Apabila Najib dan Anwar minum teh 5 December 2009

Beberapa minggu lepas, negara sedikit ‘gempar’ apabila dilaporkan bahawa Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Razak dan Ketua Pembangkang Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim telah dilihat duduk bersama-sama di Parlimen.

Photo taken from the Malaysian Insider

Hampir kesemua media, samada cetak atau elektronik, telah menyiarkan gambar mereka berdua. Riuh seketika negara, kerana pengerusi Barisan Nasional dan ketua umum Pakatan Rakyat duduk semaja dan berborak. Benar, akhbar seperti Utusan Malaysia memutarkan isu itu sebagai satu contoh keterbukaan Datuk Seri Najib kerana sanggup minum teh dengan Datuk Seri Anwar walaupun pembangkang telah “melemparkan pelbagai tomahan”. Sememangnya ini sudah dijangkakan tetapi apa yang menarik adalah peristiwa itu dianggap mempunyai nilai berita.

Sebenarnya, tiada apa-apa yang perlu diperbesarkan dengan peristiwa tersebut. Sudah tentu Datuk Seri Najib dan Datuk Seri Anwar boleh berbual-bual sambil minum teh. Bukankah mereka berdua pernah bersama-sama dalam UMNO? Bukankah mereka berdua manusia juga? Sebagai rakyat Malaysia, sudah tentu mereka gemarkan teh tarik. Sudah tentu mereka boleh menikmati teh tarik bersama, apatah lagi dikatakan bahawa teh untuk ahli Parlimen adalah percuma!

Ketua masak chappati, kunco genggam keris 15 April 2009

Saya hanya geleng kepala melihat muka hadapan akhbar Utusan Malaysia pada hari ini. Lihatlah!

(gambar ini saya ambil dari sini, tanpa kebenaran)

Tajuk utama, dengan perkataan-perkataan bold adalah “Bangkitlah Melayu: Bersatu hadapi tuntutan kaum lain yang semakin keterlaluan.“

Gambar pula menunjukkan Perdana Menteri kita sedang cuba membuat chappati dengan rakyat Malaysia berbangsa Punjabi sempena perayaan Vaisakhi.

Adakah ini yang dikatakan ‘1Malaysia’? Satu tangan dihulurkan sementara tangan yang lagi satu mengenggam keris?

Saya tak paham bagaimana rakyat Malaysia nak bersatu sekiranya media arus perdana yang merangkap lidah rasmi UMNO-BN terus memainkan isu perkauman.

Saya nak tahu apa yang Utusan cuba sampaikan dalam mesejnya untuk bangkit. Bangkit membuat apa? Bangkit menentang siapa? Siapa yang kita harus ‘hadapi’?

Bacalah sendiri apa yang Utusan katakan:

Bangkitlah Melayu

KUALA LUMPUR 14 April – Orang Melayu perlu bangkit dan bersatu dalam berhadapan dengan tuntutan kaum lain yang kini dilihat semakin keterlaluan.

Mereka juga perlu sedar dan insaf dengan situasi politik semasa yang menyaksikan pelbagai tuntutan hingga boleh menjejaskan kekuatan politik orang Melayu.

Sehubungan itu, orang Melayu diminta tidak tunduk kepada tuntutan keterlaluan tersebut sebalik bangkit bersatu bagi mempertahankan hak dan kepentingan mereka.

Ahli Parlimen Pasir Mas, Datuk Ibrahim Ali berkata, pemimpin bukan Melayu dalam hal ini perlu sedar yang sesebuah kerajaan itu boleh sahaja untuk tidak ‘melayan’ tuntutan mereka.

Katanya, jumlah kerusi terbanyak di Parlimen adalah milik Melayu dan ia cukup untuk membentuk sebuah kerajaan berasaskan wakil rakyat Melayu semata-mata di negara ini.

Katanya, justeru, dari segi politiknya kerajaan itu sepatutnya memenuhi apa sahaja yang menjadi kehendak Melayu kerana mereka adalah majoriti dan bukan asyik bertolak ansur dengan bukan Melayu.

‘‘Parti Melayu akan kuat bila Melayu dijaga. Jadi UMNO kena fokus orang Melayu. Jadi UMNO tak perlu takut kerana saya lihat bila UMNO itu kuat orang bukan Melayu automatik akan sokong juga Barisan Nasional (BN) macam dulu,’’ katanya kepada Utusan Malaysia di sini hari ini.

Beliau mengulas pandangan mengenai situasi politik semasa yang menyaksikan kedudukan politik Melayu seakan terancam dengan tuntutan bukan Melayu pada masa kini.

Ahli Parlimen Sri Gading, Datuk Mohamad Aziz berkata, parti pemerintah ketika ini tidak boleh merasa bimbang untuk membuat apa sahaja keputusan yang dilihat perlu untuk membantu orang Melayu.

“UMNO kalau kita tengok Fasal 3 perlembagaannya ialah memperjuangkan hak Melayu.

“Pada masa sama orang Melayu pun kenalah sedar, asyik bercakaran sesama sendiri, tak untung Melayu sedangkan kita main politik untuk apa kalau tidak untuk membela Melayu.

“Jadi UMNO dan Pas kena duduk, tak kan dalam berbeza tak ada persamaan. Atas persamaan ini kita duduklah semeja dulu,” jelasnya.

Pemimpin UMNO, Datuk Seri Dr. Rais Yatim menegaskan, dalam soal wakil Kabinet misalnya, semua pihak harus menerima pilihan Perdana Menteri kerana ia bidang kuasa beliau.

“Saya fikir kalau dilayan, Najib tak akan ada kerja lain.

“Apa pun ini akan mengajar UMNO supaya terus kuat. Bila kuat, orang segan, kalau lemah orang kucar kacirkan,” ujarnya yang juga Ketua UMNO Bahagian Jelebu.

Ketua Pembangkang Dewan Undangan Negeri Selangor, Datuk Seri Dr. Mohamad Khir Toyo berkata, hak orang Melayu tidak harus dilepaskan dalam usaha kerajaan memenuhi kehendak masyarakat pelbagai kaum.

“Biar wujud situasi menang-menang. Kita tidak boleh biar sebelah pihak sahaja menang. Kalau kita nak penuhi apa yang mereka nak, jangan pula kita lepaskan apa yang jadi hak kita,’’ katanya.

Timbalan Presiden Gabungan Pelajar Melayu Semenanjung (GPMS), Syed Anuar Syed Mohamad berkata, walaupun kerajaan mahu menekankan konsep Satu Malaysia yang menyatukan rakyat pelbagai kaum, langkah juga perlu dilakukan bagi mengembalikan keharmonian di kalangan orang Melayu sendiri.

“Dalam keadaan sekarang ini, orang Melayu berhadapan banyak cabaran semasa dan kita perlu mencari cara untuk memastikan kaum itu tidak berpecah-belah,” katanya.

Katanya, UMNO dan Pas tidak boleh melengah-lengahkan masa lagi untuk bekerjasama dalam memajukan orang Melayu.

Ketua Umum Badan Bertindak Perpaduan Melayu (BBPM), Osman Abu Bakar yang sependapat dengan GPMS berkata, cadangan yang baik seperti itu perlu dilaksanakan secepat mungkin.

Katanya, kerjasama antara dua parti politik itu bukan sahaja akan memberi faedah kepada orang Melayu sahaja tetapi juga kaum lain.

Tambahnya, penyatuan UMNO dan Pas perlu menjadi batu loncatan untuk mengeratkan semua rakyat berbilang kaum di negara ini.

“Sememangnya usaha ke arah itu akan mengambil masa tetapi sekurang-kurangnya kita tidak hanya bercakap atau mencadangkan sahaja,’’ tambahnya.

Dan, pada masa yang sama, Utusan melaporkan:

‘Saya PM semua komuniti’

KUALA LUMPUR 14 April – Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak hari ini menyatakan keazaman beliau untuk menjadi Perdana Menteri bagi semua komuniti tanpa mengira agama dan kaum.

Sejajar hasratnya itu, katanya, beliau akan berusaha menyatupadukan rakyat berasaskan konsep Satu Malaysia yang intipati utamanya berlandas kepada semangat saling mempercayai dan hormat menghormati antara satu sama lain.

“Kita mesti meruntuhkan sebarang halangan antara kaum dan tidak seharusnya melihat antara satu sama lain berasaskan warna kulit.

“Setiap orang mesti menolong satu sama lain tidak kira mereka daripada komuniti mana. Kalau individu ini patut ditolong, dia sepatutnya dan mesti ditolong oleh kita semua,” katanya.

Beliau berkata demikian ketika berucap pada Majlis Sambutan Vaisakhi di Kuil Tatt Khalsa Diwan, Chow Kit di sini.

Turut hadir, Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri, Tan Sri Dr. Koh Tsu Koon dan Menteri Wilayah Persekutuan, Datuk Raja Nong Chik Raja Zainal Abidin.

Najib yang tiba pada pukul 9.30 pagi meluangkan masa selama 45 minit beramah mesra dengan kira-kira 2,000 hadirin dan menikmati juadah tradisional kaum itu seperti prata, barfi dan laddoo.

Beliau menghadiri majlis itu dengan memakai songkok sebagai menghormati peraturan kuil yang mensyaratkan pengunjung mesti menutup kepala.

Menurut Najib, beliau percaya sekiranya semua kaum dapat menghayati konsep Satu Malaysia dengan bekerja sebagai satu pasukan atau keluarga, ia akan menjadikan negara ini lebih kuat dan makmur.

Menyentuh kehadirannya ke majlis hari ini, beliau berkata, ia sebagai mengiktiraf dan mengucapkan terima kasih terhadap sumbangan kaum Sikh kepada pembangunan Malaysia.

“Walaupun kaum Sikh di negara ini agak kecil iaitu kira-kira 100,000 orang, tetapi sumbangan mereka terhadap sejarah dan pembangunan negara amat besar dan bermakna. Saya berharap mereka akan terus bersama-sama dengan kerajaan pada masa depan,” ujarnya.

(Kata-kata “Saya PM semua komuniti” itu seakan-akan sama dengan “I am a prime minister for all Malaysians” yang diluahkan oleh mantan Perdana Menteri, Tun Abdullah Badawi.)

Bagaimanakah rakyat Malaysia hendak percayakan slogan ‘1Malaysia’ dengan mesej-mesej yang mengelirukan yang datang dari parti pemerintah?

Malaysia tidak akan dapat mencapai perpaduan sekiranya pihak-pihak seperti Utusan Malaysia masih terus cuba memperbodohkan orang Melayu dan melagakan orang Malaysia sesama sendiri.

Thoughts on the Bukits and Batang 7 April 2009

Tomorrow, we will see the excuses streaming in from Barisan leaders and supporters. It’s expected, they’ll say. They were seats previously held by Pakatan, they’ll say. Mr. Najib didn’t have enough time for to carry out his reform agenda, they’ll say. They might even say that Barisan picked the wrong candidates.

But the fact of the matter is, in the battle for the two Bukits and one Batang, Pakatan edged out Barisan 2-1. Thus far, the by-election score for the two political coalitions stands at 4-1, with Pakatan winning in Permatang Pauh and Kuala Terengganu previously. Barisan’s loss in Permatang Pauh, like the tsunami of 8 March, was blamed on former prime minister Mr. Abdullah Badawi. Similarly, Barisan’s failure in retaining the Kuala Terengganu seat was also blamed on Mr. Abdullah, as his detractors argued that he picked the wrong candidate. But Mr. Abdullah did not do anything in Bukit Gantang and Bukit Selambau. Yet, as Permatang Pauh and Kuala Terengganu before this, Pakatan won with bigger majorities.

The most crucial of the three simultaneous by-elections was the one held in the Parliamentary seat of Bukit Gantang in Perak. Experts predicted a win for Barisan in Batang Ai and in all likelihood, Pakatan would retain Bukit Selambau. Yet it was at Bukit Gantang that Barisan focused its efforts upon, sensing that they might wrest the seat from PAS.

But they found that the 37 or so percent of non-Malays in Bukit Gantang shunned them. Even with their best efforts, they simply couldn’t win over the non-Malays, who had made up their mind on who to vote for. So they turned to the Malays and launched an onslaught onto Mr. Nizar Jamaludin, the PAS candidate and the Mentri Besar (PR) of Perak.

Their most often used arsenal? The so-called act of treason committed by Mr. Nizar. UMNO played up the derhaka sentiment to the hilt, along with allegations that Mr. Nizar was a DAP puppet and betrayer of the Malays. Political pariahs like Mr. Ezam Mohd Nor  and Mr. Lokman Nor Adam were sent to Bukit Gantang to attack PAS and Nizar. Utusan Malaysia and TV3 did their best to campaign for UMNO. The media, along with some BN-friendly muftis, even created a mini-uproar when a DAP politician quoted verses from the holy Quran. Bukit Gantang even saw the return of former prime minister Tun Mahathir, making his ‘grand’ comeback to UMNO. And the reports coming in from Bukit Gantang was that Mr. Nizar would lose due to a huge swing in Malay votes.

It’s still too early to receive detailed information on the voting patterns in Bukit Gantang. But with Mr. Nizar’s improved majority, it is unlikely that there was any significant swing in the Malay votes. Which means, for all UMNO’s efforts, the Malays of Bukit Gantang were not swayed by the rhetorical volley launched at Mr. Nizar.

But what does the result in Bukit Gantang mean in terms of the Perak political crisis? Pakatan Rakyat had turned the by-election into a referendum on the Perak power grab and Barisan wanted the seat badly as it would effectively ‘legitimize’ the coup d’etat. Of course, after this they would claim that Bukit Gantang is not reflective of the wishes of the people of Perak, but those excuses will sound hollow. Make no mistake, there was only one issue in Bukit Gantang that mattered and it was used by both sides; the Perak political and constitutional crisis. As such, any result is reflective of the people of Bukit Gantang’s opinion on the matter as that is what the discourse had been throughout the campaigning period.

Mr. Najib, Mr. Zahid Hamidi and Mr. Zambry Abdul Kadir should realize that the Perak coup did not have the consent of the majority of Perakians. This hugely embarassing loss in Perak should be an eye-opener to those concerned and proves once and for all that regardless of what UMNO and Barisan tries to tell us, the current Perak ‘government’ will not be legitimate in eyes of the rakyat. The result of Bukit Gantang is the biggest indicator to UMNO and Barisan Nasional that a there is only one way out of the political impasse in Perak; dissolution of the state assembly.

Are the three by-elections a referendum on Mr. Najib’s premiership? Maybe it’s too early for that. What is clear is that Mr. Najib’s public relations act of freeing the 13 ISA detainees and his new slogan ‘1Malaysia’ did not create the instant impact that he obviously wished for. The rakyat have heard enough talk during Mr. Abdullah’s era and Mr. Najib is leading a country that has become very sceptical, especially to the government. Mr. Najib will not have a honeymoon period.

In terms of Malaysian politics, the results of the by-elections today must be good for the future of a two-party system in Malaysia. Once again, Pakatan has proved that despite it’s so-called differing ideologies, PAS, DAP and PKR can work togather well to achieve a common goal. And with Mr. Nizar, PAS may have found it’s ambassador to the non-Malays, the epitome of the slogan ‘PAS untuk semua‘. Never have we seen DAP members worked this tirelessly for a PAS candidate. Never have we seen non-Malays accept a PAS man so willingly and with such open arms.

Lastly, the by-elections proved once and for all that the Tun has passed his time. His much-publicized campaigning have had little, if any, impact on the voters. He should just retire in peace and leave the nation to the man he claims will take it to greater heights.

ISA, the tool of politicians 6 April 2009

When the Hindraf five was detained in late 2007, we were told that there were grave threats to national security. Heck, we were even told that some of them had ‘terrorist’ connections. Thus, the five simply had to be detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA).

Like the Hindraf five, the other ISA detainees were also said to be threats to national security. If they were not, they will not be detained. This is why the ISA is still relevant today, we’re told. Malaysia is full of national security threats.; lawyers, opposition MPs, bloggers and yes, even reporters, may become threats to national security.

We’re told that in a multi-racial country such as hours, arbitrary detention without trial is permissable, even desireable. ISA has never used to silence dissent, we’re told. ISA has been used and is still being used to counter threats to our nation. Real threats.

Using the logic that the ISA detainees were security threats, does this mean that the 13 released detainees were no longer threats to our country?

And if they were no longer threats to national security, when did they become so? After Mr. Najib assumed the premiership? Did the 13 suddenly become non-threats just because we have a new prime minister?

I remembered not so long ago when many quarters defended the use of the ISA. UMNO and other so-called Malay NGOs, backed by Utusan Malaysia, argued that the ISA is needed to protect the special position of the Malays and the position of Islam as the official religion. Perwaris, the infamous NGO, has even organized a rally in support of the ISA. Which funnily enough, was granted a police permit, even though the NGO paraded racially provacative banners.

All of a sudden, when Mr. Najib releases the 13 detainees and promises to review the Act, many are hailing this act as some sort of ‘new beginning’. Like the release of the 13 and the review of the Act are welcome news. Which is baffling to me, as the very some persons argue just a few months before that there is absolutely nothing wrong with the ISA.

That’s my biggest problem with the Act. It’s a political tool subservient to the whims and fancies of the government of the day.

One man’s liberty is another man’s political brownie points.

Magnifying ‘troubles’ in Pakatan, part II 4 January 2009

Today’s dailies carried stories on DPM Mr. Najib Tun Razak’s comments on the supposed ‘rift in the opposition’.

Mr. Najib basically said that that Pakatan Rakyat parties have no common policies, so Pakatan cannot govern Malaysia. You can read it here.

Pakatan have different ideologies? Mr. Najib, I think we all know that. We don’t need the PM-in-waiting to tell us that. But we also know that they have a common agreement on a lot of things, and as it stands, they are better than the ruling coalition.

Internal party disputes and ideological disagreements occur in any political party and coalition. Pakatan Rakyat and its component parties are no different. So are the parties in Barisan Nasional. Tell me, Mr. Najib sir, are Gerakan and UMNO back to talking terms in Penang? How about PPP’s ‘threat’ to pull out of the coalition if the ISA is not amended? How about the President and Deputy of your second biggest component party, the MCA? Does that mean that Barisan is also facing a ‘rift’? That Barisan Nasional will be torn assunder and facing oblivion?

Bloomberg interviews Ali Rustam 12 November 2008

The scene – March 2009. Datuk Seri Mohd. Ali Bin Mohd. Rustam has just won the Deputy President post in the UMNO elections. By convention, he has also been appointed to be the Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia. Soon after, criticism began to mount on his credentials as Deputy Prime Minister. Amongst those criticisms are that he lacks knowledge in foreign relations and the economy and also of his poor command of the English language.

In order to dispel those criticisms, an interview was arranged with American news company Bloomberg. Here is the transcript of that interview.

Interviewer: Good evening, you’re with me, Condelezza Cruz on a special interview with Mr. Mohd Ali Mohd Rustam, the new deputy prime minister of Malaysia. We will be asking his views on a number of pertinent issues in Malaysia and the world. First of all Mr. Ali Rustam, congratulations on being elected as Deputy President of the United Malays National Organization or UMNO, a part of the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition.

Ali Rustam: Tenkiu very much. Actuallyyyy… I want to correct you. I am actuallyyy a ‘Datuk Seri’. You know ‘Datuk Seri’? It’s a title we give in Malaysia. Like the ‘Sir’ that your Queen give you. But we got a lot of titles, got Datuk, Datuk Seri, Tan Sri and oso Tun.

Interviewer: My humblest apologies, Datuk Seri. And I believe that you are referring to the knighthood awarded by the Her Majesty the Queen of England. However, Bloomberg is an American company.

Ali Rustam: Amerika? Sorry, sorry, you all look the same. Of course, Amerika. Oh you got Obama right? Obama is good! He is negro but he become President. Goodlah like that. Amerika now good, hopefully doesn’t become setan anymore. You know setan? We Muslims believe got Setan. Devil. Setan very bad. Amerika oso very bad last time, like devil. Now maybe with Obama Amerika can become good.

Interviewer: Yes, Mr. Obama is the first African American president of the United States.

Ali Rustam: Yeah, his father is negro, right?

Interviewer: (ignoring the ‘negro’ remark) It’s interesting Datuk Seri that you brought up Mr. Obama as the first black American president. Can you ever see the same thing happening in Malaysia?

Ali Rustam: No, no, no, Malaysia don’t have negros. Indians have lah.

Interviewer: Can an ethnic Indian become the prime minister then? Or an ethnic Chinese?

Ali Rustam: No, no, no, cannot! Only Melayu can become PM. You see, the Malaysia is last time owned by the Malays Only later the Indians and Chinese come. We take them in, of course. We got this social contract between the races. They cannot become PM, of course. In Malaysia we got ketuanan Melayu, you know?  You know ketuanan Melayu?

Interviewer: Yes, I am familiar with the concept of ‘ketuanan Melayu’, or Malay supremacy.

Ali Rustam: Yes, yes, Malays are supremacy. Malaysia used to be tanah Melayu you see? Now it is Malaysia, but still belong to the Malays. You see, you must understand, Malays have our own ajenda. The Chinese and Indians must understand. They are Malaysian oso, but they cannot lebih-lebih, you see?

Interviewer: So it’s impossible to see a non-Malay PM in Malaysia?

Ali Rustam: Not impossible-lah. Nothing is impossible. But cannot lah. Like I said, Malays have got our own ajenda. The Chinese and Indians oso got thier ajenda. So we got to compromise lah. You white people won’t understand.

Interviewer: Actually Datuk Seri, I am Hispanic.

Ali Rustam: Why you panic?

Interviewer: Hispanic. It’s alright Datuk Seri. Moving on, with the world being embroiled in the global financial crisis, what steps will Malaysia take to buffer the effects?

Ali Rustam: Buffer means what?

Interviewer: To cushion the effects.

Ali Rustam: Oh, kusyen. Actuallyyyy… this ekonomi question all you don’t ask me. The Finance Minister is Datuk Najib, our PM. Or you can ask the mamak guy, what’s his name? Oh Nor Yaacop. Ekonomi is not my portfolio. I am ketua menteri Melaka. I know about tourism. You know Melaka?

Interviewer: It is a state in the Federation of Malaysia, am I correct?

Ali Rustam: Correct! Goodlah you, you know Melaka. You must already watch the Shah Rukh Khan movie One Two Ka Four right? Good movie right? You know, we give Datuk to Shah Rukh Khan? He told me he is very happy, he said he will come to Melaka always. We oso thinking of naming a street after him. Jalan Shah Rukh Khan. Probably in those DAP areas.

Interviewer: Can I just pick up on what you said. You mentioned the Democratic Action Party or DAP, part of the opposition coalition of Pakatan Rakyat, or People’s Alliance. Last year, the oppositon have made siginificant inroads during the 12th General Elections. Can you share with us your thoughts on why this occured.

Ali Rustam: Actuallyyy… these opposition they lie to the people. They say that UMNO is bad. We are not bad. We are good! We lead Malaysia for 51 years you know! You see, Malaysia now very developed! They won  a lot because they lie to people. But I think now the people understand, the people realize that only UMNO and Barisan Nasional can take care of Malaysia.

Interviewer: But you cannot deny that their influence have increased, especially under the leadership of Mr. Anwar Ibrahim.

Ali Rustam: Anwar? He is big liar. He lie to the people. he said last year September 16 he can make the government, but don’t have! We still the government! No one believes him. You know, he got big problems already. You know he has court case? I don’t want to say anything lah, but a guy said that Anwar sodomized him. I don’t want to say anything about that lah. But the guy swear on the Quran that Anwar did it. Swearing is not a small thing you know!

Interviewer: …

Ali Rustam: But like I said, I don’t want to say anything about that. Maybe he did, maybe he didn’t. I tell you what I think later, okay?

Interviewer: … Moving on, as the new deputy prime minister, what is your vision for the future of Malaysia.

Ali Rustam: Vision? Oh you mean Vision 2020. That one last time our former PM, Tun Mahathir, you know him?

Interviewer: Yes, Dr. Mahathir Bin Mohammad.

Ali Rustam: Good, you know! So last time Tun came up with vision 2020. Wawasan Dua Puluh Dua Puluh, we say in Malay. And then you know Pak Lah become PM. You know Pak Lah?

Interviewer: Yes Datuk Seri. Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, the former PM.

Ali Rustam: So Pak Lah came and he extended vision 2020. So now vision 2020 is in 2050.

Interviewer: So its now vision 2050?

Ali Rustam: No, no, no, you whites don’t understand. It’s still vision 2020, but in 2050. But now that Datuk Seri Najib is the PM, I dunno whether its still in 2050 or 2020. But to answer your question, yes, I have vision 2020.

Interviewer: … That is all the time we have for this interview. Once again Datuk Seri, congratulations on being the deputy UMNO President, and congratulations on being appointed as the deputy prime minister. All the best to you and your country.

Ali Rustam: Your welcome. This interview shown on Astro, right? What time?

Interviewer: … We’ll inform you later.

Note: This is a purely fictional interview, conjured up for the sake of humour. I am not implying that Mr. Ali Rustam is a bad at foreign relations, ethnic relations, the economy nor am I implying that his English is bad. Basically, I am not implying that the real Ali Rustam is an idiot. I’m sure he isn’t.

DPM: In the future, NEP is to be replaced 24 October 2008

This is an interesting piece of news.

From Malaysian Insider:

Najib ready to end special privileges for the Malays

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 24 — Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak is ready to end the special privileges for the Malays, but stressed that this must be done gradually.

In an interview with Bloomberg Television, the Prime Minister-designate said “if we do not change, the people will change us”.

“In the not-too-distant future, we will see all the elements of the New Economic Policy being replaced.” He didn’t say when that might occur.

“It’s a huge challenge,” Najib said in the interview yesterday. “There must be this political will and desire to change within Umno. I don’t think we can expect people to look at us in more favourable terms unless we change, unless we rectify our weaknesses.”

The Pakatan Rakyat opposition coalition used the scrapping of the NEP as a campaign pledge to inflict record losses on the ruling Barisan Nasional in the March general election.

The NEP was devised by Najib’s father, Tun Abdul Razak, when he was Malaysia’s second prime minister to boost the Malays’ economic status — through job allocations, cheaper homes and other benefits — in a country where ethnic Chinese had long been more prosperous and remain so. About 65 per cent of country’s 27 million people are Malay.

According to Bloomberg, by offering to scrap the NEP, at an unspecified time, and replace it with a needs-based system, Najib is moving closer to the stance of opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who also supports a system based on economic need.

Anwar is trying to seize power but said on Wednesday he is finding it difficult to woo ruling coalition lawmakers to his side.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi plans to step down in March and has named Najib, his deputy, as his successor. Abdullah sped up his planned 2010 exit from the political stage as racial tension increased.

Some analysts Bloomberg spoke to expressed doubt that Umno, the leading party in the ruling coalition, is ready to give up a programme that helps its members. Political consultant Karim Raslan said Umno hasn’t fully accepted how much it needs to change.

“I don’t see enough frankness in terms of challenges facing the party,” Karim said. “Many of the party leaders feel that by replacing Abdullah they will overcome these weaknesses. I have to disagree with them. I don’t see many signs of revival,” Bloomberg quoted him as saying.

Najib’s family has held top positions in politics and business for generations. His father led Malaysia from 1970 to 1976. Najib’s cousin is the current education minister. His younger brother Nazir Razak runs the country’s second-biggest bank CIMB Group Bhd.

Abdullah picked Najib to succeed him despite misgivings by some over controversies surrounding the deputy prime minister.

Najib has denied suggestions that he is linked to the murder of a Mongolian woman in 2006, and that he had an affair with the victim. A political analyst who worked for Najib is on trial for abetting two police officers in the murder.

Anwar also has accused Najib of profiting from defence contracts and of being behind criminal charges that the opposition leader had sex with a man. Anwar denies the sex charge, and Najib denies both being involved in bringing the case against his opponent and making money from defence contracts.

Bloomberg also quoted former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad as saying that Najib has to explain all things that are said about him. “Unfortunately, we don’t have any other candidate. We have no choice but to choose Najib,” Dr Mahathir said.’

In the interview, Najib called the allegations against him baseless.

“I’m telling you, I wouldn’t stay in office a day longer if I knew I am involved in these allegations,” he said. “There’s no proof, no basis. I can sue people, but it’s going to be a tedious process in court.”

First off, I think the report is misleading and has fallen into UMNO’s trap of equating the New Economic Policy with that of Article 153 of the Federal Constitution, the special position of the Malays. A more thorough examination of this can be found in my post: ‘Artikel 153, DEB dan Membela Nasib Rakyat‘.

Now I must applaud the DPM for this admission that the NEP will be gradually replaced. Many, including myself, has advocated a review or replacement of the NEP as an economic policy as its relevance is fast becoming obsolete. The policy, which was crafted to promote an equal playing field amongst the various ethnic groups in Malaysia, has been abused by the ‘UMNOputeras’, invidividuals within UMNO or linked with UMNO for the benefit of these select few at the expense of the community as a whole.

I still have my doubts as to whether this is merely Mr. Najib’s way of gaining support from the moderate Malays and the non-Malay. After all, replacing the NEP has been an effective mantra for Paktan Rakyat, and as pointed out by the report, this statement from Mr. Najib brings him ideologically closer to his political nemesis, Mr. Anwar Ibrahim.

More interestingly, I wonder how Mr. Najib’s statement will go down with the vast majority of UMNO members. Many of them believe that the NEP is their God-given right, encapsulated in the concept of ‘Ketuanan Melayu’ i.e. the Malays are the masters of the land. The most frequent criticism levelled to those within Pakatan Rakyat is that with Pakatan, the Malays would lose their ketuanan and their ’special privilages’. Recall, just after the political tsunami of 8 March 2008, when newly appointed Penang Chief Minister supposedly said that the new Penang government will not practice NEP, a bunch of Malay jaguhs from UMNO (and its kunco-kunco) in Penang protested in front of the Komtar building at the Chief Minister’s alleged statement. Recall also, the numerous times Utusan attempts to paint Pakatan and its leaders as anti-Malay (for the non-Malays) and pengkhianat bangsa (for the Malays).

Now, their very own selected prime-minister-to-be has said that the NEP will one day go away.

To many of those in UMNO, the question of replacing the NEP does not arise. To them, the NEP is not a way to even the playing field, but a right, supposedly enshrined in the Constitution and agreed upon when the ’social contract’ was drafted.

I wonder how they are going to reconcile Mr. Najib’s statement with thier far-right leanings in terms of the NEP.

But one thing is for sure. You won’t see GPMS protesting in front of the DPM’s office. You won’t see the Badan Bertindak Perpaduan Melayu or any of those Malay NGOs protesting either. You won’t see UiTM students with colour-coded uniforms marching to Putrajaya. You might not even see a report on this carried in Utusan Malaysia.

I reckon, all these Malay jaguhs will do is just pretend that Mr. Najib never said those near-blashphemous words.

10 BN strategies that did not work, apparently! 26 August 2008

There are not many times when I feel this satisfied. Once before at a friend’s place, not so long ago. 8 March 2008, to be precise.

But by God, this feels good.

Mr. Anwar Ibrahim’s convincing win must feel like a big slap to UMNO-BN. I can imagine their excuses: we were underdogs to begin with, voter intimidation, Anwar is in his home turf etc. Bullshit. They gave their best attempt at making him lose the election or at least to reduce his majority with all sorts of dirty tactics, employing race, religion, sex, money, media, fuel prices etc. anything and everything that it can get its grubby paws on.

Let’s study UMNO-BN’s campaign strategy.

Strategy 1: Saiful has sumpah, Anwar did not = Anwar likes men’s backsides

We all know that on the eve of nomination day, Mr. Saiful ‘Anwar did me’ Bukhari Azlan dropped a bombshell by swearing on the holy book that Mr. Anwar had sodomized him. Right from the start, UMNO-BN used this sumpah laknat to run down Mr. Anwar’s character, challenging him to similarly swear the oath to ‘clear his name’. It was reported that Saiful’s swearing were played all over Permatang Pauh and was distributed all over the constituency in the form of VCDs. UMNO leaders like Mr. Najib and Mr. KJ made insinuations that Mr. Anwar really ‘did’ Saiful. Subjudice, of course, but no one’s going to do anything as one is the DPM and the other is the Son-in-Law.

But then, Ustaz Ramlang Porigi dropped an atom bomb; casting doubt on the whole swearing charade. How much this has impacted the voters, or whether the voters were not swayed by the allegations in the first place, is of course, unclear.

Strategy 2: Najib can swear too!

Suddenly, Mr. Najib, DPM, swears in a mosque that he does not know murdered Mongolian woman Altantuya, to clear his name.

The strategy is clear; Mr. Najib got the testicles to swear. Where’s yours Anwar?

Strategy 3: PKR are goons!

On nomination day, allegations were made about rowdy ‘PKR supporters’, who beat up two journalists and supposedly molested a Puteri UMNO member. Media played up the matter, together with crystal clear pictures of men in PKR flags beating up a journalist.

Strategy 4: Let us turun-naik fuel prices like it was bapak aku punya!

Of course, then we have the ‘coincidental’ fuel price drop, supposedly to ‘curb inflation’ in August. Pak Lah lied through his teeth when he said that the new ‘price adjustment’ will take effect only in September, in a move than any 12 year old with half a brain can see is aimed squarely at Permatang Pauh . According to the script, the voters are supposedly to feel grateful to their benefactors in the government and will accordingly translate their gratitude to votes.

Strategy 5: Anwar is pengkhianat bangsa

A very racist strategy by UMNO (I wonder what MCA and Gerakan thinks). It basically boils down to this: Anwar will sell out the Malays to the non-Malays. Reject him for menggadaikan the dignity of the Malays, sayd Mr. Najib. Leaflets were distributed on what is known as Kabinet BABI (Barisan Anwar Bin Ibrahim), a fake cabinet of federal ministers that was filled with non-Malays from the DAP and PKR.

Strategy 6: Anwar is a foreign agent

“Anwar jadi Perdana Menteri hari ini, esok Israel buka kedutaan di Malaysia“, says a banner. UMNO denies having anything to do with the unmarked banner in Permatang Pauh, but we all know better.

Strategy 7: Anwar likes to kacau the wives of others

An UMNO politican claims that Mr. Anwar tried to kacau his wife before. How come he never made a police report before baffles me. Maybe he’s saying that his wife is very desirable.

Strategy 8: Nothing makes an enemy like a former fried

Former close friends Mr. Ezam and Mr. Nalla has been used by UMNO-BN to further discredit Mr. Anwar. First Mr. Ezam says the ‘6 boxes of corruption’ are with Mr. Anwar and that Mr. Anwar shouldn’t keep it. Then he says Mr. Anwar will (again) sell ketuanan Melayu away. Mr. Nalla then joins the fray; claiming something about getting bribes from Magnum (I couldn’t be bothered to follow what he said).

Strategy 9: Goodies for Permatang Pauh!

A tactic deployed by BN countless times in numerous by elections before this. Using their considerable resources, shower Permatang Pauh with goodies and more promises. To ‘remind’ them that only BN can give out gula-gula.

Of course, they all seem to forget that they’re using taxpayers money for their personal purpose.

Strategy 10: the Media Onslaught

TV3, Utusan Malaysia and the New Straits Times, the three UMNO controlled media, were the ‘extra players’ in the BN set-up, attacking Mr. Anwar’s character from the outside. Everyday, TV3 would play Saiful’s video. Everyday, Utusan would dare Anwar to swear. Everyday, NST would report on supposed ‘feelings on the ground’ than favour BN.

It is clear that all these strategies by UMNO-BN has failed miserably. By their own admission, they were soundly thumped by a someone who is a sodomite/homosexual/sexual deviant/religiously ‘loose’/pengacau isteri/Chinese agent/US agent/Jewish agent/cowardly/pengkhianat bangsa/criminal/bad friend/bribe giver and taker/corrupt/disaster for the nation.

If it was me, I’ll be very embarrassed. Imagine, losing badly to someone who according to them, is not fit to even be human.

Musim menyumpah! 23 August 2008

Nampak gayanya, sekarang adalah musim ‘bersumpah di dalam masjid’. Terbaru, Datuk Seri Najib Razak telah bersumpah di sebuah masjid di Pulau Pinang bahawa beliau tidak mengenali Altantuya Sharibuu.

Laporan the Star:

Najib swears in a mosque that he did not know Altantuya

BUTTERWORTH: Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has sworn in a mosque that he did not know Mongolian Altantuya Shaariibuu and has nothing to do with her murder.

“Wallahi, Wabillahi, Watallahi (with Allah as my witness), I swear I do not know or have any connection with the Mongolian woman,” he said.

He made the declaration last night at a mosque in Guar Perahu near here after announcing that all mosques and suraus in Penanti would receive a RM1.4mil allocation from the Government.

Najib said his actions did not amount to an “official swearing ceremony”.

“But I am not afraid to utter these holy words in a mosque because I am speaking the truth. Whether others will be willing to follow suit is up to them.

“This is personal between me and God,” he said.

He added that although he has been subjected to taunts and attempts to smear his name, truth was on his side.

Last month in front of Umno grassroots leaders who had gathered at Putra World Trade Centre, Najib said he had invoked the name of Allah and swore that he was not connected with the Altantuya case.

He had said he did it following relentless personal attacks on him linking him with the death of the Mongolian. He added that the attacks were to stop him from becoming Prime Minister.

Kalau sumpah-menyumpah ini dapat membuktikan sesuatu perkara, maka saya cadangkan supaya beberapa orang lagi mengangkat ’sumpah laknat’.

1.
Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi dan Datuk Shahrir Samad bahawa kenaikan harga minyak adalah kerana ‘kenaikan harga minyak global’.

2.
Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi bahawa penurunan harga minyak tidak ada kena mengena langsung dengan Permatang Pauh.

3.
Datuk Shabery Cheek bahawa beliau tidak pernah menyerang peribadi Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim ketika debat mereka.

4.
Tan Sri Datuk Dr. Nordin Kardi, naib canselor UUM bahawa beliau sebenarnya memahami bahawi IPP itu ada kena mengena dengan minyak.

5.
Datuk Ibrahim Abu Shah, naib canselor UiTM bahawa protes pelajar UiTM tempoh hari adalah untuk ‘mempertahankan hak Melayu’ dan bukan bermotifkan politik.

6.
Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar bahawa semamangnya akan ada protes besar-besaran pada 14 Julai yang lepas yang ‘mengharuskan’ pihak polis menyusahkan orang ramai dengan sekatan jalan raya.

7.
Pengerusi Suruhanjaya Pilihanraya bahawa pilihanraya sememangnya adil.

8.
Encik Ezam Mohd. Nor bahawa dia masuk UMNO ‘demi membela nasib orang Melayu’ dan bukan kerana sebab-sebab lain (duit, marah dekat Anwar, tiada prinsip, pangkat dll.).

9.
Setiap dan semua orang ahli UMNO bahawa mereka sememangnya ingin ‘memperjuangkan nasib bangsa Melayu’ dan bukannya untuk sebab-sebab lain (duit, pangkat, kuasa, kontrak, projek, kroni dll).

10.
Khairy Jamaluddin bahawa beliau ‘berjaya’ bukan kerana bapa mertuanya.

11.
Uncle Pet bahawa beliau ‘bukanlah seperti yang RPK katakan‘ (saya tidak mahu cakap lebih dari itu).

Tak payah kita ada mahkamah untuk menentukan kesalahan seseorang.  Tak payah ada peguam. dan hakim. Tak payah ada Parlimen. Tak payah kita ada pembangkang untuk memastikan kerajaan bertanggungjawab dalam pemerintahan. Tak payah kita buat penyiasatan untuk mengetahui kebenaran. Kita hanya perlu angkat sumpah!

POSTSCRIPT: Satu lagi cadangan ’sumpahan’; Datuk Dr. Khir Toyo bahawa rupa barunya itu adalah secara semulajadi dan bukan menggunakan Botox mahupun pembedahan plastik.

Only 28% satisfied with Malaysia’s direction… 2 August 2008

Between 4 to 14 July 2008, Merdeka Centre for Opinion Research conducted an opinion poll via telephone on 1030 randomly selected registered voters. The margin of error is estimated at 3%.

It is important to note that the poll conducted was before certain major events, such as the fuel debate, Mr. Anwar’s arrest and the PAS-UMNO talks.

The results of the opinion poll tells us a lot of things:

Only 28% of those surveyed were satisfied with the country’s direction.

The PM’s approval rating is at it’s lowest: 42%, a far cry from his record high of 91% in 2004.

54% were dissatisfied with the Barisan Nasional federal government, compared to the 44% who were satisfied.

Interestingly, 47% of those surveyed did not think that Mr. Najib would make a good prime minister. 34% agreed while the remaining 19% either did not answer or did not know.

UMNO’s approval rating stands at only 36% (’satisfied that UMNO reflected the needs and aspirations of the people in Malaysia’). 58% did not think so.

Pakatan Rakyat fared better. 57% were satisfied with the Pakatan Rakyat state governments, as opposed to the 32% who were not satisfied.

55% were not confident that Barisan Nasional would be able to fulfill it’s election promises whilst 42% expressed lack of confidence that Pakatan Rakyat would fulfill it’s election promises.

The poll found that 55% of respondents did not believe in the allegation against Mr. Anwar Ibrahim. Only 11% believed the allegaton outright and the remaining 34% either did not know or gave no answer.

66% of the respondents thought that this was a politically motivated action aimed at disrupting Mr. Anwar’s political career.

Only 32% were confident that the judiciary will play its role in a fair and independent manner in handling Mr. Anwar’s case. Only 29% expressed confidence that the AG’s chambers will be fair and independent in handling the case while only 31% thought that the police would be fair and independent in handling the said case.

Anyways, if you wish to read the results of the opinion poll, proceed to the Merdeka Centre’s website, where you can download the PDF file. Or you can download it here.