This Fireduck Is Really Funny!

By Fireduck, 26 December 2009, 17:35 in reply to Tohkong Mosjid [READ MORE].

Hrrrrmmmph! This is God.

You Malaysians are so fickle-minded. First to help you all along, I send you a decent fella Rahman. He was happy to serve you guys, but some of you were not happy and forced him out. Instead, you wanted a Brutus to lead you, so you got Razak instead. Now that one, I do not have much to do with. He led you guys on a divergent route from what was planned for Malaysia, but since you guys wanted him ..... oh well, you guys always want to learn the hard way.

But even I couldn't stand the fact that he got to lead us guys via the Brutus (mere mortal men came up with the term "brutish") way down the path I didn't mean for you guys to go. When it was time for him to return to answer for his time on earth, I decided to try and lead you guys out form the lost path. I sent you another decent fella, Hussein but aiyah, you Malaysians do not see the good I have meant for you, and again, you asked for another Brutus character. I tried to warn you guys that one Brutus will lead to another. You guys didn't listen. That Hussein guy had enough of you guys and quit on me, and you guys brought this real Brute (he's the mother of all Brutuses -- his name Maha should have alerted you) into the picture.

You must understand I endowed your country with riches far beyond gold and all that glitters. I endowed your country with a diversity of cultures some other countries would go out of their way to have. They value the beauty of the differences I'm able to come up with, and the intrinsic strength of such diversities. But sigh, again, you Malaysians do not appreciate that. Your mother-of-all-Brutuses tried to go against that wisdom and through his actions tried to cull that diversity and instead place upon you the ketuanan that even I cannot understand. I understand he even tried to masquerade as me in his 22 years lording over you guys. Sorry there, I had to let you guys learn the hard way.

Again, I must mention that if you guys like Brutuses to lead you, you will forever be on the wrong path. Until you get rid of the present batch of leaders I cannot do much to help you further. Some things have to come from within each of you. I will not take away the riches that I have endowed upon your country, but then, neither will I add to that richness if you people do not help yourselves. I'm sure you heard of the oft-quoted "God help those who help themselves". I'm very patient, and I can definitely wait. After all, my 1minute = your 1 millennium.

But if you wish to see positive change, take the initiative to act now. Reach out to your fellow Malaysians and get them to see the goodness in each other. Repulse and reject any of your fellow Malaysians who tell you to only see the difference in the skin colors. I reveal to you now (what the rest of the world already knows) that I played with the different skin colors just for diversity's sake .... maybe I was bored ..... but beneath all that, the basic components are EXACTLY the same.

I will work in my own way for the ultimately good in the end, but remember, don't wait for me to do my work. I follow a different timing system. But I allow you all to control your own destiny, so help yourselves .... then I will come and help you. My parting advice right now, is 'get rid of the entrenched system of patronage, seize the opportunities for change, and dare to make that change. I'm watching .....'.

I bless!

God .... Grand Old Daddy

Christmas Isn't Christmas Till It Happens...

Chorus:

Christmas isn't Christmas

till it happens in your heart.

Somewhere deep inside you

Is where Christmas really starts.

So give your heart to Jesus, you'll discover when you do.

That it's Christmas, really Christmas for you.

Jesus brings warmth like a winter fire, a light like a candle's glow.

He's waiting now to come inside, as He did so long ago.

Jesus brings gifts of truth and life, and makes them bloom and grow.

So welcome Him with a song of joy, and when He comes you'll know that

Christmas isn't Christmas

till it happens in your heart...

NB: The composer of this song is unknown to this blogger. Those with the information kindly comment. Thank you.

Forum "Natijah dari Krisis Perak" Anjuran MerdekaReview

Butiran:

Tema: Whither the Constitution? Lessons to be learnt from the Perak Crisis (English)
Tarikh: 9 Disember 2009 (Rabu)
Masa: 8 pm
Tempat: MBPJ Civic Centre Auditorium, Jalan Yong Shook Lin, Petaling Jaya.

Kedatangan dialu-alukan. Kemasukan adalah percuma.

Antara ahli panelnya termasuklah Professor Kevin Tan, Professor Shad Faruqi dan Mohd Nizar Jamaluddin.

Kevin Tan, graduan dari Yale University, seorang pensyarah di Singapura, dan juga Monash University di kampus Kuala Lumpur. Selain itu, beliau juga banyak menulis mengenai perlembagaan Malaysia dan Singapura.

Professor Shad Faruqi, pakar perlembagaan, dan juga penulis buku Document of Destiny. Selain mengajar di universiti tempatan, juga seorang kolumnis dalam akhbar Star.

Nizar Jamaluddin, Menteri Besar Pakatan Rakyat negeri Perak, merangkap ahli parlimen Bukit Gantang, Perak.

Sekali imbas, krisis Perak yang berlanjutan sehingga kini merupakan antara peristiwa yang paling penting dalam tahun 2009. Pergelutan kuasa antara Barisan Nasional dengan Pakatan Rakyat ini telah memberi impak yang besar kepada sistem politik Malaysia dari semua dimensi, termasuk kehakiman, pasukan keselamatan, perundangan, institusi Raja dan sebagainya.

Human Rights Award for Malaysian Group Against Security Law

By James Chow, Epoch Times, 8 Dec 2009

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia—Fifty years after British colonial authorities passed a “temporary” law in Malaysia that allows police to detain suspects in security threats, human rights groups are fighting back, and winning awards for doing so.

The Internal Security Act (ISA) was passed in 1960 to strengthen the British colonials in suppressing the communist rebellion. Today, the law is still on the books and according to Human Rights Watch, is a recipe for abuse.

Under the preventative detention law, police can detain suspects without trial or criminal charges by the order of the home minister. Any person who is suspected of posing a threat to the security of the country can be detained for a period of 60 days to two years and is extendable thereafter for further periods not exceeding two years at a time.

“Those held under the ISA are defined as a group that has virtually no rights, so it is hardly surprising that prison guards treat them as less than human,” said Brad Adams, executive director of Human Rights Watch’s Asia Division.

The group leading the fight, the Abolish ISA Movement, known as GMI in Malay, won the SUARAM Human Rights Award 2009 at the 20th SUARAM Fundraising Dinner on Sunday.

Representing GMI to accept the award was Norlaila Othman. Her husband Mat Sah Mohd Satray was one of the ISA detainees who was released on Sept. 15 this year—however, his movement is still restricted by authorities, preventing him from attending the award ceremony.

GMI was awarded the human rights awards because of their fearlessness when facing the authorities and their persistent struggle on their cause, according to the event organizer.

Comprised of 83 organizations, GMI was formed in 2001, and has held various public awareness activities including protests, candle vigils, and public forums. The group is coordinated by human rights activists, lawyers, former detainees, and family members of current and former detainees.

In August this year, GMI held a rally to urge the government to abolish the ISA. The rally attracted 30,000 people, and many ISA detainees were released not long afterward.

SUARAM (Malaysian’s Voice), considered one of the leading human rights organization in the country, was established in 1989 upon the release of the last detainees of “Operation Lalang” (Weeding Operation), where 107 opposition leaders and social activist were detained by the government under the ISA in 1987.

“SUARAM has a mission to build a human rights movement in Malaysia using empowerment, advocacy, and solidarity, and our vision is to build a society based on peace, justice, democracy, and human rights,” said SUARAM’s founder, Dr. Kua Kia Soon, during his awards speech.

More than 500 human rights activist and supporters attended the fundraising and awards dinner to pay tribute to human rights defenders who have fought and sacrificed for the improvement of human rights in Malaysia, as well as to raise funds for SUARAM to continue in its work.

Nostalgia

Semasa mengemas buku-buku lama di rumah (emak sudah mengeluarkan arahan tidak boleh ditanggung lagi), saya terjumpa buku bertajuk, "Prosa Klasik & Sajak: SPM Bahasa Malaysia" (Cetakan 1987). Teringat kembali ketika mengambil peperiksaan SPM. Walaupun BM bukan subjek kegemaran saya, buku ini saya pernah membaca berulang-ulang kali. Bukan sekadar untuk lulus peperiksaan tetapi saya amat tertarik dengan kesusasteraan yang terkandung di dalamnya. Bahasanya begitu halus dan penuh bermakna. Di antara kegemaran saya ialah sajak hasil karya Usman Awang (Bahasa Alam) yang bertajuk, "Anak Jiran Tionghua":

Begitu kecil ia berdiri di tepi pagar

kilat matanya memanggil Iskandar

siapa berlalu siapa berkaca

melihat keduanya bergurau senda

Anak Tionghua kelahiran di sini

di bumi hujau ladang-ladang getah dan padi

ia bisa bercerita untuk siapa saja

di sini tanahnya dan ibunya bersemadi

Lihat mereka sedang berebutan pistol mainan

he, jangan berkelahi

ah, anak-anak dengan caranya murni

berkelahi untuk nanti bermain kembali

Lihat mereka tertawa riang

Ah Chen tak punya gigi sebatang

Iskandar mengesat hingus ke baju

sekarang mereka menunggu ais krim lalu

Bumi tercinta resapkan wahyumu

jantung mereka adalah langitmu

darah mereka adalah sungaimu

nafas mereka adalah udaramu.

Malangnya, kesusasteraan yang bijaksana seperti ini telah semakin berkurangan. Ditimbun laungan ahli-ahli politik yang hanya menjaga kepentingan sendiri. Alangkah baiknya jika yang dewasa juga saling bergaul tanpa mengira kaum seperti kanak-kanak.

Trouble In Iskandar

From The Malaysian Insider.

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 20 — All is not well in Iskandar Malaysia, the country's showpiece economic corridor project.

Two chief executive officers of the Iskandar Regional Development Authority (IRDA) have not lasted two years on the job and there are now rumblings over the slow pace of progress from Middle East investors.

Apart from that, the relationship between some of the main players — the Johor Civil Service (JCS), Khazanah Nasional, Iskandar Investment Board (IIB) — leaves much to be desired.

Unwilling for the situation to unravel further, Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman is signalling his intention to Putrajaya for the state government to take more control of the mammoth project billed as Malaysia's Shenzen to the developed Singapore across the Johor Straits.

He wants IRDA to come directly under the purview of the state government, and rely less on instructions from Khazanah Nasional, the federal sovereign wealth fund tasked with developing the economic zone named after the state Ruler.

The IRDA board is now jointly chaired by the Prime Minister and the MB but The Malaysian Insiderunderstands that the Johor MB could be assigned full chairmanship, giving him control of the regional authority.

Ghani has already started exerting his authority, much to the chagrin of the top brass in Khazanah Nasional. Late last month, he demanded the resignation of the incumbent CEO Harun Johari.

Officials at Khazanah Nasional wanted Harun to be given six more months on the job but last week, the IRDA board quickly accepted Harun's resignation. He will leave in January 2010 for IRDA to have another fresh start.

Harun, an ex-Shell stalwart, was hand-picked by Khazanah Nasional for the top position. He quickly brought in several of his former Shell colleagues to fill senior executive positions, and the organisation ballooned to over 150 staff under his charge.

His critics charged that he lacked charisma but his supporters argued that he is a process-driven individual who was effective behind the scenes. Harun replaced Datuk Ikmal Hijaz, the former Pos Malaysia CEO.

The latter was also hand-picked by Khazanah Nasional to drive IRDA and make it a world-class, one-stop centre for investors.

After being appointed, Ikmal also surrounded himself with several former colleagues from Pos Malaysia or the now defunct Renong Group, in which he oversaw the construction of the Gelang Patah crossing and massive land acquisition in Nusajaya.

The Malaysian Insider has learnt the new CEO of IRDA is Ismail Ibrahim. He is currently director of the National Physical Planning Division under the Urban and Rural Planning Department.

The Muar-born career public servant, who is a British-trained town planner, was among the pioneers assembled by Khazanah Nasional back in 2006 to draw up the Comprehensive Development Plan for the south Johor Economic Region (now known as Iskandar).

He later served as senior vice-president (Planning & Compliance) and became Johor's Federal Commissioner, but quit suddenly to return to the Housing and Local Government Ministry.

Ghani has already told Ismail that he expects an overhaul of the top management of IRDA, wanting him to rid the authority of deadwood.

At least four senior personnel are expected to be removed.

The JCS — a body whose support is necessary if any project is to take off in the southern state — has welcomed the appointment of Ismail.

Relations between the JCS and Khazanah Nasional have been uneasy since the inception of the project in 2006, with Johor civil servants complaining of being sidelined from the decision-making process. They have resented the fact that important decisions regarding Iskandar were being made in Kuala Lumpur.

The shortcomings in IRDA, and to a lesser extend IIB, come at a time when several of the Middle East investors are exhibiting signs of restlessness at the pace of the project.

Government officials told The Malaysian Insider that Khazanah Nasional was forced to buy back some land in Node 1 of Iskandar which it sold to a consortium of Middle East investors. This happened after some disagreement over responsibilities and obligations.

You Got Robbed Because You Don't Love Cops

From Malaysian Insider, By Justin Ong

NOV 15 — Why do our politicians say the darnedest things? For instance, Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein was reported to have said that public vilification of government institutions is a factor contributing to the country’s rampant crime.

That’s Terminator-esque logic, that one; I’ll see if I can spell it out. Is Hishammuddin saying that our experience of being robbed, and the subsequent inability of the police to apprehend the bastards who robbed us, thereby leading us to think them (the police, not the thieving bastards) an irritatingly unhelpful bunch of twats, the reason why we were robbed again? If that is so: James Cameron, eat your heart out.

I’m a simple person. I like to see the reason why we have more crime as being down to the simple fact that we have more criminals. And the reason why we have more criminals is that the people responsible for catching these thieving bastards and locking them away aren’t doing so.

I can hardly see why my calling them all manner of names for not having done so contributes to their ability, or inability, to do so in the first place.

Or, perhaps, Hishammuddin means the way our police force has gained Gestapo-like imagery, replete with “mysterious” deaths in custody. Again, I’m a simple man. I cannot see how having such a frighteningly ferocious image can in any way contribute to an increase in crime rates.

I would have thought knowing that in the event you’re nicked for, let’s say stealing a car, that you’ll inexplicably drown in a glass of water while being held in police custody, would prove a sufficiently strong deterrent towards crime rather than providing further encouragement. But that’s just me. Who can fathom how the devious minds of criminals actually work?

Criminals of a more violent disposition (those naughty, naughty boys who like to play with knives and guns) would also no doubt tremble at the risk of engaging in “police shootouts” with the crack shots that populate our police force. Those who run afoul of this lot often tell no tales in the aftermath. Makes you think twice about leading a life of crime, doesn’t it?

As for white-collared criminals, the motivation to dip your hand into the cookie jar must be enough to make the earth move. Because the very real and present danger of having to negotiate the treacherously slippery window sills of Plaza Masalam for a breather during marathon questioning, should you be nicked with chocolate stains on your lips, bears serious contemplation.

Of course, all of the above are just some of the “perceptions” that the public may have of the various institutions.

But again, I put it to Hishammuddin: Do any of these actually create more crime? If anything, these make it obvious that the “perceived” stakes for criminals have gone up, not down. Why are people still breaking laws?

In any case, I’d like to offer some suggestions to Hishammuddin, on the premise that his assumption is true that it’s our lowly views of the government institutions that makes them ineffectual at their duties. At any rate, what’s there to lose?

Maybe you shouldn’t be sending 60 people to go arrest an unlicensed preacher. His name isn’t David Koresh, there is no Mount Carmel, and most certainly no automatic weapons are present. The same goes for opposition politicians, sending in siege teams is overkill.

Maybe you shouldn’t send an army of coppers to turn Ipoh into a warzone every time the bloody state assembly convenes. It’s a bunch of state assemblymen shouting at each other. What are you afraid of, that they’ll cuss each other to death?

Maybe you shouldn’t bother hauling up nutters cycling around the country to highlight social iniquities. While it’s alright to hate cyclists in general, even this was too much. Besides, they’re cycling in our weather; that’s already punishment enough.

Maybe you shouldn’t turn parks into battlefields every time a bunch of people want to get together and light a few candles, and maybe sing the national anthem. If they’re not crazy arsonists, your cops could be doing more useful things elsewhere. Plus, it’s good that people sing Negaraku, isn’t it?

Maybe you should have the MACC get its priorities right. Nobody is saying small graft is not graft. But between investigating the misuse of a couple of thousand ringgit in state funds and an unemployed dentist with a multi-million mansion, I think even you know which matter is the more pressing.

Maybe, just maybe, if all of these were so, you might be standing in Parliament and telling Malaysia how something is being done to make the country safe for one and all.

Because the alternative of going there and saying crime is high because we don’t think the world of government institutions, should be a crime in itself.