To All Malaysians HAPPY DEEPAVALI. A celebration to truly celebrate even though tough economic times. With the prospect of a better year ahead, we should rejoice the end of the troubled 2009.
The Bagan Pinang by election loss for Pakatan Rakyat is a good thing. We need accountability and responsibility from Pakatan Rakyat. BN choose the right person for Bagan Pinang and they choose the wrong person. So we will see what comes out of this in the months to come. MCA is big big trouble now that they haven't got a clue what to do now. But i respect their party for making the right decisions. The both of them didn't qualify to lead the party anymore.
Who knows what other parties are going to form and lead a new coalition? oopss....
Showing posts with label Goodnight Malaysia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Goodnight Malaysia. Show all posts
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Malaysia a sinking ship. malaysiakini
The politic atmosphere in Malaysia has gone from interesting to down right stupid. Ever increasing mud-slinging and cock talks by politician diverts all the public concern issues. Last week i waited 45mins for a train at the KL Sentral KTM station to find the train arriving at train station in snail pace on tow by a KTMB engine train. It was not just embarrassing to see this but disappointing to know the pathetic state of our countries public transport system.
Some criticised Makkal Sakthi party as racially based party as a backwards thinking. But i don't see Malaysia coming out of the ropes of racial politics. Even Pakatan Rakyat does not carry that stand. Having PAS in their coalition defeats the pursuit of abolishing racial based politics. Malaysia will always be ruled by race politics unless they abolish race discrimination. There shouldn't be a race recognition in policies. There shouldn't be an issue of bumiputra or non bumiputra.
This is what that makes us slaves of racial politics. It's time to remove the shackles that deprive us of equal standards.
Some criticised Makkal Sakthi party as racially based party as a backwards thinking. But i don't see Malaysia coming out of the ropes of racial politics. Even Pakatan Rakyat does not carry that stand. Having PAS in their coalition defeats the pursuit of abolishing racial based politics. Malaysia will always be ruled by race politics unless they abolish race discrimination. There shouldn't be a race recognition in policies. There shouldn't be an issue of bumiputra or non bumiputra.
This is what that makes us slaves of racial politics. It's time to remove the shackles that deprive us of equal standards.
Friday, September 4, 2009
PAS shouldn't stand in Bagan Pinang. Malaysiakini
Barisan Nasional's Bagan Pinang state assemblyperson Azman Mohd Noor, 55, passed away today from an apparent heart attack. His death will pave way for the ninth by-election since the March 2008 general election.
But in Bagan Pinang there is a 60% non malay voters there. I'm not sure why a PAS candidate stood at N31 for the pass two elections. But with all the on going Islamation issues growing out of hand in malaysia. I do not think a PAS candidate would garner enough support with all the on going issues at hand.
I'm very sure that Hindraf would definately field a candidate for this by-election.
But in Bagan Pinang there is a 60% non malay voters there. I'm not sure why a PAS candidate stood at N31 for the pass two elections. But with all the on going Islamation issues growing out of hand in malaysia. I do not think a PAS candidate would garner enough support with all the on going issues at hand.
I'm very sure that Hindraf would definately field a candidate for this by-election.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Legal Issue on Contract Law in Malaysia. Malaysiakini
Legal Issue on Contract Law in Malaysia - Good for us to know
Do you notice that most of the time, the receipt / invoice you received from the merchant carries this exclusion clause or similarly worded statement: "Goods sold are not returnable" or "No refund once sold".
Please remember that : " As long as your goods is purchased for home use and not for business ( i.e. to be resold), the above exclusion clause is VOID.
That means, as long as the good is defective, regardless of what is worded, you CAN get back all your money spent . You do not have to accept a repair on the good or an exchange. You CAN ask for a refund.. AND you are LEGALLY right and entitled to!
And most of the time the merchant will refuse to return you your money.
You can threaten the merchant with four words: "SEE YOU IN COURT!"
The court here refers to the Small Claims Tribunal Court . Any goods which is worth RM25,000 and below can apply to this Court.
However, you don't have to tell them what court! All you have to pay is RM10 admin fee and the loser (the merchant) will have to refund you the money PLUS the admin fee!
I have seen that most educated people are cowed by such unfair wordings (which includes a few of my friends).
Pls try not to let the merchant fleece you the next time you have defective goods.
You can file this On the 16th floor of Putra Place (The Mall opposite Putra World Trade Centre) . The form cost RM5.00. The Tribunal will settle within 2 months period.
Tribunal Tuntutan Pengguna Malaysia ,
Tingkat 16, Putra Place ,
100, Jalan Putra,
50622 KUALA LUMPUR
Tel: 03 - 40492300 / 40424181 Fax: 03 - 40424259
Do you notice that most of the time, the receipt / invoice you received from the merchant carries this exclusion clause or similarly worded statement: "Goods sold are not returnable" or "No refund once sold".
Please remember that : " As long as your goods is purchased for home use and not for business ( i.e. to be resold), the above exclusion clause is VOID.
That means, as long as the good is defective, regardless of what is worded, you CAN get back all your money spent . You do not have to accept a repair on the good or an exchange. You CAN ask for a refund.. AND you are LEGALLY right and entitled to!
And most of the time the merchant will refuse to return you your money.
You can threaten the merchant with four words: "SEE YOU IN COURT!"
The court here refers to the Small Claims Tribunal Court . Any goods which is worth RM25,000 and below can apply to this Court.
However, you don't have to tell them what court! All you have to pay is RM10 admin fee and the loser (the merchant) will have to refund you the money PLUS the admin fee!
I have seen that most educated people are cowed by such unfair wordings (which includes a few of my friends).
Pls try not to let the merchant fleece you the next time you have defective goods.
You can file this On the 16th floor of Putra Place (The Mall opposite Putra World Trade Centre) . The form cost RM5.00. The Tribunal will settle within 2 months period.
Tribunal Tuntutan Pengguna Malaysia ,
Tingkat 16, Putra Place ,
100, Jalan Putra,
50622 KUALA LUMPUR
Tel: 03 - 40492300 / 40424181 Fax: 03 - 40424259
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
A Malaysian Christian women suing the Malaysian Government. Malaysiakini
By JULIA ZAPPEI,Associated Press Writer AP - Friday, November 28KUALA LUMPUR,
Malaysia - A Malaysian Christian is suing the government for allegedly violating her religious rights after airport officials seized Christian educational CDs that she brought from Indonesia, the woman's lawyer said.
Customs authorities in this Muslim-majority country confiscated eight CDs from Jill Ireland when she flew back to Kuala Lumpur on May 11 after a trip to Jakarta, her lawyer, Annou Xavier, said late Thursday.
The Home Ministry informed her in a letter that the CDs were seized mainly because their cover titles contained the word "Allah," which is prohibited in non-Muslim religious material, Xavier said.
Ireland wants the Kuala Lumpur High Court to issue a declaration allowing her to transport any religious material for her own personal use, Xavier said.
The court on Thursday scheduled Jan. 30 for a preliminary hearing.
Government lawyer Suzana Atan declined to comment on details of the case, but noted that authorities have barred the use of the word "Allah" except for Muslim publications.
Malaysia's constitution guarantees freedom of worship for non-Muslims, who make up more than one-third of the country's 27 million people.
However, minority Buddhists, Christians and Hindus have increasingly voiced allegations of religious discrimination due to incidents in recent years such as the occasional demolition of Hindu temples by state authorities.
The government last year ruled that non-Muslims cannot use the word "Allah," an Arabic word that is a synonym for "God" in Malaysia's national language.
The ban has sparked criticism by Christians who use it to refer to God in their Malay-language Bible and other publications. A Malaysian church and Christian weekly newspaper have launched court actions to challenge the ban.
Government officials have expressed concerns that using "Allah" in Christian literature could confuse Malaysia's Muslims and draw them to Christianity.
Malaysia - A Malaysian Christian is suing the government for allegedly violating her religious rights after airport officials seized Christian educational CDs that she brought from Indonesia, the woman's lawyer said.
Customs authorities in this Muslim-majority country confiscated eight CDs from Jill Ireland when she flew back to Kuala Lumpur on May 11 after a trip to Jakarta, her lawyer, Annou Xavier, said late Thursday.
The Home Ministry informed her in a letter that the CDs were seized mainly because their cover titles contained the word "Allah," which is prohibited in non-Muslim religious material, Xavier said.
Ireland wants the Kuala Lumpur High Court to issue a declaration allowing her to transport any religious material for her own personal use, Xavier said.
The court on Thursday scheduled Jan. 30 for a preliminary hearing.
Government lawyer Suzana Atan declined to comment on details of the case, but noted that authorities have barred the use of the word "Allah" except for Muslim publications.
Malaysia's constitution guarantees freedom of worship for non-Muslims, who make up more than one-third of the country's 27 million people.
However, minority Buddhists, Christians and Hindus have increasingly voiced allegations of religious discrimination due to incidents in recent years such as the occasional demolition of Hindu temples by state authorities.
The government last year ruled that non-Muslims cannot use the word "Allah," an Arabic word that is a synonym for "God" in Malaysia's national language.
The ban has sparked criticism by Christians who use it to refer to God in their Malay-language Bible and other publications. A Malaysian church and Christian weekly newspaper have launched court actions to challenge the ban.
Government officials have expressed concerns that using "Allah" in Christian literature could confuse Malaysia's Muslims and draw them to Christianity.
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Najib giving Crime Statistic. Malaysiakini
While the public was increasingly worried by the rise in crime, statistics however showed that the crime rate in Malaysia was far lower than Japan and Hong Kong, said Deputy Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak
What the @%!% is Najib talking about. I've been living in Hong Kong for the past 2 months. I've never felt need to worry about pick pocket's or muggers. I never felt the need to worry about snatch thieves or robbers. The cops here walk among the peoples and are not corrupted. The cops here are taller than me and I'm about 6 feet. They look intimidating and having them walk around in crowded places like any other shoppers but in their uniform makes the atmosphere feel really safe.
My Parents came to visit me a few weeks back. They took the public service transport while i was at work. I had no worries at all about their safety. I even see lesser accidents here compared to Singapore. Public transport is efficient. You don't have taxi drivers trying to con you. Same as in Singapore. They are all metered and well maintained. The condition of the taxi's in Malaysia itself is concerning.
Rape and Murder punishment must be taken very seriously in Malaysia. How can one live in a happy environment if we consistently need to worry about our family. Or to come back to a ransacked house. Or to find a mugger just around the corner. Every single person in Malaysia needs to have and Identity card and a finger print record. It's mostly foreign workers who come to Malaysia to earn money but end up loosing their job because of unplanned and un consistent projects in Malaysia. They are not treated properly by their employers. So they flee and join illegal gangs that need men's like this to do all the risky and dangerous jobs. They start small but they quickly catch up. Malaysia is turning into a Hollywood movies like Gangs of New York.
What Najib forgot to include in that statistic were the specific cases. Like Rape, mugging , robbery, corruption and murder is surely much higher in Malaysia compared to Singapore, Japan and Hong Kong. Hong Kong is nothing like how the Chinese Action Gangster movies portray. It is very safe. In Singapore, girls can walk safely to their block at 2am. But in Malaysia it's not safe for a girl after 8pm.
"Based on the statistics given by the police, it indicates that the crime rate in Malaysia is lower than Japan and Hong Kong.
"It is also just slightly higher than Singapore to the basis of per hundred thousand of population... but the perception of the public is not the case," said Najib at a press conference in Parliament after the economic council meeting.
Was May 13 Naturally Orchestrated? Malaysiakini
Was May 13 naturally orchestrated?
Azly Rahman
May 17, 07 12:24pm
Perhaps it was. That would be the answer to the event that has become embalmed as a semiotic of racial conflict. Perhaps it wasn't planned. We need more interpretations of this event. If we ban more books on this, we are afraid of holding a mirror to our history and ourselves.
If we encourage our youth to explore the roots of the bloody conflict, we will have a better generation of thinkers. No more "Ketuanan Melayu, China, India," or whatsoever notions of self-aggrandisement. Just the simple act of opening the dialogues of peace.
But was May 13 planned? I have some thoughts.
It has to happen when and because the lid of authoritarianism was lifted. It was the British lid that brought some kind of stability to the lowest of the lower class of Chinese, Indians and Malays.
Root of the conflict
May 13 was naturally orchestrated as a rude conclusion to the violence brought about by the system of capitalist exploitation; a system that operated successfully at various levels. At the top of the pyramid is the British ruling class, next came the Malay aristocrats and feudal lords or the sultans who collaborated unwillingly with the British robber-barons, The Sultans played the role of obedient tax collectors and managers of the industrial age capitalist system of production, run on the ideology of Oriental Despotism. At the lowest rung, true to the feudal production system, are the indentured serfs and the local padi cultivators.
The traditional/hereditary rulers were successful in making sure the rakyat in each state produces cheaply and sell their labour at dirt-cheap price in order for the feudal production system to continue to survive - so that the system could continue to fill the coffers of the British Empire and at the same time help enrich the local chieftains.
May 13 was a symbolic breakdown of this system of oppression – a radical protest against a feudalist-turned-aristocrat-prime minister who served the British well, after being educated in the ways and mannerism of the colonialists. British ideology of imperialism and race superiority/white supremacy couched in "scientific language of Oxford and Cambridge and royal academies this and that" were taught to the natives who would be rulers, so that the panopticon-synopticon matrix of colonialism may prevail.
May 13 was not merely a natural occurrence in the matrix of international capitalist production but a phenomena that occurred in many a society that undergo the stages of economic growth on the one hand and the stages of political conflict on the other. Combining these two, the race riots is a semiotic – political economic phenomena of deconstruction of socio-economic illusioned-stability – a contradiction in the capitalist mode of production. It was a coup d'etat of society against its own internal notion of progress.
It has a similar fundamental character of the pre-Roosevelt Socialist revolt of the 1930s, Paris Uprising of the 1960s, Iranian Bloodless Revolt and Revolution of the late 1970s, the Los Angeles Riots of the 1990s, the Jakarta burn-down of 1998, and the Paris Riots of 2005. In all these, the roots lie in the growth of the underclass and the problem of economic injustices and criminalisation brought about by neo-colonialist strategies of the ruling elite. Dehumanization is a fertie ground for inner repression.
May 13 may have the manifestation of a race conflict, but essentially it is one whose underlying force of mass anger lies in the clash of suppressed classes of varied ethnic origin.
Interpretation of the incident has merely been few. Tunku Abdul Rahman wrote about it to explain why it occurred and how he was part of the problem and solution in one. That was an official historical narrative – a government's view of what transpired. Dr Mahathir Mohamad's Malay Dilemma offered another interpretation from his point of view, explaining why it happened and what transpired between the Tunku and him. That was another official explanation.
But again, I reiterate, the more interpretations of the incident the better – so that we may have many explanations and find patterns in the meaning of these explanations. One must however be equipped in the understanding of the complex interplay between technologies of control, the economics of oppression, the sociology of mass anger, and cybernetics of conflicts, the archaeology of mass cultural repression, the genealogy of the feudal-oppressive-matrix, and the ideology and power/knowledge dimension of communicative and propagandistic systems – all these – in order to understand the "Butterfly Effect" of May 13 1969.
May 13, 2009?
Maybe it is too early to predict or too dangerous to be Nostradamus-ising or soothsaying or be playing the numerology game of anticipatory politics. Or maybe there will not be a race riots as we are now glued to our television sets and sucked into the abyss and black hole of the Internet, unable to plan for a revolution nor be ready for any natural occurrence ala May 13, 1969.
Maybe our brain cells have died a natural death out of decades of being fed with the "feel-good" ideology broadcast through radio and television. Or maybe we have been systematically programmed to amuse ourselves to death through a system of mass consciousness and euphoria that has been telling us to be happy with what we have, while the super rich and powerful amongst us continue to rob the nation in broad daylight through a conspiracy with outside forces in the form of investment arms and tentacles.
I still think that the bloody riots of May 13 was an orchestrated natural disaster – something our forefathers of Merdeka/Independence crafted as part of the cultural logic of late capitalism.
We can only know the answers through books we do not ban. Let us stop this pathetic policy of book banning.
Posted by DR. AZLY RAHMAN
Azly Rahman
May 17, 07 12:24pm
Perhaps it was. That would be the answer to the event that has become embalmed as a semiotic of racial conflict. Perhaps it wasn't planned. We need more interpretations of this event. If we ban more books on this, we are afraid of holding a mirror to our history and ourselves.
If we encourage our youth to explore the roots of the bloody conflict, we will have a better generation of thinkers. No more "Ketuanan Melayu, China, India," or whatsoever notions of self-aggrandisement. Just the simple act of opening the dialogues of peace.
But was May 13 planned? I have some thoughts.
It has to happen when and because the lid of authoritarianism was lifted. It was the British lid that brought some kind of stability to the lowest of the lower class of Chinese, Indians and Malays.
Root of the conflict
May 13 was naturally orchestrated as a rude conclusion to the violence brought about by the system of capitalist exploitation; a system that operated successfully at various levels. At the top of the pyramid is the British ruling class, next came the Malay aristocrats and feudal lords or the sultans who collaborated unwillingly with the British robber-barons, The Sultans played the role of obedient tax collectors and managers of the industrial age capitalist system of production, run on the ideology of Oriental Despotism. At the lowest rung, true to the feudal production system, are the indentured serfs and the local padi cultivators.
The traditional/hereditary rulers were successful in making sure the rakyat in each state produces cheaply and sell their labour at dirt-cheap price in order for the feudal production system to continue to survive - so that the system could continue to fill the coffers of the British Empire and at the same time help enrich the local chieftains.
May 13 was a symbolic breakdown of this system of oppression – a radical protest against a feudalist-turned-aristocrat-prime minister who served the British well, after being educated in the ways and mannerism of the colonialists. British ideology of imperialism and race superiority/white supremacy couched in "scientific language of Oxford and Cambridge and royal academies this and that" were taught to the natives who would be rulers, so that the panopticon-synopticon matrix of colonialism may prevail.
May 13 was not merely a natural occurrence in the matrix of international capitalist production but a phenomena that occurred in many a society that undergo the stages of economic growth on the one hand and the stages of political conflict on the other. Combining these two, the race riots is a semiotic – political economic phenomena of deconstruction of socio-economic illusioned-stability – a contradiction in the capitalist mode of production. It was a coup d'etat of society against its own internal notion of progress.
It has a similar fundamental character of the pre-Roosevelt Socialist revolt of the 1930s, Paris Uprising of the 1960s, Iranian Bloodless Revolt and Revolution of the late 1970s, the Los Angeles Riots of the 1990s, the Jakarta burn-down of 1998, and the Paris Riots of 2005. In all these, the roots lie in the growth of the underclass and the problem of economic injustices and criminalisation brought about by neo-colonialist strategies of the ruling elite. Dehumanization is a fertie ground for inner repression.
May 13 may have the manifestation of a race conflict, but essentially it is one whose underlying force of mass anger lies in the clash of suppressed classes of varied ethnic origin.
Interpretation of the incident has merely been few. Tunku Abdul Rahman wrote about it to explain why it occurred and how he was part of the problem and solution in one. That was an official historical narrative – a government's view of what transpired. Dr Mahathir Mohamad's Malay Dilemma offered another interpretation from his point of view, explaining why it happened and what transpired between the Tunku and him. That was another official explanation.
But again, I reiterate, the more interpretations of the incident the better – so that we may have many explanations and find patterns in the meaning of these explanations. One must however be equipped in the understanding of the complex interplay between technologies of control, the economics of oppression, the sociology of mass anger, and cybernetics of conflicts, the archaeology of mass cultural repression, the genealogy of the feudal-oppressive-matrix, and the ideology and power/knowledge dimension of communicative and propagandistic systems – all these – in order to understand the "Butterfly Effect" of May 13 1969.
May 13, 2009?
Maybe it is too early to predict or too dangerous to be Nostradamus-ising or soothsaying or be playing the numerology game of anticipatory politics. Or maybe there will not be a race riots as we are now glued to our television sets and sucked into the abyss and black hole of the Internet, unable to plan for a revolution nor be ready for any natural occurrence ala May 13, 1969.
Maybe our brain cells have died a natural death out of decades of being fed with the "feel-good" ideology broadcast through radio and television. Or maybe we have been systematically programmed to amuse ourselves to death through a system of mass consciousness and euphoria that has been telling us to be happy with what we have, while the super rich and powerful amongst us continue to rob the nation in broad daylight through a conspiracy with outside forces in the form of investment arms and tentacles.
I still think that the bloody riots of May 13 was an orchestrated natural disaster – something our forefathers of Merdeka/Independence crafted as part of the cultural logic of late capitalism.
We can only know the answers through books we do not ban. Let us stop this pathetic policy of book banning.
Posted by DR. AZLY RAHMAN
Monday, December 1, 2008
Mukhriz typical like the old man. malaysiakini
Well now we know how things are going to be if Mukhriz becomes Malaysia's PM. Like father like son. A typical dictator. Mukhriz's call for Vernacular schools to be shut down is not surprising at all. His father Dr. Mahathir has been using that as an excuse for the reasons of disunity in Malaysia.
He blames the vernacular school system for the polarised society which caused the poor understanding of the Malay supremacy concept among the non-Malays.
"I still hear statements are being made about the Ketuanan Melayu concept by BN component party leaders and this have hurt Malay hearts, especially Umno," he told a press conference in Parliament.
He added that the Ketuanan Melayu concept has been widely practiced and accepted as exemplified by the special Malay position enshrined in the federal constitution and other government policies.
When The Party UMNO and it's integrity is being question. I think a potential President of Pemuda UMNO and Member of Parliament should be more careful of his statement. Even tough i did not study in a Vernacular school yet i felt betrayed by his statement. Imagine what will appear in the papers tomorrow.
Unless they can include the Mother Tongue as a compulsory subject in our Malaysian Education System then there isn't the slighest possibility of any race to accept it.
It is not Ketuanan Melayu in the federal constitution which is being questioned but UMNO's version of it. If UMNO didn't behave like some bunch of jackass then i think it wouldn't have reach to a point like this. You have MCA, Gerakan and PPP and senior component party members condemning it. So i think the facts speak for itself.
He also blasted the president of another BN component party, PPP's M Kayveas for issuing a threat to leave the coalition should the Internal Security Act not amended before the next general election.
"What he said is disrespectful towards the spirit of BN and I am very disappointed with his behaviour," said Mukhriz.
Maybe PPP is just using ISA as an issue to come out of BN like heroes. Even MCA is backing this call. But we the malaysian people think it should be amended that is more important. "Makkal Sakthi". The people of Thailand should be saluted for showing the strenght of the peoples power againts their government.
When suggested by reporters that his proposal would most likely invite resistance even from leaders and members of BN, the Umno youth chief aspirant said that he was only proposing in the name of unity.
"My suggestion has no other ulterior motives apart from to unite all races," he said.
Such a liar.
He blames the vernacular school system for the polarised society which caused the poor understanding of the Malay supremacy concept among the non-Malays.
"I still hear statements are being made about the Ketuanan Melayu concept by BN component party leaders and this have hurt Malay hearts, especially Umno," he told a press conference in Parliament.
He added that the Ketuanan Melayu concept has been widely practiced and accepted as exemplified by the special Malay position enshrined in the federal constitution and other government policies.
When The Party UMNO and it's integrity is being question. I think a potential President of Pemuda UMNO and Member of Parliament should be more careful of his statement. Even tough i did not study in a Vernacular school yet i felt betrayed by his statement. Imagine what will appear in the papers tomorrow.
Unless they can include the Mother Tongue as a compulsory subject in our Malaysian Education System then there isn't the slighest possibility of any race to accept it.
It is not Ketuanan Melayu in the federal constitution which is being questioned but UMNO's version of it. If UMNO didn't behave like some bunch of jackass then i think it wouldn't have reach to a point like this. You have MCA, Gerakan and PPP and senior component party members condemning it. So i think the facts speak for itself.
He also blasted the president of another BN component party, PPP's M Kayveas for issuing a threat to leave the coalition should the Internal Security Act not amended before the next general election.
"What he said is disrespectful towards the spirit of BN and I am very disappointed with his behaviour," said Mukhriz.
Maybe PPP is just using ISA as an issue to come out of BN like heroes. Even MCA is backing this call. But we the malaysian people think it should be amended that is more important. "Makkal Sakthi". The people of Thailand should be saluted for showing the strenght of the peoples power againts their government.
When suggested by reporters that his proposal would most likely invite resistance even from leaders and members of BN, the Umno youth chief aspirant said that he was only proposing in the name of unity.
"My suggestion has no other ulterior motives apart from to unite all races," he said.
Such a liar.
Time for a moratorium on the NEP perhaps? Malaysiakini
Time for a moratorium on the NEP perhaps?
post info
By Anwar Ibrahim
Categories: Analisis, Anwar, Isu Semasa and Sidenotes From The Malaysian Insider
By Dr Hsu Dar Ren
DEC 1 - Some time back, I wrote an article “From greenback to our economy” where I predicted that the US dollar would appreciate against the Malaysian ringgit. In a little more than two months, It has climbed from around 3.20 to 3.60 now.
Our foreign reserves have gone done a few billions, and now stands at about RM109 billion, still very healthy and able to sustain nine months of imports. But the fact that we need to sell a few billion dollars to prop up our ringgit is really a cause for concern.
Budget 2009 tabled in August this year has a total budget allocation of RM208 billion. The operating expenditure is RM154 billion, leaving only about RM54 billion for development.
The Budget runs a deficit of 4.8%. That was in August when oil and commodity prices were high. Now that the oil price as well as prices of commodities have come down so much, our revenue would decrease substantially, and there would really be little money to spend for development, when we need to spend to stimulate the economy.
Although I have suggested, in one of my earlier blog articles, that operating expenses be cut by RM20 billion in order to have funds for spending as a stimulus package and cushion the loss of revenue from a possible tax cuts, it may not be feasible in the short term, when everyone in the government is so used to their way of doing things.
The priority now should be three-fold: create more jobs, stimulate the economy so as to put money in people’s pockets as well as to provide a safety net for poor people and retrenched workers.
How can we hope to do this when our revenue is coming down due to falling commodity and oil prices, when cutting operating expenses may not be feasible, when borrowing more money may not be workable as we are already running a fairly high deficit, when wastage and corruption are still so rampant and cannot be corrected overnight?
There has been a lot of debate of late whether this crisis is about governments triumphing over the markets or the markets triumphing over governments?
I believe that in Malaysia, if the government is unable to provide a stimulus package without going into deeper debt, then the logical thing is to give incentives to the private sector and hope that it can provide the engine to stimulate the economy.
There are still many cash-rich Malaysian companies and individuals. If these people can invest and be the engine of growth, we can create more jobs as well as stimulate growth to counter the global economic recession.
For the private sector to invest, there must be a few pre-requisites:
1) Cheaper access to funds. Bank interests and interest spread must be lowered.
2) There must be less regulatory interference in order for the companies to invest and grow. In this respect, we may have to do away with the NEP. If that is not immediately acceptable, then perhaps we should have a moratorium to suspend the NEP for a few years to see how our economy can benefit.
If this trial can prove that NEP is in fact a hindrance to the growth of the people, including our Malay brothers, then we can, at the end of the moratorium period, do away with the NEP completely and replace it with a needs-based economy.
3) Tax cut and incentives for investments in certain priority sectors, such as education, healthcare as well as transportation, biotechnology, nanotechnology and so on.
I ask our Malay brothers to accept my suggestion for a moratorium rationally. It is better for everyone to have an expanding cake than to have a cake that is rapidly shrinking. In the latter case, having a fixed proportion of the cake may be meaningless if the cake shrinks to half its former size.
On the part of the non-Malays, they should try to have a real economic partnership with the Malays, genuinely imparting skills and business know-how, and not just form an Ali Baba relationship to beat the loopholes in the NEP.
We need to think out of the box and adopt fast action to counter this economic tsunami. Already we have felt the first wave; subsequent waves will be more devastating and if nothing is done now, we are going to face a really bleak future.
post info
By Anwar Ibrahim
Categories: Analisis, Anwar, Isu Semasa and Sidenotes From The Malaysian Insider
By Dr Hsu Dar Ren
DEC 1 - Some time back, I wrote an article “From greenback to our economy” where I predicted that the US dollar would appreciate against the Malaysian ringgit. In a little more than two months, It has climbed from around 3.20 to 3.60 now.
Our foreign reserves have gone done a few billions, and now stands at about RM109 billion, still very healthy and able to sustain nine months of imports. But the fact that we need to sell a few billion dollars to prop up our ringgit is really a cause for concern.
Budget 2009 tabled in August this year has a total budget allocation of RM208 billion. The operating expenditure is RM154 billion, leaving only about RM54 billion for development.
The Budget runs a deficit of 4.8%. That was in August when oil and commodity prices were high. Now that the oil price as well as prices of commodities have come down so much, our revenue would decrease substantially, and there would really be little money to spend for development, when we need to spend to stimulate the economy.
Although I have suggested, in one of my earlier blog articles, that operating expenses be cut by RM20 billion in order to have funds for spending as a stimulus package and cushion the loss of revenue from a possible tax cuts, it may not be feasible in the short term, when everyone in the government is so used to their way of doing things.
The priority now should be three-fold: create more jobs, stimulate the economy so as to put money in people’s pockets as well as to provide a safety net for poor people and retrenched workers.
How can we hope to do this when our revenue is coming down due to falling commodity and oil prices, when cutting operating expenses may not be feasible, when borrowing more money may not be workable as we are already running a fairly high deficit, when wastage and corruption are still so rampant and cannot be corrected overnight?
There has been a lot of debate of late whether this crisis is about governments triumphing over the markets or the markets triumphing over governments?
I believe that in Malaysia, if the government is unable to provide a stimulus package without going into deeper debt, then the logical thing is to give incentives to the private sector and hope that it can provide the engine to stimulate the economy.
There are still many cash-rich Malaysian companies and individuals. If these people can invest and be the engine of growth, we can create more jobs as well as stimulate growth to counter the global economic recession.
For the private sector to invest, there must be a few pre-requisites:
1) Cheaper access to funds. Bank interests and interest spread must be lowered.
2) There must be less regulatory interference in order for the companies to invest and grow. In this respect, we may have to do away with the NEP. If that is not immediately acceptable, then perhaps we should have a moratorium to suspend the NEP for a few years to see how our economy can benefit.
If this trial can prove that NEP is in fact a hindrance to the growth of the people, including our Malay brothers, then we can, at the end of the moratorium period, do away with the NEP completely and replace it with a needs-based economy.
3) Tax cut and incentives for investments in certain priority sectors, such as education, healthcare as well as transportation, biotechnology, nanotechnology and so on.
I ask our Malay brothers to accept my suggestion for a moratorium rationally. It is better for everyone to have an expanding cake than to have a cake that is rapidly shrinking. In the latter case, having a fixed proportion of the cake may be meaningless if the cake shrinks to half its former size.
On the part of the non-Malays, they should try to have a real economic partnership with the Malays, genuinely imparting skills and business know-how, and not just form an Ali Baba relationship to beat the loopholes in the NEP.
We need to think out of the box and adopt fast action to counter this economic tsunami. Already we have felt the first wave; subsequent waves will be more devastating and if nothing is done now, we are going to face a really bleak future.
PKR please look beyond the horizon. Malaysiakini
Highly disappointing to hear that PKR wants to replace Mathematics and Science back into Malay. I for one have experienced the difficulty of studying Maths and Science in Malay at Kebangsaan School and then immediately continue my further studies in the UK. I did Engineering so you can imagine the terms and words used were completely different. Even tough i went for tuition's which were taught in English during my secondary schooling life. I still found it hard. Imagine those who were hard core Malays, Indians or Chinese.
I wont say it's impossible to catch up. I did eventually. But i did see my college mates who were Malays struggle because of this. The extent of books which are available in English is far greater and better for studying. To tell you the truth i studied my Accounts, Add Mathematics and Physics syllabus in English to pass those Papers.
Malaysia in a position where the security guard outside the building can converse in English but the Receptionist in The Lobby cant speak anything else except Malay. I'm not criticising the Malays but what I'm emphasising is that our Malaysian Education system doesn't give enough important to English.
Mahathir lately criticised the Chinese and Indians for being stubborn for refusing to let their children mix with the other races and study in a Kebangsaan School. He gave examples of France and Germany for upholding their language. True and i wont deny this. But this countries have a much more older history for their language. Yet they are able to speak English for business and enterprising. I believe all Malaysians can speak and understand Malay. Why even when i meet Malaysians abroad i warmly great and have a pleasant conversation in Malay. Every Malaysian I have meet overseas were always happy and proud to meet another fellow Malaysian and exchange a few words in Malay.
But regrettably my own mother tongue which is Tamil is in a disappointing state. Even tough i still can converse in Tamil. I would badly hurt the ears of a proper Tamil speaking person. Because Tamil was never given importance's in primary or secondary kebangsaan school so i never gave importance to it. I had to go for extra Tamil Classes when my friends were playing outside. So imagine the extent of my concentration in class.
I would highly recommend that Moral class should be scrapped and replaced with mother tongue classes. Why study moral for? All we did to for exams were remember all the moral values before the exam and immediately write down all the moral values onto the back of the question paper, if I'm not mistaken it was like 16 and 36 sub values. Then you read the question and see which were the closest in values required and answered the question. It wasn't a subject that gave me revelation or inspired me to be a better man. That's the truth for me. I cant speak for the others. This purely my experience and many of my friends. So maybe they can structure Mother Tongue subjects that gives importance to moral values.
The Malays can go for their Agama class while the Chinese and Indians can go for their Mother Tongue classes. If the government doesn't provide this then how can they condemn the Chinese and Indians who want to protect their language by sending their children to Chinese and Tamil Schools.
My friends who were educated in Tamil and Chinese School are in par with the kebangsaan students after leaving school. So why should they send their children for Kebangsaan Schools then? Example my cousins who are Eurasian that studied in Tamil Schools. The are part french yet speak beautiful Tamil because they studied in Tamil School. Kebangsaan Schools are good for racial bonding. My best friends till today are my buddies from Kebangsaan School. Who are Chinese, Indians and Malays. But if my culture and heritage is lost in my generation then what will become of my kids. Mother Tongue classes should be integrated into our education system and given importance. Because i believe Kebangsaan School provide a great deal of cultural and racial bonding between students.
I do not agree with Singapore education system at all. Except for their successful implementation of the Mother Tongue Syllabus. We can learn from others success and failures. Malaysian Education system is not up to standard with international education standards. A few good implementation are done to improve this so don't spoil it.
I really disappointed to hear Selangor MB Khalid Ibrahim interest in Building a Muslim Polytechnic college. Why can't it be for all. Why should the non Muslim tax payers pay the bill for such an institution? If it should be done then it should be fully privatised.
Pathmanck
Friday, November 28, 2008
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Kerajaan Pakatan Rakyat needs to be elected. Malaysiakini
It looks like we wont be seeing a Pakatan Rakyat Federal Government any time soon. Disappointing as it sounds it might be the best for now. We don't really need PR to be in power to destroy BN. Umno is killing itself. Mahathir, Najib and Badawi with Khairy and Mukhriz and Taib lost in the middle. It's all totally messed up.
Najib cant get rid of the money politics in UMNO. How can he when then is so many complaints about himself? None of the members of UMNO are going to buy his story. If Najib doesn't listen to Mahathir then his head is going to roll next. There is no real successor for UMNO. If UMNO and BN are alive today it's only going to be short lived till the next general election. I'm not Anwar but i think he is letting the fire burn deeper. MCA and MIC has lost it's direction totally. This is 50 years of typical mentality. You cant change it overnight.
With Anwar constantly talking about take over of the government has actually had a very bad impact on our economy. For instance with my company. A very big British company that has a stake in everything in Hong Kong have pulled out of a nearly done major joint venture deal with a Malaysian company based in sepang because of our countries uncertain future direction. As well as all the black holes they found in the companies accounts audit. Typical Malaysians unfortunately. This are one of the reasons the BN government has to go. After all it's all a Chain Reaction.
Teagarajan who is vying for the post of deputy president in MIC said that a weak management was to be blamed for the financial woes of Maika. He also proposed that the government pumped in RM150 million to bail out Maika??? Is he Crazy???Put more money into this corrupted organisations hands?
Maika Holdings chief executive officer S Vell Paari today said that Maika board had proposed resolutions to sell off all assets of Maika and distribute the surplus to the shareholders.
They sure do know how to choose the best time to sell their assets. When the economy is at it's lowest. They are so lucky not to be arrested for this MAIKA scandal. So many Indians in Malaysia trusted and invested their life savings in this and never saw a sen after that. I read sometime ago they got something like a RM1,000 after 15 or 20 years.
The Deputy and the President of MCA are having "cold war". PPP wants to leave BN and Sabah and Sarawak wants their share of the pie or they are threatening to walk out.
Anwar doesn't have to do anything. BN is destroying itself. They are in Cruise Control to destruction. Once things get out of hand the King would step in and announce a new General Election. By that time Pakatan Rakyat will already have enough candidate's to stand everywhere. Pakatan Rakyat is slowly growing and opening up branches everywhere.
But the guys who really started the domino effect are still in jail. The 5 Hindraf guys. They were the first guys to brace them self for the first crackdown that started the volcanic eruption that swallowed Malaysia during the 12th General Election.
Some criticised Hindraf for not accomplishing anything for the past one year. I say all this people are wrong. If it wasn't for Hindraf you wont be having Pakatan Rakyat at all. They say you need a tragedy to get the family together. And that is what the indians did. I proud that Hindraf still champions their cause even after so many barriers were put on their path and Their biggest achievement is not that they still put a brave face and challenge the government but to keep to their words and never resorted to violence. I honour your struggle HINDRAF.
I just hope our friends in Pakatan Rakyat hasn't forgotten their pledge to the Indians.
Pathmanck
The Bomb Anwar dropped on Malaysians.
By Shannon Teoh
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 26 – Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim appeared to stop short today of saying his Pakatan Rakyat (PR) alliance will have to wait until the next general election to make a serious bid for power.
He told reporters that he would not explain why the PR alliance has not yet taken power at this weekend’s PKR party congress.
“There is nothing to explain. It will happen,” Anwar said in Parliament. He did not set another deadline.
His self-imposed deadline of Sept 16 for PR to topple the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) government passed without incident and his credibility has taken a knock, while the opposition’s momentum has stalled, since then.
Increasingly, Malaysians are focused on economic worries and many are turning away from an almost obsessive fixation with politics since the March 8 elections.
Anwar had been widely expected to address this point at this weekend’s PKR congress, but he looks to be trying to put Sept 16 behind him.
He said today that it did not matter when the PR alliance takes over the government.
The widely held view that Datuk Seri Najib Razak will take power as prime minister next March under an Umno transition plan hammered out with Datuk Seri Abdullah Badawi was also premature, Anwar said.
“What makes you so sure?” he asked reporters.
According to Anwar, his message to party delegates this weekend will include a call for them to continue to be committed and to concentrate on ruling well the five states under PR control.
He said PKR had also recently started a nationwide campaign to hold ceramahs to communicate with the Malay ground across the country in an attempt to make headway into the hearts and minds of the community.
The opposition ranks continue to enjoy good support among non-Malays but rural Malays continue to harbour distrust of the PR coalition.
He said this move was necessary as the mainstream media, especially the Malay media, continues to sideline the coalition to propogate the Barisan Nasional agenda.
Hindraf Pic by malaysiakini and adilphoto
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
The Origins of the Malays - Malaysiakini
I read this sometime back. You guys might find this as an interesting read. This piece was prepared By Michael Chick. It appeared in MalaysiaToday early this year.
It's been interesting to read such free-flowing comments on the subject of the Origins of the Malays. While we are on the subject, how many of you have read the book entitled "Contesting Malayness - Malay Identity Across Boundaries" Edited by Timothy P. Barnard published by Singapore University Press?
Written by a Professor of National University of Singapore. It reflects the Anthropologists views that there is no such race as the "Malays" to begin with. If we follow the original migration of the Southern Chinese of 6,000yrs ago, they moved into Taiwan, (now the Alisan), then into the Phillipines (now the Aeta) and moved into Borneo (4,500yrs ago) (Dayak). They also split into Sulawesi and progressed into Jawa, and Sumatera. The final migration was to the Malayan Peninsular 3,000yrs ago. A sub-group from Borneo also moved to Champa in Vietnam at 4,500yrs ago.
Interestingly, the Champa deviant group moved back to present day Kelantan. There are also traces of the Dong Song and HoaBinh migration from Vietnam and Cambodia. To confuse the issue, there was also the Southern Thai migration, from what we know as Pattani today. (see also "Early Kingdoms of the Indonesian Archipelago and the Malay Peninsular")
Of course, we also have the Minangkabau's which come from the descendants of Alexander the Great and a West Indian Princess. (Sejarah Melayu page 1-3)
So the million Dollar Question... Is there really a race called the "Malays"?
All anthropologists DO NOT SEEM TO THINK SO. (strangely, this includes all Malay Malaysian Anthropologists who are of the same opinion.)
Neither do the "Malays" who live on the West Coast of Johor. They'd rather be called Javanese. What about the west coast Kedah inhabitants who prefer to be known as "Achenese"? or the Ibans who simply want to be known as IBANS. Try calling a Kelabit a "Malay" and see what response you get... you’ll be so glad that their Head-Hunting days are over.
In an article in the Star, dated: Dec 3rd 2006
available for on-line viewing at:
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2006/12/3/focus/16212814&sec=focus
An excerp is reproduced here below:
"The Malays – taken as an aggregation of people of different ethnic backgrounds but who speak the same language or family of languages and share common cultural and traditional ties – are essentially a new race, compared to the Chinese, Indians and the Arabs with their long histories of quests and conquests.
The Malay nation, therefore, covers people of various ethnic stock, including Javanese, Bugis, Bawean, Achehnese, Thai, Orang Asli, the indigenous people of Sabah and Sarawak and descendants of Indian Muslims who had married local women.
Beneath these variations, however, there is a common steely core that is bent on changing the Malay persona from its perceived lethargic character to one that is brave, bold and ready to take on the world. "
The definition of “Malay” is therefore simply a collection of people's who speak a similar type language. With what is meant by a similar type language does not mean that the words are similar. (A native Kelantanese native speaker has no clue whatsoever what his Iban native brother is talking about; if both speak their own dialect) Linguists however, call this the "Lego-Type" language, where words are added on to the root word to make meaning and give tenses and such. Somehow, the Indonesians disagree with this "Malay" classification and insist instead on being called "Indonesians" even though the majority of "Malays" have their roots in parts of Indonesia. They refuse to be called "Malay"…. Anyhow you may define it.
The writer failed to identify (probably didn't know), that the "Malay" definition also includes, the Champa, Dong Song, HoabinHian, The Taiwanese Alisan and the Philippino Aetas. He also did not identify that the "Orang Asli" are (for lack of a better term) ex-Africans. If you try to call any one of our East Malaysian brothers an "Orang Asli", they WILL BEAT YOU UP! I had to repeat this because almost all West Malaysians make the same mistake when we cross the South China Sea. Worse, somehow, they feel even more insulted when you call them “Malay”. Somehow, “kurang ajar” is uttered below their breath as if “Malay” was a really bad word for them. I’m still trying to figure this one out.
Watch “Malays in Africa”; a Museum Negara produced DVD. Also, the “Champa Malays” by the same.
With this classification, they MUST also include the Phillipinos, the Papua New Guineans, the Australian Aboroginies, as well as the Polynesian Aboroginies. These are of the Australo Melanesians who migrated out of Africa 60,000yrs ago.
Getting interesting? Read on...
"Malay" should also include the Taiwanese singer "Ah Mei" who is Alisan as her tribe are the anscestors of the "Malays". And finally, you will need to define the Southern Chinese (Southern Province) as Malay also, since they are from the same stock 6,000yrs ago.
Try calling the Bugis a "Malay". Interestingly, the Bugis, who predominantly live on Sulawesi are not even Indonesians. Neither do they fall into the same group as the migrating Southern Chinese of 6,000yrs ago nor the Australo Melanesian group from Africa.
Ready for this?
The Bugis are the cross-breed between the Mongolian Chinese and the marauding Arab Pirates. Interestingly, the Bugis, (just like their Arabic ancestors) were career Pirates in the Johor-Riau Island areas. Now the nephew of Daeng Kemboja was appointed as the First Sultan of Selangor. That makes the entire Selangor Sultanate part Arab, part Chinese! Try talking to the Bugis Museum curator near Kukup in Johor. Kukup is located near the most south-western tip of Johor. (Due south of Pontian Kechil) He is more than willing to expound on the Bugis heritage. Buy him lunch and he can talk for days on end.
Let's not even get into the Hang Tuah, Hang Jebat, Hang Kasturi, Hang Lekiu, and Hang Lekir, who shared the same family last name as the other super famous "Hang" family member... Hang Li Poh. And who was she? Legend tells us that she is the Princess of a Ming Dynasty Emperor who was sent to marry the Sultan of Malacca. Won't that make the entire Malacca Sultanate downline "Baba"? Since the older son of the collapsed Malaccan Sultanate got killed in Johor, (the current Sultanate is the downline of the then, Bendahara) the only other son became the Sultan of Perak. Do we see any Chinese-ness in Raja Azlan? Is he the descendant of Hang Li Poh? But wait a minute....
That's what legend says. Let's look at the proof. The solid evidence. There is a well next to the Zheng He Temple in Malacca which is supposed to be the well built by the Sultan of Malacca for Hang Li Poh. According to legend, anyone who drinks of it shall re-visit Malacca before they die. Hmmm smells like a romantic fairy tale already. But let's look at who Hang Li Poh actually is. Which Ming Emperor was she a daughter to? So I got into researching the entire list of Ming Emperors. Guess what? Not a single Ming Emperor's last name begins with Hang. In fact, all their last names begin with Tzu (pronounced Choo). So who is Hang Li Poh? An Extra Concubine? A Spare Handmaiden? Who knows? But one thing for certain, is that she was no daughter of any of the Ming Emperors. Gone is the romantic notion of the Sultan of Malacca marrying an exotic Chinese Princess. Sorry guys, the Sultan married an unidentified Chinese commoner.
Next question. If the Baba’s are part Malay, why have they been marginalized by NOT BEING BUMIPUTERA? Which part of “Malay” are they not? Whatever the answer, why then are the Portugese of Malacca BUMIPUTERA? Did they not come 100yrs AFTER the arrival of the first Baba’s? Parameswara founded Malacca in 1411. The Portugese came in 1511, and the Dutch in the 1600’s. Strangely, the Baba’s were in fact once classified a Bumiputera, but some Prime Minister decreed that they were to be strangely “declassified” in the 1960’s. WHY? How can a "native son of the soil" degenerate into an "un-son"? The new classification is "pendatang" meaning a migrant to describe the Baba's and Nyonyas. Wait a minute, isn't EVERYONE on the Peninsular a migrant to begin with? How can the government discriminate? Does the Malaysian Government have amnesia?
The Sultan of Kelantan had similar roots to the Pattani Kingdom making him of Thai origin. And what is this "coffee table book" by the Sultan of Perlis claiming to be the direct descendant of the prophet Muhammed? Somehow we see Prof Khoo Khay Khim’s signature name on the book. I’ll pay good money to own a copy of it myself. Anyone has a spare?
In pursuing this thread, and having looked at the history of Prophet Muhammed (BTW, real name Ahmad) we couldn't figure out which descendant line The Sultan of Perlis was. Perhaps it was by the name Syed, which transcended. Then we tried to locate which downline did the Sultan descend from of the 13 Official Wives of Prophet Muhammad named in the Holy Koran? Or was the Sultan of Perlis a descendant from the other 23 non-wives? Of the 13 Official Wives were (at least known) 3 Israeli women. Then you should come to this instant revelation, isn't Prophet Muhammad an Israeli himself? Yes, the answer is clear. All descendants of Moses are Israeli. In fact, the Holy Koran teaches that Moses was the First Muslim. Thus confirming all the descendants of Moses to be Israeli, including Jesus and Prophet Muhammad. But since this is not a Religious or a Theological discussion, let's move on to a more anthropological approach.
So, how many of you have met with the Orang Asli’s (Malaysian Natives)? The more northern you go, the more African they look. Why are they called Negrito’s? It is a Spanish word, from which directly transalates “mini Negros”. The more southern you go, the more “Indonesian” they look. And the ones who live at Cameron Highlands kinda look 50-50. You can see the Batek at Taman Negara, who really look like Eddie Murphy to a certain degree. Or the Negritos who live at the Thai border near Temenggor Lake (north Perak). The Mah Meri in Carrie Island look almost like the Jakuns in Endau Rompin. Half African, half Indonesian.
Strangely the natives in Borneo all look rather Chinese in terms of features and facial characteristics especially the Kelabits in Bario.
By definition, (this is super eye-opening) there was a Hindu-Malay Empire in Kedah. Yes, I said right… The Malays were Hindu (just like the gentle Balinese of today). It was known by its’ old name, Langkasuka. Today known as Lembah Bujang. This Hindu-Malay Empire was 2,000yrs old. Pre-dating Borrobudor AND Angkor Watt. Who came about around 500-600yrs later. Lembah Bujang was THE mighty trading Empire, and its biggest influence was by the Indians who were here to help start it. By definition, this should make the Indians BUMIPUTERAS too since they were here 2,000yrs ago! Why are they marginalized?
The Malaysian Government now has a serious case of Alzheimer's. Why? Simply because, they would accord the next Indonesian who tomorrow swims across the Straits of Malacca and bestow upon him with the apparently "prestigious title" of the Bumiputra status alongside others who imply have inhabited this land for hundreds of centuries. (prestigious, at least perceived by Malays) They also have a strange saying called "Ketuanan Melayu" which literally transalates into "The Lordship of Malays" The Malays still cannot identify till this day "who" or "what" the Malays have "Lordship" over. And they celebrate it gallantly and triumphantly by waving the Keris (wavy knife which has Hindu origins in Borrobudor. Ganesan is seen brandishing the Keris in a bass-relief sculpture.) during public meetings over National TV much like a Pagan Wicca Ceremony on Steroids. Let's all wait for that official press release to see who the "Malays" have Lordship over, shall we?
Of the 3 books listed, "Contesting Malayness" (about S$32 for soft cover) is "banned” in Malaysia; you will need to "smuggle" it into Malaysia; for very obvious reasons.... :( or read it in Singapore if you don’t feel like breaking the law. Incidentally, the Professor (Author) was invited to speak on this very subject circa 2 yrs ago, in KL, invited by the MBRAS. You can imagine the "chaos" this seminar created... :( Fortunately the FRU was not called in.
The other, "Kingdoms of the Indonesian Archipelago, and the Malay Peninsular" (about RM84) are openly sold at all leading bookshops; Kinokuniya, MPH, Borders, Popular, Times, etc. You should be able to find a fair bit of what I’ve been quoting in this book too, but mind you, it is extremely heavy reading material, and you will find yourself struggling through the initial 200+ pages. It is extremely technical in nature. Maybe that’s why it hasn’t been banned (yet)…coz our authorities couldn’t make head or tail of it? (FYI, if I weren’t doing research for my film, I wouldn’t have read it in its entirety)
The "Sejarah Melayu" (about RM 50) however, is freely available at the University Malaya bookshop. I have both the English and Royal Malay version published by MBRAS. Alternatively, you could try reading the Jawi (Arabic Script) version if you are truly a sucker for unimaginable pain...... (may feel like circumcision)
There are actually many sources for these Origins of Malays findings. Any older Philippino Museum Journal also carries these migration stories. This migration is also on display at the Philippines National Museum in Luzon. However, they end with the Aeta, and only briefly mention that the migration continued to Indonesia and Malaysia, but fully acknowledge that all Philippinos came from Taiwan. And before Taiwan, China. There is another book (part of a series) called the "Archipelago Series" endorsed by Tun Mahatir and Marina Mohammad, which states the very same thing right at the introduction on page one. “… that the Malays migrated out of Southern China some 6,000yrs ago…”. I believe it is called the “Pre-History of Malaysia” Hard Cover, about RM99 found in (mostly) MPH. They also carry “Pre-History of Indonesia” by the same authors for the same price.
It is most interesting to note that the Malaysian Museum officials gallantly invented brand new unheard-of terms such as "Proto-Malay" and "Deutero-Malay", to replace the accepted Scientific Term, Australo-Melanesians (African descent) and Austronesians (Chinese Descent, or Mongoloid to be precise) in keeping in line with creating this new “Malay” term.. They also created the new term called the Melayu-Polynesian. (Which Melayu exists in the Polynesian Islands?) Maybe they were just trying to be “Patriotic” and “Nationalistic”… who knows…? After all, we also invented the term, “Malaysian Time”. While the rest of the world calls it “Tardy” and “Late”. It’s quite an embarrassment actually…. Singaporeans crossing the border are asked to set their watches back by about a 100yrs, to adjust to “Malaysian Time”…
In a nutshell, the British Colonial Masters, who, for lack of a better description, needed a “blanket” category for ease of classification, used the term “Malay”.
The only other logical explanation, which I have heard, was that “Malaya” came as a derivative of “Himalaya”, where at Langkasuka, or Lembah Bujang today was where the Indians were describing the locals as “Malai” which means “Hill People” in Tamil. This made perfect sense as the focal point at that time was at Gunung Jerai, and the entire Peninsular had a “Mountain Range” “Banjaran Titiwangsa”, as we call it.
The Mandarin and Cantonese accurately maintain the accurate pronunciation of “Malai Ren” and “Malai Yun” respectively till this very day. Where “ren” and “yun” both mean “peoples”.
Interestingly, “Kadar” and “Kidara”, Hindi and Sanskrit words accurately describe “Kedah” of today. They both mean “fertile Land for Rice cultivation. Again, a name given by the Indians 2,000yrs ago during the “Golden Hindu Era” for a duration of 1,500yrs.
It was during this “Golden Hindu Era” that the new term which the Hindu Malay leaders also adopted the titles, “Sultan” and “Raja”. The Malay Royalty were Hindu at that time, as all of Southeast Asia was under strong Indian influence, including Borrobudor, and Angkor Watt. Bali today still practices devout Hindu Beliefs. The snake amulet worn by the Sultans of today, The Royal Dias, and even the “Pelamin” for weddings are tell-tale signs of these strong Indian influences. So, it was NOT Parameswara who was the first Sultan in Malaya. Sultanage existed approximately 1,500yrs in Kedah before he set foot on the Peninsular during the "Golden Hindu Era" of Malaysia. And they were all Hindu.
“PreHistory of Malaysia” also talks about the “Lost Kingdom” of the “Chi-Tu” where the local Malay Kingdom were Buddhists. The rest of the “Malays” were Animistic Pagans.
But you may say, "Sejarah Melayu" calls it "Melayu"? Yes, it does. Read it again; is it trying to describe the 200-odd population hamlet near Palembang by the name "Melayu"?(Google Earth will show this village).
By that same definition, then, the Achehnese should be considered a “race”. So should the Bugis and the Bataks, to be fair. Orang Acheh, Orang Bugis, Orang Laut, Orang Melayu now mean the same… descriptions of ethnic tribes, at best. So some apparently Patriotic peron decided to upgrade the Malays from Orang Melayu (Malay People) to Bangsa Melayu (Malay Race) Good job in helping perpetuate the confusion. And since the “Malays” of today are not all descendants of the “Melayu” kampung in Jambi (if I remember correctly), the term Melayu has been wrongly termed. From Day One. Maybe this is why the Johoreans still insist on calling themselves either Bugis, or Javanese til today (except when it comes to receiving Government Handouts). So do the Achehnese on the West coast of Kedah & Perlis and the Kelantanese insist that they came from Champa, Vietnam.
Moreover, the fact that the first 3 pages of "Sejarah Melayu" claim that "Melayu" comes from Alexander the Great and the West Indian Princess doesn't help. More importantly, it was written in 1623. By then, the Indians had been calling the locals “Malai” for 1,500 yrs already. So the name stuck….
And with the Sejarah Melayu (The Malay Annals in page 1-3) naming the grandson of Iskandar Zulkarnain, and the West Indian Princess forming the Minangkabau. Whenever a Malay is asked about it, he usually says it is "Karut" (bullshit), but all Malayan based historians insist on using Sejarah Melayu as THE main reference book for which "Malay" history is based upon. The only other books are “Misa Melayu”, "Hikayat Merong Mahawangsa", "Hikayat Pasai", "Hikayat Raja-Raja Siak" and “Hikayat Hang Tuah” among others; which sometimes brings up long and “heated” discussions.
Interesting to note is one of the great "Malay" writers is called Munsyi Abdullah; who penned "Hikayat Abdullah" He was an Indian Muslim. Let's re-read that little bit. He was an Indian Muslim. How can an Indian change his race to be a Malay? He can change his shirt, his car, his religion and even his underwear, but how can anyone change his race? This must be The New Trick of the Century, which even David Copperfield will pay lots of money to watch (and perhaps learn).
"Mysterious Race Changing Trick"- created by The Malaysian Government.
Still, Malaysians are still only second to the Jews (who by the way, are the only other people in the world who are defined by a religion) So perhaps David Copperfield has yet to learn a few tricks on the mass deception skills of the Malaysian Government?
Malaysia Boleh...
I find this strange.
I also find, that it is strange that the "Chitti's" (Indian+Malay) of Malacca are categorized as Bumiputera, while their Baba brothers are not. Why? Both existed during the Parameswara days. Which part of the “Malay” side of the Baba’s is not good enough for Bumiputera classification? Re-instate them. They used to be Bumiputera pre 1960’s anyway.
Instead of "Malay", I believe that "Maphilindo" (circa 1963) would have been the closest in accurately trying to describe the Malays. However, going by that definition, it should most accurately be "MaphilindoThaiChinDiaVietWanGreekCamfrica". And it is because of this; even our University Malaya Anthropology professors cannot look at you in the eye and truthfully say that the word "Malay" technically and accurately defines a race.
This is most unfortunate.
So, in a nutshell, the “Malays” (anthropologists will disagree with this “race” definition) are TRULY ASIA !!! For once the Tourism Ministry got it right….
We should stop calling this country “Tanah Melayu” instead call it, “Tanah Truly Asia”
You must understand now, why I was "tickled pink" when I found out that the Visit Malaysia slogan for 2007 was "Truly Asia". They are so correct... (even though they missed out Greece, and Africa)
BTW, the name UMNO should be changed to UTANO the new official acronym for “United Truly Asia National Organization” . After all, they started out as a Bugis club in Johor anyway….
I told you all that I hate race classifications…. This is so depressing. Even more depressing is that the "malays" are not even a race; not since day one.
“Truly Asia Boleh”
It's been interesting to read such free-flowing comments on the subject of the Origins of the Malays. While we are on the subject, how many of you have read the book entitled "Contesting Malayness - Malay Identity Across Boundaries" Edited by Timothy P. Barnard published by Singapore University Press?
Written by a Professor of National University of Singapore. It reflects the Anthropologists views that there is no such race as the "Malays" to begin with. If we follow the original migration of the Southern Chinese of 6,000yrs ago, they moved into Taiwan, (now the Alisan), then into the Phillipines (now the Aeta) and moved into Borneo (4,500yrs ago) (Dayak). They also split into Sulawesi and progressed into Jawa, and Sumatera. The final migration was to the Malayan Peninsular 3,000yrs ago. A sub-group from Borneo also moved to Champa in Vietnam at 4,500yrs ago.
Interestingly, the Champa deviant group moved back to present day Kelantan. There are also traces of the Dong Song and HoaBinh migration from Vietnam and Cambodia. To confuse the issue, there was also the Southern Thai migration, from what we know as Pattani today. (see also "Early Kingdoms of the Indonesian Archipelago and the Malay Peninsular")
Of course, we also have the Minangkabau's which come from the descendants of Alexander the Great and a West Indian Princess. (Sejarah Melayu page 1-3)
So the million Dollar Question... Is there really a race called the "Malays"?
All anthropologists DO NOT SEEM TO THINK SO. (strangely, this includes all Malay Malaysian Anthropologists who are of the same opinion.)
Neither do the "Malays" who live on the West Coast of Johor. They'd rather be called Javanese. What about the west coast Kedah inhabitants who prefer to be known as "Achenese"? or the Ibans who simply want to be known as IBANS. Try calling a Kelabit a "Malay" and see what response you get... you’ll be so glad that their Head-Hunting days are over.
In an article in the Star, dated: Dec 3rd 2006
available for on-line viewing at:
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2006/12/3/focus/16212814&sec=focus
An excerp is reproduced here below:
"The Malays – taken as an aggregation of people of different ethnic backgrounds but who speak the same language or family of languages and share common cultural and traditional ties – are essentially a new race, compared to the Chinese, Indians and the Arabs with their long histories of quests and conquests.
The Malay nation, therefore, covers people of various ethnic stock, including Javanese, Bugis, Bawean, Achehnese, Thai, Orang Asli, the indigenous people of Sabah and Sarawak and descendants of Indian Muslims who had married local women.
Beneath these variations, however, there is a common steely core that is bent on changing the Malay persona from its perceived lethargic character to one that is brave, bold and ready to take on the world. "
The definition of “Malay” is therefore simply a collection of people's who speak a similar type language. With what is meant by a similar type language does not mean that the words are similar. (A native Kelantanese native speaker has no clue whatsoever what his Iban native brother is talking about; if both speak their own dialect) Linguists however, call this the "Lego-Type" language, where words are added on to the root word to make meaning and give tenses and such. Somehow, the Indonesians disagree with this "Malay" classification and insist instead on being called "Indonesians" even though the majority of "Malays" have their roots in parts of Indonesia. They refuse to be called "Malay"…. Anyhow you may define it.
The writer failed to identify (probably didn't know), that the "Malay" definition also includes, the Champa, Dong Song, HoabinHian, The Taiwanese Alisan and the Philippino Aetas. He also did not identify that the "Orang Asli" are (for lack of a better term) ex-Africans. If you try to call any one of our East Malaysian brothers an "Orang Asli", they WILL BEAT YOU UP! I had to repeat this because almost all West Malaysians make the same mistake when we cross the South China Sea. Worse, somehow, they feel even more insulted when you call them “Malay”. Somehow, “kurang ajar” is uttered below their breath as if “Malay” was a really bad word for them. I’m still trying to figure this one out.
Watch “Malays in Africa”; a Museum Negara produced DVD. Also, the “Champa Malays” by the same.
With this classification, they MUST also include the Phillipinos, the Papua New Guineans, the Australian Aboroginies, as well as the Polynesian Aboroginies. These are of the Australo Melanesians who migrated out of Africa 60,000yrs ago.
Getting interesting? Read on...
"Malay" should also include the Taiwanese singer "Ah Mei" who is Alisan as her tribe are the anscestors of the "Malays". And finally, you will need to define the Southern Chinese (Southern Province) as Malay also, since they are from the same stock 6,000yrs ago.
Try calling the Bugis a "Malay". Interestingly, the Bugis, who predominantly live on Sulawesi are not even Indonesians. Neither do they fall into the same group as the migrating Southern Chinese of 6,000yrs ago nor the Australo Melanesian group from Africa.
Ready for this?
The Bugis are the cross-breed between the Mongolian Chinese and the marauding Arab Pirates. Interestingly, the Bugis, (just like their Arabic ancestors) were career Pirates in the Johor-Riau Island areas. Now the nephew of Daeng Kemboja was appointed as the First Sultan of Selangor. That makes the entire Selangor Sultanate part Arab, part Chinese! Try talking to the Bugis Museum curator near Kukup in Johor. Kukup is located near the most south-western tip of Johor. (Due south of Pontian Kechil) He is more than willing to expound on the Bugis heritage. Buy him lunch and he can talk for days on end.
Let's not even get into the Hang Tuah, Hang Jebat, Hang Kasturi, Hang Lekiu, and Hang Lekir, who shared the same family last name as the other super famous "Hang" family member... Hang Li Poh. And who was she? Legend tells us that she is the Princess of a Ming Dynasty Emperor who was sent to marry the Sultan of Malacca. Won't that make the entire Malacca Sultanate downline "Baba"? Since the older son of the collapsed Malaccan Sultanate got killed in Johor, (the current Sultanate is the downline of the then, Bendahara) the only other son became the Sultan of Perak. Do we see any Chinese-ness in Raja Azlan? Is he the descendant of Hang Li Poh? But wait a minute....
That's what legend says. Let's look at the proof. The solid evidence. There is a well next to the Zheng He Temple in Malacca which is supposed to be the well built by the Sultan of Malacca for Hang Li Poh. According to legend, anyone who drinks of it shall re-visit Malacca before they die. Hmmm smells like a romantic fairy tale already. But let's look at who Hang Li Poh actually is. Which Ming Emperor was she a daughter to? So I got into researching the entire list of Ming Emperors. Guess what? Not a single Ming Emperor's last name begins with Hang. In fact, all their last names begin with Tzu (pronounced Choo). So who is Hang Li Poh? An Extra Concubine? A Spare Handmaiden? Who knows? But one thing for certain, is that she was no daughter of any of the Ming Emperors. Gone is the romantic notion of the Sultan of Malacca marrying an exotic Chinese Princess. Sorry guys, the Sultan married an unidentified Chinese commoner.
Next question. If the Baba’s are part Malay, why have they been marginalized by NOT BEING BUMIPUTERA? Which part of “Malay” are they not? Whatever the answer, why then are the Portugese of Malacca BUMIPUTERA? Did they not come 100yrs AFTER the arrival of the first Baba’s? Parameswara founded Malacca in 1411. The Portugese came in 1511, and the Dutch in the 1600’s. Strangely, the Baba’s were in fact once classified a Bumiputera, but some Prime Minister decreed that they were to be strangely “declassified” in the 1960’s. WHY? How can a "native son of the soil" degenerate into an "un-son"? The new classification is "pendatang" meaning a migrant to describe the Baba's and Nyonyas. Wait a minute, isn't EVERYONE on the Peninsular a migrant to begin with? How can the government discriminate? Does the Malaysian Government have amnesia?
The Sultan of Kelantan had similar roots to the Pattani Kingdom making him of Thai origin. And what is this "coffee table book" by the Sultan of Perlis claiming to be the direct descendant of the prophet Muhammed? Somehow we see Prof Khoo Khay Khim’s signature name on the book. I’ll pay good money to own a copy of it myself. Anyone has a spare?
In pursuing this thread, and having looked at the history of Prophet Muhammed (BTW, real name Ahmad) we couldn't figure out which descendant line The Sultan of Perlis was. Perhaps it was by the name Syed, which transcended. Then we tried to locate which downline did the Sultan descend from of the 13 Official Wives of Prophet Muhammad named in the Holy Koran? Or was the Sultan of Perlis a descendant from the other 23 non-wives? Of the 13 Official Wives were (at least known) 3 Israeli women. Then you should come to this instant revelation, isn't Prophet Muhammad an Israeli himself? Yes, the answer is clear. All descendants of Moses are Israeli. In fact, the Holy Koran teaches that Moses was the First Muslim. Thus confirming all the descendants of Moses to be Israeli, including Jesus and Prophet Muhammad. But since this is not a Religious or a Theological discussion, let's move on to a more anthropological approach.
So, how many of you have met with the Orang Asli’s (Malaysian Natives)? The more northern you go, the more African they look. Why are they called Negrito’s? It is a Spanish word, from which directly transalates “mini Negros”. The more southern you go, the more “Indonesian” they look. And the ones who live at Cameron Highlands kinda look 50-50. You can see the Batek at Taman Negara, who really look like Eddie Murphy to a certain degree. Or the Negritos who live at the Thai border near Temenggor Lake (north Perak). The Mah Meri in Carrie Island look almost like the Jakuns in Endau Rompin. Half African, half Indonesian.
Strangely the natives in Borneo all look rather Chinese in terms of features and facial characteristics especially the Kelabits in Bario.
By definition, (this is super eye-opening) there was a Hindu-Malay Empire in Kedah. Yes, I said right… The Malays were Hindu (just like the gentle Balinese of today). It was known by its’ old name, Langkasuka. Today known as Lembah Bujang. This Hindu-Malay Empire was 2,000yrs old. Pre-dating Borrobudor AND Angkor Watt. Who came about around 500-600yrs later. Lembah Bujang was THE mighty trading Empire, and its biggest influence was by the Indians who were here to help start it. By definition, this should make the Indians BUMIPUTERAS too since they were here 2,000yrs ago! Why are they marginalized?
The Malaysian Government now has a serious case of Alzheimer's. Why? Simply because, they would accord the next Indonesian who tomorrow swims across the Straits of Malacca and bestow upon him with the apparently "prestigious title" of the Bumiputra status alongside others who imply have inhabited this land for hundreds of centuries. (prestigious, at least perceived by Malays) They also have a strange saying called "Ketuanan Melayu" which literally transalates into "The Lordship of Malays" The Malays still cannot identify till this day "who" or "what" the Malays have "Lordship" over. And they celebrate it gallantly and triumphantly by waving the Keris (wavy knife which has Hindu origins in Borrobudor. Ganesan is seen brandishing the Keris in a bass-relief sculpture.) during public meetings over National TV much like a Pagan Wicca Ceremony on Steroids. Let's all wait for that official press release to see who the "Malays" have Lordship over, shall we?
Of the 3 books listed, "Contesting Malayness" (about S$32 for soft cover) is "banned” in Malaysia; you will need to "smuggle" it into Malaysia; for very obvious reasons.... :( or read it in Singapore if you don’t feel like breaking the law. Incidentally, the Professor (Author) was invited to speak on this very subject circa 2 yrs ago, in KL, invited by the MBRAS. You can imagine the "chaos" this seminar created... :( Fortunately the FRU was not called in.
The other, "Kingdoms of the Indonesian Archipelago, and the Malay Peninsular" (about RM84) are openly sold at all leading bookshops; Kinokuniya, MPH, Borders, Popular, Times, etc. You should be able to find a fair bit of what I’ve been quoting in this book too, but mind you, it is extremely heavy reading material, and you will find yourself struggling through the initial 200+ pages. It is extremely technical in nature. Maybe that’s why it hasn’t been banned (yet)…coz our authorities couldn’t make head or tail of it? (FYI, if I weren’t doing research for my film, I wouldn’t have read it in its entirety)
The "Sejarah Melayu" (about RM 50) however, is freely available at the University Malaya bookshop. I have both the English and Royal Malay version published by MBRAS. Alternatively, you could try reading the Jawi (Arabic Script) version if you are truly a sucker for unimaginable pain...... (may feel like circumcision)
There are actually many sources for these Origins of Malays findings. Any older Philippino Museum Journal also carries these migration stories. This migration is also on display at the Philippines National Museum in Luzon. However, they end with the Aeta, and only briefly mention that the migration continued to Indonesia and Malaysia, but fully acknowledge that all Philippinos came from Taiwan. And before Taiwan, China. There is another book (part of a series) called the "Archipelago Series" endorsed by Tun Mahatir and Marina Mohammad, which states the very same thing right at the introduction on page one. “… that the Malays migrated out of Southern China some 6,000yrs ago…”. I believe it is called the “Pre-History of Malaysia” Hard Cover, about RM99 found in (mostly) MPH. They also carry “Pre-History of Indonesia” by the same authors for the same price.
It is most interesting to note that the Malaysian Museum officials gallantly invented brand new unheard-of terms such as "Proto-Malay" and "Deutero-Malay", to replace the accepted Scientific Term, Australo-Melanesians (African descent) and Austronesians (Chinese Descent, or Mongoloid to be precise) in keeping in line with creating this new “Malay” term.. They also created the new term called the Melayu-Polynesian. (Which Melayu exists in the Polynesian Islands?) Maybe they were just trying to be “Patriotic” and “Nationalistic”… who knows…? After all, we also invented the term, “Malaysian Time”. While the rest of the world calls it “Tardy” and “Late”. It’s quite an embarrassment actually…. Singaporeans crossing the border are asked to set their watches back by about a 100yrs, to adjust to “Malaysian Time”…
In a nutshell, the British Colonial Masters, who, for lack of a better description, needed a “blanket” category for ease of classification, used the term “Malay”.
The only other logical explanation, which I have heard, was that “Malaya” came as a derivative of “Himalaya”, where at Langkasuka, or Lembah Bujang today was where the Indians were describing the locals as “Malai” which means “Hill People” in Tamil. This made perfect sense as the focal point at that time was at Gunung Jerai, and the entire Peninsular had a “Mountain Range” “Banjaran Titiwangsa”, as we call it.
The Mandarin and Cantonese accurately maintain the accurate pronunciation of “Malai Ren” and “Malai Yun” respectively till this very day. Where “ren” and “yun” both mean “peoples”.
Interestingly, “Kadar” and “Kidara”, Hindi and Sanskrit words accurately describe “Kedah” of today. They both mean “fertile Land for Rice cultivation. Again, a name given by the Indians 2,000yrs ago during the “Golden Hindu Era” for a duration of 1,500yrs.
It was during this “Golden Hindu Era” that the new term which the Hindu Malay leaders also adopted the titles, “Sultan” and “Raja”. The Malay Royalty were Hindu at that time, as all of Southeast Asia was under strong Indian influence, including Borrobudor, and Angkor Watt. Bali today still practices devout Hindu Beliefs. The snake amulet worn by the Sultans of today, The Royal Dias, and even the “Pelamin” for weddings are tell-tale signs of these strong Indian influences. So, it was NOT Parameswara who was the first Sultan in Malaya. Sultanage existed approximately 1,500yrs in Kedah before he set foot on the Peninsular during the "Golden Hindu Era" of Malaysia. And they were all Hindu.
“PreHistory of Malaysia” also talks about the “Lost Kingdom” of the “Chi-Tu” where the local Malay Kingdom were Buddhists. The rest of the “Malays” were Animistic Pagans.
But you may say, "Sejarah Melayu" calls it "Melayu"? Yes, it does. Read it again; is it trying to describe the 200-odd population hamlet near Palembang by the name "Melayu"?(Google Earth will show this village).
By that same definition, then, the Achehnese should be considered a “race”. So should the Bugis and the Bataks, to be fair. Orang Acheh, Orang Bugis, Orang Laut, Orang Melayu now mean the same… descriptions of ethnic tribes, at best. So some apparently Patriotic peron decided to upgrade the Malays from Orang Melayu (Malay People) to Bangsa Melayu (Malay Race) Good job in helping perpetuate the confusion. And since the “Malays” of today are not all descendants of the “Melayu” kampung in Jambi (if I remember correctly), the term Melayu has been wrongly termed. From Day One. Maybe this is why the Johoreans still insist on calling themselves either Bugis, or Javanese til today (except when it comes to receiving Government Handouts). So do the Achehnese on the West coast of Kedah & Perlis and the Kelantanese insist that they came from Champa, Vietnam.
Moreover, the fact that the first 3 pages of "Sejarah Melayu" claim that "Melayu" comes from Alexander the Great and the West Indian Princess doesn't help. More importantly, it was written in 1623. By then, the Indians had been calling the locals “Malai” for 1,500 yrs already. So the name stuck….
And with the Sejarah Melayu (The Malay Annals in page 1-3) naming the grandson of Iskandar Zulkarnain, and the West Indian Princess forming the Minangkabau. Whenever a Malay is asked about it, he usually says it is "Karut" (bullshit), but all Malayan based historians insist on using Sejarah Melayu as THE main reference book for which "Malay" history is based upon. The only other books are “Misa Melayu”, "Hikayat Merong Mahawangsa", "Hikayat Pasai", "Hikayat Raja-Raja Siak" and “Hikayat Hang Tuah” among others; which sometimes brings up long and “heated” discussions.
Interesting to note is one of the great "Malay" writers is called Munsyi Abdullah; who penned "Hikayat Abdullah" He was an Indian Muslim. Let's re-read that little bit. He was an Indian Muslim. How can an Indian change his race to be a Malay? He can change his shirt, his car, his religion and even his underwear, but how can anyone change his race? This must be The New Trick of the Century, which even David Copperfield will pay lots of money to watch (and perhaps learn).
"Mysterious Race Changing Trick"- created by The Malaysian Government.
Still, Malaysians are still only second to the Jews (who by the way, are the only other people in the world who are defined by a religion) So perhaps David Copperfield has yet to learn a few tricks on the mass deception skills of the Malaysian Government?
Malaysia Boleh...
I find this strange.
I also find, that it is strange that the "Chitti's" (Indian+Malay) of Malacca are categorized as Bumiputera, while their Baba brothers are not. Why? Both existed during the Parameswara days. Which part of the “Malay” side of the Baba’s is not good enough for Bumiputera classification? Re-instate them. They used to be Bumiputera pre 1960’s anyway.
Instead of "Malay", I believe that "Maphilindo" (circa 1963) would have been the closest in accurately trying to describe the Malays. However, going by that definition, it should most accurately be "MaphilindoThaiChinDiaVietWanGreekCamfrica". And it is because of this; even our University Malaya Anthropology professors cannot look at you in the eye and truthfully say that the word "Malay" technically and accurately defines a race.
This is most unfortunate.
So, in a nutshell, the “Malays” (anthropologists will disagree with this “race” definition) are TRULY ASIA !!! For once the Tourism Ministry got it right….
We should stop calling this country “Tanah Melayu” instead call it, “Tanah Truly Asia”
You must understand now, why I was "tickled pink" when I found out that the Visit Malaysia slogan for 2007 was "Truly Asia". They are so correct... (even though they missed out Greece, and Africa)
BTW, the name UMNO should be changed to UTANO the new official acronym for “United Truly Asia National Organization” . After all, they started out as a Bugis club in Johor anyway….
I told you all that I hate race classifications…. This is so depressing. Even more depressing is that the "malays" are not even a race; not since day one.
“Truly Asia Boleh”
Why did the issue of Islam and Yoga surfaced. Malaysiakini.
People,
Why would the non-Muslim argue about something that does not have anything to do with them? I'm a non-Muslim, I studied Yoga for many years and still practice it. It doesn't bothered me if a Muslim can't do Yoga. Yoga is good for the mind, body and soul. Do you think we have millions of Muslims in Malaysia doing Yoga? The numbers are too small to take this issue so seriously but knowing this why should the FATWA make in Haram so the discussion begins.
It is not only the Hindu that are objecting to it but also the christian and Muslims them self. Why? Because, Malaysia is a country compromised of so many races and religion. Many of us have a Malay breakfast, an Indian lunch and a Chinese dinner and maybe a mamak stall supper. We visit each others houses for parties, functions and celebrations. So when you start to segregate certain cultural bonding with other culture's you start to become non Malaysian. My friends in China and Hong Kong cannot believe we cook and eat other races food. I myself can cook many kinds of dishes. Chinese, Malay and English. That is what that makes us unique and proud to be Malaysians.
The possibility for other cultural banding's to segregated the Muslims from the other is what that worries the rest of the Non-Muslim Malaysians. Nobody intends to criticise the FATWA but it's reasoning behind the ban does not stand strongly enough. How can one worry about Yoga being the reason for a Muslim to loose direction or give up his religion. The FATWA should have given a more descriptive guidelines which part of yoga should a Muslim should not practice. Not just banned the whole entire thing.
Nobody telling the Fatwa is wrong. But taking an Indian cultural practice like Yoga which is taught not only in Asia but in Europe and America with a great deal of success and to say it is wrong for a Muslim to practice is questionable. Yoga has many sections to it. But the most commercialised one is the Exercise and Meditation. For a Muslim. It's hard for those who are already practising it and have reaped the benefit of it to just let go of it. Under the Law should not and cannot practice something that is banned by the FATWA. Under Section 9 of the Syariah Criminal Offences ( Federal Territories ) Act, 1997 provides :
Any person who acts in contempt of religious authority or defies, disobeys or disputes the orders or directions of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong as the Head of the religion of Islam, the Majlis or the Mufti, expressed or given by way of fatwa, shall be guilty of an offence and shall on conviction be liable to a fine not exceeding three thousand ringgit or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or to both.
section-9-syariah-criminal-offences-ft-act-1997
Section 12 of the same Act provides :
Any person who gives, propagates or disseminates any opinion concerning Islamic teachings, Islamic Law or any issue, contrary to any fatwa for the time being in force in the Federal Territories shall be guilty of an offence and shall on conviction be liable to a fine not exceeding three thousand ringgit or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or to both.
section-12-syariah-criminal-offences-ft-act-1997
Modern thinking Malaysian will surely have alot to say about this. That's why we should have a fully functionable Inter Faith Committee that can discuss and correct certain decision before putting it out. It can reduce the wrong perception that it causes for the other religion groups.
By Pathmanck
Pic:grahamking
A Somali letter. Malaysiakini
An outside view from the inside. Found this by Blogger Godfather. If this letter was for Din Merican i would not know. But felt i should share it with you guys. TC.
PathmanCK
Din,
I’m a Somali living in Malaysia who follows the local scene here very much. I would have to admit that Tun Dr M’s greatest disadvantage is his pure, unadulterated hatred for anyone who disagrees with him. Never have I seen a human being whose sole motivation, drive and engine is pure hatred. Just visit his blog which is read by friends and foes, locals and foreigners and I must tell you it epitomizes him in every way.
Since he started it after complaining of UMNO media strangulation, did you see an article that he has written concerning the poor, the needy, the widows, the orphans, the handicapped, the downtrodden, the wayfarers, compassion, empathy, sharing, sacrifice, charity, morality, accountability, God’s fear and Judgement, forgiveness, patience (etc)? No.
Always it is about some people, blaming others, calling them names, dishing out unvanished, pure hatred. Blaming others for this and that and exonerating himself from all blame? Surely, at this age? You can’t build a society and a nation through hate, vengeance, intense anger and mean spirit. You would have to remind the people the higher purpose of life for them to get motivated and work harder for the less fortunate and for themselves. Finger pointing, blaming others, planting defeatist culture in the Malays, reducing them to mad people (we are sensitive, we will run amok society that makes even foreigners despise the Malays) will not help this society and nation.
My people (the Somalis) suffered from cruel leadership and when the hatred became too much, we turned to each other and till today, we the only nation with no Central govt. The Malays share with us almost every trait, very feudal, manipulated easily, territorial, misuse of Islam for expediency, rigid explanation of Islam and too much interest in outward Islam than inward Islam that strengthens the hearts, our only difference is that the Malays have the Chinese and the Indians around that make them watch out for the “enemies.”
For us, we didn’t have that and that’s why we turned to each other. If God has loved the Malays and Malaysia, it is because He brought other people here. If some Malays regret the presence of the Chinese and Indians, ask us the Somalis and you will know what it means to be an incestous (homogenous) society and you will praise the Almighty day in day out. If it was possible, I would have shipped the Chinese and Indians to Somalia to create diversity in my nation but it is wishful thinking.
The other person who makes me cringe in shame is one Curry[Khairy] Jamaluddin. Never have I seen a more uncouth, uncultured, degenerate, pugancious, ill, nefarious and utterly infantile being than this young man. I have a big heart who tries to understand everyone and put myself in their place, but I don’t think my heart can accommodate one Curry Jamaluddin. He is a primate and deserves the worst treatment (though I hate it because we are Muslims and human beings) but honestly he is too much.
Abubakar
October 25, 2008 at 5:43 pm
Unquote
Heed the warning, folks. Mahathirism must never be allowed to rise again.
PathmanCK
Din,
I’m a Somali living in Malaysia who follows the local scene here very much. I would have to admit that Tun Dr M’s greatest disadvantage is his pure, unadulterated hatred for anyone who disagrees with him. Never have I seen a human being whose sole motivation, drive and engine is pure hatred. Just visit his blog which is read by friends and foes, locals and foreigners and I must tell you it epitomizes him in every way.
Since he started it after complaining of UMNO media strangulation, did you see an article that he has written concerning the poor, the needy, the widows, the orphans, the handicapped, the downtrodden, the wayfarers, compassion, empathy, sharing, sacrifice, charity, morality, accountability, God’s fear and Judgement, forgiveness, patience (etc)? No.
Always it is about some people, blaming others, calling them names, dishing out unvanished, pure hatred. Blaming others for this and that and exonerating himself from all blame? Surely, at this age? You can’t build a society and a nation through hate, vengeance, intense anger and mean spirit. You would have to remind the people the higher purpose of life for them to get motivated and work harder for the less fortunate and for themselves. Finger pointing, blaming others, planting defeatist culture in the Malays, reducing them to mad people (we are sensitive, we will run amok society that makes even foreigners despise the Malays) will not help this society and nation.
My people (the Somalis) suffered from cruel leadership and when the hatred became too much, we turned to each other and till today, we the only nation with no Central govt. The Malays share with us almost every trait, very feudal, manipulated easily, territorial, misuse of Islam for expediency, rigid explanation of Islam and too much interest in outward Islam than inward Islam that strengthens the hearts, our only difference is that the Malays have the Chinese and the Indians around that make them watch out for the “enemies.”
For us, we didn’t have that and that’s why we turned to each other. If God has loved the Malays and Malaysia, it is because He brought other people here. If some Malays regret the presence of the Chinese and Indians, ask us the Somalis and you will know what it means to be an incestous (homogenous) society and you will praise the Almighty day in day out. If it was possible, I would have shipped the Chinese and Indians to Somalia to create diversity in my nation but it is wishful thinking.
The other person who makes me cringe in shame is one Curry[Khairy] Jamaluddin. Never have I seen a more uncouth, uncultured, degenerate, pugancious, ill, nefarious and utterly infantile being than this young man. I have a big heart who tries to understand everyone and put myself in their place, but I don’t think my heart can accommodate one Curry Jamaluddin. He is a primate and deserves the worst treatment (though I hate it because we are Muslims and human beings) but honestly he is too much.
Abubakar
October 25, 2008 at 5:43 pm
Unquote
Heed the warning, folks. Mahathirism must never be allowed to rise again.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
HINDRAF REMEMBERING MALAYSIAN UNITY DAY NOVEMBER 25TH. Malaysiakini
From Malaysia Today.
Hindraf sympathisers warned
Tuesday, 25 November 2008 00:20
Selangor CPO Deputy Comm Datuk Khalid Abu Bakar, said that the police have warned any supporters or sympathizers of Hindraf not to hold any gatherings to mark their first anniversary. He said “The movement has been outlawed by the Government and we hope all parties respect that and not create any trouble. We know some of them planned to gather at Batu Caves for prayers and we hope they are there to pray and not to do anything that is against the law,"
REMEMBERING MALAYSIAN UNITY DAY NOVEMBER 25TH
HINDRAF calls for nationwide prayers to be organised to commemorate the 1st year anniversary of UNITY amongst the marginalized, oppressed and suppressed Malaysian Indians over the last 51 years.
November 25th is a day no ethnic Indian in Malaysia would ever choose to forget for it reminds them of the struggle of these marginalized community against the state which came hard to suppress the legitimate voice of democracy. No Indian would forget the fact that a peaceful gathering correctly exercised under Article 10 of the Malaysian Federal Constitution and Article 20 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1948 was met by state violence and aggression.
We call upon all Malaysian Indians to organise prayers in their respective Temples and light up 18 Ghee Lamps each to signify the 18 demands submitted to the Prime Minister on 12th August 2007.
The purpose of this exercise is lessen the evils that is partaking in the current scenario in Malaysia and gain faith and confidence from the almighty to overcome these evils and move forward for the goodwill of the Malaysian people in fairness to all irrespective of their color, race, religion, creed or following.
The burning of these lamps is similar to a candlelight practiced throughout ancient time and it is not sacrilegious to anyone as it seeks the omnipresent power of the almighty to strengthen and boost our faith and confidence for the spiritual and moral path that we have embarked and overcome turbulence time to lessen the evils that are prevailing for the Malaysian society.
Kindly take note that mass prayers would be organised at the Batu Caves Temple for the southern region and Butterworth Mariamman Temple for the Northern Region on the 25th November 2008.
We invite all those who are unable to attend these temples to organise prayers at their respective temples. Though HINDRAF has been unlawfully declared illegal there is nothing the UMNO regime could do to stop us from organising prayers. We welcome our fellow brothers from other faiths to organise similar prayers at their respective places of worships and seek the divine blessings for the continued struggle and success in our endeavour.
Let us unite on this day and show our oppressors we are UNITED MALAYSIAN INDIANS.
We invite all our supporters to send SMS’s to their friends to attend these prayers and be united on this day by wearing orange clothing as a mark of our unity.
P.Waytha Moorthy
Chairman
HINDRAF
14th November 2008
Hindraf sympathisers warned
Tuesday, 25 November 2008 00:20
Selangor CPO Deputy Comm Datuk Khalid Abu Bakar, said that the police have warned any supporters or sympathizers of Hindraf not to hold any gatherings to mark their first anniversary. He said “The movement has been outlawed by the Government and we hope all parties respect that and not create any trouble. We know some of them planned to gather at Batu Caves for prayers and we hope they are there to pray and not to do anything that is against the law,"
REMEMBERING MALAYSIAN UNITY DAY NOVEMBER 25TH
HINDRAF calls for nationwide prayers to be organised to commemorate the 1st year anniversary of UNITY amongst the marginalized, oppressed and suppressed Malaysian Indians over the last 51 years.
November 25th is a day no ethnic Indian in Malaysia would ever choose to forget for it reminds them of the struggle of these marginalized community against the state which came hard to suppress the legitimate voice of democracy. No Indian would forget the fact that a peaceful gathering correctly exercised under Article 10 of the Malaysian Federal Constitution and Article 20 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1948 was met by state violence and aggression.
We call upon all Malaysian Indians to organise prayers in their respective Temples and light up 18 Ghee Lamps each to signify the 18 demands submitted to the Prime Minister on 12th August 2007.
The purpose of this exercise is lessen the evils that is partaking in the current scenario in Malaysia and gain faith and confidence from the almighty to overcome these evils and move forward for the goodwill of the Malaysian people in fairness to all irrespective of their color, race, religion, creed or following.
The burning of these lamps is similar to a candlelight practiced throughout ancient time and it is not sacrilegious to anyone as it seeks the omnipresent power of the almighty to strengthen and boost our faith and confidence for the spiritual and moral path that we have embarked and overcome turbulence time to lessen the evils that are prevailing for the Malaysian society.
Kindly take note that mass prayers would be organised at the Batu Caves Temple for the southern region and Butterworth Mariamman Temple for the Northern Region on the 25th November 2008.
We invite all those who are unable to attend these temples to organise prayers at their respective temples. Though HINDRAF has been unlawfully declared illegal there is nothing the UMNO regime could do to stop us from organising prayers. We welcome our fellow brothers from other faiths to organise similar prayers at their respective places of worships and seek the divine blessings for the continued struggle and success in our endeavour.
Let us unite on this day and show our oppressors we are UNITED MALAYSIAN INDIANS.
We invite all our supporters to send SMS’s to their friends to attend these prayers and be united on this day by wearing orange clothing as a mark of our unity.
P.Waytha Moorthy
Chairman
HINDRAF
14th November 2008
Monday, November 24, 2008
Why Anti- ISA movement has such a strong following. Malaysiakini
It is not the Malaysian way to risk getting in trouble with the law. So why do this people risk all they have to fight againts this unfair law.
In response to criticism that the ISA was not democratic or was too open to abuse, the first internal security minister, Ismail Abdul Rahman, stated:
“ I maintained then and I maintain now the view that the Internal Security Act is essential to the security of this country especially when democracy is interpreted the way it is interpreted in this country. To those in opposition to the government democracy is interpreted to mean absolute freedom, even the freedom to subvert the nation. When cornered by the argument that democracy in the Western sense means freedom in an ordered society and an ordered society is one in which the rule of law prevails, they seek refuge in the slogan that we should imitate Western democracy one hundred per cent.
I am convinced that the Internal Security Act as practiced in Malaysia is not contrary to the fundamentals of democracy. Abuse of the Act can be prevented by vigilant public opinion via elections, a free Press and above all the Parliament.[2]
”
At the moment:
Several opposition parties such as the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS), the Democratic Action Party (DAP) and Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) have spoken out against the ISA. Many of them have leaders or prominent members who were held under the ISA, such as Muhammad Sabu of PAS, Lim Kit Siang, Karpal Singh and Lim Guan Eng of the DAP, and Anwar Ibrahim of the PKR. Previously in the 1960s, the law had been denounced by such opposition leaders as Tan Chee Khoon, who said:
“ This infernal and heinous instrument has been enacted by the Alliance Government at a time when the emergency was supposed to be over. Then it promptly proceeds to embody all the provisions of the Emergency Regulations which during the Emergency had to be re-enacted every year, but now it is written into the statute book ad infinitum...[6] ”
However, several politicians from the Barisan Nasional coalition, including its largest component party, the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO or Umno), that has governed Malaysia since independence have also criticised the ISA. The fifth Prime Minister of Malaysia, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, went on the record in 1988 to state "If we want to save Malaysia and Umno, Dr Mahathir (then Prime Minister) must be removed. He uses draconian laws such as the Internal Security Act to silence his critics." The year before, he had also stated "Laws such as the Internal Security Act have no place in modern Malaysia. It is a draconian and barbaric law." In 2003 when he became Prime Minister, however, Abdullah called the ISA "a necessary law," and argued "We have never misused the Internal Security Act. All those detained under the Internal Security Act are proven threats to society." But opposition parties believe it is a threat to Umno rather than a threat to the country.
Prior to becoming Prime Minister, Mahathir had also adhered to a critical view of the ISA. In 1966, when Mahathir spoke out in support of the Internal Security (Amendment) Bill 1966 as a backbencher, he stated that "no one in his right senses like[s] the ISA. It is in fact a negation of all the principles of democracy."[6] After becoming Prime Minister however the former premier had little if any hesitation using the law to suppress what he termed racialism but was seen by some as a move against his political opponents, the most notable of events being the infamous Operasi Lalang in 1987.
The following list shows known current and former detainees under the Internal Security Act. The list is incomplete.
Year, Name, Detention Period, Role Reason for Detention
1960, 5th November, midnight Koh Pak Ngee Socialist Front (SF) Assistant Secretary General, Chief Editor of NYALA, the SF Chinese language party organ, SF Parliamentary candidate for 1959 General Election
1960, 5th November, midnight Foo Seong Foh Age 24, technician of National Electric Board, Chairman of Labour Party Malaya (LMP) Jinjang branch, elected student councillor in 1957, Chairman of Jinjang local council
1960, 5th November, midnight Chan Pin Kin Age 27, Assistant Secretary of LPM Jinjang branch, elected Jin Jang Local Councillor in April 1960
1960, 5th November, midnight chen po an Treasurer, Parti Rakyat Malaya (PRM) Ampang Branch
1960, 5th November, midnight Li Jian Xing Secretary, PRM Petaling Jaya Branch
1960, 5th November, midnight Tang Bing Ying Secretary, SF Selangor State
1960, 5th November, midnight Chen Hai Chou Exco, PRM Perak State cum Chairman, PRm Ipoh Branch
1960, 5th November, midnight Liu Xiao Houa Age 25, Secretary LPM Jinjang Branch , salesman
1960, 5th November, midnight Hu Rong Shen Treasurer, PRM Perak State cum Chairman, PRM Ipoh Branch
1960, 5th November, midnight Li Wen Qing Member,LPM Jinjang Banch
1960, 5th November, at dawn Gu Tian Fu Age 21, Worker of Serdang Vew Village Local Council, former Jonior 3 student of Chung Huwa High School Kuala Lumpur , detained on 1 October 1985 under the Emergency Ordinace 1948(EO) for almost a year.
1960, 5th November, at dawn Huang Hai Qiu Age 22, Former Junior @ student of Tsun Jin High School Kuala Lumpur, detained on 1 October 1958 for a year plus, released in December 1959, worker of the Serdang New Village Local Council
1960, 5th November, at dawn Yang Nan Xun Worker in the Serdang Vew Village Local Council, foemer Senior @ student of Confucian High School Kuala Lumpur r, detained on 1 october 1958 for a year, relased with conditions.
1960, 5th November, at dawn Liang Wen Hong Age 23,Worker of Serdang Vew Village Local Council, former Junior 2 student of Chung Hwa High School kuala Lumpur , later studied in a private English school, detained on 1 October 1958, released on conditions a year later.
1960, 5th November, midnight Ma Hui Qun Age 24, Female teache, charged in court, detained again upon payment of fine
1960, 5th November, midnight Ma Ming Xin@Ma Jin Age 22
1960, 2th November Shi Song An insurance company staff
1960, 5th November, midnight Jian Hua Yang Age 18, Senior 1 student of Han Chiang High School Penang, Discharged by court but detained again by police.
1960, 12th November, midnight Jin De Sun Age 18,Senior 1 student of Han Chiang High School Penang, Discharged by court but detained again by police.
1960, 10th November, midnight Su Zhu Tai Age 15, Junior student of Chung Hwa High school Kuala Lumpur
1960, 10th November,midnight Chen Zhang Age 15,Junior student of Chung Hwa High School Kuala Lumpur
1960, 10th November, at 5.20am Zhong De Ling (F) age 15,Senior 3 student of Chung Hwa High School Kuala Lumpur
1960, 10th November Qiu An Student
1960, 10th November Kong Me Student
1960, 10th November Kang Zi Kai Student
1960, 10th November Lin Hui Huang Teacher
1960, 10th November He Hui Fang Student
1960, 10th November Tan Xin Jie Student
1960, 10th November Fok Yee Seng Student
1960, 20th November,at 6.15am Chen Ya Xi @ Chen Yu Reng Age 17,Senior student of Hua Kiao High Shool Singapore
1960, 20th November,at 6.15am He Guang Peng St Michael Secondary English Shool
1960, 20th November,at 6.15am Liu Xing Mei (F) Senior student of Hua Kiao High School
1960, 10th November Soo Bing Choon Age 30,Secretary General, the Malayan Federation of Pineapple Workers Unions
1960, 10th November Zhen Zhong Rong Age 19, PRM member.
1961, 14th January, at dawn Chen Xiu Lian Age 21, Female Student
1961, 14th January, at dawn Zhen Shi Sheng Age 18, Rubber tapper Student
1961, 14th January, at dawn Lai Bing Zhang Age 25
1961, 14th January, at dawn Ye Guo Zhong Age 21 Senior Student of Confucian High School Kuala Lumpur
1961, 14th January, at dawn Qiu Yu Jiao (F) Age 19, Rubber tapper
1961, 14th January, at dawn Liu Guo Chang Age 19, Rubber tapper
1961, 14th January, at dawn Chen Si Ting Age 24,Treasurer, PRM Semenyih Branch, rubber tapper.
1961, 14th January, at dawn Jiang Jing Hua Age 22
1974 Anwar Ibrahim 20 months student protester
1987 Lim Kit Siang 2 Years DAP Secretary General Operation Lalang
1987 Chandra Muzaffar released either conditionally or unconditionally ALIRAN President Chandra Muzaffar Operation Lalang
1987 Chan Kit Chee released either conditionally or unconditionally MCA Vice President and Perak Operation Lalang
1987 Karpal Singh 2 Years DAP Deputy Chairman Operation Lalang
1987 Halim Arshat released either conditionally or unconditionally PAS Youth Chief Operation Lalang
1987 Ibrahim Ali released either conditionally or unconditionally UMNO MP for Pasir Mas Operation Lalang
1987 Fahmi Ibrahim released either conditionally or unconditionally UMNO Youth Education Operation Lalang
1987 Dong Jiao Zhong released either conditionally or unconditionally Chinese Education Associations Operation Lalang
1987 Lim Fong Seng released either conditionally or unconditionally Chairman Chinese Education Associations Operation Lalang
1987 Kua Kia Soong released either conditionally or unconditionally Publicity Chief of the Civil Rights Committee Operation Lalang
1987 Irene Xavier released either conditionally or unconditionally WAO Member Operation Lalang
1987 Hilmy Noor released either conditionally or unconditionally accused for "disrupting the Malay culture by being a Christian" Operation Lalang
1990-1991 Abdul Rahman Ahmad Assistant Superintendent of Police, Special Branch arrested during Operation Talkak
1990-1991 Albinus Yudah opposition party member, member of Kadazan Cultural Association arrested during Operation Talkak
1990-1991 Benedict Topin opposition party member, Executive Secretary of Kadazan Cultural Association arrested during Operation Talkak
1990-1991 Damit Undikai retired Special Branch police officer arrested during Operation Talkak
1990-1991 Jeffrey Kitingan opposition politician, director of the Institute for Development Studies arrested during Operation Talkak
1990-1991 Maximus Ongkili deputy chief director of the Institute for Development Studies arrested during Operation Talkak
1990-1991 Vincent Chung administrator, Sabah Foundation arrested during Operation Talkak
1998 Anwar Ibrahim Sodomy and corruption (Deputy Prime Minister)
2001 Yazid Sufaat Jemaah Islamiyah suspected terrorist Not known (Still detained at KDC)
2001 Suhaimi_Mokhtar Jemaah Islamiyah suspected terrorist Not known (Still detained at KDC)
2001 Raja Petra Kamarudin 52 days Blogger of Malaysia Today
2002 Dr Abdullah Daud 6 years Jemaah Islamiyah suspected terrorist Not known (Still detained at KDC)
2002 Shamsuddin Sulaiman 6 years Jemaah Islamiyah suspected terrorist Not known (Still detained at KDC)
2002 Mat Shah Mohd Satray 6 years Jemaah Islamiyah suspected terrorist Not known (Still detained at KDC)
2002 Abdul Murad Sudin 6 years Jemaah Islamiyah suspected terrorist Not known (Still detained at KDC)
2002 Zaini Zakaria 6 years Jemaah Islamiyah suspected terrorist Not known (Still detained at KDC - ATP 2580/03)
2002 Zainun Rashid 6 years Jemaah Islamiyah suspected terrorist Not known (Still detained at KDC)
2003 Wan Amin Wan Hamat 6 years Jemaah Islamiyah suspected terrorist Not known (Still detained at KDC)
2003 Sulaiman Suramin 6 years Jemaah Islamiyah suspected terrorist Not known (Still detained at KDC)
2003 Sufian Salih 6 years Jemaah Islamiyah suspected terrorist Not known (Still detained at KDC)
2003 Mohd Khaider Kadran 6 years Jemaah Islamiyah suspected terrorist (Leader) Not known (Still detained at KDC)
2003 Hasim Talib 6 years Jemaah Islamiyah suspected terrorist Not known (Still detained at KDC)
2004 Zakaria bin Samad 4 years Jemaah Islamiyah suspected terrorist - Indonesian National Not known (Still detained at KDC)
2004 Ahmad Zakaria 4 years Jemaah Islamiyah suspected terrorist - Indonesian National Not known (Still detained at KDC)
2004 Terhamid bin Dahalan 4 years Jemaah Islamiyah suspected terrorist - Indonesian National Not known (Still detained at KDC)
2005 Abdul Rahman Ahmad @ Deraman Koteh 4 years Alleged militant separatist of Thailand Not known (Still detained at KDC)
2005 Mahfudi Saifuddin 4 years Jemaah Islamiyah suspected terrorist - Indonesian National Not known (Still detained at KDC)
2005 Mulyadi 4 years Jemaah Islamiyah suspected terrorist - Indonesian National Not known (Still detained at KDC)
2005 Arifin 4 years Jemaah Islamiyah suspected terrorist - Indonesian National Not known (Still detained at KDC)
2005 Mat Tarmizi Zakaria 4 years Alleged Thai separatist Not known (Still detained at KDC)
2005 Lai Kin Choy 4 years Alleged counterfeiter Not known (Still detained at KDC)
2006 A Artas A Burhanuddin 2 years Alleged member of "Darul Islam Sabah" from Tawau Not known (Still detained at KDC)
2006 Francis Indanan 2 years Alleged member of "Darul Islam Sabah" from Tawau Not known (Still detained at KDC)
2006 Mohd Nazri Dollah 2 years Alleged member of "Darul Islam Sabah" from Tawau Not known (Still detained at KDC)
2006 Mohd Arasad Patangari 2 years Alleged member of "Darul Islam Sabah" from Tawau Not known (Still detained at KDC)
2006 Adzmi Pindatun 2 years Alleged member of "Darul Islam Sabah" from Tawau Not known (Still detained at KDC)
2006 Idris Lanama 2 years Alleged member of "Darul Islam Sabah" from Klang Not known (Still detained at KDC)
2006 Aboud Ghafar Shahril 2 years Indonesian; Alleged member of "Darul Islam Sabah" Not known (Still detained at KDC)
2006 Jeknal Adil 2 years stateless; Alleged member of "Darul Islam Sabah" Not known (Still detained at KDC)
2006 Binsali Omar 2 years Filipino (Malaysian PR); Alleged member of "Darul Islam Sabah" Not known (Still detained at KDC)
2006 Husin Alih 2 years Filipino national; Alleged member of "Darul Islam Sabah" Not known (Still detained at KDC)
2006 Yussof Mohd Salam 2 years Filipino national; Alleged member of "Darul Islam Sabah" Not known (Still detained at KDC)
2006 Abd Jamal Azahari 2 years Filipino national; Alleged member of "Darul Islam Sabah" Not known (Still detained at KDC)
2006 Pakana Selama 2 years PR status; Alleged member of "Darul Islam Sabah" Not known (Still detained at KDC)
2006 Kasem Dayama 2 years Foreign national; Alleged foreign agent Not known (Still detained at KDC)
2006 Shaykinar Guat 2 years stateless; Alleged member of "Darul Islam Sabah" Not known (Still detained at KDC)
2006 Argadi Andoyok 2 years stateless; Alleged member of "Darul Islam Sabah" Not known (Still detained at KDC)
2006 Ng How Chuang 2 years Alleged document falsification Not known (Still detained at KDC)
2006 Ng Keat Seng 2 years Alleged document falsification Not known (Still detained at KDC)
2006 Mohd Azuan b Aniffa 2 years Alleged foreign agent Not known (Still detained at KDC)
2007 Mohd Faizol Shamsudin 2 years Alleged foreign agent Not known (Still detained at KDC)
2007 Zulfikli Abu Bakar]] 2 years Alleged foreign agent Not known (Still detained at KDC)
2007 Zulfikli Marzuki 2 years Alleged JI involvement Not known (Still detained at KDC)
2007 Amir Hussain 2 years Foreign national; Alleged document falsification Not known (Still detained at KDC)
2007 Mohd Nasir Ismail 2 years Alleged JI involvement Not known (Still detained at KDC)
2007 Ahmad Kamil Hanafiah 2 years Alleged JI involvement Not known (Still detained at KDC)
2007 Muh Amir Hanafiah 2 years Alleged JI involvement Not known (Still detained at KDC)
2007 Tan Choon Chin 2 years Alleged document falsification Not known (Still detained at KDC)
2007 Mavalavan 2 years Alleged foreign agent Not known (Still detained at KDC)
2007 Lian Kok Heng 2 years Alleged foreign agent Not known (Still detained at KDC)
2007 Sundaraj Vijay 2 years Foreign national; Alleged document falsification Not known (Still detained at KDC)
2007 San Khaing 2 years Foreign national; Alleged document falsification Not known (Still detained at KDC)
2007 K. Kengadhadran 2 years Hindu Rights Action Force activist (Lawyer) Organize Hindraf mass rally in KL November 2007 (Still detained at KDC)
2007 M. Manoharan 2 years Hindu Rights Action Force activist (Lawyer) Organize Hindraf mass rally in KL November 2007 (Still detained at KDC)
2007 P. Uthayakumar, 2 years Hindu Rights Action Force activist (Lawyer) Organize Hindraf mass rally in KL November 2007 (Still detained at KDC)
2007 T. Vasantha Kumar 2 years Hindu Rights Action Force activist (Lawyer) Organize Hindraf mass rally in KL November 2007 (Still detained at KDC)
2007 K. Ganabathi Rao 2 years Hindu Rights Action Force activist (Lawyer) Organize Hindraf mass rally in KL November 2007 (Still detained at KDC)
2008 Muhammad Zahid Haji Zahir Shah 2 years Not known Not known (Still detained at KDC - ATP 2703/2008)
2008 Shadul Islam 2 years Not known Not known (Still detained at KDC - ATP 2698/2008)
2008 Abdul Sathar Mohammad Sarjoon 2 years Not known Not known (Still detained at KDC - ATP 2699/2008)
2008 Faycal Mamdouh 2 years Not known Not known (Still detained at KDC - ATP 2700/2008)
2008 Mahamad Nakhrakhel 2 years Not known Not known (Still detained at KDC - ATP 2701/2008)
2008 Muhammad Shuaib Hazrat Bilal 2 years Not known Not known (Still detained at KDC - ATP 2702/2008)
2008 Raja Petra Kamarudin 56 days 2 hours 10 mins Blogger of Malaysia Today Accused of insulting islamic religion. Also charged with Sedition Act on an article titled "Let's Send the Altantuya Murderers to Hell" which was published on MalaysiaToday website [[1]]
2008 Tan Hoon Cheng 18 hours Journalist, Sin Chew Jit Poh Accused of writing a fact (on Ahmad Ismail's Incendiary Racist Remarks) that may (not) incite hatred among the (open-minded) Malay and (open-minded) Chinese. The Home Minister later explained she was detained as her security was threatened, which is ironically irrelevant
2008 Teresa Kok Suh Sim 7 days Member of Parliament, Seputeh Accused of insulting islamic religion (This political motivated accusation was made with the absence of evidence)
2008 Cheng Lee Whee 2 days Suaram activist, Johor Accused of insulting police[5] (This political motivated accusation also made with the absence of evidence)
Source: wikipedia and pic by byte.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Malaysia needs better Governance. Malaysiakini
I'm living in Hong Kong at the moment. So today on the way to work i read in Hong Kong's free newspaper about this article. Where this company Hopewell Holdings has been trying for the past 5 years to get their project approved by the Town Planning Board. If you read the article at the bottom it states how it was rejected after traffic assessment by the Transport Department, got opposed by the resident's organization and the Town Planning Board because of it's height. So the company had to cut down to size. Nearly 40%. I have highlighted the interesting bits. This is what you call good governance. Not like how things are done in Malaysia. Example Jalan Segambut they built an apartment in an already congested 2 lane road called Mandy Villa. There are so many examples to name. You'll know what I'm talking about.
Today in MalaysiaToday there is some changes to happen in Malaysia. We are going to have a Public Land Transport Commission by March 2009. The article is at the bottom. Hope things do change in Malaysia.
Cut down to size by
Timothy Chui and Alfred Liu
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Hopewell Holdings is hoping to go ahead with its long-proposed Wan Chai Mega Tower - but it has been cut down to size.
The tower's height has been cut by a third and the capacity of a planned hotel reduced by half in its proposal. Along with the cuts comes a name change: it will now be called Hopewell Centre II.
Hopewell said it plans to spend at least HK$5 billion on the project, which along with office space and a 1,024-room hotel includes a public park. The company will also spend HK$400 million on a road improvement plan.
Work could begin next year if the plan is approved, Hopewell said, with the project completed by 2014 or 2015.
The cuts in the project, which was first proposed almost 30 years ago, follow more than six months of talks between Hopewell and the government. However, Secretary for Development Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor denied the scale-back was due to government pressure.
"I am not the type of person that pressures people," Lam said. "Of course, all contractors hope to develop more but this time [Hopewell] has implemented social responsibility."
She added: "For many years, I have never seen a developer holding an approved project agreeing to such a large reduction."
Lam said because of the large cuts, the government is seeking legal advice to see if the new proposal is a class-A amendment - meaning it would not need to go before the Town Planning Board.
"The development will help rejuvenate a rather dilapidated area that has been lying i
dle for over 20, 30 years," Lam said.
Under the revised plan, the tower will be reduced from 93 stories to 55, a 40 percent drop, with the 210-meter height slightly lower than the adjacent 66-story Hopewell Centre's 222m.
The project's gross floor area will be reduced by 31 percent from Hopewell's 1994 proposal of 172,731 square meters with the plot ratio lowered from 15 to 10.3. Some 5,880 sq m of open public space will be retained. Hotel capacity will drop from 2,197 guestrooms.
The plan will be forwarded to Wan Chai District Council for approval next month, pending a review by the bureau and updated traffic analysis.
Hopewell co-managing director Thomas Wu Man-san said the project will create about 4,000 jobs with 500 initially, increasing to 1,900 at the peak of construction with another 1,100 jobs during the internal decoration stage.
There will be 900 permanent hotel jobs created and about 300 in shops.He said the company did not have to raise additional funds for the scheme. Wu also denied suggestions Hopewell had come under government pressure and said the cuts would not affect revenue.
Hopewell said 60 percent of the development area is owned by the company with the rest by the government.
However, there are still some concerns about the development.
Civic Party lawmaker Tanya Chan said a three-week public consultation period should be granted for the public to air its views on the changes.
Wan Chai resident Sara Yin Pai-sze, meanwhile, said the project is still 55 stories too high.
While Malaysia: In todays news.
We are far away behind atleast we have started. I think. With BN you can never say. Let's Hope Datuk S K Devamany walks the talk. I knew him before he ventured into politics seriously. That was a long time back. I was his student. He is a good man. Hope he makes some good changes in governing Malaysia.
Thursday, 20 November 2008 00:05
Datuk S K Devamany, Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department said that the SPAD (Public Land Transport Commission) is set to be established by March 2009 and the government is currently deciding on the issues like its objectives, organization structure, scope, manpower, implementation and others. He said “SPAD would be responsible for planning and determining the policy and direction, setting the transport rates, drawing up laws and rules, licensing and enforcing the public land transport system. It would include providing an explanation, holding discussions as well getting feedback from state governments, local councils and other interested parties,”
-Zen, MalaysiaToday
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