Strange malaise of the literate uneducated and more…

Fren: Hey, do you know how to contact MCA Michael Chong?

BananaC: Why? You want his service ka?

Fren: Not me lar, my fren wants to ask Michael to help.

BananaC: Help what?

Fren: He wants to complain about another fren who ate his money in a business deal.

BananaC: Aiya… this is a criminal case lar, just tell your fren to file police report.

Fren: Seek Michael Chong faster, mah.

BananaC: File police report yourself is faster. Whaffor your fren want to use Michael Chong as a middle man. If your fren dunno how to read and write, then he got reason go get Michael Chong to file a report in the newspaper and take publicity photo appear in standard pose with the complaint letter.

Fren: My fren is a doctor, you know!

BananaC: How come a doctor also need to get things done via Michael Chong? Doctor can read and write what! Maybe your doctor fren cheated through school exam or too damn lazy to fill complaint form or follow legal recourse ka?

Fren: We Chinese used to this sort of service, what.

BananaC: You mean we Chinese are such dependency syndrome people who even though after going through education or university, can read and write but still need to run to Michael Chong to sort out our private lives grievances?

Fren: Sure ma.

BananaC: No wonder MCA cannot become political party, you all conditioned MCA psychologically to be stuck in the era of the many academically unschooled.

Fren: We never see MCA do politics. They like to focus do community complaints bureau service like Michael Chong, lar. Anyway, MCA never demonstrated they can do national politics.

BananaC: Tell your doctor fren to join MCA to enjoy more close relationship with Michael Chong. Wey, maybe your fren can get to brush shoulders with the MCA big brothers also.

Fren: You think he don’t want, ah? He joined many years but never even get invitation letter to any political training!

MCA party polls: Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing?

And so, MCA has finally get the chance now to assert its political being. This Sunday will see the 61 year old pseudo political party tryout its wings in politics.

The forming, storming, norming of MCA:

After enduring its stormy spring and autumn period, MCA is now gingerly moving towards democracy, starting from and within its own entity.

Good luck to them MCA members contesting the posts of Presidents, Deputy Presidents, Vices Presidents and Central Committee. Some of the wiser old birds oops hands, know that MCA politics is going to be business unusual from next Monday onwards.
Pull up your socks, people. A political MCA is going to be different this time around AFTER it follows through le norming period.

And yeah, UMNO is watching MCA’s democratization experience. Will UMNO do a la MCA when its turn comes up? The signs are good. So far Najib Razak seems to have a roadmap to work towards so.

Speaking about democracy, Tun Dr. Mahathir has said it all here and hinted at how it will especially affect BN political parties. This is Malaysia’s small step towards democracy in politics. Whether you object to it or not, it is the reality now. Best is for political party members with higher aspirations to learn more about democracy and how it serves rakyat in real life in order to partake in politics.

1Malaysia will learn and adopt democracy.

To dear readers and friends who may have the tendency to  violent objection to what I’m saying here, please go back to your cadre school or books to quickly learn up the principles of democracy.

Really, I mean this all sincerity.

Of MCA, hitmen, cleaning up cyber off lies and slander before GE

Tourism Malaysia wishes to clarify that currently there is no new contract yet been sealed with any party with regard to the global buy advertising campaign 2010, as claimed by the writer – Malaysia New Kid On Blog, Wednesday, March 10, 2010. For the record, the process and procedures in terms of procurement for advertising is carried out in accordance to Financial Procedures.

Wan Zawawi Mohammed
Director
Communications & Publicity
Tourism Malaysia

—
The above statement really piqued my curiosity. What a nice surprise to my Sunday morning: A government ministry issuing just that to clarify fact, re-butt an unsubstantiated story whilst stressing their adherence to financial policy for public record.

Thumbs up to Ministry of Tourism. This is a good sign of responsiveness when a government ministry practice such swift response to an alleged ‘true story’ published on the internet.

A blog writer ‘Malaysia New Kid On Blog (alias mynkob)’ whose ‘true’ article was published on Raja Petra’s website Malaysia-Today tells a story of “If Dato Mirza fails to comply with Ruzi’s order, Ruzi will punish Dato Mirza”.

Hmmm, the name Dato’ Mirza seems familiar. Intrigued, I did some fact finding on this Dato’ Mirza character to find out more.

I found out that Dato’ Mirza Mohd Taiyyab (Director General of Tourism Board Promotion Board) is well respected by his staff and regarded as a straightforward civil servant who’d stick to procedures despite solicitations of ‘businessmen’ hungry for shortcut to contract.

According to a fellow blogger, “When Datuk Mirza was first charged in Court, almost his entire Tourism Ministry Staff came to Court to show support. The Ministry’s Sports Club or Union or something also held a Sembahyang Hajat for him. Mirza was well known as a “strict and straight by the book, no nonsense DG of Tourism”. His forte was saying NO.”

That this Dato’ Mirza came out jubilant in court with his reputation intact is one evidence of his worthiness as an upright government servant that rakyat want so much to see nowadays.

If this story by mynkob were true, one would find it queerly out of character for the experienced Dato’ Mirza to now suddenly kow tow to ‘threats’ from a mere Managing Director from Sen Media Sdn. Bhd and not have the fellow reported to the authorities.

I’m curious about the state of mind of the writer mynkob. Was his motive to again hit and slander also the DG who is entrusted to run a no-nonsense tightship for his current boss lady minister Ng Yen Yen?

Could business rivalry or jealousy be one of the reasons for the writer’s attempt to slander the DG, his hardworking lady boss and the well performing Tourism Ministry?

And for mynkob to link the story to MCA – it is just too wild for this rational mind.

Every MCA central delegate worth his/her salt knows that the fight and MCA party polls is all about its top 2 ‘leaders’. The rest of the leaders like Vice President Ng Yen Yen, etc, are status quo as their internal party voters have never objected to them continuing as the Central Committee until the next one due in 2011.

Aiyah! If the MCA party polls can generate such hateful and libelous writings in the internet, BN would have one hell of a headache to think of how best to hide all these self inflicted injurious scabs when this Barisan Nasional component party goes out to campaign in the next General Election.

It’s better for MCA quickly get a strategist to clean up the cyber mess their hitman writers left all over the internet before MCA goes to campaign for the next GE under BN banner.

I can also think of friends who would naturally adapt all these juicy stuff to boost image of their party vs BN. All is fair in love and war, baby. And be mindful that the aim is not to be the biggest loser.

Hmmmm…. how the mind doth boggles at all theories and political implications brought on by just one article in the internet.

MCA’s AGM on 7 March and fresh elections 28 March

Boy did I have fun with MCA’s Central Committee supplying a ping pong like suspense this afternoon; following Twitter and Twitterers.

Maybe this year’s MCA Anniversary cum AGM should be tagged as “To hold, not to hold, kena hold, ordered to hold and have to hold”

See how some poor media friends have to play catch up with the changing by the hour decisions by the Malaysian Chinese Association central committee ‘leaders’…

Chronological order below:

mkini_en: MCA Youth, Wanita put off tomorrow’s AGM: Both annual general meetings (AGMs) of MCA Youth and Wanita, which were … http://bit.ly/ag34pK

nstonline: Breaking Now! MCA Youth, wanita postpone AGM: KUALA LUMPUR: The MCA Youth and Wanita wings have postponed their re… http://bit.ly/bIB3qv

NoorAzam: Cancel 1 assignment! Phew. RT @insider_latest: MCA Youth, Wanita scratch this weekend’s AGM to pressure OTK to hold party polls quickly.

insider_latest: FLASH – MCA central committee decides to hold EGM March 28 & have fresh party elections.

insider_latest: FLASH – MCA AGM to go on this Sunday, March 7.

ashwad1: Changes…kena bookn camera semula :D@NoorAzam RT @insider_latest: FLASH – MCA AGM to go on this Sunday, March 7.

insider_latest: FLASH – MCA central committee orders Youth & Wanita wings to have AGMs on March 6 despite respective chief’s decision to postpone.

chedet: First time in 56-year MCA history – fresh party leadership elections decided by external remote control: Who was t… http://bit.ly/aIv5FZ

Makes you wonder who is in charge of the remote control, doesn’t it…

Tik Tok on the clock…

Dreaming of a high income economy? Legislate 1Malaysia now

Malaysia now has to deal with legal complexities which were never there before in 1963 but now affecting our livestyles because of economic progress.

Prime Minister Najib Razak’s 1Malaysia concept was supposed to unite all races, specifically, bring Sabah and Sarawak closer to Peninsula Malaysia as 1Malaysia.

The people welcome the overarching concept of unity in diversity, a 1Malaysia happy family, happily connected to each other, to and fro the Sabah, Sarawak and Peninsula – to work, to play, to live in peace.

It got Air Asia Berhad flying 1Malaysia back and forth more busily than a bee. LRTs, Monorails, KTM Komuter and Rapid KL buses are moving more and more 1Malaysians back and forth kampungs to towns and cities daily.

This pot has melted so that now we cannot easily distinguish easily who is a Peninsula Malay/Chinese/Indian or a Sabahan, a Sarawakian or even an Indonesian anymore.

Multicultural 1Malaysians living in harmony, each assured of their right to practice religions as appropriate as safeguarded by customs and customary rights agreed upon since 1963.

And then it happen, with a High Court ruling on 31 Dec 2009 which ruled that the Herald can use the word ‘Allah’ in its Bahasa edition.

News reported of hurt feelings of Muslims of Peninsula Malaysia, with anecdotal evidences like, “My friends all never use Allah in their prayers.”

Is that the situation with our Sabah or Sarawak friends?

UPKO President, Tan Sri Bernard Dompok testified it has been customary for Sabah and Sarawak Christians using word Allah in their prayers.

“With the greatest of respect to those who may feel uncomfortable with me mentioning this, the Christian community, not unlike the Christians in Indonesia and the Arab world, has been using this word for a long time. And it will be a herculean task for the government, if indeed it wants, to enforce the prohibition of the word in Christian worship.”

We read news of groups representing rights of Muslims of Peninsula Malaysia appealing to the Agong and Sultans to protect their rights to exclusive use ‘Allah’.

Aren’t the states of Peninsula Malaysia already doing it?
The State enactments have been protecting Muslim rights for a very long time already.

Malaysia has the Federal Law and State Laws and we live them, yes?

But then we hear politicians Datuk Jamil Khir Baharom (PM’s office) and Datuk Clarence Bongkos Malakun (Justice of Peace, Deputy President of Sabah Kadazandusun Culture Association) advising non-Muslims who are using the term ‘Allah’ to stop doing so in the name of preserving peace and to placate hurt feelings.

Why are lawmakers asking rakyat of the states of Sabah and Sarawak (who has been assured of their customary practices in 1963) to give up their customary rights?

It also begs the question, is it legal to ask Sabah and Sarawak Malaysians working in Peninsula Malaysia, who are exercising the customary usage of “Allah” in their prayers, to relinguish their right in religion when in Peninsula?

We remember the guarantees which Sabah and Sarawak asked for, from the Cobbold Report which recorded:

“The non-Muslim communities are most insistent that there should be complete religious freedom as to worship, education, and propagation, in the Borneo territories.

We recommend the insertion in the State Constitution of a specific provision to this effect.

“There remain the provisions in the existing Federal Constitution of Malaya that Islam is the national religion and that certain public expenditure may be incurred for Islamic purposes. All Muslim communities would welcome the provision that Islam should be the national religion of the Federation. But even with guarantees of freedom of religion for the Borneo States, we have met with strong resistance from many non-Muslim communities to the idea that these Federal provisions should apply to the Borneo territories. We consider that this is a matter for the peoples of the Borneo territories (which have a non-Muslim majority) to decide for themselves at a later stage when fully elected representative bodies have been constituted. We recommend therefore that the Federal provisions should not be extended to the Borneo territories in the meantime.” “

Malaysia laws needs serious attention and ministration by its legislators to conduct regular maintenance and fine tuning the health and position of the laws of Malaysia.

Our Yang Berhormats cannot continue to dodge the effects of modernity or to abdicate its duty to provide a legislative framework that works to protect personal and business rights.

Legislation, not rhetoric is crucial to the Malaysia aspiration to transform herself into a high income economy.

Back up the legislation as an unflinching assurance to foreign investors that their investments will be safeguarded by the Laws of Malaysia if they take their business to Malaysia.

Legislate for 1Malaysia transformation now.

By: Ho Aoi Ling
The writer was a former Senior Research Executive with MCA think tank, INSAP.

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Reference links:

http://www.heraldmalaysia.com/news/storydetails.php/Daring-speech-by-Tan-Sri-Bernard-Dompok/3346-2-1
http://www.theedgemalaysia.com/political-news/157199-jamil-khir-other-church-leaders-should-adopt-same-approach.html

http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/index.php/malaysia/49845-four-reasons-for-controversial-allah-ruling

In Malaysia politics, it pays to be clear, be very, very clear

In politics, it doesn’t pay to have an ambiguous stand.

The danger in the inability to align your party stand to your coalition government’s stand will give a perfect ammunition to your political opponents and non-fans.

The poor constituents will be mighty confused and will remember to link these incongruities together with wild juicy stories that does somewhat hurt your image as a believable politician. Think of the wastage of a lot of unnecessary energy and PR fees to dislodge stings from political opponents aplenty in the media, when you could have spent it on outreach campaigns.

Let’s take a look at a very real case, which has been a subject of debate and name callings between a lecturer supporter for SSS (Satu Sekolah Untuk Semua) and a politician who highly support vernacular schools and also happens to be a Deputy Minister of Education for the ruling government which was supposed to uphold the national education system.

My friends like to roll their eyes upwards to heavens for such case of what they call ‘a dumb debate’.

But I digress…

The politician’s party has this item in its aims and objective:

“To preserve and sustain the use and study of the Chinese language,

and to ensure that its use, teaching or learning shall not be prohibited or prevented in the conext of Article 152 of the Malaysian Constitution;

Generally to do all such acts and things not enumerated in the preceding sub-Articles for the well-being of the Party and its members.”

That maybe absolutely the right thing to do before 1957.

But, oi, wake up… it is 2009 now and soon to be 2010.

The generation of Malaysian Chinese today is no longer as scared as their forefathers of workers or coolies herded in by the triads in charge of tin mines.

It is 1Malaysia now.

Why don’t the political party just update or make current its party constitution to fight for a quality education system for all?

For all those who cares for the future of Malaysia in the war of global talents, why not fight to let forth a flotilla of schools to unlock the combination keys to hidden talents yet unable to be achieved by the national and vernacular schooling system? Get out of your cave now.

Malaysia desperately needs schools to unlock talents of multiple intelligences. It just doesn’t work anymore to have a student excel in memorising or vomit out what has been indoctrinated into his/her cave, ooops, brain.

Instead of indulging in mindless debates and dares, why don’t Malaysian Chinese Association take the lead and fight for an education system that will result in specific cognitive abilities that will be sought and cultivated by leaders in the years ahead: the disciplined mind, the synthesizing mind, the creating mind, the respectful mind, and the ethical mind?

Dare you, MCA to break away from your self imposed chains and reach out to 1Malaysians meaningfully before the 13th General Elections?

Young Chinese Malaysians and MCA members and their destiny in history

Me received a very serious sounding email from a young MCA member friend. Share with you…

…

Looking into MCA history of 60 years, I’m afraid this is the only time an attempt at reform is seriously underway. And this is happening in our lifetime…

Seems like young Chinese Malaysians and MCA members have a chance to stamp our mark in history.

Sigh…like it or not, we’re part of it. We can’t run away, and I see a vision of my descendent pondering on my life philosophy years later when I’m old and grey.

I wonder how would they react to my stand on

• Backbone bending, kow towing to big bro UMNO?
• Warlordism in the little world of MCA?

Heavens forbid they carry the shame at my lack of courage to be a part of change.

My personal wish is to see MCA discard its central delegate warlords, ‘triads’ and their leftovers, through a reform.

I guess I don’t have to like Ong Tee Keat. I don’t have to like Chua Soi Lek. I don’t have to like the likes of Liow Tiong Lai, the tearful Wee Ka Siong or Chew Mei Fun either.

I don’t relish wearing face mask or wear black + light candles (my parents hate it and frown upon it as they deem it very sueey reserved for sanctity of human funeral). Won’t get anything done, wasting time.

Should I or shouldn’t I talk to all of these MCA leaders directly? What, How, Got to think how to go about it?

…

Me pity this young Hamlet, he should just go ahead and question his leaders directly. Go get them and dialogue, query and query those people to heart’s content… Be the change you want to be, man!

In fact, MCA members and the chinese community who want reform should seriously look into the MCA that members want and check out the real agenda of all their leaders(and their backroom handlers) involved.

Members should go and give the players a strong message what they want these appointed ’leaders’ to do for MCA. Speak up now or remain silent forever.

P/S: Blur? Read here and here for some titillating context of MCA’s interesting makeup. Remember to use your thinking equipment wisely.

Friendly advice to Najib: Know your Spring and Autumn 春秋時代 before meeting MCA

The ‘beloved‘ Barisan Nasional chairman needs a quick education on Chinese history and most importantly, the Chinese mindset before his meeting with MCA leaders.

(fyi: ‘beloved’ is a favourite loving endearment and liberally spewed by Liow Tiong Lai whenever he has the chance to demonstrate revere to the UMNO big brother)

And so, let us help the PM Najib Razak who said he will meet leaders of warring group in the MCA to solve current crisis, preferably before the proposed EGM on November 28 cried by the Liow Tiong Lai/ Wee Ka Siong/ Chew Mei Fun faction against MCA President Ong Tee Keat and Deputy President Dr. Chua Soi Lek who have the legitimate power of incumbency.

Below is a quickie education for ‘beloved’ Najib so that he can fulfil the KPI of an excellent mediator. For us normal everyday people who don’t know much about leadership and warring, a little bit of history may be an interesting addition to our kopitiam gossip:

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The Spring and Autumn period is named after a book called the Spring and Autumn Annals, a chronicle of the state of Lu between 722 BC and 481 BC, which tradition associates with Confucius . It was a period of turbulence and changes in the economy, politics, and military affairs. In Chinese history, it was a period which roughly corresponds to the first half of the Eastern Zhou dynasty (from the second half of the 8th century BC to the first half of the 5th century BC).

During the Spring and Autumn period, China was ruled by a feudal system. The Zhou dynasty kings held nominal power, but only directly ruled over a small Royal Domain, revolving around their capital (currently Luoyang). The status of the Emperor was diminished to little more than that of a figurehead, while powerful nobles gradually extended their dominions over smaller neighboring states. According to recorded history, during the Spring and Autumn Period, there were over 480 wars, 52 vassal states were vanquished, and 36 kings were killed.

By the sixth century B.C., most small states had disappeared, and a few large and powerful principalities dominated China. Some southern states, such as Chu, and Wu, claimed independence from the Zhou. Wars were undertaken to oppose some of these states-Wu and Yue. In the state of Jin, six powerful families fought for supremacy, and a series of civil wars resulted in the splitting of Jin into three smaller states by the beginning of the fifth century B.C. At that time, the control Zhou kings exerted over feudal princes was greatly reduced, the feudal system crumbled, and the Warring States Period began.

During the Spring and Autumn Period, a complex system of interstate relations developed and many projects requiring the collaboration of two or more states were undertaken, such as drainage operations, canals, dikes, reservoirs, and roads. Massive walls were built, both as protection from each other and from aboriginal and nomadic tribes.

The Spring and Autumn Period was also considered as a period of philosophies: Daoism, Confucianism, and Legalism originated during that period. Many important cultural developments took place, and great Chinese thinkers including Confucius, founder of Confucianism; Laozi, founder of Daoism; and Mozi, founder of Mohism developed the philosophical systems which have shaped North Eastern Asia until the present day.

 

The new economy, you, me and MCA

The new economy unleashes bondages and respects merit to create new wealth for anyone worthy.

Old economy hangers on eg, are the few Chinese billionaires who preserve at all costs to retain their societal status so that their clan family can continue to give handouts to the many poor Chinese below them.

With donkey years of subvervientship to clan dominance, MCA finally is fighting the big war to unchain itself off apekship bondage to lift itself to ISO standards.

In this era of change, for MCA to remain unreformed and taking even a millisecond more of their young members’ time would be unforgiven.

The MCA mothership is trying hard to change gears and the resultant curious whiff of change in the air is not a bad option for us the political bystanders.

Revolution…

More power to change if it benefits the community, I say!

Prime Minister Najib Razak understands the issue plaguing MCA.

He sure knows his 1Malaysia history of yore.

Has anybody notice Najib has been consistently calling for MCA to be strong?

Has 1Malaysia?

Have MCA members or central delegates for that matter?

Think, think, think.

Ong Tee Keat offer his candidacy for President?

Go on.

Dare you to.

Call for MCA election for President and Deputy President posts.

Shut up the vulture factions once and for all.

Nothing to lose.

You didn’t sabotage MCA party constitution.

Members who are sidelined by central delegates appointees by vulture factions will respect you more. Maybe you can stop MCA members from leaving the party en masse at the same time.

Pakatan Rakyat is waiting, no, salivating for you to join them quick if the vulture factions conspire to boot you out.