Guide to political survival in Malaysia: Guanxi and Mianzi

Ladies and gentlemen,

Its Show & Tell time again! Especially useful for political survival and for activists keen to convey their messages effectively to those in political power.

Today is all about guanxi and mianzi.

Example:
Why Hindraf failed at UMNO’s Open House at PWTC recently, as shown by extract from The Star :

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Several Cabinet Ministers disapproved of the timing of the memorandum, saying that a Hari Raya open house was the wrong platform for it.

“This is not the time, this is not the correct venue. They can come to wish Selamat Hari Raya and shake hands, but the rest of it, different time, and different date.

“If they come in peace and harmony there shouldn’t be any problems,” said Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar.

Unity, Culture, Arts and Heritage Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal said Hindraf members should have known their limits and not turn up at an open house “like this”.

“There are platforms for you to make your submission. This is not the proper way of doing things. I mean, it’s a Raya do. Today is Hari Raya, it’s got nothing to do with memorandums.

“This shouldn’t have happened like this, especially during this festive season, whether it’s Hari Raya, Christmas, Deepavali or Chinese New Year,” he said.

Tourism Minister Datuk Azalina Othman said such behaviour would reflect poorly on Malaysia’s image to tourists.

“If you are here as a guest, then behave as one. Parliament will convene on Oct 13. They can do so (submit their memorandum) then,” she said.

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Here’s how guanxi can be adopted by Hindraf to perhaps turn around its Titanic from hitting the iceberg:

“Adopting the Chinese principles of quanxi (relationship) and mianzi (giving face) can help promote greater harmony in a multi-racial society.” (another article from The Star, featuring the sage and ageless advice from PM in waiting Najib Tun Razak at a do featuring Chinese culture).

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End of show and tell for today.

Hindraf and Bersih love Lee Chong Meng or not?

I missed the Rose March. But my heart is with the people. Peace and love to all. Please stay strong in your conviction and show your support for the best candidate who dare to take up your issue this general election. As Mao said, “No matter if its a black cat or a white cat. If it catches the mice, its the good cat.”

Identify now your candidates and question them if they will take up your issue, what’s their action plan, timeline and most importantly, report card to you.

Speaking of report card, I’ll be damned if there is no objection to this opportunist Lee Chong Meng’s bid for candidacy.

Why has Malaysiakini not reported his day in court and silent about this guys blatant advertisement of himself as THE candidate for Bukit Bintang? Why no report of this guy’s condoning of gangsters?

I wonder if anybody still remember… He was rejected candidacy last GE because he’s got a court case for hitting his mistress. Yes, mistress. Yes, hitting a woman. Go and google out the juicy details from the chinese newspapers. Somebody help me… can’t read mandarin..

Give me a woman candidate so that I can get rid of this chauvinistic doc.

Thaipusam IS public holiday for KL

Yeap folks, election is coming and the goodies are rolling out…

PM suddenly woke up and realised our Indian brothers/sisters need an additional public holiday. Samy Vellu said over TV3 that since 1986, Thaipusam was not a public holiday for KL.

I never knew this PM can be such a nice guy and so considerate to the Indian community. Perhaps…someone must have reminded PM about making Thaipusam a public holiday wef. 23/1/08.

Would PM have announced a holiday if the general elections were not around the corner?

Sniff, sniff, sniff… it doth somewhat smells somethin’ like an open bribe to our Indian brethrens.

Maybe the HINDRAF 5 deserve some credit for getting us this fast tracked public holiday. Poor Samy after 28 years was unable to do it.

Whilst we are at it, can I propose that Good Friday and Easter Sunday be declared a holiday for KL? Can? Can?

Message of peace and love for Malaysians

It’ll be Hari Raya Haji, Christmas and a New Year soon.

Wish we could spend the rest of 2007 as Malaysians.

For a short moment, is it possible for us to take a step back and ignore UMNO & its clowns. Just for a moment, pretend Bersih and Hindraf did not happen. Can?

Here’s a simple message from a respected reverend.

Peace and love, people…

US demands due process for ISA arrests?

No country is isolated from global scrutiny and compliance to civil/human rights standards nowadays.

Will mainstream papers like The Star carry this news tomorrow?

Malaysiakini carries a report from AFP on the ISA arrests of Hindraf movers below. Singapore’s The Straits Times also carry this report.

 

US demands due process for ISA arrests AFP | Dec 14, 07 10:28am

The United States demanded that Malaysia provide fair treatment to five leaders of a rights group held under a security law that allows for indefinite detention without trial.

 

The five from the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf), pushing for an end to discrimination of ethnic Indians in multi-racial Malaysia, were picked up yesterday and ordered held under the feared Internal Security Act (ISA).

 

“Our expectation as a government is that these individuals would be provided the full protections under Malaysian law, that they would be given due process, that they would be accorded all the rights accorded to any other citizen, and that this be done in a speedy and transparent manner,” State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said.

 

Hindraf enraged the government of Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi last month by mustering at least 30,000 people to the streets of Kuala Lumpur to highlight various issues facing ethnic Indians, including lack of economic opportunities and destruction of Hindu temples.

 

Police used tear gas, water cannons and baton charges to break up the protests.

 

“It is our firm position that those individuals who want to peacefully express themselves in a political forum or any other forum should be allowed to do so,” McCormack told reporters.

 

Human rights groups have campaigned for the abolition of the ISA, a law that they say has been abused by the authorities.

 

The ISA is currently being used to hold more than 100 people, including about 80 alleged Islamic militants.

 

Human Rights Watch, a US group, said the arrest was “outrageous.”

“We have said over and over again that the ISA should be abolished and there is no room for holding people, never mind indefinitely, without charge and trial,” said Mickey Spiegel, the group’s Asia division senior researcher.

 

Erasing Hindu heritage

The Malaysian government has always used deadly race riots in 1969 as a reason for controls on freedom, even though some groups believe that after 50 years of independence, Malaysians are matured enough to discuss their grievances openly.

 

“Malaysian authorities are obligated, like any sovereign countries’ government, to balance the need for public order with equally important need for robust and free debate of issues important to Malaysian citizens,” a State Department official said.

 

“It is our hope that the Malaysia government will allow the freest possible debate,” said the official, speaking on condition of anonymity.

 

The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, a US non-profit law firm that helps defend freedom of all religions, charged that the destruction of Hindu temples – some built before the start of the British colonial period almost two centuries ago – could be an attempt to erase Hindu heritage in Malaysia.

Hindraf claimed one temple was being demolished every three weeks.

 

“What I have heard from people is really that in destroying these temples, they are trying to destroy evidence of how long the Hindu faith has been a part of Malaysia, particularly in the context of advancing Islamisation and of the equation of Islam with nationalism in Malaysia,” said Angela Wu, the Fund’s international law director.

 

Hindraf has filed a four trillion dollar lawsuit against Britain for alleged atrocities suffered by Indians whose forefathers were brought as indentured laborers to Malaysia during colonial rule.

Hindraf, Bersih, demonstrations: Why this now?

Been too busy lately.

But I must share with you this comment received from Fairuz. I feel what Fairuz felt too. Sometimes, I feel different. Sometimes, I feel cheated. Sometimes, I feel vindicated. Sometimes, I feel angry. Sometimes, I feel nothing. Sometimes I don’t want to read Malaysiakini. Sometimes I avoid reading any mainstream newspapers.

People, how can we open our hearts and minds? How can we give all brothers/sisters a helping hand? How can we heal and move on?

“How many of you here really know about 13′th May 1969? How much do you all know the meaning of apartheid? How long you want peace in Malaysia? How do you feel as a Malaysian? Have you ever thinking the result from that incident? Do you know who behind it? Don’t just talk emotionally. Think wisely. I don’t ever want “13′th May 1969″ happen again. Why don’t you all do some reading about how Malaysia get “Merdeka”. How much blood were spill. How many people die. Don’t make this thing bigger. No one will get advantages if “13′th May 1969″ happen again. There will more pain in your heart. We all live in Malaysia. This is our land. Protect it. Love it. For 50 years we can live peacefully with each other. Why this now?

In my opinion…there some people want to make all Malaysian fighting each other. Riot won’t solve any problems. Its only will cost you more than you can imagine.”

Comment by Fairuz — December 10, 2007 @ 2:57 am

Bananachinese’s says:

Indeed, Fairuz.

Why this now?

Something must be wrong somewhere making our people unthinking and unknowing and so emotional. Any suggestions how this wrong can be unwronged?

Hindraf: Protesters charged with attempted murder

How’s your Malaysian spirit and faith in justice today? Shaken but not stirred? Or apathetic still?

Government of the Barisan Nasional, still got time to respond and get on with your genuine national conversation now with rakyat (and I do not mean schmoozing with those with $$, lar).

See extract from Malaysiakini today:

Five more Hindraf protesters were charged with attempted murder at the Shah Alam Sessions Court today, joining the 26 charged yesterday.

They are jointly charged with using criminal force against policeman Dedi Abd Rani in front of the Sri Subramaniam temple at Batu Caves, between 1am and 8am on Nov 25, 2007.

“The message this charge sends to people is that if you gather in a place of worship and in the course of worship an incident happens, someone is injured, there is a likelihood you can be charged for murder,” defence lawyer GK Ganesan told the Shah Alam Sessions Court Wednesday morning.

“This is the first time in the history of Malaysia people participating in an unlawful assembly have been charged with attempted murder,” he said. “This is not a good thing,” he added, as he attempted to have the charges dropped.

Why Bail cannot?

At yesterday’s proceedings Attorney-General Abdul Gani proceeded to submit on why he was objecting bail.

His main point was that the offence for attempted murder and causing mischief was not bailable.

This was followed by the submission made by lead defence counsel GK Ganesan, who urged the court to grant bail to the accused. He then showed 15 photographs obtained from a website which depicted police action during the incident at the Batu Caves temple. “My suggestion is that these photographs do not absolve my client (of the alleged crime), but the photographs show that their innocence is plausible,” he added.

Ganesan also said that the photographs were meant to show that there was no sufficient evidence to charge the accused.

In his reply, Abdul Gani however countered Ganesan’s arguments by saying that the photographs had indeed implicated the accused.

Referring to the second photograph produced by Ganesan, Abdul Gani said, “Their fist are pumped in the air and fingers pointing upwards. This is not peaceful.”

Click box for examples of fists pumped in the air and fingers pointing upwards:

Response to I’m Malay [Hindraf: Ordinary people’s feelings]

Dear I’m Malay,

I hear you. You have articulated very well the feelings of many of my Malay friends. In fact, you have articulated very well the feelings of many Malaysians I know.

We just need to transplant ‘Chinese’ or ‘Indian’ to replace whereever you have the word ‘Malay’.

Although I do not agree with HINDRAF sending their petition to the British Queen, I understand that they resorted to this after attempts to send memo to our PM generated silence.

And this sort of silence is very hurting to any citizens who look up to the government to address their grievances (perceived or real, it is the duty of the government to resolve problems of rakyat so that rakyat can get on with life)

Do not be surprised many non-Malays ‘do not’ understand the special rights of Malays designed 50 years ago. You see, in today’s global standards, awareness of civil rights, equal rights and human rights for all brothers and sisters, it has become hard to comprehend the protectionism. And it has become harder for those caught in the daily rat race to understand why the ‘privileged’ still cannot catch up despite years of protectionism under the care of its appointed caretakers.

Everyday Malaysians I see are really ‘kawan’ and sensitive to each other’s feelings. Examples of extreme extravagances by some privilege ones despite lack of evident honest and fair competition; just magnifies daily life’s hurts.

Malay privilege is protected by Federal Constitution, nobody is disputing it. In fact the rights of all Malaysians of whatever race are protected too. The question is how to balance it honestly. “Nothing in this Article [153] shall operate to deprive or authorise the deprivation of any person of any right, privilege, permit or licence accrued to or enjoyed or held by him or to authorise a refusal to renew to any person any such permit or licence or a refusal to grant to the heirs, successors or assigns of a person any permit or licence when the renewal or grant might reasonably be expected in the ordinary course of events.” [Article153 (7)]

The government just need to administer the country according to law and make sure Parliament is functioning with useable legislations that can facilitate honest livelihoods.

P/S: JKR and tolls dominated by Indian workers mostly at low level jobs. Good projects dominated by Indians? Can we have any real life examples?

The road to Hindraf… (Part I)

Dear Indian,

Yes, agree that last Sunday was a peaceful rally… until the FRU and police got carried away in their zest to keep the people away from their destinations. The minute I saw Gandhi’s pictures being carried by the people at the rally, I knew without a doubt something painful must have driven the usually docile people to this act of civil disobedience.

There is a serious, nay, an urgent need to educate our government to send the FRU and police to be trained properly on ‘crisis’ management. A civilised government takes pains to ensure safety of all its citizens, be they happy or unhappy ones. Government agents undertakes to protect citizens rights (Democracy means citizens give power to voted in government of the day to manage and administer the country on behalf of the citizens). There is no need for the government’s frivolous jesters to spit out unthoughtful utterances or provocation onto the citizens.

To your question of why application for assembly permits not given by authorities, I am also stumped. Because if so a permit is need for assembly, all of us must be hauled up to courts for participating in illegal assemblies. Many, many times. Here’s where most of us committed the crime of illegal assembly (Note applied logic: No police permit = illegal assembly)

1. Sunday church

2. Friday prayers at mosques

3. Temple congregations

4. Dataran Merdeka, Lake Gardens, KLCC, Bukit Bintang, ecetera

You can imagine how many people assemble at these places. Did the people who gather at these places need apply for police permits for right to assembly? As it is an assembly at public places does it mean police permit must be obtained before a group of friends can assemble???

The mind boggles at the illogical logic. Serious work needed to be done here by the parliamentarians. You see, it be the sole reason for existence for Parliament to push through for changes and updates in legislation. That’s why MPs are also called ‘lawmakers’. If there ain’t no updates to ye olde emergency laws, this means our MPs are having nice relaxing time at our tax payers expenses.

Suggestion: Lobby to set up a Select Committee on Parliamentary Reform

Hindraf: MP in India writes to Manmohan Singh, Penang state councillor ‘breaks ranks’

In India, an MP has written to Manmohan Singh expressing concerns for Tamil Malaysians

Here’s the video + our Mr Samy Vellu’s response: http://www.cnn-ibnlive.com/videos

On the Malaysia side, a hard hitting letter from a Penang state councillor, Mr Toh Kin Woon expressing disagreement with the unlistening government. Log in to read here: http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/75400

Will Minister Nazri chastise Mr Toh for breaking ranks across the states?