The Govt of the day (BN) is slowly twisting the “Law” to mean “special rights for Malays” NO rights for the rest. This includes non-malay bumiputras. Of course, the big exception are the Mamaks (Indian Muslims) since they are the ones actually running the show.
I am not a fan of obeisance, and I believe that Tok Guru was adulated somewhat excessively, like Anwar, but that is ended now. I knew Tok Guru moderately well, and there was no denying his charm and humour. I did not share his faith or ideology, and he knew so. I also indicated when, on a rare occasion, poor statements were made about my faith, in person or in Harakah, the PAS Party organ. I do not want to speak poorly of those unable to respond to what I state. Tok Guru had a great impact on PAS, and a very loyal following. He lived humbly and was by no means, ostentatious. He was rather misogynistic once in a blue moon, and I took him to task for that. Hadi Awang’s star had already been rising for some time, even before Tok Guru took ill, and for many in PAS, it was felt that it was now Hadi’s turn (and Hadi is no spring chicken). I never liked the nonsense about PAS “Erdogans” and “Non-Erdogans”, because Tok Guru was
not of Turkish descent (like Tun Hussein Onn)
and PAS and the AKP Party of Erdogan are very different (and Erdogan is NO liberal).
Tok Guru was somewhat more conciliatory (more ‘Malay’)than Hadi who could be easily confused for a Yemenite; Hadi has a more conservative outlook and is more black and white than Tok Guru was, who could at times see the gray in-between, when he allowed himself.
As I have stated in other posts, I am not a PAS man, and in fact, I oppose the Party platform, though I make clear, I admire and respect PAS member, Nizar Jamaluddin, who if he chooses to remain in PAS, I hope will moderate some of its hard Islamic edges. If he tries, he will have contend with Hadi Awang.
Each Malaysian will remember Tok Guru Nik Aziz Nik Mat, as is appropriate. His defining role in Malaysian politics and society, his influence on Kelantan, and his willingness, at times, to forgo hardline Islamic interests, in order to collaborate with the other opposition parties, will comprise his main contributions to Malaysia. I suspect, most will remember his humility, simple lifestyle, and his quick and easy smile. I will try and remember the things I liked about Tok Guru, and try and close the door on things I didn’t. There is enough left over in Malaysia, for that.
So, I end with this Sura prayer, from the Qur’an, for Tok Guru:
“Thou seest not, in the creation of the All-merciful any imperfection, return thy gaze, seest thou any fissure? Then return thy gaze, again and again. Thy gaze, comes back to thee dazzled, aweary…”
“Engkau tidak melihat, dalam penciptaan yang maha-pengasih sebarang ketidaksempurnaan, kembali dalam sekelip mata ! Dapatkah engkau melihat sebarang rekahan ? Kemudian kembali sekelip mata ! Lagi dan lagi. Pandanganmu, datang kembali kepada engkau terpesona, letih…”
Dr Mahathir is THAT something that is rotten in Malaysia, and has been rotting, at least since 1982. The decay of Malaysia is not solely due to Dr Mahathir, but his catalysis of Malaysia’s decay, is extremely exothermic.
Dr Mahathir is the last person, among all Malaysians, that should volunteer an opinion on any topic, relevant to the nation he disfigured.
Regarding Azmin Ali, he is inexperienced, young, and was never mentored by Anwar (no one was mentored by Anwar). Azmin is hardly the most suitable candidate. Even among Malays, the obvious ethnic group to gain the Prime Ministership, Nizar Jamaluddin of PAS (he is in the wrong party, but we will put that aside), Saifuddin Abdullah of UMNO (also in the wrong party), Puan Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, and even Nurul Izzah (both of PKR) exceed Azmin, in maturity, capability, experience and popularity throughout heterogeneous Malaysia. In fact, Baru Bian of PKR is the smartest of the lot, but his ‘crime’ is that he is an Iban, and thus, unlikely to win 75 % of the Malay vote to put him in Putrajaya. It is lost on most radical Malays, that non-Muslim Bumiputera can just as easily claim indigenous status as they can; the issue is not demographic and migratory; it is a false belief that the Constitution is Islamic, when it is not. Special Rights for Malays did not mean, to Tunku or anyone else at that time, no rights for non-Malays.
I commend Bridget for an excellent interview, which captured exactly the context and environment within which Anwar finds himself, and the pressures he and Malaysia face, moving forward.
In this context, I would like to clarify something I wrote, in the context of a comment made by Bridget. Shari’a Law has only been formally applied in Kelantan at the State level. There are Shari’a courts throughout Malaysia, as well as an Ulema council and Muftis in each state. Malaysia is NOT an Islamic State, irrespective of what Isma, Perkasa, and ex-PM Mahathir (who’s memory lapses lead to constant about-faces) might claim. In this context, Puan Wan Azizah or Nurul Izzah, the daughter of Wan Azizah and Anwar Ibrahim, are not legally, a priori, restricted from running for the Prime Ministership of Malaysia, based on the national civil and Islamic laws ON THE BOOKS; however, Islamic scholarly opinion, which is very subjective, may argue that Malay (Muslim) women are prohibited from running. Hadi Awang of PAS has stated so, as has Tok Guru Nik Aziz, also of PAS. Several Mufti have also stated as much, despite no existing NATIONAL civil law that prohibits a Muslim woman from running for the highest office. HOWEVER, registration of all candidates is handled by an UMNO-selected body, of completely non-objective men, and the likelihood of this body accepting the registration of either Wan Azizah or Nurul Izzah is close to nil.
This is for religious and political reasons, in various proportions. This is what I implied in my post above. This is an obvious opaque area that Malaysia has not faced before. With few viable candidates, and given the experience, intellect and ethics of Wan Azizah, as well as her articulate and thought-provoking daughter (though some might argue she is too young, and some might not), they can be seen as viable candidates for elective office, IN principle, based on actual civil laws, but viability is very much diminished, based on UMNO practices and the likely opposition, certainly, of conservative Malay voters (whether they are self-proclaimed Islamic ‘experts’ or not). That Malaysia, with so many analogous issues, has failed to codify, legally and theologically, the pool of allowed political aspirants, is just one more indictment of the Barisan Nasional (BN) and UMNO, specifically, in mismanaging the nation, maintaining an intolerable human rights record, and engendering a shamelessly incompetent and vindictive judiciary. In this environment, as much as I dream of another ‘Tunku’ to lead Malaysia, I suspect the best among potential political aspirants, may not want the headache, corruption and constant bickering, that is part and parcel of being the Prime Minister of Malaysia. Malaysia’s dilemma is to elect the best, while providing a political environment that inhibits the ‘best’ from becoming an unintended victim of their own altruism. I see no such inhibitory process
in Malaysia, and fear that ‘Prime Minister Wan Azizah’, will be subjected to defamation and calumny, the likes of which, Malaysians will have never seen before. That would be tragic for the Prime Minister and for the nation. A good portion of the collective neuroses of Malaysia can be placed at the front door of Tun Dr Mahathir, as that is where it originated.
Let us be clear. Anwar was subjected to abuse, persecution and a kangaroo court system that has an infant’s knowledge of jurisprudence. Let us also be clear that the forensic evidence was useless, as determined by British and Australian forensic scientists, who were witnessing the trial. The contaminated evidence was completely useless and the Defence properly indicated so, at trial. I state on the record, as a scientist and a man with 40 + years in Malaysia from birth, that the Prosecutor, who recently overturned Anwar’s successful appeal is a liar and a fraud. Mr Abdullah’s claim that Malaysia has a 16-point DNA match and higher forensic standards than either the UK or the US, is so bizarre and patently insane, that all his decisions come into question. Malaysia’s forensic services, as seen in the failed reports by the chemist during the first trial, are rudimentary and hardly come even close to Singapore’s or Hong Kong’s forensic skills and experience, Mr Abdullah is recycling lies from the very first trial, where Anwar was railroaded based on flimsy pseudo-evidence; I am quite sure, former Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi (Pak Lah) was quite aware of this, when he released Anwar. This recycled sham attempt to prevent Anwar from political activities is based on UMNO’s and Tun Dr Mahathir’s hatred for Anwar and the opposition. It is neither based on science nor jurisprudence; Malaysia does not have jurisprudence as normal human beings understand the term.
Now, having said all that, I must call for an end to the beatification of Anwar by the local and foreign press and acolytes of his, like former Ambassador Malott who has a limited knowledge of Malaysia and Anwar. Quoting Baginda, a man of dubious values, is useless, Ambassador Malott has an unreasoned support for Anwar without any knowledge of Anwar’s frailties. Anwar was a member of the very party that abuses him, but that one point, he adamantly supported, when it benefited his political fortunes. Anwar did not hesitate to use UMNO to advance himself.
Anwar has a chameleon-like personality, and will offer different paradigms and conceptions, whether his audience is a Malay Ceramah or the Asia Society in New York. I dare ANY Malaysian to prove to me they can state that they know what Anwar REALLY thinks. I would advise not to take up my challenge. When Anwar should have long realized his days of activism were over, and named a successor for PKR, he did not, in the arrogant belief that he would martyr himself for Malaysia; that is unlikely. Anwar’s failure to mentor any PKR members for possible succession is irresponsible, selfish and unacceptable, and Malaysians more than any, need to hear this. In addition, on many occasions, Anwar’s rhetorical flourishes, whether in court, or
for outside consumption, have done him poorly. He is a very different man to Puan Wan Azizah than he is to Paul Wolfowitz, and Malaysians are very na├пve to think otherwise.
Anwar has not, of late, displayed the maturity and sensibility, necessary for leadership of Malaysia. His game is over; time to devote more attention to his family, and finally train and mentor a successor for PKR that would be allowed to run for the next GE, sadly women being restricted by foolish and archaic Shari’a Laws. One does NOT need to be angelic to be persecuted and
abused, of which there is no denying Anwar has been unfairly, subjected to, but all you really need is a sadist and a victim. It is time to put victimhood behind him, and help Malaysia advance forward, by serving other politicians in PKR and DAP (I would advise against PAS myself, with the exception of Datuk Nizar Jamaluddin, a very competent man), rather than serving his own needs. It is why past time, that Dr. Kassim Ahmad, the Father of Malaysia Intelligentsia, abused and persecuted at the age of 81. receive even one mention in the foreign press; he has received none. That Kassim has received barely a mention, while the adulation of a man, in a true sense of a Greek tragedy, continues, is injurious to Malaysia; more so, it is damning and an insult to a far older man, who has served his nation with pen and with wit, who is being treated like an animal by self-anointed Islamic ‘Ulema’.
Focus on what matters in Malaysia; we already have one Pope and he seems to be doing rather well.
As it is these demand/demonstrations reflect the urban citizenry expectation that were not available a short time ago under the useless careless sanction.
The simpler life of rural will eventual catch up due to technology.
You made your point yet if there is “no plan” forward beyond regime change, therefore not unreasonable to let the market dictate.
Meanwhile the education, heathcare of a citizenry can be address w/ minimal politics.
In less time than it take to vilify this regime by the west, the expectation of the rural citizenry will dictate the market. Change will come.
After all Myanmar citizenry is still 2/3+ rural, whose regards for the urban activities such as the students as some thing mostly unacceptable. Making this regime ruthlessness tolerable.
The closed NLD offices (not because of this regime) in every villages with thriving monastery, the sayadaw helping to bring needed Ed, and Heathcare will raise the expectation and dictate the market.
RoL or rule of the market? Economic determinism according to the gospel of plan B just happens to be a basic tenet of the “globalised world” today.
Privatize everything that moves, like Ne Win “nationalized” every trade and business under the Burmese sun. Just let the “middle persons” do the heavy lifting. The regime can stick to their guns, and power. Anything that remotely challenges this must be politically motivated. You are soo clever.
Jokowi is backed by a coalition of parties, of which the biggest is Megawati’s PDI-P. Apart from his long association with that party, on which point Max Lane has already corrected the author of this post, Jokowi has declared himself a Sukarnoist.
But Megawati shouldn’t hog the limelight. In my view, it is from Surya Paloh’s party, NasDem, that Jokowi has made two of his worst appointments, namely Tedjo Edhy Purdijatno and Prasetyo.
It would be foolish to expect Jokowi not to appoint ministers from the parties supporting him. What is lamentable is rather that he has accepted a large number of unpromising nominees from those parties.
this video with its details should remind anyone of impending let down to come.
The objective, already defined here by the government will make the student protesters as unruly hooligans that need ‘parental input’. Will just lead to another round of fake acquiesce, delay, minimal reforms with eventual more arrest of these protesters, that the previous 8888 student leaders can attest to.
The pure objective of improving the education, without any political objective will be to take advantage of the “Privatization of Education” allowed by the present government, through the middle persons. In stead of the quasi HR based protest. a political objective that shall not be tolerated.
Did anyone look at what happened on Koh Tao before and after the two were brutally killed? In the last 2 years, around 6 people went missing and never found – last seen on Koh Tao, most of them young females traveling alone. Another 5 people died after the incident, many staying in the (very) same place as the two Brits killed – one was found hanged with his hands tied to his back – suicide of course – several young girls died in the exact same place or in places with same owners (the island is run by three families, if you think that it sounds like Godfather, bot too far of after staying there 2 years). – the last “incident” was called drug overdose and heart problems for a 22 year old woman. Google it yourself, but it can be very hard to find since no news of dead Tourists come out of Thailand now if it can be prevented – same reason why the court date for the Burmese was postponed for almost a year.
“Like Yudhoyono, Jokowi is burdened by the company he is forced to keep. In order to run for president last year, he had attached himself to the Sukarnoist secular nationalist party, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), led by Megawati Sukarnoputri, a former president herself (2001-2004) …” A bit off: Joko Widodo attached himself to the PDIP about ten years ago in order to run for Mayorship of Solo. It is old relationship which he volunteered for quite a while ago.
To Western governments once the Lady was out (of house arrest) and in (at Naypyidaw) it was the green light they were waiting impatiently for to resume normal diplomatic relations and, more to the point, catch up on trade and business. So this article is a much needed reminder that all’s not well while the feeding frenzy carries on, now open to all.
The real test of this democratisation lark is about to happen as students march on to Rangoon with fierce determination. Will the mask slip too soon and spoil it for the West?
Two big ironies. First, of course, that the KPK was set up during/by Megawati presidency (2002). Second, Jokowi’s rise was made possible by mostly successful decentralization, but so did corruption. Decades after independence, Indonesia still has to resolve the way they deal with power and institutionalized power. Oh no, dont ask Machiavelli why. Ask what Ken Arok, the Dutch and Soeharto’s New Order did to Indonesia, but ask also what you, Indonesians in the first place, can do to their legacies of — power etc — corruption. That “etcetera”, Elizabeth Pisani already noted, is still with us.
Greg, probably best not to overwork a relationship between Horta and the Church. He slaps on a Jesus t-shirt when elections are close, to hoots of derision around the rectory dining table, where he’ll forever remain Maputo.
The Church was an initiator of the 2006-8 violence, advising and supporting Alfredo to the end. And, as you’d expect, beyond. After the botched kidnappings, Salsinha was whisked back to the safety of Estado by priests.
This time, though, the ambitious individuals competing for power haven’t needed to mobilise religion. Yet. Gusmao wants to do two things:
1.Continue to enfold Fretilin into CNRT, which he tried to do prior to the old CNRT splitting into parties
2.Establish a Gov of National Unity to confront Australia and Big Oil in the Timor Sea.
The Church is worried an Oppositionless Parliament could pave the way to Dictatorship. That wouldn’t necessarly threaten the Church’s core interests, unless it were to be a Leftist regime which once more tries to introduce secular Civic Values in Gov schools.
You have to ask, why did NZ and the US see fit to issue travel warnings to their citz after violence in Baucau, then a grenade at the US Embassy, but not a peep from Canberra? Nup, nothing going on folks, just Oz Day barbies.
And was Rudd’s recent Twitter selfie with Gusmao before, or after, he perhaps offered him an international sweetener to step down?
“Don’t burn the rice fields just to kill the rats…”
“Jangan membakar sawah hanya untuk membunuh tikus …”
All those Indonesian domestic workers who may now return to Indonesia, from the likely subsequent introduction of restrictive bans on Indonesian workers in Malaysia, may now find fewer hotels and other related services in which to land employment.
President Jokowi, or his advisors (or both), are displaying short-term populist moves, that require little intelligence and planning, in place of long-term economic policies that might lead to the very societal and economic improvements, that candidate Jokowi promised Indonesia. If President Jokowi does not back up KPK as a corruption-fighting organization, while introducing economic reforms that battle corruption at the core (government largesse), rather than restricting growth sectors which will stifle Indonesia,
he will not last long in the Istana Merdeka. It may not be fair to be so critical, but life is not fair, and in Indonesia, patience has a turn around time of about 24 hours.
Shining let on Mega’s interminable shadow may only be half the job, but unless President Jokowi does so, he will never even get to the other half.
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Anwar Ibrahim’s incarceration and its implications
The Govt of the day (BN) is slowly twisting the “Law” to mean “special rights for Malays” NO rights for the rest. This includes non-malay bumiputras. Of course, the big exception are the Mamaks (Indian Muslims) since they are the ones actually running the show.
Nik Aziz Nik Mat
I am not a fan of obeisance, and I believe that Tok Guru was adulated somewhat excessively, like Anwar, but that is ended now. I knew Tok Guru moderately well, and there was no denying his charm and humour. I did not share his faith or ideology, and he knew so. I also indicated when, on a rare occasion, poor statements were made about my faith, in person or in Harakah, the PAS Party organ. I do not want to speak poorly of those unable to respond to what I state. Tok Guru had a great impact on PAS, and a very loyal following. He lived humbly and was by no means, ostentatious. He was rather misogynistic once in a blue moon, and I took him to task for that. Hadi Awang’s star had already been rising for some time, even before Tok Guru took ill, and for many in PAS, it was felt that it was now Hadi’s turn (and Hadi is no spring chicken). I never liked the nonsense about PAS “Erdogans” and “Non-Erdogans”, because Tok Guru was
not of Turkish descent (like Tun Hussein Onn)
and PAS and the AKP Party of Erdogan are very different (and Erdogan is NO liberal).
Tok Guru was somewhat more conciliatory (more ‘Malay’)than Hadi who could be easily confused for a Yemenite; Hadi has a more conservative outlook and is more black and white than Tok Guru was, who could at times see the gray in-between, when he allowed himself.
As I have stated in other posts, I am not a PAS man, and in fact, I oppose the Party platform, though I make clear, I admire and respect PAS member, Nizar Jamaluddin, who if he chooses to remain in PAS, I hope will moderate some of its hard Islamic edges. If he tries, he will have contend with Hadi Awang.
Each Malaysian will remember Tok Guru Nik Aziz Nik Mat, as is appropriate. His defining role in Malaysian politics and society, his influence on Kelantan, and his willingness, at times, to forgo hardline Islamic interests, in order to collaborate with the other opposition parties, will comprise his main contributions to Malaysia. I suspect, most will remember his humility, simple lifestyle, and his quick and easy smile. I will try and remember the things I liked about Tok Guru, and try and close the door on things I didn’t. There is enough left over in Malaysia, for that.
So, I end with this Sura prayer, from the Qur’an, for Tok Guru:
╪з┘Ж╪к ╪к╪▒┘Й ┘Д╪з╪М ┘Б┘К ╪о┘Д┘В ╪╣┘Е┘И┘Е ╪▒╪н┘К┘Е ╪г┘К ┘Ж┘В╪╡╪М ╪з┘Д╪╣┘И╪п╪й ╪з┘Д┘Ж╪╕╪▒╪й ╪о╪з╪╡╪к┘Г╪М ╪г┘Д┘Е ╪к╪▒ ╪г┘К ╪з┘Д╪┤┘В╪Я ╪л┘Е ╪з┘Д╪╣┘И╪п╪й ╪з┘Д┘Ж╪╕╪▒╪й ╪о╪з╪╡╪к┘Г╪М ┘Е╪▒╪з╪▒╪з ┘И╪к┘Г╪▒╪з╪▒╪з. ╪о╪з╪╡╪к┘Г ╪з┘Д╪и╪╡╪▒╪М ┘К╪╣┘И╪п ╪з┘Д┘К┘Г ┘Е╪и┘З┘И╪▒╪М ╪и╪з┘Д╪╢╪м╪▒
“Thou seest not, in the creation of the All-merciful any imperfection, return thy gaze, seest thou any fissure? Then return thy gaze, again and again. Thy gaze, comes back to thee dazzled, aweary…”
“Engkau tidak melihat, dalam penciptaan yang maha-pengasih sebarang ketidaksempurnaan, kembali dalam sekelip mata ! Dapatkah engkau melihat sebarang rekahan ? Kemudian kembali sekelip mata ! Lagi dan lagi. Pandanganmu, datang kembali kepada engkau terpesona, letih…”
Jockey life in Jakarta
[…] great piece by Miriam Koslay in New Mandala. For about $2 a “jockey” will ride in your car to help you beat minimum occupancy rules […]
Anwar Ibrahim’s incarceration and its implications
Dr Mahathir is THAT something that is rotten in Malaysia, and has been rotting, at least since 1982. The decay of Malaysia is not solely due to Dr Mahathir, but his catalysis of Malaysia’s decay, is extremely exothermic.
Dr Mahathir is the last person, among all Malaysians, that should volunteer an opinion on any topic, relevant to the nation he disfigured.
Regarding Azmin Ali, he is inexperienced, young, and was never mentored by Anwar (no one was mentored by Anwar). Azmin is hardly the most suitable candidate. Even among Malays, the obvious ethnic group to gain the Prime Ministership, Nizar Jamaluddin of PAS (he is in the wrong party, but we will put that aside), Saifuddin Abdullah of UMNO (also in the wrong party), Puan Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, and even Nurul Izzah (both of PKR) exceed Azmin, in maturity, capability, experience and popularity throughout heterogeneous Malaysia. In fact, Baru Bian of PKR is the smartest of the lot, but his ‘crime’ is that he is an Iban, and thus, unlikely to win 75 % of the Malay vote to put him in Putrajaya. It is lost on most radical Malays, that non-Muslim Bumiputera can just as easily claim indigenous status as they can; the issue is not demographic and migratory; it is a false belief that the Constitution is Islamic, when it is not. Special Rights for Malays did not mean, to Tunku or anyone else at that time, no rights for non-Malays.
Life after Anwar
I would like to thank Greg Lopez for providing the following link to Professor
Bridget Welsh’s interview with Bloomberg.
https://screen.yahoo.com/bloomberg/political-persecution-hurting-malaysia-welsh-025318517.html
I commend Bridget for an excellent interview, which captured exactly the context and environment within which Anwar finds himself, and the pressures he and Malaysia face, moving forward.
In this context, I would like to clarify something I wrote, in the context of a comment made by Bridget. Shari’a Law has only been formally applied in Kelantan at the State level. There are Shari’a courts throughout Malaysia, as well as an Ulema council and Muftis in each state. Malaysia is NOT an Islamic State, irrespective of what Isma, Perkasa, and ex-PM Mahathir (who’s memory lapses lead to constant about-faces) might claim. In this context, Puan Wan Azizah or Nurul Izzah, the daughter of Wan Azizah and Anwar Ibrahim, are not legally, a priori, restricted from running for the Prime Ministership of Malaysia, based on the national civil and Islamic laws ON THE BOOKS; however, Islamic scholarly opinion, which is very subjective, may argue that Malay (Muslim) women are prohibited from running. Hadi Awang of PAS has stated so, as has Tok Guru Nik Aziz, also of PAS. Several Mufti have also stated as much, despite no existing NATIONAL civil law that prohibits a Muslim woman from running for the highest office. HOWEVER, registration of all candidates is handled by an UMNO-selected body, of completely non-objective men, and the likelihood of this body accepting the registration of either Wan Azizah or Nurul Izzah is close to nil.
This is for religious and political reasons, in various proportions. This is what I implied in my post above. This is an obvious opaque area that Malaysia has not faced before. With few viable candidates, and given the experience, intellect and ethics of Wan Azizah, as well as her articulate and thought-provoking daughter (though some might argue she is too young, and some might not), they can be seen as viable candidates for elective office, IN principle, based on actual civil laws, but viability is very much diminished, based on UMNO practices and the likely opposition, certainly, of conservative Malay voters (whether they are self-proclaimed Islamic ‘experts’ or not). That Malaysia, with so many analogous issues, has failed to codify, legally and theologically, the pool of allowed political aspirants, is just one more indictment of the Barisan Nasional (BN) and UMNO, specifically, in mismanaging the nation, maintaining an intolerable human rights record, and engendering a shamelessly incompetent and vindictive judiciary. In this environment, as much as I dream of another ‘Tunku’ to lead Malaysia, I suspect the best among potential political aspirants, may not want the headache, corruption and constant bickering, that is part and parcel of being the Prime Minister of Malaysia. Malaysia’s dilemma is to elect the best, while providing a political environment that inhibits the ‘best’ from becoming an unintended victim of their own altruism. I see no such inhibitory process
in Malaysia, and fear that ‘Prime Minister Wan Azizah’, will be subjected to defamation and calumny, the likes of which, Malaysians will have never seen before. That would be tragic for the Prime Minister and for the nation. A good portion of the collective neuroses of Malaysia can be placed at the front door of Tun Dr Mahathir, as that is where it originated.
Life after Anwar
Bridget Welsh, a contributor to New Mandala, analyses the Anwar judgement.
https://screen.yahoo.com/bloomberg/political-persecution-hurting-malaysia-welsh-025318517.html
Life after Anwar
Let us be clear. Anwar was subjected to abuse, persecution and a kangaroo court system that has an infant’s knowledge of jurisprudence. Let us also be clear that the forensic evidence was useless, as determined by British and Australian forensic scientists, who were witnessing the trial. The contaminated evidence was completely useless and the Defence properly indicated so, at trial. I state on the record, as a scientist and a man with 40 + years in Malaysia from birth, that the Prosecutor, who recently overturned Anwar’s successful appeal is a liar and a fraud. Mr Abdullah’s claim that Malaysia has a 16-point DNA match and higher forensic standards than either the UK or the US, is so bizarre and patently insane, that all his decisions come into question. Malaysia’s forensic services, as seen in the failed reports by the chemist during the first trial, are rudimentary and hardly come even close to Singapore’s or Hong Kong’s forensic skills and experience, Mr Abdullah is recycling lies from the very first trial, where Anwar was railroaded based on flimsy pseudo-evidence; I am quite sure, former Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi (Pak Lah) was quite aware of this, when he released Anwar. This recycled sham attempt to prevent Anwar from political activities is based on UMNO’s and Tun Dr Mahathir’s hatred for Anwar and the opposition. It is neither based on science nor jurisprudence; Malaysia does not have jurisprudence as normal human beings understand the term.
Now, having said all that, I must call for an end to the beatification of Anwar by the local and foreign press and acolytes of his, like former Ambassador Malott who has a limited knowledge of Malaysia and Anwar. Quoting Baginda, a man of dubious values, is useless, Ambassador Malott has an unreasoned support for Anwar without any knowledge of Anwar’s frailties. Anwar was a member of the very party that abuses him, but that one point, he adamantly supported, when it benefited his political fortunes. Anwar did not hesitate to use UMNO to advance himself.
Anwar has a chameleon-like personality, and will offer different paradigms and conceptions, whether his audience is a Malay Ceramah or the Asia Society in New York. I dare ANY Malaysian to prove to me they can state that they know what Anwar REALLY thinks. I would advise not to take up my challenge. When Anwar should have long realized his days of activism were over, and named a successor for PKR, he did not, in the arrogant belief that he would martyr himself for Malaysia; that is unlikely. Anwar’s failure to mentor any PKR members for possible succession is irresponsible, selfish and unacceptable, and Malaysians more than any, need to hear this. In addition, on many occasions, Anwar’s rhetorical flourishes, whether in court, or
for outside consumption, have done him poorly. He is a very different man to Puan Wan Azizah than he is to Paul Wolfowitz, and Malaysians are very na├пve to think otherwise.
Anwar has not, of late, displayed the maturity and sensibility, necessary for leadership of Malaysia. His game is over; time to devote more attention to his family, and finally train and mentor a successor for PKR that would be allowed to run for the next GE, sadly women being restricted by foolish and archaic Shari’a Laws. One does NOT need to be angelic to be persecuted and
abused, of which there is no denying Anwar has been unfairly, subjected to, but all you really need is a sadist and a victim. It is time to put victimhood behind him, and help Malaysia advance forward, by serving other politicians in PKR and DAP (I would advise against PAS myself, with the exception of Datuk Nizar Jamaluddin, a very competent man), rather than serving his own needs. It is why past time, that Dr. Kassim Ahmad, the Father of Malaysia Intelligentsia, abused and persecuted at the age of 81. receive even one mention in the foreign press; he has received none. That Kassim has received barely a mention, while the adulation of a man, in a true sense of a Greek tragedy, continues, is injurious to Malaysia; more so, it is damning and an insult to a far older man, who has served his nation with pen and with wit, who is being treated like an animal by self-anointed Islamic ‘Ulema’.
Focus on what matters in Malaysia; we already have one Pope and he seems to be doing rather well.
Political prisoners still languishing in Burma
As it is these demand/demonstrations reflect the urban citizenry expectation that were not available a short time ago under the useless careless sanction.
The simpler life of rural will eventual catch up due to technology.
Political prisoners still languishing in Burma
Ko Moe Aung
You made your point yet if there is “no plan” forward beyond regime change, therefore not unreasonable to let the market dictate.
Meanwhile the education, heathcare of a citizenry can be address w/ minimal politics.
In less time than it take to vilify this regime by the west, the expectation of the rural citizenry will dictate the market. Change will come.
After all Myanmar citizenry is still 2/3+ rural, whose regards for the urban activities such as the students as some thing mostly unacceptable. Making this regime ruthlessness tolerable.
The closed NLD offices (not because of this regime) in every villages with thriving monastery, the sayadaw helping to bring needed Ed, and Heathcare will raise the expectation and dictate the market.
Political prisoners still languishing in Burma
RoL or rule of the market? Economic determinism according to the gospel of plan B just happens to be a basic tenet of the “globalised world” today.
Privatize everything that moves, like Ne Win “nationalized” every trade and business under the Burmese sun. Just let the “middle persons” do the heavy lifting. The regime can stick to their guns, and power. Anything that remotely challenges this must be politically motivated. You are soo clever.
Crocodiles, cronies and cars
Jokowi is backed by a coalition of parties, of which the biggest is Megawati’s PDI-P. Apart from his long association with that party, on which point Max Lane has already corrected the author of this post, Jokowi has declared himself a Sukarnoist.
But Megawati shouldn’t hog the limelight. In my view, it is from Surya Paloh’s party, NasDem, that Jokowi has made two of his worst appointments, namely Tedjo Edhy Purdijatno and Prasetyo.
It would be foolish to expect Jokowi not to appoint ministers from the parties supporting him. What is lamentable is rather that he has accepted a large number of unpromising nominees from those parties.
Political prisoners still languishing in Burma
2 interrelated issues here.
1) The issue of mediator, middle persons or cronies call them as you wish. This is the way to achieve any objectives in Myanmar.
The west can never be an opened entity described above such as NGO or an NGO rep. UNHCR miss Lee by Wirathu should be a clear reminder of this fact.
Find the middle persons and anybody can be freed or live extremely comfortably in prison. Ironically this a benefit of no ROL.
2) As much as one will like to agree with Ko MOe Aung,
http://foreignpolicy.com/2015/02/09/a-new-generation-takes-to-the-streets-in-burma/
https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=845307985515029&fref=nf
this video with its details should remind anyone of impending let down to come.
The objective, already defined here by the government will make the student protesters as unruly hooligans that need ‘parental input’. Will just lead to another round of fake acquiesce, delay, minimal reforms with eventual more arrest of these protesters, that the previous 8888 student leaders can attest to.
The pure objective of improving the education, without any political objective will be to take advantage of the “Privatization of Education” allowed by the present government, through the middle persons. In stead of the quasi HR based protest. a political objective that shall not be tolerated.
Koh Tao trial another litmus test
Did anyone look at what happened on Koh Tao before and after the two were brutally killed? In the last 2 years, around 6 people went missing and never found – last seen on Koh Tao, most of them young females traveling alone. Another 5 people died after the incident, many staying in the (very) same place as the two Brits killed – one was found hanged with his hands tied to his back – suicide of course – several young girls died in the exact same place or in places with same owners (the island is run by three families, if you think that it sounds like Godfather, bot too far of after staying there 2 years). – the last “incident” was called drug overdose and heart problems for a 22 year old woman. Google it yourself, but it can be very hard to find since no news of dead Tourists come out of Thailand now if it can be prevented – same reason why the court date for the Burmese was postponed for almost a year.
Crocodiles, cronies and cars
“Like Yudhoyono, Jokowi is burdened by the company he is forced to keep. In order to run for president last year, he had attached himself to the Sukarnoist secular nationalist party, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), led by Megawati Sukarnoputri, a former president herself (2001-2004) …” A bit off: Joko Widodo attached himself to the PDIP about ten years ago in order to run for Mayorship of Solo. It is old relationship which he volunteered for quite a while ago.
Political prisoners still languishing in Burma
Free Naw Ohn Hla!
Political prisoners still languishing in Burma
To Western governments once the Lady was out (of house arrest) and in (at Naypyidaw) it was the green light they were waiting impatiently for to resume normal diplomatic relations and, more to the point, catch up on trade and business. So this article is a much needed reminder that all’s not well while the feeding frenzy carries on, now open to all.
The real test of this democratisation lark is about to happen as students march on to Rangoon with fierce determination. Will the mask slip too soon and spoil it for the West?
Crocodiles, cronies and cars
Two big ironies. First, of course, that the KPK was set up during/by Megawati presidency (2002). Second, Jokowi’s rise was made possible by mostly successful decentralization, but so did corruption. Decades after independence, Indonesia still has to resolve the way they deal with power and institutionalized power. Oh no, dont ask Machiavelli why. Ask what Ken Arok, the Dutch and Soeharto’s New Order did to Indonesia, but ask also what you, Indonesians in the first place, can do to their legacies of — power etc — corruption. That “etcetera”, Elizabeth Pisani already noted, is still with us.
A rage against history
Thanks pearshaped.
Appreciate these valuable insights.
A rage against history
Greg, probably best not to overwork a relationship between Horta and the Church. He slaps on a Jesus t-shirt when elections are close, to hoots of derision around the rectory dining table, where he’ll forever remain Maputo.
The Church was an initiator of the 2006-8 violence, advising and supporting Alfredo to the end. And, as you’d expect, beyond. After the botched kidnappings, Salsinha was whisked back to the safety of Estado by priests.
This time, though, the ambitious individuals competing for power haven’t needed to mobilise religion. Yet. Gusmao wants to do two things:
1.Continue to enfold Fretilin into CNRT, which he tried to do prior to the old CNRT splitting into parties
2.Establish a Gov of National Unity to confront Australia and Big Oil in the Timor Sea.
The Church is worried an Oppositionless Parliament could pave the way to Dictatorship. That wouldn’t necessarly threaten the Church’s core interests, unless it were to be a Leftist regime which once more tries to introduce secular Civic Values in Gov schools.
You have to ask, why did NZ and the US see fit to issue travel warnings to their citz after violence in Baucau, then a grenade at the US Embassy, but not a peep from Canberra? Nup, nothing going on folks, just Oz Day barbies.
And was Rudd’s recent Twitter selfie with Gusmao before, or after, he perhaps offered him an international sweetener to step down?
Fun at the zoo again.
Crocodiles, cronies and cars
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-02-08/indonesian-hotels-face-carnage-from-widodo-s-state-spending-cuts
“Don’t burn the rice fields just to kill the rats…”
“Jangan membakar sawah hanya untuk membunuh tikus …”
All those Indonesian domestic workers who may now return to Indonesia, from the likely subsequent introduction of restrictive bans on Indonesian workers in Malaysia, may now find fewer hotels and other related services in which to land employment.
President Jokowi, or his advisors (or both), are displaying short-term populist moves, that require little intelligence and planning, in place of long-term economic policies that might lead to the very societal and economic improvements, that candidate Jokowi promised Indonesia. If President Jokowi does not back up KPK as a corruption-fighting organization, while introducing economic reforms that battle corruption at the core (government largesse), rather than restricting growth sectors which will stifle Indonesia,
he will not last long in the Istana Merdeka. It may not be fair to be so critical, but life is not fair, and in Indonesia, patience has a turn around time of about 24 hours.
Shining let on Mega’s interminable shadow may only be half the job, but unless President Jokowi does so, he will never even get to the other half.