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By Mariam Mokhtar
Kuala Lumpur, MALAYSIA: During a parliamentary session last week, Deputy Foreign Minister A Kohilan Pillay called vocal overseas Malaysians “traitors” and said they had “breached loyalty to the King and country”.
He told the Dewan Rakyat: “The ministry monitors the behaviour and actions of not only people from the opposition parties but also tourists and those who reside abroad.”
Kohilan Pillay accused these Malaysians of giving foreigners the “wrong perception” of Malaysia.
But hasn’t he shot himself in the foot with his ludicrous charges? Malaysians need not bother dishonouring the good name of the country and its leaders. Kohilan Pillay need only search in his own backyard and judge for himself how his government, principally the Umno faction, has tarnished Malaysia’s good name, both within and outside Malaysia.
'Latex Journalism' and the Holy Father
By Brother André Marie
Cut to the chase: It’s a pack of lies. In what is perhaps the worst Vatican PR nightmare since the Williamson Affair — now back in the news with a vengeance — the world’s media are abuzz with prurient headlines regarding the Supreme Pontiff’s supposed partial approval of condom use. This twisted obsession shows that the esteemed members of the fourth estate have contracepted more than babies. Their favorite accessories have become a prophylactic for rational thought, honesty, and genuine journalistic observation. It’s no longer yellow journalism; it’s “latex journalism,” whose standards of truth are more elastic than the nasty little things themselves. Allow me one case-in-point of yellow latex journalism, the Boston Herald. Quoting “Catholic” activists and commentators, whose claim on the name is quite a stretch, the Herald deviously congratulates the Pope for saying, regarding condom use, that “in some cases it’s justified to stop spread of HIV.” Only problem is he didn’t say that. The headline, too — “Pontiff blesses condom use” is a lie. What did the Holy Father do? In an unguarded, leisurely, book-length interview with Peter Seewald, Pope Benedict XVI did something truly dangerous. He took a risk. He spoke in a speculatively psychological way about the subjective dispositions of one deeply entrenched in a life of sin, and how, for such a one, the use of a condom “can be a first step in the direction of a moralization.” The risk was that his words would be misunderstood, for not everyone wants to understand the Holy Father’s thinking on the issue. Further, the complexity of these thoughts are not easily reducible to a sound bite or headline.
Read the account of Pia de Solenni, who does us the favor of reproducing the entire excerpt our latex journalists have hacked and parsed and spliced beyond recognition. Note, the Pope did not say that condom use was “moral.” He did not say it was “justified.” He did not say it was judged “permissible” now or ever in the infallible moral magisterium of the Church. None of that.
Is Malaysian Prime Minister involved in Scorpene submarines kickbacks?
Questions over the sale of French-built Scorpene submarines to militaries across the world may finally ensnare some of France’s highest-ranking leaders.In addition, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak should be starting to get nervous, along with officials in India, Chile and Brazil.
DayakBaru Thoughts
Receiving kickbacks from government purchase of foreign goods and services is common. This is an act of corruption and is therefor not acceptable. whoever is involved in such an act is irresponsible and therefor should not be given the trust to govern by the people.
For Najib, he has been a Defense Minister for so long and he has a lot to answer in any given cases link to the military. The lost jet engines, buying over price tank, etc all smell fishy to the public. The submarine deal is even link to murder in Malaysia. If all these is true, then the current government has no moral standing to rule Malaysia.
Is BN guilty of criminal negligence? - by ex MP Maran
By Hishamuddin Yahaya
Kuala Lumpur, MALAYSIA: Are our efforts to foster racial unity really doddering, as alleged by some? Indications are that they are. Incidents involving people in responsible positions making derogatory racial remarks all point to that direction. What these people said is too sensitive to quote here. But suffice to say they were derogatory and racist remarks, which no amount of apology will erase.
Again what prompted the prime minister to give a stern warning that the government would not tolerate such sensitive issues being raised by any quarter? The answer is simply that racial unity is still elusive, and unless programmed and implemented wisely, it will not easily be achieved.
I am prompted to reminisce about what the late Koh Kai Boh, a Cabinet minister prior to the May 13 incident, said when he came to Malaysia Hall, London to give a briefing on the situation, weeks after the infamous incident. Among other things, he said, “the government is guilty of criminal negligence in not teaching and explaining to the people our constitution.” Had that been done, he said, the racial riot could not have occurred. The late Koh Kai Boh himself was a lawyer.
Nazri says Malay supremacy wrongly interpreted
By Clara Chooi
 |
| Nazri says ‘ketuanan Melayu’ is not about the Malays, it is about the Malay Rulers. |
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 30 — Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Aziz attempted today to silence arguments on “Malay supremacy”, claiming it has been grossly interpreted to propagate the supremacy of the Malay race by leaders with “cow dung in their brains”.
The minister in the Prime Minister’s Department told The Malaysian Insider that the famous phrase, often used by Malay right-wing leaders to push for Malay rights, was coined to protect the sovereignty of the Malay Rulers.
As such, Nazri stressed that “Malay supremacy” did not in any way mean that the Malays were more superior than the other races.
An Alternative Paradigm for Change and Reform
by Malik Imtiaz Sarvar
I do not think I am alone in feeling that this country is in need of a serious overhaul. Sweeping reform, of a nature far deeper than the superficial changes conceived by consultants to seduce voters, is critical to our continued survival. If voter sentiment at the last general election is any indication, I think I am similarly not alone in believing that a change of government is in order.
I am guided to this conclusion not by dint of any admiration for those currently in Pakatan Rakyat(PR). Although admitted, there are individuals among them for whom I have a great deal of respect; this in itself is not a reason for change. The matter is addressed rather by reference to the seeming inability of Barisan Nasional (BN) at the present time to form the kind of government this country needs.
It is not very difficult to prove this proposition: the BN is held by its component parties and their members, in particular UMNO. In as much as some within the BN may wish to push the envelope on reform, they are subject to those who shape influence with these parties.
I do not think I am alone in feeling that this country is in need of a serious overhaul. Sweeping reform, of a nature far deeper than the superficial changes conceived by consultants to seduce voters, is critical to our continued survival. If voter sentiment at the last general election is any indication, I think I am similarly not alone in believing that a change of government is in order.
I am guided to this conclusion not by dint of any admiration for those currently in Pakatan Rakyat(PR). Although admitted, there are individuals among them for whom I have a great deal of respect; this in itself is not a reason for change. The matter is addressed rather by reference to the seeming inability of Barisan Nasional (BN) at the present time to form the kind of government this country needs.
It is not very difficult to prove this proposition: the BN is held by its component parties and their members, in particular UMNO. In as much as some within the BN may wish to push the envelope on reform, they are subject to those who shape influence with these parties.
One Hole behind
A guy was playing golf one day and he got lost. He saw a lady up
ahead of him and went to her and said, "Can you please help me, I don't
know what hole I'm on." She told him "You are one hole behind me. I'm on 7;
you're on 6." He thanked her and continued playing golf.
Later he got lost again. He saw the same lady and went to her again
kind of embarrassed. "I'm sorry to bother you again but I'm lost again, can
you please tell me what hole I'm on." She told him "you are one hole behind
me. I'm on 14; you are on 13."
Again he thanked her and continued playing golf. when he finished he
saw her in the clubhouse. He went up to her and asked if he could buy her a
drink for helping him out. She accepted.
ahead of him and went to her and said, "Can you please help me, I don't
know what hole I'm on." She told him "You are one hole behind me. I'm on 7;
you're on 6." He thanked her and continued playing golf.
Later he got lost again. He saw the same lady and went to her again
kind of embarrassed. "I'm sorry to bother you again but I'm lost again, can
you please tell me what hole I'm on." She told him "you are one hole behind
me. I'm on 14; you are on 13."
Again he thanked her and continued playing golf. when he finished he
saw her in the clubhouse. He went up to her and asked if he could buy her a
drink for helping him out. She accepted.
Other ethnics in Sabah need "champions", says SUHAKAM Commissioner
By Ezra Haganez
KOTA KINABALU: Human Rights Commission of Malaysia or SUHAKAM is of the opinion that other native groups in Sabah, other than the Kadazandusuns, really need to have their own "champions" if they are to upgrade their language to become one of the subjects in schools and colleges.
SUHAKAM Commissioner, Jannie Lasimbang, said this at the SUHAKAM's one-day Workshop on Education for Natives at a hotel here today.
"Other native ethnic groups need to have 'champions' from their own respective communities to bring up the issues of their language to be taught in schools and universities," she said.
She was giving example where the Kadazandusuns language being championed by culturalists in KDCA (Kadazanusun Cultural Association), politicians, and pioneers of NGOs like PACOS Trust and the Kadazandusun Language Foundation (KLF).
KOTA KINABALU: Human Rights Commission of Malaysia or SUHAKAM is of the opinion that other native groups in Sabah, other than the Kadazandusuns, really need to have their own "champions" if they are to upgrade their language to become one of the subjects in schools and colleges.
SUHAKAM Commissioner, Jannie Lasimbang, said this at the SUHAKAM's one-day Workshop on Education for Natives at a hotel here today.
"Other native ethnic groups need to have 'champions' from their own respective communities to bring up the issues of their language to be taught in schools and universities," she said.
She was giving example where the Kadazandusuns language being championed by culturalists in KDCA (Kadazanusun Cultural Association), politicians, and pioneers of NGOs like PACOS Trust and the Kadazandusun Language Foundation (KLF).
Why the Jeffrey agenda will work
Why the Jeffrey agenda will work
By Raymond Tombung
SIDEVIEW, Borneo Post, 28 Nov, 2010
THERE IS no denying that a new election fever has taken root, what with leaders talking about preparing for the apparently imminent GE13, denying it, and then speaking of issues in terms of how they will all affect performances in the GE13. And there is already speculation that the GE13 will be next year, perhaps in April or July. This theory has gained currency since the BN victories with the Batu Sapi and Galas by-elections and later reinforced by the turmoil in PKR. Then, the idea of the Third Force under Datuk Zaid Ibrahim, raising the likelihood of the opposition splitting their votes further, gave BN more confidence to win the GE13 with higher margin, even maybe to regain its two-third ma-jority in Parliament. Some observers, however believe BN shouldn’t be unduly swayed by overzealous news carriers saying that it’s time for general elections because the recent by-election victories in Galas and Batu Sapi may not be true reflections of the people’s current sentiment.
PKR’s Dr. Syed Hussein Ali used his speech at the seventh Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Wanita and Youth congress on Friday to warn that the Third Force could prevent the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) from achieving a huge victory in the next general elections – a clear admittance of the seriousness and potential strength of the Third Force which is now in the process of solidifying into a formal entity. But Syed Hussein’s warning may not be necessarily valid because they are other possible outcomes from the current problems. PKR may lose its lustre and appeal, which is not impossible because this is already happening to PKR Sabah and Sa-rawak! And at the national level, PKR appears to have inadvertently exposed the seeds of its own destruction! Note that if such a fate will indeed befall the whole of PKR, it will have a very serious effect on the morale of the PR. Its other components, DAP and PAS may leave to join the Third Force. If that happens, the Third Force, initially with Datuk Zaid Ibrahim and Datuk Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan, will become the Second Force, with PKR way behind as a small and no longer significant force!
By Raymond Tombung
SIDEVIEW, Borneo Post, 28 Nov, 2010
THERE IS no denying that a new election fever has taken root, what with leaders talking about preparing for the apparently imminent GE13, denying it, and then speaking of issues in terms of how they will all affect performances in the GE13. And there is already speculation that the GE13 will be next year, perhaps in April or July. This theory has gained currency since the BN victories with the Batu Sapi and Galas by-elections and later reinforced by the turmoil in PKR. Then, the idea of the Third Force under Datuk Zaid Ibrahim, raising the likelihood of the opposition splitting their votes further, gave BN more confidence to win the GE13 with higher margin, even maybe to regain its two-third ma-jority in Parliament. Some observers, however believe BN shouldn’t be unduly swayed by overzealous news carriers saying that it’s time for general elections because the recent by-election victories in Galas and Batu Sapi may not be true reflections of the people’s current sentiment.
PKR’s Dr. Syed Hussein Ali used his speech at the seventh Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Wanita and Youth congress on Friday to warn that the Third Force could prevent the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) from achieving a huge victory in the next general elections – a clear admittance of the seriousness and potential strength of the Third Force which is now in the process of solidifying into a formal entity. But Syed Hussein’s warning may not be necessarily valid because they are other possible outcomes from the current problems. PKR may lose its lustre and appeal, which is not impossible because this is already happening to PKR Sabah and Sa-rawak! And at the national level, PKR appears to have inadvertently exposed the seeds of its own destruction! Note that if such a fate will indeed befall the whole of PKR, it will have a very serious effect on the morale of the PR. Its other components, DAP and PAS may leave to join the Third Force. If that happens, the Third Force, initially with Datuk Zaid Ibrahim and Datuk Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan, will become the Second Force, with PKR way behind as a small and no longer significant force!
Jokes for the day
Two guys sneak into a farmer's fruit garden and start eating the fruit. The farmer sees them and comes out with a shotgun. ‘Since you guys like fruit so much go pick 100 of which ever fruit you want,’ said the farmer.
The first guy decides to pick grapes. When he gets 100 he goes back to the farmer.
The farmer says,’now shove em' all up your ass.’
The guy gets all 100 up his ass. He feels really bad, but then he starts to laugh.
‘Why you laughing?’ asked the farmer.
To which the man replied, ‘My friend is out picking watermelons!’
The first guy decides to pick grapes. When he gets 100 he goes back to the farmer.
The farmer says,’now shove em' all up your ass.’
The guy gets all 100 up his ass. He feels really bad, but then he starts to laugh.
‘Why you laughing?’ asked the farmer.
To which the man replied, ‘My friend is out picking watermelons!’
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