Month: May 2009

Judge Ramli’s stay order puzzling, disturbing

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An intriguing question arises as Court of appeal judge Ramli Ali ordered (on May 12) a stay of execution on High Court’s declaratory judgment that Nizar Jamaluddin – not Zambry Kadir – is the lawful Menteri Besar of Perak.
In his judgment the day before (May 11), high court judge Aziz Rahim declares that Nizar has never ceased to be the Menteri Besar while Zambry Kadir has never been one. 
So what does judge Ramli mean when he orders a stay of execution?   Does he not mean to ask Nizar to cease to be Menteri Besar from now onwards until the case is finally settled at the higher courts?  But that would mean stripping a status that Nizar has always enjoyed.  Would that be fair to Nizar, when the high court judgment has not been overturned by a higher court? 
The litigation ahead is a long and tortuous road and may take years to reach its final conclusion at the highest court.  Is it not a gross injustice to Nizar that he – a declared lawful Menteri Besar – has to stand aside so that Zambry – a declared pretender – can occupy the Menteri Besar’s seat all these years?

1Malaysia dan warga miskin kelas ke-2

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‘1Malaysia’ memang indah khabarnya. Akan tetapi, apakah rupa sebenar 1Malaysia yang dicanang-canangkan oleh Perdana Menteri Najib Razak?

Keikhlasan cogankata Najib mungkin boleh dipercayai apabila papantanda di tapak projek-projek prasarana yang mempamerkan ayat: ‘(Ini) Satu Lagi Projek Kerajaan Barisan Nasional’ dialihbentuk kepada ‘Satu Lagi Projek Rakyat 1Malaysia‘.

Najib telah menyeru supaya parti komponen Barisan Nasional (BN) tidak hanya berkhidmat di lokasi etnik kaum masing-masing, dan kepada ahli-ahli Jemaah Menteri supaya tidak hanya memberikan perhatian kepada kelompok komuniti etnik yang mereka wakili sahaja.

Menurut Najib, “Sebenarnya kita banyak bertindak dalam kerangka pemikiran etnik kita saja sejak sekian lama???.i Sebagai contoh, Najib mengesa supaya “perjuangan membasmi kemiskinan perlu dilihat merangkumi kemiskinan yang merentasi semua kaum sama ada di bandar, luar bandar, estet, kampung baru dan Orang Asli.???ii

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Betulkah Pindaan ISA Bawa Prinsip Liberal

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Suruhanjaya Hak Asasi Manusia Malaysia (Suhakam) mencadangkan sejak tahun 2003 supaya ISA dimansuhkan dan diganti dengan sebuah akta baru, Akta Anti-Terrorisme tetapi tidak pernah diteliti oleh kerajaan atau dibentangkan di Parlimen. Lain pula dengan pendirian Suruhanjaya Diraja Pembaikpulih Polis yang mana mencadangkan agar ISA dimansuhkan dan digantikan dengan Akta Anti-Terorisme.

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More explicit pix of Eli Wong in anonymous blog, so how?

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‘Elizabeth Wong close-up shots and p*****e parts’ — reads the headline of a blog posting yesterday.

The posting provided a link to a ‘new’ batch of pornographic photographs alleged to be of Selangor state assemblywoman Wong, and was published yesterday in a Malaysian blog which has a hit count of half a million-plus.

The blogger writes albeit a little ironically, “I have no need to lie here as my anonymity allows total honesty???.

Falling standards in Malaysian blogosphere — increasingly infiltrated by rowdy Johnny Come Latelys post-March 8 — hit rock bottom with the publication of these claimed close-up shots of Eli Wong.

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Perak debacle – an unforgivable violation of the Constitution

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8 May 2009

The Barisan Nasional (BN) government has probably scored another first in the world.  It has sent its police force to enter a state legislative assembly hall to physically haul the sitting speaker out of the assembly hall and escort another speaker of its choice to take over the empty seat during a melee.  Through this act, BN claimed that it has successfully ousted the Pakatan Rakyat speaker S. Sivakumar.

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Treason of the Malaysian Hawks: Commentary on the Perak Crisis

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Hawks and Doves

A good friend drew my attention recently to an incisive article on the distinction  between peace makers and hardliners that can make an important difference to the country. It was written by Stephen M. Walt who is the Robert and Renée Belfer Professor of International Relations at Harvard University.  Please check out:

http://walt.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2009/04/28/the_treason_of_the_hawks#comm

In the article, Walt points out that Fred Iklé coined the term “treason of the hawks” to describe those tragic situations where hardliners stubbornly refuse to make peace and thereby lead their countries to disaster. Iklé, who served as Ronald Reagan’s under secretary of defense was clearly no dove or man of peace.  But he was a smart man who recognized that obstinate opposition to making peace is dangerous to a nation’s future and potentially as damaging as deliberately selling out to the enemy.  

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A novel way to mark Wesak Day

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http://letusaddvalue.blogspot.com/2009/05/i-propose-social-contract-this-wesak.html

I propose a Social Contract this Wesak Day(May 9th)

This Wednesday May 6th, the message below will be advertised in The Star as a full page ad.

Many Malaysians have debated about the social contract. Some say it exist, while others don’t. Some are for it, some against.

But what is the social contract? Where is it? Does it really exist? Whether it exist or not, why not we come out with one?

So, here are my thoughts. You can agree with my ideas, comment about them or simply agree to disagree

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