Muhyiddin blames ‘ungrateful’ fallout on Chinese media

You can read this article in the Malaysian Insider. I was going to give vent to my own disgust at Muhyiddin's "bodoh sombong" behaviour, but scanning the comments following the MI article I see that most of what I want to say is already said. I only wish to reproduce the following comment here - it is quite far down in the comment log, and might be missed. This is worth a read:

UMNO must learn humility or it faces irrelevancy
written by Umran Kadir, April 14, 2009
Muhyiddin's comment typifies exactly what is wrong with the mindset of UMNO's leadership.

Their line of thinking espouses that if a certain segment of the electorate does not vote for BN then the fault lies with the voters concerned because BN and in particular UMNO have done absoutely nothing wrong.

Muhyiddin's statement belies an astounding level of arrogance.

To those who still think UMNO is capable of reform, read between the lines of Muhyiddin's statement and weep.

Here's the solution: kick out UMNO and kick out BN. THEN IF THEY PROVE TO US THAT THEY ARE APPRECIATIVE OF THE RAKYAT'S SUPPORT then we may consider giving them a second chance.

Also, I am Malay and would like to say SHAME ON YOU MUHYIDDIN FOR TURNING BN'S ELECTORAL DEFEATS INTO A RACIAL ISSUE. Race has nothing to do with it.

To UMNO's leaders: stop trying to turn every issue into a racial issue so you can hide behind them and continue dividing Malaysians. The Malaysian people have awakened and are not falling for that trick anymore.

Keep it up if you want your party to continue on its course towards certain irrelevancy.

The question in my mind is; do the members of the UMNO supreme council really believe in Ketuanan Melayu, or are they actually consciously using it as an idea to divide the country and make Malays toe the party line?

All indications are that the idea has taken hold and been internalised, and that UMNO really believes (like some feudal lord of 100 years ago) that all natural resources and even the population 'belong' to them. That would certainly explain (in my mind) the massive blind spot Muhyiddin displays, to our national embarrassment.
TDM may have sung the same song, but dont forget that in "The Malay Dilemma" he actually does not have a high regard for the race his ancestors joined. Could he have, even back in 1970 when the book was published, been planning and manipulating for his takeover? He is, after all, a brilliant strategist. Just ask AAB and KJ, and soon, NTR.

Blogger reports of the recent UMNO AGM also disturbingly seem to support my idea - members saying that 'money politics should be legalised' and 'UMNO must have more control' raising the spectre of a partisan civil service (as though we don't already have one) and conflicts of interest.

Even NTR's ascending to the UMNO presidency shows this ingrained arrogance - he was chosen first, the transition plan was put in place, then the nominations and elections were had (as part of the transition plan). Being the product of such a process, can anyone expect hime to now say "Lets throw this all away and use fair and egalitarian processes"? Dream on.

As the song goes, 'you dont know what you've got till its gone', and I say we have not yet fully appreciated AAB for unlocking (or, some would say, not hindering the growth of) the most important resource Malaysia has - her peoples' ability to think rationally. That his own party should scorn him for this, and even blame him for failures caused by their own irrationality perhaps marks the divergence of UMNO as a party from the path of Malaysia as a unified nation. We must make sure mention it on their epitaph.

One Malaysia - but some are more ONE than others?

The Malaysian Insider has this commentary on our dear PM's "One Malaysia" announcement.
Today, the Umno-owned Mingguan Malaysia ... put in perspective that One Malaysia means no one in the country will be sidelined but affirmative action policies will continue.
Jeff Ooi reports the same thing.

Have you ever read "Animal Farm" by George Orwell?
If the report above is true, and this is what One Malaysia is meant to be, then this is exactly what the pigs said after they took over the farm:
"All animals are created equal.
But some are more equal than others."

Just my luck to be living in a comic tragedy of Orwellian proportions.

In another report,
KANGAR, April 12 — The mentris besar and chief ministers are more suitable for appointment as the respective State Umno Liaison Committee Chairmen, said Perlis mentri besar Datuk Seri Dr Md Isa Sabu, today.
This is, to me, an extension of TDM's method of ruling where power was consolidated under one person. This avoided the inconveniences of checks and balances, the need of coordination (or, at least, complicity) between different leaders, and the possibility that ones objectives might be thwarted by such mundane issues as conflicts of interest or (horror of horrors) ethics.
(references: a superficial retelling of the last day of 2008 UMNO General Assembly and ESPECIALLY UMNO blew my fuse )

Why would I support PAS?

In my younger days, PAS was portrayed as a demonic political party which would cut off the hands of a thief and hang me as an unbeliever.

But how much of that picture was real (and I know some of it was) and how much was the embellishment of the BN controlled media (like the NST and the Star)?

But here in this article, we see a PAS that has started to take a moderate road - the kind of road a political party takes when it needs co-operation from others, and does not hold a 2/3 majority.

Read: The Political Maturing of PAS: Recognition of the Need for Inclusion of Non-Muslims and Non-Malays

So PAS is opening its mind across religious and racial lines. I would much rather support someone attempting to have an open mind, than someone who makes veiled (quite thinly veiled) threats of racial segregation and discrimination as in the NST today. NST even had a picture ("No Representation, No Voice" it said), but this only tells me what BN would do to "punish" the rakyat if it (BN) does not win its 2/3 majority. I will never support bullies.

5% penetration

No, K.Alvin, not that kind of penetration.

I am talking about the statistic I heard about some weeks back - that the internet access is available to only 5% of the Malaysian Population - hence the 5% penetration phrase.

Being a frequent user myself, its easy to imagine that all the information available online is read by many people, and that the majority of Malaysians can see through the vapid, ingratiating support the the New Straits Times and the STAR (how the mighty have fallen) give to Barisan National. Even though I do NOT support any particular political party, the blatant unfairness of 'news reporting' in the papers convinces me that I am being lied to, and the non-BN parties are being suppressed.

Let us make this crystal clear. Since the dissolution of Parliament, Malaysia has NO Government, and hence NO opposition. (ok - there's a caretaker government. But that's not an elected government with a mandate to rule) What we have are different political parties whom all want to be given the mandate to form the next Government. So BN usage of MY tax money for their campaigning is illegal - it's stealing from me. And you. Read this article about just one case, and this one about Ijok (especially the last 4 lines).

But sadly, even if all the Malaysians accessing the internet vote against BN, thats just 5% penetration. And as Ijok has shown us, bribery (via the building of infrastructure that should have been there anyway) works. So make every vote count - dont for a moment doubt that for the good of all Malaysians, you must NOT vote BN.

Malaysia Votes 2008: a perspective

Having followed "America votes 2008" on CNN for the past couple of months, I have a few things to say about the way we do it in Malaysia;

An election is an important step in the progress of a country. As such, it should be approached with deliberate and considered steps, and all parties involved must have fair chance to decide on who best represents the peoples needs. Malaysia treats the election as a 'hide-and-seek' game, with the government deciding in secret, and letting the country know only on the day Parliament is dissolved. US elections are scheduled for NOV 2008, and the process of selection of candidates began in late 2007.

No man can have absolute discretion - even George Bush, as the US President, though he may give the executive order to attack Iraq, finally must answer to the electorate for the rightness or wrongness of his decisions. I find it galling that in Malaysia, an ex-Prime Minister (Dr. Mahatir) can say he chooses judges at his absolute discretion ('the decision is mine' he said). His description of getting 'input' from other people showed no trace of intending to give their opinion due consideration. We have put our PM on such a pedestal, he effectively has more power then DYMM the King. Witness the case of Chua Soi Lek and other politicians getting caught with their pants down, or palaces built in low-cost housing areas; their song always refrains with "I will let the PM decide my future", showing that among politicians at least, if not among the rakyat, it is the PM, and not the DYMM who may grant pardon or may dispose.

The politics of RACE were used by the colonialists to divide and conquer. (read an excellent writeup about it here). To be relevant and progressive, and to compete with the countries around us, we must be UNITED. And yet, Malaysian politics is dominated by the National Front (BN), which pretends to be a united front but in reality is a collection of racially aligned groups dancing to the tune of the biggest bully among them - UMNO. This can be seen by the way no BN MP is allowed to vote contrary to BN proposals according to conscience. Racial Riots of May 13th 1969 are also frequently invoked by UMNO as a threat to anyone daring to question its ascendancy. Refer to:
Kris Dilemma or Phobia?
and
May 13 nightmare still haunting us

The politics of manipulating racial prejudice and demonising other races because they appear more successful, or belittling those who are mainly laborers must end in this country. The only way I see it, is to dissolve all racially based political parties, leaving only the non-BN, so-called "opposition" parties. I have no illusions of this happening in my lifetime, but one can always hope.

On CNN, commentators can talk rationally about the 'Hispanic vote' and the 'Black vote' and how the prospective candidates need to address the concerns of each community in order to get their support. Oh, I dont for a moment believe it is always so rational and civilised a conversation, but at least the American system allows for this discussion among rational parties to take place. Here, we have:
Police Warn Against Race Baiting in 2008 General Election (Like That’s Gonna Stop UMNO)

Enough for now. Its late in more ways than one, and I need a break. I will write more thoughts later if I am able.