I lived and worked in Karachi for 5 years. pakistan’s problems is not just violence and lawlessness..
Politicised islamic idealogies, corruption (insidious) leads to violence (islamic) and lawlessness (corruption)
factions within the BN govt is actually encouraging these type of behavior, albeit in a milder format – rioting against “Chinese” shop keepers etc etc – received praise from PM najib himself for their defence of Malay Pride!!!
well, put simply, the basis of fascist thinking is that persons can be unified only in a unity against someone else, or others. In this case it was Thaksin whose liberal ideology and governance worked against the established interests of a traditional monarchy. This explains the massive propaganda campaign when Thaksin was becoming too good at what he was doing, and the distortion of rational-legal authority under the palace. Mussolini defined monarchy in terms of the supreme synthesis of nationalist values. And yes, monarchies can be totalitarian, they can govern under the illusion of a “staged” democracy (some Thai political scientists used to call this “semi-democracy”!), and express elements of social and economic corporatism. Indeed, fascists in Thailand under the military base their political legitimacy upon the arguments of such traditional authority.
Can a monarchy govern? It is a political system, but a system does not govern.
Here we do have a, however limited, similarity to Nazism. Then many peole were “working for the Fuehrer”, that is, they imagined what the Fuehrer would like them to do and did accordingly. They thought that by doing as such, they were close to the Fuehrer, and thus better then the others. In fact, in their imagination they were! I do think that quite a few monarchists understand themselves as working for the King, even if they hardly ever met HM the King or have any idea what the King would want them to do.
Just a small example: From several messages of the King it is clear that he is opposing coruption. However, quite a few of those working for the king have no problem with beeing quite corupt don’t they? Perhaps monarchy in Thailand is just such an imagination by which some persons can understand themselves as the good persons, in contrast to the bad once who should leave the country.
The question is, who is the Arab and who is the camel?
All this Shariah, Fatwa etc. stuff does not have a base in religion. If it were the case, then how come that we do not have any theological discussion in Malaysia compared to Indonesia? Why don’t we have the leading scholars from Al Azhar at the international Islamic university, but rather people who Norani refers to as “PIMPS”? It is a means to maintain UMNO/BN dominance! Actually this does make sense because if we look at the opposition in Malaysia, their ideas are quite strange! Don’t forget that Anwar hardly ever had a democratic agenda, but was far more into Islamism! My hope is that sooner rather then later, the Malaysian people will understand that it makes little sense to create problems where there are none.
As Christine Gray wrote in her seminal dissertation :
уАК When the King fell from power in 1932, the Nation was ruled by men of non-royal blood and predictable chaos ensued.уАЛ
I humbly suggest that you’re ‘burying the lede’; wouldn’t it be more accurate to say ‘Remember, Pakistan had a female PM who was assassinated by Islamist-sympathizing elements of her government, most probably the Directorate for Inter-Services Intelligence?
Seriously, you have no idea what you are talking about. Please read the “Arab and the Camel” story.
Recent intrusion of the Sysriah court into the civil justice system is a clear indication that the camel’s nose is in the tent…
Malaysia is certainly in a crisis, but definitely not on the way to become a failed state. It is ridiculous to compare Malaysia with Pakistan, Afghanistan etc. The main problem is that the Malaysian people were surprisingly successful in institutionalizing multiculturalism. However, the legitimacy and ratio of UMNO and the Barisan Nasional is based on their argument that only BN is able to avoid racial conflict and riots. Thus, they have to proof that racial conflict is always close. This is why UMNO is engaging in Islamisation as a means to stir up racial tensions. This has nothing much to do with Islam as a religion, but Islam as ethnic marker for Malayness. Another problem is the weakness of the opposition with no alternative vision of Malaysia.
‘Tails’ writes M Hunter. Could this be an unconscious reference to the late р╕Др╕╕р╕Ур╕Чр╕нр╕Зр╣Бр╕Фр╕З?
Speaking of ‘fantasy’, much Thai history – the official narrative that is – certainly qualifies. The contributions by AMM and various others with a serious interest in the country provide a welcome antidote to this guff. Even so I don’t think anyone is claiming to know the absolute or ultimate ‘truth’ about such matters.
As to what constitutes a ‘good analysis of Thailand’ – not exactly sure what you mean? The past, even the very recent past is very much a ‘foreign country’ in Thailand. Research now, and in the decades gone by, has never been easy, sources patchy, with many significant gaps in the materials available. In addition, transparency, openess and a genuine interest in unearthing anything even remotely controversial has long been an anathema to ‘gate-keeper’ authorities at different levels.
I suspect much Thai political history will simply never be known or written about. Try, for example – seeking out all the incisive, comprehensive accounts of Siam/Thailand in WWII and then work your way up to the present. A little more than mere lacuna one would have to say.
“When I visited Tiananmen Square with a Singaporean colleague, we was stunned by dozens of security cameras that loomed over smiling tourists angling their mobile phones for photo opportunities”
It’s interesting that a Singaporean would be stunned by the number of security cameras in Beijing, considering the abundance of security cameras in Singapore.
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Malaysia reaps what UMNO sows
I lived and worked in Karachi for 5 years. pakistan’s problems is not just violence and lawlessness..
Politicised islamic idealogies, corruption (insidious) leads to violence (islamic) and lawlessness (corruption)
factions within the BN govt is actually encouraging these type of behavior, albeit in a milder format – rioting against “Chinese” shop keepers etc etc – received praise from PM najib himself for their defence of Malay Pride!!!
A state of madness
well, put simply, the basis of fascist thinking is that persons can be unified only in a unity against someone else, or others. In this case it was Thaksin whose liberal ideology and governance worked against the established interests of a traditional monarchy. This explains the massive propaganda campaign when Thaksin was becoming too good at what he was doing, and the distortion of rational-legal authority under the palace. Mussolini defined monarchy in terms of the supreme synthesis of nationalist values. And yes, monarchies can be totalitarian, they can govern under the illusion of a “staged” democracy (some Thai political scientists used to call this “semi-democracy”!), and express elements of social and economic corporatism. Indeed, fascists in Thailand under the military base their political legitimacy upon the arguments of such traditional authority.
A state of madness
Can a monarchy govern? It is a political system, but a system does not govern.
Here we do have a, however limited, similarity to Nazism. Then many peole were “working for the Fuehrer”, that is, they imagined what the Fuehrer would like them to do and did accordingly. They thought that by doing as such, they were close to the Fuehrer, and thus better then the others. In fact, in their imagination they were! I do think that quite a few monarchists understand themselves as working for the King, even if they hardly ever met HM the King or have any idea what the King would want them to do.
Just a small example: From several messages of the King it is clear that he is opposing coruption. However, quite a few of those working for the king have no problem with beeing quite corupt don’t they? Perhaps monarchy in Thailand is just such an imagination by which some persons can understand themselves as the good persons, in contrast to the bad once who should leave the country.
Malaysia reaps what UMNO sows
The question is, who is the Arab and who is the camel?
All this Shariah, Fatwa etc. stuff does not have a base in religion. If it were the case, then how come that we do not have any theological discussion in Malaysia compared to Indonesia? Why don’t we have the leading scholars from Al Azhar at the international Islamic university, but rather people who Norani refers to as “PIMPS”? It is a means to maintain UMNO/BN dominance! Actually this does make sense because if we look at the opposition in Malaysia, their ideas are quite strange! Don’t forget that Anwar hardly ever had a democratic agenda, but was far more into Islamism! My hope is that sooner rather then later, the Malaysian people will understand that it makes little sense to create problems where there are none.
A state of madness
As Christine Gray wrote in her seminal dissertation :
уАК When the King fell from power in 1932, the Nation was ruled by men of non-royal blood and predictable chaos ensued.уАЛ
Islamist conservatism in Malaysia
Im trying to understand the languages,it is so dificult
Malaysia reaps what UMNO sows
I humbly suggest that you’re ‘burying the lede’; wouldn’t it be more accurate to say ‘Remember, Pakistan had a female PM who was assassinated by Islamist-sympathizing elements of her government, most probably the Directorate for Inter-Services Intelligence?
Malaysia reaps what UMNO sows
Neptunian, there are no camels in Malaysia – except @KL Zoo. Plenty of indigenous orang-utans though.
In search of truth and justice: a tribute to Benedict Anderson
[…] http://www.newmandala.org/2015/12/28/in-search-of-truth-and-justice-a-tribute-to-bene… […]
Malaysia reaps what UMNO sows
HRK,
Seriously, you have no idea what you are talking about. Please read the “Arab and the Camel” story.
Recent intrusion of the Sysriah court into the civil justice system is a clear indication that the camel’s nose is in the tent…
Can Myanmar keep getting better?
Here is for the aficionados of the rule of law. Enjoy in the wonderful New Year.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WNYemuiAOfU
Malaysia reaps what UMNO sows
Pakistan problem is violence and lawlessness, in term of Islamization, Malaysia is ahead, particularly in terms of silly fatwas.
Remember Pakistan had a female PM and female fighter pilots, something Malaysia has never had.
A state of madness
The monarchy governs absolutely by insisting that only its cronies are appointed to positions of power.
Malaysia reaps what UMNO sows
Malaysia is certainly in a crisis, but definitely not on the way to become a failed state. It is ridiculous to compare Malaysia with Pakistan, Afghanistan etc. The main problem is that the Malaysian people were surprisingly successful in institutionalizing multiculturalism. However, the legitimacy and ratio of UMNO and the Barisan Nasional is based on their argument that only BN is able to avoid racial conflict and riots. Thus, they have to proof that racial conflict is always close. This is why UMNO is engaging in Islamisation as a means to stir up racial tensions. This has nothing much to do with Islam as a religion, but Islam as ethnic marker for Malayness. Another problem is the weakness of the opposition with no alternative vision of Malaysia.
A state of madness
That “reigns, does not rule” mantra – even if true – could become untrue, if the king were a fascist.
A state of madness
Pure rethorical question.
In this Kingdom since 1932 Monarch reigns, does not govern.
Madness and loyalty in Thailand
‘Tails’ writes M Hunter. Could this be an unconscious reference to the late р╕Др╕╕р╕Ур╕Чр╕нр╕Зр╣Бр╕Фр╕З?
Speaking of ‘fantasy’, much Thai history – the official narrative that is – certainly qualifies. The contributions by AMM and various others with a serious interest in the country provide a welcome antidote to this guff. Even so I don’t think anyone is claiming to know the absolute or ultimate ‘truth’ about such matters.
As to what constitutes a ‘good analysis of Thailand’ – not exactly sure what you mean? The past, even the very recent past is very much a ‘foreign country’ in Thailand. Research now, and in the decades gone by, has never been easy, sources patchy, with many significant gaps in the materials available. In addition, transparency, openess and a genuine interest in unearthing anything even remotely controversial has long been an anathema to ‘gate-keeper’ authorities at different levels.
I suspect much Thai political history will simply never be known or written about. Try, for example – seeking out all the incisive, comprehensive accounts of Siam/Thailand in WWII and then work your way up to the present. A little more than mere lacuna one would have to say.
Consumption and control in Beijing
“When I visited Tiananmen Square with a Singaporean colleague, we was stunned by dozens of security cameras that loomed over smiling tourists angling their mobile phones for photo opportunities”
It’s interesting that a Singaporean would be stunned by the number of security cameras in Beijing, considering the abundance of security cameras in Singapore.
Can Myanmar keep getting better?
Hope we can build together with new President in 2016
Madness and loyalty in Thailand
There are too many fantasy writers about Thailand these days, following the tails written by AMM.
I am looking forward to one day reading a good analysis of Thailand.