Sabah politicians

Sabah UMNO did well in the recent party elections, with many of their members winning  in the various wings of the party as elected officials.

The highest achievement is, of course, the election of Shafie Apdal as one of the three vice presidents of the party and also the election of Rosnah Shirlin to head  the Puteri Wing. Many commended her for winning without resorting to money politics. She came through with only six votes.

We must praise them all, for anything achieved at the national level is a source of pride to all Sabahans.

Now, the question is will Sabah be more of "Malaya" insofar as UMNO politics is concerned? Can Sabah UMNO leaders remain true to their Sabahan roots? Can they maintain their liberal, multi cultural outlook, instead of screaming the "Ketuanan Malayu" nonsense?

If we look at Shafie Apdal, at times he comes across more "Malaya" than the orang Malaya.This is to be expected as he needs to survive politically and he , therefore , plays the game understood by the majority.

It's okay for him to play to the gallery when he is in Malaya, but, being a vice president of UMNO, how is he going to play his politics in Sabah? It's not going to be easy for him, any perception of fighting for the interest of one particular group may well backfire in the local context here.

On one hand he must play the UMNO Malay card for his party members, but, and at the same time Sabah politics is a bit more complex than Malays vs non Malays as being played out in the peninsular.

To be successful in Sabah politics, you have to be inclusive, otherwise you might as well close shop. Sabahans are just natural democrats.

I just hope Shafie will remain true to his Sabahan roots and with his leverage in UMNO, hopefully his voice on Sabah matters will carry more weight, and we will get what's due to us. And, he must work hard for UMNO to be seen as more inclusive and accomodating.

Even for helping UMNO to remain in power at the national level after the last general elections, we have not been rewarded properly.

As a result many of my friends are not too sanguine , they say Sabahan politicians have been selling state assets to Orang Malaya from way back. Even the notoriously "Sabah for Sabahans" party the PBS was the biggest culprit in this game, they sold assets like  the SFI, Tanjung Aru Resort Hotel  etc to KL based people.

With many Sabahans playing leading roles in UMNO at the national level, the chances of them trying to please their KL bosses and followers to show that they are pan Malaysians will be greater.

While  the idea of being a  Malaysian  is not a bad  idea, but, our politicians must remember many people in Sabah want to see a political two way trafffic taking place, instead of a one way traffic currently perceived with regards to who gets what in this country. Don't just take, you must also give in a big way. In other words, fair play must be seen as a political reality in this country to   keep us from moaning  all the time.

 For too long Sabahans have been screwed nice and proper by their own politicians.

What do you say?

Like most Malaysians, I am totally peeved with the political nonsense in this country.

I don't understand all the noise made about Elizabeth Wong's private photos . It's slightly above me. What did she do wrong? If the whole idea was to show that she indulges in sex, to me it's her business. Everybody makes love. She is an adult and single, and she was right when she said she was not ashamed of her sexuality as a woman. Why should she? What would men do without women, huh??To embarrass her that way was most unbecoming indeed.

Then, politics in this country lacks class .

When I saw  the scuffle on TV outside Parliament between some UMNO Youth members and  some DAP MPs over Karpal Singh's remarks in Parliament that it was "damned" UMNO Youth who sent him a live bullet  over his declared intention to sue the Sultan of Perak over the current Perak political impasse.

I thought to myself, ha ha, here we go, and true enough all hell broke loose .

It was a disgrace. Some of our politicians have the mentality of very low human species, if they are humans at all, that is. How did our voters give them the mandate to be their representatives in Parliament?Really it  is worthy of a Phd thesis. I expect maturity and civilised debate, instead, we get childish behaviour which makes the country look  silly in the eyes of the rest of the world.

In this context I salute an advertisement put out by one Anas Zubedy in one of the national tabloids urging the politicians to get to work.

In the ad he  reminded  Malaysians, using the lives of a few of his staff , why it was so important for ordinary Malaysians to have jobs. If you have any feelings, it was quite a touching plea.

Politicians are supposed to serve the nation, through their policies they want to make life better for  you and me,however, the way they have been behaving we might as well go back to stone age . And, like Raja Nazrin said, a lawless system breeds a lawless culture.

I am afraid the behaviour of some of our politicians of late have really confirmed that observation to a T.

Welcome to 2009

 Welcome to the new year of 2009.

The Israelis do have a wry sense of humour. In welcoming the new year, they nonchalantly butcher innocent children and women of Gaza in their effort to neutralise Hamas. Pictures of the dead , but in some cases  surprisingly beautiful young innocent lives splash the front pages of the newspapers. If this doesn't make you sick in the first few days of the new year, I don't know what will.

The Israelis with the help of Uncle Sam have literally  been  getting   away  with murder. America gives them money and military hardware. While there is nothing wrong with this, as Israelis need their security in a tough neighbourhood, but, to use a nuclear bomb to kill a fly reflects the arrogance of the Israelis or is it just plain paranoia on their part?

First, they steal the land from the Palestinians with the help of the European powers who want to get rid of their" Jewish problem" in their own countries by pushing it somewhere else. Now it's been achieved , the poor innocent Palestinians have to bear the brunt of this "Jewish problem", while the Europeans sleep pretty well at night!

Let's get this clear, this mess is not about religion, a Jewish friend told me it's about "inheritance".

Both people share the same father, Prophet Ibrahim/Abraham, many will tell you if you are half brothers the family quarrel over properties can be very bitter indeed.

People want to know what have the Palestinians done to the Jews to deserve this? During the Crusades both Jews and Muslims were massacred by the Crusaders. Jews and Muslims who didn't want to convert to Catholicism during the Spanish Inquisition were burnt  alive at the stakes. As a result, many Jews took refuge in the Arab countries and also Turkey.

Worse, Hitler  had wanted to wipe out all  Jews in the last war, during these critical periods of Jewish history, the Arabs and Muslims were there to help them. In other words, there was little animosity between the two, only when Israel was created at the expense of the Palestinians sixty years ago, all hell broke loose between the two.

An Arab friend told me this is how the Jews pay back the  goodwill  that has been extended to them.

Then, I don't think we can blame all this on the Jews alone, the Arabs  themselves must take the blame for not doing enough to help their  brothers.There is no coherent strategy or vision on their part to solve this human tragedy once and for all.

Everything has been a knee jerk reaction, here is a problem that's been around for sixty years and  all they do is  get all worked up over the latest killings.

To see Malaysians also getting all worked up over this is an experience in itself. It's fine to call for the boycott of American products and even to stop working for American companies, then, what do we do Dr. Mahathir? Are you personally going to put food on the tables of these principled Malaysians?

 And, the whole  Palestinian problem will  just disappear pronto?

While I don't doubt the good intentions on our part, but, I suspect the noisy demonstrations over the issue in KL is to serve the political agendas of some parties come   UMNO elections in March.

At the end of the day, if Israel can snub the  latest UN resolution to  stop the carnage because  USA has stayed neutral during the vote, who are we to solve this sad, human  tragedy of this magnitude?

The solution is for both parties to sit down  and negotiate with  the US playing the part of a honest broker. But, don't bet on this.

The Israelis are pretty united  but the Palestinians can't even see eye to eye with one another.

 It is all right for us to express our concern for the Palestinians in the name of human  justice, but then there are many issues in this country that need attention too.

So, don't get carried  away unnecessarily as  we need to stay the course.

Observations

Notice how our politicians shake hands with the people in this country?

First the limp handshake, and then they don't look at you in the eye.

What does this tell you? Basically they are saying to you  you don't exist.

This annoys me tremendously. I believe your body language must be genuine when you  make contact with people.

After all, we  put you up there, the least you could do is to acknowledge us properly   when we appear in front of you. 

Maybe, we the people should just ignore their existence too by not turning up  at their functions and what have you.

A tit- for- tat, that should wake them up and remind them  it  is us who put you up there.The people are your boss.

In this country,  politicians who want to be elected to high office need to spend big money to get there.

Much has been written about money politics in UMNO, even some of their senior officers were quoted saying that it's out of control.

Once these politicians who buy their way up get  there, they can  later afford to pretend you don't exist.

It's only right they behave that way, after all we allow ourselves to be treated like  a commodity to be bought and sold.

Contrast this approach with the recently concluded elections in America. Obama didn't use his own money to buy votes ,instead people who believe in him donated to his campaign. With the donations he influenced the voters through ads and other means.

And, he raised millions. What does this tell you? It's the people who are in charge here and not politicians. The money came from the people and not Obama himself.

As a result, Obama and his gang will forever be  mindful of the power of the people. 

Can you imagine him not looking in the eye when he shakes your hand!

In a democracy, you are elected by the people for the people. You are not there to abuse your position  or to lord over us.

You are there to do the work for the people who put you up there.

I suppose we have a long way to go where a more mature democratic situation  can prevail in our country, but, change will come in one of these elections where politicians will be reduced to be the people's servants and not the other way round. 

Obama

It looks like the whole world is happy. I am happy too, Barack Obama is now the President elect of America.

We are all Americans in a way. 

What Washington decides going to affect us directly or indirectly. Who rules America rules the world.

People everywhere are simply  fed up with the arrogance of George W. Bush and want to see him back on his ranch  in Texas next year. I don't think many will miss him at all.

Its not going to be easy for Obama though, America has two wars and a financial meltdown to worry about. His job is not going to be easy.

If he can turn around the economy and settles the wars, then, America will be looked up again everywhere around the world.

I don't doubt that Obama can do it, he understands the world better than most Americans.

He's half African and half White. He grew up in Jakarta  and attended   primary school there. He is very close to his half Indonesian sister, Maya. During the elections, he told the Asians in America that he is an honorary member of their community, Maya's husband is after all a Canadian born Chinese with  Sabah roots.

So, if he screws up his foreign relations by acting arrogant and believing that might is right like most American presidents, then God help us all.

We have to wait until next year to see him govern, but, his elevation to the highest office has given the Black citizens there so much hope and a sense of ethnic pride.

Instead of just being great sportsmen and musicians, many young Blacks, now, can tell their friends with self belief that they can be  president like Obama. It's not only them, Asians, Latinos, Native Americans all now can  aspire to be  President. They only have to work hard  and have a different set of priorities.

My feeling is that it won't be that long before we see many Asian Americans especially  Indians  holding top positions in the American government.

The glass ceiling has been broken, America once again marches on to lead the rest of the world in everything.

She   has taught us to go for the best regardless of race or religion. By electing Obama, the Americans have made the world look a more hopeful place once again.

As for the politicians in this country  they  have to accept that only change is constant. And, nothing else.

It doesn't have to be only in America, it can also happen here.

Oh, really!

If our politicians are to be believed, Malaysia is not of planet earth.

According to them we are actually safe from the  recession that is hitting the world.

The Republican Presidential nominee, John McCain, was quoted as saying the American economy was fundamentally sound just before the country went into a real tsunami of a financial crisis.

That the authorities there did  almost exactly what we did during the Asian financial crisis 10 years ago, reflects the double standards of the West.

Our current opposition leader who was the then Finance Minister echoed their thoughts of "creative destruction" of the economy and  had sided with their recommendations.

Now that his Western friends are applying the same medicine we applied, strange, nary a word from him. 

It's hard to  trust  politicians and their doublespeak. 

Sure, our banking system is  reasonably  stronger than 10 years ago. It is adequately capitalised, but, to say that we are not going to be hit by the global recession is rubbish.

Our politicians should be coming out with some scenario planning so that we don't get caught with our pants down. They need to reassure us.

It was good that the government has  now guaranteed our bank deposits up to 2010. Most of us are grateful for this quick action.

By claiming that everything is all right, it kind of frightens me. The people responsible  are taking the easy way out. What we want are facts and figures to convince us.

There are bound to be more cases of non performing loans . As  a trading nation, not many people want to buy our goods because of the credit squeeze. Employers cannot pay salaries, workers will be laid off. How are they going to feed and educate their families?

If companies don't make money, they don't pay their taxes to the government, and the government in turn will have less money for public spending. 

The pain will be felt by everyone as it's one big circle.

If it's anything constant with the people in power in this country, it is their sheer incompetency that worries most people.

A journalist was arrested for her own protection! A native Sabahan lost her citizenship when  her IC was stolen!

Now, it is the economy, stupid. And it must be managed in an open and transparent manner. If it is a recession, say so. There is no need to say one thing and mean another.

We need to build up confidence  and steady the ship fast. 

And, there is no reason why we should be spared from the  pain.

It's often said when America sneezes, the rest of the world will catch cold.

Now, America is not sneezing, she's probably caught pneumonia, imagine what this means to the rest of the world.

The least we can do is to  be truthful.

Do we ever learn?

The poor and the powerless in this country have no frigging chance whatsoever.

To get ahead and to get things done, you need politicians or Cabinet Ministers to help you   get out of situations not even your own doing!

Some of the government departments are so inept, you wonder what they do besides attending meeting after meeting? And problems remain unsolved unless politicians interfere.

Haven't they heard of common sense approach to problem solving?

Can't they serve members of the public without fear or favour? Justice for all?

In the current political climate, with inefficient civil service, it does not reflect well on the government of the day. Many voters are  still angry and can't wait to teach the government another lesson.

Even after a big screw up, nobody is taken to task, it's like nothing has ever happened. Then, it will  happen again, no learning from your mistakes here.

I can totally identify with the poor, illiterate 78 year old Sino -Kadazan lady, Yong Lee Huan, from Penamapang.

One minute she is a citizen of Malaysia, then   a permanent resident for losing her IC , after the hoo haa by politicians suddenly she  finds herself  a citizen all over again!

What's the meaning of all this?

I feel totally frustrated with the chain  of events, why should some officer's mistake  put the poor woman's life into a tailspin?

What crime has she committed against the nation thus throwing her into the washing machine in the winter of her life?

We hear so many allegations of undeserving cases who have been given citizenship ! Life meanders away, no action is taken. And, why of all people deprive this poor lady of her citizenship ,  she is a bona fide Malaysian/Sabahan. Period.

In Sabah, people of mixed ancestry, especially Chinese and Natives are  considered  Native by the Native Court, if he/she can speak the tribal language fluently and lives like one.

All Sabahans accept this as inter marriages are a way of life here.

It's no big deal , really.

So, why the big screw up?

Every time a government department is criticised  ,  instead of checking the facts and explaining it in a logical way to the public, the first reaction is to be defensive and to deny the department concerned is at fault.

Who pays your salaries? You owe it to us and it's your duty to explain things clearly. 

Members of the public expect a better PR excercise . if you screw up big time, admit it. We will be more forgiving next time round.

Don't hide behind doublespeak . We are not impressed.

And please when you deal with your own people, show some compassion and understanding. What if she was a relative of yours? Would you put her through all the emotional and mental stress? 

We are lucky,  Malaysians are not so litigious . In other countries where citizens are more aware of their rights,  there is a heavy price to pay for this kind of screw up.

The world according to Jimmy

He sounded irritated, it wasn't his jovial, friendly self. He hardly called, as he would text  me more. For him to be on the other end of the line talking , something must be bothering him  real bad.

What's up, Jimmy? I asked.

Fed up lah, he said. Fed up with the political shenanigans in the country. Suddenly, you get the feeling the country is rudderless, he blurted out.

What's new? I asked.

Nothing new, I suppose, but everyday you hear the same news, like there is nothing else to worry about. Race and religion,and other rubbish, don't we get fed up with the same topics over and over again?

What do you suggest?

Let's talk about policies. It's the job of the politicians to educate the public. Enough of race and religion, ISA and switching sides.

It's what Malaysia is all about, I cut in.

Yes, I know, aren't we hurting ourselves more? Come on, in this country, most people if they are honest with themselves are descendants of immigrants. We should see our diversity as our strength, and not as a handicap. Need we go around telling the world some  people are more equal than others? Does this sound right in the 21st century?

Since you are fed up with the whole thing, I suggest you just switch off and….

Yes, he chipped in, am paying more attention to American politics. I find the presidential fight there is more exciting.

Is it because of Obama?

Partly, and also he has Sabah connections. Here is a mixed race person who's worked his way up based on hard work and intelligence. I hope he wins as he has a compelling story to share with the rest of the world.

Can he win?

It doesn't matter as he's already won against all odds to be nominated as the presidential candidate for the Democrats. That's already an achievement of historical significance in White America!

If we can follow suit in this country, how nice. Does it matter who is at the top as long as we agree with his policies. Jimmy mused.

Yes, that's my dream for this country, he continued. Fairness and justice for all citizens. I  know it's easier said than done. We have to start  from somewhere. Obama has set a very high benchmark for the rest of the world to fulfil, especially in a multi-cultural society.

Jimmy, Jimmy, you sound like a politician yourself. I laughed.

Yes, if only our politicians work for the people and the country instead of for themselves, we will have a great nation instead of what could have been , as he ended the conversation with a deep sigh.

Things do get worrisome

As an ordinary citizen reading stories about our government agencies and their antics do get me worried at times.

First the big shot in the Immigration Department who allegedly has been selling bits of the country to foreigners for a few dollars more. What can I say? Angry, letdown, embarrassed, disappointed and everything else under the sun.

Then what about the missing drugs kept in the Johore state police headquarters, the thieves were believed to be police personnel who had used acid to melt padlock to storage room where the drugs were kept. Some arrests have been made with one policeman believed to be related to the case found dead with a bullet  in his head. And, he was a Sabahan!

It's obvious discipline has broken down somewhere along the line where self interests have taken precedence over the call of duty to the country. 

Where have all the good values  of the country gone to? 

Doesn't it frighten you that justice in this country can be bought and sold like a commodity? You get justice if you are the highest bidder?

Gone were the days when the very sight of policemen doing their beat frightened the hell out of you, as they meant business. Now, you read about Mat Rempits attacking police personnel for daring enough to arrest their unruly, lawless mates.

We have brilliant laws in this country, but the enforcement is selective as a result members of the public  and foreigners feel they can negotiate their way out of trouble.

Imagine if the enforcement is done across the board without fear and favour, whatever social or security problems we have in this country will simply disappear or at least kept to a bearable level.

If you double park  somewhere downtown even for two minutes, and our enforcement agency is very  efficient in coming out with a ticket there and then, see if our  traffic congestions can't be solved soon enough. Once the ticket is issued, there shouldn't be any further discussion, pay up or get punished. The law is the law.

Why can't we do this? 

The standard answer has been very predictable, in order to do this  the enforcement agency concerned needs more personnel. The question from the public is why don't you get them? As far as they are concerned,  they want solutions and not excuses. What happens to the suggestion of employing civilians to do desk job?

There must be a real desire to see the country move to the next level on the part of those who are being paid from public funds to do their job.

If we don't want to do it for ourselves, just do it for our children.

And, it's never too late to draw the line between police and thieves in this country. 

.

Nothing like the US of A.

Who doesn't love the US of A? Everybody loves America, in fact the whole world does. I love America.

It's a dynamic , creative society where freedom reigns supreme. America dominates just about everything on this planet from business to sports, from music to technology. America is the world and the world is America.

During the Cold War, America had shown her competitive side by making friends with everyone. 

Then the events of 9/11 shook the world, from here things haven't been  what they used to be.

Muslims regardless of nationality have been singled out as the terrorists of the world, in other words the Americans got paranoid. Because of their own confusion and their loss of self-confidence,  America under George W. Bush has transgressed the very values many have adored America for.

The might is right syndrome has become very much a part of the American foreign policy vocabulary. America went against the Geneva Conventions on Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.She rejected the Kyoto accord on Global Warming and conjured up the Mother of all lies  by invading Iraq.

America under the current president has unfortunately lost her moral high ground.She has become an object of derision in many parts of the world. It's not wrong to say many don't take her seriously and don't even look up to her anymore.

Despite the negative perception of the country, it has not stopped some members of her current administration getting on their high horse dispensing "advice" how we should treat the current sodomy allegations against Anwar Ibrahim.

Of all the Malaysian politicians , Anwar is one of those rare ones who has made it a personal crusade to network with the powers that be in Washington. People like me don't quite understand the real need for this.  Many leaders who had come under the influence of America had ended up as losers like the Shah of Iran, or even Saddam Hussein who'd had their  backing earlier when he was fighting the Iranians.

Like they say it's always something for something, and there is no free lunch in this world. 

Malaysians generally  prefer their politicians to be seen as independent and not come under the influence of any foreigners.

Granted no man is an island, but, the intimate relationships forged with  the many well known  neo-conservatives like Paul Wolfowitz, the main architect of  the Iraqi war, baffle many of us here. Politics is about perception, and Anwar is already guilty by  getting too close to the devil so to speak.

With the new sodomy allegations against Anwar,  it did not come as a surprise that America  got into the act by "telling" KL to play the game by the rule of law. Even her Secretary of State, Condi Rice has waded in.

The early American colonies had fought for their independence  when they'd refused to pay tax as they'd had no representatives in the British Parliament then. Their war cry had been "No Taxation Without Representation". On the same token, as a sovereign nation, our answer to America should be "No Interference Without Representation"!

Why is this concern for this particular politician? Should  Anwar become the Prime Minister of the country, how independent is he going to be in terms of formulating policies? Is he going to look after the best interests of the people or what? 

My main worry is Anwar might compromise his position to his international friends' viewpoints, which might not be in our best interest as a country.

 Can Anwar be independent of these powerful people?

 Meanwhile, more bumpy rides  for us, I reckon.

It’s not business as usual

The question is the same wherever you go. Everybody is very concerned , but they have the best of intentions. 

All they want is a better future for their children.That's not too much to ask, is it?

The  current political happenings  in the country are not  giving them the confidence for the future.The consensus is that the distractions are really unnecessary when the focus should be on the economy.

Most are of the opinion that the government is still too arrogant.

They say look at the way the Police arrested Anwar sending  their personnel  decked up in balaclavas and all that based on the suspicion that Anwar might not turn up to give statement at the Police station. Anwar might be an irritant, but, he is not a terrorist. More respect should have been shown to him as a human being and as a citizen, they say.

Then Anwar's international friends do not help either. If anything that Malaysians really detest is the interference by countries such as the United States in our internal affairs.

So believe you me, Uncle Sam, whatever sympathy Anwar can still garner from the people will immediately evaporate if you are seen to be  siding with him too much.

I am not a fan but am a sympathiser of this rabble rouser of a politician. Many like me believe Anwar  can provide the leadership,of course many more think otherwise,  to stand up to  the arrogance of the BN government which believe they have the mandate  from heaven to rule this country anyway they see fit.

Many  also  look forward to seeing Anwar enter Parliament once again to  put the two -party system  in place for a better Malaysia, of course minus the baiting of the government MPs to join him.The mandate has been given to BN to rule again, so, please no back door way of taking over the government.  Just  wait for the next elections.

The people are fed up. Despite the results of the March 2008 elections, those in power think it's still business as usual. 

The average man on the street is losing faith that things can  change for the better, many see Anwar as the only hope. If he is put away again, the arrogance of those in power will know no bounds.

Like everybody else, my main concern is for our children to be able to compete in the global market  place and Anwar's sex life is the least of my concern. I prefer to worry about mine!

Then in this country,many people feel only people with the right connections have all the attention  and  the respect in the world and some even get away with murder.

While the spotlight has been on Anwar and all the other politicians, my question is do small people like Saiful, Anwar's  accuser of sodomy and  also people like you and me ever stand a chance in the scheme of things against the big players?

This is the crux of the matter, in this country the small people  feel they are not given the due respect as human beings unless you have power and position or you have the right connections. Hence, the general dissatisfaction with the status quo.

If we believe in fairness and justice, let's  respect  everybody so that we all can realise our true potential  and have our rightful  place under the Malaysian Sun.

Short of this, many  are keen to retire the present government. 

The artistic Dung

 He must have been crazy, maybe,   there was a method in his madness after all.

Now, everybody in Malaysia knows  the Carburetor Dung, a punk rock outfit out of KL, who suddenly found themselves in the limelight .

Their lead singer  was beaten up for dropping his pants and exposing the back of his boxer shorts while singing  their crowd pleasing number "Jilat" (Lick) at the fuel price hike rally  organised by  the Pakatan Rakyat at the Kelana Jaya stadium Sunday.

The protest was considered a failure as the organisers had hoped for a million demontrators, instead, only a few thousand people had  turned up.

While the event itself was generally incident free, but, the dropping of the pants  grabbed the headlines instead. Full of symbolism don't you think?

It's believed that those who attacked the singer were PAS (Islamic Party of Malaysia) members, obviously these religious types couldn't handle the very Western influenced music played by the group. Instead, they would have preferred a more sedate Middle Eastern influenced nasyid, a kind of Muslim gospel music , I suppose.

Talk about  the clash of civilisations!

I always find PAS a strange political creature, here is an outfit that wants to Arabise Malaysia. Yet, it has many followers amongst the non-Muslims!

Their spiritual leader who is the Chief Minister of Kelantan in the course of time has made some weird political pronouncements.

Women in Kelantan are not allowed to use lipstick and high heels are definitely a no no for them. Currently he was reported as saying that those who want to work as civil servants in the state must pray five times a day.

What if they say they do but they don't? How do you supervise a private matter between you and your maker? Doesn't conscience or faith come into play here?

Sometimes I can't helping thinking that God has been made  redundant by this kind of politicking.

The underground/indie musical scene in Malaysia is very much a Western inspired popular cultural happening with the urban, middle class young and not so young, all in the name of artistic free expressions. High percentage of the songs are sung in English and most of the bands have English names too.

Now, this Dung group have been playing to their own audiences without much problem, in fact the song "Jilat" is an anti establishment song telling how you have to lick or kiss backsides to get anywhere in this world. It's a satirical song about integrity.

Dung don't have mainstream followers, they sing to people who think like them, the anti-establishment crowd, so there is no fear of them being banned from appearing on television  or being banned  from performing live for a certain period like one rock singer recently who took off his shirt while performing .

The question now  if the  supporters of the parties in Pakatan can clash over  poor  stage antics, if tolerance for musical diversity was in short supply, can the parties really get their act together when big, important issues come to contest? While the leadership has some kind of rapport and understanding, but, can the grassroots display the same?

The authorities have said  no action will be taken against the  rock group as no police report  has been made so far over the matter.

To me, just let it be, it is too trivial to make a big thing out of it. If you proceed you'll make heroes out of these Dung guys.

While most people think it was lewd and all that taking our Asian sensibilities into account, but don't you think the singer had made a very profound  satirical statement with regards to our current 'obscene' political goings on?

I must say I admire his artistry! 

A mixed lot

Coming from a multi ethnic society one would think it'd be easy for some one of mixed ancestry to fit in emotionally. Talking to a few, it is on the contrary because they feel they have to fit in to the expectations of the majority races in the country. Since they are a bit of Country and a bit of Rock and Roll as the Osmonds used to sing,  these people can be a confused lot, as they are not too sure how to describe themselves.

They are confused  in a race obsessed society like ours which demands precise racial identity. If you are not a KadazanDusun, you are a Malay, if you are not a Malay you are a Chinese, then if you are a mixed salad, you simply don't know where you stand.

Take my friend Herman, he is a mixture of Kadazan, Bajau, Chinese and a dash of Pakistani/Murut. He is at a loss how to classify himself. Since he is  Muslim, he calls himself  Malay. End of  story.

Then people will tell you that there are no Malays in Sabah. They are  right and wrong at the same time. They are right when they say there are no ethnic Malays (Orang Melayu) here, but, then there are members of the Malay race (Bangsa Melayu) which include all of the natives here.

Confusing isn't it? I have come across locals , for example, who are a mixture of Kadazan, Chinese, Dayak and say some Burmese,  being Christian they cannot simplify their bloodlines by calling themselves a Malay as being one means you are a Muslim. They  don't know how to categorise themselves as they feel they are all of the mixture, at the same time none of the mixture.

The Democratic Party US Presidential candidate, Barrack Obama, identifies himself as an African-American, that's half of his heritage. Is he right? Time magazine recently wrote a story  detailing  his mum's role in  the making of him. Like they say without your mother you won't be in this world. Shouldn't he acknowledge  his mum's  genetic contribution  by openly calling himself a bi-racial person?

The famous golfer, Tiger Woods, is on record saying he is a multi -cultural person. His late father was a mixture of African, White and Native American, while his mum is  Sino-Thai. Most people will slot him in the African -American category. This is not  how he sees himself! And,  also this is not a fair definition of his cultural heritage!

What is the solution if any? My answer is simple,  it is how you see yourself that counts as other people have no right to think for you.

To my friend, Herman, who is a bit of "everything Sabahan", your bloodlines count to a degree , but, it is you as a person that counts  more and not your facial features or skin colour.

It's  not easy, as people love to label you because they need to understand where you are coming from, once you don't fit in their  mental picture of you, they will resort to a shortcut to satisfy themselves.

I say let them, it is not that bad really. There will be many more in your situation as society evolves. Everybody is inter marrying especially in Sabah,  just be what you want to be.

Dr. Mahathir calls himself a Malay, even though he has Indian Kerala blood. Badawi the same with his Chinese Hainan maternal grandfather. It is also the same with our first Prime Minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman, despite his Burmese-Siamese mother.

If you compare yourself to the politicians around the world now, what with the ever rising fuel price,your 'problem' is nothing, if you could call it that.

I am sure some of these leaders are humming  a John Lennon song to themselves.

"Christ, you know it ain't easy,

You know how hard it can be,

The way things are going ,

They  gonna crucify me!"  

                                        (The Ballad of John and Yoko)

 And Herman, you sleep pretty well at night, don't you? 

Oil, my oil..

I wasn't angry or even upset. My emotional state was pretty neutral. I had expected it all along. What I didn't like was the way it was announced, I thought it was rather callous without as much as a warning.

Then that's how the government  has been behaving in this country. Take it or leave it.

I refused to queue  like the rest of the country to beat last week's midnight deadline of almost 40% fuel price hike . I didn't see the logic of it. You get caught in a massive jam with people losing their cool, and then how long is the fuel in the tank going to last anyway? I suppose it's the Malaysian habit of looking for the best bargains. Can't blame the people really!

There is nothing to get upset about with the oil price hike , in fact it is good for the economy, the government cannot afford to subsidise it anymore, and  now  we have to actually pay the market price .The economy is more real  as there is little distortion. Of course, it hurts especially  with the lower income groups, then this is where responsible and caring government comes in.

To fair to the government, it has been coming up with some incentives  to cushion the  hike.

It is not the fault of the government, the price is beyond its control. There is no shortage of the commodity in the world market, what's been happening is over speculation by oil traders. 

According to Idris Jala , MAS Managing Director, an ex-oil man, the real  price of the crude should be about US$40 a barrel, that we have to pay  three times more for it is a real crime.

Maybe the solution is for the oil producing countries to allocate the real needs of the world and leave the balance for the traders to play around with. Why should the rest of mankind suffer so that a few people  can make money? Or, maybe just  ban oil futures outright.

Whether we like it or not we have to accept the fact that oil is the driver of the world's economy, any changes to the price will affect  us all. Food prices will go further northwards and so will inflation.

All the street demonstrations will not change that fact, we have to learn to manage the situation the best we can.

Lifestyles have to change of course. Our mass media must be in the forefront giving practical advice to the people on reducing everyday expenses. Forget the golf games, instead spend more time growing homegrown vegetables!

I suspect there will be many books in the market soon educating the people how to cope with the changing circumstances.

President Ma of Taiwan now uses stairs instead of lifts, and addresses conferences in short sleeve shirts to minimise the use of air conditioners. In this tropical land, our ministers ought to do the same. Taiwan Ministers also leave their chauffeur driven luxury cars at home and drive compact sedans to work. Rank and file officials ride bicycles in the city's clogged traffic.

In America there is a growing admiration for the Amish, a religious community whose members still go around in horse buggies and shy away from electricity and other technological advances of modern life.

Who says living in rural Borneo in the current situation without electricity and basic amenities doesn't have its advantages? 

Get the army out, Datuk Defence Minister.

Will he deliver on his promises? Or, is it another ploy to buy time?

Remember when Badawi won the general elections in 2004 with 90% of the popular votes on the promises of reforms, he didn't do anything at all. Only after the 2008 elections with his party losing the customary two-thirds majority in Parliament that he started doing something about reforming the judiciary and the anti-corruption agency.

How do you trust this man? It appears that he will not move unless there is pressure  exerted on him.

It might thrill some of his supporters on the Kaaamatan "goodies" he promised Sabahans last weekend . Personally, I don't think it is anything fantastic but just an attempt to stop some of our politicians from switching sides . Datuk Jeffrey Kitingan has described it as a form of bribery.

Will the people of Sabah actually benefit from the so-called goodies?

Let us look at the appointment of Sabahans to two key posts in the state, only two people in the whole state  are  made happy here.

Does this make me happy too? No, because the posts are ours, why do we have to beg for them? We are Malaysian citizens and taxpayers, why are the posts given to us only when Badawi's political career is on the line? Why can't it be based on fairness all the while?

All the other goodies are the same. It's  good news for the elected representatives to get RM1million each for MPs and RM 400,000 each to assemblymen, will there be a trickle down effect that will benefit the people in the constituencies? Also, the promise of RM1 billion for rural development projects. With the state of our delivery system, I am not too sanguine.

The much maligned functions of the Federal Development Department will now be taken over by a unit in the Chief Minister's department, doesn't this make the CM post more powerful as the system of patronage  can now be played at the state level more seriously? With this added responsibility  there must be more accountability and transparency, I can keep on dreaming. A friend said only cronies and  maybe family members will be the likely benefactors from this exercise.

Now, the real issue that will  make average  Sabahans really happy is how the problem of the illegals in the state will be solved. Why did we get? A committee to look into this will be formed to be led by the Deputy Prime Minister- cum- Defence Minister. Is the Prime Minister  serious? A committee.?

When will the committee swing into action? Tomorrow or never? 

Don't blame  me or other Sabahans  for being upset over this. We feel so threatened by the foreigners, yet the government can only talk about forming a committee .This is one issue that needs proper and immediate attention and it is  a matter of life and death for us.

Shall we give the foreigners amnesty?The answer is overwhelmingly no. So, what are the options available to  us?

Why can't this country have a proper immigration policy? Take in foreigners that will benefit us economically. Spell out the terms and conditions who  qualify like the advanced countries normally do.Those without proper papers or qualifications must not be entertained at all.Those qualified   are only entitled to Permanent Residency(PR), and not citizenship,this will prevent them from becoming  voters automatically.

We can even fine tune their entry to our own labour requirements . For example, New Zealand allows temporary workers to work to pick fruits on their farms. After the season is over they have to leave. We can do the same for a particular sector short of labour.

Citizenship can be considered  maybe after a ten year stay as PR and  for that they have to display they understand local habits and customs and even speak the national language well, to qualify they have to sit for exams.

At the moment  the enforcement units are not doing much, they are partly to be blamed for the sad state of affairs . Why are they pretending everything is hunky dory?They need to be re-trained so that they understand their functions better. As this involves national security, get the army out, if I may suggest to the Defence Minister.

The state assembly should play a more active role in debating the issue. It must be on the radar screen all the time. Data based on research must be made available to the public so that we know the magnitude of the problem.

What is going to happen to the children of the illegals born here? Are they to be given citizenship? Or, are they just going to be tolerated sniffing glue and selling syabu openly?

With little education and skills that are marketable, imagine the kind of damage they are inflicting on our society . A firm decision must be made on this now. We can't allow our children to inherit this problem unsolved, they might even urinate on our graves later.

I think our problem is  that we rely too much on the government to move things for us.  We should think of taking action to minimise this  problem ourselves within the framework of our own laws, of course.

We should form our own groups  in the kampongs, housing estates and monitor the movements of the people in our neighbourhoods, we should be the eyes and the ears of the government, anyone new  in the area must be reported to the government enforcement agencies for necessary action. Once the illegals see we mean business, they will feel intimidated somewhat.

Without self help on our part, we can cry blue black in the face, nothing concrete will happen from our politicians who have their own agenda.

The question is are we up to it? And, what are we waiting for?

It only takes political will to  control the situation like what Chong Kah Kiat had demonstrated to us during his tenure.

Do you know where you are going to?

There are so many political stories making the rounds  currently that you don't know which one to believe.

Maybe it does not really matter as long as life goes on as usual for most of us. Who cares what the politicians are up to . At the end of the day we still live in our terraced houses and they end up living in mansions.

This cynical attitude is so prevalent these days, where ever you go people just take the stories as one big spin by interested parties to further their own personal agenda.The general belief is that people are made use of and  are generally ignored until the next election time.

Maybe they should consider making voting compulsory in this country soon!

Politicians are politicians, they are brilliant actors. When  former PM Dr. Mahathir announced he was resigning  from his post during one of the UMNO assemblies, many of the UMNO politicians rushed up to him to ask him why, like life without him would be the end of the world for mankind.

Today the same politicians are his worst and rudest critics. 

These people have little  or no principles. Credit must be given where it is due, just because  Dr. Mahathir is critical of the present leadership, it does not mean you treat him as a nobody.  He has earned his respect, so give it to him. 

Say what you want,  Dr. Mahathir has always been consistent. The latest episode of him resigning from the party he has been  with since 1940s is one of them. 

After all, who are these politicians? What have they achieved for the country? Dr. Mahathir has touched many lives in  and outside the country that many of these politicians can only dream about.

He has got many admirers around the world. I remember taking a London cab whose driver was  an African  student who had nothing but praises for him  and became extra friendly when he found out I came from Malaysia.

Even though a well known anti-Australia politician, I have met Australians who admire Dr. Mahathir for his passion and guts. 

This is a free country, people must be allowed to give their opinions without fear or favour. Even party members must be encouraged to do so even if it goes against the party line, otherwise, we will only have ''yes men" protecting their own interests instead of the people who put them up there.

It's so easy now, all they need to do is to say things the leaders want to hear,  there is no need to use your brains even. Might as well say that to a beautiful woman, you will never know what that will lead you to! 

 The current administration is trying to project itself as  open and transparent, but, on the other hand party members are not encouraged to be critical of the leadership. Even if the leader is perceived to be below par, you  cannot question his wisdom. We cannot progress this way.

Poet William Blake wrote a long time ago- without contraries there will be no progression. 

Dr. Mahathir has contributed a lot, this is not to say that he is free from faults, he is after all  human . I am sure  many Malaysians will agree that his positives outweigh his negatives. During his rule, the country  enjoyed a fantastic economic growth and was known throughout the world. Who saved us from the financial crisis in 1997? Now, we are almost off the international radar screen.

While we can give our current PM  Badawi credit for making the country more liberal and open, he lacks  the vision to take us higher. He plods along like the civil servant he was . He does not inspire, he looks tired and lethargic most of the time.

While nobody wants to be pressurised to do things he does not like, Badawi is no exception. All the pressure being piled up for him to resign will not work, unless he himself comes up with his own timetable.

Until he does so, stories will float around like falling leaves in autumn, and in the current global scenario especially with record crude oil price, it is not good for the country and the people.

This uncertainty must end now.

Same old story

Not many of us know who he is. But the story has the habit of being stuck in the same old groove, and nobody wants to do anything about it. They hope by ignoring the person's plight, it will be forgotten soon enough.

A letter in the Star  on 8th May 2008 from a young person by the name of Keng Wei Jin from Kuala Lipis, Pahang has the usual ingredients of what's not right with this country of ours.

A top student, Keng has to practically beg in his letter to be given a scholarship to study at  university. Not only he shines academically, he also scored 9.2 out of 10 marks for his co-curricular activities.

Knowing that many non-Bumis are not interested in a career with the armed forces, he tried the Defence University (UPNM), to his horror he was not even called for an interview. After the usual running around, he was told he failed because he was too young. He was born on 1.1.1991!

It is heart breaking to hear stories such as this, we should not be teaching our young people despair so early,  instead  we should be focusing on hope. Our children are our hope, and if they are talented and deserve to be helped, we must help  them to realise their potential so that in return they feel appreciated and contribute to society.

To me, it's sinful to waste talent, as it is a gift from God. 

But, the truth of the matter is that our public service is unimaginative and lacks compassion, when they should be serving the public who pay their salaries, we have to run around kissing their hands instead.

No wonder many people want to go into politics, not so much as a form of public service, but,  for what they can do with power.That is why, those in the public sector are generally self serving, and they amplify the saying it's" not what you know, but who you know".

Until the mind set improves, many people will be disenchanted with the government. This cuts across the racial divide in the country.

While waiting , expect  many of our gifted young people to be enticed by lurking poachers.  Who can blame them?

Stirring Dragon

Suddenly  people just appear  from everywhere ever willing to spoil the party. The current Tibet-Olympics  episode is more than meets the eye.

China is supposed to be stepping out in August to show the world she has arrived with the Olympics.  She only needs to take a deep breath and take a bow, even then, many people are not happy with this. They want to contain her and  they want her to be docile and subservient ,if possible, forever.

Out of the blue, the world is splashed with Tibet stories. The timing is  so well timed to make China lose face.

Many people believe that China did the Tibetans a favour when she invaded the country in 1959. From a backward country , steeped in Buddhist traditions, where the people were slaves to the ruling elite, she has moved on keeping with the times.

Of course, the Tibetans have to pay a price. Their language and their traditions have been diluted, then, the apologists for China will tell you nothing in this world is static,  the only constant is change.

Watching the events ,  people like us who believe in multi -culturalism are  perturbed with China's forced assimilation policy in Tibet as well as the ways they handled the recent unrest there. Why do you want to kill a fly using a sledge hammer?

Many believe that  traditions and heritage  of a people make you what you are , minus them, you are nothing .We can symphatise with the Tibetans in that respect.

Then, how genuine are certain sectors of the western society for highlighting the  issue now? Do they really care for the freedom and the rights of the Tibetans?

 The  answer is  obvious, the west is planning on to stay as the most influential power of the universe and it will not tolerate any competition.

 Samuel Huntington, the famous author who wrote "The Clash Of Civilisations" has identified that two civilisations, namely Islam and Confucianism which will give the West many sleepless nights. In other words, Islamic militancy and China's assertion will challenge the West's supremacy.

Islamic militancy can be contained to a degree as Muslim countries are too diverse and the militants prefer to work from caves. But, a strong, cohesive economic powerhouse like China is something else.

So, Japan is encouraged to re-arm and India is   being strengthened.

If we look at the map of Asia, most of the counties in the region come under   Western influence with the exception of a few countries . Basically, China is encircled by countries which are potentially hostile to her.

Important sea lanes like the Straits of Malacca ,which is the trade lifeline for China, is under close watch by these interested groups. Being close neighbour of China, it should not surprise us why  some important South East Asian politicians are being cultivated by these parties to ensure that  when they lead their governments  they will be on their side.

The independent streak showed by former PM Mahathir  in our foreign policy matters can be a thing of the past if we don't have a clear  understanding of the chess game being played by interested parties to perpetuate their grip of the world.

So, when we choose our leaders, we must reflect  deeply and  see the big picture clearly.

Changing times

The primary school children currently in schools are a lucky lot. Despite the many misgivings of their parents who tell anyone who cares  to listen that children these days are not what they used to be, actually, if they play their game right , the world is the theirs for the taking.

 They are spoilt for choice.

While the older set tend to encourage their children to gravitate towards careers that are traditionally considered secure such medicine, law, accounting, engineering and all that, the younger generation can create their own careers by creating jobs that have yet to be created.

Of course, the question is whether our aging educational planners have what it takes to bring this about. It would not hurt if we started recruiting  forward looking young officers to come up with  something out of the box to benefit our young people in their future careers.

Something radical  needs to be conjured up so that the talents in this country will be utilised to the maximum.

Can we allow  the children to maximise their God given gifts, don't constrain them in anyway. Give them the freedom  to be what they want to be,  and just guide them accordingly?

In this country, those in power are generally  very insecure, they tend to be control freaks as the true meaning of democracy still eludes many of them.They need to learn  fast. 

I ,for one , don't expect my children to be in the traditional careers, I want them to be doing things they feel passionate about. There are many lawyers who have become film makers,writers, and even successful restaurateurs.

So, if my son wants to be a chef, there is nothing to argue about here. If my daughter doesn't want a 9-to-5 job, instead she opts out to be a master diver, then, I say good luck to her.

Some experts are saying that many people in their working lives are expected to switch their careers as many as six times , the first career does not mean that's it. With so many educational opportunities available, we have to treat the first career as the beginning of a journey.

Then, if my daughter wants to be a master diver in her early 20s, given the new realities, don't be surprised if she ends up as an economist with the World  Bank in her 30s, and in her 40s she might even pursue a career in film making!

That's how our children's world works these days.

It's something we can never totally comprehend, given our conditioning for job security and all that. The sooner we accept that there is no such thing, the better it's for all of us. Even the predictable Japanese salaried men are a fast disappearing breed.

If we look at the wages of some of the EPL footballers these days like Manchester United's Rio Ferdinand who in the new deal is said to be getting something like RM700,000-RM800,000 per week until 2012, wow! sure, your playing  life is not long, however,  when you retire when you are only thirty something, you have more than enough to lead a comfortable life . Then, you have all the luxury to pursue other careers if you want to.

That's  sports, what about those in the entertainment industry? 

Wonder if I can influence any of my children to play professional football? Once again, the choice is  entirely theirs. 

We have to let it be. It's hard for us Asian parents, we tend to think we  have all the answers for our children.We don't really want them to grow up.

These days ,there is little difference between the Western kids and the Asian kids , the world is really converging and it's becoming flatter and flatter.

We  can't expect  our children  to be too filial, they are now dancing to a different beat! 

Beware of the message..

 In the wake of reports of a proposal that non-Muslims in the country should be punished for commiting "khalwat" (close proximity) with Muslims, which was denied later; indeed, it must  have been some  kind of relief for non-Muslims  to read that politicians from the hard line Muslim party of Malaysia (PAS) have been making overtures to Christians  in their Klang Valley constituencies.

 It was reported that PAS politicians, Khalid  Samad and Dr. Dzulkefly Ahmad have made visits to Catholic churches to show to the churchgoers that they are not the extremist Muslim politicians that they have been made out to be by the mainstream media of the country.

They have shown that they are inclusive and  tolerant , Khalid even told the congregation of the church he visited that they could use the word "Allah" in their service. He received a standing ovation for that gesture.

The Federal  government had banned the usage of the word by Christians as it was argued it could confuse Muslims in the country. According to them , Malay Muslims are not capable of thinking for themselves.

Is this the beginning of something new in the battle of the hearts and minds of Malaysian voters by PAS?

The UMNO led BN have been rather insensitive in not respecting non Muslim beliefs by destroying Hindu temples, snatching dead bodies of alleged Muslim converts even if family members think otherwise.

In short, the Taliban Wahabbi mindset prevalent in the Muslim officialdom has alienated not only the non Muslims but also the liberal Muslims of the country.The ruling party paid dearly for this in the just concluded elections.

 UMNO has been trying to be more Islamic than PAS, even though the latter is supposed to be a Malay  nationalist party and the former   is  an out and out Muslim fundamentalist party with  the clear goal of establishing an Islamic government.

With the latest political antics, it appears  that the reverse is true. 

Of course, reading the blogs, the non Muslims are simply ecstatic with  these little gestures, who can blame them? It's  been very liberating for them after all these years. At long last there  are Muslim  politicians who can show  a little kindness  and understanding.

Before anybody gets really excited, please be reminded these are politicians, some of them will do anything to win votes. During these early days, they will show their good sides to their constituents.

Are they genuine? Remember they represent a party that's very conservative in their interpretations of Islam. In Kelantan where they have been ruling for sometime ,women are forced to wear head scarves, and there are separate lanes for the sexes at  the supermarkets, cinemas have to leave their lights on when screening a movie to prevent young couples from doing things they are supposed to do only when they are married.

Just because a few politicians want to appease you in order to get your votes , why not sit back  and see things in their proper perspectives. 

Only today, MCA slammed PAS statement made by its deputy spiritual leader Datuk Dr. Haron Din who urged their supporters to be patient for the party to capture the Federal Government so that it could amend the Federal Constitution to implement hudud laws.

Can a leopard change its spots?

Despite our multi-religious heritage, it's PAS avowed goal to impose its brand of Islam on the country.They will do what it takes to get there.

Seeing its president, Hadi Awang in robes and turban, one wonders if Malaysia cannot contribute anything at all towards the growth of Islam as a universal religion. Must it be  just one version from the Middle East above everything else? What's wrong with Malay dressing that reflects our heritage?

If God had wanted us to be Arabs, he would have made us them! 

PAS politicians are brilliant players, once, they get you in their trap, see if you can wiggle your way out.

They have dismissed the latest developments as  mere politicking. Oh really?

Like MCA president Ong Ka Ting just reminded us, beware of PAS ulterior motive. 

Just beware of the real message.