sale on mudah.com.my.
With a headline like Stolen jet engine 'tip of the iceberg' we should be worried about the rest of the Defense Ministry.
Maybe our tanks have been replaced with card-board models with recorded sounds of the engine so that anyone who checks it out will decide that it sounds like a tank engine.
Anyone looking for a missing submarine? Since we bought the "silent" type you won't be able to detect it using listening devices.
And the authorities are still thinking about using nuclear power? I'm OK with that if it is located within one mile of the PM's residence.

malaysiakini and BANK NEGARA'S Complicity in MONEY LAUNDERING?

The headline says it all in malaysiakini Why action against money changers only?.
BNM(Bank Negara Malaysia) has suspended money changers for sending money overseas for various VVIPs but thus far the only action has been to suspend the money-changers.
Sadly this is the usual scheme of things in Bolehland as the Attorney-General appears unwilling/unable to take action against some untouchables in Malaysia.
Also BNM does not have a squeaky clean image as the bank was heavily previously involved in foreign currency speculation against George Soros in the 80s.
George won and BNM lost hundreds of millions of ringgit.
Soros is now a billionaire and the Malaysian who was running the BNM currency scheme is now in the Finance Ministry. Is that not shocking?
Will the MACC be able to investigate BNM for not taking the necessary action against those who have broken the nation's exchange rules?

malaysiakini on the FOOL (or FUEL) SUBSIDY...

The previous Minister wanted to restrict the amount of fuel sold to drivers of foreign vehicles but the idea was shelved after they realised the problems in implementing such a scheme.
So this malaysiakini article comes as somewhat of a shock when it is reported Fuel cap on foreign vehicles starts tomorrow. So far there has been no advertising campaign to advise motorists of the proposal and it seems the government is really short of both ideas and money.
Never mind that the new toy submarines will cost about RM300mil a year just to chase a few smugglers on the high seas.
This new fool subsidy scheme creates many problems for both petrol stations and motorists.

1.Since most petrol stations operate with self-serve pumps, they need to either employ more workers to prevent over-pumping. This restriction is redundant as the Customs also want to enforce the 20-litre tank rule when you exit.

2.Singaporean motorists will be hard hit as they have to leave Singapore with 3/4 tank of fuel and that could be some at least 40 litres in the larger cars.
I expect if this rule is enforced, hundreds of business owners will suffer like shopping malls, restaurants, car washes and even petrol stations.
JB could turn into a ghost town and places like Kulai and even Malacca will be adversely affected.

In order for such a scheme to work, the ministry needs to devise a "zero gain" petrol plan for motorists. The stategy is that you will leave the country without any gain in the petrol quantity.
What the customs needs to do is to enforce the 3/4 tank ruling for vehicles entering the country at all borders to make enforcement simple as that already covers the thousands of Singapore registered cars.
So there is then no need to restrict the fuel sold to motorists at petrol stations.
When the motorists leave the country, the customs will then check (or spot check) the 3/4 tank to ensure that no surplus petrol is taken out.

To the enforcement authorities, I would advise the KISS principle (Keep It Simple, Stupid!) Asking petrol stations to be part of a hare-brained scheme is not tenable.

malaysiakini and the BLAST in Malacca...

This is what happens when we have inexperienced contractors who do not follow safety rules and proper control of the work-place.
malaysiakini's report One dead in Malacca mall blast merely states the obvious reason given by the police as "was likely caused by a gas leak".
If you observe most contract workers in Malaysia, you will notice that many are ignorant or just could not care less about safety rules and procedures.

I would suggest that the following would be the likely cause of this tragedy:

1.The supervisor was too inexperienced to be handling the testing of the system.
2.No-smoking ban was not strictly enforced and ignored in the nearby areas.
3.There was no proper testing of the pipe system for leaks with compressed air or other inert gas before the final commissioning.
4.Shoddy workmanship or inferior quality materials were used in the pipeline.

So the minister who promotes unqualified contractors should take notice of this mishap.

malaysiakini and a MISLEADING OIL Headline

I don't agree with the malaysiakini headline Malaysia an 'oil cursed' country for the presence of oil is really a blessing, just like a stable climate and the lack of natural disasters.
But we have been cursed with national leaders who did not plan for the benefit of future generations and instead schemed on how to rape the national wealth for themselves.
If we compare ourselves with Singapore that was kicked out of the federation with no resources, that tiny dot has progressed by leaps and bounds to become a developed nation. Of course the leaders there are not perfect but mistakes were quickly rectified.
But Malaysia has been cursed with crony contracts that impinge on our daily lives like the tolled highways and the infamous IPPs. So far not many VVIPs have been convicted of corruption like the PKFZ scandal that had adverse Auditor-General reports since 2003.
Just read the online news and you will know that oil has not been the root cause of our misfortunes. So we desperately need to change our fortunes by electing a government that is honest and with some basic integrity.

malaysiakini and now ANYONE CAN TENDER

After so many failed projects with some fatal cases, the BN government seems hell bent on rewarding incompetent contractors, based on this malaysiakini article Gov't tenders open to inexperienced bumi contractors too.
So we can expect more highway failures, sick hospitals and collapsing bridges in the future if anyone with no experience can vie for government contracts.

The slogan for this ministry can be
"Now Anyone can Tender" or perhaps
"If it Collapses, Build it Stronger Next Time".

This reflects a mindset that just because one belongs to a certain category of Malaysians, one can do anything with impunity.
My take is that we have different categories of contractors from grade A downwards and one qualifies from the lower grades upwards, based on track records and qualified personnel.

This "anyone can tender" syndrome will surely lead to more failures and even disaster. Don't we have enough failed projects costing hundreds of millions now even with experienced contractors?

Maybe we should think about appointing "able but inexperienced" Malaysians to become ministers if this is the quality of thinking we have in the government.

malaysiakini and SEARCHING for RATS?......

malaysiakini has this interesting article PAC unable to smell a rat in double-tracking project Now if you know anything about rats, they are a hardy and very smart species.
The other night I saw a rat that was about half the size of a small cat scurrying in a drain in JB town.
Now that the PAC has given the RM1.14billion cost over-run the all clear report, it would be good to provide the exact details of the different items that actually caused the RM1.14billion cost escalation.
Both the companies Gamuda and MMC are main board companies of KLSE and one wonders how such established companies executed such a project without proper planning and control.
According to the report, the variation orders accounted for RM588million and this had not been paid by the government.
Who approved those VOs and why did the government not pay if it approved the VOs? What was the mechanism and procedure by which such VOs are approved if it is a BOT project?
If I remember correctly, this privatisation project was one of those BOT types where the contractor is required to do a turn-key operation and the government has no control over how they execute the project.
If that is the case, the share-holders of such companies enjoy all the benefits from such a project and they also suffer any losses.
Maybe the PAC was looking for the wrong species of animal for the blame?

photo: thanks to http://www.afpmb.org/pubs/Field_Guide/Images/originals/Fig.%20255.jpg

malaysiakini and the GAP Between Race-Based and RACIST Parties

Race-based parties have been with Malaya and Malaysia since independence and as a minority, I have never supported the concept of a race-based party.
In the beginning, the Alliance parties worked quite well as there were 3 main parties - the MCA, UMNO and MIC. Now there are more than a dozen parties all clamouring for posts and contracts.

May13 marked the turning point when Malaysians made the conscious decision to implement the NEP that was supposed to have a finite time-line but somewhere in the process, the smart politicians realised that the NEP could be a guaranteed conduit for lucrative contracts and "piratisation" deals.
So the latest article in malaysiakini You belong to a racist party: Dr M to Nazri simply reflects how low the national leaders have stooped to continue with staying in control and gorging at the gravy train.
Being race-based is not necessarily bad but the leaders have to be mindful of the needs of the other communities and cooperation is desirable and necessary in order to win elections. But when a party is deemed to be "racist", all Malaysians must ensure that that party does not play any role in governing the nation.
Given the parlous condition of many major components of the BN, it is time for the moderate leaders to get out of their racist parties and form a new party that can provide an alternative to PR.

malaysiakini and the TRUTH about the BTN?

The BTN noise has not abated. Indeed it has reached a higher volume and pitch as seen in this malaysiakini article Mahathir a 'racist', says Nazri.
That's a pretty strong charge coming from someone who was considered a minor minister during TDM's reign.
The truth is truly powerful and maybe that is what is required to enable Malaysians to decide who is correct about the contents of the BTN program.
I suggest that instead of conducting a damaging battle in the press the 1Malaysia team should get all documents related to BTN declassified and tackle this problem once and for all.
I would go further and even seek to amend the OSA so that all it takes is a simple majority in state or federal legislatures to declassify documents related to the matter at hand.
For example, the Bukit Antarabangsa tragedy should not require a minister or the Cabinet approval. In the incident happened in Selangor, the Selangor government holds the authority.
I think this will enable the Cabinet to have more productive weekly meetings than all the usual regurgitation of dated material.
And of course the truth must always prevail.

malaysiakini on the Continuing Story of CONTAMINATION ... TDM Claims ALL GOOD with BTN

TDM has a very lucid memory nowadays when he claims the BTN is good for Malaysia.
Remember he could remember precious little when he was asked to testify during the Lingam Tapes inquiry?
He was so BLUR. (Pardon the Singlish or Manglish)
According to this malaysiakini article Dr M sees nothing wrong with BTN courses but thanks to the awakening of many Malaysians, the response has been swift and numerous.
I guess if you ask him more, he will also say there is nothing wrong with the Judiciary, the PDRM and the various mega-scandals linked to the BN government.
I hope he lives long enough to be brought to account to the Malaysian citizens who suffered as a result of his actions while he was the PM.
See how the Italians, the Koreans and the Isrealis are able to bring top leaders to justice? When that happens in Malaysia, I will shop writing this blog within 1 month of sentence being passed.
After all, no one is above the law.

malaysiakini and TREATMENT for CANCER - the CURE for BTN ?

The public reaction to the type of training done in the BTN course has been swift and sure and it seems our youth want to avoid it like the plague as seen in this malaysiakini article Student council reps say 'No' to BTN .
It seems that our youth have more wisdom than some senior BN leaders who came out angrily in support of the Brain-Tuning Narcotics (BTN)that indoctrinated trainees that only the BN was entitled to run the government.
In a democracy like Malaysia, that is of course a dangerous program for instead of empowering the citizens to choose wisely, it confuses civil servants into supporting the government even if the government has broken the law.
As responsible citizens we must be always wary of government programs or lose the capacity to determine their own destiny once the authorities become authoritarian and dictate all aspects of their lives.
In Malaysia we can already witness many areas where it seems the government is using oppressive laws to prevent the public from getting to know more about the scandals like the PKFZ and the BA hillside tragedy.

So why is the reference to cancer with respect to the BTN?
If you observe the reactions to the BTN Scandal, it is just like the human response that one has been diagnosed with cancer:

1.There was anger and denial.
2.The BN patient has agreed to treatment via a "revamp" of the program
3.The treatment is being studied by a specialist appointed by the BN

Now if you are a cancer victim, will be be comfortable with the same doctor to advice treatment? After all, during his years of treatment the cancer has spread more widely and essential organs have been affected. Having a "revamp" is akin to removing just the mole that was the start of the cancer that has now spread to your bone, lungs and liver.

If you really believe the BN will not be able to reverse this national cancer, I suggest it is your solemn duty to register and vote out this government in the next elections.

malaysiakini READERS Respond on the GREED of MAN

The words of Mahatma Gandhi can be changed to
"Malaysia has enough for every man's need but not enough for one man's greed"
to reflect on the alleged RM100 billion ringgit that has been "looted" according to a new book that has been published by a researcher in Singapore.
Of course the words "one man" could be replaced by "one group" or "one party" according to your own perspective of things in Malaysia.
malaysiakini readers have developed a voice and are quite vocal in the article Country going south due to all the 'looting' .
During the past 25 years much damage has been done to vital institutions and I think the headline has the incorrect tense - it should be "The country has gone south....".
Have no doubt about it.
The Government's role has become too large in the economy and the present day scenario is that if the government stops its spending, our economy will tank within a few months.
While another nation's economy will recover when markets correct, with a large government budget, Malaysia will still flounder. Like the Americans with their excessive credit burden, Malaysians too will feel the pinch when the government finally bites the bullet and curbs spending.
Or will it? That's quite difficult if government supporters depend on crony deals to continue their lavish lifestyles.
Meanwhile the Penans and other true Malaysian natives still suffer the lack of basic living facilites and their very livelihood is being threatened with the rape of the forests to generate electricity that they cannot afford to buy.

malaysiakini HOPES the BTN "Revamp" will Work Wonders...

It is good to hope that the BN can change to provide an inclusive government that is fair to all its citizens; regardless of where they came from.
But I just wonder why a few ministers are now trying to change the tune that some leaders like the DPM were whistling just a few days ago.
When the row about the BTN broke, some UMNO leaders claimed that the BTN was all good and those who are against the program do not know anything about it as no one was allowed to record and report on what went on behind closed doors.
Now malaysiakini reports a Revamp for controversial BTN courses just after a deluge of criticisms from those who attended such courses.
Courses like the BTN can be very useful to create understanding among the various races but like any tool, if it is abused or delivered by the wrong people, it will do more harm than good.
Just having a "revamp" is not good enough. What is needed is to have the veil lifted from the BTN program and allow anyone to review the contents and the service providers.
In other words, the OSA will not apply to BTN matters.
Already many thousands over the years have been indoctrinated with the incorrect teaching and need to be "reformed". Otherwise the people in more senior posts are still acting with the wrong training.
To me a "revamp" is not good enough. This is one area where the government must engage the opposition to create a BTN program that benefits Malaysia and not just the BN.

SYABAS malaysiakini! May YOU Grow Old with a NEW MALAYSIA....

Today marks the 10th anniversary celebration of malaysiakini, that many independent minded Malaysians consider to be in the forefront of the new awakening of a national consciousness; and hopefully one that will move away from the ever-hastening chasm of evil that will destroy Malaysia.
We are close to the swift current that will plunge the nation over the "Niagara Falls" of destruction that will morph the nation into the next Zimbabwee.
Just read the news articles and you will get a framework of how this bountiful land has been mismanaged unto the point of getting into a terrible rut of low growth and few FDIs.

A quick snap-shot from malaysiakini:

1.MITI Minister sells the idea that the government is getting a multi-million ringgit convention "for free" when he gives away prime land in KL without an open tender.

2.The MB of NS is being investigated for a RM10mil overseas fund transfer without approval from Bank Negara. I wonder if the thinking was that this is definitely more sophisticated than taking the money out in bags like the former Selangor counter-part.

3.The most damning article is the feedback about the BTN courses conducted by the government. According to malaysiakini readers 'BTN promotes unity? My foot' . I have not seen the contents of this BTN program nor have I asked my daughter about any such course she attended when she studied at IMU about 5 years ago - but that was a private university so the modules may be different.The reaction in the malaysiakini article from actual participants is telling.

The DPM has come out in defence of the course and he mentioned on TV3 about the course being "revised" to reflect 1Malaysia.
Then we have the MB of Selangor banning all state officials from attending the BTN courses as he considers the course a brainwashing program to glorify the ruling parties.

Courses like BTN can do more harm than good if the trainers and the content are skewed and with ill intention. From some of the criticism we hear about, it appears that civil servants are being indoctrinated to support the ruling party, no matter what the consequences.
Perhaps this can explain how the legitimate state leaders were locked out of the Perak state legislature and the police even took part in the overthrow of the PR state government. Instead of showing loyalty to the local state leaders who happened to be in opposition, the civil service decided to follow their BTN training.

Of course I am just throwing wild punches here but to me a course like the BTN must be really free of gender bias, racial bias, religious bias and political bias if it is to be of any benefit to our young citizens.
If we do not root out these inclinations in our young, it will only get worse if they mix with the older folks who were brainwashed and may want change but do not know how. That is a clear and present danger.

If civil servants are being told that only BN can and should rule Malaysia, perhaps that explains why the Auditor-General Annual Report shows the many shortcomings and even abuses that are repeated each year with little or no corrective actions taken.
How do we continue with such BTN courses? It will be good if both sides of the political divide can get together to discuss how the BTN should be improved. A joint committee with representatives from both sides should be formed to monitor and approve the course modules. And that should also apply to the NS camps that probably were created to extend the BTN "influence" to a younger target audience.
The PM has mentioned how difficult it is to change. I suggest the BTN is a monster they created and they must surely tame this monster before it destroys Malaysia.
If the BN cannot change this tack of a destructive brainwashing that will surely wreck the nation, we must change this government in the next general elections before it is too late.
malaysiakini and supporters, enjoy your hard-earned accolades but make sure you return refreshed and ready for the BATTLE ahead.

malaysiakini REPORTS an Early Christmas GIFT from MITI

This impressive looking building is the MATRADE Center in KL, completed after many years of delay and million ringgit cost over-runs.

Too date it has not been established what was the cause of the project's shortcomings.

Maybe the ministry in charge of the project has learned a few valuable lessons as they have now embarked on MATRADE 2.0 as described in this malaysiakini article headed Malaysia in dire need of a convention center".

MITI has a simple plan to get such a mega-convention center.

According to the Malaysian Insider, Matrade gets expo centre for ‘free’, says Mustapa.
According to the article,
"Mustapa explained that building-for-land deal is good value for the Malaysian External Trade Development Corporation (Matrade).

“The valuation of the land in 2007 is RM197 million and we are getting RM628 million’s worth building so we are getting value for money for us. We need a big centre,” he told reporters in parliament here.

The mammoth expo centre being built on a 13.1-acre site in Jalan Duta here is to be developed by Naza TTDI, a unit of the Naza Group, in exchange for 62.5 acres of state land at RM226 per square foot although the market value of the land could reach RM1.5 billion. The entire project will have a gross development value of RM15 billion."

The reasons given for awarding the award to the NAZA group is incredulous as apparently it was based on the fact that the company approached the ministry first with the idea of getting such a "free convention center".
NAZA has been the approved AP receiver for thousands of APs and one can only speculate why they have also been favoured with such a land grant.
If you consider the Insider article, the government will be receiving a RM628m building in exchange for RM1.5b of prime land, so in effect, NAZA already makes a profit of RM872m just on the market value of the land, less land improvement charges. Looks as if NAZA is getting the land for free instead of MITI!

Just because they came up with the concept should not prevent the ministry from having an open or restricted tender from 5 or 6 different parties so that the government maximises the proceeeds from this valuable parcel of land.
In fact the Ministry of Finance should have firm restrictions on such transactions like:
1.Any deal above RM50m must have at least 2 qualified bids
2.Any deal above RM100m must have at least 4 qualified bids
3.Any deal above RM500m must have at least 6 qualified bids

Now it seems if you can get the ear of the Minister, you can come away with some nice freebies.
I remember reading an article about the time when Tun Tan Siew Sin was the Minister of Finance. At the time, MCA was a powerful member of the Alliance (before the BN).
TT wanted to take a few days leave and went to see the Tunku. TAR told him to take the time off.
TT asked, "Who will look after my duties when I am away?"
TAR replied that he would take care of things.
According to the story, TT did not take his leave on that occassion.

Nowadays UMNO controls the Finance Ministry and the results have not been sterling. Just read the Horror Reports of the Auditor-General each year and you will know what I mean.

MATRADE 2.0 for FREE? NAW! Tell me another tall tale, please.

malaysiakini REPORTS an INTERESTING Development that CAN TRANSFORM MALAYSIA

Is this the start of CHANGE in Malaysia?
There is an ongoing tussle between states and the federal government about oil royalties especially in Kelantan and Terrengganu.
It seems that the state gets a royalty only for oil mined 2 miles from the shore and anything beyond that goes to the federal government.
You will remember that the federal government even stopped paying the royalty to the Terrengganu government directly when the state fell to the opposition but instead appointed federal officers to administer the fund.
To me, the federal government appears to be cheating the states as even though the state government is in the opposition hands, that does not give the federal government the right to withhold payment to the state.
Apart from cheating the citizens of the state who elected the state government, this kind of high-handed and unethical behaviour damages the relationship that exists between the state and federal governments.
It is the right of a democracy that voters get to choose their state and federal governments. The PM has offered to make some payments to Kelantan but the category falls under "pity" and not "rights".
So the latest article in malaysiakini "Ku Li to head oil royalty caucus" is an interesting development and can show the way how a better working relationship can be worked out between the state and federal governments.
If Malaysia is to prosper and succeed to become a developed nation, all leaders must accept that whoever is in charge at Putrajaya must be fair to all states whether or not it is controlled by opposition parties.
Apart from oil royalties, I also suggest that each state be entitled to a development grant equal to 20% of all taxes collected by the federal government from each state.
My opinion is that states should be given more autonomy as too many projects emanating from the EPU have not benefitted the taxpayers much.

malaysiakini on the IGP's Work Attitude and Logic

Since the High Court ruled that the MACC cannot question detainees overnight, the spot-light has shifted to the police lock-up rules.
It appears that the police too are subject to rules with regard to those in the lock-up.
The IGP made a strange suggestion about the lock-up rules and fortunately many Malaysians now realise that such enforcement agencies must abide with the rules as described in this letter 'Close at 5pm': IGP's comment shocking.
We know that the IGP has been working years past the official retirement age and I suggest his appointment should be reviewed by the PAC as his attitude reflects a cavalier attitude.
This is the reason why Malaysia desperately needs the IPCMC so that ordinary citizens can feel that the police is being controlled with adequate provisions for our own safety.

An Eventful Trip to Cambodia

My wife attended a Bankers' Conference in Phnom Pehn and I tagged along for our first visit to the capital city of Cambodia.
It was not a great holiday; but definitely it had its share of memorable incidents.
When we arrived at the airport, there was a welcoming committee that garlanded each of us with a Cambodian shawl.
We were met by the airport immigration chief who took our passports and breezed us through the immigration formalities - we got back the passports at the conference hotel, the Inter-Continental.
One of the welcoming staff then followed us through Customs and we were then ushered into a government registered car. We were seated right at the back of the Silkair flight and seeing no one else around, my wife assumed that we were the last to get out of airport. During the 15-minute from the airport, I remarked to my wife that something was not quite right as I expected us to be transferred by bus and not a private vehicle.
Still, it was a moment to enjoy - being treated with such VIP status. We managed to check into the hotel without the passports and spent a few hours resting in our room. Then my wife decided to check for our passports at the front desk and sure enough, it had been delivered there. She also discovered that she had been mistaken for another ASEAN bankers' official who bore only the slightest resemblance to my dear wife. The reception committee had decided the person had put on some weight to morph into my wife! The person is actually 2 to 3 inches shorter than my wife.
One of the sight-seeing tours they arranged for a visit to the Torture Museum where thousands were tortured before they were sent to the Killing Fields. Of course many did not survive the months of torture.
It is not an enjoyable place to visit and the atmosphere of death still prevails. I will not bring children below 12 years to visit this place. I had to skip the rest of the tour as I had a severe bout of food poisoning and rushed back to the hotel just in time to unload. That was a worrying 10-minute ride using a "tut-tut and cost me US$2 - the greenback is almost an official currency here.
We spent 2 nights at the Inter-Continental for the conference and decided to book a room at the Sunway Hotel which is much closer to the riverside, the main happenings place.
I booked a room using AGODA but made a mistake in the check-in date. For some unknown reason, the date I chose was one week later than the date I needed.
When I realised the mistake, I tried to amend the date but according to Agoda, they could not change the date as the hotel policy on the special room rate was to charge the full booking payment - that is for US$95.
So I made another booking with the correct date and paid another US$95. When we checked into the Sunway, they advised me they also had another booking for the later date. My wife did not know of the mistake so while she was napping in our room, I sneaked out and went down to the reception to inquire about the extra booking and the penalty for a cancellation with one week's notice.
The duty manager saw me and advised that she would check with AGODA to find out about the mistake. She assured me that the hotel would not charge me but there could be an administrative fee charged by AGODA.
Sunway Hotel is commended for contacting AGODA and not imposing any penalty. I also received an email from AGODA advising that I will get a full refund.
We also requested a late check-out on Saturday and the hotel obliged, allowing us to stay in our room untill 2pm.
On our last night in Phnom Penh, we went for a walk along the Riverside and I tripped and twisted my left ankle at the start of the 2km walk. At the time it was OK but when we got back, the foot was hurting. Perhaps the hour-long foot reflexology did not help matters.
At the airport for the flight back to Singapore, my wife requested for a wheel-chair for me and that was also arranged back in Changi. That was my first experience as a wheel-chair passenger. Both sides took good care and SilkAir is thanked for their caring service. One stewardess also gave me her arm to hold on as I hobbled into and out of the plane.
Cambodia is making speedy progress to catch up with the rest of ASEAN and being a young country, they have the capacity to develop at a faster rate although the economic crisis has also affected their annual growth.
I will be seeing the doctor today and hopefully by tomorrow, I will not need to hobble around. Spending long hours in bed is definitely not my cup of tea.

A Perry Mason Mystery? The Case of the RECALCITRANT ATTORNEY-GENERAL

malaysiakini has this interesting story on how Karpal would prosecute Lingam.
It surely is a dereliction of duty when the so-called Law Minister declares that he does not know under what law the lawyer who was seen on tape to be influencing a senior judge should be charged.
I suggest the UK university that awarded him the law degree should be informed that their prominent(?) alumni has brought their reputation into disrepute.
The Malaysian Bar should also seriously question if Malaysia deserves such a useless Law Minister.
Malaysia - TRULY AMAZING.

WOT? malaysiakini Readers Respond to the Question About 2-Party System...

Of course there is no ideal time to introduce a 2-party system just like some people will say the PR parties are not ready to even govern the states.
That is what you would expect those in the establishment to claim and that includes many if not most in the civil service.
But as the wisdom of malaysiakini readers shows in this article 2-party system: 'People ready, Umno is not' many Malaysians believe that the battle against corruption will not happen unless the BN is put in opposition.
To me the reason the Indonesian government appears to be taking serious steps to curb corruption is because the voters there have shown their power in the electoral process and are able to change the government in a peaceful manner.
For Malaysians, the question to be asked is, "Are you going to wait for UMNO to reform itself?"
If not, then the only answer is get it out of government and that is what you must do in the next elections.

The DPM Flouts the LAW!

Each year, the government spends millions of ringgit on road safety campaigns and yet the statistics are not inproving as the death toll spirals upwards.
The basic reason is the lack of a continuous and consistent law enforcement as the traffic police only operate on a "fits and starts" strategy and each year thousands of poorly trained motorists take to the roads.
Just look at the photo courtesy of the Star newspapers. Our DPM believes that he is above and beyond the law, riding pillion without a proper safety helmet in a rural area.
Of course the traffic is quite light in such remote areas but the law does not make any concession as a fall from a motor-bike at any speed can be fatal on account of brain damage.
But then again, maybe this DPM is advertising the fact that he does not have any brain to be damaged and hence no need for the crash helmet?
That may be the case but his poor example has caused years of traffic safety efforts to be flushed down the toilet.

malaysiakini and the RM24billion LOSSES

Maybe the word "losses" is not really appropriate for that amount relates to the amount of money that Malaysians have been duped of in various schemes that involve corruption, improper tenders, cheating and CBT in government purchases as highlighted in the annual Auditor-General's report.
The amount is higlighted in a letter by a malaysiakini reader Najib, get us back our RM24 billion now who believes that the PM is capable of such a mammoth task when he has really come out with nothing new except do away with the "race" item in government forms and declared Malaysia Day a public holiday.
The AG's Annual Report is a glaring annual exercise to show that the other AG's office has become a political office rather than the guardian of law and order.
You will notice that major scandals like the PKFZ will generate umpteeen probes but each end up as a NFA file in the AG's office.
We all know that the civil service has become largely a BN stooge and there is an incestous connection between top civil servants and the government leaders so don't expect drastic measures to curb the abuse in the government tender system. But kudos to the Penang state government for having more open tenders as this is a good way to reduce corrupt practices.
My suggestion is that unless we follow the Chinese example of capital punishment for serious corruption, we cannot expect to turn back that massive gravy train of kick-backs and corruption.

malaysiakini and the BN's FAILED Education SYSTEM

After so many years of independence, Malaysia is still struggling to develop a good education system.
But the recalcitrant government with so many failed policies like the "back to English, then flip-flop to the old system" has proved that it cannot provide good leadership in this most vital component of nation-building.
malaysiakini highlights the dilemma in the article PM: No shift in vernacular school policy yet .
Some PTAs have already requested for permission to carry on with the English medium program but the bureaucrats insist on trying to control the freedom to a basic education program that is preferred by parents for their children.
After all the PM has conceded that vernacular schools will stay so why not just accept another school program that teaches in the English medium?
I believe that the Pakatan parties can win a few more states and hopefully form the next federal government if they make education a cornerstone of their election mainfesto.
Only they will we be able to create a good education system for all Malaysians.

malaysiakini on FINDING the REAL Cause of TEOH's DEATH?

In the long-drawn out inquest into the death (many believe murder) of Teoh Beng Huat, it is not surprising to read in malaysiakini's article headed Teoh's family wants post-mortem by Thai expert that his family wants the famous Thai forensics expert to conduct another examnation of the remains as she believes that the chance of suicide was only 20%.
Now we all read about how the PM consoled the family and promised them he would "leave no stone unturned" to find the cause of Teoh's death. Do you reckon that he would not object to the family turning the grave stones over to do the third post-mortem?
If he does not sanction the third post-mortem, we will know he is just like another snake-oil salesman.


Ps. Sorry for the irregular postings. My streamyx line is still not functioning in the new house plus my computer is in the sick bay!

malaysiakini and UMNO's Road to REFORM or PERDITION?

After the MCA meltdown, we now see the usual rhetorics of the UMNO meetings with the decades old tune of "bangsa, ugama dan negara".
Maybe that is the correct mantra as it is always "me first" with the nation taking the least priority as far as UMNO is concerned.
Don't bet your life on it when they promise to take care of ALL Malaysians under the nice battle cry of 1Malaysia.
So the malaysiakini article Umno on road to reform, vows Najib has drawn some sacarstic responses.
Especially after the BN leaders tried to white-wash the money-corrupted candidate who won in the latest by-election.
I guess it shows that unfortunately for Malaysia, corruption to many Malaysians is something they are prepared to tolerate.
If things are to change, it must begin with us.

malaysiakini and the X-FILES Stories

Strange things are happening in Malaysia and some of them are the stuff of science fiction stories.
First of all we have the "good guilt" guy who was able to get re-elected into the state seat of Bagan Pinang with a larger majority in this story 'Umno has legitimised corruption' .
The other story is about the split in the MCA in which both the President and Deputy President have both lost in the EGM and it shows the delegates' displeasure at the antics of the two leaders. So the malaysiakini article poses this question Will Ong quit as promised? .
What do I make of the results?
The loss in BP may be a good thing for the PR as it is a wake-up call that winning the next general elections is not a certainty. For the BN, it shows how important are the postal votes to secure victory. To postal votes should only be allowed for the few hundred of defence personnel who are in really remote places and not those in barracks.
For the MCA, well the delegates have voted and a political party is only as strong as the unity of the party. Leaders must have followers who want them to lead and the MCA members' voice is loud and clear. In a way, the MCA has shown more democratic practices than other BN componenets like UMNO. Overall I think the BN is still not out of the woods yet as far as voters are concerned but it gives its leaders a little breathing space.

House Shifting BLUES

Spent the last few days shifting house and it has been somewhat sad but also happy occassion.
We have moved to a new house that is about 30% smaller as the old house with its seven rooms was too big to upkeep and I am not too good at housekeeping.
Still the old house is full of memories as it was the place where the family spent about 17 years - that makes it the longest place where we have lived and I told my wife that it would probably retain that record.
That's not the main reason why I have not been posting - the main reason is that the computer at home has a glitch - my wife thinks it's the graphics card and so I probably will be off for a few more days as the new house has still a few items that need fixing.
Will post a few shots of the house later.

malaysiakini and TECHNICAL GUILT?

If one stetches the imagination a lot, it can be argued that most crimes are technical in nature; even drug trafficking as technical means are used to determine the amount of drugs in one's posssession.
First we had the DPM talking of "good guilt" and now the PM has made his contribution to make the BN candidate for the Bagan Pinang state by-election a suitable choice.
In this malaysiakini article Isa's offence a technical matter the corruption charge for which he was found guilty has been given a whitewash.
It shows that our national leaders have no moral compass or the guide they are following is seriously flawed.
So it will be up to voters to tell them with a loud voice....
"YOU ARE SO WRONG!"

malaysiakini on KUGAN'S DEATH by POLICE

It is not surprising at the outrage felt by malaysiakini's readers over the charge of "causing grievous hurt" against one policeman after nine months of investigations of the AG's office as described in this malaysiakini article Murder he wrote, now it's 'grievous hurt'.
I had the impression that a charge of "grievous hurt" is brought when the victim recovers but I guess there are a few creative lawyers in the AG's chambers.
This latest shenanigan of the AG's office is only part of Malaysia's sick syndrome whereby most of our important vital institutions like the PDRM, the Judiciary and the AG's office have lost their independent character to uphold justice and maintain law and order.
To me it is really imperative that voters take charge and vote in a new government so that we can save Malaysia. After seeing the stumbling efforts of the BN to reform itself we have no other choice.
It is better to have a less competent new government than the old one that knows all the dirty tricks and willing to compromise all principles of good governance.

malaysiakini and NOTHING Wrong with the CANDIDATE?...Just BLAME a CORRUPT System

The choice of the candidate for the Bagan Pinang by-election has drawn many response from malaysiakini readers in the article Is Isa the best BN can give voters?.
Many complain about the candidate's involvement in money politics for which he was barred for a few years.
My view is that we have a corrupted system whereby an offence under the party constitution is considered an internal matter and nothing was done to try the matter in a court of law. It is as if UMNO is a very public secret society and one can commit a crime within the party and be safe from persecution from society.
It is now up to the voters in BP to tell our national leaders that any candidate who would have been guilty of an offence like corruption cannot be deemed worthy to become an elected representative of the people, no matter how good he is in other things like public relations.
In a way the by-election is a test of the moral compass of the voters in supporting or rejecting corrupted leaders.

A Good Idea to FOSTER Multi-Culturism for 1Malaysia but WRONG APPROACH....

We always seem to have much fanfare to launch show-case projects but to me it is the wrong approach for a sustainable program that will truly transform Malaysia.
The NST has the story Multiracial hostel to foster integration but this hostel idea is merely like a drop in the ocean.
To promote better racial understanding among young Malaysians, we really need to get rid of those many exclusive boarding schools that young Malays are sent to, usually after Secondary One.
So instead of building this "publicity" hostel, we should slowly increase the intake of non-Malays into the exclusive boarding schools so that it simply reflects the racial composition of Malaysia.
But before that can happen, all the school heads and admin staff should be sent for further training to start thinking without their racist bias.
And those in the BTN who spout the wrong messages on "ketuanan" should be sent to rehab or sacked.
Only then will Malaysia be successful in the 1Malaysia agenda. So are we really serious about treating all our citizens properly?

malaysiakini and the LATEST on KUGAN'S DEATH...

After such a long delay and apparent stalling by the PDRM..remember how the official autopsy put the cause of death as one that did not include possible foul play, malaysiakini now reports that Kugan's death: Cop to be charged tomorrow.
It seems to be a case of "too little, too late" and to me the AG's office should be probed for negligence or even obstruction of justice.
After almost two years and that is the best they can do? As the AG's office is one that is appointed by the PM, he should be asked to resign for gross incompetence.
Kugan was probably beaten up by teams of enforcers and it is surprising that only one person will be charged.
It definitely provides the opportunity to create doubt as to who actually struck the lethal blow to Kugan.

That is why Malaysians so desperately need the IPCMC that was given the death blow by the PDRM. That should be the first task of any new government that wins the next General Elections.

malaysiakini on DIVORCING the MIC....

malaysiakini has this interesting article The 'conspiracy' against MIC in which the writer describes how "A political wedlock that has spanned for more than five decades is now at the brink of a divorce".

The BN is now having to make such desperate moves as the government may fall in the next general elections and follow the Japanese scenario.
The next important step is for the voters to also divorce themselves from the BN government that is incapable of any meaningful reforms that will help Malaysia progress.

MISSING PERSON ALERT

MISSING!
Please forward this to as many people as possible



Name : Tang Hooi Jen
Age : 19 years old
Height : 154cm
Location : Jenjarom, Selangor
Appearance : Dark-complexioned with short hair

She was last seen in Jenjarom on 10 June 2009 wearing a red t-shirt and pink short pants.
Anyone with information please call Mr. Tang (016-3989366) or Ms Kelly (016-2199458)

YOUR PROMPT ACTION MAY SAVE A LIFE…

If Ms Tang can read this, please contact your parents. Whatever problems you have can be settled with the family. At least tell them you are OK.

malaysiakini and the PKFZ Scandal...You Mean MINISTERS Cannot Be Questioned?

Life is quite confusing in Malaysia. We have an IGP who should seems to be forgetful of what he says. First of all he gave a press conference as reported by malaysiakini and then the following day issued a denial IGP denies saying minister to be quizzed on PKFZ leak.
Is the moral of the story that ministers cannot be touched by the law?
The is the perception that one gets as this mega-scandal has been news for months now and the AG's office is still organising their papers.
It is so easy to verify what was said or not said at any press conference. All reporters use voice recorders and all that is needed is to listen to the play-back. Unless the MCMC is going to ask everyone to erase all the tapes and deem them sensitive to ministers' careers?
As for the IGP, he has reached the age when trying to remember everything is impossible and making a mistake is common. But just denying is not going to work for a top official.

A Day on the Farm...

My brother-in-law has a hobby farm near Karak and we decided to spend a day there as we were visiting our son who is doing his CLP in KL.
The drive up was good with little traffic on Saturday as most of the traffic was heading out of Kuala Lumpur in the Raya exodus.
So I had a go at the ATV(all terrain vehicle)- at first I was too hesitant to squeeze the throttle but after a few minutes, I was able to do a solo ride without any incidents.
It's quite fun really but the throttle is not like a normal motor-bike as you use your right thumb to squeeze on the gas.
Anyone for a ride?

Photo: thanks to my daughter Jean

malaysiakini and a MISLEADING HEADLINE....

I wrote in my blog a few days back about the death of Mohamed Top, one of the leading bomb experts in the JI and malaysiakini published the letter under the heading Why bury a criminal?.
The heading is quite misleading as it implies that criminals do not deserve a burial according to the wishes of the family.
My objection was to the Malaysian government's offer to bring back the body as he was a Malaysian.
I believe that the government should not spend taxpayers' monies on such items, whether or not the person is a terrorist.

malaysiakini relates the PKFZ to the Iron Law of Oligarchy....

I believe this law can be applied to the connivance of the Malaysian Cabinet in the PKFZ billion ringgit scandal where one can find many examples of criminal breach of trust, abuse of official positions and acting in concert to conceal such dastardly acts.
The malaysiakini article is headed Leaked 'cabinet paper' tells an alarming tale but to me it is expected as the government always makes decisions collectively and you can be sure that the leaders are aware of what exactly is happening, especially with the mega-projects where political influence is most evident.
My opinion is that ministers should be allowed to make the final decisions in their own area and if any major scandal erupts, that minister has to face the music and even resign to save the government - that acts as a safety valve.
However after many years of the so-called "collective decision" system, we have probably have a government that practises the
Iron Law of Oligarchy.
The is the reason for the government being upset about the papers being leaked. Instead of taking action against those who have caused millions to be pilfered, they want to take action against the whistle-blowers.

Let's all learn a new slogan for change in the next General Elections:
"Any party OK BUT BN NOT OK"

malaysiakini and the DEATH of a MALAYSIAN TERRORIST....

"Those who live by the sword die by the sword" and that is what happened to Malaysia's most famous terrorist who was killed by Indonesian police yesterday.
According to the malaysiakini article Terror mastermind Noordin dead: Indonesia police he was killled in a police ambush in Solo, central Java.
I find the Malaysian government's response to the killing strange for they want his body to be returned to Malaysia for burial.

I don't support such a return to Malaysia for burial policy for a known criminal as it will give the wrong message.

Here are my reasons:
1.It incurs unnecessary costs for taxpayers.
2.It gives them more publicity and glosses over their evil deeds.
3.It provides a shrine for those who want to want to recruit members for the cause.

Only recently we had another known terrorist icon Chin Peng who had to turn to the courts in a bid to return to Malaysia but unfortunately he did not have the proper documents to prove he was a Malaysian.
My view is that Chin Peng was a more deserving case for the trip back as the story of his struggle would have been more educational.

Chin Peng is a Chinese but Mohammed? Go figure.

malaysiakini and MALAYSIA'S FORMULA1 RACE....?

Do we really need such extravagance?
According to this article in malaysiakini Najib launches Malaysia's own F1 team Malaysia will be entering the competitive sport of Formula1 racing next year.
Of course companies related to tourism and travel will like Formula1 as it does bring in the high-rollers who can spend their tourist dollars on hotels and luxury goods.
After so many years of PETRONAS involvement in Formula1 with little success, it appears quite fool-hardy for Malaysia to jump into this sport that has seen the withdrawal of even the big companies like Toyota and Honda.
According to this article the annual budget for taking part ranges from US$66mil to US$400mil. Just imagine how many students could be granted a proper education with that kind of money.

We have all heard about the common compliants about Proton's power windows that breakdown within a year. Are we to believe that this foray into racing will somehow solve that technical problem?
This expensive project should not be for taxpayers' account but instead we should let the private individuals and companies take the risks and enjoy the rewards if they are successful.
Maybe this is one way some ministers will get to enjoy the perks of Formula1 racing -the girls are pretty and the booze is plentiful too.

photo: thanks to http://www.cartuningcentral.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/formula-1-race-car-girl.jpg

malaysiakini PUBLISHES DAMAGING REPORT on PKFZ SCANDAL....

The PKFZ scandal will be considered by some to be the father and mother of all scandals in Malaysia but the malaysiakini article RPK on PKFZ: Cabinet knew but condoned everything gives even more damaging details.
The practice in Malaysia has been for the Cabinet to make collective decisions on all and sundry so that quite possible we can even appoint a few monkeys in cabinet as ultimately no one is held responsible for bad decisions.
I disagree with the collective decision concept though I believe consultations may be useful. That way, if a really incompetent guy makes a bad decision as a minister, he resigns and the integrity(?) of the Cabinet remains intact.
Otherwise, after a few years of bad decisions and no resignations, the entire Cabinet is full of poorly-performing ministers.
Maybe we have reached or gone beyond that point now with the PKFZ scandal. Hence the need for the CUC.
That stands for Cover-Up Committee!

malaysiakini on the Bagan Pinang By-Election

Finally the Elections Commission has done something very practical and that is to arrange the voting to be done on a Sunday according to this malaysiakini article Bagan Pinang residents will vote on Oct 11 .
This should be the standard procedure for all by-elections as schools will not be disrupted on Sundays and also more voters will be given the opportunity to get to the polling stations during the week-end.
Maybe the presence of a few thousand postal voters may have been the deciding factor as perhaps the EC feels that this is a safe BN seat.
Let us hope that those postal voters will decide their ballots in a responsible manner and vote according to their conscience.

malaysiakini Endures the TYRANNY of GOVERNMENT....

The concept of "the tyranny of government" is not my idea but it comes from the Constitution of the USA, the nation that earned its freedom and independence after a bloody revolution with Great Britain.

Just google "tyranny of government" and you will find this interesting passage.

"Unless restrained, all governments devolve to tyranny."

"It can never be assured, nor should we ever believe, that government could never become oppressive and devolve into tyranny."

If I am not mistaken it was Jefferson or one of the other drafters of the USA Constitution who wrote this.

That was part of the argument in the USA for the Second Amendment which is about the right to bear arms but that right does not exist in Malaysia.

One could get the impression that malaysiakini is now experiencing the "tyranny of government" when the MCMC raids their offices and conducts long interviews that definitely will interfere with business for the online portal.
The government can afford the costs as they run on over-budget paid by taxpayers but definitely malaysiakini's operations will be adversely affected.

But since March 2008, many Malaysians have woken up to the fact that the government is a confusion of bungling, blundering and badgering bureaucrats who simply act without rhyme nor reason. You can read the readers' response in this malaysiakini article The minister vs the messenger .
Well done, guys. Now take the next step:-

1.Get ten of your friends or relatives who have not registered to vote to do so and ask them to get another 10 other friends to duplicate the efforts.

That is one important way we can defeat the tyranny of government.

Another MINISTER Afflicted with "COW-HEAD" Disease....

When a person makes a blunder, you could say he "put his foot in his mouth".
That expression is rather old and maybe they don't teach that in schools anymore.
So perhaps it is timely to introduce a new expresssion.

How about "cow-head disease" for people who simply do not know how to express themselves properly?
If you read the 60 plus opinions expressed in this malaysiakini article in which the MCMC deputy minister claims public expect action, the ordinary folks are telling this poor chappie that he has "cow-head disease" or a more virulent strain.

MOO, MOO Minister!

malaysiakini and the PKFZ SCANDAL - A FINAL Solution?

malaysiakini continues with the PKFZ with this article Ong's PKFZ mission far from over.
Most readers perceive the inaction to be stalling as a means of damage control. Malaysia is truly suffering from poor governance.

Meanwhile our PM has other things on his mind.

malaysiakini and the UMPTEENTH Task Force for PKFZ

It seems as if the PM believes that the PKFZ scandal will not come crashing down on the BN government if he establishes another task force to keep the dirt circulating.
According to the malaysiakini article PM: High-powered task force to probe PKFZ after at least 2 other committees have already conducted official probes and the PDRM have even supended the accounts of the company doing the project.
I don't buy the idea of another "so-called high-powered committee" as it smacks more of damage-control and cover-up.
At this stage even a Royal Commission becomes an academic exercise as we have already seen how the nation has been damaged when ZERO action is taken by the A-Gs office when sufficient evidence was available to take action.
It seems that Malaysians must take the hard decision that the BN government cannot be trusted or relied upon to do the right and just thing.
To obtain justice, Malaysians will need to change their government just like what the Japanese have done.

malaysiakini and DISMAL Home Ministers....

Once we thought that Syed Hamid was hopeless as a Home Minister when he allowed the detention of the Sin Chew journalist and Teresa Kok. Both were detained under the ISA and surprisingly no was else was charged for the incident that was reported.
The latest "cow-head" incident in which the Home Minister has incurred the wrath of several NGOs according to this malaysiakini article NGOs want Hisham's head over flip-flop as they are angry about the Home Minister being "cowed" as the protesters were UMNO members or instigated by UMNO and the police did not lift a finger to stop the bloody demonstration.
It can be perceived that the Home Minister does not act on any principles of law and order but purely on expediency and convenience.
At worst, the government now appears to be changing its tune as the latest death of an elected rep once again gives the voters the chance to provide tangible feedback on the government's performance.
I will give them 25% for the KPI on maintenance of law and order and public security.

malaysiakini and Malaysia's Police FARCE

You can pardon the anger of many Malaysians at the manner in which the Polis DiRaja Malaysia apparently did not take any action but merely stood meekly by when 50 protesters made major international news with their bloody 'Cow head' demo makes it around the world according to the malaysiakini article.
Maybe it could encourage more tourists to come here as usually news about Malaysia hardly makes it to any main newspapers in Europe and the USA.
How should we pitch the sales line?
Maybe we could ask people to come and see how the police are "cowed" even though they have all the weapons of mass disorder and discord like tear gas, water cannon and rubber bullets.
We definitely need the IPCMC urgently.

malaysiakini and the SELECTIVE ENFORCEMENT of the PDRM...

You would have read about the cowardly behaviour of the police when they decided not to take action against a group of illegal demonstrators who were allowed to deposit the head of a cow at entrance of the Selangor government office.
This malaysiakini article relates to aftermath Cops say sorry, promise prompt action after the furore the incident created.

There are 2 points that I would make:

1.The protest shows that a few Muslims are not tolerant of other religions and unfortunately it appears that the police are practising selective law enforcement.

2.The failure of the government to implement the IPCMC has made the PDRM even more ineffective.

The apology is rather pathetic. A police force must be seen to deal with all offenders on an equal basis or soon that police force becomes a ill-disciplined gang of thugs.
I would suggest that the Senior office in charge during the incident should be demoted as he failed to stop an incident that has raised religious passions.

malaysiakini on HOW MANY MINISTERS Does it TAKE....?

Many have already written about how the Malaysian Cabinet have become too large to be effective and this latest development may enter into the Guiness Book of World Records.
According to malaysiakini readers The man from MAS is certainly qualified to make a major contribution to getting things to work for Malaysia but will he be given the authority to do so?
Having to report to another minister seems rather strange but I suspect the Gerakan leader will be leaving within the next 3 months or Idris would not have moved so readily as he seemed to be doing a good job at MAS.
BN needs to work hard to keep together as the MCA is imploding or exploding - whichever you prefer and suddenly removing KSK will create problems on another front. A foreign posting perhaps?

Johor Baru ....A City of SHAMBLES and the Billion Ringgit CIQ

Sometimes I am not happy to be a resident of Johor Baru as the city has many extremes.
I'm not going to write a lot but will let the photos speak for themselves.
The first photo shows the grand entrance for pedestrians to the CIQ near City Square.
Instead of a nice welcome under the massive canopy, pedestrians have to walk on the busy road and risk being run over by the many buses that stop haphazardly. The CIQ has been opened for 6 months already and yet the access road has been blocked by barricades. Expect another 3 months before the road is finalised.

This photo is a sharp contrast to the area near the MBJB office that is about 5km away. The MBJB office area is in pristine condition with landscaped gardens and even water features but sadly this photo shows the neglect in other areas of the so-called city. This pedestrian crossing is along the Tebrau Highway, probably the busiest highway out of town towards Kota Tinggi. If you want to view the site, it is opposite the Public Bank at Wisma Daiman.
Notice the obstacle course before you can even get to the crossing. The broken improvised wooden pallet spans a large drain. Need I say more?

malaysiakini and REASONS for the PERMATANG PASIR VICTORY....

So the results in PP are in as reported in malaysiakini's article PAS retains Permatang Pasir.
The by-election shows that voters in Peninsular Malaysia are still very much against the BN even though it had a plethora of government ministers who took time off their busy schedule to canvass for votes.
No I should correct that...the ministers neglected their jobs to try and promote a disbarred lawyer who was the BN candidate.
What of the 700 reduction in majority? Well, that is how the Elections Commissions tries to help the BN by purposely setting the poll date on a working day so that some voters will not bother to go to the polls.

The reasons for the good results for PR?

1.PR parties are learning to work better together even though differences remain.
2.Voters want change and reject the BN parties.
3.BN government only talk but not walk change.
4.Teoh murder confirms BN government agencies cannot be trusted.
5.MY arrogance about MACC probe on helicopter rides.
6.BN candidate a sorry reflection of the integrity of BN leaders.

There is still a long road to victory for PR at the next General Elections. The next 12 to 18 months will be crucial for both sides of the great Malaysian divide. Let us hope that both BN and PR can improve for the greater benefit of all Malaysians.

malaysiakini and the PROBLEM with MACC CREDIBILITY...

So the PDRM have not been able to verify the contents of the unsigned letter by MACC officers but to most normal folks, very few expect the police to point the finger at the MACC as the latter have the power to point back at them.
Such is the situation as far as CREDIBILITY of government institutions is concerned.
You can read a selection of citizens' views on the MACC letter in the malaysiakini article headed Not just another poison-pen letter.
So it is not me with a poor impression of the proceedings - maybe malaysiakini is also a little biased; but not a single writer has expressed much faith in the goings-on.
What of the 5 oversight committees with 42 prominent members? It appears that they are prominent by their absence in the murder of Teoh Beng Huat. A body like the MACC should have only one oversight board like a Board of Directors in a company and they must have the authority to take action and not be dependent on instructions like from the PM.

malaysiakini and UNTANGLING the 3 DEADLY SINS of GOVERNMENT

This interesting malaysiakini article describes how the Whistle-blower's letter puts MACC on trial but I suggest that it is the very essence of government that is laid bare before our eyes.
So what are the 3 deadly sins of the government?

I suggest these 3 and you can probably add a few more:
DENY, DELAY and DILUTE .

The pattern is all too familiar.

First everyone will deny that something has gone wrong.
Next, the required action is delayed for as long as possible with a few ministers engaging in a rear-guard action while the mess is made more presentable with the masters of spin.
Then, they take a few minor actions that somehow make the original crime less heinous.

Just take the Royal Commission on the Police that recommended the IPCMC and you can easily study what has happened.Both Kugan and Teoh must have wondered if they could have survived if indeed Malaysians had fought stronger for the IPCMC.

That was followed by the Commission on the Lingam tapes and the Attorney-General has probably put all the files in the NFA section.

Now we all follow the inquest, praying that the government will do the right thing and do it the righteous way but many are not holding their breath as indeed the web of corruption and evil of corrupted officials is so interlinked that it is possibly harder to unravel than the Gordian Knot that confronted Alexander the Great.

So dear fellow Malaysian, if you truly want justice for Kugan, Teoh and numerous others, you really need to ponder your own "D" actions.
In the next General Election, even if you have been a "passive BN" supporter for many years, you have to make a DELIBERATE and DETERMINED effort to vote against the BN as that will end the 3 DEADLY SINS.

That is the only way Malaysians can untangle the 3 DEADLY SINS.

picture: thanks to http://media-2.web.britannica.com/eb-media/64/118664-004-18A9FB6F.jpg

malaysiakini and the LATERAL THINKING of the DPM

If you have been pondering lately as to why Malaysia has seen so little progress beyond high crime rates and massive traffic jams, you should study the public pronouncements of the senior leaders of the BN.
In the past few days, the DPM comes up for special mention on account of the following incidents:

1.When pressed for comments on his abuse of government helicopters to visit UMNO divisions in East Malaysia, he indicated that he was not scared of any corruption probe. Is the MACC scared to probe the misuse of the RMAF helicopters?

2.When asked about the disbarred lawyer BN candidate for the Permatang Pasir by-election, he dismisses the Disciplinary Board's action after a CBT case as like "a parking ticket" for which the compound has been settled.

3.The latest example is mentioned in the malaysiakini article headed Better for PKFZ dispute to be resolved 'amicably' and the article describes how the DPM feels quarrelling in the open would not only affect BN chances in the Permatang Pasir by-election but also mar the image of the government.

I suggest the government's image was already in the pits before the helicopter took off. Now how in heaven's name can we approve this type of person to be occupying the seat just one step below the nation's top leader?

photo: thanks to http://omong.files.wordpress.com/2007/04/windowslivewritermuhyiddinsaysijokwillbewelltakenbybn-e4edmuhyiddin1.jpg

malaysiakini and the TEOH Inquest - A STARTLING REVELATION?

You would have read about the latest development from malaysiakini about how the Letter reveals top MACC man, politician collusion.
This is indeed a startling development and shows that we cannot condemn all the staff and officers of any enforcement agency like the MACC and the PDRM. However if the rot is very near the top, many sections can be compromised.
The letter appears authentic as many details described can only be known to those with inside information.

So it is time that the Home Minister takes a more proactive role in resolving these important matters. Trying to destabilise a duly elected state government using a federal agency is truly a very serious offence.
It would also be good for the honourable MPs to raise this matter in the next Parliamentary session.

malaysiakini with an ASTONISHING Claim on the PKFZ FIASCO...

Can you believe this malaysiakini story?
PKA over-trusted PKFZ, says PAC as if the PKA Board is made up of some idiotic directors who do not know anything about the multi-billion ringgit project.
Either that or the PAC is trying to white-wash the whole affair as after all it is only taxpayers' monies.
I am sure all those directors would have attended the RoC course on the roles of directors and earned generous directors fees and other perks.
If a building is made with minor defects that may be attributed to poor site supervision but when millions are paid with dubious claims it can only be caused by gross negligence or collusion.
Let's hope the MACC will produce some positive results and put some of the top executives where they truly deserve to be - behind bars.

malaysiakini and Another "Doctored" DOCTOR...

I guess many people have read the Steven Covey's teaching on "begin with the end in sight" and to my mind both the pathologists in the Teoh Beng Hock inquest have been misdirected.
The first guy is a real disgrace to any profession and the second guy, a foreign national, is somewhat better as he provided more technical arguments.
Unfortunately in this malaysiakini article headed Teoh not assaulted before death, says doc , he also arrives that suicide is the probable cause of Teoh's death and that Teoh was not beaten before he was forced out the window. I suggest that his testimony is accurate only up to the point that Teoh was squatting on the window sill. His conclusion as to the reason for the fall is either a wild speculation or a "directed" opinion.
Fortunately we do have competent lawyers like Gobind Singh and Malik Imtiaz to ensure that some justice is done for the unfortunate Teoh.

malaysiakini and a PATHOLOGICAL LIAR?

If you have been following the developments in the Teoh Beng Hock inquest you can be excused if you are a little confused at the revelations of the pathologist who appears to be inconsistent in his so-called expert testimony.
I just wonder how he became a forensics professional when his initial speculations that Teoh jumped out the window without leaving any traces was his main theory.
Maybe I should change "theory" to "wild imagination".
His testimony and change of heart is akin to a small kid who has been caught with his hand in the cookie jar and now must face the music.
You can read about his next best speculation in the malaysiakini article headed 'Teoh could have been injured before fall' .
I suggest the quickest way to solve the Teoh murder is for the authorities to engage an expert from the USA or the UK to conduct lie detector tests on all the MACC officers on duty on the day Teoh died and also include this pathologist for trying to avoid the unpleasant findings.
Are lie detector tests admissible for use in our courts? Maybe not, but it could help solve a murder that has really painted the MACC the darkest shade of black.

malaysiakini and ACCOUNTING for PLANE RIDES...

Just as the nation is watching the dramatic revelations regarding the MCA leader's plane rides, another BN leader also gets into the spot-light with a helicopter ride.
According to the malaysiakini article Muhyiddin in heli dramabad weather forced the Nuri helicopter to make an emergency landing.
You can also read a full account here.

According to the story, the following facts can be ascertained:

The DPM had to "cancel his scheduled opening of the Penampang Umno division meeting" and the "entourage took off at about 1.45pm from Kudat after officially opening the Umno division meeting".

There were 10 other passengers with the DPM and the helicopter is described as "a Royal Malaysian Air Force Nuri helicopter".

Pardon my disbelief but what has the Armed Forces got to do with opening UMNO division meetings?
Furthermore why is the DPM using public facilities to actively participate in political matters?
Also did he take annual leave for such functions?

Is the TUDM being repaid for such services or this the type of corrupt practices that the MACC is complaining about? If you read the comments in the malaysiakini article, you will notice that most readers are quite disgusted with this practice and also the unwillingness of the MACC to take action. But of course UMNO may pay for the helicopter rides. It would be good for the TUDM to clarify as otherwise it seems the DPM is abusing his position.

photo: thanks to https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghrlHLw5BSP9hRi8qsZwvTOkaNl2N9eOO1BFwdh-NkqL-eiEecMQy6E29R6355sM8FUxfyti5vhsbPLTSt0CqjSoyPPDjRBh-XNvzkORK_uMk4COvoeXJwR1KKPmlWSBCD-gBqKzeeVwY/s200/Nuri.jpg

malaysiakini and the PROBLEM with the MACC

So some folks in the MACC are not happy that the public have such a low opinion of the commission.
Even to the extent that a senior officer has vented his frustration in the media.
To be sure, a body like the MACC will encounter great resistance when corruption is rampant and it is not uncommon for powerful figures to obstruct and even jeopardise efforts to unveil their evil misdeeds.
The Teoh Beng Hock case has certainly put the MACC at its lowest as far as the public perceives their crime-busting role.
Just read the public's response in this malaysiakini report on the reported RM10mil payment to a minister. Ong vs Tiong - full-scale inquiry needed.
Yes a freeze of some kind is needed for the MACC actions; particularly as its very integrity is in question with the mystery surrounding Teoh's death.
Maybe the MACC needs a clean bill of health that can be achieved with another Royal Commission and then after that it really needs a control mechanism like the IPCMC.
Only then will the MACC be able to operate like a true upholder of the laws and only then will the public have full confidence in its operations and the efforts of its loyal officers.

The WRONG Approach to CUTTING QUEUES at Tolled Highways

To share some history on my writing, tolls were one of my earlier rants when I wrote to newspapers in the 70s.
Today's article in the Star caught my attention as the toll operators are told to Cut queuing time from "40 minutes to to less than 15 minutes."

That is a good idea to reduce the burden of motorists but I think the entire approach is wrong as I think the government should take the load and move all the toll companies towards a seamless toll collection system.
This is nothing new and has proved effective for more than 10 years as the Singapore model that has been in operation even before 1998.
You can read a brief of their experience here.
The Malaysian Highway Authority can be tasked to complete this type of project within 3 years and even earn some income for the government by charging say 5 to 10%of revenue collected for installing the gantries and accounting for all the monies to the toll companies.

It will probably also result in more accurate accounting of revenues for the companies. PLUS could also be the lead manager, subject to proper controls.
This is something that can be achieved without much hassle and no further need to develop systems that really do not benefit the motorists.

This is the FAVOURITE SONG of the PATHOLOGIST in the TEOH BENG HOCK Inquest....

No finger prints, no shoe marks etc on the window and yet he drew the conclusion that the victim committed suicide.

Bianca Ryan won the America's Got Talent 2007 when she was 11 years old.

malaysiakini and a LESSON in ENGLISH?

I sometimes send an email entitled "Error for today" to malaysiakini if I spot any language errors.
So you need to take this story with tongue in cheek.
According to the malaysiakini article Doc: Not homicide or accident, more a suicide is being suggested for the TBH inquest.

Now I know that the standard of English is rather poor for many Malaysians such as the Utusan reporter who claimed that "ultra vires" means "to insult".
Can we explore this type of logic further and equate "pathologist" as a person who lies with the airs of an expert?
So we can derive the term "pathological liar".

My PRAYER for Hari Kebangsaan 2009

The ongoings at the TEOH BENG HOCK inquest shows the sorry state of affairs in both the police and the MACC that is supposed to be the highly qualified commission to combat corruption in Malaysia.

Based on information published in the MSM, the following is reported:

1.They did not find Teoh's handphone, wallet or car keys on the body.
2.No records were made of the interview with the deceased witness.
3.No records were kept of all persons who entered or left the building in the relevant time frame.
4.Officers were told to investigate based only on the premise of suicide or accident.
5.Forensic experts were also briefed on what to investigate.

Now we have a forensics expert who suggests Teoh could have died while opening the window.
What next? Maybe a bomoh will be able to testify that Wisma Masalam is haunted and Teoh was lured to the window and then thought he could fly with the ghost?

ALLAH HELP US ALL!
My prayer for Hari Kebangsaan?

Let us pray that our beloved nation Malaysia will be free from evil men and help us grow in love and understanding of our fellow citizens. Let our leaders see the error of their ways and make amends before the wrath of God strikes them. Show them that they are nothing compared to your GREATNESS and that all power comes from YOU. Grant the good people of Malaysia the POWER to change Malaysia for your greater glory. Amen.