Menteri lebai cap ayam kot...

Ismail Sabri a victim of larger 

forces like last French monarch...

Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob is merely a victim of larger political and economic forces at play, just like the last monarch of France, Louis Napoleon Bonaparte, said Penang deputy chief minister II P Ramasamy. He said Bonaparte was able to last in the position for a while not because he was an able or clever leader, but because he sought to represent or gave the impression of representation to all segments of society.

“He was a hero to the peasants, the workers, the petty bourgeois, the landed class and the aristocrats. But in an actual sense, he became a victim or pawn of the growing capitalist class in France.

“Comparing Ismail Sabri to Bonaparte might not be fair given the vast gap in history. But the fact that Bonaparte sought to represent all sections of society bordered on naivety and foolishness,” Ramasamy said in a statement today.

Ismail Sabri (above) is a “man of all seasons” and has been said to have all the qualities to unite the different factions of Umno, as well as bring Pakatan Harapan into the fold through the memorandum of understanding (MOU), he said.

However, the Perai assemblyperson insists that Umno’s nomination of Ismail Sabri as their prime minister candidate for the next general election is merely a “game plan” to entice him to call for an early general election.

“What happens after the general election can be anybody’s guess,” he said.

‘Earning praise for doing the ordinary’

While he acknowledged that Ismail Sabri has not been controversial as the prime minister, he does not deserve much credit for keeping the country “just going for its sake”. 

Even the management of the Covid-19 pandemic should be credited to the availability of the vaccines rather than the prime minister, Ramasamy said.

Harapan’s MOU with Ismail Sabri’s government, he said, was to keep the corrupt Umno leaders from seizing power. “For just doing ordinary things, Ismail Sabri has earned praise.

“The fact that he lasted in the post until today speaks not about his uniting abilities but rather the deep and insurmountable divisions within and without,” Ramasamy said.

Umno has been very keen on calling for an early general election following their success in the last three state elections of Malacca, Sarawak and Johor.

Ismail Sabri previously said he would consider extending the MOU with Harapan, which includes a promise from the government not to dissolve Parliament until at least July 31, 2022.

However, he later signalled his willingness to dissolve Parliament during the Umno general assembly.

The Umno supreme council has also recently decided not to extend the MOU with Harapan, which is set to expire in July this year, though Harapan leaders have said this decision cannot be unilaterally made by Umno. - P.Ramasamy,mk

Not seeing the forest for the trees...

There are many important issues that are often overlooked, either deliberately, or for reasons of their own, quietly brushed aside. For instance, the story about single mother Loh Siew Hong shows how she lost track of her children’s whereabouts when she was hospitalised following an alleged attack by her abusive former husband.

During her treatment in hospital, her former husband converted their children, then left his twin daughters in a welfare home and enrolled his young son in a tahfiz boarding school.

Many Malaysians said Loh was a bad mother who abandoned her children. They overlooked the fact that she had been hospitalised with serious injuries, after her husband allegedly attacked her with a hammer. The wounds on her head needed multiple stitches. He was also said to have broken the bones in her hands. Many focused only on the unilateral conversion and not on the issue of domestic violence.

In the case of sales clerk Sam Ke Ting, many were shocked to learn that she had been sentenced to a jail term of six years and a RM6,000 fine for causing the death of eight teenagers on modified bicycles, or “basikal lajak”, despite the magistrates’ court finding her not guilty twice.

Her critics refused to accept that the police had investigated the case thoroughly, that she was not driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, was not half asleep at the wheel, or using her mobile phone while driving.

They refused to acknowledge that cyclists racing their modified bicycles on public roads in the middle of the night posed a danger to road users, and said that Sam should have avoided the teenagers.

But, have they experienced a situation where a group of cyclists suddenly comes hurtling down the road towards their car? Boys who ride these “basikal lajak” can reach dangerous speeds and if they hit a pothole, or get too close to another cyclist, risk falling onto the path of oncoming vehicles or mowed down by vehicles coming from behind.

Also, many have refused to apportion blame on the parents of the victims, or questioned why they had allowed the boys to be out on the streets at 3 in the morning.

When writer Uthaya Sankar SB wrote about polygamy and uploaded his post on his Facebook page, he was arrested and spent a night in a police cell because the authorities deemed he had insulted Prophet Muhammad. On his release, Uthaya said he had “learnt” his lesson and will never write about Islam again.

Criminalising freedom of speech will lead to a state where the rakyat will not be able to express an opinion that differs from that which is offered by the state.

In 2018, six firemen died in the line of duty when they drowned while trying to rescue a teenager who had got into difficulties in a disused mining pond. The firefighters had formed a human chain and were linked by a flimsy rope. When one fireman lost his footing, the whole group was swept away by strong undercurrents and subsequently drowned.

In the aftermath of the tragedy, the firemen were hailed as heroes. While we are saddened by their deaths, why was there no emphasis on the poor SOP and inadequate equipment for undertaking such rescues? The safety department of the fire and rescue service, or the head of the outfit, should have accepted responsibility for their failure to ensure the wellbeing of their men.

Finally, when graphic artist Fahmi Reza drew his latest picture and uploaded it on his Facebook page, he was arrested in record time. The drawing was that of an ape in headgear and yellow attire similar to that worn by royalty.

Why can’t Malaysians accept that people have their own views about satire? Moreover, Fahmi did not allude his latest painting to anyone in particular.

Such important issues should not be overlooked. Rejecting dissenting opinions cannot be a good thing for democracy. - Mariam Mokhtar

cheers.

RUU anti-lompat si katak lompat...

Untuk memastikan Najib dan Zahid tidak ke lokap...

UMNO had little choice but to name 

Ismail as PM candidate for GE15

The much-heralded debate between former premier Najib Abdul Razak and opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim has been set for May 12.

At a joint press conference today, PKR information chief Fahmi Fadzil and Najib’s representative Isham Jalil confirmed that the debate will take place at the Universiti Malaya's Dewan Tunku Chancellor at 9pm.

They announced that the debate would feature three main segments - a debate on the financially-troubled Sapura Energy Berhad, other current affairs involving Malaysia, and a question and answer session.

"In the second segment, we will let the two leaders air their views on other related matters, while in the third segment we can take questions, including from netizens online," Isham explained.

Each segment to run for 30mins

Each segment, which will be aired live across several platforms, is estimated to run for 30 minutes with an additional 30 minutes allocated as buffer time.

There will also be a live audience to be invited from among Anwar and Najib's supporters, as well as the ordinary public.

Isham also said all media outlets will be allowed to attend and cover the debate, while an announcement will be made soon on the official media partners.

Asked whether the debate is an indication of the two leaders' plans in facing the upcoming 15th general election, Isham said: "This is not a new alignment. Even for us to agree on the three debate segments, that itself can be another debate on its own.

"Our cooperation is only to organise this debate. Not a political cooperation."

At the same time, both Isham and Fahmi noted how the debate is a sign of political maturity that should be embraced by Malaysians.

"The debate should inspire confidence in Malaysians, that for us to live in harmony, sometimes we must set aside our differences.

"We can forgive but maybe not forget, and we must move forward. How? We must see who has the better idea, more rational, and better at presenting their visions," said Fahmi.

Najib had first challenged Anwar to a debate on Sapura Energy, in response to a similar challenge from PKR's Rafizi Ramli. The Pekan MP had offered to take on either both of them or with Rafizi acting as Anwar's adviser.

Anwar accepted the challenge, and the joint press conference today came after a series of back-and-forth jibes between the leaders and their teams. - Alyaa Alhadjri.mk

Here's the real reason why the High 

Court reversed the basikal lajak decision...

Unless you’ve been living under a tempurung, chances are you will have seen the uproar over the High Court’s reversal of the decision to release Sam Ke Ting from her charge of reckless driving resulting in the deaths of eight cyclists. They pronounced her guilty and sentenced her to 6 years in prison, as well as a RM6,000 fine.

Since then, both the media and the public have been in a frenzy, and tensions are high on all sides. Many members of the public have fiercely jumped to the defence of 27 year-old Sam, with an online petition to free her garnering over a million signatures.

It was clear from the start that the case was never really as clear cut as it seems. But how exactly did the esteemed High Court Judge YA Dato’ Abu Bakar bin Katar arrive at that decision? To find out, we managed to get hold of the brief grounds version of the High Court records on the decision, detailing exactly that.

To further shed some light on the situation, we reached out to practicing Criminal and Civil lawyer Edwin Tomas, who was gracious enough to lend us his time to help us understand the case better.

According to the brief grounds, there were actually two main reasons given by the High Court for the decision, with the first being:

Sam ‘surprised’ the court with new details that were not there before...

During her defense, Sam claimed that another vehicle had hit the kids earlier, and had sped off. Strangely, this point was never raised by Sam during the prosecution stage, and was hence seen as ‘adding a new/different detail that was not there before’, or as the court calls it, an afterthought defense.

What’s more is that this was done in an unsworn statement. You know the courtroom scenes in Hollywood movies where people swear on the Bible? That’s a sworn statement. So yeah, an unsworn statement is the same thing, but without the oath-taking. Hence, it carries less weight in the eyes of the court than a sworn statement, as it is not liable to be tested and interrogated in court (cross-examined).

According to Edwin, because this version of events was not revealed earlier, the statement may have hurt her credibility in the eyes of the judge, causing the judge to absolutely disregard her unsworn statement. Elaborating on this, he wondered why:

1. this alleged version was not brought out during the prosecution stage, and

2. why the lawyer didn’t cross-examine the prosecution witnesses who were at the scene of the accident to corroborate the story.

However, says Edwin, whether or not this is her fault is dependent on what her lawyer had advised her, and whether or not she had chosen to heed her lawyer’s advice. And although some netizens may be labeling her lawyer as incompetent, it has to be remembered that this same lawyer managed to get her acquitted twice, so hey, credit to him for that, at least.

The second reason given by the High Court is:

Sam’s defense failed to convince the High Court Judge that she was not driving dangerously

… and for this, the High Court claimed a few things:

1. Sam failed to convince the Judge of her awareness of the bumpy and bendy nature of the road

2. Sam’s ignorance of basikal lajak activities in the area should not have been accepted as an ‘excuse’ to drive dangerously

3. Sam should have driven more carefully and been more aware of the poor lighting conditions

4. Sam should have been aware of the risks of going above the speed limit of 50km/h

When we asked Edwin on whether or not this ruling was justified, he said that he would need to see the full grounds of judgment to be sure. But with that being said, says Edwin, the burden of proving a strong, initial (‘prima facie’/‘believable but subject to rebuttal’) case at the start of the trial lies on the prosecution. In other words, no initial prima facie case = nothing for the accused to defend against.

And this Edwin claims, is the element that was lacking, and also why he feels Sam’s defense should not have even been called in the first place:

“In my personal opinion, the prosecution has failed to prove that the Accused has driven recklessly. No concrete evidence that the Accused drove past the speed limit, or drove dangerously. Respectfully, I feel that the High Court Judge may have been too ready to accept the prosecution’s case, when all benefit of the doubt should be afforded to the accused as she is innocent until proven to be guilty.” – Edwin Tomas

The reason this case is so talked about, is because it could really have happened to anyone

Guilt and innocence aside, the fact remains that Sam Ke Ting was just a regular person and sales promoter up until the tragedy. And that’s exactly what it is: a tragedy. Because there are no winners here; parents lost their children, children lost their lives, and Sam lost her freedom.

And the public uproar here, unlike in most cases involving big-name politicians, appears to be more caused by empathy rather than disdain. The reason, perhaps, is best summed up by Edwin:

“She was unfortunately at the wrong place, at the wrong time. What happened to her, could have happened to the best of us. And that’s the scary part.”- Edwin Tomas

Our condolences lie with the parents whose children’s lives were lost, but whatever justice in this case may be, it is hoped that it will be served at the Court of Appeal, which will be the final stage of appeals for Sam. - cilisos.my

Racism in Sam Ke Ting’s conviction – Get ready for more racist policies and rulings from UMNO/BN...

Many years ago during Najib administration, I overheard an interesting story during my coffee break. A young Chinese couple was driving in Johor when their car was suddenly knocked from behind at a traffic light. As the culprit had refused to “settle”, the only option left was to make a police report – a standard operating procedure before an insurance claim can be made.

 

Here’s the best part – when they tried to make the police report, the first question asked by a police officer was whether the culprit is a Malay. Yes, the Johor policeman did not beat around the bush, but asked a direct question – “Is the driver a Malay?” When the Chinese couple said it was, to their shock, the police officer told them in the face that their accident report cannot be accepted.

 

The point is this – both corruption and racism are deeply entrenched in the country that it did not escape Johor, supposedly one of the most liberal states. Even Johor Sultan Ibrahim has to combat racism himself occasionally. But the Royal Malaysia Police isn’t the only institution plagued with racism. Another more critical institution infiltrated with racism is the Judicial system.

The stunning reversal of Sam Ke Ting’s acquittal by a High Court in Johor Baru on Wednesday (April 13) over a reckless driving charge has triggered a wave of disbelief and disgust. A petition in “Change.org” to free her has reached close to 900,000 signatures in just 4 days since it was launched. But the injustice is not the first, and will not be the last in the “Bolehland”.

Interestingly, in a 2019 judgement to acquit the 27-year-old clerk, a Magistrate Court in Johor Baru said Sam was not under the influence of alcohol, was not using her phone and has her seatbelt on while driving. What was beyond her control was that it was a dark, hilly and winding road where she would be overwhelmed by an incredible “bicycle gang” at three in the morning.

Sam crashed into the gang of teenagers riding “basikal lajak (modified bicycles)” at 3:20am in 2017, killing eight of them. Despite the fact that she was a responsible driver, as pointed out by the magistrate herself, the High Court reversed the earlier verdict and sent Sam to six years in jail and RM6,000 fine, including 3-year driving ban. The horror part – her bail rejected.

Exactly why the disgraced former prime minister Najib Razak can be bailed – repeatedly – during his lengthy 4-year corruption trial and even after having been convicted by both the High Court and the Court of Appeal for stealing billions of dollars in the infamous 1MDB scandal, but not Sam Ke Ting? That is the first question millions of Malaysians have been asking.

Sam Ke Ting - Basikal Lajak  Accident

Not only did the Magistrate Court acquit Sam in October 2019, the same court acquitted her again two years later (October 2021) as it found the prosecution had failed to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt. So, the second question is why Sam is suddenly being punished when no actions are taken against the irresponsible parents who allowed their children to roam in the street with modified bicycles?

The questions of why a victim who drove responsibly and had followed traffic laws has suddenly become a culprit and sentenced to jail, whereas the culprits who broke every single traffic law by riding illegally on modified bicycles at 3am have suddenly become victims are very simple – racism. Would the High Court make the same decision if it was a Malay driver who had killed eight Chinese teenage cyclists?

Suspiciously, the High Court’s verdict came at a time when the unelected Barisan Nasional government is preparing to call for a snap nationwide general election, most likely after the Hari Raya festival. Najib, comically, said it was wrong to view the case from a racial lens and has accused opposition Pakatan Harapan of politicising the tragedy and promote hateful politics.

Clearly, Najib tries to hide the double standard, where he is granted bail while Sam was denied. Actually, the uproar has nothing to do with the opposition. The ethnic Chinese can see how the unfair ruling is tainted with racism. Najib also lied that the court’s decision had nothing to do with the current government, which is being led by his own party, the United Malays National Organization (UMNO).

Has Najib forgotten about the death of firefighter Muhammad Adib Mohd Kassim? After UMNO-led Barisan Nasional coalition lost in the May 2018 General Election, Adib was being paraded by Najib and UMNO leaders as a Malay victim who suffered from critical injuries caused by ethnic Indian in pre-dawn riots at Seafield Seafield Sri Maha Mariamman Temple in Subang Jaya in November 2018.

In truth, the riots were started when more than 50 Malay gangsters, armed with axes and machetes, were paid to attack everyone in the temple. For obvious reason, UMNO and its partner – radical and extremist Islamist party PAS – refused to blame the Malay gangsters, let alone point fingers at the slow response of inefficient Subang Jaya police force.

 

The racist and extremist UMNO-PAS also refused to accept the findings that Adib had not been assaulted by Hindu protesters, but could be hit accidentally when an EMRS (Emergency Medical Rescue Services) van suddenly reversed. But after the return of UMNO as the government, all the hypocrites who had screamed for justice on behalf of Adib are as quiet as a church mouse.

 

Subang Jaya Sri Maha Marianmman Temple Riot 

Last month, the unelected government of Barisan Nasional finally admitted the family of firefighter Adib has been paid RM1.5 million ex-gratia compensation. Adib’s family no longer cried for justice. Likewise, all the Malay politicians are not as anxious in seeking justice for the Malay fireman. Will there be any compensation at all if the fireman was an Indian and it was a mosque that had been terrorized?

In the case of Adib, no one can be charged because the culprits who started the riots were Malays and the death was caused by a fellow Malay driver, who panicked and accidentally reversed the EMRS van. In the case of Sam, the irresponsible parents cannot be charged because they are Malays. However, the death can be easily blamed on Sam, despite her innocence because she is a Chinese.

It’s hilarious to say a High Court judge is always correct and wiser than a Magistrate, let alone to assume that a judge is never racist or corrupt. The country has a living proof that even a (former) Chief Justice can be racist to the core. Has Mr.Najib forgotten Abdul Hamid Mohamad, his hardcore supporter who had, two days before the 2018 election, condemned Mahathir for trying to topple Najib’s Malay government?

Abdul Hamid is the same former Chief Justice who infamously wrote his extremely racist and bias judgement in the Court of Appeal in 1996 in a case where a bank had sued two business partners – a Malay and an Indian – which saw him accepted a claim by the Malay defendant (but no the Indian) because Mr Abdul agreed that “a Malay Muslim would not tell lies“.

Conveniently, Najib has ordered his hotshot lawyer, Shafee Abdullah, to defend Sam free of charge after the case sparked anger among the Chinese community. Make no mistake. Shafee was despatched because Najib and UMNO fear the case could explode into a racial or religious issue at a critical time when the Chinese voters appear to be returning to Barisan Nasional.

More importantly, the High Court’s decision was so ridiculous and unfair that even some right-thinking Malays have expressed their displeasure over the court’s ruling. In his judgement, Abu Bakar Katar appeared to have ignored the fact that Sam’s car had turned turtle, which means she could have been killed because some stray kids thought it was cool to perform some daredevil stunts on the highway at 3am.

 

Generally, the Malays and the Chinese have a very different way of raising children. Majority of the Malay parents tend to leave their kids do whatever they like. They depend on the government to provide everything, from cradle to grave, including handouts and education. In the same breath, they also rely on the God to keep their kids safe. When things go south, it’s easier to say it’s God’s destiny.

Basikal Lajak - Illegal Riders On The Road

So, had High Court Judge Abu Bakar considered that it was the God’s decision that the eight Malay teenagers were killed, and was not Sam’s fault whatsoever? As a Muslim, does not Abu Bakar believe in Allah (God)? Or does he think the God’s destiny only kicks in when both the driver and the cyclists are Malays, otherwise it’s automatically the non-Muslims’ fault?

 

Here are the indisputable facts – Sam is the legitimate user of the highway, not the kids. Sam paid road tax and car insurance, the kids did not. The road was built for vehicles, certainly not for heavily modified bicycles that resemble missiles without a guidance system. The speed limit was designed for cars, bus and trucks, not for bicycles. Obviously, the teenagers were the intruders, not Sam.

If Sam lives in the U.S., she would have sued the parents of the eight teenagers, the road operator, the architect of the road, the electricity utility, the state government, the transport ministry and the federal government for endangering motorists. True, it was a tragedy or merely an accident – till the High Court focused on the deaths of eight Malay teenagers, rather than from the perspective of how the accident can be avoided in the first place.

If it was not Sam, it would have been other drivers who killed those teen daredevils. The government and the judges should be grateful that it was not an express bus or a 10-tonnes lorry that had travelled on that road during the incident. The casualties would have been more devastated. The court has to prove that other drivers can avoid ramming into the bicycle gang.

To blame Sam instead of the “junior Mat Rempit” or their parents is like blaming Malaysia Airlines MH17 for flying over conflict-hit Ukraine on July 17, 2014 and hit by Russian-made BUK missile. To blame Sam instead of the bicycle gang is like blaming a house owner for beating the crap out of a gang of strangers who had intruded into the home at 3am.

 

Coincidentally, but unsurprisingly, both Adib and Sam cases occurred at a time when UMNO was at a crossroad for power. In the Adib’s episode, UMNO had lost power and desperately needed to rally Malays for power. Sam’s episode, on the other hand, saw unelected UMNO returned to power through the backdoor, and desperately needed to rally Malays for power in the coming election.

The minorities Chinese and Indian can expect more similar racist incidents or policies if Barisan Nasional Malay-supremacy thugs win the next election. There were tonnes of past examples – the movement of “Red Shirt” supremacists, the body snatching, the unilateral conversion of kids to Muslim, the waving of “Keris (Malay dagger)”, the endless demand for stakes in Chinese companies and the list goes on. - FT

 

cheers.

Esok lusa Malaysia pulak...

Dia ni tak mau pulang langsung...

Police have summoned graphic artist and designer Fahmi Reza to give his statement today, in connection to his drawing of a chimpanzee cartoon character dressed akin to a Sultan...

Nurul Izzah: Harapan should 

prepare to lose two more GEs...

Permatang Pauh MP Nurul Izzah Anwar said Pakatan Harapan should expect to lose another two general elections before having a chance at winning.

In an interview with Sinar Harian, Nurul Izzah (above) said it would take time to craft a new "product" for the public, especially those who are unhappy with Harapan's short stint in Putrajaya.

"I believe it is not easy for Harapan to win the next election and we have to be prepared to lose two more rounds before we can see some positive impact and acceptance by the rakyat.

"I am very realistic because we need time to show the people we are a different product. (Voters), including myself, are still traumatised with the betrayal that ended Harapan's 22-month administration," she added.

Nurul Izzah said there were no shortcuts for Harapan and voters needed to be convinced of the coalition's ability to rule again.

She said 22 months was not enough for people to evaluate Harapan's performance while BN has six decades of history.

"Harapan has learned a lot from that experience. If we were to compare Harapan's failures in fulfilling its manifesto for 22 months with BN's six-decade rule, there are a lot of differences.

"If we were to evaluate BN's ability to fulfil their promises, they will likely get an 'F' grade.

"An example is the number of affordable houses for the B40. Now I'm waiting to see how they are going to implement the RM1,500 minimum wage because the exemptions for certain industries have yet to be determined, despite the enforcement date falling on May 1," she said.

Nurul Izzah, who has been politically active since she was a teenager, said she predicted Harapan to suffer losses during the next general election but so too will Umno.

The key to this was fence-sitters who she believed did not turn up to vote during the Malacca and Johor polls recently.

Umno and its BN coalition won both elections handsomely, albeit with less than 50 percent of the vote share.

"Perhaps Umno and BN feel confident but that is not guaranteed (for the next general election) as the fence-sitters have not turned up in force.

"During the Malacca and Johor elections, we had not entered the 'transition to endemic' phase yet.

"When all economic sectors are re-opened, surely the voters will turn up in droves. I'm sure all MPs will be afraid," she said.

Nurul Izzah will not be contesting during the upcoming PKR leadership polls and will instead focus on wooing fence-sitters. - mk

Who says Malays need protection?...

In an interview with a news portal, Bersatu Youth chief Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal,(above) who is also the deputy unity minister, claimed that the Malays needed protection.

Why did he have to insult the Malays and suggest that they are not able to stand up for themselves?

Didn’t the Malays rise up against colonialism and demand Merdeka, and didn’t they tell the British that they are able to rule their own nation as a democracy?

Why is Wan Fayhsal making out that the Malays are weak and insecure, that they are bereft of thought or action and must be told what to do?

Malays, like people of other races and religions, share the same aspirations. They want the same things as the other communities like a peaceful and stable nation, good communal relations, a good health service, effective public services, an efficient public transport system, care for the elderly, good schools and higher education to enable their children to learn and become good citizens, and a safe environment to live in, among other things.

So why, as a deputy in the unity ministry, is he promoting ill will, and projecting an image of Malays being threatened by others? The Malays are capable of excelling themselves. The thousands who left Malaysia have thrived in other countries where they do not have a Malay “protector”.

The Malays have evolved too, alongside their non-Malay compatriots. Their pace of self development could be faster, if only Malay politicians like Wan Fayhsal would allow them the freedom to spread their wings and excel. Instead, people like him are trying to cage the Malay mind and psyche.

Perhaps, his recent outburst about Malays needing protection is because his party is increasingly being rejected by the Malays. When faced with such a troubling realisation, Bersatu then seeks to distract the negative image of the party by deflecting all attention to Pakatan Harapan, which he then accuses of being too liberal. In other words, Wan Fayhsal is attempting to make his party more relevant than PH.

Wan Fayhsal attempts to use race and religion to trap the Malays, but even the younger generation can see through him. The only protection that Malaysians, and especially the Malays, need is to be saved from politicians like him.

He is misinformed about, or does not know, the real Malay. Just like their non-Malay peers, many Malays work hard. Ask the fisherman or the farmer, the Felda settler, or the nurse in the rural clinic. Do not take these people for granted. Just like their urban cousins, both Malay and non-Malay, these people desire the same things – good governance and fairness.

Only the elite and well-connected Malays hold on to their positions of power to continue their dominance over other people. They refuse to let go.

The Malays do not desire or need protection, and isolation. All one has to do is to observe how we treat children. A child that is adequately nurtured will flourish, seek opportunities and is not afraid of overcoming any challenges. One that is over-protected lacks confidence, has low self-esteem and no self-respect.

Wan Fayhsal does not sound like he is a leader, nor does he sound like he has much faith in the Malays. He appears to lack self-esteem and self-respect. If anyone needs protection, it would be Wan Fayhsal – from himself and other politicians who think like him. - Mariam Mokhtar

cheers.

Din pun kaki lompat juga...

 

Mask ada cop sirim putus tali betoi2 memalukan...

Walaun2 PAS tak marahkah artis ni samakan 

Lebai Hadi dan rakan2nya monyet dan babun?...

Ismail Sabri’s Dubai debacle...

Ismail Sabri’s visit to the UAE (29-31 March) was, by all counts, a disastrous affair. No UAE official was on hand to greet him; he had to endure the hassle of clearing customs and immigration as a mere mortal, was not provided security or given outriders. It was certainly not what he was expecting.

In the aftermath of the fiasco, Wisma Putra pinned the blame on our ambassador to the UAE and our consul-general in Dubai, both relatively senior officers. They were recalled in disgrace and sent to the pool – a euphemism for the outhouse reserved for errant civil servants.

Wisma Putra also took the unprecedented step of putting out a long statement (apparently on the instructions of the foreign minister) accusing the two officers of dereliction of duty. The ministry said that they had failed to forward an official invitation from the UAE government to the prime minister to attend the World Government Summit held in conjunction with the closing of Expo Dubai. As well, they had failed to inform the UAE government of the prime minister’s arrival and neglected to ensure that proper protocol and security arrangements were made.

A junior member of the UAE embassy in Kuala Lumpur also let it be known that it was all the fault of the Malaysian embassy in the Emirates. “Due to the absence of any information given to our side, there was no official welcome or police outriders. It was a huge embarrassment, more so for the host country than the visitors,” he was quoted as saying. But all these statements leave many questions unanswered.

In the first place, it is highly implausible that an experienced and well-regarded diplomat like Ambassador Tarid Sufian would be negligent in forwarding an official invitation from the UAE government. Besides, had an invitation been issued, wouldn’t the UAE government make further enquiries through its mission in Kuala Lumpur when it did not receive a response?

Then there’s the other equally implausible claim that the UAE authorities were unaware of Ismail Sabri’s travel plans. To travel on a private jet these days requires overflight and security clearance, landing permits, etc. from the government concerned. It is impossible, therefore, for the UAE authorities not to have known about the prime minister’s arrival. Whether the visit was official or otherwise, diplomatic courtesies were due the prime minister. Why was it withheld? Did it have anything to do with UAE’s unhappiness over 1MDB-related issues?

From what can be ascertained, there was, in fact, no formal invitation to Ismail Sabri to attend the Summit. Indeed, according to reliable sources, the UAE government had informed the Malaysian embassy that due to the summit and the Expo Dubai closing ceremony, they were not in a position to welcome a visit by Ismail Sabri. Nevertheless, somebody in the Prime Minister’s office (PMO) took the decision to proceed with the visit with predictable consequences.

The prime minister’s programme in Dubai too appeared to have been hastily patched together. According to the foreign ministry statement, his agenda included a visit to Expo Dubai (as it was about to close), a meeting with the staff of the Malaysia Pavilion to express appreciation (unheard of), witness the signing of several MoUs (no details) and attend the closing of the World Government Summit (to which he was not invited to speak). It looked more like a junket than a substantive bilateral visit.

At the last minute, as a face-saving gesture, a brief meeting was arranged with Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the prime minister and vice-president of the UAE and the ruler of Dubai, on the sidelines of the summit.

It is also quite incredible that neither the foreign minister nor senior officials in the PMO had bothered to check on the programme for the visit and seek to ascertain basic information about the agenda – all routine stuff when the prime minister travels abroad. Indeed, such a disaster could not have happened unless there was a system-wide failure at every level. Typically, the two diplomatic officers ended up as sacrificial lambs.

Whichever way you look at it, the debacle reflects poorly on Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah. It is no secret that problems at the ministry have been piling up since he took over (for the second time).  His leadership has been non-existent, his grasp of issues poor. His tenure at the ministry can best be described as the triumph of form over substance. Instead of engaging in the serious business of foreign policy and diplomacy, instead of inspiring his officers, he has been content with cheap publicity stunts (like his Bahasa Malaysia letter to the US Secretary of State). As with quite a few others in Ismail Sabri’s cabinet, the man is quite literally clueless. Ismail Sabri should have fired him instead of penalizing the ambassador and his colleague.

Whatever it is, the mood of anger and despair in the foreign ministry is now palpable. The leaked audio recording (since gone viral) by a disgruntled officer says it all: “We are living through the worst days in the history of Wisma Putra”. What a sad commentary about a once-proud and much-admired foreign service; what a telling indictment of the steady decline of a nation once on the cusp of greatness. – Dennis Ignatius

Not all seems well at Foreign Ministry 

over vacancies, says ex-ambassador...

Vacancies left unfilled for top positions in Malaysian missions abroad have raised questions over domestic happenings in the Foreign Ministry, according to a former diplomat. When contacted, former ambassador Dennis Ignatius (below) said there is an established process when it comes time to fill a vacant ambassador or high commissioner’s position.

“The question of vacancies is actually a very routine thing. They are brought home, sent somewhere else, it’s standard practice,” he said. “It’s not rocket science to fill a vacancy.

“The way the system works is the minister will propose to the prime minister a list of ambassadorial appointments for approval. Most of the time it's routine unless the minister or PM has another candidate in mind,” Ignatius told Malaysiakini.

He said this when asked for comments on the contents of an audio clip that has gone viral on social media since yesterday, purported to be a conversation between an unidentified male Foreign Ministry officer and a “Datin” familiar with ministry matters.

Among others, the male voice lamented that Foreign Ministry staff are facing many problems under Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah, including having to fill a “minimum 33 vacancies” due to deaths, retirement or other reasons in Malaysia’s missions abroad.

“The fact that so many positions are left vacant makes you wonder what is going on.  “I know for a fact that the ministry is anxious to fill these posts, there are also many officers anxious for their promotions and to move on (to another country),” said Ignatius.

Dennis Ignatius,former Ambassador

‘Morale has never been lower’

Further, Ignatius said the leaked audio appeared to suggest mounting anger within the Foreign Ministry towards Saifuddin, where in the past such matters would not have been openly discussed. “From my understanding, morale in the ministry has never been lower,” he added. 

The male voice in the audio also made references to orders issued for the return of Malaysia’s two senior diplomats from the United Arab Emirates, confirming a Free Malaysia Today report quoting sources who said the duo will be placed in “cold storage”.

“We were surprised. It would be fine if they were just recalled, but to be ‘sacked’ and sent into the JPA (Public Service Department) pool [...],” he said, adding that the Foreign Ministry secretary-general had called for a meeting of all division secretaries to discuss the matter.

Free Malaysia Today yesterday quoted sources who said the duo - Malaysia’s ambassador Tarid Sufian and Malaysia’s consul-general in Dubai, Hasril Abdul Hamid - were recalled over the lack of “official guest status” for Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob during his visit to the Emirates last month.

The report said Tarid and Hasril were the only senior officers present at the airport to receive Ismail Sabri when he landed in Dubai. There were also reportedly no senior government officials from the UAE present to receive the delegation that also included Saifuddin.

Multiple lapses

The ministry in a statement described Free Malaysia Today’s report as “containing inaccurate information, speculations and baseless allegations”.

However, it went on to confirm orders issued for the return of the two diplomats over failure to coordinate administrative and logistical affairs related to Ismail Sabri’s visit, particularly during his arrival on March 29.

“These failures include the prime minister’s lengthy wait at the normal arrival hall for passport clearance. “Aside from that, (media) coverage and security details, as well as motorcades usually prepared for the prime minister as per standard procedure were also not provided,” said the Foreign Ministry, adding that the facilities come even without a formal guest status.

Further, the two officers were blamed for allegedly failing to inform the ministry of the World Government Summit (WGS) held within the Dubai Expo 2020 area, as such there were no preparations made for Ismail Sabri to deliver a speech.

The Foreign Ministry said UAE's Minister of State for International Cooperation Reem Ebrahim Al-Hashimi, during a meeting with Saifuddin, had extended an invitation for Ismail Sabri to attend WGS' closing ceremony.

It added that the UAE government had also provided Ismail Sabri with facilities including static guards of honour at the airport prior to his departure, on top of issuing a formal invitation to deliver a keynote address at WGS 2023.

“The move to recall the two officers is not out of the ordinary and done through discussions with relevant parties including the Public Service Department. “It was done to protect Malaysia’s bilateral interests with the countries involved, aside from ensuring the competence of the public sector,” the ministry said.

Commenting on the reported orders, Hulu Langat MP Hasanuddin Yunus said Saifuddin should have advised Ismail Sabri to postpone his trip.

“This is a major weakness as it involves the country’s dignity and reputation,” Hasanuddin said in a statement. “A civil servant will not reach the highest position like an ambassador with no academic background and years of experience.

“Do not so easily lay the blame on civil servants who have done their level best. Political decisions are what has failed in our diplomatic affairs,” he said. - Alyaa Alhadjri.mk

cheers.