1Malaysia: The one time the Spartans had surrendered… and Spartan wit

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Malaysian politicians are incredibly lacking in local and international displays of diplomacy or wit to win over the hearts of their electorate.

Just look at the house politics of Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat; sadly lacking in a touch of class. Malaysians are treated to coarse, KPI-less style of politics which seems highly unsuitable for today’s problem solving era.

In the interest of our children and nation, we will be kind enough to share some information to help upgrade the skills quotient of BN and PR politicKings.

Lesson 1:

There was one time the Spartans surrendered. Yes, in battle in Athens, but they surrendered because arrows were being fired at them from a distance.

It was not the hand-to-hand fighting they believed in. They would not engage in a woman’s approach to war so they handed in their shields.

They were kept in a prison and taunted by the Athenians, who put their shields around the temple of Athena on the Acropolis. “They glistened in the sun for miles around. But the Spartans were imperturbable. To them, firing arrows was not real warfare.

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Spartan wit:

Philip of Macedon sent them a note saying, “If I enter Lacedaemonia, I will raze Sparta to the ground.”

The answer from the Spartans was short: “If…”

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At Thermopylae, when the Persians boasted that their warriors had so many arrows they would black out the sun, and the Spartans said, “Then we’ll be happy to fight in the shade.”

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Note: Appreciation to Melvyn Bragg’s In Our Time Newsletter

1st party within BN coalition is reforming by sacking ‘morally tainted’ Chua Soi Lek

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After the 12 General Election, we see the need for Barisan Nasional, especially its component parties to reform and reinvent themselves.

Without a doubt, for the wellbeing of rakyat, a strong Pakatan Rakyat needs a strong opponent in Barisan Nasional to balance each other in the political landscape.

We are pleased with latest development showed by Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) which demonstrates reform through the overdue disciplinary action against one of its member who has committed sexual acts which is unlawful in the eyes of the law. So far, there’s been no police report against Chua Soi Lek, so he’s spared from that. But some are grumbling “that doesn’t mean the whole of MCA need to condone his breaking one of the 10 commandments.”

How we wish Gerakan would also institute some form of reform before its disastrous campaigning in its home ground in Penang for the recently concluded Permatang Pasir by election.

[ We notice most bloggers blame MCA for low chinese support for Permatang Pasir UMNO candidate Rohaizat Othman (another tainted politician). We should be looking at Gerakan instead if it wishes to continue serving the people of Penang (Gerakan's home state) in GE13. ]

Anyways, to show leadership any political party must have political stand. MCA is doing just that.

MCA is showing Malaysians that is has a moral stand in the case of Chua Soi Lek.

Good luck to Chua Soi Lek as he prepares to file his appeal to the party he claims to love.

P/S: Chua Soi Lek is not about to give up his personal ambitions just yet. Looks like the party’s wellbeing will have to come AFTER his personal ambitions has been realised.

Read “Soi Lek urges MCA members to rise up” (The Malaysian Insider)

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Ong Tee Keat and Lim Kit Siang: PKFZ Monday showdown in Dewan Rakyat

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What has Ong Tee Keat delivered so far:

We would like to applaud Ong Tee Keat for delivering on his promise to disclose Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) problems with the PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) report and organising a few task forces to heal the problem.

That’s definitely a first for BN and MCA. We also found that this action matches with Ong Tee Keat’s ‘courage’ slogan. And Najib’s 1Malaysia should not hesitate to encourage more of such resolute like this MCA President.

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What is Lim Kit Siang contributing so far:

We would also like to thank Lim Kit Siang and DAP for bringing to voter’s attention to the many questions raised through his blog, ranging from business dealings, accounting, accountability and many comments on feelings of betrayal.

As rational actors, we are concerned particularly with the questions on the PKFZ administrative and management problems. Lim Kit Siang is fully aware of Ong Tee Keat’s efforts and has mentioned his ministerial breakthrough in documenting and disclosing the PKFZ problems. We understand Lim Kit Siang’s unhappiness at the inaptness of the people in PKFZ which resulted in this fiasco.

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Suggestions for next step for MPs:

May we suggest perhaps for next step, Lim Kit Siang will consider to work on introducing a law at Parliament to ensure such GLC management problems will not arise again. He missed pushing for such a law following BMF scandal long ago. But now, with a stronger opposition bench, is a second chance for Lim Kit Siang to prove his ability to introduce such law in Parliament to upgrade Malaysian business environment.

May we the voters see a productive and progressive debate in Parliament coming Monday. Certainly, we will be closely following  the updated reports from Malaysiakini webportal.

Good luck to both Member of Parliaments.

P/S: Perhaps one of these days we may be able to bring our children to see this story as a blockbuster movie showing in GSC or TGV cineplexes. It would make a very good voter’s education and guide to voting for an effective lawmaker.

Both sides now: Use this simple tool to determine process of Perak DUN meeting/fiasco

Just watched the circus of the assembly on Malaysiakini video “The Great DUN Perak fiasco“.

It’s amazing how lacking is our lawmakers’ ability to play the rules of the house in lawmaking. And most importantly the disregard for decorum in the lawmaking process.

Anyway, we leave the politicking to the politicians. Us voters must be wise to see through the drama.

Did you know that there is an established fundamental to check validity of the process of lawmaking? With this tool, you can use it to check your lawmaker’s capability and sensibility too.

Here is 2 examples from the Perak DUN fiasco for you to test this out:

1. Sivakumar said he will not start the meeting until the suspended members are evicted. (Background story: The decision to suspend the members was taken under a tree, attended by some members of the house.)

2. BN members elected a new speaker Ganesan. (Background story: The ‘old’ speaker is still seated, note example 1.)

Apply only 2 questions to test the validity of the examples:

1. Is it constitutional?
2. Is it legitimate?

Remember, put aside any emotions, the people are supposed to be the judge.

Dear Barisan and Pakatan supporters… tis about the economy

With so much going on in political wranglings in Perak, PKR’s Elizabeth Wong’s case, MCA’s Chua Soi Lek and upcoming by-elections x 3.

Anybody heard the common Rakyat’s rumblings over the country’s economy future?

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Share with you the following received via a forwarded email.

Do you agree with below thought? What should we do now?

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This nation was birthed with a social contract agreed by our forefathers (the people’s representatives who agreed to Malaysia’s independence and the Sultans).

It was the social contract agreed by the respective bodies/people which has created a sense of oneness which was demonstrated during Tunku Abdul Rahman’s time.

How come we only hear UMNO still wanting the social contract?

What about the others who subscribed to the contract?

What are the obligation of the parties to the social contract?

There’s too much anger and unthinkingness without any ideas to move forward or willingness to engage with different stream of thoughts and viewpoints as fellow Rakyat Malaysia. Sadly, the BN supporter will scold, curse or vilify the Pakatan supporter and vice versa. What a terribly sad demonstration of the Malaysian undemocratic mindsets in cyber. It conveys a very Hitler-like dictatorial stance: “My viewpoints are supreme and just! Your viewpoints doesn’t count, you stupid!”

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Perhaps your small group can lead the way to a more progressive Malaysia and take action, gather ideas for action from all fellow Malaysians regardless of their political affiliation/thinkings.

Love your enemies, constructively?

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Malaysia politics: Ong Tee Keat and MCA’s baby steps

Everybody is watching the Pakatan Rakyat and their political progression since they became government in 5 Malaysia states.

We, however prefer to watch development in BN politics as it tried to recover from injuries inflicted in 308 tsunami. If BN manages to stage a great comeback to Malaysia politics, it definitely will pose an interesting study for political analysts and students.

From our observation:

•    UMNO has not showed progression from its pre-308 mindset so far.

•    MCA has demonstrated some talk and trying to walk.

•    MIC is too busy with ‘inhouse rebranding’. However, we would like to suggest it try ‘party reform’ instead.

We can put on record that as of now, we are impressed with MCA’s baby steps to reform its public identity.

Just check out the below report from The Sun and try to see what we saw.

(Meanwhile, sad to say, the Chinese newpapers and its political writers missed this. Sin Chew the community’s leading newspaper, failed to highlight in their report a very important point in this speech of the MCA President Ong Tee Keat. We do not blame them, even Malaysiakini missed it.)

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Discard old policies or lose out, says Tee Keat

By: by Tan Yi Liang (Sun, 21 Dec 2008)

KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 21, 2008): Malaysia will lose out economically if obsolete policies are not discarded, says Transport Minister Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat.

“Policies should be re-examined and discarded if they are not working to the nation’s benefit. Very often, policies drawn up with noble intentions are wayward in their implementation,” said Ong.

He said a change of mindset was needed for Malaysia to be competitive globally.

“We need to be creative, innovative, visionary and bold. There are some among us who, it appears, do not seem to have realised that we have moved into the 21st century. It’s the digital age, but they operate with an analogue mindset,” he said, adding that educational reform was needed if Malaysia was to compete globally.

“It is not just the digital gap that is widening between rural and urban areas, so is the education gap. We have no choice but to implement changes. Our children are no longer just competing with each other within national borders. They are competing with the world.”

He pointed out that the need to overhaul the national schools was more pressing than the debate over vernacular schools.

Ong, who said this when opening the Malaysian Young Entrepreneurs Conference at the Putra World Trade Centre here today, called for reforms to make the ruling Barisan National coalition relevant for Malaysians.

“The political mould has been broken. Unless we in the Barisan compete in the marketplace of ideas, there is a real possibility that we will be voted out of office in the next general election. It is time we change the political model that worked so well for us until March 8,” said Ong, who called on parties to focus on the interests of Malaysians as a whole.

“Unless we take on a wider, national role, we could soon become irrelevant. The political base of the communal parties has no doubt been within the community, and we must cater to their interests, but there is nothing that says we cannot or should not build on this base by addressing national concerns affecting all Malaysians.”

At a press conference later, Ong repeated his call for reform after the March 8 political tsunami.

“After March 8, I said it (the need for reform) loud and clear. When I was interviewed  in April by one of the news agencies, I reiterated one point, and making a reference to my own party, I said we must initiate changes, or else we would become irrelevant,” he said.

He said he was “not apologetic” about his comments.

“I did it with good intentions, because at the end of the day, what we want, what the people want and are looking for and expecting from us is good governance. We are a beautiful country, we are rich in resources, so why can’t we harness our resources for the best benefit of the country and the people.”

He said his Barisan peers accepted the need for change, and noted that each Barisan component party had its own methodology for change.

“On Feb 14 next year, there will be a big BN rally, where the component parties, leaders and members will meet and brainstorm.

Perhaps this will serve as a good platform for the component parties to brainstorm and share experiences in transforming our own parties,” he added.

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UMNO President aka Prime Minister of Malaysia: Fifth estate must lead!

Following the conclusion of the 12th General Election, news media hound’s attention is now focused on UMNO and fate of its future and its President.

Every Malaysians remembered how the rancour of the General Election’s campaign was covered. The amount of money spent was covered. But in this political season, nobody has yet to shout out about lack of information about the top UMNO proposed candidates’ vision, mission, priorities, policies, and leadership — and for that matter, important information that Malaysians will need to back up the next Prime Minister of Malaysia.

Was this why we always get the gut feeling that our political appointees too often did not make the cut or fit our aspirations?

Why? The vigorous press that was deemed an essential part of democracy in Malaysia is mediocre at best. The internet and the blogs have the tendency to spew too much flames, according to a tired BN operative (flame means hate). I am not suggesting that every journalist in the mainstream media is neglecting his/her duties as the fourth estate. There are still a sprinkling of good souls in newspapers and magazines who run analytical articles, and publicise longer, more probing segments.

And what did we learn from the 12th GE?

We found out that the mainstream media supplied faithfully a variety of analysis – that is shortened, taking every corner that is cut, which moves us further away from the truth until what is left tasted bland in our palate.

This problem has drove voters who take their responsibility to be informed seriously enough to search out information about the candidates in the internet. Even though there was not much substantive findings to be found in midst of the flames, as some may say.

Would you, as a non MCA member for example, ever know a single fact about Ong Ka Ting’s leadership values based plan? Anything at all? But let me guess, you know better about Chua Soi Lek’s sex escapade. We seem to forget the serious business about choosing political appointees, especially in the instance of the office of the Prime Minister, the next leader of the country. Are we buying pisang goreng or are we choosing a spokesman possessing speech ability or a leader with primarily leadership abilities? All are very different and not the same!

What’s troubling is that, the internet news media have shown instances where it has cut candidates like Tony Pua out of the process even before he got started. And then rushed to cover him as he won. Just to be clear: I’m referring to all serious contenders regardless of political affiliation and ranks who encounter the same prejudice. Voters are finding it harder and harder to have a 360 degrees overview, what more if they do not have access to the Internet.

And it’s not as if people didn’t want this sort of information of serious candidates with distinguished record.

Who is responsible for the veil of silence over the unheard of serious candidates?

The decision was probably made by the same people who decided that Najib or Muhyiddin were serious candidates. In the case of Najib, articles purporting to be news spent thousands upon thousands of words contemplating whether he would enter the race, to the point that before he even entered, he was already anointed the successor for UMNO presidency. Has he had not done or said anything that would allow anyone to conclude he was a worthy candidate. Whether the voters noticed the absence of leadership testimony, serious ideas or commitment to getting in progressive economic policies makes for another thesis altogether.

I join as one of the very few who noticed this shallow news coverage. An overseas report by the Project for Excellence in Journalism and the Shorenstein Center on the Press, Politics and Public Policy found that in the early months of the USA 2008 presidential campaign, 63% of the campaign stories focused on political strategy while only 15% discussed the candidates’ ideas and proposals.

Watching the UMNO party elections campaign unfold, I saw how the press gravitated toward a narrative template for the campaign, presenting stories of each characters as if for a novel: a man more comfortably fitted as a religious teacher, a second man who has no testimony of leadership qualities, a former chief minister who bettered his leadership skills and a respected royal who has not demonstrated new ideas to embrace the Rakyat Malaysia aspirations.

When the important issues will be presented to the rakyat as they watch on the sidelines of UMNO? Issues that could make a difference in the lives of Malaysians that didn’t fit into this narrative template and which was forced to take a back seat to these superficialities?

The state of UMNO’s political campaigning is not espected to be better: without a press to push them, candidates who do not have solid workable national proposals avoid the tough questions. All of this leaves Rakyat uncertain about what approach makes the most sense for them in the choosing of the next UMNO President aka Prime Minister of Malaysia. Worse still, it gives us permission to ignore issues and concentrate on things that don’t matter.

As UMNO move to gear up for its party contest, I want to propose the bloggers to know as much as they possibly can about what these men or woman would do as President of UMNO aka Prime Minister of Malaysia.

If the Rakyat want a vibrant democracy, the apparent mandate is for the fifth estate to demand it. By talking calmly, repeatedly, constantly for the ears of those in whom we have entrusted this enormous responsibility.

For starters, we the fifth estate, must fulfil our stakeholders’ rights to demand for the best UMNO President aka Malaysia Prime Minister.

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Disgraceful Parliament first telecast

All thanks to MPs playing to the gallery.

Perhaps all were exhilarated to be in the Dewan Rakyat’s hallowed ground that made MPs like Karpal Singh, Bung Radin, Ngeh Koo Han lost balance of their right minds.

Thank you to them for showing to Malaysians their shallow decorum and lack of working knowledge:

Karpal for labeling BN as “Bigfoot”

In return Bung Raden called Karpal – “Monyet”

Then Ngeh demonstrated his terrible lack of knowledge in State vs Federal government roles.

We await with aghast for future telecasts.

The only redeeming feature today was Ong Ka Ting. Kudos to him for demonstrating knowledge of governmental role and most importantly, adherence to house decorum.

Read more in Malaysiakini.

Malaysia Parliament leaking…

Remember this man?

This was the YB who started a sheenigan in the Dewan Rakyat during a debate on water leaking in newly renovated Dewan Rakyat during which this man uttered at the woman YB who brought up the question: “Mana bocor? Batu Gajah pun bocor setiap bulan.” (Where is the leak? Batu Gajah (MP Fong Po Kuan) also leaks every month.) The word “bocor” here refers to a woman’s menstrual cycle.

Nazri, who is in charge of Parliament affairs, said the two MPs should not apologise to Fong or the DAP for their remarks. “I’m sure they didn’t have an agenda against Fong. But if they had offended women in general, that is another matter altogether. Then it’s up to them to apologise to women in general,” Nazri added.

Following an uproar by Malaysian women, Kinabatangan MP Datuk Bung Moktar Radin said he was sorry to all Malaysian women for his “unintended remarks,” but retracted the apology following a Cabinet directive to discuss the matter with then Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil.

This YB Bocor is now newly appointed Deputy Chairman of Backbenchers Club. We ask why because BN cannot be so lack of talent and have to put this YB who is well known for his loud, irresponsible and disgraceful utterances in Parliament.

Ong Tee Keat: One of our rare values based politician

We are very happy to report that Malaysia has produced one more values based politician.

Ong Tee Keat of MCA, now Transport Minister has demonstrated the importance of values in the hazardous job of a politician. OTK has been censured before by an UMNO leader for his frank comments. Even the MCA President was scolded as Ong Ka Ting stood up to defend the same values. At the end of the day however, party lines submitted to government Ministrial line of authority (this is another subject matter on government).

The Ongs:

Ong Ka Ting Ong Tee Keat

We are also proud that OTK is one of the very few to declare frankly his stand and moral values on climbing the political ladder. May we add, it reminds us of days of long ago where heroes have clear principles and values that made human history so uplifting and magnanimous.

Consider OTK’s response as a reporter asked him on whether he will be going for the post of deputy president in MCA:

“A television reporter has repeatedly asked me this hypothetical question – assuming there is a vacancy for the post. My answer is that if at all there is a vacancy, any eligible candidate, including me, has the right to contest. I must also say here that I will only consider contesting the post of deputy president on three conditions, meaning that:

1. I have enough support from the ground,

2. the aptitude to deliver in the post, and

3. the ability to bring positive impact to the party.

I contest not because I want the position at all cost.“

Well said.

If only all contestants for any party leadership posts will only adhere to 1, 2 and 3. So far, we have heard nothing on this from people who are now making lot of scolding noises in the aftermath of GE12.