Kacang is Nuts!

For a long time, the mainstream media (MSM) organizations in Malaysia have been actively partaking in biased reporting, truth censorship and fear mongering on behalf of Barisan Nasional. Certain very well established English dailies helped Barisan Nasional paint the finishing brush strokes of racial, political and instability fear against the canvas of the recent elections. Many of them demonized the opposition politicians, while making the BN politicians sound like angels. Basically, the message by the MSM to Malaysians was “Vote for us, or else”. Well folks, I think we’re all still waiting for the “or else”. Anyone see any sign of it yet?

Anyway, I sure hope the March ‘08 elections woke up every last one of those folks who think that controlling the media is going to help them politically. It is the era of the Internet now, and if the MSM cannot report truthfully and fairly, then we shall vote with our feet. No more media lies. The truth is out there on the Net these days, and nobody can deny it to us Malaysians. Where? Think Malaysiakini and Malaysia Today. Think the many multitudes of Malaysian blogs and independent observers. Our eyes and ears are everywhere.

That’s probably the reason for today’s call by The Star for freedom of press. It has taken some time for the fact to sink in, but it appears that at least some of the MSM people are sitting up and taking notice. I quote,

The emergence of these channels of alternative media has effectively neutered the powers of governments to censor or limit information or freedom of expression.

While the writer still sounded a little reluctant to admit all of MSM’s faults (”maligned” meaning they were accused untruthfully),

In the past, the mainstream media, The Star included, was maligned for its scope of coverage.

he/she nevertheless understands the final outcome of its complacency.

With the intensifying competition, readers and viewers, who are armed with information as the true source of power, will determine the survival of any media. The simple message is this: Publish correctly or be damned.

Well, it’s about time. But it remains to be seen if The Star [or any other "news" organizations, for that matter] will grow some balls soon, or is it just doing another of Dollah’s “talk the the talk, pretend to walk.” The MSM need to understand that their getting our hard earned money is not a right, but just a simple business transaction. Supply and demand. The demand is not for bullshit, but for truth and quality reporting. And when the demand is not met, well, they can keep their supply of bullshit for themselves and wallow in it.

Update 1851hrs: Just caught my attention that in The Star’s news article on Raja Petra’s arrest, Pete himself from Malaysia Today has been ‘upgraded’ from just a blogger and is now recognized as “editor of news portal Malaysia Today”. Changes starting already?

Kacang Malaysia, Thoughts, politics elections, freedom of press, Malaysia, media

Here are some of the election events which really caught my attention. Some of them are good, some of them are bad, and some… Well, you decide.

Let’s start with the good:

• First time candidates and bloggers Jeff Ooi, Elizabeth Wong, Tony Pua won their seats. Bloggers ARE relevant, no matter what some losers say.
• Zainuddin bin Maidin knocked out as Information Minister. He was known for:
  • Criticizing Malaysian bloggers for allegedly spewing lies (which were really truths).
  • Oppressing freedom of speech by disallowing any semblance of fair reporting of news by the media.
  • Making a fool of himself and Malaysia with his incomprehensible commenting on the BERSIH rally on Al-Jazeera.
• Khir Toyo knocked out as Selangor Menteri Besar (Chief Minister). He was known for:
  • Falsely claiming that the state of Selangor had achieved developed status, ignoring all internationally accepted standards.
  • Awarding brooms to under-performing civil service departments.
  • Defending Zakaria Mat Deros and his palatial mansion.
  • Daring to recommend controversial election candidates no matter their flaws, as long as he thought they could win for BN.
  • Personally insulting straight-shooting journalists Citizen Nades and Terence Fernandez for reporting negatively on his state government, and warning them against such further (truthful) reporting.
• Badruddin bin Amiruldin defeated. He was known for the following:
  • “Malaysia ini negara Islam. You tak suka, you keluar dari Malaysia!” (Malaysia is a Islamic country. If you don’t like it, get out of Malaysia!)
  • “Keling!” (derogatory name for Malaysia’s minority Indians)
  • Threatened a repeat of the May 13th racial riots for those who questioned Malaysia’s Malay rights.
• Samy Vellu defeated. He was known for:
  • Collaborating with the National Front in implicitly sidelining the rights of the minority Indians.
  • Being highly corrupt, selling out the country to highway consortiums, resulting in increasingly ridiculous highway tolls.
• Mohd Said Yusof not even fielded as candidate. He was known for:
  • Abusing his power to ask customs officials to “close one eye” so that his consignment of illegal logs could be cleared. He was subsequently NOT punished.
  • “Batu Gajah MP tiap-tiap bulan pun bocor” (The Batu Gajah MP also leaks every month) in reference to Fong Po Kuan’s menstruation. This was during a debate on a leaking parliament building roof.

The bad:

• Khairy Jamaluddin won against che’GuBard. He is known for:
  • Being the not so secret power behind Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s throne.
  • Referring to bloggers as monkeys, and hypocritically following suit with his own blog days before the elections.
  • Trying to integrate Mat Rempit (motorcyle gangs and hooligans, basically criminals) with the police, to be their “eyes and ears”.
  • Being the famous Son-in-Law of Abdullah Ahmad Badawi who rides roughshod over everyone not in agreement with him.
• Bung Mokhtar Radin won in Kinbatangan. He is known for:
  • Supporting Mohd Said Yusof’s sexist “Batu Gajah MP tiap-tiap bulan pun bocor”.

The plain ugly:

• Zakaria Mat Deros died after a heart attack. He is the former Port Klang Assembly man and former Klang Municipal council member best known for:
  • Abusing his power to build an illegal and palatial mansion without a construction permit.
  • Failing paying assessment on his property for 12 years.
  • Operating an illegal food stall on government reserve land.
  • Getting away with all the above with Khir Toyo’s help.

This page will likely be updated with more details this week as more post election tidbits are uncovered.

Kacang Malaysia, politics election events, elections, Malaysia

Alright, I’m a bit late getting on the bandwagon of posting about the election results, but here is my take. Malaysia is truly going through historic times. Now that the National Front has been denied the two thirds majority, we are in totally uncharted waters of our democracy. With Penang, Selangor, Perak, Kedah and Kelantan being held by the opposition, and the power to arbitrarily modify the constitution no longer belonging to Barisan Nasional, it will certainly be exciting to see how the next five years play out.

One thing’s for sure though. This election has been a resounding and well-deserved blow to Barisan Nasional. It has also proven that Malaysians are not as bigoted and as cowardly as UMNO thinks, that we are now wise enough to see that the system needs to be changed, and mature enough to choose change without being uncivilized about it. This truly shows that people have great power, while reminding current and future leaders of Malaysia that “People shouldn’t be afraid of their government, governments should be afraid of their people.”

For now, the opposition rejoices, but they must too remember their promises to the people. Running a government (even at state level) is much harder than talking about how it should be run. Five years from now, if they mess up, the people will be as pissed as they are now with Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. And trust me, opposition or not, they too will be shown the door.

To end on a positive note however, as of these elections, Malaysia has passed the point of no return. In the future, the people will likely pick leaders for their merit and leadership, rather than being convinced by lies or out of fear of instability and violence. We as Malaysians, have truly grown up as a nation. What better present for Malaysia, just past her 50th year of existence?

Kacang Malaysia, Thoughts, politics democracy, elections, Malaysia, politics

A government should never have absolute power. Power, of course, corrupts. Absolute power, therefore, corrupts absolutely. In democratic countries, methods of checks and balances are required to ensure that the government of the day does not overstep its boundaries. These include the media (newspapers, TV, radio, etc.), the judiciary, and last but not least, the opposition political parties. However, most of these check and balance mechanisms in Malaysia have been corrupted by the ruling Barisan Nasional.

The people rely on the media to give an accurate picture of what is going on in the government. However, this is obviously not happening. The media has become Barisan Nasional’s mouthpiece. What we get from the media these days is unmitigated groveling and sycophancy of unholy proportions. Every other report expounds the virtue of BN, what great achievements they have made, what dreams they have for the future, and what the people will gain by voting for them. Contrarian views are twisted to sound extremist or blacked out completely. At the same time, the media has been publishing advertisements subliminally threatening those who would dare vote against BN with violence, 1969 style. Media credibility? Sorry mate, these days a Disneyland fantasy has more credibility than that.

The judiciary also has a role to play. An independent judiciary is also necessary to ensure that the government does not break or misinterpret laws. It is the final place for citizens to seek redress if the government has wronged them. However, after Mahathir broke the judiciary in 1989, what have are now more rightfully called BN lapdogs rather than judges. These days, the judiciary we know has more to do with corrupted promotions, controversial decisions which trample on basic human rights and cartoon characters making fools of themselves and everybody else at the so-called Royal Commission hearing to determine the authenticity of the judicial position fixing video. Correct? Correct, correct, correct!

This leaves the opposition. The final check and balance of a democratic country. I mentioned earlier that the opposition were basically making fools of themselves this elections. Well, they do seem to have bucked up in the last week or so. Like them or not though, they are an important check and balance measure for a Barisan Nasional government. While the current opposition are unlikely to do well in running a country, they will play an important role in curbing the excesses of the rulling coalition. Wasteful projects and ludicrous attempts to keep on controversial figures in the system can at least be countered. The opposition may not do well as country leaders. But in combating the corruption and impunity with which BN runs this country, let us remember that the saying that “The enemy of my enemy is my friend”.

I hope that Barisan Nasional does not win the majority this time. This will allow the people to be properly represented, and opposing views given voice to in parliament. It will ensure that all future government undertakings be approved based on merit and not the wishes of a few puppet masters. Only then can we hope for the real progress for Malaysia.

It is now voting day folks. Let’s make every vote count. Good hunting!

Kacang Malaysia, Thoughts, politics elections, Malaysia, politics

The title sounds like a pretty familiar tag line, doesn’t it? It originates from the Aliens versus Predator movie (OK OK, I’m a movie buff). But just think. It actually describes Malaysia’s current political scene quite accurately.

On one hand, we have the incumbent political alliance. One party here is famous for its corruption, abuse of power, cronyism, nepotism, and bungling up of anything and everything possible. An Iranian friend once commented that they’ve turned Malaysia into the second Apartheid (Someone from Bush’s so-called terrorist state thinks we have an Apartheid. How much worse can things get?). The other member parties, well… The apples they sell on behalf of the main player are sure polished so shiny you can see your face in it like a mirror. Ah well, but this is all old story. Not unimportant, but it’s not as if anyone doesn’t know about it.

Strangely enough however, the opposition isn’t exactly doing any better either. There isn’t a united opposition front per se; more like a rag-tag, mish-mash collection of parties whose only common goal is to unseat the incumbents. All of them have very different primary objectives. One party wants to create an Islamic state; another, a dynastic Malaysian Malaysia (sorta like a certain small island down south); the third is obsessed with personal vengeance against a system which wronged it’s leader. All are goals which are virtually incompatible with another. And the splits are already showing with the protracted “negotiations” over who should contest at which constituencies. Hell, if this is how they try to win the elections, imagine how they’d try to run the country.

For the opposition, winning against a dug in opponent such as the incumbent requires superb strategy and coordination. There is no way to win by sheer strength, only by sheer skill. Had David walked up to Goliath with only a stick in hand, David would have had his head bashed in soundly and deservedly. Unfortunately, there is a decided lack of any such finesse and skill among the opposition. After the BERSIH and HINDRAF rallies, they thought they “smelled blood”, and are circling the “wounded” incumbent in the hopes of delivering the killing blow. Instead of coordinating on actually doing the killing though, they’re squabbling on who should deliver the blows. All of them want to get to be the hero. This is apparently going on even intra-party (Think DAP). Politics to get rid of Fong Po Kuang? Old foggies complaining that too many new and young faces have been brought to Penang? The incumbent, of course, is sneaking away and laughing at such sheer foolishness. And they’ll probably win the elections. Again.

What a country we live in. We have idiots and nincompoops running the country. And the alternatives are the fools and donkeys trying to take over from the idiots and nincompoops. The poor folks who suffer for all this? Everyone else, of course.

Kacang Malaysia, politics elections, Malaysia, politics

It’s official folks! Malaysia’s Parliament has been dissolved today, and we can expect the elections to be held in less than 60 days. Most predictions put it closer, saying it will likely be held within 30 days.

This announcement comes from Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who only yesterday denied that Parliament would be dissolved today. The reason for the flip-flop is probably some strategy to confuse opponents, but it just comes across like some petty, girlish, little kid act. At any rate, it probably confused as many allies as enemies in this case.

No surprise here though, that the PM’s final act before dissolving the government is to prove once again, that he is a liar.

Kacang Malaysia, politics Abdullah Badawi, elections, Malaysia, politics

KacangIsNuts: Hello Kak, boleh tolong check kejap… Dulu saya tulis surat mintak extension dah lulus ke tak?

Clerk: Kejap, saya check…

*Clerk walks of and shuffles through several files, then disappears into somebody’s office to shuffle through more files, and returns.*

Clerk: Belum lagi la… Masih kat inbox lagi…

KacangIsNuts: *WTF look* Inbox??? Dah hantar satu bulan! Apasal kat inbox lagi???

Clerk: Person in charge belum check.

KacangIsNuts: *Super WTF look* Tapi dah satu bulan??

Clerk: Dia tak nak check, saya pun tak boleh nak buat ape la…

KacangIsNuts: *Super Ultra WTF look* So biler akan approve ni?

Clerk: Tak tau…

KacangIsNuts: *Faints*

Government agencies: Any slower and they’d be going in reverse…

Kacang Experiences, Rants government agencies, Malaysia

V for Vendetta is a fictional story of a mysterious hero with superhuman strength and reflexes. This hero, V, is an anarchist, fighting against an oppressive and corrupt UK government whose leaders have perpetrated systematic fraud and committed human rights atrocities on a massive scale in order to usurp and secure complete power over the country.

While the original motion picture was based upon a comic book series of the same name, in reality, the sinister backdrop of V for Vendetta doesn’t seem too far fetched in our current period of national and global turmoil. In the story, it is during an atmosphere of fear and hopelessness that V delivers a most eloquent and stirring speech to his fellow countrymen. This speech was so utterly thought-provoking that I have taken the liberty of posting a video clip of it together with a transcript on this blog for anyone who may come by to peruse and digest. I recommend watching the entire show, as it is really pretty good IMHO, but here’s a clip of the speech I was talking about:

Good evening, London.

Allow me first to apologize, for this interruption. I do, like many of you, appreciate the comforts of everyday routine, the security, the familiar, the tranquility, repetition… I enjoy them as much as any bloke. But in the spirit of commemoration, whereby those important events of the past, usually associated with someone’s death or the end of some awful, bloody struggle, are celebrated with a nice holiday, I thought we could mark this November the 5th, a day that is certainly no longer remembered, by taking some time out of our daily lives to sit down and have a little chat.

There are, of course, those who do not want us to speak. I think that even now orders are been shouted into telephones and men with guns will soon be on their way. Why? Because when the truncheon maybe used in lieu of conversation, words will always retain their power. Words offer the means to meaning, and for those who would listen, the enunciation of the truth. And the truth is, there is something terribly wrong with this country, isn’t there?

Cruelty and injustice, intolerence and oppression, and where once you had the freedom to object, to think and speak as you saw fit, you now have censors and systems of surveillence coercing your conformity and soliciting your submission? How did this happen? Who’s to blame? Well certainly there are those who are more responsible than others, and they will be held accountable, but again, truth be told, if you’re looking for the guilty, you need only look into a mirror.

I know why you did it. I know you were afraid! Who wouldn’t be? War, terror, disease… There were a myriad problems that conspired to corrupt your reason and rob you of your common sense. Fear got the best of you, and in your panic, you turned to the now High Chancellor, Adam Suttler. He promised you order, he promised you peace, and all he demanded in return was your silent, obedient, consent.

Last night, I sought to end that silence. Last night, I destroyed the Old Bailey to remind this country of what it has forgotten. More than 400 years ago, a great citizen wished to embed the 5th of November forever in our memory. His hope was to remind the world that fairness, justice and freedom are more than words, they are prespectives. So if you’ve seen nothing, if the crimes of this government remain unknown to you, then, I would suggest you allow the 5th of November to pass unmarked. But if you see what I see, if you feel as I feel, and if you would seek as I seek, then I ask you to stand beside me, one year from tonight, outside the gates of Parliment, and together we shall give them a 5th of November that shall never, ever, be forgot.

Kacang Malaysia, Thoughts Malaysia, movies, politics