Tuesday 29 November 2011

Some lawyers and their boorish ways

This picture is that of a pot belly pig.



I know, I know, very offensive for the Muslims. No offence intended, really.

Just that I was surfing several websites just now and came across the picture. It immediately reminds me of a lawyer.

Never mind lah who that lawyer is....just that it look very much like her lah, at least to me la...well never mind....just me and my crazy thoughts.

Anyway, I am just curious, who do you think may look like that pig anyway? Look at the face carefully....

Ok, on to a more serious matter. Today a group of lawyers and their supporters marched to the Parliament house to protest against the Peaceful Assembly Bill 2011. Hmmmm....defenders of justice indeed.

One of them, a young Malay lawyer....(read his name somewhere just now, but can't remember....and too lazy to double check)....told the crowd that the protest got nothing to do with politics (I chuckled when I read that). He said they had drafted an alternative bill which took them just three days to complete....(hmmm, I think I can draft a bill of law as according to my whims and fancies in less than a day la).

They then marched (or rather stroll) from the nearby taman to the gate of Parliament and make some noise there. One of the leaders of the crowd was that lawyer whom I think looks like that pot belly pig. The pro-Pakatan Malaysiakini said there are more than 1,000 of them while the so-called pro-BN NST in its sms alert put their number at about 300.

All that while, the Bill was being debated in the Parliament. Several Pakatan MPs came out to fetch five people each allowed from the crowd to enter the compound.

Another group of people, identified as Malay NGOs members were also there in another crowd. They were taunting the lawyers by chanting "No free sex !" in obvious reference to the Bar Council's support for the cancelled free sex carnival which was supposed to be held earlier this month. No BN MP came out to fetch anyone from this crowd to enter the Parliament compound.

As I read through the report of this incident, my mind went back to those days when I was attending constitutional law lectures. I really hate the subject, by the way. Reading the thick books of fancy words always made me want to go to sleep.

Anyway, it teaches me about the concept of seperation of powers between the executive, legislature and judiciary. Legislature is the one which is our parliament la. And its duty is to make the law. Judiciary (the courts) is to inteperate the law while the executive (the gomen of the day) is to execute the law. Something like that la in layman terms. (Layman is ordinary man who is not an expert la, in case you don't know).

Sorry ya. My language is very layman. I had quit long time ago trying to impress people with high class words which I was thought at my law school. I find that using such words made me sound like a stuck-up asshole. Many lawyers whom I know however think that it made them sound intellectual. Well, everyone have their own fancies, ya.

But I do remember those basic principles of constitutional law which are the foundation of any democratic country. In this case - laws are to be made by parliament who is elected by the people. Not by some smart ass lawyers who enjoy marching and shouting in the sweltering heat of our equatorial sun in fancy suits.

Wonder how these lawyers had passed their constitutional law examination papers....basic stuff like that also cannot remember ka??? Or you all think just because you wear fancy suit makes people think you are so smart ka? That you can make the laws? Sheeesssshhhh, I call you boorish pigs you sure get angry pulak.

Never mind...the Peaceful Assembly Bill was passed anyway by the Parliament today. Cheers.

Monday 28 November 2011

Hidup Melayu Bersatu

"Hidup Melayu Bersatu" is the title of a book by Johor MB Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman

.

In conjunction with the Umno general assembly which starts  tomorrow, I am posting this poem by Ghani which was placed at the start of his book.

This is the most important Umno general assembly ever as the party prepares for the coming general election which I deemed as the most crucial for Umno since the fight against the Malayan Union.

This coming general election is a do or die fight for Umno. So, Umno people, read this poem carefully and WAKE UP!!!!

PERJUANGAN SEPANJANG HAYAT

Bersatulah bangsa ku, bersatu lah
Dihadapan sana menanti cabaran tak terjangkau
Ombak ribut taufan kan menyerang
Seperti sejarah silam yang telah memahatkan
Keruntuhan Melaka masa lalu
Dek kelemahan bangsaku

Ingatlah bangsaku
Hanya perpaduan menjadi benteng ampuh
Hanya perpaduan menjadi benteng ampuh
Hanya perpaduan menjadi benteng ampuh

Kejayaan bangsa dan negara selamanya
Ditegakkan dari tonggak perpaduan
Kerana perpaduanlah penjajah diusir berambus pergi
Kerana perpaduanlah kemerdekaan dicapai sebebas-bebasnya
Kerana perpaduanlah komunis dihapuskan keakar-akarnya
Kita lalu mendirikan sekolah, membina masjid, hospital
Gedung besar untuk kita kecapi bersama
Membangunkan ekonomi bangsa
Menukar rimba belantara menjadi kota besar
Kilang tersergam dimana-mana
Ladang menghijau hasil mahsulnya melimpah ruah
Pelabuhan dan jalan raya pun terbentang untuk semua
Anak-anak kesekolah dan universiti
Orang muda bertungkus lumus mengumpul rezeki
Yang tua hidup aman damai dirumah sendiri

Hanya perpaduan yang teguh, persatuan yang kukuh
Akan menyelamatkan bangsa daripada dihancurkan
Oleh onar dalam dan onar luar
Oleh oportunis dan pengkhianat yang licik
Menabur duri dan onar sepanjang jalan menuju wawasan besar kita

Maka ayuhlah kita menginsafi diri
Bahawa dikampung dan didesa dibandar dan juga dikota
Racun fitnah dan pembohongan telah disebar
Dan membangkitkan kebencian dan permusuhan
Percayalah semua ini telah disemai oleh tangan kita sendiri
Oleh bangsa sendiri yang telah lupa diri
Dan mabuk dalam nikmat kemakmuran
Dihasut dengki peribadi dan ketamakan diri
Telah berpecah belahlah bangsa kita
Dalam segenap bidang kehidupan
Dan sipetualang itu sedang merayau-rayau diudara
Sesekali melangkah kebumi sesekali meninggi keawan
Ada yang sedang bersembunyi dihutan subur kita
Ada yang sedang berlayar dilautan luas kita
Disungai-sungai bumi tanah air kita
Mereka sedang menunggu waktu terbaik
Untuk merampas dan menjarah apa yang kita nikmati

Inilah sumpah perjuangan untuk watan dan bangsa merdeka
Dan perjuangan untuk watan adalah perjuangan suci
Perjuangan ini adalah perjuangan sepanjang hayat
Dalam segala bidang keagamaan, keilmuan, ekonomi dan budaya
Dan maka perjuangan suci ini harus dihayati
Dan digerakkan oleh seluruh anak watan
Kerana perjuangan ini tanggungjawab semua

Bersatulah bangsaku, bersatulah
Sesat ditengah jalan, kita pulang kepermulaan langkah
Lupakan saja tamak haloba yang membuahkan dendam
Amarah, dengki, khianat, kesumat dan permusuhan
Yang berasa bersalah memohon ampun, dan kita maafkan
Yang tua dihormati, yang muda dikasihi

Bersatulah bangsaku, bersatulah
Ayuh kita berdiri teguh menentang
Segala cabaran dan rintangan
Jangan biarkan cita-cita besar kita kandas
Dan terjurumus kejurang maha gelap maha dalam itu
Percayalah, sesal kemudian tidak berguna apa-apa
Rumah nenek moyang kita bangunkan
Dari jerih perit perjuangan silam ini
Jangan dibiar terlepas ketangan orang lain
Dan disini hari ini, berjanjilah wahai bangsaku
Perjuangan ini perjuangan sepanjang hayat

Abdul Ghani Othman
Kembara Puisi Darul Ta'zim
Saujana, Johor Bahru

Sunday 27 November 2011

PKR bullshitting in Johor

Thought of not writing about the PKR convention in JB which ends today but then I happened to read this article in NST titled "PKR takes pre-polls campaign to Johor". It was written by Zubaidah Abu Bakar, the newspaper's leading political correspondent.

Too enticing lah, so here goes -

Zubaidah wrote that PKR president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail told the 2,000 strong crowd of the party's new election pledges which include raising the minimum household income to RM4,000 in five years and return Felda to the settlers from the present management.

Zubaidah correctly pointed out that Dr Wan Azizah did not however detailed out how the party would implement those pledges. That one expected lah. Making promises very easy what. Give some details la Kak Wan, how to do all those wonderful stuff.

Then the article went on to explain that JB had been chosen as venue of the convention as a symbolic of PKR's intention and that of its allies Pas and the DAP, to break the BN's fortress of Johor.

"The party's  "show of strength" in launching the assault on Johor is believed to be part of the strategy to boost the morale of party members to face the mammoth BN machinery during the election campaign," wrote Zubaidah.

Hmmm....I am sitting in my office not that very far from Pulai Spring where the convention is being held but I don't see the "strength" being shown la. Well, never mind.... Oh, almost miss it - mammoth BN machinery? Where got la. Johor BN machinery is not so big...during the Tenang by-election, you can hardly saw them what.

"PKR began a weekend assault on Johor featuring Anwar and party leaders as speakers at night ceramahs in what is seen as attempts to deny the state from continuing to be fixed deposit for BN," wrote Zubaidah again.

Well, this nightly ceramah assaults were carried out in that small hamlet of Tenang to no effect la. This time they were assaulting the whole of Johor...uh uh, so drama. By the way, I wonder what were mentioned about Johor in those ceramah. Johor got big issue which can topple the BN State government meh? It was not mentioned in the article and I am not very keen to search the PKR websites for them...well, never mind....




"It is not impossible. Selangor was also a BN stronghold," Azmin Ali, the party deputy president was quoted as saying.  Also expressing confidence was party secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution Ismail who said Pakatan can take over Johor, claiming that the current sentiment on the ground is similar to Perak and Selangor prior to Election 2008.

Wah! Really ka? If Azmin is confident, then he should come and contest in Johor la instead of sniping at PKR's Selangor MB Khalid Ibrahim. Also, since Saifuddin said he know the sentiment on the ground in Johor, he should also join Azmin here in Johor.

Really, Johor PKR got no one to lead them. The fact that Chua Jui Meng, the MCA reject is leading the party in the State is really pathetic la.

They are totally dependant on DAP and Pas here to do the works. In fact, Chua, not knowing his place, already had a fight with Johor DAP boss Dr Boo Cheng Hau...so how? Can la Azmin and Saifuddin, come and contest in Johor. Sure win one liao.

Zubaidah said it is uncertain how the party had come to the conclusion that Pakatan can take over Johor; its calculations were probably based on the sentiment of the Chinese in other parts of the country, which remain against the ruling BN. Hmmm....no la Zubaidah, they know they cannot win in Johor. That one they just simply said so that their people will not know that they are just lame ducks in Johor.

Saturday 26 November 2011

Shahrizat can be the greatest Umno heroine ever


It's that season again - political parties gearing up for the general election.

PKR big wigs are at the moment gathering in JB. I was told that they find it hard to get a place to hold their convention in Johor but insisted to have it there after considering that Johor is the main Pakatan's target for the coming general election - which is most likely to be held  before the end of the first quarter next year.

Anyway, guess there will be lots of stories about Anwar and his fans over the course of the convention in the newspapers and cyberspace. So, I don't feel that I need to write about them. Btw, Pakatan's dream to capture Johor is not going to be a reality anyway. The most they can hope for is to get as much electoral seats as possible - and that will mostly go to DAP, a bit to PKR....and nothing for Pas. Really, Pas will play the crucial role of breaking the Johor Malay votes but they are not likely to win any seat in the State this time around. I had explained it here -

Fortress Johor Part 3 : BN's Achilles' heel

Umno general assembly is also coming within the next few days. There were some curtain raiser stories and commenteries in the newspapers. Mostly about how Umno people will be focusing on preparing for the general election during the assembly. Of course la, what else they want to talk about.

There is this piece in NST today about Wanita Umno written by M. HUSAIRY OTHMAN AND AZURA ABAS.

Ok la, can read one, but this small headline is a bit off la - "Movement’s Skuad Sayang effective in bringing in votes". I have seen this squad in action and I was not very impressed. The name is also a bit stupid. Well, at least in my opinion la. Honestly, I prefer the old Wanita Umno's way of doing thing under Rafidah - was more makchik-makchik but also more robust and effective.

The article started with this -  "WANITA Umno is, indeed, a picture of calm.   Two years after a heated contest for its top leadership post, which saw incumbent Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz losing out to her deputy, Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul  Jalil, Wanita Umno  seems to have left the past behind and moved on."
Really? Could have fooled me there. Hmmmmm.....

Then it quoted the movement's Putrajaya chief Saadiah Bakar as admitting that the movement is adopting a low- key profile but "raring to go and face the general election.” Than it go on and on about how Wanita Umno should carry itself with the election round the corner.

Then came the more exciting part - the National Feedlot Corporation issue.



 “This issue has been blown out of context. It does not involve Shahrizat directly, but her husband. She is  being dragged into it by the opposition,:" said  Federal Territory Wanita Umno information chief Hairunnisha Bivee Asm Ismail.

“Any discontent about anything or anyone must be put aside for the time being as there is a proper time and place to raise it."

Hmmm....trying to protect your boss ka? Never mind lah, thats understood.

Actually, if Shahrizat and the gang can think out of the box - they will see the NFC issue as a great opportunity for Wanita Umno to help BN win in style in the coming general election.

Just imagine this - there is a great debate at the Wanita assembly over the issue, then, Shahrizat, during her winding-up speech started crying on the podium and tell everyone that she feel guilty about the whole thing and tendered her resignation from all party and government posts. Of course the Wanita delegates will cry along with her and pleaded for her to stay but she instead remain adamant.

"I am not guilty, but for the sake of Umno, I insist on resigning from my posts as we can't afford even the perception of guilt among the people as we prepare for the general election. THIS IS MY SACRIFICE!!!!" shouted Shahrizat from the podium.

Wah! I tell you...the effect will be fantastic man. Finally, an Umno leader showing true integrity and willingness.to sacrifice her personal interests for AGAMA, BANGSA DAN NEGARA.

Friday 25 November 2011

A message from a Chinese school graduate

The following is an e-mail I received this morning. I post it here for those who do not have the privilege of knowing anyone who had studied in a Chinese school to understand why those schools are close to the Chinese community's heart -  






I'm a chinese school graduate all the way from primary school to uni in taiwan. I'm now working for the gomen. Hopefully my experience can help to clear some misconceptions about chinese schools and their graduates.

1. Chinese school graduates are all chinese chauvinists or communists 


saying that is just like saying that all muslims are terrorists. Not true and not fair. 


2. Chinese schools (I'm talking about secondary education here, not primary) are rich


 - Not all chinese schools are rich just like not all chinese are rich and not all malays are poor.

And those rich schools are rich, not because the money falls from the sky or they inherit pots of gold from their ancestors. 

Do you know that chinese high schools are registered as non-profit organisations instead of schools? Meaning to say we have to find money to pay for all the opex and capex. The ministry of education doesn't pay for the opex of chinese schools, like how they take care of the national schools. See it this way - chinese schools are NGOs, fund raising is a all year round exercise, just like any other NGOs.  

When I was a student many many years ago, we had to help the school to raise funds to pay for the electricity bills, salary of the teachers etc. As students, we would usually go in groups and knock on every single door in town (sometime we will also go outstation), trying to sell the so call "golden brick", which was in fact just a gold colour wooden block, in order to raise some funds to sustain our schools.

The significance of the brick is that every household contributed to the building of the schools, so every brick used in the school actually represents the hard earned money of the contributors - who come from all walk of lives. 

If I remember correctly, each brick represents probably an amount of only RM1 to RM5. So if you contribute enough, you probably can have a classroom, a library or a building named after you. That's why you will always see names around in almost every corners of the chinese schools, for these people contributed to building the schools. 

This was how, brick by brick, chinese schools were built.

Let me present my mother as a typical example of such contributors. They are not hardcore chauvinist or fervent communist. They are just normal people who feel that chinese school are doing good for the community, so ought to be supported. 

My mom was not rich, just like most of the other contributors, most was not rich at all. She was a hawker selling Char Kuey Teow in a small municipal market in a small town in southern johor. The stall had been around for generations. She had on the wall full of thank-you plates from the chinese school because every year, without fail since my grandfather set up the stall decades ago, there would be a day when all business proceeds go to the school. In fact, you will find such thank-you plates all over the hawker centre because almost every stall would do the same, every year. Mind you, these are all small stalls and these people are definitely not rich. Yet they did it happily - I've never heard anyone ever complaint about having to donate money to the chinese schools.

What amazed me most is that some of the stall owners do not have children studying in chinese schools. Most of them sent their children to the so-called gomen schools because chinese schools are deemed as expensive elite education in the community. 

To go to chinese high school, parents had to pay about RM20 per month which was considered quite a big sum many years ago. I still remembered when I told my mom that I want to study in Chinese highschool instead of going to gomen secondary school, she just plainly reject me because our family just can't afford it (yet she donated to the school every year!!!). Eventually she let me go because I sat for the entrance examination and won a scholarship to study there - I didn't need to pay school fees for the next six years. 

If I may add, my mother didn't just donate to the chinese school, she also pay taxes , all the required bills and also donated to other NGOs including muslim orphanages. 

3. Chinese school graduates have poor command of bahasa / english

Not true, as not all chinese school graduates have poor command of language - just like not all malays are bad in maths.

I don't speak perfect english with an british accent and people always laugh at my bahasa and say that I'm cina bukit. But I never regret going to chinese school - I'm proud of being one actually - because of the education I received, I am able to have multiple language skills that allows me to communicate with different spectrum of communities in malaysia and of course, I always believe that being exposed in a variety of cultures and traditions make me see things in a more balanced and objective manner, which is a definitely a big plus.

4. Chinese schools destablelise the country and create fractions by segregating the children from young age

Selfish politicians are the main cause of all the above. Pls don't use chinese schools as scapegoat. One school system can't solve the problem if we don't fix the system to provide better quality education - then things will only be worse.

Ok, let's say you put in a one school system and eliminated the chinese school - but the quality of education still as bad, what will happen? Parents will send their kids to private or internationals schools, which is already happening now. So, fix the school system, good quality education will automatically attract the mass. If you were a parent, would you want to spend thousands sending your kids to private schools if the gomen education is just as good, and free! No you won't - only stupid chinese parents will do that to support their beloved chinese schools...

-end-


This is an addition - a video clip, for those who has never been to a Chinese school - just on teachers and students at Foon Yew 4, JB





Wednesday 23 November 2011

Leave the Chinese schools out of it

NSTP e-media managing editor Datuk Zainul Ariffin Mat Isa in his column in NST today suggested for the creation of an education commission to look into possible ways to revamp the country's education system.

He said the commissioners, appointed by the Yang diPertuan Agong may do a better job at finding ways to improve things compared to politicians who have all these while been mired in, well, politics of course.

Zainul pointed out that our education system is most problematic to manage due to the constant need to find common ground due to its  fragmented and varied nature.

There are the national schools, vernacular schools, missionary schools and religious schools.

"Some parents, especially those who can afford it, who are  unhappy with the current situation and hanker for the educational system and values of the days of old, are moving their kids to private or international schools," said Zainul.

"Some migrate, while others got their children out of the system by homeschooling them."

Zainul posed a question on what is to become of the national education agenda if changes were not made.

"The consequences of the current system, never intended, but arisen, nevertheless, include allegations of poor soft skills, poor mastery of English  and the lack of sporting excellence," he added.

Well, personally, I feel that Zainul made the suggestion for the setting-up of the commission out of frustration. There seems to be at the moment no viable solution to what was seen as deteriorating quality of our education system. That is, despite the government spending almost 40 per cent of its annual budget for the schools.

I also suspect that Zainul, from the way he wrote the article, is a supporter of the idea for a single school system and in an indirect way was proposing for that idea as a solution.

My own take is that, the proposed commission will not be able to solve the problem and that a single school system will never become a reality, well, at least not in my life time.

It is clear that the reality on the ground these days clearly indicates that the setting-up of commissions does not really solve any problem. They can discuss, formulate and decide all they want, but the problems will always remain. Remember all those Royal Commissions and how they failed to change public perceptions?

The culprit - well, as usual, is politics of course.

Will a single school system solve the problem? I don't think so either.

In the first place, when we said our education system is in trouble, which one is in trouble, actually? Do you all hear anything about this from the Chinese educationists?

Whether we like it or not, we have to accept the fact that those Chinese and Indian schools are here to stay.

Especially the Chinese schools. They are part of the Chinese community's soul.




Bear in mind that most of the established Chinese schools are RICH. And they are not complaining. Their enrollment is also soaring.

If there were any real complaint coming from them, it is that their Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) being not yet recognized by the country's education authorities. Still, it is not truly a big deal as Chinese school students can still enroll at universities across the world. That has always been the case all these years.

I bet that Zainul and other proponents of a single school system do not have anyone close to them who studied in Chinese schools from Standard One till Form Five and then proceeded to further their studies at a Chinese university in China or Taiwan. I mean, someone like that who are really close to them and whom they can talk to with full honesty about the possibility of closing down the Chinese schools in favour of a single type of school for all children.

Well, if they do, they would know that their friends from the Chinese schools will fight them all the way.

I understand why the alumni of these Chinese schools will never tolerate any idea of closing their schools. In fact, you can offer them the moon and the sun and I am quite confident that they will not budge.

These schools were built and developed largely through contributions by the Chinese community themselves over the decades. Everyone chipped in, from big time towkeys to hawkers and housewives as well as even gangsters.

I had even heard of stories that in the early days when the Chinese came to this country as mine and plantation workers, even the girls, who were tricked into working in the brothels made a regular collection among themselves to contribute to the schools.

For someone who had studied in a Chinese school, to agree to close down the schools is simply akin to betraying their heritage.

Honestly, I am not familiar with the Indian schools, but if the Chinese schools stay, they will want to stay too, despite their situation being even worse than the national schools.

It is therefore incumbent for those who want to improve the education system to be in touch with the reality on the ground.

They need to know what actually needed to be fixed.

Do not simply assume a solution based on one's prejudices and without knowing the true picture of the various school systems that exist in this country.

If the national schools are the one facing the problems, then focus should be given to them. It is easier that way than having a commission trying to figure out what is wrong and making recommendations without any authority to implement them. By the way, how are we to make sure such a commission will be free of politics or perceptions that it is politically tainted.

Anyway, all that aside, I don't think those smart people at the Education Ministry were totally clueless as to what ails the national schools. I even believe that they know what are the solutions. For me, it is just a question of whether those in charge have the political will to do the necessary.

Note: For additional info about my stand on Chinese schools -
My favourite Chinese school

Tuesday 22 November 2011

Intermission


Patriotic squatter youths


Am still a bit high with Malaysia's football SEA Games victory over Indonesia last night.

Watched it at a packed mamak restaurant (they even run out of chairs).

The atmosphere was electrifying to say the least as the crowd jumped with joy when the lads secured the win via penalty kicks. Congrats to the boys!!!



A group of scruffy youths made it seems as if we were all actually at the stadium, thumping on the table and cheering all the way till the end. The whole gang of them then goes around on their motorcycle waving the Malaysian flag and honking away to celebrate.

These boys, from their look, I presume are from poor families living at the nearby squatter settlement  of Skudai Kiri. They may not have much in the material sense, but despite that they seems to genuinely love their country by supporting its football team who are playing thousands of kilometers away. Their shouts of encouragement for the players were as if they could be heard across the distance.

Honestly, I am more proud of these boys, who could be just mat rempits at night and factory workers by day  rather than some smart ass rich kids who feel that their talents, acquired due to their privileged position in life are too good for this country. What is the point of having the brain and talents but not the heart for the country.


Monday 21 November 2011

Real racists

Was not feeling well over the weekend. In fact, am still a bit sick today. Forced to take some pain killers before going to work this morning.

Well, last night, as I was about to sleep (after taking some sleeping pills), I received a text from someone who forwarded me a message which was said to have been extensively circulated.

My first drug-induced instinct was to post that message in this blog but the person who forwarded it to me immediately scolded me and made me promise not to do so.

"You will only make it worse," the person said. The message actually contain a very racist statement and blatantly exploits religious sentiments to incite hatred towards the government and  people of a particular race.

I'm actually frustrated that I can't post that message here. It contains questions which I really want Pas members and Malays of PKR to read and answer.  It also illustrates the true nature of the real racists in this country. But a promise is a promise. I have to keep it in my gut. Probably I ll have to take an extra dosage of pain killer for that.



As compensation for myself, I am linking with this posting by Rocky -

The so-weak and superficial Muslims' faith


It probably gives some light for those who are wondering why I am being vague with this posting. Too many of these racists who accussed others of racism lah....and many do not even realise that these bastards are racists.

Saturday 19 November 2011

Birth of Iskandar Malaysia - for non-Johoreans



When Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman took up the mantle of leadership in Johor, he clearly displayed his balanced outlook, by introducing the holistic development approach in his first budget speech in 1996.
  In essence, his holistic development approach ensures that economic development of the state must be balanced with the development of its people's well-being.
  With that, Johor embarked on upgrading its clean water processing and distribution to provide clean water to as many people as possible.
  They also embarked on the rural road programme "Jalan Kampung" through state GLC KPRJ, that finally saw thousands of kilometers of rural roads getting the tarred treatment, creating better accessibility to rural produce and services.
  The arts in the form of music and dance were also added to schools' extra curricular activities to ensure students with such inclination has an outlet within a controlled environment and minimise the truancy problem.  It brought "Zapin", a folk dance particular to Johor, into international attention such that Johor kids are now performing the dance internationally.  It is also in a way part of Ghani's effort to maintain the "jati diri" (identity) of the Johor Malays.
  In balance, mosques throughout the state were also encouraged to hold frequent and regular community activities to ensure that they stayed relevant as part of the spiritual fulfillment for muslims and the communities they served.  State-sponsored religious education continued being strengthened with linkages to enable a promising advanced education and career options for students while more schools were built.
  State-sponsored community colleges were also introduced throughout the state to equip less academically-inclined youngsters with employable skills that will improve their future potential.
  A number of forest reserves and natural heritage sites were also identified and gazetted to ensure that the state's dwindling natural forests are preserved and allowed to grow back up to the 30% mark set by the state planners while natural sciences research centres were encouraged to set up operation in the state's national parks.
  Despite the 1997/98 financial crisis which was highly detrimental to Johor institutions, and with a number of its public commercial initiatives facing ruin, Ghani managed to steer not only these Johor institutions out of bad weather, but ensure they continue to grow stronger in the aftermath.  
  He was even more convinced that Johor's holistic approach towards development, will be the key sustaining factor that will be its defence against a recurrence of similar crisis as evidence in his 1999 budget speech.
  Economics, afterall, consists of peaks and trenches, and no doubt that dips will happen again.
  Johor and its people must be made fundamentally strong to ensure that it will be able to weather such crises with minimal damage and with that came the requirement to re-position Johor as a top investment destination that will rival the best in the region.
  Core to the plan will be making the most of Johor's ideal location, existing logistics facilities, abundant resources and industrious locals to attract would be investors that will spur development of new industries, and ensure industrial resilience by re-structuring its economic growth drivers.
  Firstly, Johor is blessed with a coastline that continues from the east to the west of the peninsular.  It has three international seaports and an international airport, many industrial parks, in addition to being located on one of the world's busiest shipping lanes.  What is required is a good road network or highway systems connecting them all, that will also facilitate better east-west access to raw materials and open up new areas for development.
  Secondly, Johor Bahru was also getting heavily congested and subjected to frequent flash floods while state buildings and housing occupy some of the most high-value real estate in the city.  A new seat of government similar to Putrajaya is required, away from the commercial hustle and bustle of the city, but within easy distance that will not be inconvenient to the public, which will also free high-value real estate for commercialisation and the transformation of Johor Bahru City Centre.
  Thirdly, its proximity to Singapore should be capitalised to benefit Johor; instead of simply being Singapore's backyard or hinterland, Johor should aspire to build a city of equal stature socially, if not commercially, to the city nation.
  Historically, Johor had not been very high on the list of Federal infrastructure development funding as states such as Selangor, Kedah, Kelantan or Penang, but this time around the state required Federal assistance to make this a reality.
  It had always been a middling state, not poor enough to require attention, but not near enough to the seat of power like Selangor to require Federal infrastructure focus, or as historically significant colonial outposts as Melaka or Penang to attract tourism projects.
  The state itself did not have the financial means to make all this happen within a time-frame that would make it meaningful, nor would it likely be able to raise the funds itself considering the many development programmes continuously being put in place to raise the quality of living for the rakyat.
  But Johor must position itself for the new millenium, therefore Federal assistance was required to make the transformation in a timely manner and a proposal was worked out by the planners at Bukit Timbalan.
  Ghani and his people had then drafted a comprehensive plan for it in early 2000s and when it was submitted to the Federal Government, was given the green light by then PM Dr Mahathir. 
  However, by the time it was possible to implement the plan, it was Pak Lah at the helm.  Not only did the original plan became a "corridor", the crooked bridge was also cancelled, MRCB via its 4th Floor networkings made inroads through the EDL, and that legacy is now entrenched in Irda and JCorp.
  Nonetheless, Iskandar Malaysia, is for now the only one of all the development corridors which still has the potential to meet its objectives.
  

Friday 18 November 2011

Bad PR skills


I was actually planning to post on more important things today, but this comment in my Irda posting caught my attention -

Anonymous said...
    Banyak sangat tengok cerita hantu ni sebab tu lah fikiran korang senang DIMOMOK MOMOKKAN NI. Cubalah fikir positif sikit. Baru JB nak maju sikit korang dah buat cerita-cerita mcm ni. Orang-orang IRDA jangan layanlah orang-orang macam ni. Moh gi buat kerja. Kalau degil aku report kat Mail siapa yang post comment mcm-mcm ni. Dont play play aku ada ramai kaki kat SKMM. Fan club fan club janda puaka, cukup-cukuplah. I think they got the message. BIG CAT jum kita cite lain pulak. Cerita pasal pasal kenapa ramai bangla depan rumah aku ni ke? Cerita orang midle income mcm aku yang tak mampu beli rumah kat JB ni ke? Cerita kenapa kurang ajar sangat orang Spore bila memandu kat Msia ke? OOOPS LUPA. Cerita- cerita mcm ni tak boleh lakukan blog kau kan big cat?
    17 November 2011 07:20


I guess that is how Irda big wigs handles their unhappy staff. Ok lah, I think it did manage to scare all those unhappy Irda people. Good also. I am beginning to worry that my blog is turning into an Irda blog.

As for me wanting to popularise my blog, well, as I said, I had intended the Irda posting as a reminder for them to fix what little problems they have. It was an advice to them, actually. Nothing more than that.

If I really want to be popular I would not have waited this long before I started posting about Irda   Or I can post insidious pictures like this -


Ok, please don't push me to do such nonsense.

If your staff are unhappy, I think it is better to let them vent their anger and frustrations here rather than feeding info to the Pakatan people. Info such as funny distribution of contracts and other even more damaging stuff. Mine is just a small insignificant anonymous blog what. Why worry eh?

Wednesday 16 November 2011

A song and dance for Irda people


UPDATED

I am dissappointed with you all Irda people la.

I had posted a bit on your affairs in the hope that you all can repair whatever need to be repaired in your organisation. Instead, you all used the posting to hantam and slander each other.

I tried to entertain you all with a nice video music also, still you are not interested. Still say bad things to each other. I had to let those comments through as I believe in freedom of speech. At the same time, I keep reminding you all not to slander each other.

Someone commented saying that I should put zapin video instead, but I doubted you all Irda people will be interested.

I search very hard for a better video and find this one which I think you all will like better. Ok, enjoy this one and stop running down each other.



ORIGINAL POSTING

Ok, I know Irda people are a bit stressed up because of my posting on them yesterday.

Relax la boys and girls. I just jentik a bit only what. You all go fix those little problems in your set-up, and I would not disturb you all again la.

Iskandar Malaysia is a national project, so I have to make some noise la. Otherwise you all have too much fun and not do work properly.

After all, your big fat salaries are paid by the rakyat la. Errr... you all don't know that ka? Really la. Go check with your bosses where the money for Irda comes from.

Eh, this one is a special message to one particular so-called legal officer of Irda - no need to con your boss la. I write like that also you want to study your law books ka? What? You want to sue me ka? No need la. Not nice like that one. Iskandar Malaysia must have freedom of speech la.

Come come, don't be angry angry. Here, me and my boy friends sing and dance this song for you all, especially your CEO. Relax and enjoy, ok.








Eh, nice or not? Ok Ok, just kidding, that's not me. Hehehehe....

Tuesday 15 November 2011

A little warning to Irda

Well, since I am still in a foul mood over the Kulim appointments - today, I would like to bitch a bit about what is happening in the Iskandar Regional Development Authority (Irda).

For those who are from planet Pluto, this is Irda's profile which I took from Wikipedia (Irda's website is so canggih that I can't cut and paste from it) -
Iskandar Regional Development Authority (IRDA) (Malay: Pihak Berkuasa Pembangunan Wilayah Iskandar) is the body responsible for the direction, policies and strategies in relation to development within the Iskandar Malaysia, having regard to the general framework of national and Johor State policies. Pursuant to this responsibility, IRDA will assist the State Planning Committee (SPC) and relevant local planning authorities to co-ordinate development, and for this purpose IRDA will adopt a Comprehensive Development Plan (CDP) for use by such local planning authorities.

Ok, Irda had since its inception almost five years ago went through three CEOs. The previous two had to leave mostly over difficulties they faced in handling issues related to their main stake holders - the local population of Iskandar Malaysia. These issues are (don't laugh ya) actually simple stuff - squatters relocation, public housing, public transport , contract allocations among local contractors etc etc. Simple as they may be, their solutions are hard to implement, because they deal with human existence. After all, managing public perception is a bitch, no?



The current CEO, Ismail Ibrahim. took over from his predecessor Harun Johari early last year. It was said that he got the job because he is a grassroot man....ok ok, some of you who are in the know are already sniggering....but, do bear with me.

The truth is, I have been itching to write about Irda for quite a while now. I resisted the temptation because I do not want to give Johor MB Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman additional headache as the GE is just around the corner. Ghani and PM DS Najib Razak are joint-chairman of Irda. However, after much thoughts, combined with my foul mood now, I think I better write about it now so that whatever is wrong with Irda could be fixed before it can become a liability to BN's effort to defend Johor in the election.

I will not however be too harsh on them here as I do not want this posting to be intepreted as an attempt to discredit the BN-led State government. These are just small criticisms which I feel need to be urgently addressed so that Irda cannot be used by the Pakatan people as a bullet to hit BN in the run-up to the GE.

Let us start with Irda's recent decision to hire the UK-based Oxford Group Consultant which was supposed to use its "strong networking" to promote Iskandar Malaysia at world level. The whole thing went to nothing and from what I learned, Irda lost quite a huge sum in the deal. Please ya Ismail - that one, if it is true, is tax payers' money being burnt there. There are many other similar cases such as this, but let me just leave the one stated above as a reminder that people know what is happening at the decision making level of Irda and it should not be repeated in the future

Ismail also need to clarify on an allegation that one of his closest aides is running around posing herself as the decision maker on matters such as termination of staff's contract, 24-hours notice sacking of staff, promotion, bonus allocation etc etc. She had allegedly been going around issuing threats to Irda staff who refused to kow tow to her.

Mail, you cannot have this kind of aides, behaving as if Irda is their parents' company. I can name names here if I want but I am holding my punches for I do not want to make this worse than it is. Do you know that the whole thing is making Irda people who really want to work be very demoralised? It may even turn them (some are real BN supporters, unlike your aides) into moles of the Pakatan people. The end result could be very disasterous to BN.

Irda also need to do something to repair its relation with State government agencies. It could be observed that not many of those from these agencies turned up at Irda's recent Hari Raya Open House function in Persada. The absence of almost all head of local governments within Iskandar Malaysia at the function was very glaring, indicating everything are not well between Irda and them.

Mail, tell your people they need to get off their high horses and be more friendly to all those people. I know, Irda people are very well paid and those State agencies people are paupers compared to them. But, come on la, you all have to work together if Iskandar Malaysia is to be a success. How many times do you all need to be reminded that the main stakeholders of Iskandar Malaysia are the locals. If they hate you, then the whole thing will backfire to the BN government. Is that what you and your aides want?

Oh, Mail, also tell your staff not to be too shy with the orang kampung too.  Especially, that corporate comm head of yours. Tell her it is not nice la spending most of her time in KL. She need to make more engagements with the locals la. I know its not so glamourous to deal with the pakcik and makcik but thats her job isn't it? Seriously, I do not even know her name. All I know is that whenever she is in JB, she will stay at that luxurious Thistle Hotel. Why she is so rich one?

Ok lah. Enough of it for now.  Mail, you try settle those small issues first. I want to see whether you can or cannot. You don't fix those, I will come and kacau you again. Don't wait till the GE is too near ya. A lot of hot electoral seats are in your area.

Saturday 12 November 2011

Johor GE13 : The true Ghani's loyalists

The ongoing ground work of Johor BN is at a relentless speed now as the next general election draws near.

To the surprise of many, especially the bigwigs at Umno HQ in KL, Johor MB Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman had choosen to ignore their directive to hold a State BN convention. Some, were actually very pissed off with him.

Ghani had choosen instead to go straight to the ground visiting the peti undi areas and personally tweaking whatever need to be tweaked. This is the same strategy he used to secure BN's comprehensive win in the Tenang by-election.

It is understood, that Ghani had choosen to ignore the KL's directive as it was felt that holding a convention will be a waste of time and resources and not be of any benefit for BN in its effort to win the GE. It is just gathering a few thousands party members, have a talk fest full of jingoism, eat nice food, give each other a pat in the back, and then go home.

Going straight to the ground on the other hand enable assessments to be made on the spot and problems solved in the shortest time possible.

But it should be noted that Johor has almost 1,000 peti undi areas and Ghani is trying to cover all of them before the next GE which is just around the corner. My bet is, it will be in April next year.

This exhaustive tour throughout Johor must be done without let up. The objective was to ensure a BN clean sweep in the State - a very difficult one but not impossible.

Now, the most amazing thing about the whole thing is that, Ghani had made the decision based on the recommendation of one of his staff, who despite knowing the difficulties and hardship he himself will have to endure, had choosen to make the recommendation anyway.

Considering the tough fight ahead due to the changing political landscape since 2008, I strongly believe that the decision  was correct. There is no easy way to ensure BN's win this time.

Ghani's effort is actually heavily dependent on a small team of staff, who work mostly behind the scene, preparing all the materials for presentations and strategy road maps, data collecting, follow-up works etc etc.

These bunch of people are whom I see as the real Ghani's loyalists.

Except for their relatively small salaries, they got nothing else. And knowing some of them, I realise they are not even expecting or asking for anything more than that.

I am dead certain that none of them had ever ask Ghani to appoint them as a board member of some fancy corporation - that previlage apparently belong to some other group of people.

Some of you may be thinking that I am bullshitting you again. But really, go ahead and ask Ghani himself if you don't believe me. These people really exist.

One of these Ghani's loyalists had told me not to be too sad about the Kulim appointments after she read my last posting which was on the matter.

"I am not being a blind follower of Ghani. He must have his own reason for allowing that to happen.. Ghani has always done the right thing. Let's trust his decision again this time," she said.

I was not however buying it.

"Come on la, you yourself know that at least that Wan Firdaus prick is not qualified in any way to sit as a member of any sort of BOD. You yourself had told me that you had checked the boy's works and they are nothing but crap ," I shot back at her.

These were her reply -

"Ok, just calm down. Whatever it is, Ghani can't afford to have people like you to turn your back on him now. We are facing a bigger fight soon and he need every single one of us. Bear with this one. We can always deal with it after the election."

At that moment I felt like laughing. This lady is still loyal to Ghani despite everything. I know for a fact that she is just a contract worker earning less than me and has no pay increase ever since she work for Ghani almost half a decade ago. (And my salary is not that great either - I can only afford to rent a room for RM300 a month....and I can't even afford to buy a laptop)

I did ask her once, whether she is worried that she may not have a job in the event this is Ghani's last term as MB. Her simple reply was that she can always find another job. True enough, after I did my checks, she turned out to be formerly a highly-paid senior manager of a multi-national company. Surely she can always get another job.

So. what made these sorts of people loyal to Ghani?

Honestly, after the Kulim thingy. I am not so sure.  But from the Ghani whom I know, he sorts of inspire people by his sincerity and integrity. He makes people who bothered to know him better believe that there are still good and honest politicians around.

I may not see Ghani in the same way as before after the Kulim appointments but I will always salute his loyalists who despite everything continue to stand by their man.





Friday 11 November 2011

A very sad day

I am writing this with extreme sadness in my heart.

This posting by BigDog today really broke my heart -

JCorp Jumbo-Mumbo

I tried very hard the whole morning to find out what had happened but my efforts were futile.

Being an ardent supporter of Johor MB Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman, I find the appointments of Ahmad Zaki Zahid, Wan Mohd Firdaus Wan Mohd Fuad, Edward Leung Kok Keong and Natasha Kamaluddin into the highest positions of Kulim, the subsidiary of JCorp simply unpalatable. These people are part of the young liberals bunch who almost wrecked this country via the Fourth Floor Boys of the Pak Lah era.

Datuk Ghani, what have you done? Don't you realise these appointments will destroy everything good that you had done for Johor these past 16 years?

For one, Datuk, I know you are fond of your special assistant Wan Firdaus, but that boy is really no good. Are you aware of the kind of nonsense he pulled in Irda? Please check with your people. I mean, your people who have been loyal to you all these years and had sacrificed so much without expecting any "special" things from you. Check with them how Malik Imtiaz Sharwar, a member of the DAP's Penang government's think tank was invited to give a lecture on how great the Penang and Selangor administrations are compared to the the Federal government at the Irda headquarters on Oct 24.

Datuk Ghani, I still trust that you are the best man to lead Johor for now, as I don't see anyone else to replace you.  But really, I am tired. I don't know what is the rationale behind those appointments, but I believe the damage is done. The daggers are out to stab you Datuk Ghani. And these are not even the daggers of the Pakatan people.



My prayers with you Datuk Ghani.

Thursday 10 November 2011

Dr Chua must lead from the frontline up north


 Dr Chua Soi Lek is definitely a brave man. Call him what you may, but a coward he is not by any long shot.

The way he handled his sex video scandal was the most cool act which I think no other Malaysian politician could ever emulate.

The fact that he actually could bounced back from a sure political death was simply amazing.

Many are still harping on his "tainted" record but the MCA president seems to be oblivious of all that.

Refusing to be distracted, he seems to be focused on his job and going all out to revive the much battered BN component party.

It's not an easy job as MCA is arguably at its weakest moment now. Dr Chua have to personally go on the ground to marshal his people who are still shell shocked by the mauling of the 2008 GE.

Now comes another challenge - where he will place himself for the coming GE, which is just around the corner.

The way I see it, Dr Chua need to do something extraordinary - he must lead the charge from the frontline.

He had proven himself to be a brave man in the past and I am sure he would not dissapoint his people in MCA and friends in BN for this one.

My bet is, he will not choose to contest in a safe area while his troop are facing the heavy artillery of DAP.

The recent invitations to contest from his home state Johor as well as Negeri Sembilan and Perak is a chance for him to prove his leadership qualities.

My opinion is, Dr Chua must choose Perak, where he is needed most compared to the other States,  to rally the MCA troops there.

Afterall, he has his son holding the MCA fort in Johor while Negeri Sembilan MCA had reportedly improved a lot of late.

I will be cheering Dr Chua if he choose to go deep into enemy territory to recapture MCA's lost ground up north and win back the Chinese votes for BN.

So, you still think they are not racists?


To know what the DAP people actually think of our civil servants, I think, it would be refreshing if we read some of these comments on a posting about Tony Pua's civil service slur in a pro-Pakatan website. I selected some of the juicy ones for your reading pleasure. Some of them are quite funny, in a perverted way.



   Enjoy ya.

sbanmalee · 1 day ago
why is all the chavunist so touchy about such things ? isnt what Tony Pua saying rings true of the current bloated civil service ? one mans jobs, they hire 6.5 people. all in the pretext of being efficient.. actually helping the jobless getting jobs..why jobless ? because chruned out from Us even if not competent.
i dont mind the gomen helping. but why only must help own kind ? is this what its all about?...because the person is of the same religious make, so must help is it ? how about the sabahans and sarawakians ? no help also given to them. itu tak pa kah ? not that the chinese and indians needs govt jobs anyway...

DAP Supporter · 1 day ago
This is a true story of a Malay car workshop owner. He employed 100% Chinese. When asked why didn't he employ Malays. His aswer was this:
Malay workers will down their tools for lunch or break on the dot, irrespective of whether the work is half done or not.
But, for Chinese, he must complete his work first before taking any break. This is the difference: Attitude. Malays are lazy ....

Gavin · 1 day ago
Anything on Malay or Islam cannot be questioned but they are free to questions others. 1Malaysia concept is just a trick to blind ppl especially non Malay.
If they r serious about Malaysia for all then they should do away all the Malay or Bumiputra based policies and liberate the market.
Malays are not OKU and the GOM already help them more than 30 years so let them compete on a level playing field. One should succeed by hardwork.

roth · 1 day ago
Stop the civil servants pay rise proposal until the economy recovers.We cannot simply tax the rakyat to pls just a handful of civil servants.

stern · 1 day ago
Where can you fire civil servants, They have given so much of their time and effort to making our lives difficult by not doing a fucking thing right.

Bang · 1 day ago
What do you expect from UMNO, when most of the civil servants are members of UMNO. UMNO will never try to reduce the payroll of civil service as it is another form of cronism.

TSONG · 1 day ago
Anything usually associated with Malays or Muslims are apparently sacred and cannot be touch on. From a bloated civil service to blood-soaked animal sacrifices in schools. All are sensitive issues and by virtue of their association with Malays/Islam this means that they simply must be treated as unquestionable, even if it bankrupts the nation or leaves non-Muslim school children ill-at-ease at the sight of so much blood. If the nation is bankrupt, it will also affect non-Malays but no matter, they are supposed to just swallow it, because these either question the special rights of Malays which has just been extended to included the right to have a bloated civil service. Or the special position of Islam, so they override everything else, so it seems. Wow! Just as in communist China, the communist ideology was used in Mao's days to override everything else, this national ideology of bumiputraism is used to shut up everyone in this country.

Period · 1 day ago
Our bloated civil service is the only refuge for our unemployable local graduates. BN need to keep these lot off the streets.

bigjoe · 1 day ago
In the first place, WHY IS IT EVEN POSSIBLE TO BE RACIAL IN THE FIRST PLACE. The civil service is not suppose to be so overwhelmingly Malay in the first place. Everyone agree its a bad thing. THIS is perfect example why its a bad thing. When you try to make it better, charges of racism flies wildly. If it was not overwhelmingly Malay it would not be.. Whose fault is THAT..

Toffee · 1 day ago
Malaysia has one of the biggest, bloated civil service in the world! And most of us finds that it's far from civil dealing with them. it takes 3 persons to do one job. Certainly time to re-structure. May I also add that we need to increase the staff for local governments, I believe that there's so much more that can be done at the local level like maintaining roads/longkang, high-rise apartment issues etc.

Piss off · 1 day ago
By accusing Pua of being anti Malay just because he had asked for action to trim the bloated civil service expenditure, his detractors had tacitly admitted that the civil service is only for the Malays. Even though this is an open secret, this accusation has laid bare the racist intentions of the Govt and those who are now baying for Pua's blood.

Red Indians · 1 day ago
Our company deal with goverment both state and Federal for past 20 years , 80% of Civl servants DON"T How to Work Properlyn and most of them their productivity are equal to ZERO, only know how minat manja. some are not shameful to ask for Pay Rise and Promotion by using Politic. To these lazy and Clueless civil servants, they tot we Malaysian owe them a living.

Malaysian · 1 day ago
Yes! What’s wrong with publicity chief Tony Pua suggestion?
Of cause it is through that the civil service is full of filth, lazy, corrupt and untalented stuff.
And you don’t always say Mala sensitivity. We also human beings and we also sensitivity.
Stop nonsenses and start employ on merit base. Get rid of all unqualified a****.

WIKILEAKS · 15 hours ago
AS ONE WHO HAD BEEN INVOLVED WITH THE GOVT SERVICE, LET ME SHARE MY KNOWLEDGE HOW THE GOVT MACHINERY OF MALAYSIA GOT SO BLOATED WITH SO MANY OF THE UNCIVIL SERVICE IDLING AROUND IN OFFICE CHATTING ON THE PHONES, READING GOSSIP MAGAZINES AND NEWSPAPERS, OR JUST CHATTING AWAY WITH EACH OTHER OVER NON ISSUES. WORSE STILL THEY MAY BE GALLANTING AWAY HAVING A LONG DRINK AND HIGH TEA WAY BEFORE AND AFTER THE STIPULATED ALLOWED FOR TEA TIME AND LUNCH TIME. THIS IS BECAUSE THEIR ABSENCE WOULD NOT BE MISSED AS THE GOVT MACHINERY IS EASILY OVERSTAFFED BY A FACTOR OF AT LEAST 5 I.E. TO SAY, THE GOVT MACHINERY CAN STILL FUNCTION WITH JUST A FIFTH OF THE MANPOWER WITHOUT ANY SERIOUS PROBLEM!

WHY MAY WE ASK DID UMNO AND PSD(JPA) ALLOW THIS TO DEVELOP? THE REASON IS VERY SIMPLE. JPA'S RATIONALE FOR ANY UPGRADING OF THE HEAD OF DEPT'S POST IS THAT THEY MUST HAVE MORE STAFF AND OFFICERS UNDER THE HEAD. IN FACT THEY HAVE A RATIO FOR THE SUPERSCALE HEAD TO THE NO OF STAFF UNDER EACH OF THEM. BEAR IN MIND THE UPGRADING OF POST IS NOT DEPENDENT ON THE VOLUME OF WORK BUT ON THE NO OF STAFF UNDER THE HEAD!

Wednesday 9 November 2011

No joke...it's always about race



See, I am not bullshitting you when I wrote this -

Ours ain't an apartheid civil service

It is all actually about DAP winning over all (if possible) Chinese votes. They just want to create an impression that the party is the true Chinese party which stood up to the evil Nazi-like Malay civil service and protect the Chinese community.

That is the modus operani of DAP all along which include the villification of institutions such as the polce, MACC and the others.

Now that they had been exposed, their Malay allies (or stooge, whichever way you want to see them) of Pas and PKR are scrambling to clean up the mess as reported by the pro-Pakatan Malaysian Insider -

Pakatan says won’t slash civil service size

UPDATED @ 02:41:40 PM 09-11-2011
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 9 — Pakatan Rakyat (PR) says it will not trim the bloated civil service if it takes over Putrajaya, but will instead focus on making government staff more efficient.

In what appeared to be a move to quell public sector anger over DAP publicity chief Tony Pua’s proposal to reduce civil service headcount, the opposition pact today pledged to retain existing staff should it come to govern Malaysia.
“Pakatan Rakyat would like to clarify that the position of the 1.2 million civil servants and officers will be guaranteed, as enshrined in [Articles 132 and 135] of the Constitution,” Salahuddin Ayub told reporters in the Parliament lobby.
The PAS vice president was flanked by PKR vice president Nurul Izzah Anwar and PAS central committee member Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad.

Pendatang Song



I belong to a bangsa pendatang. Really, I am not kidding you. But I am never offended whenever people said I belong to a bangsa pendatang. Instead I started singing this song my ancestors pass from generation to generation - just to irritate them non-pendatang whenever they try to offend me by calling me a bangsa pendatang. I post here a video clip of the song complete with lyrics. Learn it well. Next time someone call you a pendatang, you can sing it in their face.


Yup, being a pendatang can be cool, especially if you are a Viking and know how to handle it. Cheers.

Tuesday 8 November 2011

The childish legal suit threat gambit

The most stupid thing any self-respecting gangster would ever do before he go and whack someone is to call that someone and warned him that he is coming to whack him.

Of course the warned intended victim will either get himself ready to fight back or would have run off, isn't it?

The truth is, people only issued threats either because they want to bluff others into fearing them, or that it is the only thing they can afford to do when cornered by their enemy.

Well, this bit of wisdom is not actually the product of my original thinking or something I read in Sun Tze books. This is what I got from repetitive watching of the Godfather movies. Only low-class street punks would try to scare others with threats so that they may look tough. A real mafiosi would quietly go about killing their enemies without much fuss.


Of late, I noticed that there is a trend among the Pakatan leaders and their allies - that is to threaten people with potential legal suit. Honestly I find this new habit of theirs very irritating and so childish.



"You better stop saying that or you will be hearing from my lawyers," said a Pakatan leader. Uh Uh...like we are so scared of lawyers lah. If you want to sue me, then just sue me lah. No need to threaten threaten one. It just makes you sound like a spoilt brat in the schoolyard..."You better stop saying that or you will be hearing from my mummy...." Jeeezzzz.....

Talking about spoilt brat, remember when Guan Eng threatened to sue Bernama, TV3 and what nots over his Johor slur....well, I am still waiting la Guan Eng. Actually, you were caught over that issue isn't it Guan Eng? For lack of words to say to show you are defiant, you go about threatening legal suit isn't it? Hopefully people will say - "Wah! Guan Eng so macho, so handsome...he is fighting back liao...just threatened to sue the evil Umno people...he is so blave one...he is my herrro...."  Aiya, I know your trick lar.

See, I saw the same trick being put up by Ambiga yesterday. "I dare you! Otherwise you will be hearing from my lawyers!" she exclaimed over the Sexuality Merdeka issue. What la Ambiga, you are a lady and when a lady threaten people like that, it makes her look like an ugly witch. Ladies, when you try to show you are garang or macho, it actually makes you look a bit more fat and ugly. Really....so, be cool and composed and dignified while in front of TV camera.

Show a bit of class la Ambiga. If TV3 really twisted your words, then just sue them la. Maybe you can win and the money can be donated to the gays and lesbians fund.

The truth is, Ambiga over estimated herself. The Bersih 2.0 thing really got in her head, causing it to swell and become so big. She thought she can get away with anything. She got the backing of the mighty Pakatan what. So, she pulled this free sex stunt la. Unfortunately it blew in her face and causing untold damage, especially to Pas, which was forced by it to show their true Taliban's card.

So, what else can she do in front of the TV cameras yesterday? Well, she needed to continue to be defiant, otherwise she'll lose whatever credibility that she had left. That was why she put up that garang act of a lawyer who appeared to know everything. Same like Guan Eng, she was hoping for the same effect, at least among the Pakatan supporters "UH UH UH...die la those evil TV3 people...Ambiga had threaten to sue them...wah, this Ambiga is a real heroine ... don't fool around with her lar ... she is a lawyer you know ...."

Ya rite...sheeshhhh...

PS . Eh Ambiga, please do me a bit of a favour...please tell your friend Irene Fernandes of Tenaganita to at least comb her hair next time she got on TV...she really looked like an expired Chow Kit lady of the night la yesterday...please arr...   

Monday 7 November 2011

Ours ain't an apartheid civil service

Watched the movie Invictus on HBO just now. Its about Nelson Mandela and the South African mostly-white Springbok team who won the 1995 Rugby World Cup. It starred Morgan Freeman and Matt Damon. Good movie, Do check it out if you haven't see it.

 As I watched the movie, I remembered that some pro-Umno bloggers were a few days ago making noises about DAP crook Tony Pua telling everyone that the Pakatan people will cut down the civil servants to size if they come to power.

Well, guys. I think what he meant was "when DAP comes to power". And he was talking just to the non-Malays (read Chinese) when he said that.

 The other Pakatan people would not do that. Pas and PKR Malays need the support of the mostly Malay civil servants. They would not harm the civil service....of course unless they are pressured to do so by DAP which supplied them with the crucial Chinese votes.

Anyone should realise by now that DAP, unless one is so politically dumb and blind, is waging a campaign of hate against all institutions deemed to be dominated by Malays in their effort to win total control of the Chinese votes. The police, civil service etc etc. Of course they don't use the "Malay" word but instead they use the word "Umno-controlled" to deflect any charges of racism.

But the reality is for all to see. Unless, one chooses to be blinded instead la.

Sometimes it sadden me to watch all those pro-Pakatan Malay civl servants being so passionate about their "perjuangan" without realising that they are actually being pissed on their head.



Seriously, do you think this country can survive this long if the DAP's charges of our civil service being an incompetent racist organisation is true?

Before Tony Pua, there was Guan Eng, who talked about Hitlerian thinking within our civil service.

Then there was the relatively moderate Johor DAP chief Dr Boo Cheng Hau who equate our civil service with those of Nazi Germany and South African apartheid.

Dr Boo's article on the matter which went viral on several pro-Pakatan web portals in June caused a ruckus at the Johor State Assembly.

I would like to republish a commentary written by a Chinese journalist from NST on what he think of Dr Boo/s racially tainted thinking (taken without permission). Hopefully some of those blinded civil servants are reading this.

'Nazi' label a disservice to the civil service

2011/07/04
By Ben Tan

MOST of the time, I am all for free speech, as long as the speaker or writer can be truthful and back up their words with facts. I even agree with the recent controversial Facebook posting by Johor DAP chairman Dr Boo Cheng Hau on the country's civil service with regard to the lack of participation of non-Malays.

But my support ends there as I feel that his statements that our country is run along the lines of a totalitarian state akin to the Third Reich of Nazi Germany were unfair. His remarks were reported in the New Straits Times last Friday.

Dr Boo, who is also Skudai assemblyman, had on June 18, posted his article titled "Isn't a one-race civil service a form of apartheid?" on The Centre for Policy Initiatives website, which was later linked to his own Facebook page. This later caused a stir at the state assembly meeting last Thursday.
Being born and bred in this country for over 35 years, I do not see it being a police state or run militarily like how Germany was under the Nazis.

My opinion is that Dr Boo is being overly dramatic in drawing parallels between our country and "Nazi Germany" and also the civil service in promoting "racist", apartheid-like policies.

In his article, which has received widespread links in several online portals and blogs, Dr Boo alleged that Malaysia has a "huge and largely ethnic Malay civil service, completely loyal to Umno, but increasingly incompetent" and that is the biggest obstacle to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak's 1Malaysia.

"Non-Malays have been gradually cleansed from the public sector with only a few remaining now in crucial and inevitable sectors such as teaching in vernacular schools."

Dr Boo then described Umno members as "ultra-nationalists" who defend majority-race dominance as justifiable, as opposed to the minority-race dominance previously in South Africa, under apartheid.

"Like other totalitarian states in history such as the Third Reich of Nazi Germany, Umno needs a large number of Malay civil servants to control the populace through racism," he added.

Interestingly, in his Easter Day message in April, Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, too, had hinted at "Hitlerian" ideas and had asked Barisan Nasional (BN) leaders if it was wrong to oppose racial supremacy.

A Malay friend of mine, who is a rank and file personnel attached with the Johor police contingent, disagreed with Dr Boo and described his statement as being over-the-top, to the extent of mildly promoting racism. My friend, 25, had spent the past three years in service.

He said he would like to see the participation of more Chinese, Indians and those from other races in joinng the force as it would be an ideal platform to promote unity.

"But it's more of a choice for the non-Malays. They feel that the private sector can offer much more, thus the lack of appeal to join the civil service," he said, adding that the issue was far from just favouring a particular race.

This generally-held perception is accepted by many. You just cannot stop people who want a better life for themselves. After all, it is not like we are forced to serve our entire lives with the civil service.

Like most Chinese Malaysians, I am happy to say that I am not forced to wear shirts with a "Saya Cina" patch and interned in concentration camps, to be ethnically cleansed or gassed to death like how the Nazis did the Jews.
On the other hand, I enjoy the company of many Malay friends that I have had the opportunity to meet during the course of my work. There are some that I even consider my mentors.

Conversely, my Malay friends, some from varied backgrounds, also hold the same respect for me.

In many ways, I think Dr Boo's analogy of our country with the Third Reich and the apartheid regime is unfair.

The Nazis, under the leadership of Adolf Hitler, used the race card (or rather, the claimed supreme Aryan race) to crush any opposition, but it ultimately burned itself out. The word "Nazi" is today a dirty word.

The same goes to the now-defunct apartheid regime of South Africa.

So, with Dr Boo's article, we appear to be revisiting another nasty label in an attempt to provoke society. Such reference is nothing new, but it appears to be resurrecting itself for possible political gains. The issue of non-Malay participation in our country's civil service is quite well known and have been highlighted by the media many times before.

Dr Boo, or even those that tend to agree with the issue of non-Malay participation in the civil service, should instead come out with solutions instead of making a comparison on how similar we are to failed totalitarian regimes that run along racial lines.

I am not against constructive criticism. I do it all the time myself as I am doing it now.

But pulling out the racial card, such as Nazi-labelling, is a cheap trick that desensitise with a profound meaning that should be reserved only for its historical significance and the horrors that they were known for.