Malaysiakini columnist Mariam Mokhtar made an astute observation yesterday from the pro-Pakatan point of view.
She wrote in her column under the headline ‘Waytha’s betrayal‘:
“The marginalised Indians are euphoric about being kingmakers in GE13 but if Umno wins, it would not be difficult to imagine who the nation will blame and who will be the biggest losers.”
Mariam has read the Pakatan mood very knowledgeably. I believe she is correct to predict that the oppo supporters will blame Hindraf and the Indians when Umno wins the next general election.
[Note: Mariam says “if Umno wins”; on my part I’ve written “when Umno wins”]
Mariam assesses the hunger strike as “enraging Malaysians” who abhor race politics and causing Waytha to be treated with contempt, and that his “intransigence” will further fuel the persecution of the marginalised Indians.
She has her finger on the Pakatan pulse when she says that Waytha’s hunger strike “may end up dividing the nation further”.
If 85 percent or more of the Chinese vote the opposition but Umno still crosses the finish line first, then Pakatan’s defeat will be blamed on the Indians. This will polarize the peninsula into Malay-Indian (Hindu) on one side, and Chinese-Christian (Indian) on the other.
Mariam wrote:
“His action [urging abstention from voting] is reckless and a complete betrayal of the rakyat.”
Mariam further wrote:
“Waythamoorthy has a long way to go before he grasps the enormity of Hindraf’s betrayal.”
MUST! side with Pakatan
Mariam’s article provides an opportunity to peep into the Pakatan milieu.
The feedback (pertinent excerpts reproduced below) provided by the Malaysiakini subscribers conveys that her questions to Hindraf are also what they themselves have in mind:
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Penang-Boy: “I think Mariam has wrote very well here, thoughts that many of us have in our minds.”
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dkay: “i think they are valid question…besides…those questions are logical and has been in many readers mind too….”
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ACR: “Mariam’s 10 questions are fair and justified. As someone sympathetic to Hindraf’s cause I would like to see them answered especially 2, 7 and 10.”
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Awakened: “Thanks Mariam for putting up your thought and analysis . I totally agree with you that Malaysia has a bigger problems of Corruption, Deteriorating Education, Police brutality , unfair EC etc rather than just Indian issues. A principled NGO will not sway here and there depends on the highest bidder.”
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Larva Juice: “rican88, it is not strange that Mariam’s questions may be similar to what M’kini readers have commented on simply because they are logical questions to ask. The readers recognise this.”
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Paul Warren: “rican88, I think Mariam understands what ails the Indians better than you ever can or even Waythaever will.”
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Rolling Thunder: “Mariam, you’ve given Waytha a crash course on writing a A-grade paper at uni level and on how to think politics in the run-up to GE-13.”
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Haveagreatday: “TQ Mariam for verbalising the inconsistencies I have felt about Waytha’s actions of late. If he has been turned like that serial liar RPK, it is no wonder he dares not answer your queries!!”
I’ve copypasted the selection of Malaysiakini reader comments above to show that the portal’s favourite columnist is not asking her questions in isolation.
Below are two more Malaysiakini reader comments to give us compass bearings on where the staunch oppo people believe Hindraf to be located:
- Jiminy Qrikert: “Hindraf is now effectively in no-man’s land. Neither PR nor BN will sign the racist BP [blueprint]. The rakyat has rejected race-based politics but Hindraf is lost in time and thinks that Indians will rally to their ‘Indians 1st’ platform.”
- SS Dhaliwal: “Waytha the opportunist and betrayer cannot answer the questions you [Mariam] posed and he will go on silent mode as he has already made a deal with UMNO to sabotage the elections.”
[Note: SS Dhaliwal is not entirely anonymous as his blog is on the RockyBru bloglist and he has a Facebook profile as well. Just saying, as some detractors claim that the majority of online comments come from cybertroopers.]
Please READ!
You should read the 10 questions below because the way they are asked is an accurate reflection of what is on the mind of the Pakatan urban, middle-class hardcore (Malaysiakini demography).
Therefore below are Mariam Mokhtar’s 10 questions to Hindraf which I’ve copypasted verbatim and in toto.
Since she directed them to Hindraf to answer, we can consider it Fair Comment to share in the public domain. (Emphasis mine: The red underlines are to point you to the Pakatan attitudes underlying the questions.)
Mariam Mokhtar asked Hindraf:
- You appear to target the opposition, instead of focusing your ire on BN, whose policies corrupted the country and its institutions. Some people accuse you of prostituting yourself by approaching both parties. What have you to say about this?
.- For 56 years, BN continually broke its promises to the Indians. Do you like the Umno/BN style of governance? What is your view of Umno’s corruption? Can you continue to claim to be principled when you enter into talks with BN?
.- You were given your passport, safe passage into Malaysia via the Causeway and later, the ban on Hindraf was lifted. Some people allege that Hindraf had done a “deal” with Umno, perhaps, even with Mahathir, the former PM. Is there any substance to this allegation?
.- Is Hindraf trying to fill the vacuum left by the MIC?
.- Hindraf started as a human rights organisation, but has morphed into a race-based political party. How is Malaysia to move forward and reject racial politics if you continue to play the race card? How are your policies better than Pakatan’s?
.- You appear to be fighting racism with more racism. Not all Malays or bumiputeras benefit from the NEP. Many indigenous peoples from Sarawak are also stateless. Hindraf will look after the Indians, so what will Hindraf do for the poor people from the Malay, Chinese and other communities?
.- Many people have been played out by Umno and Najib. What makes you think that they will honour their promises and keep their “janji ditepati” to you?
.- Hindraf demanded 10 parliamentary and seven state seats for it to contest from Pakatan. Have you made a similar demand to BN?
.- Do you seriously think you will win the 17 parliamentary and state seat allocations you demanded from Pakatan? Is it wise to tell your followers to abstain from voting?
.- Do you think BN is alarmed about the consequences of your hunger strike? Do you think you will make a significant impact on Malaysians? What are your real reasons for going on this strike? What do you seek to accomplish with this hunger strike? What will make you start eating again?
Helen Ang 
Basically PR is looking for a scapegoat to their failures. They know they have lost the Malay electorate which they will blame on UMNO’s race politics and Utusan, etc.
But it is harder for them to blame the loss of Indian votes – so Hindraf offers itself the perfect sacrifical lamb – from PR point of view that is. There will be usual accusations post GE – saying Indians are cheap to be brought by a bag of rice or a kilo of mutton and that Waytha is a traitor.
I can’t recall PR saying thanks when Hindraf’s votes which contributed more than most factors for the Political Tsunami.
What PR effectively says to Indians is this : Just give us the votes and close the door on the way out. You have an obligation to vote PR and be glad whatever bones that we throw at you post GE.
Calvin,
Yup. On the subject of Malay leans to UMNO, it is not so much of Najib’s overture or 1Malaysia goodies. Rather the massive increase of Malay support to UMNO comes mainly from those who traditionally supported PAS.
These people are disgusted with PAS 360 degree turn of principle especially when it comes to Negara islam. Besides, carrying the burden of problematic politician like Anwar is too much for PAS members.
When the BN as led by the UMNO with the 14 component parties win big, the DAP should be blamed because it entered into an ALI BABA venture with the PAS and the PKR.
And after shouting themselves hoarse for 44 years ‘Malaysia for Malaysians’, deserted their hard-core supporters and their own conscience, and through the good Dr Tony Pua who openly said that Malaysian Politics is Malay-based. As their own riff-raff will say, ‘ The DAP carries Malay bees !’
You really no like Tony Pua, huh?
Sekarang semakin jelas “keterbukaan” pengikut pembangkang.
Apa saja…ya.. APA SAJA berkait dengan Umno dan BN adalah rasis, berdamai sekalipun adalah rasis dan tidak berprinsip. Satu hari nanti, kalau pandu kereta lalu depan rumah Najib pun anda akan dianggap samada tidak berprinsip atau rasis.
Tapi “keterbukaan” itu sudah naik satu tingkat lebih tinggi.
Sekarang, bagi mereka, jika anda tidak memihak kepada pakatan maka, ianya samada anda rasis, tidak berprinsip, menyokong kezaliman ataupun ada “deal”.
Kebebasan bersuara bermaksud bebas menyokong dan taksub kepada Pakatan, itu saja, tiada lain selain dari itu.
..dan itu semasa mereka belum menguasai kerajaan, polis, KDN dan akhbar arus perdana dan pelbagai lagi jentera kerajaan. Jika mereka diberi kuasa.. sendiri mau ingat lah..
re: “mereka belum menguasai kerajaan, polis, KDN dan akhbar arus perdana dan pelbagai lagi jentera kerajaan”
Ada juga mereka menguasai akhbar arus perdana — The Jerusubang Star
kamu lupa Helen, ada 3 lagi akbar Inggeris yang mereka kuasai. The Malay Mail, The Sun Daily, The Edge. mana boleh kamu lupa yang 3 ni ?
Ya ka Cik Helen? Saya tidak tahu pun bahawa The Star sepatutnya dikuasai oleh BN. Saya memang menganggap ia diterbit oleh DAP sebagai akhbar kembar Roket… maafkan saya.
ha…ha…ha…cerdik.
I m not surprised by those questions posed by MM. even before GE, she’s pinning the blame on the Indians.
her questions, more than anything, go to show that defeat for PR is now a certainty, they know, PR know, that defeat for them is now a sure outcome for them. hence, the scapegoat i.e the Indians, must now be vilified.
there is a simple way to ‘test’ either they are racist or not? Isu pendidikan, the biggest Tun M failure is to abolished the vernacular school. he try to implement the Sekolah Wawasan and guess what, everybody (Chinese and Tamil Indian) went rage, espc Dong Zong which in silence have strong alliance with DAP.
DAP alwayz proclaim that they are not racist people, but during the campaign they speak in Mandarin, even some of their MP cannot speak Malay well (how come they can be MP???).
Malaysia is the only country (exclude China) have Chinese school, even Singapore long ago abolish that… PR is no differ with BN, trust me, DAP will contest at majority chinese (or in some case Indian) area, PAS will contest at majority malay area, and PKR is depend of their candidate, if chinese so they will contest at mainly chinese area and so onnnnn….
please people, Malaysia is multiracial country, accept that fact. Unity in diversity… towards unity, abolish the vernacular school first.
Sekolah wawasan was one of the few rare things that eluded Mahathir. I was so confident it would map a road of the future for our education system, preserving the need for primary vernacular education, while cross-fertilising the streams and encouraging interaction and cooperation.
Unfortunately, the “Chinese” education movement revolted and it did not really materialize on a large scale. And now Najib is contemplating to recognize UEC without extracting any concessions. Deal with the DJZ carefully, BN or PR. Moga-moga sekolah wawasan yang ada akan membuahkan hasil and convince the rest to follow, wherever possible. Sekolah menengah aliran bahasa Cina atau bahasa Inggeris, itu kena kira sekolah swasta. Tumpukan usaha agar semua anak-anak Malaysia bersekolah di SMK. Fokus di atas kualiti pendidikan ilmiah dan pulihkan reputasi dan keupayaan sekolah kerajaan yang top-top belaka.
PR supporters have been brainwashed into thinking that BN has not done anything beneficial to Malaysians for the past 50 years. They continue to be blinded, thinking all the government had done is something any government in the world would have done for its people. This is not true. The examples are everywhere.
On the other hand, the government has done well enough to deserve itself a pat in the back for bringing so much development into this country – creating an ecosystem where everyone can make a living. And juggling the many demands by various race groups.
Let’s not risk our future in the hands of politicians with true intention of serving the people.
Selain rasis, Mariam juga kata, “Malaysia has a bigger problems of Corruption, Deteriorating Education, Police brutality , unfair EC etc…bla, bla, bla…
Adalah jelas beliau maksudkan UMNO sebagai kepala dan lelain parti komponen pun dicap sama.
Dalam lain perkataan,sesiapapun ada urusan dengan kerajaan yakni BN, maknanya semuanya mempraktikkan agenda sama.
Secara tak langsung, semua rakyat yang berkerja, berurusan dengan kerajaan adalah juga sama.
Nampak sangat kempen menghasut rakyat yang dijuarai oleh DAP supaya rakyat percaya kerajaan yang ada hari ini sangat korup telah berjaya mereka laksanakan.
Hari ini, kemanapun saya pergi, saya akan jumpa orang Malaysia (tak kira kaum) dari tukang kebun, pemandu teksi, golongan profesional hinggalah yang berpangkat dato’, dato’ seri yang kata kerajaan korup walaupun tanpa fakta!
Jika DAP menggunakan media sosial dan akhbar the star dalam memperluaskan kempen mereka, PKR dan PAS juga menggunakan kempen yang sama selain ceramah-ceramah yang saban hari dijalankan, dirakam dan disebar melalui youtube.
Kempen kebencian ini sudah berjalan selama bertahun-tahun.
Ketiadaan ISA telah menjadikan rakyat (terutama penyokong pakatan) menjadi terlalu berani, malah terlebih berani. Kebebasan bersuara telah digunakan melampaui batas sehingga perbuatan menghasut, mengugut, memfitnah, mencaci, menipu dsbnya juga dianggap sebagai kebebasan bersuara. Sekiranya dihalang, mereka akan kata telah dicerobohi hak asasi mereka.
Dalam pada semua orang mahu Malaysia dipacu ke arah kemajuan dan kehidupan yang lebih baik, saya fikir ketiadaan akta ISA sebenarnya telah membawa kita balik ke belakang sebab sejak kali terakhir berlakunya 13 Mei, bibit-bibit ulangan sejarah seolah-olah semakin hampir selepas 55 tahun menjadikan kemajuan, keharmonian selama ini tidak memberi erti langsung!
Maka benarlah tuduhan Mariam terhadap Hindraf ini tidak lain hanyalah sebagai persediaan Pakatan untuk kalah pilihanraya dan menjadikannya alasan untuk melakukan rusuhan sepertimana banyak alasan-alasan lain yang telah mereka siarkan awal-awal tentang kononnya SPR tidak adil, pengundi hantu dsbnya.
‘Mari kita lihat siapa yang kena!’………..” kata-kata arwah Ibrahim Pendek dalam Ali-Baba…..”
re: “Nampak sangat kempen menghasut rakyat yang dijuarai oleh DAP supaya rakyat percaya kerajaan yang ada hari ini sangat korup telah berjaya mereka laksanakan.
“Hari ini, kemanapun saya pergi, saya akan jumpa orang Malaysia (tak kira kaum) dari tukang kebun, pemandu teksi, golongan profesional hinggalah yang berpangkat dato’, dato’ seri yang kata kerajaan korup walaupun tanpa fakta!”
Memang benar. DAP dan Dapsters begitu mudah sekali melemparkan tuduhan terhadap lawan tanpa seurat bukti pun.
Same goes with PAS.
Some times, for the sake of fun, I sort of character-assassinate the ustazs in our kuliah after maghrib in our local surau.
Tak tahan nak muntah with their serban and yet menabur cerita i.e fitnah tanpa apa-apa bukti. I even asked them whether they had ever seen the colour of the original cover of Gov procurement contract to justify their claims.
baulu,
i once walked out of the surau at my office when this visiting ustaz started to ‘menabur cerita i.e fitnah tanpa apa-apa bukit’. i made sure i made a very noisy exit from the surau.
im getting pretty sick (beyond muntah already) with these kinds of serban wearing ustazs who have hollier-than-thou attitude.
Is this the reason we fared worst in global corruption perception index?
The major organization preparing the corruption perception index is Transparency International.
They survey corporate figures incl. expats who do local business.
Perhaps some of their survey respondents are DAP supporters, like those Penang Chamber of Commerce bigwigs ,) but these fellas will stress that Penang since 2008 no corruption, Selangor also no corruption but the rest of the country got, heh-heh-heh).
Who wins does not matter to me. What matter is clean and fair election. The question is, are our EC competent? Is the electoral roll clean?
Is the playing field equal for both the govt and oppo? Or is it one sided?
How about cleaning up the electoral roll first and we debate later?
How are ordinary Malaysians feeling when we have so many foreign workers and I wonder what percentage of them are holding an IC eligible to vote?
If BN wins through a clean and fair election, by all mean rule the country. Judging from the revelations of Sabah RCI, that may not seem the way.
re: “clean and fair election”
You say, “The question is, are our EC competent?”
Can we trust Pakatan to better run elections? Was PKR “competent” in running its party election? Suggest you go ask Datuk Zaid.
You say, “Is the electoral roll clean?”
I can say the same of the DAP delegates roll. Imagine if Muhyiddin Yassin were to lose his Johor seat.
And then the EC comes back two weeks later and overturns the result saying, “Oops, sorry, there was a technical glitch. Actually ah, the Tan Sri had won after all. Our fault as we used a pirated Excel.”
You say, “How about cleaning up the electoral roll first and we debate later?”
How about we investigate whether the DAP CEC election was clean first and we debate later.
You say, “How are ordinary Malaysians feeling when we have so many foreign workers and I wonder what percentage of them are holding an IC eligible to vote?”
How do you know for certain that they will vote BN? Say in Sabah, and the Suluks are holding the IC as you claim. They might instead choose to vote Anwar’s party.
You say, “If BN wins through a clean and fair election, by all mean rule the country. Judging from the revelations of Sabah RCI, that may not seem the way.”
Judging from the revelations to come of the Sabah RCI, it is Anwar who will be implicated.
EC is mandated to run the Malaysia General Election and is meant to be independent.
Your question of can we trust Pakatan to run better elections is completely out of context if you want to do an apple to apple comparison. Same goes to your electoral role comparison with DAP.
I commented on the competency of an independent body and not a political party.
Are you implying that some political party are behind EC and these parties can do a better job in running an independent election?
Re: How do you know for certain that they will vote BN?
You are smart to do your own research of testimony accounts
Re: Judging from the revelations to come of the Sabah RCI, it is Anwar who will be implicated.
You sound very certain and I can only assume you’ve gotten a standardized script by whoever or whatever source which is in the plot. A typical modus operadi of conspirators.
re: “EC is mandated to run the Malaysia General Election and is meant to be independent.”
Same case with the police force and the civil service, yah. Therefore, whether it is BN or Pakatan in Putrajaya, it will make no difference b’cos neither BN (or Pakatan should it come to pass) would interfere with bodies meant to be independent.
The police will function independently to do its job as mandated and the civil service as well.
Since you’re a Pakatan supporter (my appraisal from all your past comments), I cannot see why you guys think that with Pakatan sitting in Putrajaya, corruption will disappear overnight. Note: Pakatan blames the police and the civil service as corrupt.
You say that the EC as an agency of the state is meant to be independent. I will mirror your argument and say too that the police and civil service as an agencies of the state are meant to be independent.
So, bottomline (1): No difference whether Putrajaya is occupied by BN or by Pakatan as the ruling parties do not interfere with the EC or the police or the civil service.
Bottomline (2): In that case, Pakatan should not be promising voters that if they come to power, suddenly all corruption will vanish.
re: “Your question of can we trust Pakatan to run better elections is completely out of context if you want to do an apple to apple comparison. Same goes to your electoral role comparison with DAP.”
On the contrary, it is an apple to apple comparison. DAP screams TRANSPARENCY. It demands Transparency in everything that the govt does, incl. in the running of elections.
As a direct comparison, I’m asking whether we see the same transparency that Pakatan is demanding wrt to federal elections is shown in the elections conducted by their own parties.
re: “I commented on the competency of an independent body and not a political party.”
The opposition political parties are promising voters that they will demand the Competency that the BN and that the govt agencies are lacking. The EC counts millions of votes each election. The DAP only had to count 1,800-plus votes.
Is it too much that I ask you if in DAP’s own internal elections, it has demonstrated this ability to be competent that you require of the EC?
re: “Are you implying that some political party are behind EC and these parties can do a better job in running an independent election?”
I am saying that since the Pakatan promise that they can do everything better and since you and other Pakatan supporters appear to believe them, that I would like some indication that the Pakatan politicians have demonstrated that they can do better given the roles.
e.g. Malaysia appoints a finance minister. BN might win and appoint their choice of FM or Pakatan might win and appoint their choice of FM. But whichever party wins, we’d like some indication that whomever they appoint as FM has the credentials to do the job. But this guy (the candidate) has snagged the job yet.
Same with the promise of clean elections. Pakatan hasn’t snagged the job of sitting in the executive chair in Putrajaya yet but before they do, I’d like to see their credentials, their CV and their past ‘job experience’.
In terms of handling elections, how the DAP and the PKR handled their party elections can count as past ‘job experience’ in the CV.
Re: “How do you know for certain that they will vote BN?” / “You are smart to do your own research of testimony accounts.”
Haven’t you heard the dictum that he who asserts must prove.
Let’s say I assert that you have cheated on your wife/girlfriend.
You reply: “”How do you know for certain that I cheated on my wife/girlfriend?”
I reply to you: “You are smart to do your own research of testimony accounts”, i.e. hinting that some people gossiped in my ear (“testimony accounts”) that they saw you sneaking into a budget hotel with a girl, but you must be smart to do your own research to prove me and my supposed witnesses wrong.
So the onus is on you – you do you own research lah as to where I heard it from and who told me the news of your affairs – to disprove my allegation that you cheated on your wife/gf.
Same with the Sabah thing. You are the one who is asserting that illegal IC holders will vote BN. I asked, “How you know?”
Re: “Judging from the revelations to come of the Sabah RCI, it is Anwar who will be implicated.” / “You sound very certain and I can only assume you’ve gotten a standardized script by whoever or whatever source which is in the plot. A typical modus operadi of conspirators.”
Oh really, so who gave me the script? And who are my co-conspirators?
May I point out that recently Rafizi called a press conference to blame Dr M for being responsible for Azzimuddie Kiram acquiring Malaysian citizenship in the mid-1970s and it is all Dr M’s fault as the puppetmaster behind Project IC.
Azzimuddie Kiram getting citizenship in 1074 or earlier pun nak salahkan Dr M and Umno which entered Sabah only in 1991.
Hullo lah.
Instead of blaming everything on a Umno conspiracy and every opinion as coming from an Umno agent, can Jerusubangites like you please first learn how to collect data from the open public domain?
Correction
Typo error: “But this guy (the candidate) has NOT snagged the job yet.”
Did Pakatan really promised that if they come into power, corruption will vanish automatically? Hmm..if there is such a claim, then I would be a very lousy supporter.
I believe they will fight corruption.
LGE have declared his assets, YB HY office made public of their ADUN spending are just a few examples of transparency. Not to mention SELCAT by Selangor state government.
Selangor and Penang did extremely well in the Auditor General’s report as per compared to previously ruled BN government. Does this fit into the CV?
I agree with you that corruption may exist but the question i would like to post is what is BN doing about transparency?
Can a CM in Sarawak be so rich after almost 30 years of ruling?
Can a ex PM be so rich after 20 over years of ruling?
These are the questions which I hope BN supporters can answer me.
Why not all BN and Pakatan candidates declare their assets before election and declare again 5 years later?
You mentioned about the independency of police. Former IGP Musa Hassan claimed there was “interference” from top people during his time. Ok, don’t just trust a person’s word. How about why most of the time Pakatan applies permit for ceramahs it was rejected but ok for BN? Why Teoh Beng Hock was hushed into MACC office for an allegation of few thousand misappropriate spending where else Taib Mahmud is walking scot-free?
Why there was no action taken by police when a group of protesters protests in KOMTAR or even in PKR HQ? Why action was taken when only a few people protest in RTM and PM residence? Also, why no action taken towards protesters in front of Ambiga’s house?
I may not be as smart or as intellectual as you.
I am just a normal citizen seeking for a good government.
BN have been ruling for close to 50 over years and all I see and hear is corruptions, crony (closed tender projects) and inefficient civil service.
Life is hard for an ordinary wage earner.
PKR manifesto promises a better future and I would rather take the risk for the next 5 years than to suffer another 50 more years.
If PKR wins Putrajaya and does not deliver, then we vote them out. That also if BN will be a good opposition. Which looking in Penang and Selangor, they have failed miserably as opposition.
re: “Why not all BN and Pakatan candidates declare their assets before election and declare again 5 years later?”
Golly, you’re so behind the times. You’re not aware, meh, that Najib had said BN candidates would be screened by the MACC? Why not Pakatan allow their candidates to be screened by the MACC too?
re: “Why Teoh Beng Hock was hushed into MACC office for an allegation of few thousand misappropriate spending where else Taib Mahmud is walking scot-free?”
Are you saying a small amount is not corruption? Corruption is corruption, whatever the sum involved.
re: “I am just a normal citizen seeking for a good government.”
And you won’t find it in Pakatan.
re: “PKR manifesto promises a better future and I would rather take the risk for the next 5 years than to suffer another 50 more years.”
Pls tell us how the BN govt has made you suffer personally for 50 years. We’re really interested to know.
re: “If PKR wins Putrajaya and does not deliver, then we vote them out.”
I have some Penang friends (non-Chinese) who after 5 years of giving them a try now want to “vote out” LGE and DAP but it’s not really as easy as you make it sound, wor. I really don’t think my friends can succeed in voting out DAP from Penang even after the
nnext 10 years.Browny,
The problem with Pakatan supporters is that they tend to leave all their common sense and logic and wholeheartedly believe whatever being printed by the Pakatan-controlled on-line media and portals and accept as Biblical truth of what being said in the endless You Tube videos featuring Pakatan leaders’ speeches posted on numerous pro-PR Facebook groups. .
1. Corruption – Are you sure they will fight corruption? What guarantee that they will when they don’t do that now and in fact either cover up or defend corrupt party members? In Penang, the DCM1 was caught in a bribery scandal and was forced to leave his post.
FYI the current DCM1 is the replacement after the original one was “dropped”. LGE did not admit this or take any actions but covered this up. Recently an aide to the current DCM1 was caught for bribery and been charged.
For all his talk about CAT and good governance, LGE has been embroiled in numerous controversies. His award of contracts to cronies by abusing the so-called Open tender is numerous (the Tokong Tunnel is just the latest case in a long list). He’s also extremely close to many rich and influential developers and that’s well known here too.
In Selangor it is far worse as Helen would testify. Illegal sand mining is rampant, the awards of contracts to cronies are widespread ( rubbish disposal, purchase of poor quality China trucks at inflated costs, gross waste and abuse of public funds by PKNS, the millions being spent on Selangorkini, Selangor TV, abuse of local council contracts by awarding to PR leaders, diverting of public monies for political advertising, etc, etc.
You really must be like the four monkeys – see no evil, hear no evil, talk no evil and read no evil about Pakatan’s corruption.
2. Asset declaration – Do you really understand what you are talking about or just regurgitating in verbatim what you read in Mkini ? LGE did not declare his asset but merely declared the assets he had in 2008 and in 2011. He did not declare his income or all assets.
In fact looking at his ”declaration”, you see that it is a clear attempt to fool people. How can his asset in 2011 is the same as in 2008 when his income has increased many folds? Basic requirement of asset declaration is also the declaration of assets held by his family since that’s the usual route of corrupt politicians. But he didn’t. Furthermore, this was no SD but merely a written statement. This is a joke.
3. SELCAT – Please don’t get me started on this. SELCAT is a mere instrument for cover up. What kind of actions they have taken on civil servants other than using it to do witch hunts on their political opponents.
4. AG report – Selangor and Penang did well in AG report? Penang has been doing well in AG reports for ages as was Selangor. You can go and read it yourself in the AG websites for post 2008 reports. This is a pure fabrication by alternative media. BTW how come you don’t mention Kedah and Kelantan? They did very badly.
5. Ceramah permit – Are you joking? When did Pakatan even applies for permit for their ceramahs? First of all, based on election laws Pakatan should not even be conducting ceramahs during non election period. This is illegal and the EC been very kind to PR. Pakatan been campaigning 365 days and that is without any permits.
6. Protests – What kind of political culture that Pakatan promotes when it bring rowdy protestors to PM’s personal residence? The people arrested were for disobeying police and not for protesting. As for KOMTAR and PKR office protests, as long as they disperse when they were ordered, there is no need to arrest them. As for Ambiga, these guys were moron I admit, but you can’t arrest people for exercising or selling burgers. I would agree that if they threatened peace or security, they should be arrested. But they did not.
7. TBH – so it is OK for Pakatan to steal money as long as it is less than what BN allegedly steals? Shouldn’t Pakatan operate on a higher standards of behaviour when it claims to be anti-corruption?
8. Giving PR a chance to rule Malaysia – thanks but no thanks. BN might not have turned Malaysia into a Korea in 55 years but Pakatan will turn the country into Zimbabwe in 5 short years.
Facts are facts Madam ! The DAP after shouting ‘Malaysia for Malaysians’ for 44 years and criticising Ali-Babas, now form the biggest 2 Alis-1 Baba political arrangement of all-time unlike the BN as led by the UMNO with the 14 component parties.
The DAP left their hard-core supporters and conscience behind.
They did not help the Chinese, being Chinese themselves, the Malays, the Indians and all by being exclusive to 2 dynastic families.
I am of the opinion that the DAP should have joined the BN long ago and not give the impression that the Chinese are different from everyone else. We are not.
And as for Dr Tony Pua, whose academic qualifications are inferior to Lee Kuan Yew with his Double Star First in Law from Cambridge and not Oxford and probably a Third Class in the Bar Finals London. [edited] I like them both as good people.
re: “2 Alis-1 Baba political arrangement”
Cute. However, I think “Khaleli” (see here) might be a good term as well to describe the Malay-Chinese joint venture in Pakatan.
re: “And as for Dr Tony Pua”
As far as I’m aware, he does not have a PhD and nor has he ever claimed so. Why do you insist on conferring him a doctorate?
re: “[LKY’s] probably a Third Class in the Bar Finals London”
Like you yourself said, “facts are facts”. Since you say “probably”, I take it that you’re unable to prove that LKY obtained “a Third Class in the Bar Finals London”. And neither can you prove that other allegation that you keep repeating and that I keep editing out.
Please lah. Don’t leave comments that may cause me to be sued for libel.
I was under the impression that you like my blog since you’re a regular commenter. Already I’m doing this pro bono but you wanna add to my burden by making me bear the risk of being sued for defamation if I were to let through all the statements that you keep making about LKY and about S’pore.
This same reminder is also directed to another regular commenter who has issues with the mamaks in Umno. For this blog to function smoothly, please do not impede me with problematic comments containing a stream of unproven allegations.
With ‘friends’ like you guys, I don’t need the Komtar cybertrooper enemies, lor.
Mrs Lee Kuan Yew was placed Third out of about 300 candidates. My wife was placed 7th out of 700 candidates in their respective Bar Final Examinations in London. Go and check.
Aiyoh Uncle! Are you talking about Mr or Mrs Lee Kuan Yew now?
You said LKY had “a Third Class in the Bar Finals London” and you have kept repeating this in many, many comments in my blog as if you’re suffering from OCD.
If you’re now saying that Madam Kwa Geok Choo achieved excellent scores in her bar final examinations, that’s fine with me.
But please lah, leave off the LKY and Dr Tony leitmotif, pretty please …
Madam, you will not be sued by Lee Kuan Yew. My late elder brother George married his only sister, Monica, in October 1951 and the PAP was founded in 1955.
:D
Glad to know my blog attracts senior citizens. I was afraid that my humour might be too weird to appeal to such a broad spectrum.
Madam, the reason why I said ‘both of them went up to Cambridge is this’. In the case of Lee Kuan Yew, he entered Fitzwilliam House, the bottom most college with a non-collegiate status being no Latin or Greek was required to enter.
In the case of (Dr) Tony Pua, he did his basic degree in Australia.
To get to the front door, prospective undergraduates have to take an entrance with Latin or Greek for Oxford or Cambridge during Lee Kuan Yew’s time.
As for (Dr) Tony Pua, many recent candidates take up a short course in Cambridge after qualifying from other universities. This is a way to go round the stringent requirements for entry into Cambridge.
Madam. Facts are facts. 15 members of my family went up to Cambridge between 1925 to 2013. I should know when I said ‘….they went up to Cambridge by the back door !’
Madam, I wish I am enjoying myself somewhere else. But my conscience and country calls.
I could have joined politics long long ago as was offered the best State Exco seat for a Chinaman, being the Selangor State seat of Kuala Kubu in 1969 and Tun Tan Siew Sin’s own Batu Berendam seat in 1973.
I declined both because I accepted the advice of my advisers, Tan Sri C.C. Too, the world expert on counter-insurgency to the Federal Government and my friends in the UMNO Youth ! Hence, i am still here today and hopefully tomorrow !
Okay lah Uncle. I always value oral history, and what you say about your life and times is most interesting.
You can share your first person account in this space with us. But please do leave off LKY, TP and their degrees already. Your most recent explanation has managed to shed light on what were previously cryptic comments.
Rather than dwelling on Tony Pua, other people are of more interest, like maybe you’re acquainted with Douglas Tan’s MCA stalwart grandpa?
Dato Seri Douglas K.K. Lee’s father Tun Sir Col. H. S. Lee, Malaya’s first Minister of Finance, was the only elder brother of my late brother-in-law, H.M. Lee who married my elder sister, Daisy.
I am amused when people called me uncle. In the 1960s, I used to travel down to Singapore at 6 a.m. As there was no one on the plane, the air hostess breakfasted with me. Later they called me Mister. And even later, they called me Sir. Now, they called me Uncle. I know I am finished. I hope you would not be sued for this one.
I have an elder sister who authored several books, and was the contemporary of one of our finest Prime Ministers, the late Tun Abdul Razak and Lee Kuan Yew at the Raffles College which produced the first generation leaders of Malaysia and Singapore