The Admonitions Scroll

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To rise to glory
is as hard as
to build a mountain out of dust;

To fall into calamity
is as easy as
the rebound of a tense spring.

Source: The Admonitions Scroll

Wen JiaBao’s China

A news from one of China’s embassies in the world says:

On the afternoon of April 27, local time, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao arrived in Kuala Lumpur by special plane for an official visit to Malaysia. This visit is his first in six years.

In a written speech delivered at the airport, Wen said that Malaysia is a friendly neighbor of China and the two peoples share a time-honored traditional friendship. Since the establishment of diplomatic ties 37 years ago, bilateral ties have been developing rapidly with frequent high-level visits, close people-to-people exchanges and fruitful cooperation in all areas. He said as developing countries, China and Malaysia had a lot of common interests and that deepening bilateral strategic cooperation in the new situation was in the fundamental interest of both nations and peoples and was also helpful to the stability and prosperity of the region.

During the visit, Wen is expected to discuss with his Malaysian counterpart Najib on bilateral ties and other international and regional issues of common concern and engage broadly with friends from many fields in Malaysia. “I hope that this visit will promote the traditional friendship between the two countries, deepen reciprocal cooperation and elevate the strategic cooperation between China and Malaysia to a higher level,” Wen said.

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Want to know what does China stand for? First, we must learn some of its age old maxims.

“In learning, age and youth go for nothing: the best informed takes the precedence.”

What  it means:

The chief source of rank and consideration in China is certainly cultivated talent; and whatever may be the character of the learning on which it is exercised, this at least is a more legitimate as well as more beneficial object of respect, than the vulgar pretensions of wealth and fashion, or the accidental ones of mere birth.

Wealth alone, though it has of course some necessary influence, is looked upon with less respect, comparatively, than perhaps in any other country; and this because all distinction and rank arises almost entirely from educated talent. The choice of official persons, who form the real aristocracy of China, is guided, with a very few exceptions, by the possession of those qualities, and the country is therefore as ably ruled as it could be under the circumstances.

Oh, don’t forget this from the country acknowledged as a master in the art of government:

“To violate the law, is the same crime in the Emperor as in a subject.”

Why democratic elections and political reform?

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1Malaysia wanna move on up with China? Do this….

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There is a need to hold democratic elections according to the law; have democratic decision making, democratic management as well as democratic supervision; safeguard people’s right to know, to participate, to express and to supervise.

Political reform, including opportunities for citizens to criticise and monitor the government, is necessary to sustain economic growth. Otherwise, the country’s economic gains would be lost.

To do next GE or how to choose your Cabinet Ministers of Malaysia

Had a crazy brainwave after a juicy delicious pear from China (China boleh! Except in football, hehehe).

Ok, we already have a 3 party system in place (3rd party is still wobbly but its there). Shall we the rakyat go another step to test the ability of 1Malaysia to survive the New Economy of 2020?

To step up is so simple. We just need to practice by doing the things we do daily… Yup, just by reading and listening to the news – newspapers, new media, blogs, radio news, talkshows. And, by talking to neighbours, friends at the kopitiam, while shooting pool, fishing, after watching footie, etc.

Then we put ourselves to the test at General Election….. just tick the fella with the most capacity/ability to be a policy making Minister in the Cabinet of Malaysia Government. (regardless of whether they’re from UMNO, MCA, MIC, PKR, DAP, PAS, etc)

You see, every time we voted for a Member of Parliament, indirectly we voted also for a potential Minister of the Cabinet – It is from the pool of Member of Parliaments that the Prime Minister has to choose his team members to sit in the Minister seat.

So, if you’ve ticked the vote box for a silly guy who will raise his toy keris or you’ve voted for an Ah Beng who can’t speak our national language, or a well dressed bumpkin who have absolutely no idea what is national policymaking…. Don’t blame them the stupid ministers for not doing their job. They just weren’t equipped to do ministerial work – they are enjoying the honours of sitting in a nice office because you’ve elevated them into that point of authority to mess up your country’s wealth, education, health and future direction.

Yup, in modern Malaysia, we the voters have voted always for a pool of ministers by elevating the ill-equipped to positions of authority by way of the Peter Principle. (The Peter Principle is the principle that “in a hierarchy every employee tends to rise to his level of incompetence.”)

Now, ain’t that a revelation for us dumb dumb voters?

Poor Najib Tun Razak, how now to get the New Economic Model going before the androids consume our employment market?

(Ta…I’m going back for more pears and FIFA finals footie winner analysis.)

Invite Najib to manage MCA? No need, coup drama ends soon

Hishammuddin Hussein must have enjoyed playing the devil’s advocate when he mischievously suggested tis high time the MCA leadership seek Barisan Nasional’s chairman Najib Razak’s help to intervene in MCA’s internal affairs.

Looks like MCA’s 2nd echelon leaders are now given the final warning through the mouth of their favorite UMNO brother.

Liow Tiong Lai (another specimen of a flip flopper), Wee Ka Siong and Chew Mei Fun better pay heed to UMNO’s signal and not misread it as UMNO’s support for their coup attempt.

Meanwhile,

1. 1Malaysians continues to enjoy reading and gossiping about MCA’s infernal affairs over their morning kopi, roti bakar and half boiled egg

2. The aunties get to learn a thing or two on how not to convene an EGM to resolve internal home problems

3. Political newbies get a chance of a lifetime to observe first hand the do’s and don’ts of Chinese politics, especially the part on how to avoid being a hapless political pawn.

As for me, I’ll be eagerly awaiting for MCA coup drama to fizzle out, hopefully the MCA kids to please be on their best behaviour themselves when Comrade Hu Jintao arrives on November 10 in Malaysia to talk economy.

And, I’m already excited anticipating 2012‘s premier next week.

Yahoo!

A question to MCA members and bloggers: You want your party to reform or stay unreformed?

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As reported by Malaysiakini:-

Chua Jui Meng speaking at a dinner in Bukit Mertajam last night said:

…it was unprecedented for Umno leaders to just stand by and watch a defenceless Ong Tee Keat being subject to mounting attacks and pressure by his detractors over his handling of the Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) scandal .

Punished for exposing truth

“Ong is the president of the second largest BN component party and no one from Umno is protecting him.

“I find it strange,” said Chua, who lost is challenge for the MCA presidency to Ong in the party elections last October.

MCA president Ong is already facing a suit by Kuala Dimensi Sdn Bhd’s (KDSB) chief executive officer and Bintulu parliamentarian Tiong King Sing over his outspoken and transparent handling of the PKFZ issue.

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I must declare, that for the first time in a very long time, MCA is demonstrating its will to try to clean itself up.

And yet, beyond the cursory noises made by its central delegates, the support for reform is very deafeningly silent from its 1 million layman members who:

– wear MCA name in their business networking,
– have benefited from MCA’s China network,
– have benefited from MCA’s Taiwan network,
– claim to want a more meritorious politics,
– claim to speak out on behalf of Chinese community,
– claim to want to save MCA

Isn’t it true that Chinese values balance in the environment for a harmonious living and business?

What are you going to do now to ensure MCA stays on to balance UMNO’s presence in BN?

Would you muster up your values of 5,000 years to courageously speak up for your party’s attempt to redeem itself so that it can finally become a political party with substance?

Can you stand up to voice support for MCA reform. Or are you going to run away as usual? Or opt to take refuge with the Pakatan Rakyat and make PR so strong that it replaces UMNO to become the next lord of Malaysia?

Sheesh…. do something quick to help your MCA, if you want to see a 2 party system flourish in Malaysia.

MCA members and MCA bloggers, Malaysians are all watching your next moves.

P/S:

Saving individuals like the stubborn Ong Tee Keat or the tainted Chua Soi Lek should never be more important than saving your party MCA. Choose wisely with an eye on your community’s future.

Wishing Najib a productive meeting in China; come back and makeover

Come back with good news for Malaysians, Mr Prime Minister. Us clear headed ones are rooting for results for Malaysia.

I hope your aides have updated you about Hu Jintao’s Communist Party Of China and the quantum leap CPC made to move ahead alongside their citizens.

It is very important to keep up appearances with the times; the makeover methods deployed by the prime movers to maintain their coveted positions in the world.

May be perhaps you already know about this and are going to do the same with UMNO. If you do, please educate your brothers in Barisan Nasional component parties (MCA, MIC, Gerakan, PPP, SAPP, SUPP, PBS, etc) to do the same too.

On governing, PKFZ is a good starting point to emphasise the makeover initiative.

Here’s something on CPC below:

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“Tetapi apa yang menarik mengenai CPC ialah bukan sahaja kerana ia adalah parti politik terbesar di dunia dengan sejumlah 74 juta ahli, tetapi ia masih mampu berubah mengikut kehendak semasa, terutama di bawah pimpinan Hu Jintao.

Walaupun CPC adalah parti politik yang di kelilingi oleh pemimpin yang dianggap tidak mempunyai sikap tolak ansur terhadap pihak penentang, tetapi mereka mahu berubah mengikut kehendak rakyat mereka.

CPC yang selama ini sebuah parti yang tidak sinonim dengan demokrasi dan kebanyakan ahlinya terdiri daripada golongan tua dan lelaki, sudah mula dapat menarik minat rakyat yang lebih muda, sofistikated, berfikiran terbuka dan golongan wanita.

Di bawah era pimpinan Hu Jintao, CPC telah cuba berubah daripada sebuah parti yang berteraskan strategi yang mementingkan jumlah keahlian yang besar kepada sebuah organisasi yang lebih bersifat teknokrat.

CPC pada satu ketika dulu tidak begitu mementingkan taraf kelulusan dan kepakaran ahli asalkan mereka dapat menarik dalam jumlah yang ramai.

Tetapi CPC pada hari ini lebih mengutamakan ahli yang lebih muda, kelulusan terbaik dan mempunyai kebolehan memimpin.

Transformasi yang diolah oleh CPC ini mampu menarik sehingga 50 peratus golongan muda yang baru tamat pengajian universiti.

Tetapi apa yang paling menarik mengenai permohonan golongan ini ialah lima peratus sahaja yang diterima masuk kerana parti tersebut hanya mahu yang terbaik menjadi ahli.

Berbeza dengan satu dekad yang lepas, golongan muda langsung tidak berminat untuk menyertai CPC.

Tidak terlintas juga satu dekad yang lepas CPC akan memberi keutamaan terhadap pendapat dan perasaan rakyat China tetapi pada hari ini tinjauan pendapat sering dilaksanakan untuk menyelami perasaan masyarakat mereka.

Walaupun masih terdapat kawalan terhadap saluran maklumat melalui internet, tetapi jelas bahawa ruang untuk mencabar status quo telah dilonggarkan.

Bagaimana CPC menangani kes pencemaran susu bayi pada tahun lepas, jelas mempamerkan perubahan sikap CPC yang pada hari ini lebih mementingkan perasaan dan pendapat rakyat China secara keseluruhannya.

Satu perkara yang menarik mengenai anjakan paradigma CPC ialah pemimpin mereka tidak lagi menggunakan slogan komunis untuk mendapat sokongan rakyat.

Mungkin slogan tersebut masih laku dua dekad yang lepas, tetapi semenjak peristiwa berdarah Dataran Tiananmen, CPC telah memulakan langkah untuk memberi gambaran bahawa ahli parti mereka adalah daripada golongan intelek dan teknokrat.

Jika CPC sebagai sebuah parti politik yang sinonim dengan cengkaman fahaman Marxis selama lebih daripada sembilan dekad mampu berubah kepada sebuah organisasi yang intelek dan teknokrat sehingga menarik minat golongan muda yang lebih pintar dan bersikap terbuka, sudah pasti parti politik lain yang jauh lebih muda dapat melakukan perubahan dengan lebih mudah.

Apa yang penting adalah sesebuah parti politik itu mesti mengutamakan perasaan dan kehendak rakyat dan tidak hanya memberi keutamaan kepada kehendak ahli parti itu sahaja.

Oleh AZMI HASSAN
PENULIS ialah GeoStrategis Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM)”

Above appeared in Utusan Malaysia

Hands (blog) off them by-elections or politicking!

Yo, Banana fans…

You’d notice there was no tittillating exposures on the Bukit Gantang, Bukit Selambau or Batang Ai by-elections…

No titters about the ‘new’ cabinet line up of Najib son of Razak…

No criticism for 1Malaysia… (Hey, we’re already one since 1963, ain’t we, dear Peninsular, Sabah and Sarawak peoples?)

Fed up. No feeeeeel. Even for Utusan Malaysia‘s heat provoking articles.

Maybe these bad weather is getting to me brain cells. Too hot. Blowing hot and cold. Or no hot no cold. Malaysia weather is really bad for the political junkie…

Hang on there whilst I get me some brain rejuvenators… perhaps all the way from somewhere in China… maybe.

encore! The analysis on MCA that Malaysiakini didn’t have (Part II) bananachinese.wordpress.com

okay, okay, okay…

I didn’t know MCA got so many fans out there wanting the juice on the largest Chinese political party outside China.

For those of you asking for Mary’s telephone number or email contact, I hate to disappoint you… I don’t have lar. I’m not Mary’s keeper and I don’t know her myself lar!

Come to think of it, I’m not sure whether Mary’s a she or a he or a shim? But I hope she/he/shim is not a simian… and chase this banana up the tree heheehee.

But since I am new fan of Mary – she/he/shim? of MCA, I will do the fan’s duty and publish her/his/shim letter in my blog. You all come and peak at me blog from time to time, ok? Self service.

Now, how about a big applause to record your appreciation to bananaC’s kind gesture, please.

For lazy boners, MCA bashers and diehards, here the encore of Mary’s writings:

Unleash your 3rd liners, MCA!

Fish heads blocking MCA’s convalescence

Psssst… Mary, do you have any juice on Chua Soi Lek – I’m curious why he did the naughty thingy, knowing full well he’s bound to be toppled if caught. All politicians in the world toppled by sex never rose again. Hope its not a psychological problem?

Wen Jia Bao got balls – MCA dare you follow?

In a rare move for a Chinese politician, Prime Minister Wen Jiabao apologized yesterday to hundreds of thousands of people stranded in train stations across his country due to bad weather and a power crisis. CNN story here.

“I apologize to you all,” said Wen, using a bullhorn to address stranded travelers at a train station in Hunan province. “We are currently trying our best to repair the system.

“First we’ll fix the electric grid. After that, the trains will run again. … Then all of you can go home for the Chinese New Year,” the premier said, bringing applause from the crowd.

Sigh…  See how big brother show the world that the China government is in control and taking responsibility for the situation?

And this touches me heart…  Brutal winter weather has pounded China’s central, eastern and southern sections, stranding hundreds of thousands of travelers ahead of the holiday. Wen flew out of Beijing en route to Hunan province on Monday night, had to detour to neighboring Hubei province because of the bad weather. He completed his trip by train, arriving in Changsha City, Hunan’s capital, on Tuesday morning.

MCA oh, MCA.

Your big homeland brother has shown courage and how to exercise leadership in this modern times.

Can you let go your servile mentality and take the hint from big brother of the world?

Time now to talk straight and direct to Malaysians. Don’t be stupidly clinging on to old paradigm. Old thinking worked well last time when us Malaysians were not sent to school. Now most can read and write. Somemore people now got opinions and their minds and hearts can reject your illogicality of thoughts and actions.

It’s a possibility if MCA don’t change gear to follow big brother Wen’s style for the new world order, I fear MCA may exit out of Malaysia history by the next, next General Elections. For being outdated mah, must throw away lah, expired already what.

P/S: Sorry lah, MCA to scold you. But I see MCA is the better party within BN. If I don’t help give you some clues, then who will? What about Malaysiakini? Malaysia-today?