Blog House Malaysia president Syed Akbar Ali blogged on how our country is unravelling:
“Not only has the average citizen (like your friendly classmate or your own brother and sister) have become ultra kiasu wannabe Arab Bungkus but there are also the ultra kiasu Christian Born Again psychos in the country. I thank Allah that the Buddhists in this country are not ultra kiasu.”
(source: OutSyed the Box, 2 Aug 2013)
I can suggest one explanation as to why Malaysian Buddhists are not ultra kiasu. It is because Buddhism is not a missionary religion.
Buddhists do not seek to convert others into their fold. That is why there has been no Buddhist equivalent of the DUMC proselytization case and no Buddhist abbot here the equivalent of Bishop Paul Tan.
Jakim, JAIS, MAIS, Muafakat and the other Islamic agencies and departments which have warned the ummah against the deceitful ploys of the evangelistas are not similarly concerned about Buddhists carrying out dakwah among the Malays.
Below: A tweet recently by Zaid Ibrahim.
The former law minister believes that Malaysia produces preachers which is “the easiest task in the world”.
And why not?
Preaching is so lucrative.
Look at the sum to the tune of hundred of millions Sing dollars bandied about during court proceedings with regard to the City Harvest Church corruption charges.
That’s across the Causeway. The CHC pastors got caught because the Singapore government was vigilant and has regulators to monitor the church finances. Unfortunately in Malaysia we allow the deviance (“anything goes” teachings) of the evangelical churches – some of which are RM2 companies – to go unchecked.
With the Jerusubang religion, anybody can preach.
Why a disaster waiting to happen?
The next confrontation will not be a racial clash but religious.
Previously when the Chinese (‘Buddhist’) MCA had some influence over the Chinese, an uneasy peace was kept at least. But not anymore.
What’s different now from the situation before 5 May 2013 (GE13 polling day)?
One, MCA is no longer in the government.
Two, MCA is constantly breaking ranks with the BN.
Three, MCA is no longer willing to work with the BN-led government.
No representation in Cabinet
From its heyday when MCA held the Finance portfolio, today the MCA has zilch federal ministers.
The Cabinet which steers the country meets weekly.
There are another four-and-a-half plus years to go before GE14 needs to be called, That’s roughly 250 weeks into the future; also 250 Cabinet meetings of which the MCA will be sitting out.
There is only one Chinese minister, Paul Low. He comes from a quasi government background and doesn’t represent any political party. He’s not obligated to keep MCA (and Gerakan) abreast of developments at the highest levels.
MCA will be in the dark as to what is being discussed by the VVIP decisionmakers. MCA is without any official capacity to provide their input. From now until 2018, MCA is essentially functioning as Malaysia’s biggest and most unappreciated NGO.
Nature of MCA transformed (‘Ubah’)
In almost every recent outbreak of unrest where Umno, as the backbone of the government, has been put on the defensive, MCA is to be found instead on the opposite side of the fence … standing together with the DAP.
The appointment a few days ago of evangelista Wong Chun Wai as acting Star CEO underscores the direction that MCA is committing itself to take.
Among the issues where MCA is eyeballing Umno are:
- ‘Having second review on The New Village will tarnish the credibility of the Film Censorship Board and hinder development of local film industry’
- ‘Contentious FT religion Bill withdrawn from Parliament‘
- ‘Have uniformity in State Enactments on religion of minor children be determined by both parents’
- ‘Alleged comments made by Principal of SM Alam Megah cannot be excused’
- ‘Education Ministry must launch probe & ensure no such repetition of makeshift canteens in changing room – MCA Youth’
Public spat with Ministry
MCA National Youth chief Wee Ka Siong was a Deputy Education Minister until April 2013 when the Parliament was dissolved.
Today he is in open conflict and has publicly disputed his former Ministry over the varsity intake issue — see Wee’s press statement today titled ‘Setting the record straight!‘ in the MCA website.
It’s clear that MCA is unable to see eye to eye with Umno and the BN anymore. Its mouthpreach The J-Star is being given a free hand to deliver DAP sermons. The MCA-owned paper is pushing hard for English-medium schools which is not something contained in the Malaysia Education Blueprint (2013-2025).
This J-Star obsession with English school is a yearning and harking back to the era of the Christian missionaries. What has the MCA become?!
Helen Ang 
While our disagreement as to the nature of the eventual “clash” is well known on this forum, I think that syed makes a good point when it comes to the economic factors which would lead to an eventual “Malaysian spring”.
I am actually a little bit impressed with the testicular fortitude of the MCA these days. I mean even in the days when they were in the cabinet it was not as if they could do anything beyond plead behind closed doors.
Keeping your allies honest is a far better proposition than the faux muhibbah excesses of PR. While I’m at it, I may as well throw some kudos, the MIC’s way.
The DPM is backtracking on his rather silly comment on non Muslim provocations and if UMNO can’t keep its house in order, then I’m all for the so called component parties, making their stand clear or attempting to gain political mileage from issues which should be non issues if UMNO was interested in playing well with others.
I don’t really think it is a tenable argument to make that the Chinese Buddhist influence in the MCA kept the peace, when it is those very same Chinese Buddhist demographic which abandoned the MCA and are aligning themselves with the evangelist of the DAP to redefine the power sharing formula with like minded Malays.
If anything an argument could be made that the so called Buddhist influence led to the downfall of the MCA wrt lack of confidence in being an equal partner.
I wouldn’t make this argument though because as far as MCA’s demise goes, they made their bed with the evangelical movement a long time ago.
re: “the economic factors which would lead to an eventual Malaysian spring”
No quarrel with the ‘economic factors’ argument. However hungry, angry people (‘Malaysian Spring’ mob) might also latch on to traditional bogeymen to scapegoat.
re: “Keeping your allies honest is a far better proposition than the faux muhibbah excesses of PR.”
Umno might not be inclined to consider MCA an ally much longer given all the J-Star backstabbing and the 90 percent Chinese support for the oppo.
re: “so called component parties, making their stand clear or attempting to gain political mileage”
Even when MCA stands up, correctly, on issues (like anti-hudud), they get knifed in the back (by DAP accusing MCA as “anti Islam”).
MCA standing up for issues is all pain (get bashed by Malays, by Umno colleagues) but no gain — the Islam and Asian Civilization Studies (TITAS) case in point. Although MCA is against its implementation, we have WCW the preaching that the course should proceed and appearing OKM-ish in Malay eyes while MCA comes across as the Chinese-rejecting-everything-Islam ‘bad guy’.
In a nutshell, MCA’s stand against TITAS doesn’t help it regain any Chinese votes but makes it lose its dwindling Malay votes.
re: “I don’t really think it is a tenable argument to make that the Chinese Buddhist influence in the MCA kept the peace”
Pre-2004, we did not have such a month as the Alvivi and the rest of the race-religion fights.
re: “those very same Chinese Buddhist demographic which abandoned the MCA and are aligning themselves with the evangelist of the DAP to redefine the power sharing formula with like minded Malays”
Align with the ‘Allah’ thieves, pay the price.
re: “the so called Buddhist influence led to the downfall of the MCA”
Possibly, the Buddhist pacifist philosophy failed the Chinese in the context as you describe.
re: “as far as MCA’s demise goes, they made their bed with the evangelical movement a long time ago”
At least we are agreed that the old MCA is dead. A changeling we got now.
Helen, what is it then that you want MCA to do?
Rein in The J-Star,
sack The Sneaky Star‘s coven of evangelista editors (‘heads must roll’),
shut down their Scissorati black ops slandering blogs like Stop the Lies,
and put a lid on the Jerusubang-Scissorati Twitter network where their reporters’ tweets are a violation of ethics/professional code of conduct
— e.g. the Star NUJ chairman tweeting “Oi Big Momma” during a Rosmah Mansor function that he was assigned to cover.
I list the above as the measures mentioned are wrt to media (an area/industry I have knowledge of).
MCA must convince the BN that it is willing to confront Pakatan head on, particularly the DAP. The BN quid pro quo is that MCA is obligated to deliver the Chinese votes. Epic fail!
MCA owns the country’s biggest and most influential media conglomerate yet it receives the worst bad press. And allows the BN to be subjected to the same treatment.
MCA can do much better in the battle of perception against the DAP. There is so much ammunition at hand. The party can easily borrow so many bullets from my blog or from the entire beltway of the pro-Umno blogs and Malay media. But The J-Star doesn’t shoot. Instead it turns the gun and aims at MCA’s own foot instead.
Rather than doing the above, MCA has appointed evangelista WCW as CEO and recently pumped in tens of millions of ringgit to empower the digital version of the paper which obviously inclines to the oppo.
The entire English media both print and online with the sole exception of the NST is pro-oppo. The J-Star is the biggest segment of the English media. MCA is culpable and complicit.
Ms H. How to confront the Singaporean Trojan Horse DAP head on by the MCA leadership when they have bank accounts, relatives, condos, etc in Singapore. Remember the guy with his brief case painted in large white letters. ‘YB. XYZ Selangor State Executive Councillor’.
Re”No quarrel with the ‘economic factors’ argument. However hungry, angry people (‘Malaysian Spring’ mob) might also latch on to traditional bogeymen to scapegoat.”
No doubt the Chinese community may be collateral damage but I see the threat coming from UMNO which would use the community as a diversionary tactic and perhaps a hail Mary as form of Malay cohesion .
The real power would be PAS, as in every Islamic struggle against authoritarian rule has seen Islamic power groups attempt to seize control.
Re: “Umno might not be inclined to consider MCA an ally much longer given all the J-Star backstabbing and the 90 percent Chinese support for the oppo.”
That’s a poor strategic move on UMNO’s part then. Understandable since they are dealing with their own internal power struggles. A voting base is never lost forever and what UMNO should be doing is discovering why they lost the support and attempt to regain the support with or without the MCA.
Re:”Even when MCA stands up, correctly, on issues (like anti-hudud), they get knifed in the back (by DAP accusing MCA as “anti Islam”).
MCA standing up for issues is all pain……
In a nutshell, MCA’s stand against TITAS doesn’t help it regain any Chinese votes but makes it lose its dwindling Malay votes.”
A fair enough point and because they do not want to control their propaganda organ, it makes the situation worse. The choices are either folding in, attempting to make the best of Malay support and all that entails or continuing to make a stand and hoping the kool aid wears of.
Re:”Pre-2004, we did not have such a month as the Alvivi and the rest of the race-religion fights.”
Actually we did but it was hidden and people were afraid to rock the boat. I would argue that the split in the Malay community and the diversity of thinking it brought made it possible for minority voices to speak up. This is nothing new. former PM Mahathir has said more or less the same thing.
Re:”Align with the ‘Allah’ thieves, pay the price.”
Well, you either choose to pay the price with an alliance you at least have some kind of partnership with or pay the price when the Malay community and UMNO implodes and the Non Malays have no voice or influence at all. I know which choice I would make.
Having said that if UMNO is serious about reforms and embarks on a jihad of reclaiming the middle ground, I for one would give them a hearing.
The DAP Kool-Aid will not wear off before 2018 and Umno will not implode. DAP and Umno will, of necessity, lock horns. Indians gotta choose their side, that’s all.
Speaking of DAP and other matters.
ps NameWee included.
http://anotherbrickinwall.blogspot.com/2013/08/the-art-of-inciting-racial-hatred.html
Dear Helen Ang, I normally don’t take so much what Syed Akbar Ali writes about this so-called “Arab Wanabe”. He’s confused between Islam and Arab culture. Not all Arabs are Muslims, some are Christians.
Malay Muslims today are doing things to be more Islamic, not to be more Arab. There is nothing wrong in wanting to be more Islamic unles you do it at the expense of others.
But Syed Ali Akbar is confused between wanting to be more Islamic and wanting to be more Arabic! He thinks more Islamic schools means more Arabic thing, more Malays going to Islamic schools means more Malays wanting to be Arabs! Utterly rubbish what this Syed writes! More Malays go to Chinese schools too, that means more Malays want to be Chinese??
As for Buddhism not being a missionary religion, true and not true, Buddhism does not go all out in its way to convert people. But Buddhism will accept anybody who comes to it to be converted. Buddhism is not an aggressive religion in terms of missionary. Islam is a missionary religion but actually it is more or less like Buddhism. It is not an aggressive missionary religion compared to Christianity.
Islam does make it compulsory for Muslims to go out in the field and try to convert all non-Muslims. Islam does not say that non-Muslims are lost sheep or lost chickens that need to be Islamized, and Islam certainly does not say that if a Muslim convert a lost sheep or chicken, he’ll go heaven!
Unfortunately, Christianity does make mandatory for all Christians to go out there and evangelizing and Christianizing all non-Christians. Christianity clearly says that all non-Christians in the world are LOST SHEEP. There is a parable of lost sheep in Christianity (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parable_of_the_Lost_Sheep). Yes, Christianity is an aggressive missionary religion. I don’t think Muslims have that problem, quite unlike what Syed Ali Akbar try to portray. I don’t think there is anything wrong for Malays trying to be more Islamic.
Alang Pelikat,
If Syed Akhbar Ali having problem with whatever Arab, then he should let away his Syed name/title whatever is represent! Everybody know Syed is of arabic descendant.
Not really. Some Tamils also tend to name their sons as Syed or Sheikh etc, merely for being born on a Friday. Some Mamaks had Syed even if their father was not one. Malays not having a Syed father won’t and can’t simply be giving the Syed prefix to their sons.
Sorry for the above blunder. I was using my kindle fire and suddenly it went offline.
My hubby’s brother, a born again Christian sends his kids (daughters) to countries like Ireland and Russia to preach to ‘the heathens’ the true teachings of Christianity. To them, Catholics and Orthodox Christians have deviated from the true teachings of their religion.
Unfortunately many denominations or mahzab adopt a We-Are-Right attitude. Lots of wars have been fought between followers of different sects.
There is an ongoing anti-Shi’a campaign in Malaysia at the moment. Supposedly the Shi’a Muslims are deviants from the true teachings. This sentiment is likely fallout from the Syrian Civil War.
‘There is an ongoing anti-Shi’a campaign in Malaysia at the moment. Supposedly the Shi’a Muslims are deviants from the true teachings. This sentiment is likely fallout from the Syrian Civil War.’
Suddenly you are speaking on behave of the Shias now and telling off us, the majority Muslim Malays that, what we have just did was wrong?
Your analysis was wrong and superficial at best. The sentiment is there. They need to flex some muscle as can be seen in some kerajaan negeri recently, namely Kedah and Negeri Sembilan is to curb the movement from gaining stronger momentum in Malaysia. Prevention is better than cure.
And FYI, it has got nothing to do with Bashar Assad. Certainly it has got nothing to do with you! Buzz off!
re: “Buzz off!”
I take it that you’re referring to your dispute and not attempting to evict a fellow commenter from my blog, ya.
Yup. Definitely not gonna step on your toes, on that, so to speak. I know my limits.
Sebagai tetamu, saya masih tahu menghormati tuan rumah. Cuma tak ramai yang ada kesedaran seperti itu. Dan golongan ini sememangnya, bodoh yang tak boleh diajar, macam kata Tun M.
“Suddenly you are speaking on behave of the Shias now and telling off us, the majority Muslim Malays that, what we have just did was wrong?”
Obviously you cannot understand my sentence. You think I am speaking on behalf of the Shi’a and saying the Sunni Muslim Malays’ are wrong.
Here is an introduction to English comprehension for you: http://www.astro.com.my/ohmyenglish
If there is no connection between the recent anti-Shi’a sentiment in Malaysia and the Syrian Civil War, care to explain why there has been a campaign to boycott Iranian products? I have seen Malaysian websites asking people to refrain from buying Iranian dates and raisins during the fasting month.
Note that Iran has been supporting the Assadists in the war with weapons, soldiers, and information.
Your brother’s kids went to the 6 star luscious places. My niece and nephew, the former went to the darkest Africa and the latter went to Laos to teach the Laotians eco-biology and ended up getting along fine with the Royal House.
I disagree. Taking the recent Seri Pristana school canteen affair, observe the hostility and negative foaming-at-the-mouth from the conservative and right wing faction to the parents who blew the whistle.
Note the subsequent extrapolation from the target to verbally attack en masse the Indians and Hinduism, a religion that you would not consider a missionary religion. I visited some of the pro UMNO blogs and the Facebook site supporting the head master. Lots of negative posts towards Hindus and Indians. It was as though their pent-up prejudices towards Indians have found an excuse to be released. The underlying sentiment was that a minority (in this case, Hindu Indians) had not kept to their rightful place in Malaysian society by speaking out.
The number of posts and replies in your blog can serve as a crude indicator. Your writings about the ‘canteen affair’ easily attracted over 150 to 250 replies, and many more page-views I would think.
It is more than just a simplistic Christian versus Muslim hypothesis.
You are not a bystander in all of this! So stop dumbing down and acting square. Racist rants are not exclusively Malays, so jangan buat-buat bodo!
who started the race religion issue in the first place? the fact that it gets viral on facebook in the first place by an Indian who provoke the attitude of muslims towards minority says it all. we wont let one of of our kind to be vultured by irresponsible bigots like you.
“provoke the attitude of muslims towards minority says it all”
Translation – She dared to expose the actions of the headmaster closing the canteen and moving the pupils to the changeroom, and refuse to bow down to her assigned position as a ethnic minority.
“we wont let one of of our kind to be vultured by irresponsible bigots like you.”
Translation – Responsible means calling the minority pupils names like ‘keling’, ‘paria’, and thinking it is fine to deny them access to canteen area.
The hypocrisy and double standards of you people know no bounds. It pours out and stinks like an overflowing rubbish bin.
The fate of MCA is actually in the hands of UMNO. UMNO politics has already destroyed Gerakan. MCA will be next, if not already. If the situation in BN is no longer tenable, I don’t see any choice for MCA.
I think if UMNO decides to go the more religion-centric path, then it would have already decided do so without MCA. Perhaps if indeed MCA is breaking-ranks, then it could also provide a clue as to the direction UMNO is taking.
MCA, being out of government, has the perfect opportunity for it to say & do what it can’t in the past. How they use this opportunity is up to them. Same applies to UMNO.
The next election won’t be about a race. It’ll be whether we’ll be getting a Muslim/Islamic government. GE13 has actually presented the opportunity for the Malays to choose the type of government they want. The Chinese is out of the equation, unless they are pushed into the ring, which I hope not.
Hence, in my opinion, the ongoing racial issues, especially against the Chinese community is moot. Race was not even the reason the average Chinese voted PR.
The only thing it will accomplish is to radicalise the Chinese even more (some would like to use “awakening”, which is actually the opposite of what happened), which will be detrimental to the community. Add insecurity, then a certain voter base can indeed stay on one side for a long time.
The Chinese Buddhist did provide a certain degree of stability and peace. The Chinese would not have come out to the streets for those rallies or protests if not for the radicalisation by NGOs and political groups. Street rallies were never a Chinese thing. They even open their businesses during public holidays, why would you think they would waste their time standing in the sun? Unless they thought they were doing it for the good of the country.
So, no. The Malays are not split. It’s called having choices. They are very secure in their position. Only the insecure could driven into a corner.
Good analysis, esp. “if Umno decides to go the more religion-centric path, then it would have already decided do so without MCA. Perhaps if indeed MCA is breaking ranks, then it could also provide a clue as to the direction Umno is taking”.
Correct.
Umno is indeed taking the more religion-centric path, previously Tun Dol with his Islam Hadhari and current DS Najib with his Islam Wasatiyyah and allowing the Islamic Affairs Dept a prominent say.
Methinks the current behaviour of MCA is already predicated on your theory that MCA’s position within the BN is untenable.
UMNO has been responsive to the demands made by the Malays that have voted them. Over the years the Malays had decided to identify themselves, more and more, with Islam.
Nothing is wrong with that.
I see no reason why the non-Muslims should be worried. Unless of course if they are on their very own ‘war on terror’ ala War Criminal George W Bush and gangs.
I think Muslims would be worried too if the Islamic enforcers were to ‘take over’.
Maybe, to the evil doers. They know who they are. But if one have got nothing to hide, like rumah mistress whatsoever, then one may never get the feeling that their personal liberty is going to be transgressed over.
When caught red handed, committing anything at all, against the teachings of Islam, like tak berpuasa for example, they would be obliged and would prefer a quiet resolution to it. That is the whole idea behind it anyway, by doing so, the Islamic enforcers are hoping that they would repent. It was done first and foremost not to humiliate anyone. It was done merely to protect the sanctity of the religion. Perhaps the Muslims are literally following the fundamentals of their religion. That’s alright and all religious denominations should be doing the same.
Religious dogma is alive and kicking when we have seculars trying to convince others, that they are different from the average atheists. Truly, the exact opposite is true. Look around, seculars are the same everywhere. Thus the almost anti religious sentiments being tossed far and wide, time and again to corner religious doctrines.
Seculars should never be equated with liberals. Islam is liberal in nature. But that does not mean that two consenting unmarried adult can have sex to their whims and fancies. Islam had been liberal with its forward thinking ideals. Read the Quran and you will find that, this to be so true. Critical scientific thinkers had also been amazed by its forward thinking-ness and reverted to Islam, once they had found, what was reveal 1400 years ago was scientifically discovered and proven now!
Of course much can be said about human imperfections in carrying out their enforcement duties. Over the years we have come to read blunders after blunders being carried out by the so called moral guardians which in itself created a mockery to the religion it tries hard to protect. But we can’t be doing nothing at all and let the society (the Muslims, of course) turning morally bankrupts, just because we anticipate human errors. Apathy is the seculars favourite pastimes.
Perhaps the front liners need to be better expose to ways of managing and handling of the relevant stakeholders, namely the accuse or the wrong doers. Having said that, I might add also, at the time of Tun M, some religious enforcements was made ‘mute’ due to the State pressures in the spirit of Kongsi which had in turn made PAS, scored a lot of points among the Malays. The same can be said, now, to UMNO post Mahathir when PAS had made it clear of their kerjasama dengan setan pact with PKR and DAP and chose to be muted (some like Hassan Ali chose to do the opposite) on DUMC, Allah and many other issues of late.
Having said that Helen, I assure you that the Malaysian Muslims are the moderate lots in nature, which can be seen in their day to day conducts. Thus at times, they do seems lackadaisical in their enforcements, like you had raised recently to me, with regards to the songkok and selendang wearing evangelists and why did as if nothing is being enforced by Jakim, Jais or others, pertaining to the matters.
Surely we are not emulating Iran or Saudi for that matter, as yet in our religious enforcements. The Malays can never go the Arab way, anyway. No offence whatsoever, but simply we are culturally different.
Why did you think Malaysia’s Arab Spring had failed in the first place?
re: “Of course much can be said about human imperfections in carrying out their enforcement duties. Over the years we have come to read blunders after blunders being carried out by the so called moral guardians which in itself created a mockery to the religion it tries hard to protect.”
re: “Why did you think Malaysia’s Arab Spring had failed in the first place?”
B’cos we don’t have a tyrannical government that inspires the people to rise up in armed rebellion, b’cos we still have jobs and b’cos Malays are more laidback compared to the Arabs — using the ‘War’- whether civil war or war with neighbouring countries, Index.
‘b’cos Malays are more laidback compared to the Arabs’
We are culturally different.
culture can change people attitude even if you’re still the same ethnicity.. westernize malays, arabize malay, and so on.. but yeah majority of the malay are indeed laidback due to fact of our process of culture adaptation before are naturally happen not organize and plan by the state.. that why before the 1980 our religious view and practice are different and mild compare after 1980 where it’s more organize and we could say have a target of achieving the idea of negara islam the malaysian way.
Why do you pick 1980 as the defining year? Anything to do with the Iranian revolution?
exactly.. at the same time the saudi gov also promote their brand of islam all over the world.. with the islamic university open here in 1983 it also contribute to the increase of a more middle eastern centric malay muslim.. we malay are more expose to anything middle eastern including their sectarian conflict.. while before 1980 the religious study is very much a none organize phenomenon which somehow influence malay way of viewing islam in practice which is different from their middle eastern brethren.. it’s more laid back culturally too.
Dont underestimate the ‘moderate’ Muslims in UMNO. The reason why they haven’t ‘jumped’ to PAS is because of their distaste of PAS’ holier-than-you’ attitude. The same group will ensure that UMNO will not shift towards Islam extremisim.
re: “Dont underestimate the ‘moderate’ Muslims in UMNO.”
Wasatiyyah, I’ve been made to understand, means ‘moderate’.
Najib is moderate. But there is an online movement among Malay bloggers calling for his head wor.
Aiyah that one is for his flip flop ma. Moderate only but not serving the people for what?
Re. “Najib is moderate. But there is an online movement among Malay bloggers calling for his head wor.”
I hope he will survive this coming UMNIO General Assembly. He still has my support, since it is still too early to judge this far.
Yes he is moderate but the major concern/ grievance is that he is too “DIPLOMATIC” in his action; and “LEMAU” is the other word where I think most other people would like to use.
These are the names that UMNO members are looking up to now i.e. DPM and Zahid Hamidi.
re: “These are the names that UMNO members are looking up to now i.e. DPM and Zahid Hamidi”
So the Mahathirist bloggers want TS Muhyiddin as PM and Zahid as DPM. Will this be good for business and the economy?
Aiyah, Rafidah once said, all the foreign investors will tanya is whether got enough skilled tenaga kerja or not for their company. At times they will worry whether TNB akan ‘bergelap’-kan negara or not. Politics was never the issue.
So you’re saying that TS Muhyiddin and Zahid will focus on promoting enough skilled tenaga kerja? Do their track records in the various Ministries that they have previously (and currently) headed indicate this?
No. I say the foreign money don’t give a hoot whether Najib is being replaced or not. They will surely come. Helen SEA countries with China and India as its neighbour, is where the money is. Business is business. Itu Rafidah Aziz cakap la.
I never met her personally, but my auntie have and said that she was very chatty. And she kinda look like my mom with her sepet set of eyes.
Anyway, it does not mean that I support Zahid Hamidi though. But I can settle with Muhyiddin Yasin as PM.
Helen were you invited for the Dong Zong anti PPPM affairs? What is your take on the event and the issue? Do you hate Muhyiddin for going against the Dong Zong on the PPPM?
re: “But I can settle with Muhyiddin Yasin as PM.”
So who’s your candidate for Umno deputy (by convention DPM) if not Zahid?
Honestly I have not given much thought on that.
Helen can share some thought on Muhyiddin?
I don’t have many thoughts on TS Muhyiddin. He hardly ever features in my blog or my previous writings.
Briefly, I think it is unfair for the Dapsters to keep harassing him on his “Malay first” off-the-cuff reply to a trick question.
I also think the Dapsters have a tendency to quote him out of context (put words in his mouth), aside from the example above.
Re. “I don’t have many thoughts on TS Muhyiddin. He hardly ever features in my blog or my previous writings.”
That his pledged after being appointed as DPM “Bila Jadi Orang No. 2, Harus Bersikap seperti Orang No. 2” or something to the effect. Thus as much as he can, he will not try to outshine PM (unlike you know who before). Najib had taken the same route under Tun AAB (Puasa tak boleh mengata LOL). In both cases people can hardly see they are being featured in a grand manner in the media unless it is necessary and under their purview.
I believe you’re right in that “as much as he can, he will not try to outshine PM”.
Both sides, i.e. the oppo media and the Mahathirist bloggers have hyped up the ‘shining’ bit with their own salt n pepper.
Re. “So the Mahathirist bloggers want TS Muhyiddin as PM and Zahid as DPM. Will this be good for business and the economy?”
The major task is to put the house in order first i.e. ease the racial tension by nipping the issue on the bud. As a Malay/UMNO racist I would read it as going all out against CINA/DAP racist, at the same time be fair to both opposing party in addressing ‘NONSENSE” cases.
Stability is the key issue in FDI, if this is lacking investor will shun away. There are factors that will attract FDI i.e. low labour cost, skilled and unskilled labour, education standard, natural resources, infrastructure, as well as foreign currency rate.
wrt FX rate, the CINA DAP has been complaining that our RM is still lower as compared to THB and SGD, as though this the worst thing in the world and reflects the government inefficiency. This is something that they don’t understand, RM is still based on managed float so that our currency is competitively lower to attract more FDI. In other example, China has suppressed their currency superficially low so as their products become cheaper as compared to the rest of the world. Singapore on the other hand, can’t afford to this, therefore their currency is traded openly in the market plus they don’t have all the things that we have except efficient services.
The CINA DAP always feel that they are the major contributor in terms of economy growth in this country, the same way the feel that they don’t need the Malays for their business. They forgot about the experience of 1997-98 economy crisis where chaos and poor judgement by the then DPM has resulted in the economy going further downward. It is Tun M and his team (predominantly Malays) initiatives and effort that put the economy back in order and the rest is history. In the 2008 economy crisis, Malaysia is the least affected country of all, based on the banking industry performance.
I encourage everyone to read “Notes to The Prime Minister”.
I will write more about FDI factors if you care to read.
re: “I will write more about FDI factors if you care to read.”
Please go ahead.
Can I just email you the paper instead? I will give you the rough idea what it is all about.
Ok, will do thanks.
There’s no such thing a being conservative, liberal or moderate. Its all about being relevant to their constituents. If turning conservative can secure their support with constituents, then the said political players will turn conservative. If a radical turn can secure their position, they will turn radical. No surprise here. All this talk of this leader being a moderate, conservative etc is just PR exercise. You sell the image to the constituents. If the constituents buy it, then all well and jolly.
The success of the opposition is mainly due to the fact that they know what the emerging urban vote want, no because they have the solutions to the woes faced by urban dwellers.
Learn from Obama. He’s very good at selling an image. Looks to me like the opposition hacks are the only ones who are doing a hack job while the other side is still in…………….
re: “The success of the opposition is mainly due to the fact that they know what the emerging urban vote want, no because they have the solutions to the woes faced by urban dwellers.”
You have struck at the heart of the matter.
The urban paper The J-Star works tirelessly for the oppo in this regard. It is also in this area that Utusan lags behind.
Well, I m going to make this one comment before I sign off for today. maybe we could look into it some other time, or if you are gracious with your time and space, maybe you could put this up for further discussion.
Take for instance The J Star’s hack job on the importance of the English language.
The English language is very important, this I m absolutely sure. But if you happen to read The J Star on a regular basis, when it comes to this topic, it never did propose any concrete, viable solutions as to how we should go about improving the standard of the English language among our students. All is does is hammer in the message of “We must raise the standard of English or else We will be left behind”.
Notice why I use the capital W to type the word “We” ? That’s how The J Star operates. It uses the word “we” as if “we” are all in this together.
Now if you are the unsuspecting type, or you’re just plain not that discerning, once you are exposed to this message “We must raise the standard of English or else We will be left behind”, once you are being bombarded constantly and consistently by The J Star hacks with this type of message, you will buy into this whole “We must raise the standard of English or else We will be left behind” argument and you will start to think, believe, even agree, that, indeed the opposition knows about what you want while the government is clueless to the demands of the public. And the moment you believe the opposition/the other side knows what you want/what your problems are, you will be conned into thinking that the other side/opposition also has the solutions to your problems.
I could list other con jobs The J Star has performed for the opposition, but this one example is suffice for now.
Can do Jew. Will put up for discussion, thanks, and you can further elaborate. You’re onto something here about The J-Star‘s brainwashing methods to promote the oppo.
I like the tone and attitude of this post but esp this part:
Re: “So, no. The Malays are not split. It’s called having choices. They are very secure in their position. Only the insecure could driven into a corner.”
Very well said.
‘And most of the Hindus are also not ultra kiasu except maybe that “Queen Elizabeth please save us” ultra kiasu fellow. He has now been made a Deputy Minister and the talk is by December next year he may say something in public – to the PM.’
In the spirit of 1Malaysia, I thought we should not have omitted the statement above.
And I’m just glad that Pak Syed took notice of these foreign acting religious extremist group!
Hi helen and all friends,
Cikgu read the posting carefully. There are at least four issues discussed. First, cikgu concur with helen/friends that the current state of Malaysia will be at stake with religious conflict. Worst, when the ‘ultra kiasu Christian Born’ drag racial (the chinese non christians) to fight together with them. When chinese and malays are in conflict, the ultra kiasu Christian will get the most advantage.
Second, cikgu believes that MCA is no more relevant. MCA ego does not create value for Malaysia. Thus, cikgu also believes that the merging between MCA, Gerakan etc will be less impact because the new entity will become more chinese than become more Malaysian. So cikgu cadang kat MCA, dont ubah just die and join DAP so that the Malays are not confuse between friends and enemies. Example, the issue of varsity intake is not only “chinese or Indian” issue. It is also an issue amongst the Malays. Why make it racial and condemned MOHE? There are many brilliant malay students who are unable to enrol for medic program at IPTA, but we dont make the issue SO BIG! Find solution and work together with agencies. ALLAH bagi manusia akal/otak untuk berfikir bukan memberontak dan cari salah kerajaan aje.
Third, issue such as extremist group like syiah should not be highlighted here. Even among muslims are not clear who and what is syiah. To cikgu, syiah is an extremist and dangerous group which Malaysia need extreme measure to stop their progress. We love Malaysia regardless of races thus syiah is not welcome. To all my non muslims friends, please allow JAKIM, the Mufti institution and KDN to tackle syiah issue. The malay muslims Malaysia are sincere. We want all of us the malays, chinese and indias to live in harmony. Thus foreign negative elements need urgent attention. DONT CONDEMN, GIVE SUPPORT to JAKIM, Jabatan Mufti and KDN!
If ISA still in place, senang sikit KDN nak buat kerja. Tahniahlah PAS, PKR dan DAP yang berjaya huru-harakan negara.
Finally, cikgu do not agree that the malay muslims are approaching arab bungkus. Being a good muslim does not mean we become more Arab. Malaysian muslims are far better than the Arab muslims. At least Malaysian muslims (especially the malays) are tolerable to accept chinese and indians to live in the Tanah Melayu, Tanah Tumpahnya Darahku.
Helen,
1. how many chinese can live and stay in Arab countries?
2. Any chinese would like to migrate to Arab countries such as Saudi Arabia because of brain-drain? Ada statistik?
re: “Malaysian muslims are far better than the Arab muslims.”
Saya setuju dengan Cikgu. That’s why I do like older Malays of Cikgu’s generation better :)
Islam bukan pada lahiriah tetapi dalam penghayatan cara hidup seharian (bukan saya nak sentuh pasal Islam tetapi sekadar apa saya, sebagai seorang luar, tengok pada amalan Muslim di depan mata).
Just a little anecdote Cikgu.
I’ve heard that that our Malay women kalu dok gi London bercuti masih kekalkan tudung. The Arab women sesampai di negara asing (kalaupun tidak dalam kapalterbang sudah) membuang abaya mereka.
‘At least Malaysian muslims (especially the malays) are tolerable to accept chinese and indians to live in the Tanah Melayu, Tanah Tumpahnya Darahku.’
Young Chinese Malaysians can ask any Saudi born Yemeni students in top private colleges in Malaysia, as to why they have not being made a Saudi citizen despite being born in Saudi Arabia. Perhaps they can share the details with them to better appreciate the Jus Soli.
MCA should thank me for doing this!
They don’t have to ask the Yemeni, just look at the stateless Chinese in Brunei which the result deduced from Malaysia experience with Jus Soli.
“STATELESS residents in Brunei are backing the point made by Yang Berhormat Pehin Kapitan Lela Diraja Dato Paduka Goh King Chin on their plight of facing difficulties during international travel and inability also owning homes due to their status, during the sixth sitting of the Ninth Legislative Council Session on Thursday.”
http://www.bt.com.bn/legco/2013/03/16/stateless-prs-quest-belong-continues
Yang tak ada kewarganegaraan merayu diberikan status warganegara.
Yang ada status kerakyatan, ugut nak pindah tinggalkan negara, terbalikkan bendera bagai, panggil Brown dan Obama bagai, Hail the Queen of England bagai, komplen pasal bayar cukai bagai, sampai ada so called pemikir yang cadangkan supaya tak payah bayar cukai bagai, walaupun cari makan sini!
[YouTube]
Trivia-one of the girls, is a Malaysian born. Its not obvious is it?
“The Arab women sesampai di negara asing (kalaupun tidak dalam kapalterbang sudah) membuang abaya mereka.”
Kat bukit bintang ni bila musim dia orang datang, mula-mula separuh tu tutup la, tapi lama-lama buka terus. Tapi rasanya kebanyakan mereka tu orang iran (persian) bukan Arab Saudi. Student-student Iran yang datang memang seksi-seksi belaka, pernah satu petang saya terserempak student baru dari Iran 2-3 orang yang datang “evening class” pakai macam GRO, hingga juling mata prof. kita orang.
Setahun dua lepas trend dia orang datang untuk buat Cosmetic Surgery, selalunya nose job. Sebab tu jangan pelik kalau terserempak hidung dia orang tampal plaster kadang-kadang.
Walau bagaimana pun masih ramai yang mengekal budaya abaya mereka disini terutama dari Arab Saudi dan yang dah bersuami.
“As for Buddhism not being a missionary religion, true and not true, Buddhism does not go all out in its way to convert people. ”
This is not really true. There are crazy Buddhists too but not many. I have a cousin now living in the USA who left his comfy CEO job, wife and children to become a monk.
When he started his new Buddhism (ala USA) he lost weight and he went all out vegetarian. Which was fine.
Then he went on the “enlightenment” path. By reducing his meals to once and day. He shrunk to look like an AIDS victim. Then he decided to leave his job and family to become a Buddha in Texas.
They are equally psycho. Luckily they are super minority. The rest of the Buddhists don’t care about getting more members.
I agree with Helen, wholeheartedly that violence is not the Dharma way. I just wanted to prove that human, Buddhists or otherwise can be a different story altogether just as others highlighted.
http://world.time.com/2013/06/20/extremist-buddhist-monks-fight-oppression-with-violence/#ixzz2WsLNewEv
Psycho christian:
If they suggest that yoga, martial arts and masturbation is a pathway to hell.
If suddenly you light up at convey God’s message in a strange tongue.
Shun all forms of music and movies except Christian music and movies as they are sinful.
Psycho buddhist:
If they suggest even the vegetarian marked food at Tesco is not vegetarian as they don’t eat lettuce, garlic, onions etc and most other plants.
It is a sin to eat meat but to crave for meat by eating imaginary animal meat is fine.
Eat once a week.
“It is a sin to eat meat but to crave for meat by eating imaginary animal meat is fine.”
I think there is one in Jalan Alor or used to be somewhere behind Regent Hotel ( Now Millennium). According to my prof. they serve imitation steam fish complete with bone, among other menu.
Saya pernah terkejut beruk, ikut kawan saya makan vegetarian dish kat Penang, dia la makan, saya tak jadi makan, walaupun tuan kedai cakap family dia pun seratus peratus makan sayur semata-mata. Saya cadangkan depa pi minta sijil Halal, argue saya tentu senang dapat sebab depa cuma masak sayur dan bijirin saja. Tapi itu dah lama dulu. Masa saya dok cari makan kat Penang lagi.
Apa yang saya tak boleh lupa bila tengok sambal kan bilis vegetarian, daging jangan cakapla.
Thank God for soy beans!
Ni ibarat imitation Babi Halal kan. Pada orang Islam walaupun imitation babi yang dibuat dari bahan-bahan halal masih tak boleh dimakan kerana ini termasuk dalam katogeri memperolokan hukum agama rasanya.
Mengharamkan yang halal pun haram hukumnya, harap yang lebih arif agama, boleh bagi sedikit penjelasan tentang perkara ini.
Oh yang ni dah baca dan post banyak kali kat blog ni dan yang lain-lain.
“Mengharamkan yang Halal dan Menghalalkan yang Haram Sama dengan Syirik”
“Hai orang-orang yang beriman: Janganlah kamu mengharamkan yang baik-baik (dari) apa yang Allah telah halalkan buat kamu, dan jangan kamu melewati batas, karena sesungguhnya Allah tidak suka kepada orang-orang yang suka melewati batas. Dan makanlah sebagian rezeki yang Allah berikan kepadamu dengan halal dan baik, dan takutlah kamu kepada Allah zat yang kamu beriman dengannya.” (al-Maidah: 87-88)
http://media.isnet.org/islam/Qardhawi/Halal/103.htm
Ms H. The politics of UMNO is easier to handle than those of the MCA or even the Singaporean Trojan Horse DAP. We have seen how the MCA leadership if any through the ages was quite out of touch with its constituents because the ‘kongsi’ formula brought all the benefits via the economy to the Chinese. There was no inkling of how to bolster the MCA many decades ago by having a real body of professionals to man important statistics units, fan out to evangelize, interlock with the Malays and others, promotions, social welfare work instead of just one personality at the HQ, etc. etc. Like an army, a political party will not be able to fight without good logistics and heavy armaments. We saw how the MCA was hollowed out in just 2 general elections, 2008 and 2013. The opium to the official demise of the MCA was the good years whatever this means to different people right up to 2003. Thereafter, the traditional goodies which should have flowed down to the proletariat at the bottom of the iron pyramid were seen to defy gravity and gravitated to the apex. There was angst all round at this anti-gravity flow which built up from 2005 to 2013. This is the main cause which unravelled any pretensions which the MCA had as a major party of the land. Coupled with the shenanigans of its leaders past and present, we do not need a Singaporean scientist to work out the simple sums on the eventual demise of the paper tiger which is the MCA. OK ? What the future holds for the Chinese, Malaysian Chinese, is written in the stars of the future to come. For those who do not like the MCA or the Singaporean Trojan Horse DAP, it pays to have some patience to adopt a wait and see attitude. No need to run around in the hot and humid streets of Kuala Lumpur with full stomachs and clean T shirts. Your grand parents should forbid this nonsense. The Singaporean Trojan Horse DAP I believe for personal reasons have embarked on its present confrontational course. But then as you rightly pointed out it is still 4 1/2 years to the 14th General Elections. A week is a long time in Malaysian politics. Whether MCA or no MCA, whether the DAP or no DAP, one thing we are certain, we Chinese, the Malaysian Chinese, will still be around !
Ms H. A small amendment please. ‘…..Singapore rocket scientist…’
Pengasas negara Singapura, Lee Kuan Yew menafikan bahawa dasarnya telah menyebabkan berlaku kadar kelahiran rendah di pulau ini.
http://www.kosmo.com.my/kosmo/content.asp?y=2013&dt=0807&pub=Kosmo&sec=Dunia&pg=du_01.htm
Hakcipta terpelihara
Ms H. The BN Government as led by the UMNO with 13 component parties has been toying with the idea of joining the Trans-Pacific Partnership in an opaque manner – and the MCA a party who is touted to have some socio-economic sense is out of the Cabinet. The BN Government will sign its own death warrant if it signs the TPP because our beloved Malaysia is not a country which manufactures products for exports. We are entirely dependent on the export of commodities, the petroleum products and palm oil to the open market. The real Malaysian manufactures are small compared with Taiwan, South Korea etc. With the flood of manufactured products flooding into our domestic markets, all the Bumiputra and non-Bumiputra SMEs will be killed off. Inflation and unemployment jump. Cost of living shoots sky high. The Ringgit depreciates accordingly. AND BY THE 14TH GENERAL ELECTIONS THE BN WILL LOSE BIG TIME TO THE OPPOSITION. The arguments for the TPP are very weak which are full of promises of the pie in the sky type. Vide Star.Biz News Page 4. 5 August 2013. This will be a repeat of the lop-sided 1962 Water Agreement with Singapore. In the case of the TPP, Malaysia becomes an instant open market to manufactured goods from Singapore overnight through which the TPP manufactured goods will flood through into Malaysia.
re: “The arguments for the TPP are very weak which are full of promises of the pie in the sky type. Vide Star.Biz News Page 4. 5 August 2013.”
Are you saying The J-Star is promoting the agreement as something that ought to be endorsed?
Ms H. It is certain as the sun rises every morning that the BN as led by the UMNO with the 13 component parties, signs the TPPA any time soon, it will lose the 14th General Elections big time. Please read the article in the Star Page 4 Biz News. It is speculative and generalise on all points. No hard nose statistics and trade flow charts to back up the general arguments. Malaysia up to 2013 has depended on petroleum products and palm oil for export to open markets. Her manufactured goods are minimal. When this minor official talks about not losing an opportunity in these huge markets, he is talking rubbish because MALAYSIA DOES NOT PRODUCE ENOUGH MANUFACTURED PRODUCTS TO SELL TO THESE HUGE MARKETS. SO, WE OPEN OUR DOORS TO THE GOODS FROM THESE COUNTRIES THE MAIN BENEFICIARY IS SINGAPORE HIDING BEHIND ALL THE GUFF. The foreing goods will flow into our now opened market overnight. The pains which we undertook to establish all the Bumiputra and non-Bumiputra SMEs vanish overnight. Unemployment shoots up due to our uncompetitive small industries, Less revenue for the BN Government. Cost of living and inflation jumps by leaps and bounds. The Ringgit depreciates plus plus. Our imported goods prices rise. Our exports of oil and palm oil may take a hit if bad luck is with us. THE BN GOVERNMENT HAS NO MONEY TO PAY FOR THE BURGEONING CIVIL SERVICE AND FOR DEVELOPMENT. The Opposition will pour more oil on to the fire. EFFECTIVELY, THE BN GOVERNMENT HAS KILLED ITSELF BY SIGNING THE DEATH WARRANT OF THIS TPP. Worst to come, the Malays will lose their heritage and legacies because the country has become POOR with no money and the non-Malays will be just a group of wandering souls with the traditional Malaysian political leadership in utter disarray.
Ms. H. Please read this article ‘ Trans-Pacific Partnership is an opportunity ‘ carefully and abstractly. IT ACTUALLY SAYS NOTHING WHICH WILL BENEFIT MALAYSIA. IT IS SPECULATIVELY, AND FULL OF GENERALIZATIONS with an amateurish bent.
It is now crystal clear that the Star’s owners behave like a woman scorned whose wrath is like no other fury ! OMG.
Ms H. The author of this unimpressive article used a lot of big names and big ticket items to con us. This is 2013 and not 1962. I like to ask ‘ WHAT IS THE MOTIVE BEHIND THE HURRY TO SIGN THIS TPPA WHICH IS A DEATH WARRANT FOR THE BN GOVERNMENT AS LED BY THE UMNO WITH THE 13 COMPONENT PARTIES ? WHY THE HURRY AND EARNESTNESS TO CONVINCE WHEN IT IS A DEAD RINGER LIKE THE 1962 WATER AGREEMENT WITH SINGAPORE ? And with the UMNO gone who will take up the cudgels to protect and defend the 14 Million Malay souls who are the only such grouping in the whole World of their HERITAGE, LEGACIES, RELIGION ETC ETC ?
‘And with the UMNO gone who will take up the cudgels to protect and defend the 14 Million Malay souls who are the only such grouping in the whole World of their HERITAGE, LEGACIES, RELIGION ETC ETC ?’
I’m sure somebody somewhere will sponsor us to celebrate International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples. At least the Malaysian Pribumis can hold to that!
‘2013 Theme: “Indigenous peoples building alliances: Honouring treaties, agreements and other constructive arrangements”‘
Surely, some others choose not to!
Maybe the UN can come in to save us form these bullies!
Just maybe…
Ms H. In Shanghai, there are 20 Millions Shanghainese !