I only met Sondhi once, and Thaksin once, so can’t give any kind of meaningful impression other than first. However, calling Sondhi one of the elites I tend to feel uncomfortable about. Elites in Thailand to me do not include free-wheeling media barons. Elites, I think, are far more deeply entrenched and stand little chance of being shot at over 100 times in such an open manner.
As to Sondhi’s relationships with the Amart, again it seems to be talked more about than what is likely to be factual. Yes, he has relationships of a sort, but not those that include him in that sacred circle.
Namewee is a Rebel but surely not Einstein. Have not found anyone yet on all the blogs about Lynas who has any understanding of what 1 bequerel of radiation per gram means which is the amount the final waste of the Lynas plant would produce. Some people in Western Australia have built their homes on land that carries naturally much more radiation than that.
Eight people were reported by the Malaysian ministry of Health having come down with leukemia around the former Mitsubishi rare earths plant which I agree was a dirty plant of poor design but for a population that dense, eight cases of leukemia is within the norm for the population worldwide.
The thorium at the Lynas plant would be so diluted that even in the final stages of separation the emissions would be at the maximum 6 bequerels which does not come even close to the Malaysian AELB standard of 0.51 microsieverts/hour. See the Malaysia AELB Website which shows a great staff working to monitor the land emissions of the Lynas plant. The Malaysia AELB has high standards. The land itself has a radiation measurement of 0.25 microsieverts/hour which is the natural ground radiation which is half already of what Malaysia allows. Microsievert means a millionth of a sievert! The radioactivity that the workers at the Fukushima Nuclear Plant suffered was 1 sievert/hour which is 4 million times the natural radiation of the ground in Kuantan. Everyone is so scared of everything and do not trust in what they do not understand. Some people are ignorant because they do not study while others simply ignore studying. I trust the Malaysian AELB.
When eating one banana, we swallow 15 Bq of radiation which is 250% higher than the Lynas worst case scenario of 6 Bq per gram.
All our food and everything around us naturally contains radiation. The major natural source of radioactivity in plant tissue is potassium, which in nature contains 0.0117% of the unstable isotope potassium-40. This isotope decays with a half-life of about 1.25 billion years and the activity of natural potassium is about 31 Bq/g – meaning that, in one gram of the element, about 31 atoms will decay per second. Plants naturally contain other radioactive isotopes, such as carbon-14, but their contribution to the total activity is much smaller. Since a typical banana contains about half a gram of potassium, it will have an activity of roughly 15 Bq.
Nick, the issue of Sondhi which you mention are over his loony behaviour, of course he will not be touched over references to monarchy for reasons people know about but cannot talk about. He has passed his use-by-date for the amaat/Abhisit. the case against him concerns corruption and massive financial malfeasance and dodgy corporate dealings since after 1997 financial crisis that could have brought elements of the country to its knees (and almost did). the court “had” (emphasis) to charge him for a lengthy jail time of life because the case was cut and dry but reduced to a triffling maximum in accordance to the law…But go to jail? not while the amaat still control nation at least
I would love to see one of these conspiracy theories actually proven with hard evidence one day. Seems like only a pattern can be discerned here, that if you have money and power you can get bail and avoid the shackles and ball and chain. His ultimate fate? 1. The appeal could last a long long time. Samak served as Prime Minister and then died before any decision on his appeal was made. 2. Maybe Sondhi will ultimately join Vatana of Klong Dan waste treatment corruption fame and godfather, convicted murderer, father of former tourism minister under Thaksin and father-in-law of current culture minister under Thaksin’s sister, Somchai Khunpluem (aka Kamnan Poh) in Cambodia where he can avoid his fate. The real issue seems to be that the whole justice system is so slow, requires lots of money and requires powerful people to support you sometimes (can cite instances of this), so people without money cannot use it, therefore not really a “justice” system.
If you are going to put my quotes in quotation marks please make sure that they are indeed my quotes.
I never said “because it failed to follow standard procedures in Malaysia in getting its investment approved ”.
In fact quite the opposite. The Malaysian Government has worked quite hand in glove with Lynas Corp. Government officials have from time to time been confused with Lynas Spokespeople and Lynas have amazed many with their ability to never put so much as a foot wrong with the Malaysian Government.
Which brings me to an important part of my opposition to this plant. I reserve the greater part of my opprobrium not for Lynas but for the Malaysian Government. I’m not accusing Lynas of failing to play by the rules or cheating. I’m saying the rules are themselves corrupt.
I am quick to state that I have no proof Lynas have paid any bribes to the Malaysian Government. I do however feel ok saying that Lynas probably paid bribes to Malaysian Government figures.
What I can say is that Malaysia sits at number 60 on the Corruption Perceptions Index published by Transparency International. Australia sits at number 8. So I think right there we have the answer, or at least part it, as to why it is so much more profitable for Lynas to operate in Malaysia and not in Australia. In its corrupt practices, Malaysia finds a competitive advantage over Australia.
The other thing I feel fairly comfortable saying is that the Malaysian Government is not filled with kindly old men who live in wooden Kampung houses, more interested in prayer 5 times a day than they are in money. No, quite the contrary, their avarice seems to know no bounds.
The other thing I feel quite comfortable saying is that for 12 years Lynas will give NOTHING to Malaysia that we know of. Publicly, the Malaysian Government have asked Lynas for NOTHING. No taxes, no export quotas, nothing. Lynas are to become the first supply of Rare Earths outside of China in over a decade and the Malaysian Government, not fools by any stretch of the imagination, ask for nothing in return? So with so little being asked from Lynas in an OFFICIAL sense, we know there must have been an awful lot asked for in an UNOFFICIAL sense. You can have your choice. The Malaysian Government are either stupid to the point of being unfit to govern or they are Corrupt to the point of being unfit to govern.
You put the facts together and see if you wouldn’t recommend knocking Malaysia a few rungs further down on that Corruption Perceptions Index.
K Howell mentions that many of the anti-Lynas folk are not from Kuantan. I would say that the protests held at the weekend probably confirm this. In Penang, KL, Ipoh, Sabah and indeed in Kuantan there were protests that each attracted thousands of people. I dare say the people in the rest of Malaysia have probably reached the conclusion that if the Government is willing to do this to Kuantan they will be just as willing to do it elsewhere in Malaysia. Finally the “its not in my backyard so I don’t care” attitude has reached its used by date.
It K Howell trolling me? He/she points out that I am protesting for a cause that cannot be proven until something goes horribly wrong. Yes stopping the thing before something goes horribly wrong is exactly the idea. No use saying “I told you so” when kids are dying of cancer.
I would not be too sure that Sondhi may still be protected. Over the past year Sondhi has turned himself into a threat to his erstwhile backers most of whom he has alienated during his protests against the Abhisit government. In his vitriolic speeches he called many former Hiso PAD rally attendants as Hiso-PAD and not real PAD, he called Prayudh and the leadership of the military cowards, said Abhisit was worse than Thaksin, and verbally attacked people such as Dr. Chirmsak Pinthong.
As a result you could see that the area behind the stage during the 2011 rallies, previously visited by hordes of influential people and mostly off limits to journalists was now almost empty, and open to us journos (hardly anybody though bothered to report on the rallies).
Many allies and sections of the PAD have left the PAD over the past year, and joined up with Siam Samarki, such as Dr. Tul, Chirmsak Pinthong and other academics, the group of 40 senators, and important retired generals. What is now left in the PAD is now basically the rump “ASTV group”, and the allied Santi Asoke sect, which is still playing all anti Red/anti-Thaksin groups. Also the Democrat Party has withdrawn its support from the PAD, and given the hatred of the speeches in the rallies of the first half of 2011, i have certain doubts that these former allies can make up again. I cannot see military support for the PAD anymore, as was openly visible in 2006 and 2008.
All recent PAD meetings were numerically small, most attendants were elderly. Also Sondhi’s once powerful oratory skills declined. As it stands now – he is a shadow of his former self, and quite isolated. He may of course rise again (as he has shown several times in his speckled career), but presently he is not an actor in the game.
I agree with Jim Taylor. At the moment when he was granted the bail (rumored to cost 10m baht?) I knew he would never serve a single day in prison. My personal conspiracy theory goes as far as to regard this sentence nothing but a fake show to urge the red shirts to drop their double standards accusation.
I do hope your are not a typical example product of Malaysia’s education system. As Greg said, you are entitled to your views, but I do think views should be grounded in facts.
“will the Malay Sultans be vanished by the Oppositon”
This is probably a good thing, but cannot happen as it requires two thirds majority in Parliament and the last say is still with the Sultants themselves.
“The Chinese will gradually control our economy and politics. Soon Malaysia will be the same as Indonesia, full of corruption and a big gap between rich and poor”
For a start, the Chinese do not control the sconomy now, the “Malays” do, thru the GLCs and other cronies. If you are not a crony or a cyber trooper, then I guess you do not share in the booty. THis probably explain why you thik the Chinese control the economy or will control the economy.
In the event that the PR takes over the Federal govt, there will still be more “Malays” then other Malaysians in Parliament. Some re-alignment of management in GLCs will probably occur (reduction of political appointees) , making them actually more efficient and profitable. This is a good thing not a bad thing.
As for corruption, you seem to think there is no corruption in Malaysia now! Please pull your head out of the sand… thanks
Gap between the rich and poor? The middle class is now suffering in Malaysia because of the stagnated income situation. The cronies, including Malays, chinese and indians are getting richer and richer. Just take a look at all the contracts awards! Inflated prices, mediocre performance.
“I dont hate the Chinese or Indians, but we malays were the ‘original’ ones.”
This is a good one! Where did you learn your history? Are you an aborigine? Most of the Malays came over from Sumetra in the last 300 years. The early chinese came to Melaka in the 1400s. How far back do you want to go to claim ownershipof a land?
BTW, as Greg said, do you understand what it means by citizenship? The Chinese and for that matter Indians/Arabs were here way before the concept of citizenship was even thought of.
Having control the country for so long and treating it like their own property, the BN govt has forgotten that Malaya was born in 1955 and Malaysia in 1963. Through poor education and propaganda, thr Malays have been brainwashed into thinking the same way.
If you want to build a nation, then you have to start thinking “Malaysian” not Malays and pendatang. A lot of Chinese have more claim to the land than most Malays, who came much later to the land now called Peninsula Malaysia
Ryan Albrey writes; ‘Far cheaper to give to the handful of Government figures that make decisions’
This is implying that Lynas has paid off figure heads.
Do you have any evidence of this?
Ryan Albrey also quotes “because it failed to follow standard procedures in Malaysia in getting its investment approved ”
Lynas had followed every single rule in the Malaysian book, else why would the project be approved at all?
Lynas is in continueous discussions with the locals, the obstacle is that Anti-Lynas groups; that do not live near the plant are out there everyday protesting a cause that cannot be proved unless something actually goes horribly wrong.
The real locals are getting brushed off by the anti-Lynas groups who claim to speak on their behalf.
There are hazards associated with Rare Earth’s, but the dangers have been proven to be far less than what is been told to the locals by the Anti-Lynas protestors. This was not studies by Malaysians alone.
This study was completed by a panel of internation experts and regulartory associations, or is Ryan saying these experts were also “paid off” ?
sondhi will not be touched. it is nonsense to believe that he will serve one day in prison. There is no “sacrifice”. The prison sentence was purely theatre as the judgement by the amaat regime was made at the same time to keep 71 year old Surachai Sae Dan in prison for 7.5 years denying bail to all anti-112’ers.
First of all, my opinion may be completely wrong because I have yet to listen to Ajarn Giles and Mr Farrelly’s talks, so I am completely ignorant of their analysis.
However, in my opinion my other friends who view the situation only at the surface, we tend to see this situation as one which the Court ruled in his favour. The evidence is sufficient to jail him; hence, it would be too absurd for the Courts to find him not guilty. Nevertheless, due to the fact that he is one of the ‘Thai elites’ on the yellow side, the Court gave him leniency by allowing him to be on parole instead of being jailed.
But again, I am completely ignorant of the deep analysis. Once I get my hands on the detailed analysis, my opinion may completely change.
Next round? Bad news for Thaksin’s haters as Sonthi Lim was sentenced to 20 years in jail. Mind you, this is not for occupying the two airports but for falsifying reports so as to get loans from Krungthai way back in 1995. He was still praising Thaksin then and became upset only when thaksin ignored his request to help him out of the bad loan problem.
Will the yellow shirts go on rampage in Bangkok streets again? I doubt it as only stupid people still believe this big-mouthed clown.
Personally, my son and I like the song, from a creative angle as well as the catch lyrics!
(And by the way, ANYONE and EVERYONE who’s been familiar with Namewee knows he’s a creative genius, has a tad of a genetically encoded REBEL spirit in all his creations; hence, it’s like telling Einstein he’s smart).
Now, to address the specific issue that this video has been a FAILURE as it has failed to isolate /pin point the issue of Anti-Lynas and NOT lumping in the Anti-Australian issue as well,
I have this to say:
You can’t STOP human emotions
You can’t HELP but feel in a particular way
Hey, if you feel strongly about Made in China products, you simply want to buy LOCAL OZ products, right?
You won’t want to visit China that often, or go and inhale the polluted mist that engulf Shanghai, would you?
Hence, the very act of LUMPING together issues is not new – our MINDS simply REACT in such a way after many attempts of PAST CONDITIONING!
The factors that we need to take into account WHY Namewee has chosen to do this may be various:
a) Maybe he is trying to promote himself
b) Maybe he is trying to promote his film
c) Maybe he is GENUINELY and sincerely trying to HELP Malaysians, and you can sense the PRIDE and PROTECTIONISTIC nature in him as he babble on about Lynas getting OUT of Malaysia
We can’t elicit the true motive, unless we get to know him better!
As mature audience, and as mature Australians – we’ve just GOT to take this with a pinch of salt, through the lense of creativity and a release of pent up ANTI-LYNAS emotions (with a lumpy unhappiness-about-Australia thrown in as well), a 2-in-1 approach!
To me, it reflects the market sentiments of a a MARKET DRIVEN EMOTION and MARKET DRIVEN AMYGDALA hijack that typifies human reactions to a specific issue!
Where do we go from here?
Getting UPSET and launch a counter attack?
Hmmm, that is going to be very un-Australian (but, there is a slim possibility)
Getting some Media spot light? Possible too.
I think the BIGGEST BANG for BUCk GOOD that can emerge out of this Namewee Anti-Lynas video would be a deeper and more intense PUBLIC AWARENESS of the green issue that Kuantan-nites are gravely facing RIGHT NOW!
Whilst we are taking, chatting on email – it’s like the photographer who took the photo of the African child besides a vulture!
We cannot be mere ‘ACT COOL” people
We need to be ACTION driven
Do what we can, with what we HAVE
for MAXIMIZE GOOD for the present and future generations!
SAVE Malaysia
STOP Lynas
20,000 protestors form H.20 have spoken (as seen in Namewee vide0)
That represents the feelings of 22 millions of Malaysians
INCLUDING MSYELF.
Until that day – I pray, wish and work with eveyrone else, the gentlemen Australians who don’t wish Lynas to set foot in Malaysia
to ACTUALIZE this reality!
Lese Majeste Laws
Nitirat academic Worachet assualted
The Nation February 29, 2012 5:18 pm
Nitirat academic Worachet assualted
Nitirat academic Worachaet Pakeerut was attacked by two unidentied men and sustained injuries at the parking lof of Thammasat University, Metropolitan Police commissioner said on Wednesday.
“Police are checking security cameras at the Tha Phrachan campus in order to identify the suspects,” Lt General Wichai Thongsong said.
Wichai said pollice were persuing all leads and had not drawn conclusion on the motive behind the attack.
Following the attack, Worachet underwent a medical check-up at Thonburi Hospital and filed a complaint. Chana Songkhram police station has the jurisdiction over the case.
Speaking to reporters after his treatment, Worachet said he was talking to a lecturer from Mahidol Universti when two men sneaked from behind to deliver several puches in his face.
“I was hit and everything happened so suddenly that I could not even remember the profile of my attackers,” he said.
He sustained bruises and some minor cuts in the face.
Thanapol Eawsakul, editor of Fa Diew Kan magazine, said he was a witness at the scene, seeing two attackers fleeing by a motorcycle.
Anti-coup activist Sombat Boonngarm-anong tweeted that the motorcycle license plate was Mo Tho 684.
Worachet is the core leader of Nitirat academic group spearheading a campaign to amend the lese majeste law. He is seen as a controversial figure due to his outspokenness in opposing the coup. His political views are often favouring the pro-Thaksin camp.
jonfernquest helpfully links to the article in the Bangkok Post, which should be read. It casts doubt on the notion that there is a “plan.” Indeed, a reading could be that this is an expression of an idea by one politician. The claim that it is a “plan” is overblown it seems.
If anything will be the catalyst for a coup in the not too distant future, it would likely be something in the constitution rewrite related to the institution of the monarchy, but today (a news item that is likely to be neglected by academics) is of a plan afoot to abolish the Constitution Court and the Administrative Court, the later being responsible for many progressive rulings such as the one forcing the environmental cleaning up of the Map Ta Phut Industrial Park [here]. Some critical legal studies academic with the time and analytical machinery should really engage with this 🙂
In fact i confess i know ‘less than nothing’ (to wax Hegelian) about Thailand. So i better not say anything here (grin), **except** that when it comes to larger narratives, Zizek (as with most continental philosophers) usually asks a few things:
– is there an obscene underside to this big story? does it, in a way, ‘cheat’?
– which group has it conveniently excluded?
Narratives involve economic or technological convergence or a general take on ‘mass psychological anxiety’ are usually chided by SZ for their brushing away of class antagonism and tacit support of Capital.
Then again, to the extent that much of Thailand’s political angst is a result of a large group of poor workers showing their fists to the richer classes (the Red Protest?), then **maybe** Zizek would encourage their further organisation and politicisation followed by, phew: violent action (i kid you not).
The bimbo Thai PM Yingluck and her whole cabinet are quite obviously being manipulated by former Thai PM and fugitive Thaksin. Same thing with the violent Red Shirts movement whose leaders, like Yingluck and her Peau Thai Party, are all puppets to Thaksin, the Beloved Red Leader.
The constitutional rewrite process has only one and only one goal . . . get the pardon for Thaksin and get him quickly reinstated as official party leader and eventually Thai PM.
It’s easy to see that there are lots of ’rounds’ to follow . . . more anger and more vitriol, and more violence in every round.
Well obviously highlighting the larger narrative is not going to ‘do justice’ to the complex nexuses between thought and action, but why must it do so? I’m not sure what you’re expecting. Do these complex nexuses not feed into the larger, more callous narrative as something everyone involved can identify with, whatever their particular complex view?
Alwyn,
Thanks for this article. Great way to canvas what’s going on in Malaysia — and elsewhere! Zizek is a big can of worms. I like him.
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Sondhi Limthongkul going to gaol?
I only met Sondhi once, and Thaksin once, so can’t give any kind of meaningful impression other than first. However, calling Sondhi one of the elites I tend to feel uncomfortable about. Elites in Thailand to me do not include free-wheeling media barons. Elites, I think, are far more deeply entrenched and stand little chance of being shot at over 100 times in such an open manner.
As to Sondhi’s relationships with the Amart, again it seems to be talked more about than what is likely to be factual. Yes, he has relationships of a sort, but not those that include him in that sacred circle.
Very good die to die
Namewee is a Rebel but surely not Einstein. Have not found anyone yet on all the blogs about Lynas who has any understanding of what 1 bequerel of radiation per gram means which is the amount the final waste of the Lynas plant would produce. Some people in Western Australia have built their homes on land that carries naturally much more radiation than that.
Eight people were reported by the Malaysian ministry of Health having come down with leukemia around the former Mitsubishi rare earths plant which I agree was a dirty plant of poor design but for a population that dense, eight cases of leukemia is within the norm for the population worldwide.
The thorium at the Lynas plant would be so diluted that even in the final stages of separation the emissions would be at the maximum 6 bequerels which does not come even close to the Malaysian AELB standard of 0.51 microsieverts/hour. See the Malaysia AELB Website which shows a great staff working to monitor the land emissions of the Lynas plant. The Malaysia AELB has high standards. The land itself has a radiation measurement of 0.25 microsieverts/hour which is the natural ground radiation which is half already of what Malaysia allows. Microsievert means a millionth of a sievert! The radioactivity that the workers at the Fukushima Nuclear Plant suffered was 1 sievert/hour which is 4 million times the natural radiation of the ground in Kuantan. Everyone is so scared of everything and do not trust in what they do not understand. Some people are ignorant because they do not study while others simply ignore studying. I trust the Malaysian AELB.
When eating one banana, we swallow 15 Bq of radiation which is 250% higher than the Lynas worst case scenario of 6 Bq per gram.
All our food and everything around us naturally contains radiation. The major natural source of radioactivity in plant tissue is potassium, which in nature contains 0.0117% of the unstable isotope potassium-40. This isotope decays with a half-life of about 1.25 billion years and the activity of natural potassium is about 31 Bq/g – meaning that, in one gram of the element, about 31 atoms will decay per second. Plants naturally contain other radioactive isotopes, such as carbon-14, but their contribution to the total activity is much smaller. Since a typical banana contains about half a gram of potassium, it will have an activity of roughly 15 Bq.
Sondhi Limthongkul going to gaol?
Nick, the issue of Sondhi which you mention are over his loony behaviour, of course he will not be touched over references to monarchy for reasons people know about but cannot talk about. He has passed his use-by-date for the amaat/Abhisit. the case against him concerns corruption and massive financial malfeasance and dodgy corporate dealings since after 1997 financial crisis that could have brought elements of the country to its knees (and almost did). the court “had” (emphasis) to charge him for a lengthy jail time of life because the case was cut and dry but reduced to a triffling maximum in accordance to the law…But go to jail? not while the amaat still control nation at least
Sondhi Limthongkul going to gaol?
I would love to see one of these conspiracy theories actually proven with hard evidence one day. Seems like only a pattern can be discerned here, that if you have money and power you can get bail and avoid the shackles and ball and chain. His ultimate fate? 1. The appeal could last a long long time. Samak served as Prime Minister and then died before any decision on his appeal was made. 2. Maybe Sondhi will ultimately join Vatana of Klong Dan waste treatment corruption fame and godfather, convicted murderer, father of former tourism minister under Thaksin and father-in-law of current culture minister under Thaksin’s sister, Somchai Khunpluem (aka Kamnan Poh) in Cambodia where he can avoid his fate. The real issue seems to be that the whole justice system is so slow, requires lots of money and requires powerful people to support you sometimes (can cite instances of this), so people without money cannot use it, therefore not really a “justice” system.
Lynas – with love from Perth!
Dear K Howell,
If you are going to put my quotes in quotation marks please make sure that they are indeed my quotes.
I never said “because it failed to follow standard procedures in Malaysia in getting its investment approved ”.
In fact quite the opposite. The Malaysian Government has worked quite hand in glove with Lynas Corp. Government officials have from time to time been confused with Lynas Spokespeople and Lynas have amazed many with their ability to never put so much as a foot wrong with the Malaysian Government.
Which brings me to an important part of my opposition to this plant. I reserve the greater part of my opprobrium not for Lynas but for the Malaysian Government. I’m not accusing Lynas of failing to play by the rules or cheating. I’m saying the rules are themselves corrupt.
I am quick to state that I have no proof Lynas have paid any bribes to the Malaysian Government. I do however feel ok saying that Lynas probably paid bribes to Malaysian Government figures.
What I can say is that Malaysia sits at number 60 on the Corruption Perceptions Index published by Transparency International. Australia sits at number 8. So I think right there we have the answer, or at least part it, as to why it is so much more profitable for Lynas to operate in Malaysia and not in Australia. In its corrupt practices, Malaysia finds a competitive advantage over Australia.
The other thing I feel fairly comfortable saying is that the Malaysian Government is not filled with kindly old men who live in wooden Kampung houses, more interested in prayer 5 times a day than they are in money. No, quite the contrary, their avarice seems to know no bounds.
The other thing I feel quite comfortable saying is that for 12 years Lynas will give NOTHING to Malaysia that we know of. Publicly, the Malaysian Government have asked Lynas for NOTHING. No taxes, no export quotas, nothing. Lynas are to become the first supply of Rare Earths outside of China in over a decade and the Malaysian Government, not fools by any stretch of the imagination, ask for nothing in return? So with so little being asked from Lynas in an OFFICIAL sense, we know there must have been an awful lot asked for in an UNOFFICIAL sense. You can have your choice. The Malaysian Government are either stupid to the point of being unfit to govern or they are Corrupt to the point of being unfit to govern.
You put the facts together and see if you wouldn’t recommend knocking Malaysia a few rungs further down on that Corruption Perceptions Index.
K Howell mentions that many of the anti-Lynas folk are not from Kuantan. I would say that the protests held at the weekend probably confirm this. In Penang, KL, Ipoh, Sabah and indeed in Kuantan there were protests that each attracted thousands of people. I dare say the people in the rest of Malaysia have probably reached the conclusion that if the Government is willing to do this to Kuantan they will be just as willing to do it elsewhere in Malaysia. Finally the “its not in my backyard so I don’t care” attitude has reached its used by date.
It K Howell trolling me? He/she points out that I am protesting for a cause that cannot be proven until something goes horribly wrong. Yes stopping the thing before something goes horribly wrong is exactly the idea. No use saying “I told you so” when kids are dying of cancer.
Sondhi Limthongkul going to gaol?
“Jim Taylor”:
I would not be too sure that Sondhi may still be protected. Over the past year Sondhi has turned himself into a threat to his erstwhile backers most of whom he has alienated during his protests against the Abhisit government. In his vitriolic speeches he called many former Hiso PAD rally attendants as Hiso-PAD and not real PAD, he called Prayudh and the leadership of the military cowards, said Abhisit was worse than Thaksin, and verbally attacked people such as Dr. Chirmsak Pinthong.
As a result you could see that the area behind the stage during the 2011 rallies, previously visited by hordes of influential people and mostly off limits to journalists was now almost empty, and open to us journos (hardly anybody though bothered to report on the rallies).
Many allies and sections of the PAD have left the PAD over the past year, and joined up with Siam Samarki, such as Dr. Tul, Chirmsak Pinthong and other academics, the group of 40 senators, and important retired generals. What is now left in the PAD is now basically the rump “ASTV group”, and the allied Santi Asoke sect, which is still playing all anti Red/anti-Thaksin groups. Also the Democrat Party has withdrawn its support from the PAD, and given the hatred of the speeches in the rallies of the first half of 2011, i have certain doubts that these former allies can make up again. I cannot see military support for the PAD anymore, as was openly visible in 2006 and 2008.
All recent PAD meetings were numerically small, most attendants were elderly. Also Sondhi’s once powerful oratory skills declined. As it stands now – he is a shadow of his former self, and quite isolated. He may of course rise again (as he has shown several times in his speckled career), but presently he is not an actor in the game.
Sondhi Limthongkul going to gaol?
I agree with Jim Taylor. At the moment when he was granted the bail (rumored to cost 10m baht?) I knew he would never serve a single day in prison. My personal conspiracy theory goes as far as to regard this sentence nothing but a fake show to urge the red shirts to drop their double standards accusation.
The 13th General Election in Malaysia
“I am a Malaysian #21”
I do hope your are not a typical example product of Malaysia’s education system. As Greg said, you are entitled to your views, but I do think views should be grounded in facts.
“will the Malay Sultans be vanished by the Oppositon”
This is probably a good thing, but cannot happen as it requires two thirds majority in Parliament and the last say is still with the Sultants themselves.
“The Chinese will gradually control our economy and politics. Soon Malaysia will be the same as Indonesia, full of corruption and a big gap between rich and poor”
For a start, the Chinese do not control the sconomy now, the “Malays” do, thru the GLCs and other cronies. If you are not a crony or a cyber trooper, then I guess you do not share in the booty. THis probably explain why you thik the Chinese control the economy or will control the economy.
In the event that the PR takes over the Federal govt, there will still be more “Malays” then other Malaysians in Parliament. Some re-alignment of management in GLCs will probably occur (reduction of political appointees) , making them actually more efficient and profitable. This is a good thing not a bad thing.
As for corruption, you seem to think there is no corruption in Malaysia now! Please pull your head out of the sand… thanks
Gap between the rich and poor? The middle class is now suffering in Malaysia because of the stagnated income situation. The cronies, including Malays, chinese and indians are getting richer and richer. Just take a look at all the contracts awards! Inflated prices, mediocre performance.
“I dont hate the Chinese or Indians, but we malays were the ‘original’ ones.”
This is a good one! Where did you learn your history? Are you an aborigine? Most of the Malays came over from Sumetra in the last 300 years. The early chinese came to Melaka in the 1400s. How far back do you want to go to claim ownershipof a land?
BTW, as Greg said, do you understand what it means by citizenship? The Chinese and for that matter Indians/Arabs were here way before the concept of citizenship was even thought of.
Having control the country for so long and treating it like their own property, the BN govt has forgotten that Malaya was born in 1955 and Malaysia in 1963. Through poor education and propaganda, thr Malays have been brainwashed into thinking the same way.
If you want to build a nation, then you have to start thinking “Malaysian” not Malays and pendatang. A lot of Chinese have more claim to the land than most Malays, who came much later to the land now called Peninsula Malaysia
Lynas – with love from Perth!
Ryan Albrey writes; ‘Far cheaper to give to the handful of Government figures that make decisions’
This is implying that Lynas has paid off figure heads.
Do you have any evidence of this?
Ryan Albrey also quotes “because it failed to follow standard procedures in Malaysia in getting its investment approved ”
Lynas had followed every single rule in the Malaysian book, else why would the project be approved at all?
Lynas is in continueous discussions with the locals, the obstacle is that Anti-Lynas groups; that do not live near the plant are out there everyday protesting a cause that cannot be proved unless something actually goes horribly wrong.
The real locals are getting brushed off by the anti-Lynas groups who claim to speak on their behalf.
There are hazards associated with Rare Earth’s, but the dangers have been proven to be far less than what is been told to the locals by the Anti-Lynas protestors. This was not studies by Malaysians alone.
This study was completed by a panel of internation experts and regulartory associations, or is Ryan saying these experts were also “paid off” ?
Sondhi Limthongkul going to gaol?
sondhi will not be touched. it is nonsense to believe that he will serve one day in prison. There is no “sacrifice”. The prison sentence was purely theatre as the judgement by the amaat regime was made at the same time to keep 71 year old Surachai Sae Dan in prison for 7.5 years denying bail to all anti-112’ers.
Very good die to die
Are you kidding me…you forgot one thing “POLITICAL MOTIVATION!!” Dont let the truth stand in the way of a good politically motivated STORY!!
The opposition party have been proven to falsify the facts for their own political gain…preying on the nievety of helpless followers..
Lynas poses no threat to Malaysia or Kuantan
Sondhi Limthongkul going to gaol?
First of all, my opinion may be completely wrong because I have yet to listen to Ajarn Giles and Mr Farrelly’s talks, so I am completely ignorant of their analysis.
However, in my opinion my other friends who view the situation only at the surface, we tend to see this situation as one which the Court ruled in his favour. The evidence is sufficient to jail him; hence, it would be too absurd for the Courts to find him not guilty. Nevertheless, due to the fact that he is one of the ‘Thai elites’ on the yellow side, the Court gave him leniency by allowing him to be on parole instead of being jailed.
But again, I am completely ignorant of the deep analysis. Once I get my hands on the detailed analysis, my opinion may completely change.
Thailand’s next round?
Next round? Bad news for Thaksin’s haters as Sonthi Lim was sentenced to 20 years in jail. Mind you, this is not for occupying the two airports but for falsifying reports so as to get loans from Krungthai way back in 1995. He was still praising Thaksin then and became upset only when thaksin ignored his request to help him out of the bad loan problem.
Will the yellow shirts go on rampage in Bangkok streets again? I doubt it as only stupid people still believe this big-mouthed clown.
Very good die to die
Personally, my son and I like the song, from a creative angle as well as the catch lyrics!
(And by the way, ANYONE and EVERYONE who’s been familiar with Namewee knows he’s a creative genius, has a tad of a genetically encoded REBEL spirit in all his creations; hence, it’s like telling Einstein he’s smart).
Now, to address the specific issue that this video has been a FAILURE as it has failed to isolate /pin point the issue of Anti-Lynas and NOT lumping in the Anti-Australian issue as well,
I have this to say:
You can’t STOP human emotions
You can’t HELP but feel in a particular way
Hey, if you feel strongly about Made in China products, you simply want to buy LOCAL OZ products, right?
You won’t want to visit China that often, or go and inhale the polluted mist that engulf Shanghai, would you?
Hence, the very act of LUMPING together issues is not new – our MINDS simply REACT in such a way after many attempts of PAST CONDITIONING!
The factors that we need to take into account WHY Namewee has chosen to do this may be various:
a) Maybe he is trying to promote himself
b) Maybe he is trying to promote his film
c) Maybe he is GENUINELY and sincerely trying to HELP Malaysians, and you can sense the PRIDE and PROTECTIONISTIC nature in him as he babble on about Lynas getting OUT of Malaysia
We can’t elicit the true motive, unless we get to know him better!
As mature audience, and as mature Australians – we’ve just GOT to take this with a pinch of salt, through the lense of creativity and a release of pent up ANTI-LYNAS emotions (with a lumpy unhappiness-about-Australia thrown in as well), a 2-in-1 approach!
To me, it reflects the market sentiments of a a MARKET DRIVEN EMOTION and MARKET DRIVEN AMYGDALA hijack that typifies human reactions to a specific issue!
Where do we go from here?
Getting UPSET and launch a counter attack?
Hmmm, that is going to be very un-Australian (but, there is a slim possibility)
Getting some Media spot light? Possible too.
I think the BIGGEST BANG for BUCk GOOD that can emerge out of this Namewee Anti-Lynas video would be a deeper and more intense PUBLIC AWARENESS of the green issue that Kuantan-nites are gravely facing RIGHT NOW!
Whilst we are taking, chatting on email – it’s like the photographer who took the photo of the African child besides a vulture!
We cannot be mere ‘ACT COOL” people
We need to be ACTION driven
Do what we can, with what we HAVE
for MAXIMIZE GOOD for the present and future generations!
SAVE Malaysia
STOP Lynas
20,000 protestors form H.20 have spoken (as seen in Namewee vide0)
That represents the feelings of 22 millions of Malaysians
INCLUDING MSYELF.
Until that day – I pray, wish and work with eveyrone else, the gentlemen Australians who don’t wish Lynas to set foot in Malaysia
to ACTUALIZE this reality!
David Kam,
Perth, Western Australia.
A catalogue of threats against the Khana Nitirat
Lese Majeste Laws
Nitirat academic Worachet assualted
The Nation February 29, 2012 5:18 pm
Nitirat academic Worachet assualted
Nitirat academic Worachaet Pakeerut was attacked by two unidentied men and sustained injuries at the parking lof of Thammasat University, Metropolitan Police commissioner said on Wednesday.
“Police are checking security cameras at the Tha Phrachan campus in order to identify the suspects,” Lt General Wichai Thongsong said.
Wichai said pollice were persuing all leads and had not drawn conclusion on the motive behind the attack.
Following the attack, Worachet underwent a medical check-up at Thonburi Hospital and filed a complaint. Chana Songkhram police station has the jurisdiction over the case.
Speaking to reporters after his treatment, Worachet said he was talking to a lecturer from Mahidol Universti when two men sneaked from behind to deliver several puches in his face.
“I was hit and everything happened so suddenly that I could not even remember the profile of my attackers,” he said.
He sustained bruises and some minor cuts in the face.
Thanapol Eawsakul, editor of Fa Diew Kan magazine, said he was a witness at the scene, seeing two attackers fleeing by a motorcycle.
Anti-coup activist Sombat Boonngarm-anong tweeted that the motorcycle license plate was Mo Tho 684.
Worachet is the core leader of Nitirat academic group spearheading a campaign to amend the lese majeste law. He is seen as a controversial figure due to his outspokenness in opposing the coup. His political views are often favouring the pro-Thaksin camp.
Thailand’s next round?
jonfernquest helpfully links to the article in the Bangkok Post, which should be read. It casts doubt on the notion that there is a “plan.” Indeed, a reading could be that this is an expression of an idea by one politician. The claim that it is a “plan” is overblown it seems.
Thailand’s next round?
If anything will be the catalyst for a coup in the not too distant future, it would likely be something in the constitution rewrite related to the institution of the monarchy, but today (a news item that is likely to be neglected by academics) is of a plan afoot to abolish the Constitution Court and the Administrative Court, the later being responsible for many progressive rulings such as the one forcing the environmental cleaning up of the Map Ta Phut Industrial Park [here]. Some critical legal studies academic with the time and analytical machinery should really engage with this 🙂
┼╜i┼╛ek and social change in Malaysia – Part 2
Jon / Sabai,
In fact i confess i know ‘less than nothing’ (to wax Hegelian) about Thailand. So i better not say anything here (grin), **except** that when it comes to larger narratives, Zizek (as with most continental philosophers) usually asks a few things:
– is there an obscene underside to this big story? does it, in a way, ‘cheat’?
– which group has it conveniently excluded?
Narratives involve economic or technological convergence or a general take on ‘mass psychological anxiety’ are usually chided by SZ for their brushing away of class antagonism and tacit support of Capital.
Then again, to the extent that much of Thailand’s political angst is a result of a large group of poor workers showing their fists to the richer classes (the Red Protest?), then **maybe** Zizek would encourage their further organisation and politicisation followed by, phew: violent action (i kid you not).
Thailand’s next round?
The bimbo Thai PM Yingluck and her whole cabinet are quite obviously being manipulated by former Thai PM and fugitive Thaksin. Same thing with the violent Red Shirts movement whose leaders, like Yingluck and her Peau Thai Party, are all puppets to Thaksin, the Beloved Red Leader.
The constitutional rewrite process has only one and only one goal . . . get the pardon for Thaksin and get him quickly reinstated as official party leader and eventually Thai PM.
It’s easy to see that there are lots of ’rounds’ to follow . . . more anger and more vitriol, and more violence in every round.
┼╜i┼╛ek and social change in Malaysia – Part 2
Fernquest,
Well obviously highlighting the larger narrative is not going to ‘do justice’ to the complex nexuses between thought and action, but why must it do so? I’m not sure what you’re expecting. Do these complex nexuses not feed into the larger, more callous narrative as something everyone involved can identify with, whatever their particular complex view?
Alwyn,
Thanks for this article. Great way to canvas what’s going on in Malaysia — and elsewhere! Zizek is a big can of worms. I like him.