The Enigm@ Chronicles

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Parliament To Be A Family Issue?

Apr 5

Posted by Jasraj Sandhu in Humour, point out | Comments

PKR President Datin Seri Dr. Wan Azizah and new incumbent MP Nurul Izzah Anwar are set to be the first mother-daughter team in the same session of parliament since 50 years of independence.

Previously there has already been pairs of father-son teams with Opposition’s Lim Kit Siang and his son Lim guan Eng taking the current honours previously held by Barisan’s Tun Ghafar Baba and his son Mohd Tamrin Ghafar.

Nepotism(click to enlarge)

But what really tickles me silly and besides adding another family paradigm onto this parliament session is the debut of the first ever father-in-law and son-in-law team of Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Khairy Jamaluddin. Though the FIL is not usually in parliament due to his busy schedule, at least now the SIL will be able to give him updates and first hand account directly. Works even if FIL falls asleep on the job once more.

Now all we need is a a mother-in-law and daughter-in-law team to complete the set.

 

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Clueless UMNO Information Chief Claims Unfairness!

Apr 4

Posted by Jasraj Sandhu in Politics, point out | Comments

New UMNO Information Chief Muhammad Muhd Taib is apparently as clueless as they come nowadays. It would seem that the various roles and responsibilities of a leader is a foreign concept to him when he actually goes on the record to defend PM Abdullah Badawi. Muhd Taib also goes as far as to plead unfairness of it all for Badawi to be cited with the brunt of the blame.

It would seem that expecting the party leader to shoulder the leadership responsibilities – both the good and the bad – are a concept foreign in UMNO. Then again nobody would actually expect Muhd Taib to brazenly come out against his own boss more so since the new lease of life in politics that he has been recently granted.

This is in reference to the following report published on Malaysiakini, Muhammad Muhd Taib

Mat Taib jabs Dr M, defends Pak Lah

Defending his party president during a press conference at his Rural And Regional Development Ministry in Putrajaya, Muhammad said people should stop pointing fingers at Abdullah.

“What Mahathir and people are doing now is very, very wrong. It is not fair to point fingers at one person when everybody knows there were many contributing factors.

“It is very unfair to dump the blame on the PM. This is unfair and done in bad faith,” he said.

Muhammad was referring to “unfair” comments from Mahathir made at a forum yesterday on how Abdullah was shameless in refusing to resign for Barisan Nasional’s biggest election setback last month.

‘Not a level playing field’

He pointed out that there were also other contributing factors to BN’s performance including the role played by bloggers, news portals and short messaging service (SMS).

“It wasn’t a level-playing field (between the BN and opposition). BN did not use the portals, SMS and ICT (information and communications technology) to the fullest,” he said.

Muhammad noted that the BN lost in the “virtual elections” while opposition had cashed in on using video CDs showing temple demolitions which caused the swing of Indian voters.

And Muhd Taib doesn’t stop there. He even has the audacity to say that there wasn’t a level playing field between BN and PR – citing the oppositions’ use of blogs, news portals and SMS to spread their stand. Apparently a ‘level playing field’ in the dictionary of UMNO is the situation where the following hold true:

  1. UMNO hold all the card

  2. UMNO deals out all the ‘party favour’ exclusively

  3. BN shackles the MSM into a blatantly pro-establishment propaganda machinery

I say good job to the opposition for utilizing new media to spread the truth. I say damn great job for spreading the information of the temple demolitions that were virtually blacked out on the MSM’s. I say thank god we don’t live in the totally unrealistic world of Muhd Taib’s delusions anymore.

He can shift the blame to bloggers, news portals and SMS as much as he want to but we Malaysian have long known the truth behind UMNO’s lies and propaganda. All he has managed to do is to show us that he is talking without thinking things through.

 

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This Blog Was Featured on NTV7 News

Apr 1

Posted by Jasraj Sandhu in point out | Comments

 

Yup the the post title says it all.

This blog if mine was actually featured on NTV7’s 7 Edition news earlier tonight. To my immense surprise my blog was one of the 2 blogs featured in the news piece tittled Blogs and SMS War: B-N Must Move With The Times. The other blog featured was no other than that of DAP strong man Lim Kit Siang!

(This blogger is not part of any ‘war’ btw)

I am profoundly proud that a small time blogger like me was actually put into a similar context with the likes of uber blogger Lim Kit Siang. To be fair I am only a new hand at political blogging and that too is mostly me expressing my thought on such matters. Be it by sheer luck and/or blind chance that my blog was chosen, I still can’t help feeling somewhat proud of myself right now.

Further more I have previously lambasted the main stream media’s like NTV7 for their failure in reporting unbiased news and so on. I still stand by my view and unless things change for the better I will continue to highlight the failure and fallacies along with the great reporting that shines through ever so often. Still my thanks for this unlooked for promotion of my blog goes out to NTV7 and the person(s) responsible for choosing my blog.

Below is the online version of th 7 Edition news (Part 1) that featured the news piece highlighting this blog, beginning from the 6.25 minute up till the 8.25 minute. Also sorry for the jutting out effect of the video.

 

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The ‘SMART’ Tunnel Woes

Mar 28

Posted by Jasraj Sandhu in point out | Comments

UPDATE (29/03/2008) : Once more yesterday the SMART Tunnel was again shut off to motorist. Without more information I can only speculate that Mode 3 operations was once more enacted on to relieve the flood waters in KL. Once more traffic in KL and PJ saw a drastic increase that caused massive jams all over. I myself was stuck close to 40 minutes on a stretch no longer that 2 km!

The Smart Tunnel was closed of to motorist on Saturday March 22nd 2008 and was finally open up for traffic use on Wednesday at 5pm. The four day timeframe taken for the closure saw the whiplash effect of the dramatic increase of traffic in Kuala Lumpur – the traffic situation already considered to be chronic was worsen.

Finally as the tunnel was opened for use once more, with public grouses ever increasing since the closure, only then did the SMART GM of Operation Mohd Fuad Kamal Ariffin give a press statement – Why tunnel reopening was delayed – explaining the closure.

Reflections on the start of a TunnelThe reason given at the time for the 96 hours closure was that the tunnel had to enter into Mode 3 of operation that being the complete flooding of the tunnel (I.e. both the lower channel & the motorway). Afterwards the flood water had to be pumped out, the motorway physically cleaned and all electrical equipment and systems checked to ensure they were in working condition.

As official statements go this one sure didn’t seat well with the people. After all isn’t the full flooding of the tunnel a feature specifically catered for by the SMART tunnel. In a reference to previous statements about the tunnel, and as noted down here in the Wikipedia entry of the SMART Tunnel under the section How SMART Tunnel Works:

Third mode (Major storms)

At the third mode of operation the motorways will be closed to traffic. When this mode is in operation, the motorway will be closed to all traffic. After making sure all vehicles have exited the motorway, automated water-tight gates will be opened to allow flood waters to pass through. The motorway will be reopened to traffic within 48 hours of closure.

This was later on followed by an another article later on featuring KL Flood Mitigation Project director K. J. Abraham – Smart Tunnel was closed for safety reasons – who proceeded to site causes of safety, ensuring proper functionality and cleaning & disinfecting of the tunnel in lieu of this being the first real test for Mode 3 operations since the tunnels opening in 2007.

So excuse me for wondering what exactly was the extra delay actually for. Thus far there have been a couple of stories/rumours (how true are they I will leave up toy you to decide) on what exactly caused the delay in re-opening the SMART Tunnel:

  1. Flood waters brought in unexpected amounts of rubbish that clogged the pumps.

  2. Failure of the Storage Reservoir & culverts in discharging the flood water possibly due to river already swollen with rain water.

Whatever the case, this Achilles Heel of the 1.8 billion SMART Tunnel project is going to be a pain in the rear for the denizens and motorist of KL if it continues to persist. And in view of it being that time of year where seasonal rains are sweeping KL almost daily this issue can easily cross over from being a mere risk in a full fledge reality.

 

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UMNO Disrespectful To The Agong

Mar 25

Posted by Jasraj Sandhu in Politics, point out | Comments

Daulat Tuanku

 

When Lim Kit Siang (DAP) issued a call to boycott Perak’s swearing in of the state exco the was a complete furore from the main stream media (MSM) with articles insinuating and all out declaring that LKS & the DAP CEC had shown disrespect against the Regent of Perak Raja Nazrin. This was then followed by calls for a variety of NGO’s for LKS & DAP to apologise.

The articles from the MSM can be seen to be purely one sided as they usually are in lieu of the recent debacle that UMNO is perpetuating in Terengganu. It took barely a day since LKS made his blog post on DAP decision to boycott the swearing in ceremony before the claws were out and the nasty side of the MSM were reared! (LKS had later on issued an apology to the Perak Regent)

Yet it’s now been 3 whole days since the crisis in Terengganu has occurred. Moreover the decision of UMNO’s 22 state assemblymen to boycott the swearing in of fellow(former!) UMNO assemblyman Ahmad Said in a show of protest against his nomination by DYMM Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin to the post of Menteri Besar, flies in the face of the monarchy and can and should be considered as a serious act of disrespect against the Sultan whose currently the ruling Agong of Malaysia.

Did the MSM highlight this equally as they did against LKS during the Perak nomination?

The answer is NO!

Are the MSM calling for UMNO and the 22 assemblypersons to apologise to the Sultan for their disrespect?

Once again the answer is NO!

That’s the so called free press for you. In this country free press actually means biased and pro-government only. This blogger feels time and again justified that he’s participating in the call to boycott the MSM for this whole week! Serves them right.

As for those NGO’s that made all sort of calls last week my question to you all are:
Where are your voices now?
Have each and everyone of you gone mute?

Why are you not coming out and proclaiming the same statements that you so easily made against DAP just days ago? Just because it’s UMNO whose at fault now you’ve conveniently kept quit on the issue. In my opinion you attitude smacks of bigotry!

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Will the New Information Minister Truly be Engaging?

Mar 23

Posted by Jasraj Sandhu in point out | Comments

enclosed openness

The previous information minister Datuk Zainuddin Maidin (a.k.a. Zam) is out (hooray) and his newly appointed replacement is Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek. The Information Minister has recently come to be a hot seat in the sense that the minister in charge has his hands full with the spread of new media as the voice platform of the people.

Zainuddin had his hands full when he choose to ‘brand’ the online community, especially blogger’s, as misfits and all around liars! Granted there are the occasional rumor mongerers and abrasive and unfiltered viewpoints put online. Yet the bulk on the online community of Malaysia are a mature, opinionated and vocal group who are not restricted by traditional censorship methodologies and are not easily fooled by the governments propaganda.

Zainuddin’s remarks only had the effect to anger this group of people who then took the chance to put their voice out and spread the truth. It certainly didn’t help Zainuddin credibility that he also performed badly and bungled up his image and more importantly the image of Malaysia in the eyes of the world when his interview with Al Jazeera was a total flop! Thus earning his the nickname Minister of Misinformation and Disinformation!

“Out with the trash in with the new” is this blogger’s point of view.

And judging by this early interview Q&A session and also from this newer news article of the new Information Minister, Ahmad Shabery Cheek, I hope that the past mistakes will not be repeated! If the minister is sincere in his wish to engage the blogger community then I think he has taken the first steps in revamping the governments ideology in respect to the online community.

Yet talk is cheap and I for one will keep an eye out for the ministers actions in hopes that the government’s unjustified label of Misfits and Liars will be removed. It is also my sincere hope that Ahmad Shabery Cheek is not resorting to placate the blogging & online communities in the short term in order to reduce the damage inflicted to the credibility of the government.

Like it or not the bloggers and their online counterpart are here to stay and have proven to be a power to be reckoned with!

(Pics courtesy of 0bli0)

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Is The Possibility Of A Non-Malay Deputy MB That Bad?

Mar 20

Posted by Jasraj Sandhu in point out | Comments

TJL_demo_03

I am somewhat perplexed with the current state of the mentality of certain parties here in Malaysia.

One would think that after 50 years of nationhood and progression that has allowed this country to progress to it’s current state, albeit things could certainly be much much better, the mentality of all Malaysian’s would similarly be well progressed.

Instead I find that the mere mention of nominating a non-Malay citizen to the position of Deputy Menteri Besar (Deputy Chief minister) has raised the hackles of certain groups. It’s very disappointing to see that the people of the most developed state in Malaysia are still clinging on to outdated mentality that the position of MB or DMB should be race specific.

My questions are:

  • Can’t anyone irrespective of race and religion be entrusted with the responsibility to lead us?

  • Why can’t appointments to such positions be made based on the merit of the candidates?

Sadly it would seem that in certain quarters this archaic belief of race specific agenda is still prevalent – which to me is a clear signal that we Malaysian still have a ways to go before be mature out of the stagnant race based game of politics.

(Pics courtesy of The Just Life)

 

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Penang Protest: A Voice of Reason

Mar 16

Posted by Jasraj Sandhu in point out | Comments

In the wake of the blowing out of proportion of the recent move by the Penang State government to implement open and transparent tenders instead of the direct-negotiation method previously employed – there have been warnings issued and there have been illegal protest. All this can be traced to the misinterpretation of the statement issued by the Chief Minister of Penang who was quoted saying that he would drop the New Economic Policy (NEP) in favour for a more balanced, open and transparent policy.

Yet it would seem that the ruling coalition’s head UMNO and by proxy their well placed “peoples” are bent on inflaming the Malay community against the BR led Penang government. From shortsighted statements issued (here), to insinuation made from the Prime Minister himself on the issues and of course not forgetting the usual one-sided view expressed by the local main stream media – who are by the way partially owned by the political party – it is a blatant sign that UMNO is attempting to stoke the racial tension by provoking the “Malay Agenda”.

On can but shake his or her head in bewilderment as it would seem that the racial card and political fear seems to be game plan of UMNO. After 50 years of leadership at the helm of this great country apparently the race based mentality is still the mantra of UMNO!

Thus as I watched the news coverage of the recent UMNO rally in Penang where the members of UMNO took to the street to protest the recent remarks of Penang CM Lim Guan Eng, I could only shake my head at the statements made. The Penang UMNO leaders were all issuing various statements that in my mind had only 1 clear objective – that is to fire up the coals of racial tension. Yes the true face of these so called UMNO leader are revealed for one and all to see.

And what really peeved me was that with all the statements uttered that ran foul of the Sedition Act and also that the protest held and led by UMNO Penang was deemed illegal by the Police – can someone please tell me why not a single person was arrested?

Can the Police force actually say with any sincerity that they have carried out their job as they are normally wont to do? Personally I don’t think so!

It was then that I stumbled across this article – Pesanan Khas kepada Orang Melayu Pulau Pinang – Jangan Cepat Melatah.. – that was wonderfully worded and full of insight. This article made me realize, and thank god fervently, that not all Malaysians are easily fired up all over nothing

 

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Is UMNO full of Resentment and Ill Intent?

Mar 14

Posted by Jasraj Sandhu in Politics, point out | Comments

Idiocy

 

 

There are some general expectation in politics that are standard anywhere around the world. One of these is the accepting of defeat gracefully. The Japanese have the hara-kiri equivalent in politics where politician will step down due to the loss of honour. And yet this very concept is alien and apparently does not exist in the UMNO party here in Malaysia.

Unsurprisingly there are already statements that highlight the gross short-sightedness prevalent among the UMNO party and as I’ve posted before here also a similar streak in the MCA component party of BN.

When given the boot out of Penang by the voters, The Penang UMNO leadership in a major show resentment and ill intent had this to say:

Penang Umno to recommend stopping all state mega projects

Penang Umno will recommend to the Federal Government to stop all proposed mega projects in the state, include those planned under the Northern Corridor Economic Region (NCER), the second Penang Bridge, the light monorail transit system, the Penang Outer Ring Road, the Penang Sentral and the RapidPenang bus service. State Umno secretary Datuk Azhar Ibrahim said the previous Gerakan-led state government had worked together with the federal government to bring all sorts of development to Penang.
“Since the people have clearly rejected development and made their choice for a change, we will recommend to the federal government to cancel all such projects. Don’t blame us for this,” he said after a state liaison committee meeting here today. In March 8 polls, Umno only won two parliamentary seats and 12 state seats.
The meeting was chaired by the deputy state Umno liaison committee chairman Datuk Seri Abdul Rashid Abdullah. Also present were Umno division chiefs from all 13 divisions.
Asked if this was Umno’s revenge, Azhar, who was appointed opposition chief, said: “This is not revenge…it is the new government’s responsibility to bring development to the state. We have done so many things in the past but we were criticised…we were blamed for wasting this and wasting that.”
To another question if this would bring about any implications to the people, he said: “The people have chosen and they wanted a new leadership.”

First they challenged the people to make their voice heard via the ballot box. Then when the people send a clear message to these power hungry bafoons, all of the sudden they get pissed off

So my fellow Malaysians, can there be any more clearer a message on how UMNO has always looked out for itself first and foremost (i.e. the UMNOputeras) – then only in the context of importance comes the Malay community, and then the rest of Malaysia.

This is the core of the government we have been ignorantly voting into power for 50 years!

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Is BN a Sore Loser or are They Trying to Provoke Racial Tension

Mar 14

Posted by Jasraj Sandhu in Op-ED, point out | Comments

It’s barely been a couple of days and already the attacks have begun. Instead of reviewing their many mistakes that had contributed to the stunning loss to the oppositions parties of DAP, PKR & PAS, Barisan is apparently quickly getting on the “blame wagon” – either that or they are actively trying to cause racial tension.

For my first example is this report on MCA’s Ong Ka Chuan’s statement in the article following article from The Star on the 11th of March.

DAP has duped voters, says Ka Chuan

IPOH: The DAP has revealed its “true face” to the people by cooperating with PAS to form the next state government, Perak MCA chief Datuk Ong Ka Chuan said.

“All this while, the DAP has been denying that it is working with PAS when they sought the support of the Chinese community in Perak during the campaigning period,” he said.

“After getting their votes, the DAP is doing otherwise,” he said yesterday when commenting on the new ruling coalition government of the DAP, PKR and PAS.

The DAP, he said, should apologise to the voters for having duped them about not working together with PAS when wooing them before the just-concluded polls.

Ong, who is also the MCA secretary-general, said the DAP might even go to the extent of allowing a PAS leader to be the new Mentri Besar.

“How are they going to explain to the Chinese community? The DAP had not been honest right from the start,” he asked.

The DAP should have told the community right from the beginning that they were cooperating with PAS so that the voters would be able to make a wise decision at the ballot box, he said.

“Now the DAP is doing otherwise. I feel sad that the situation has become like this,” he added.

“The people gave the DAP their trust and this is how the DAP is repaying them – by working with an Islamist party,” said the newly-elected Tanjong Malim MP.

Then there this article, again by The Star on the 12th of March, from BN’s former MB of Selangor Khir Toyo:

Barisan will act as a watchdog, says Khir

SHAH ALAM: The state Barisan Nasional will act as watchdog to ensure that the three parties forming the state government delivered on election promises as stipulated in their manifestoes, said former Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Mohamad Khir Toyo.

Breaking his silence for the first time since the recently concluded general election, Dr Khir said, “I hope the three parties (PKR, DAP and PAS) will take the best care possible of the people and this beautiful and good state, after receiving the mandate from the people.

“We will work together with the state government if the projects benefit the people and are carried out transparently.”

He was speaking at a press conference yesterday at the Selangor Umno building here.

Dr Khir, who left the building on Saturday without talking to the press after learning of Barisan’s defeat in the state, had cancelled several scheduled press conferences before last night.

He said Barisan would register all pre-schoolers, senior citizens, single mothers and students so that they could receive all the benefits such as free education, allowances and healthcare that were promised.

Asked about rumours that the state Barisan had tried to woo PAS assemblymen to gain a simple majority, Dr Khir said this was not true.

Commenting on claims that Barisan had tried to destroy documents kept at the state secretariat building, Dr Khir said these were just rumours and that he had always been transparent and all the papers were in order.

“We have nothing to hide,” he said.

And if anymore proof is needed to justify my point, there is this third example available from The Star (13th of March):

Ong: Perak voters cheated

KUALA LUMPUR: DAP has cheated its voters as a PAS state assemblyman will be sworn in as the Perak mentri besar today, Perak MCA chief Datuk Ong Ka Chuan said.

Ong, who is also the MCA secretary-general, said DAP should apologise to its voters, saying it was sad to hear that Perak PAS secretary Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin will be the mentri besar.

He said Mohammad’s appointment went against the wishes of voters, especially non-Muslims.

“Having a mentri besar from PAS creates fear among non-Muslims. This also creates political instability.”

Ong, who is also the newly-elected Tanjong Malim MP, said the Chinese in Perak voted for DAP to uphold justice and change for the better but the opposite seemed to have happened.

On Perak DAP chief Ngeh Koo Ham as the Deputy Mentri Besar (I), Ong said the Perak constitution states that the MB must be a Malay, though the Sultan has the discretion to waive this.

However, it did not state the existence of a deputy MB post, said Ong.

“There is no such post in the Perak constitution,” said Ong.

The Regent of Perak, Raja Dr Nazrin Shah, met the three nominated candidates for the mentri besar’s post at 5pm yesterday.

The candidates were Ngeh (Sitiawan), state PKR treasurer Jamaluddin Mohd Radzi (Behrang) and Mohammad (Pasir Panjang).

My Two Cent’s

Way to go Ka Chuan!

Play the racial card even more. Stoke the coals under the racial issue even more. Show the people of Perak and the rest of Malaysia what exactly is the narrow mentality of MCA and by extension BN. Your instigation and attempts to drive the wedge between the Chinese voters and the rest of the races are pathetic at best and down right kolot (backwards) in my opinion.

And shall we not forget the sore loser former MB Khir Toyo. He’s probably never heard of the concept of losing gracefully. That one is by no means a gentleman.

BN, BN, BN…. what has thou become! Disgraceful is your true nature once again revealed.

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