The MCA and JPA scholarship review and appeal yearly special

You would think the MCA youths (overaged, paunches and all) would strategise a better way to show off their updated political skills in this changed political landscape.

Instead,

“MCA Youth secretary-general Datuk Chai Kim Sen said the opposition party was only good at “instigating problems” to curry favour with voters but had so far failed to propose solutions to the annual problem.

“If MCA Youth is a show, then the DAP is its greatest director and actor as well,” he said in a statement today.

Chai said MCA Youth was already busy reviewing scholarship appeals to help “victimised” top students…”

Duh… we all get nostalgic rewinds and replays year after year in the annual JPA scholarship appeals and review saga where students who scored too many A+ were:

1. taught how to fill out forms
2. submit to MCA
3. wait for MCA to review their appeal

Makes one wonder who elected MCA to collect personal data to review the students’ appeal cases.

Also one wonders why can’t the students themselves do the appeal rather than going through the MCA middleman. Like, duh, the students should know how to write and fill out forms and submit it by themselves, right?

Anyways, see extracts from other bystanders and try to figure out some thinking trend of these possible voters below:

You MCA dudes have been ‘handling’ this problem for the past decades without a solution, and you are asking DAP to come up with one? Crazy. (Chan Siang Yen)

What a stupid statement. In a Good government, reviews should NOT EVEN be needed! (EJ)

This PSD and scholarship hiccup is nothing new. It is an annual hiccup – a hiccup /laughing stock which MCA will never be able to overcome. What can the Chinese community hope from MCA? (LA Tan)

MCA, opposition’s role is not to shut up, but to watch and ensure you guys in the ruling party do your work. Busy reviewing? You should be making sure that those cases shouldn’t have happen in the first place. (Danny)

After so many years still fixing in progress? No wonder it is not relevant whether you guys are in cabinet or not? (amino suckers)

MCA has been using people’s emotion for publicity and for its own political mileage. (Gilbert Tan)

I for one am sick of this whole yearly wayang every year where our smartest kids think they deserve a scholarship (based totally on the unholistic evaluation of a single exam) while the government and opposition spar over whether they should get it or not and the rakyat like me fund this whole thing with our tax money without getting a tangible return! (Youdonotknow)

Above comments are extracts from readers comment in The Malaysian Insider article ‘Shut up and let us fix PSD problem, MCA tells DAP’

The 1Malaysia test

Duh?

I wonder how many salarymen and housewives will fail this unwanted test.

P/S: Who can clarify for the individualists confused amongst the collectivists?

Extracted from The Sun’s report “Take ‘1Malaysia test’, see where you stand:PM” dated 17 Sept:

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak today suggested that every Malaysian take the “1Malaysia test” when they face or are confronted with racial issues to see where they stand.

# Will my stand on certain ethnic issue impact others’ ethnicity or religion?

# Will it improve harmony or create hatred towards my race?

# Can it promote better understanding among the races and improve national unity or vice-versa?

BFM brings back the oomph to Malaysia radio (today only)

This morning is a classy morning for me brains courtesy of BFM the Big Fine Malaysian radio station heeheehee….

2nd anniversary of BFM radio saw Patrick Teoh (in fine PC restrained form) and Alan Zachariah (a voice that’s music to tired ears) on air this morning. Waiting for Datuk Yasmin Yusuf (what’s that sound?), Datuk Faridah Merican, etc to come on air later today.

Kudos to BFM for bringing people of sanity and class back to morning radio on the English radiowave even if it is for today only. The attempts of thinking listeners trying to convey their concerns to DJs were touching (Its pitiful how people suffered from confused/knotty messages from various media onslaughts/reporting/misreporting on state of the country).

Maybe BFM should do more of sessions touching on thinking politics  (not complaining only) grilled to perfection by Freda Liu with the creative Patrick Teoh as mentor sidekick – wow, delicious…..

Hope you received the hint loud and clear, Mr BFM CEO Malek?

Sigh… tomorrow its back to switching off the radio (except BFM certain segments) to protect me from the inane chatterings and soft porn lyrics mashed inside current song chart toppers.

PKFZ: The barometer of Malaysian government’s vote-ability

Me handphone beeped a text message this morning:

10/12: Former Port Klang Authority General Manager, Datin Paduka OC Phang and two others were arrested over the PKFZ issue. They will be charged in Klang today./The Star

Nice.

Now let us hear from politicians who dare to stand up for principles and accountability to the people of Malaysia.

Other politicians’ voices, please, besides Ong Tee Keat. We already know he has trail blazed the way forward in breaking the iceberg of this huge financial scandal Malaysia can do without.

Anyone else from MCA daring to go against corruption?

Let me hear from others who may have some hidden strength of character undetected by voters. Never, never be shy to promote your beliefs to your real constituents out there. MCA is just a tiny platform for your political relevancy. May I remind you, your BIG target to win over is Malaysians. Orang putih ke, orang hitam ke, orang coklat ke…  doesn’t matter. (I just love this colourful line of Susan Lankaster’s from me favorite Malaysian movie Mekanik. See the youtube clip open at 5:45 – 6:02)

We already have a brave young one from Pemuda UMNO who has asked for force of the law to come down hard on those gluttons nibbling off chunks of the PKFZ gravy train.

Bravo, Khairy Jamaluddin!

If UMNO and MCA keeps on upgrading their level of accountability and adherence to rules of governance, no sane voter will begrudge them the reward of a huge mandate in the next General Election.

Najib’s supreme diplomacy; MCA delegates to fight for seats at AGM

It seems to me many Malaysians read newspapers and the online media with half awaken minds and comatosed logic. Only sex, scandals and more scandals can do magic to raise the poor zombies. (Don’t blame education system, only yourself to blame for refusing to kickstart your brain engine)

Didn’t BN already said each component party is their own boss within their respective political party?

No. 2 man Muhyiddin Yassin clearly clarified:
“All parties have their problems but the important thing its how to solve them. Whatever the problems, we must solve them ourselves.” (Bernama: “Don’t use media to solve internal problems“)

Starved for a scandal, the media is feverishly playing up the problems of Ong Tee Keat and Chua Soi Lek. Not so different from vultures waiting for the tempting flesh to feast on.

Eager for a fight to happen, the media is now speculating on a matter of importance only to MCA members and delegates.

Gone were the days when Malaysia newspapers reported facts. No wonder sales of newspapers goes down in parallel with its degeneration to thrashy tabloid. Readers are sending signals to newspapers to buck up on news facts, but unfortunately, the newspapers managers are too thick.

Not to be outdone, online media is also catching up on speculative hearsays aka gossip in their ‘news’ report. See how a simple matter has been elevated skyhigh on the scandal scale:

“Rumours have been swirling within MCA that Barisan Nasional (BN) chairperson and premier Najib Abdul Razak are not on the same page over the party’s annual general assembly, usually held by Aug 31. Many have seen this as a sign of Najib’s displeasure with MCA president Ong Tee Keat, over the latter’s public squabbles with deputy Dr Chua Soi Lek.” (Malaysiakini: “Najib not delaying MCA meet“)

The above is an exemplery example of poor journalism or rather of a reporter with extremely low competency in politics. News facts, dear reporter. Your job is not to spread rumours or hearsay.

The way I see it, its more like Najib is waiting for MCA’s Disciplinary Board to get its report to the Presidential Council’s decision.

Clever Najib certainly knows his diplomacy and this is an excellent show of respecting MCA’s rights to resolve its internal issues before he comes to open MCA’s AGM.

Yep, MCA the political party’s internal issue is entirely its own to resolve. Nobody who’s not a member or a delegate has got the locus standi to stick their grubby little fingers in matters relating to management of MCA.

Unless, of course, they are the main actors involved in a disciplinary issue. Unless, of course they want to see UMNO‘s balancing partner dies an early death. Devoid without its life partner, UMNO dies also. How devious.

Meanwhile, a big kudos to Najib. Good one. This is a real life example of leadership that I’ve been waiting for BN to demonstrate to 1Malaysia.

An Open letter to all Malaysian bloggers and blog commentators

Dear caring Malaysians,

Greetings.

I am writing to you on a matter of great urgency which cannot be held back anymore as the health of our nation is in great distress.

Before proceeding, kindly allow me to register this caveat,

“This post is written with the intention not to demean, hurt anybody’s feelings, slander or just an empty criticism to score a political point.”

Back to the business of this letter.

I am sure many of us have written, commented and discussed many issues shouted out everyday by the newspapers and blogs. Many with email addresses have not managed to escape the uncountable forwarded emails from friends which brings ‘news’ of distressing accusations (slander?) against another human being.

As people of admirable cultural background and gentle nature, this identity was not found demonstrated in what we write and speak. Not in the blogs and newspapers. Not in our kopitiam forums.

Daily vitriolings, scoldings are lashed on anybody/things, especially so if we do not like he/she/that. A friend decided that this must be the result of commando style upbringing which brook no dissenting viewpoints or approvals for efforts made lest the child gets inflated and big headed from too much self pride.

Imagine no words used to recognise however small the efforts at home or the workplace for the child or the adult. Slowly, the spirit die… unless the individual has the most hard of heart and resolute of mind.

We treat fellow Malaysians badly in blogs, we scold them, some simply f…k another for having a different view. Very seldom bloggers and commentators can offer ideas or recognise efforts made by friends and imagined foes especially of the political opposite.

A blog is not just a blog. A comment is not just a comment. It reflects the writer’s true moral nature and the real love or spite residing within. Anything written by us will document just that.

However, I see hope.

I found that there is a handful of bloggers and commentators who are able to rise above the noise, with admirable rational civility in discourse, helping us to uplift our thinking to a higher level.

May we see more of your tribe to rise, to help nurture fellow rakyat to be lovers of rationality, logic and truth as Malaysia tries to carve a place for itself in the future of economic technology.

Truly,
BC

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: