GET ON WITH IT, MAN!

The GE is more a week old and the voice of the people was loud and clear. The electorate has spoken. But why are the politicians still barking? Get on with what you were elected to.

To BN leaders and supporters - enough-lah, swallow your pride and accept the peoples' decision. Only now Nazri Aziz seems to realize that the urban Malays care two hoots about the so-called NEP. How come your UMNO think tank never came up with that kind of data. The think-tank is right here in the capital. Or is it because the thinkers are short of manpower? (hehehe)

You see, the Malays are tired of being made use of. You throw scraps at them and expect them to come running at your beck and call. Every taxi driver I have spoken to when asked if the licence is his own will reply "No" - he has to rent it from some politician. Some of these drivers have been in that business for decades and it is their only livelihood. So why didn't the NEP trickle down to them? Instead BN cronies hold hordes of these licences.

BN politicians should NOT irk the electorate further with all kinds of attacks on PKR/DAP/Pas. They won the fight fair and square. So let them deliver on their promises. The BN will have the oportunity to wrest back the lost states at the 13th GE unless of course the five states perform so well that the voters in the BN controlled states tell themselves "Hey, lets join those 5 states for a better and fairer future. In which case the 13th GE will really bring bad luck and see BN parties see the beginning of their end and remain forever in the opposition - at least for 50 years.

Now, coming to the way the people of Sabah and Sarawak vote. I don't know man, what's so brilliant about Musa Aman and Taib Mahmud that every parliamentary seat is won by their parties? Frankly, these 2 states behave more independent of KL than the peninsula states are allowed to be. Do they control the people or the election machinery? That can't be possible, can it? On the hand hand they could be having their way by threatening the BN that they would go opposition if NOT given absolute freedom to do as they please in their states. Just a theory.

Our Royalty now seem to be more concenrned about the welfare of the people. HRH the Sultan of Selangor has ensured the coalition of PKR/DAP/Pas will support each other to ensure a stable government in his state. HRH the Sultan of Perak too has taken similar steps. HRH Raja Nazrin has played a crucial role in that respect. By the way, congratulations to Raja Nazrin and his consort on the birth of their first-born. May the Almighty bless them.

Talking of royalty and BN - the Raja of Perlis has not accepted the PM's choice of Shahidan Kassim for another term as MB - 5th term? And Shahidan is crying foul. I thought the Ruler can decide on who commands the most support as he is the one on the ground so to speak. The PM may not have all the info when he picks the MB. Furthermore, come on, Shahidan, 4 terms chukuplah. I am sure you have enough to last a life time plus all the pension you are going to get. Tak chukupkah? Oh by the way, there was this talk in the blogs that your family controls Bernas thereby controlling our staple diet rice. Betulkah, Shahidan? Tsk, tsk, tsk, and it seems Bernas imported more than the AP allowed and just got a wrap on the knuckles for that illegal act. Tutup satu mata kah? I thought the the "close one eye" ploy was a copyright of the Jasin guy. Anyway, that guy is no more an MP.

We see that those "women bashers" are still MPs. That guy from Kedah and the other from Sabah, hope you control that gap of yours as there'll be 82 voices to drown you when you speak if you don't behave. Don't say and then seek forgiveness as that will expose your total stupidity even further. Respect women, respect those who put you in office, respect parliamentary decorum. Don't behave like scumbags. You are lucky you have been given another chance because you happen to be in rural areas where the voters were not exposed to your utterances. If you had stood in the urban areas you'll be history today.

Finally, must the PM resign as Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir says. Well, Mukhriz is a chip of the old block. Remember the father TDM claims he has a private arrangement with Paklah to serve only ONE term. My question is: Who the hell is a PM on the way out to make private arrangements with an incoming PM? Is that what UMNO democracy is all about? Is the post of Malaysia's leader a sendirian berhad? TDM had no business to do what he claims he did. The leader of UMNO is determined by its members but that democratic process has completely eroded under TDM's 22 years of one man rule. Talk of Suharto being a dictator! And now the son of TDM breaks ranks and demands the PM step down as the PM is responsible for BN's loss. Hey, Mukhriz, where is your sense of collective responsibility? When the chips are down - blame one man. When everything is honky dory - grab, grab, grab. As the saying goes "porah".

The BN is in the shitpot today because of all the BN leaders including their respective supreme council members, heads at every level who underestimated the mood of the people. So they should take responsibility for being drunk with power the last 50 years. They never heard of the saying:

"You can bullshit some of the people some of the time or you can bullshit all of the people some of the time, BUT you can't bullshit all of the people all of the time."

What a way to learn, hehehe!

WILL OUR FORMER PM OF 22 YRS FADE AWAY!

Aren't we getting tired by this nibbling going on and on since he retired as PM? I'm referring to Tun Dr Mahathir's incessant attack on Prime Minister Abdullah. Frankly, I believe, the situation faced by the PM is due to what TDM put in place over the 22 yrs he held sway over the country.

I'm no politician nor political analyst (yak!). Neither am I a supporter of the current PM. I give credit if credit is due. In this instance, the PM hasn't done a fantastic job since we gave him a huge mandate in 2004. And that is largely due to what was put in place by TDM. Did you read about TDM calling on voters to get rid of MIC leader Samy Velu? Firstly, why didn't TDM get rid of Samy during the 22 yrs he was the PM? Second, why is he interfering in BN's affairs when he has no business other than being an ordinary UMNO member? He may claim he has the right as a citizen. My dear TDM, did Malaysians enjoy that right under your rule? You're now enjoying a right that you denied us and that is due to Paklah's open administration.

TDM has been claiming that the PM should quit after BN's dismal performance in the 2008 Elex. Well, has he considered the fact that the defeat is due to the cumulative effect of all the corruption, policies, highhandedness, etc put in place during the TDM era? TDM now says nobody told him or asked him about the disappearance of hundreds of millions of South Indian Labour Fund set up during British rule. Ah, convenient lapse of memory. TDM mudah lupa yah? Just like the answers he gave the Royal Commission on the Lingam Tape - "Can't recall / Don't remember".

Take money politics for example. When did that surface? Not just in the last 5 yrs. It took root during TDM's time. And what did he do about it? Speak about. Sweep it under the carpet. No action. If only he had nipped it in the bud, UMNO politics will not be in the mess it is in today. For Paklah to clean up the mess - well, that's an impossible task even if is given another 30 years. The cancer has already advanced so much that it's money that talks today. Political analysts (yak!) claim UMNO members work hard. My dear TDM, they work hard to fill their own pockets. The UMNO member at the bottom of the rung will remain there always.

My take on the current situation is just this. BN has lost heavily. Let them claw back to the position they were in or go on with their infighting and be discarded as totally irrelevant to Malaysia of the 21st century.

And one more thing, TDM. Stop your attacks on your nemesis who you so brutally removed from the political scene. The phoenix is rising from the ashes. Beware the ides of March. He may as yet become the Prime Minister of Malaysia. That is not an impossibility although you said "Anwar is just daydreaming".

Frankly, we don't need your unsolicited advice nor your interference in our affairs. You have had your say. So hold your tongue, sir.

We wish and pray you continue to be blessed with good health!

BEWARE THE IDES OF MARCH!

The people have spoken. The verdict is in. The 12th General Election will indeed go down in country's history as the defining moment.

Analysts have begun to conduct postmortems of various genres so to speak. In fact the dissection began even as polls results were streaming in showing states falling like pins. Fortunately that stopped at five. But isn't five an indicator that more can go the same way? But will they listen? No, no, no. Why? You see, they live in this sound proof building that cuts them off from all the reality of life faced by the ordinary citizen.

Even as I watched a postmortem with three establishment guys repeating all that has been bandied about so very often, I told myself history will keep repeating itself for Barisan Nasional. Do we blame the non-Malays for the heavy losses suffered by the BN? Were the non-Malays anti-Malay or anti-establishment? Why did Kedah fall? After all that northern state is predominantly Malay!

The vote for PKR, Pas and DAP came not based on the ethnicity of the voter or the candidate but based on the reality of the difficult life the ordinary man or woman is facing every day. It's pure bread and butter issues. A Malay, a Chinese or an Indian all stare into that common enemy - cost of living: increase in prices of essentials, the inability to put aside a couple of ringgit every month for future use, job security, etc. These are not race-based issues.

The ruling BN parties have lost touch with reality, lost their connection with the grassroots, are living in a Malaysia of three decades ago. Malaysians then were a gullible lot. With education and the advent of globalisation Malaysians today are an enlightened lot. But BN leaders have not kept abreast of events. They still believe they can manipulate the rakyat.

The people have been bullied, scolded, called names, made to run for cover to avoid getting beaten or have chemical laced water shot at them. All because some in the ruling coalition think that they are the masters. But aren't the people the masters? Don't the people decide who goes, who stays, who comes in? Hey, this is a democracy, man. Have you forgotten the Constitution gives each citizen the right to make that decision? So whether you go, or you stay is not the decision of your Party but the VOTER. So, give him or her the respect due.

The ruling coalition at national and state level as well as the new kids on the block - PKR, DAP and Pas in the 5 states under them - must get their act together. Work for the people NOT for your own benefit. I heard a panelist say that although UMNO members worked hard for the party, the people still rejected them in certain areas. I beg to differ. Those so-called UMNO members worked to fill their OWN coffers not for the benefit of the people or their party. Because the people had placed their trust in the party all these years, the party took it for granted that the support is eternal. The same is true for MIC and the MCA.

The support of a segment of the Malaysian Indians for Hindraf is not anti-Malay or anti-BN. It was to demonstrate their frustration at marginalisation. MIC, the so-called champion of the Indians had failed them. Now, that the MIC leadership has been annihilated in the polls, certain investigations against those responsible are in order. The Hindraf protest was a cry for help. The support of Malays, Chinese and Indians for PKR, DAP and Pas is also a cry for help. "You can't or won't do it for us, ok, we'll ask the other chap for help."

We see now a sudden demonstration of humility among the vanquished in the BN. Humility, my dear friend, is practised when you are the victor, not the vanquished, simply because humility is a virtue and it's difficult to practise a virtue during difficult times, not when the times are good. So, keep your humility, eat the humble pie, and get to work. Stop taking the people for fools.

They are after blood now. They want somebody to take responsibility for the huge losses and resign. Obviously they want the PM to quit. But why the PM alone? Doesn't the Cabinet practise collective responsibility? Aren't all the Supreme Councils of the BN component parties equally responsible for the failure? All of them should quit. Be men and women of honour. GO!

To me, no, I am not asking anyone to go when the going gets tough. I want you to stay and face the music. Find out what caused the debacle. I can list a whole load of causes for which you can find the remedy.

1. Corruption - among politicians, civil servants, the police, etc.

2. Highhandedness by the police, the Attorney General's chambers, the Election Commission, etc

3. Lack of respect for the electorate: imagine calling protesters "samseng" and bloggers "monkeys", etc

4. Failure to solve issues such as body snatching by religious authorities arising from the lack of directive by the Cabinet/Parliament. eg What's the status of a Muslim convert and his non-Muslim wife and children? Shouldn't the convert be told to settle everything with his wife and children in a civil court before he converts? That will be good for Islam, no?

The list is endless. And the work is cut out for BN to tackle in the next five years, failing which more support for it may erode. Beware the ides of March!

VOTING & DEMOCRACY

So, we're going to the polls on March 08. That's for the 12th time in our nation's history. It'll be my umpteenth time since 1969. Those were the good old days when the real form of democracy existed. I mean, you know, election campaigns where the contestants and their party leaders will hold public speeches.

I remember our Bapa Malaysia speaking at the Kuantan Town Padang during the 1969 GE. That's the year when MCA had some internal problems and any no-body could have won the seat against the MCA guy in Kuantan. One lawyer from outside Pahang stood on I think Party Rakyat ticket and won. Simply because the disgruntled MCA members voted for him.

But it was fun - the Tunku was a good entertainer with his light-hearted speeches. Others too took the opportunity to get across their messages with jokes and stories. Of cos, I mustn't fail to mention the film show before the political bigwigs arrived. The Information Department would screen films produced by Pathe News as well as their own on what the Government had achieved.

Elections are a bore now. Police permits must be obtained for rallies. Then again we fear that such rallies could turn violent. Sad isn't it? After 50 years of democracy, we still can't hold public gatherings to get across our message. I was quite amused to read that women in Jakarta gathered in front of Parliament building to protest against price increases earlier this year. And they were armed - with pots and pans and woks and created quite a din to draw attention to their plight as wives and mothers who put food on the table so to to speak. Well, democracy seems to thrive well across the Straits of Melaka after more than three decades of tight-fisted rule by the late President Suharto.

Now, the all important question of casting votes. I was with a group of neighbours one evening. The chat turned to the upcoming polls. Surpisingly, quite a few said they were not registered to vote. And they are the educated middle class! Others said they will not be casting their votes. Reason? They were not happy with the situation - political, business, etc. Hey, that's not democracy! In a democracy you make your choice - for or against. I suppose they "do not want to bite the hand that feeds them" by not voting for the opposition. I don't subscribe to that kind of thinking. For me, I always make a choice.

Democracy is a Greek word meaning "rule by the people". The candidates we vote in must never get into their heads that they are the masters once elected. No, they are the peoples' servants. The people are the masters. So, if we don't excercise our right to vote, then we can't blame others if the wrong person gets elected - a person without principle for example. One who cheats, one who accepts bribes, one who threatens the very people who are his master!

I must also express my indignation at money politics. And here I include within the term "money politics", all the handouts by the Government after Parliament has been dissolved. The Government is really a care-taker government and should have no right to dish out goodies. The same goes for control over the media. When bloggers write all kind of stuff in the numerous blogs which have cropped up, it's due to the fact that they have no outlet to voice their discontent. When politicians of the ruling parties deride, threaten and call names, bloggers are actually being encouraged to go even further. Maybe the media can create avenue for the opposition to put forward their messages. Hey, after 50 years, aren't Malaysians matured and educated enough to make decisions?

ELECTION EPIDEMIC

Democratic activities seem to be alive and kicking all over the world. We saw presidential elections in South Korea and Republic of China (Taiwan). Last weekend the Pakistanis went to the polls. And Kosovo - the Kosovans didn't vote but the government took the province out of Serbia to become an independent state with the support and blessings of the EU and US.

And here in Malaysia we'll be casting our ballots on March 08. That'll be the 12th General Elections since our Merdeka (independence) in 1957. No doubt the ruling National Front (BN) coalition will once again win - for the 12th time. But the talk is about by what margin. The last time in 2004, the BN garnered 92% of the 222 seats in Parliament. That victory came in the wake of the end of an era under Dr Mahathir Mohammad and a new beginning under current Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi or Paklah as he is fondly addressed.

I have had the honour of having interviewed Paklah for a radio programme. He was then Minister of Education. I found him to be unassuming and humble and very friendly. He apologized profusely as I had to wait 2 hours beyond the appointed time due to the stream of visitors to see him. He came into the room, kicked off his shoes, plomped on the settee and invited me to sit next to him.

He asked me how well our radio programmes were being received / utilized by the schools. When I told him not as well as expected, he said that was not what he was told in a briefing by the department head. Well, that's what little "napoleons" do - say what the boss wants to hear - everything is hunky-dory. I was proven "correct, correct, correct" years later when the Ministry of Education decided to shut down the Educational Radio unit. If the unit was doing that well (90% usage) why shut down? But the discontinuation of the educational radio service was indeed an illogical move as it was like "cutting off the nose to spite the face". One must improve the service to attract users.

Coming back to democracy and elections - Kenya is a terrible example of democracy gone wrong - when there is no transparency and free and fair voting - chaos will be the result. Hundreds have died in post election violence and the situation continues without agreement between the opposing parties.

In Malaysia, we expect a violence free General Elections on March 08. We have learnt our lesson from what happened in 1969. There are laws to prevent political parties from going overboard with their speeches which can cause tension between the various ethnic communities.

But the mother of all elections must be the upcoming US presidential election. Do you follow the ongoing political circus in that country? Frankly, I enjoy watching it. Have I taken sides? Well, of cos! Simply because Barrack Obama is not only a non-white but also he appeals to the common man and the young. He is seen as one of them. Has the charisma and the ability to get across the message of Change! MacCain will be the extension of George Bush's terrible and horrible presidency. Hillary Clinton - apart from being touted as the first female contender - nothing much there.

We'll be bombarded with plenty of "I'll do this" and "I'll do that" from nomination day till ballotting. Let's take that with a pinch of salt. I don't have much trust in politicians, really. Can't blame me for that, can you? Look at the crooked ones - the 'close one eye' guy and the guy who built a palace without approval from the authorities, the list is endless.

SPEND MONEY - MAKE MONEY!

I read in today's The Sun newspaper that Kuala Lumpur City Hall is in the process of replacing all road signages to include directions in Jawi. This is in efforts to promote Islam Hadhari (civilisational Islam) and tourism. According to City Hall PWD director Siti Saiffur Mansor the move will help non-Muslims to know and learn Jawi and enable tourists from the Middle East to identify places in the city.

What crap!

Promoting Islam can be done in so many ways other than by spending millions on road signs. If the signs are costing between one and two thousand ringgit each as reported then one wonders whether the contract with the production company is above board and was it done through open tender. Malaysians are always wary when huge amounts are spent for no apparent reason than to generate kickbacks.

Islam can be promoted in so many other ways: through honest governance, good work ethics, integrity, etc. Jawi is a "dead" language in the everyday life of Malaysians. Even for the majority of Malays the daily working language is the Romanized version of Bahasa Melayu (Malay language). Furthermore, why the need to master Jawi to learn more about Islam Hadhari?

Jawi for tourists? I have come across road signs which include Jawi/Arabic within KL city centre. That should be sufficient. Visitors to Malaysia don't go into housing estates in search of tourist attractions. In especially communities with majority non-Malay/Muslim populations you can have road signs in Jawi or Mongolian or Urdhu - the people couldn't and wouldn't be bothered. So how is Islam Hadhari being promoted?

KL City Hall can't even get its act together in English and it wants to promote Jawi. I came across a sign near Hotel Istana which shows the direction to "Twin Tower". I can't imagine a twin tower. The error has come about because the way English is spoken - the lazy way - with no effort to pronounce ends of words. Take another example: "Brickfield" - it never was that from the colonial days - the correct, correct, correct identity should be Brickfields with an s. Well, I suppose the attitude is as long as "it sounds like it" it's okay-lah.

Now, coming back to the road signs in Jawi - please KL City Hall, that money can be better spent. But then again who the hell are we to comment. You City Council members know best, yah?

WHAT'S OUR DIRECTION IN SPORTS?

I have been glued to the TV screen lately - first the Australian Open 2008, then the jAfrican Nations Cup. Of cos, when we talk of tennis at that level, forget it, we can never in the next 20 years hope to have a Malaysian competing even as a wildcard. But of cos, we can bring tennis greats for exhibition matches in Kuala Lumpur. But who gets to watch such matches? The well-healed of cos. And who reaps the benefits of organising such extravaganzas? Some well- connected business guy.

Talking of football, we just had Footsal KL World 5s 2008 at Stadium Negara. I would have loved to have watched Brazil and Argentina in action. But the price of tickets at Rgt12 - not within my means. And soon, we'll be holding the World Under 19 Cricket in KL.

Now, what I'm trying to get at is this. We are such good organisers. And we have so much money to throw in holding such events - to attract tourists? The Under 19 World Club football last year - how many tourists flocked to Malaysia I wonder! And we had to spend millions just to get the right to organise that event! And then spend millions on transport, airfare, food, accommodation, etc. The same will apply to the upcoming Under 19 cricket.

Now, holding such galas is, I s'pos, good for Malaysia's image. But the real question is: How does it benefit our youngsters in efforts to raise the standard of football, tennis, cricket, etc? The footsal at Stadium Negara was played to practically at empty stadium on most days except for the semis and final. Of cos the organisers couldn't have lost in terms of revenue as there was 'live' coverage. And the Ministries of Sports and Tourism would have pumped money into them generously - remember it's Visit Malaysia Year 2007 - 2008! So, we are relegating sports to business entities to reap a bundle.

I think there should be specific undertakings by those who wish to organise international sports events in future:

1. They should hold coaching clinics before and during the events for kids chosen from around the country

2. Venues should be filled by selling tickets at affordable prices for school kids

3. Organisers should make available free tickets to sponsors/ advertisers/sports associations for
distribution to school children,

We should undetake any step that will ensure our children gain the maximum from exposure to such events. Don't just put money as top priority. For the business community money is always the target.

So, coming back to the African Nations Cup - did you see the standard of football displayed by Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Ghana, etc? How does our Malaysian football team stack against them? Ghana is coached by Claude Le Roy - I remember he was once upon a time with us - but we dumped him - not because he was no good but because we:

- want instant success

- we don't put stress on grass-roots development

- we, above all, politicise everything including sports!

When will we ever learn!