The 2008 TIME 100 Finalists: Are They Worthy?
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Wednesday, 26 November 2008 12:33
As far as the blogging community and civil society movements are concerned, Pakatan Rakyat has betrayed the voters. We gave them a mandate and they let us down. But we are not going to allow it to end there.THE CORRIDORS OF POWERRaja Petra Kamarudin
ANWAR IBRAHIMAGE: 60OCCUPATION: Malaysian politicianPRO: Seen as a possible future Prime Minister, Ibrahim provides an active voice for demanding free and fair elections in Malaysia, a country known for its censorious government, which controls the mainstream media, bars students from political protest, and jails dissidents without trial.CON: Citizens don't soon forget the fact that a politician, however freedom-loving, once got six years in prison for corruption (in a politically charged trial) and nine for sodomy.
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Anwar IbrahimBy Paul Wolfowitz, TimeDuring the 1990s, Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and a group of U.S. Senators organized a forum to exchange views among East Asians and Americans. Asked at one session about the role of Islam in politics, Anwar replied, "I have no use for governments which call themselves Islamic and then deny basic rights to half their population."This devout Muslim leader was an impressive and eloquent advocate of tolerance, democracy and human rights. So we were shocked by his arrest and trial in 1998 on charges of corruption and sodomy. I felt his real "crime" had been to challenge Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, whose impressive record will be forever stained by his treatment of Anwar. I joined Senator Sam Nunn and others to speak out in Anwar's defense.When he was finally released from prison in 2004, U.S. policy on Iraq was unpopular in Malaysia, and Anwar was harshly critical. It would have been easy for him to disown our friendship, but he is not that kind of person. He kept the channels of dialogue open, even while making clear our disagreements.Anwar, 60, is back in the center of Malaysian politics. The coalition led by his wife Wan Azizah has become the main opposition bloc. His future role can be determined only by Malaysians. One can hope that they will embrace his brand of tolerance, valuing dialogue across political differences, and that this courageous leader will continue to play a leading role on the world stage.Wolfowitz is a former U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense
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“Are they worthy?” asked ‘The 2008 TIME 100 Finalists’ report. Anwar Ibrahim was placed at number 9 in the list of 100 and the question is most apt for Anwar even if it may not be for the rest of the 99.It is easy to brush off Paul Wolfowitz’s glowing ‘obituary’ of Anwar seeing that the former was one of the ‘architects’ of the invasion of Iraq that resulted in probably a million deaths and untold misery for the Iraqi civilian population. For all intents and purposes, Iraq has been sent back to the Middle Ages and Wolfowitz is one of those with blood on his hands.Nevertheless, we must be matured enough to separate the singer from the song. It is the message and not the messenger that counts. And Wolfowitz’s message does have some merits. And that is also why I support some of Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s ‘messages’ at the ire of most Malaysia Today readers who reject anything that comes from Mahathir, positive or otherwise. I can understand that most would rather focus on the wrongs he has done and that they feel the rights can never clean the slate of the wrongs. But that is another subject for another time. Today we shall talk about Anwar Ibrahim and where he will probably go from here.“His future role can be determined only by Malaysians,” said Wolfowitz, and this would certainly be true. The future of the Prime Minister or Malaysia, if he comes from Umno, is determined by the 191 Umno divisions headed by its 191 division heads. That’s right, 191 Malays from Umno determine who will become the Prime Minister of this nation and they have already unanimously nominated the husband of Rosmah Mansor. Like it or not, Rosmah will be running this country come March with her husband, Najib Tun Razak, as her nominee.If you think this is scary then you have seen nothing yet. Rosmah is one vengeful woman and she has not finished settling scores with her critics. And guess who is at the top of her list of ‘must be put to death’? No prize for the right guess. I wonder whether the Mongolian government has a policy to offer political asylum for ‘friends of Altantuya’? Anyway, we will cross that bridge when we come to it.Back to what Wolfowitz said: His future role can be determined only by Malaysians. Wolfowitz is right on this point and Anwar will not go places unless Malaysians are prepared to deny Najib the Prime Ministership in March and instead hand the post to Anwar.Malaysians are quite divided on this issue. While some would like to see Anwar pull off his hat-trick and engineer a crossover of at least 30 Barisan Members of Parliament to the aisle of Pakatan Rakyat in Parliament, there are others who feel this would be immoral and that Anwar should wait until the next general election to ‘legitimately’ take power through the ballot box. To these people, crossovers are a sell-out and they do not condone crossovers whether from Barisan Nasional to Pakatan Rakyat, or vice versa.The question would then be: does the end justify the means? In politics the end always justify the means. There can be no two ways about it. Politics itself is about manipulation and there is no such thing as dirty politics. Politics is about being dirty and manipulation comes with the territory.Dr Chandra Muzaffar, the one-time Deputy President of Parti Keadilan Nasional -- before it merged with Parti Rakyat Malaysia to become Parti Keadilan Rakyat -- used to talk about ‘politik baru’ or ‘new politics’. I told him that ‘politik baru’ is a misnomer, it doesn’t exist, and this upset him like mad. Politics is the second oldest game in the world, second only to prostitution, so there can be no ‘politik baru’. You need to grasp the concept of ‘politik lama’ to make it in the political game.Dr Chandra would hit back and say, “It is people like you who have reduced Malaysian politics to what is has become today. We need to change the people and if people like you still subscribe to the old politics then what hope do we have?” Dr Chandra eventually became disillusioned with politics in general and Anwar Ibrahim in particular and left the party in a huff, condemning Anwar in the process.Many see Anwar as the possible saviour of Malaysia. But this is not because they see Anwar as the most suitable choice but rather as the lesser of the many evils. They still regard Anwar as having a lot of baggage and with as much ‘blood on his hands’ as Mahathir. So it is not that Anwar is the best choice. It is just that all the others are worst choices. Between Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Najib Tun Razak, Muyhiddin Yassin, Mohammad Mohd Taib, Ali Rustam, and all those other Ali Babas and their 40 thieves, Anwar would be a saint by comparison. But this is only because we are comparing the scum of the earth to Anwar -- so Anwar comes out looking like Mother Teresa.In that sense, most Malaysians don’t trust Anwar any more than they trust the rest. It is just that the rest would be more damaging for Malaysia while Anwar can be ‘controlled’ and, with a gun at his head, be made to walk the straight and narrow. At least this is what most Malaysians hope although they are hoping with their fingers crossed and praying that they might not end up creating a Frankenstein instead.On Saturday, 29 November 2008, I shall be attending the Parti Keadilan Rakyat party congress at the Melawati Stadium in Shah Alam. No, I am not going as a delegate. I am going together with about 25 other bloggers and civil society movement activists as an observer. We are going to see what Anwar is going to talk about in his Ucapan Dasar or policy speech.Just before the 8 March 2008 general election, the blogging community and civil society movements launched the ‘Peoples’ Declaration’ or ‘Dekalarasi Rakyat’. Six political parties, including Parti Keadilan Rakyat, endorsed the Declaration at a ceremony at Blog House. Then the elections ended and Pakatan Rakyat won 82 Parliament seats and five states. And that was the end of the Declaration. They never spoke about it again.As far as the blogging community and civil society movements are concerned, Pakatan Rakyat has betrayed the voters. We gave them a mandate and they let us down. But we are not going to allow it to end there.In December, we are going to organise a fund-raising exercise to finance the printing of one million copies of the Declaration in four languages -- English, Bahasa Malaysia, Mandarin and Tamil. These booklets are going to be distributed the length and breadth of Malaysia so that we can educate Malaysians on how this country should be run.Sure, we clamour for changes. But what changes are we talking about? What do we hope to see? This booklet will address all these issues. This is not an anti-government Declaration. It is not even a pro-opposition Declaration. It is a pro-rakyat Declaration, which we want all the political parties to adopt, whoever they may be.Yes, as Wolfowitz said: His future role can be determined only by Malaysians. And on Saturday, 29 November 2008, 25 members of the blogging community and civil society movements will be at the Parti Keadilan Rakyat party congress in the Melawati Stadium in Shah Alam to remind Anwar that Pakatan Rakyat and three other non-Pakatan Rakyat parties made a promise to the voters in the days leading to the 8 March 2008 general election. They endorsed our Peoples’ Declaration and we voted for them. But after we voted for them they abandoned our Peoples’ Declaration.Later, we shall also attempt to meet the coalition members of Barisan Nasional and talk to them about the Peoples’ Declaration. We hope that they too will see that this document is not anti-government but pro-rakyat. And we hope, in their wisdom, they will also endorse it and come out with a program of reforms that can only benefit this country and all Malaysians regardless of race and religion.That is going to be our project over these next four months before Najib takes over as Prime Minister -- if Anwar does not do so before then, that is. I know that when Najib finally takes over I shall probably be sent to jail for a number of years. But until then I still have four months (I hope) and I am going to use those remaining four months to aggressively campaign for the Peoples’ Declaration to become our new ‘Rukun Negara’ on how this country should be run, never mind who it is that will be running this country.So, Anwar, Najib, or whosoever aspires to be the next prime minister. You are now on notice. The rakyat are giving you a yellow card. “His future role can be determined only by Malaysians,” said Wolfowitz. And we too are telling you the same. Put your money where your mouth is. The rakyat spoke on 8 March 2008. And we have not stopped talking. Endorse and adopt the Peoples’ Declaration or be prepared to meet your Maker because your days will certainly be numbered if you don’t endorse and adopt it.We are going to flood the country with our Peoples’ Declaration. And after we do that the rakyat will be better informed and more educated on the meaning of good governance. Then they will weigh this against what both the Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat governments are doing. Then, come the next election, the rakyat will know what to do. No longer can the rakyat be taken as suckers. The rakyat have become an informed society. And the blogging community and civil society movements will see to it that when the rakyat next go to the polls they will be able to make an ‘informed decision’.Yes, you can fuck us once. But you can’t fuck us twice. The next time around the rakyat will fuck you, at the ballot box. So be warned. And our presence at the Parti Keadilan Rakyat party congress this Saturday is to deliver that yellow card.
...written by arazak, November 26, 2008 12:53:46
Anwar needs to deliver the "beef" and not just the "rhetoric"! If he can't, it is not only the "yellow card" he will be getting, but a "red card" as well. I hope and pray this "red card" will not happen!
...written by Motherchell, November 26, 2008 12:55:14
Pete ! all i can say is ALBAR , NAJIB , Patail, MUSA ., These 4 heads would make a wonderful NO 1 for 2008 of the TIME Mag. with the heading "WANTED". Some way to get the world to know what and how they destroyed every hope of its citizens!! Take care Pete, God Bless! http://sjsandteam.wordpress.com/
...written by malaysianohope, November 26, 2008 12:55:55
And so said Abang the Messiah for Malaysia! "ISA? WE CANNOT"!
...written by Littlebird, November 26, 2008 12:57:40
" Like it or not, Rosmah will be running this country come March with her husband, Najib Tun Razak, as her nominee." Giving up on the december something deadline?
...written by temenggong, November 26, 2008 13:00:06
Pakatan Rakyat has betrayed the voters. We gave them a mandate and they let us down No they have not. The Peoples' Declaration can only be implemented when Pakatan takes federal power. Very little can be done in the 5 states other than reducing rates and changing signboards.
...written by HHKim, November 26, 2008 13:05:16
I can only hope that Najib is not the PM comes march 2009. But equally disappointing is that there is no qualified candidates from BN. Anyone challenge me on that? I don't see any potential candidate from BN because all of them are incompetent and lack of real quality in leadership. We wonder......how Malaysia is going to move ahead against so much obstacles in front of the nation. We need someone with strong vision and understand our present top most serious issues affecting the country. Look like all are clueless, no direction and care only for self-gains.
...written by ylcc, November 26, 2008 13:13:53
"In December, we are going to organise a fund-raising exercise ..." - please count me in for any support. Your comment "..... I support some of Tun Dr MM’s ‘messages’ at the ire of most MT readers who reject anything that comes from Tun MM, positive or otherwise." Very true. I do not reject everything (in fact, I had just presented him with a "bouquet of flowers" for his comments on fatwa ... but since my BM is not very good, I hope I had not misunderstood anything ... otherwise I shall take back the "bouquet" and only stick to reading in English!) In fact, I think the best thing that ever happened to Tun Dr MM is Marina Mahathir!
...written by ylcc, November 26, 2008 13:18:13
One gets logged out so fast from MT, that I get so disgusted when I find myself repeating stuff such as "In fact" plus making grammatical and spelling errors!! Sorry folks!
...written by Raja Petra, November 26, 2008 13:21:16
Dear citizenmy, how can I help it if UMNO is a four-letter word?
...written by nanakassim, November 26, 2008 13:24:47
Agree with temenggong. I do not see how BN can or will implement the Rakyat's Declaration. The current crop from BN are the third generation leaders who have been bred and raised with acquiring power and wealth as their main purpose in life. It truly shows in their corrupt and arrogant manner of distancing themselves from the rakyat.
...written by willove, November 26, 2008 13:28:48
Well said, Abang Pete! I'm disappointed with: DAP: For not sensitive enough to the sentiments of our Malay bros & sis. Face the reality, if PR wants to win the federal government, it can only do so with support from the people who had been misled by UMNO for half a century. PAS: Obviously for the hardliners who forgot who got them this far, the Rakyat (Muslims & non-Muslims). Almost every time after a good election result their heads got blown up and put the beautiful religion of Islam to shame. What if Tok Guru is not around to whack the stone heads at the top of the pile? PKR: For NOT taking enough initiative to mend ties within its component parties in the PR. If that's the case why do we need to put DSAI as the PM-in-waiting position. If you are there, take the lead. Work out a plan and policies of PR, not just known for wanting to take over the government. The thing is, UMNO is too full and overflow with useless and corrupted axxhxxxs and its 191 seems to be the official list of them. Look on the bright side, Malaysia can't get any worse than it already is now, right? So, that is the extent of how we've been fxxked for over 50 years. Yes, Pete. It's now time for us to fxxk them kow-kow!
...written by prodigalson, November 26, 2008 13:55:16
Dear Pete, What you said does indeed make sense, the way I see we're in catch 21 situation. Many want Barisan to topple and PR to take over but looking at the happenings post 8th March, some amount of doubt has began to creep in. With the components of PR bickering publicly i.e the PKNS issue, PAS having talks with UMNO and Bandar Baru Kulim's PR MP being a race and religious bigot PR still has some convincing to make. I for one do not want leaders who do not have the Rakyat's needs as the utmost priority. Looking at recent developments, it'll be good if for former de-facto law minister Datuk Zaid to float is own party. He clearly is a man that intends and wants to see Malaysia the way I see it. If he does indeed float his own party, I would throw my support behind it. If all fails, probably its time we consider a communist government, where no one is greater or lesser. It's just my opinion...
...written by toni, November 26, 2008 13:55:27
With so many terrible things happening at the same time , with the rakyat seemingly powerless & completely docile and impotent , it is good to know at least you and Malaysia Today are taking a pro-active stance to do something. Not just rant & theorise endlessly like a lot of pseudo caring intelligent puppet -like ultra predictable Bloggers. Good luck and may the force be with all of you !
...written by doggone, November 26, 2008 13:56:39
This article is good man. Reminds us to be ever vigilant at those we voted for and those who run the nation, from the police to the judges and from the PM to the royalties. Afterall, their position were created because there was a need to elect someone for a certain task so that they could make the best decision on matter benificial to the community at the most crucial of times. That's why we need a good police force and clean judges more than we need astronauts and good yachtsman(read Monsoon Cup) at the moment.
...written by clarity, November 26, 2008 14:08:14
Not easy to take over a govt. unless we are like Thailand where there is unity in protest. Here, we fate is determined by just 191 corrupted crooks, controlled by the cops and condemned by the puppet judiciary. To top it all, the honorary 'constipated' speakers will never pass any motion sumbitted by the opposition. So how?
...written by teo siew chin, November 26, 2008 14:11:29
"...It is a pro-rakyat Declaration..." ----------------------- and anybody can use this as a manual on how to win over the voters - whether the ruling party or otherwise? so the politicians on all sides will be clamouring over each other ticking positive and claiming credit on each item in the manual? wow, the rakyat is gonna enjoy a windfall come december ! NO?
...written by Zorro, November 26, 2008 14:16:32
Can't wait to get my hands on the Dekelarasi Rakyat! i myself will make sure for it to be distributed and spreaded far and wide in sabah wherever i go. at least this is what i can do on my own. Honourable RPK, thank you, you are our beacon for a fair and just Malaysia.
...written by DreamLady, November 26, 2008 14:25:17
I do not understand why there should be so much commotion out of the blue? Aren't we all suppposed to exercise some degree of patience and self-restrain?? It is hardly a year sinced PR becomes the strong opposition, thanks to the voters.If you wan to punish Anwar, go ahead by all means. But make sure there is an absolute ground for doing so....
...written by Rainbowseahorse, November 26, 2008 14:28:07
My dear bro Pete, After reading your article to the end, it makes me sad as I can feel your sentiment. However, I have the following to add: Bro, don’t opt for Mongolia lah! Too cold and desolate! Crossovers of MPs to the PKR is ok this time as long as it gives time for DSAI to form the government, get rid of the ISA, dissolve Parliament, and hold a GE. Yes, Politics is second only to prostitution as the world’s oldest profession and anywhere you want to call it, politics is politics and there is nothing new about it even if you try calling it “politik baru”. The people will still get screwed by Politicians one way or another! Yes, I too have been lambasted by fellow bloggers in this blog when I pointed out that Anwar is not a political angel and that we should not worship him as such, making him to think he is some sort of God. It’s just that compared to other (as you puts it) scum-of-the-earth Malaysian politicians, DSAI smells better. I still have strong reservation with DSAI, as a lot of real bad, bad things were carried out when he was the DPM of Malaysia…one of them being ‘Project IC’ in my Sabah that diluted our votes 1:2 against these new migrant UMNO voters. For this, I find it most difficult to forgive DSAI for this blatant act of treachery which amounted to treason. Still, DSAI has my support for he represent hope and a change in UMNO government. I cannot be at that PKR party congress on this Sat.29 Nov.2009, but I am very sure you will keep both eyes wide opened and with flapping ears too, and I look forward to reading your report. I just hope DSAI will talk more sensibly, with conviction, and within his humanly possible accomplishment….and please, no more self imposed datelines! “As far as the blogging community and civil society movements are concerned, Pakatan Rakyat has betrayed the voters. We gave them a mandate and they let us down. But we are not going to allow it to end there”. Yes, I too have voiced your sentiment, and quite a number of die-hard DSAI supporters in this blog immediately branded me as anti-DSAI and a fool for not believing in him. I am completely frustrated with such blind loyalty and am so very, very glad that you, my bro Pete the great baldy Blogger (the terrible nemesis of UMNO) , has now openly declare the same view openly in his blog for all to read. Just let us know how and where to donate and I am very sure we bloggers will not let you down. Give a few copies of that “People’s Declaration” to Puan Wan Azizah and tell her to read that to DSAI once in awhile to keep him refreshed. Yes, give a few copies to the non UMNO BN component party members. Maybe we might coxed a few good person out from amongst their flock. Yes, when Najib takes over in four months time, I fear greatly for you too, my bro Pete, and I am totally helpless in your plight. Candlelight vigils might console and let you know that we have not forgotten you, but that’s about it as far as it goes. It will most certainly not going to make UMNO to break down & cry, and to release you immediately. Yes, your continued freedom depends very much on DSAI to put action into his words. He did gave all of us a great deal of hope and raised our expectation to sky heaven, and in the process emboldening some of us to take the bull by the horn, to openly and fearlessly challenge the mighty UMNO . This is especially more so for you, my brother, and (as I wrote during your intern) quite possibly to say to yourself when you were in prison: “What the fuk am I doing in here?”. Whatever the road you have taken now my brother Pete, may God be with you and the saying “Good will triumph over evil” rings true for you too.
...written by DreamLady, November 26, 2008 14:44:39
....Anwar's inability to fulfill the deadline twice has upset many of us. I am as frustrated as you are if not more. But I have learnt to compartmentalize the negative feeling of anger and helplessness. Ask ourselves: how much time and space have we given to someone who has to juggle among court cases,parliamentary chores, and to cope and deal with other party components who are responsible for shaping up PR foundation? Heavens will not land at our doorstep the moment PR got the winning votes from rakyat. Have we ever asked ourselves what else have we contributed to the good cause other than the votes and moral support we constantly shower on PR??.......
...written by delCapo, November 26, 2008 14:48:51
RPK, just tell us where, when, how. we'll be there .it's about time the rakyat determines how the country is run it's about time the so-called leaders real;ise they are elected to SERVE the country, not makan for themselves or their own agendas.
...written by DreamLady, November 26, 2008 14:51:42
.....Please stop bad-mouthing Anwar and PR who have yet to fulfill his and our wishes due to reason or reasons which he is not supposed to divulge to anyone yet. for all you know, his hands are tied by someone or many 'ones' whose help and cooperation is crucial to PR's survival... Anwar is caught in akward situation whereby he knows he is losing the voters' confidence each passing day as long as he keeps quiet about the take-over. There are things he has no choice but to keep mum, as the 'things' are vital for the formation created not by him, but by a group of professionals. Anwar is in tremendous pressure !!! ......
...written by densemy, November 26, 2008 14:53:42
As I recall I advocated sending the People's Declaration to every Malaysian household prior to the March election So, i'll contribute... and help in any way
...written by Oscar Winner, November 26, 2008 15:00:38
Agree with DreamLady.Dear Pete, it's to soon.it isn't fair since they can't implement national policies to prove they can govern, thu at least they demonstrate good governance in 5 states. It's as if the rakyat are encouraged to get ready to dump the opposition and may be it's time to allow UMNO/BN to perpetuate the wrongs of the past 51 years...
...written by DreamLady, November 26, 2008 15:05:27
I beg all of you to give Anwar some space to breathe, just like the way we have given the UMNO regime 51 years. Comparatively, what is 3 months TO 51 years! And if Anwar is still the 'same old, same old' after March, well then, you guys could hang him whichever way you fancy!!! In the meantime, bear with him a little longer, since we have nothing to lose for waiting for the next 3 months, after March, we could witness his drama unfolding before our eyes, cos' Anwar cannot run away from the likes of us!! Please do not condemn someone who has gone through hell for 6 years in jail, and this someone vows to put things right after he has learnt his lesson the hard way. Whether he was wayward previously is immaterial as humans are given allowance to err as long as the repentance is in sight. Please dear all, do exercise your patience and persevarance to the fullest...for all you know, we shall be rewarded for our patience.. Thank you, to all commentators, MAY GOD BLESS ALL MALAYSIANS, AND OUR NATION, MALAYSIA !!!
...written by ssathia, November 26, 2008 15:10:18
Given the current environment, with all its trappings, Anwar represents best of the bad apples in the political landscapte. But that is not good enough for a respectable Malaysian future to emerge. It took a second world war to put matters right in Germany that suffered from similar religious intoxication and fascist attitudes. Malaysia is not that fortunate. Given the bankrupt and corrputed leadership, it is certain to end up a bankrupt state and return to its former profession of piracy both within and without to survive. In the process it is setting itself as the the sitting duck it has always been to be repeatedly raped by the Indons, Mainland Chinese, Thais, Cambodians and Philippinos. Now we can include Singapore too. Still all is not lost. Among the 25 million Malaysians, there may still be room for a new order to emerge: one that is free of religious and fascist tyranny.
...written by cahaya, November 26, 2008 15:11:15
Anwar is worthy of being number 9 on the list. Whatever one’s personal views of him, Anwar has done what no other Malaysian opposition politician has ever done before. During the past year, Anwar (together with many others) awakened Malaysians to the fact that political change is possible. Malaysia has been in the hands of corrupt politicians and their race-based politics. The electorate could and should vote for change. Anwar was the one who inspired the opposition parties to cooperate in their efforts to deny the ruling party a two-thirds majority in Parliament. The strategy worked. After March 8, BN no longer has two-thirds majority. Change will continue in Malaysia. Whatever happens, Anwar has been a significant catalyst of that change this year.
...written by eloofk, November 26, 2008 15:12:04
The People's Declaration is good only if there is someone to give direction and lead. Unfortunately, most if not all the leaders of the mainstream political parties lacks commitment, conviction and are racial based. Malaysia is a multi-racial society and no leader, whether he or she is a Malay, Chinese, Indian or any other race can play up any sentiments based on race or religion. For the past 51 years, Malaysia hasnt advanced in this direction.
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...written by cahaya, November 26, 2008 15:12:23
Thanks for informing us about the ‘Peoples’ Declaration’ or ‘Dekalarasi Rakyat’, which the blogging community and civil society movements launched before March 8, and which six political parties including Parti Keadilan Rakyat had endorsed. Besides flooding Malaysia with the printed version, please make the Declaration widely available on the internet, so that Malaysians and their friends everywhere can read it.
...written by hiro, November 26, 2008 15:20:09
I'm not Pakatan apologist, but isn't it a bit early to judge them? Where have they really gone wrong? Penang tennis tournament? Striking a deal with Selangor police for limited demonstration? I've got nothing much to say about Penang tennis except that if any of the councilors are responsible, they must be given a show cause. As for the demonstration, we know there's the law. We don't like the law. Unfortunately the law is implemented from federal power. So does Selangor MB really have so much power that he could order the police? Ours is not a system of governorship as in US where the governor has pretty wide executive powers over law enforcement. Sure, Anwar failed the 916 takeover.. that's to be expected even though he should probably not have made so much noise about it - but it's good that the euphoria dies, and the politicians do what they should do - back to governance - it will be a competition of ideas and who can find more fault in each other now, and this is exactly the kind of spectacle that Malaysians want to see to bring garbage to the surface and have the politicians clean them up for the good of all Malaysians. I just hope that Pakatan continue to consolidate its supporters so that they can really give a strong fight against BN no matter how unfair the election is going to be.
...written by Oscar Winner, November 26, 2008 15:29:17
I again fully agree with DreamLady, Let us not disrupt PR's journey, Definitely too harsh and too early Unlike UMNO goons and Fat Rosie Can use machinations and money To attain power and more money DSAI placed no.9 he deserves it fully, 6 yrs in hell, aren't we sorry?? Let's support him to save the country, For the sake of rakyat and our progeny....
...written by teo siew chin, November 26, 2008 15:40:11
oh for pete's sake - why shouldn't PR be whacked now? what - wanna wait again for 50 years before the whacking starts? whats with the 'its too early'? he needs to 'breathe"? we are battling a war here not baking a cake!
...written by Legion, November 26, 2008 15:44:53
Anwar cannot deliver on the 16Sept thingy, after all the buildup and support given. Where is Anwar's credibility after that? Stroking the people's sentiments and building hope and abandoning it is a serious setback.
...written by malsia1206, November 26, 2008 16:07:14
The rakyat is running short of options. If they perceive Najib to be a bad PM, they'd go for Anwar. And if Anwar fails the rakyat's expectation, whom else does the rakyat vote for in the next GE? When it comes down to the Devil and the deep blue sea, where can you look for the white knight in shinning armour? The big problem in Malaysia now is not the choice between 2 good leaders. Rather, it's more of a lack of choice.
...written by DreamLady, November 26, 2008 16:22:46
oscar winner, million thanks for your moral support, I need it to stay sane among the upheaval created today !!!
...written by Wisdom above, November 26, 2008 16:44:19
Will a first 'woman' Prime Minister be acceptable to all Malaysian ?
...written by Darth Vader, November 26, 2008 17:51:27
If PR are in power and if they behave like UMNO led Be End goons, then they too will suffer the same fate.
...written by hellosunshine, November 26, 2008 18:12:30
Between the devil (you know who) and the deep blue sea (Anwar), I would rather take a chance and go for a dip in the deep blue sea as I know what the devils had done the past 51 years.
...written by mob1900, November 26, 2008 19:20:24
The link to The People's Declaration: http://harismibrahim.wordpress.com/the-peoples-voice-the-peoples-declaration/
...written by Kopi37, November 26, 2008 19:21:25
All along I have been skeptical about what is PR and whether we have a so-called two-parties system in the Country. As RPK has said, we chose the oppositions not that because they were good but more of because we have no other choice but to choose amongst the less evils! By a touch of hey presto, they got it, the oppositions garnered all our supports in the 308 tsunami which threw not only the BN, the so-called PR was so bloody enmeshed in bewilderment and after a brief soul-searching, they bolstered up DSAI as the King maker, his charisma then spoke loudly! The civil vox-pop did consent based on seeing DSAI's effective campaigns which drew big crowds where ever he went during the GE, further attestation was again showed good cause in the Pmtg Pauh by-election when DSAI won with land slide. I did give a wink and nod when hoi-polloi merrily talked about the victory of PR! Having rounds of deep thought analysis and searching, the facts had later revealed to me not only the Anwar syndrome, RPK and MT had indeed contributed a big chunk to the DSAI charisma, more approrpriately, it should be known as Anwar-RPK charismata which had call the shots of the spectacular winnings! This is undeniable fact that from the statistic of my search, many overseas voters including many of our buddies whom they have read MT, knowing the wind of change had been fanned up by RPK and his personal approach to stand for PR candidates in various points of the Country had helped to convince the voters to make up their minds pronto casting their votes for PR component Parties, overseas voters too resonant to show their supports by flying back to vote for PR, because of reading MT!............... Since after the 308 tsunami, much to our regret, the so-called PR seems to be too much drifted away from becoming a bastion of consolidated powers and each and every component has indulged in the sibling rivalry tussling for powers in the States level! They began to talk about their respective ideology forgetting that they are in PR, more so oblivion of the Peoples' Declaration which they had signed!..... When RPK was forced to lodge in to Kemunting boot-camp, most of us in the Blogging community and civil society had been wondered who would be the salvager and how come DSAI was so low-profiled in dealing with his ordeal when political powers were needed. DAP had also showed more concerns to Teresa Kok than RPK and even in the candlelight vigils held to protest the arrest of RPK, were aloofly being supported! In Penang where it's now a stronghold of DAP, in every vigils, I saw only YB Chong Eng most of the times with others gone missing! Where had the PRK and DAP and PAS components of PR gone to, hiding?! The vigils are not supposed to be a political project and that the peoples' projects are of no significance to the the whole PR now?! Has PR been changed immediately after they have won the powers that they had yearned for and the peoples are suckers, to have voted them in to taste the honey, we are still biting the bitter pills?!.... I am lost!
...written by freaque, November 26, 2008 19:40:16
dear RPK, pls let us know when the fund raising for the People's Declaration flyers is going to happen.
...written by Xrap11, November 26, 2008 19:49:45
The saddest thing here that we do not have ANYBODY that is capable and clean enough to lead this country. For me, it always boiled down to two thing: 1. Country development 2. People quality of living I would opt for anybody that could balance this two. No matter what color. Anwar, I am a bit sceptic of No. 1. BN, No.2 is the issue, while No. 1 could have been much better should wastage on unreasonable contract price and money laundering is less. Still, Anway is the lesser of the 191 evils. http://gelamapisang.blogspot.com/
...written by Liberace, November 26, 2008 20:30:11
RPK, Perhaps I'm an idealist but I truly believe there's some good left in man and some politicians. I would put Anwar among them. It would really be a sad day when we choose Anwar because he's the lesser of many evils. We Malaysians would then have no hope left. I don't care about Anwar's conviction and 6 years in jail. He was set up big time by Mahathir. And I continue to disagree with you about Mahathir. A smart man and shrewd politician he may be, but there's no good in this man. His motive is plain and simple all about him. Everything else is incidental and expendable. A tree is known by its fruits, a great Man once said, and we've had more than 20 years of bad harvests from Mahathir. A bad tree cannot produce good fruits and so it is with Mahathir. A few pieces of good out of a million pieces of evil add up to nothing. Anwar is no angel. I'm sure he's got stuff that I'd rather not know. But I hold him in high standing by one perhaps insignificant act. It's always the little things that say more about a person than the big things that he does for public consumption, especially when the little things concern his children. While Mahathir and Najib and Hishamuddin and Samy Vellu and every bigwig in BN sends his/her children/grandchildren to international schools at a time when the government forbids Malaysians from attending them, Anwar was the only top minister who sent his children to some sekolah kebangsaan all the way up to university level. He practiced what he preached. A small step perhaps but a huge tell-tale sign. I only have one thing to add. If I have to vote for the lesser of many evils, I'd rather not vote. I will not put a man I know to be evil into a position of power.
...written by yellowkingdom, November 26, 2008 20:34:25
will we have the royal consent to consign to ignominy those who have betrayed the rakyat's trust and mandate to act in justice and equality?
...written by Jit Dharma, November 26, 2008 21:00:54
Bro RPK, no one can doubt (actually many do,.,so sad..anyway) that you speak motivated by a love of your country and countrymen. They are the first and last for you. I hope the following salvo was aimed at putting the fear of god into PR and nothing more than that. It is true, we cannot allow them to be complacent but we musn't withdraw our support at a time they need it most. Does anyone see a better way than PR to finally win the freedom we were promised? Certainly, BN are looking at their last days.
...written by zackzeni, November 26, 2008 21:49:27
It seems like the MT's community more incline to accept whatever written by RPK at face value and worst still absolute truth. Can we have someone to provide their second opinion in a factual manner. While i totally agreed that both BN and PR need to be checked and balanced, same goes to RPK (sorry Pete...nothing personal).
...written by BennyG, November 26, 2008 22:03:21
It's a bit surprising that the article was written earlier than expected. Maybe we are not privy to a lot of inside information. Nevertheless, I would advocate a large group of voters whom would vote for whoever is willing to listen to the people. As soon as we realise that the politician is not the right guy, the group would vote against him. This way, it will be easier to keep the politician in place. MT and other bloggers could easily assemble such a large group of voters. I would support such a call.
...written by Chimera, November 26, 2008 22:17:51
I agree wid ya Pete. If they cannot make it they slhdnt give us the hope. like an old UMNO style.
...written by LFLee, November 27, 2008 01:21:07
This is a tricky situation. On one hand, Pete time is running out as for sure if Najib comes to power, Pete will go to jail again. On the other hand, I am willing to give more time to Anwar and PR, as we now know there are limitations to State government as most of the $$ are controlled by the federal. Hope PR will do something before March 09 to avoid Pete go to jail again.
...written by James Loh, November 27, 2008 02:45:52
May I know what has Pakatan Rakyat done wrong? Could anybody list down the failures? Is it because of the language issue for the sign board, Non-malay as PKNS, Islam law, etc? Overall, I'm more satisfy with Pakatan Rakyat than BN. Nevertheless, I would hope PAS could be less focus on BUMI issues. I would rather hope PAS can focus on building up Kedah economy and stop corruption. Overall, Pakatan Rakyat must be humble and not to follow BN footsteps towards too arrogant.
...written by lynn, November 27, 2008 06:07:59
Malaysians have been conditioned to focus on trivial issues: signboard, tennis-lah. Even on Light n Easy, they devote excruciatingly many more minutes on sports than other news that I had to hit the mute button. I think sports news shld be announced when the rest of us are fast asleep. We must focus on vital issues such as corruption: we hv all forgotten what happened to our EPF money of RM5 billion? Have the money crossed hands? So what happened to our money? Most people are like sheep, mild, submissive, followers, indifferent, unable to grasp issues ; they don't know any better, their priorities are all screwed up. What serious "damage" has Pakatan Rakyat done to this country as compared to BN? Tell us your answer and we can gauge how pathetic that brain of yours is. Monsoon Cup is going ahead; it means splurging 300 million to entertain "celebrities" - why are the folks in Trengganu not speaking out? Maybe they are happy to receive the tiny crumbs. To me, Monsoon Cup is like, these insignificant people called VIPs or celebrities used our oil wealth to have a good time, while we stood by and watch and nod approvingly... they enjoy themselves while we bystanders "feel good" with that audacious wastage of our country's wealth. So what does that paint to all of us? Among us, there are many Malaysians who are poorly educated. You people don't know your rights. You have the right to ask questions and you have the right to know but you don't know what are your rights. But people in Malaysia, they don't even know what pertinent questions to ask of this bn govt... so in this case, it is very easy for a govt to do as it likes. We shld stop fearing ISA, FRU or PDRM because all these are intended to silent all of us from asking pertinent questions!
...written by anakwatanKL, November 27, 2008 06:32:57
Dear RPK, If I am not mistaken, it appears that you are taking DSAI's appointment to the next level. Indeed the current Govt and the one in-waiting are under citizen's watch. The voters have the priviledge to carry out the check and balances before each election. My thought is that DSAI may be not a great role model. The man has been taken to 'hell and back' during Mahathir's time and locked away, that too. It would have given time for this man to reflect and also think about his future undertakings. His words,' Melayu anak saya, Cina anak saya, India anak saya...' struck a cord with me. That's along the line of HUMANITY and he has set the bar for this high standard. I am not naive but I am watching this man or this Govt between each election. God Bless Malaysians for Malaysia.
...written by Proarte, November 27, 2008 07:34:48
Can a leopard change its spots? The criticism of Anwar is based on his catalogue of betrayals to the spirit of 'Reformasi', 'Ketuanan Rakyat', 'the Jeffersonian Focus', 'The primacy of Human rights and freedom'.The above are not 'past issues' and are highly topical and pertinent. People are fed up of listening to self agrandising platitudes from Anwar. The want serious and uncompromising commitment from him which to date is sorely lacking. If Anwar wants to redeem himself he has to address some very basic but fundamental issues which go to the heart of the values mentioned above. These are: 1) Does Anwar agree that the Shariah Courts were being unIslamic when they declared that Revathi who is a practising Hindu is instead a Muslim forvever and cannot change her faith? Does he agree that the judgement was illogical because a person's faith and belief is a fact and cannot be legislated upon? Does he agree that the treatment meted out to Revathi, her husband and child by the Islamic authorities was wicked and evil beyond measure? Would he agree that his silence on this issue was cowardly and duplicitous and a betrayal of his supposed belief in the 'Jeffersonian Focus' and 'The primacy of Human Rights and Freedom'? 2) Why did he agree with the tainted judge Ahmad Fairuz of LingamGate fame, that Lina Joy a Christian by faith and statutory declaration, should instead go to the Shariah Courts to get her religious status determined? Wasn't the advice illogical when the Shariah courts are of the opinion that a Muslim is a Muslim forever and cannot change faith? Does he agree that the Shariah Courts have erred as they are going against the teaching of the Koran which clearly says that there should be NO Compulsion in matters of faith? Does he not agree that his position is seen as cowardly and fraudulent given that he supposedly believes in 'The primacy of human rights and freedom' and in the Malaysian constitution which guarantees freedom of worship? 3) Why did ABIM an organisation which he founded, strongly advocated the stop work order on the Ma Zu statue in Kudat, Sabah saying that is was 'desecrating' a mosque which was 0.5 km away? Does he agree with their position and if not, why has there been thunderous silence from him on this fundamental issue of human and religious rights of non-Muslims? How are Sabahans and fellow Malaysians to trust him when he says PKR will espouse 'Ketuanan Rakyat' when he does not appear to respect the rights of Non-muslims? 4)Does he believe that Malays should be controlled and treated like imbeciles because they are ignorant of their faith and need to be instructed? Does he believe in the need for a Fatwa Council to come out with edicts which divide the races and insult the intelligence of Malays. Does he believe in the authority of the Fatwa Council? Whose authority is superior, the Fatwa Council or the State Sultans? Does he believe that performing Yoga without invoking the names of Hindu Gods ( which is case in 100% of Yoga centres) is UnIslamic? Does he believe that 'Tomboys' or women who dress or who display 'manly' behaviour as determined by the Islamic authorities are prone to lesbianism and should be banned? 5)When Anwar was acquitted in 2004 during his sodomy trial ( even though the Judge felt there was evidence that sodomy did take place and he was inclined to believe it did happen), he made an apparently hypocritical comment that he 'endorsed' the country's colonial laws on sodomy which can mean being sentenced up to 20 years in prison and to receiving a flogging. Can Anwar confirm that he still 'endorses' this sentence and that if he is convicted for having 'unnatural intercourse' with Saiful, he should face flogging and up to 20 years in prison as this is a just sentence? 6) Does Anwar believe that alcohol should be banned in Selangor? Does he agree that Muslims simply should not buy alcohol if they feel it is against their faith and not demand a blanket ban on alcohol. Does he agree that a blanket ban infringes on the rights of non-Muslims and on Muslims who disagree with the ban? Does he agree that Muslims should be allowed to drink alcohol for health reasons or if they feel it does not conflict with their faith? Does he agree a better and fairer way to control the habit in the young is to have laws such as they do in the USA, that no one can buy alcohol or drink alcohol in public places until they reach of 21? PKR needs 'Reformasi' for itself and it should start with Anwar Ibrahim the 'Reformasi Icon'. If Anwar still wants to indulge in duplicitous theatrics and an ' all things to all men' modus operandi, then I am afraid he will soon be regarded as an ' Anjing Meyalak Bukit' or a 'Suara dari Kubur'. Quo Vadis Anwar?
...written by Liberace, November 27, 2008 08:07:52
A leopard indeed cannot change its spots, Proarte. That's why we don't vote them into office. A human being however comes in at the very summit of all life forms; intelligent, emotional, spiritual, adaptable and with a great capacity to learn from others, our environment and above all, our experiences and mistakes. Anwar faces many challenges and fierce offensive against his attempt to form a government and he will indeed make mistakes along the way. Reformasi will not happen in a day unless all Malaysians are prepared to take to the streets and demand it. You and I know that we're not. We just want to stay in our comfortable homes and shoot arrows at those who risk life and freedom to bring it about. If Anwar picks up a fight over every nitty gritty issue, then Reformasi will indeed die. He will be so busy tripping over every position he takes and every remark he makes, the war will be over before it's started. Reformasi is not about about Anwar's take on every controversy. It's the journey from here to where we can even begin to openly debate every controversial issue without fear of loss of life, freedom or means. We do not have to accept Anwar's view on every issue that concerns us for us to support him. If we are reduced to nit-picking, then there is no one out there who can fill the shoes of being a Reformasi icon. It's a calling too high for man.
...written by DreamLady, November 27, 2008 08:17:01
Liberace, Spot On !!! I am glad at least there are a few who understand the meaning of reformation. have a good day !!!!
...written by Proarte, November 27, 2008 08:25:20
Liberace My thesis is quite simple. I am looking at the broadest possible picture. All I am asking is for a commitment to the values espoused and promises made to the Rakyat. If Anwar cannot stand up for the rights of non-Muslims, for freedom from the tyranny of Muslim bigots, for human rights than what is all this song and dance about Reformasi all about? In recent months Anwar has had ample examples to prove that he spoke for all Malaysians and would defend their rights but this he has signally failed to do. I am touched by your admiration for the capabilities of humans and their ability to reform. By the same token we should give Najib that same generosity of spirit to enable him to reform and lead Malaysia to 'motherhood and apple pie'.
...written by Rozlan, November 27, 2008 09:34:27
Like it or not, Rosmah will be running this country come March with her husband, Najib Tun Razak, as her nominee. If you think this is scary then you have seen nothing yet. Rosmah is one vengeful woman and she has not finished settling scores with her critics. And guess who is at the top of her list of ‘must be put to death’? No prize for the right guess. I wonder whether the Mongolian government has a policy to offer political asylum for ‘friends of Altantuya’? Anyway, we will cross that bridge when we come to it.
No prize fo the correct guess.I feel to scared to admit you might be very right.
...written by emirateswenger, November 27, 2008 09:37:46
Issues that Government or those in authority should work towards and by which will they be judged by ballot. BN, BR and .. 1. Just and free country 2. Free education for all (build sufficient Universities for all) 3. Equality for every man and woman 4. Care for the less fortunate 5. Economic well-being In many ways these are guided by our understanding of God and faith. And certainly I do not believe that faith is something man should regulate. Does God need man's arm-twisting to prevent a straying from the faith? Don't think so. Our leaders for the past years has been only spouting racial rights. The World is burning man!!!
...written by Liberace, November 27, 2008 10:09:03
Proarte, I would love to give Najib the same opportunity that I indulge Anwar. Unfortunately, it's not only a matter of him not doing and saying the right things. It's all the horrible things he has done that fly in our faces that make it impossible for me to even think about giving him that chance, which by the way, he has grabbed with both hands whether we like it or not. We're just trying to give some resistance to this Najib runaway train to the highest office in the country.
...written by ROBERTNGTG, November 27, 2008 10:45:54
His future role can be determined only by Malaysians,” said Wolfowitz, and this would certainly be true. The future of the Prime Minister or Malaysia, if he comes from Umno, is determined by the 191 Umno divisions headed by its 191 division heads. That’s right, 191 Malays from Umno determine who will become the Prime Minister of this nation and they have already unanimously nominated the husband of Rosmah Mansor. Like it or not, Rosmah will be running this country come March with her husband, Najib Tun Razak, as her nominee WOW. 191 BLOKES CAN EASILY BE BOUGHT WITH JUST ONE MINDEF CONTRACT AND THE PRESIDENT CAN RULE TILL KINGDOM COME. AND THE 27 MILLION MALAYSIANS CAN GO SUCK BANANAS IF THEY CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THIS PARTY.
...written by pixieface, November 27, 2008 14:00:08
Methinks Anwar should keep his cards very close to his chest. Walls got ears. There are saboteurs all around. Its always best to sprint a surprise like the one in sarawak where there was a ground swelling against taib. Lets pray, lets pray for a better malaysia. Believe in the power of all in unison.
...written by eloofk, November 27, 2008 15:39:01
Dear RPK, its sad for me to say this. The PKR is still in its infancy and Anwar is still bogged down by the infighting of the alliance of their ideologies. He is also being kept busy for his forth-coming sodomy court case. Such fragility in holding up the Alliance's good governance in the 5 States would gone to waste in challenging the BN at the federal level. We should give Anwar our full support during this period of upheaval expecially with Najib taking over the premiership in March.
...written by lab76820, November 27, 2008 16:02:59
Greetings Uncle Pete, Looking forward to lay my hands on a copy of the People's Declaration......so that I can xerox my copies for distributions to families & friends and continue the cycle to enlighten more M'sians of their rights to live in their homeland enjoying the fruits of labour of all our forefathers - urs & mine. God Bless.
...written by batsman, November 27, 2008 16:31:20
DSAI - see what you have done? You have ticked off RPK!
...written by Proarte, November 28, 2008 01:59:16
I think it is foolhardy to portray politicians as saints who can do wrong. They need criticism in order to keep them in the straight and narrow path. Anwar has alot of baggage so we have to be extra careful of him. He certainly knows how to talk the talk but in walking the talk, he has been a dismal failure. Another reason to be concerned about Anwar is his Islamic Politics. This does not sit well in a plural democracy such as ours. He has shown himself to align himself with extreme atavistic forces which have damaged the unity of Pakatan. His naked ambition to become PM and to use East Malaysians in the process is no different to the exploitative nature of UMNO. What did he do for the Sabahans when they wanted to build the Ma Zu statue which was blocked by UMNO for none other than supremacist and bigoted reasons. In fact it was ABIM, the Muslim organisation which Anwar founded which was a major driving force in supporting the stop work order by Musa Aman. It caused so much hurt in the non-Muslim community and division amongst the races. Anwar has been standing idly by in a manner aptly described by the proverb ' baling batu sembunyi tangan'. Malays must ask themselves why their brand of Islam is intolerant, paranoid, discriminatory, insulting, demeaning and based on promoting false teachings? Has ever a non-Muslim group objected to the building of a Mosque and called it a 'desecration' of a non-Muslim place of worship? If Islam is the religion of the federation, it cannot be said to be the religion of Sabah. So why is Islam being the 'big bully' and forced down people's throats? Surely this leads to unnecessary division in a society which enjoyed harmonious relations between the races and religions until Malay Islam reared its ugly head. We see this desire to divide and sow hatred very much in the Islam of the peninsula. The Yoga, Tomboy, alcohol banning, Revathi, Lina Joy, storming of the Bar Council issue part of this evil divisive trend. To what end? Any person with an ounce of decency and intelligence will realise it has nothing to do with doing Allah's Will on earth but instead has more to do with the will of spiritually and morally bankrupt politicians who use Islam in feathering their nests. Anwar has made a career of using Islam for political kudos and as a 'bargaining chip'. It is about time he stops this nonsense and bring sanity to Malay Islam. He cannot absolve himself as he was instrumental in bringing about 'Islamisation' of the civil service and bringing Islam into political discourse to the exclusion of other religions. This wicked and exploitative policy not surprisingly saw the inexorable slide in ethical and moral standards in the civil service and the Malay body politic. The rot in our society today is due to this brand of Malay Islam which is Anwar's Frankenstein's monster. He created it and it is his responsibility to smother it to death.
...written by Rainbowseahorse, November 28, 2008 12:10:12
There was a time, and not too long ago, when non Muslims & Muslims in Sabah & Sarawak eat & drink together at common coffer shops which serves 'halal & non halal' food. Then West Malaysians brand of Islam creep in and segregation of eating places sets in. There is still a Mosque & a Christian church in Miri, Sarawak which share common chain linked fences, and I wonder how long before some religious nuts decides to separate the two and tears them apart. Sabah & Sarawak has practiced religious tolerance for centuries, and it took the West Malaysian Islamic brand to destroy that in less than a life time.
...written by rakesh ram, November 29, 2008 00:56:45
Anwar is just all rethoric and nothing more. He has had his chance to deliver and he has not until now. At the PKR congress, leaders are now saying there is no time-frame to form the next government. Then why in the first place make empty promises about 'Sept 16'. Anwar and PR took us for a ride. All I can ask God is for Him to have mercy on Anwar and PR!
...written by freerpk, November 29, 2008 09:04:22
Anwar has been on both sides of the fence. He was once the number 2 in the government and then he was a prisoner for many years. I think anyone who has gone thru that will be a better man to run the country & makes things right for all the oppressed people in the country. We have given 51 years to Barisan to make the country "right" now we expect the PR to make the country really right in less than a year....IMPOSSIBLE..Give them the chance but quietly remind them now and then as Malaysians have very poor memories...they forget very easily and that is why the Barisan is still running the country despite the 51 years of suffering by the rakyat
...written by CoolMama54, November 30, 2008 01:39:05
I reject Anwar for the following reasons: 1. If there was a slim chance that he's a homosexual or bisexual, then he will be a prey for blackmail. This is not the same with Soi Lek, as the malays will never accept homosexuality. Malays can accept corruption, heterosexual scandals, but never homosexuality. We cannot (continue to) have this country run by someone blackmailed by foreign or domestic organizations. 2. Anwar had the chance to do the RIGHT thing and he didn't, when he was no. 2. What is the proof besides all talk, that he will do the RIGHT thing this time? And is the stuff he's talking about now the RIGHT thing for all Malaysians or just the select few? 3. Anwar is impatient. Countries run by impatient people normally end up or continue to be recognized as a failed State. He could have waited for TDM to step down, and he would be running the show today. God still loves this country and that's why he was removed before more terrible things happen with Anwar as the premier backed by UMNO. 4. The highly selfish American foreign policy has destroyed many countries and the so-called collateral damage is never American. Anwar is favored by the Americans. There has to be something in it for them, be it FTA, recognition of Israel or anything else they're after. Or do you think it's Anwar who has the Americans by the balls? Remember, this is (dirty) politics, not about romanticizing the spirit of democracy. I do not know who can lead us better. We know who cannot already. But it is ALSO not Anwar! And since he is the key person who ties PR component parties, then PR is treading water. With the danger of PR taking over by the next GE, I will return my protest vote, back to the present government in the next GE, unless a better person or party emerges before.
...written by lovemalaysiarakyat, November 30, 2008 17:43:09
Going with UMNO now is going reverse gear. Going with PR may mean going to uncharted territories - what the heck, it is better than reverse gear.
...written by Rodins Fist, December 01, 2008 02:12:01
Be sure to distribute to Sabah and Sarawak as well. They need to be brought up to speed without the mainstream media's lies and cover-ups. In fact, pass me a few copies in digital format and I'll send them to my friends there. Spread it far and wide.
