Live Update: 23 Jan ’12, 12.11pm PKT | From: iPhone 4 via Maxis MY & Mobilink PK | Author: KNizam

HCNY from islamabad pakistan. heard few fireworks last nite
yes, real fireworks. not the other fireworks. u know la kan
these are kinnow oranges. left from khanpur, other sargodha
both are delicious. bloody oranges? guess which is which.

The Malaysian Insider

Prime Minister Najib Razak seems to have made a U-turn in his position on the much lauded acquittal of Anwar Ibrahim from the sodomy charge.

When the totally unexpected acquittal was stunningly announced on January 9, Najib together with senior Umno leaders were quick to bask in the compliments that poured in from around the world for finally having done justice to Anwar despite the preceding perverted process that was seen as plain political persecution.

Najib, in particular, seemed proud of this High Court verdict, citing it as proof of the transformation that he had brought to the country. In an interview published by the influential Wall Street Journal on January 13, he told interviewer James Hookway that this verdict “underscores the depth of the reform process”. Najib said he was serious about the political reforms — to the extent of risking his chance of winning in the election.

Najib also expressed relief that the Anwar issue was finally over, and that the nation could henceforth tackle more serious issues such as the economy. He said:

“What is important now is that we move forward”.

There is no mistaking from this conversation that the prime minister was seizing this much approved ending to the trial as a positive development that would propel his reform agenda. In fact, he even told Hookway that through these changes he hoped to open up a new chapter with the US as “a partner in promoting democratic politics and free trade across Asia and the Islamic Middle East.”

U-TURN HAS DAMAGED NAJIB

With these words still ringing in the ears, it therefore came as a shock that the Attorney-General filed a notice of appeal against the Anwar acquittal on January 20. Even more shocking was Najib’s complete dissociation with this appeal the next day. The New Straits Times quoted him as saying that the appeal was something strictly between the complainant and the Attorney-General, and has nothing to do with his government and Barisan Nasional (BN).

Extending this Najib rationale, it must follow that High Court judge Mohamad Zabidin Mohd Diah’s decision to acquit and discharge Anwar should have even less to do with him, BN and the government. Then on what basis was Najib claiming that judge Zabidin’s decision was proof of the extensive political reforms that he claimed he had carried out for the country?

Isn’t it obvious that when Najib claimed the verdict as proof of his reforms, he was in fact telling the world that a) he had undue control over the investigative and judicial process, b) he realised it was wrong for exerting such control for illegitimate political purposes, and c) he had agreed to cease such interference as a step towards restoration of democracy and rule of law?

In fact the whole world knew as much that it was political persecution right from the very beginning of Anwar’s ordeal 3½ years ago, when he was savagely arrested and subsequently charged without an iota of evidence, save the complainant’s obviously dishonest claim. Otherwise, why should the whole world be shocked by the verdict?

If the police had been fair and prosecutor and judge had conducted themselves above board, shouldn’t the world have expected rather than shocked by the verdict?

It is high time that Najib and his colleagues moved out from their self-induced delusion that the people do not know. It is for their own good that do not misjudge the extent of the people’s awareness of the truth in this Internet age of instant information.

If there is any message that we can read from this latest move to appeal against Anwar’s acquittal, it is that this appeal is proving for the umpteenth time that Najib’s words are not to be trusted; and it also shows up once again that his so-called political reform is more an illusion than reality.

A-G FISHING IN MUDDY WATER

Now, let us turn to the Attorney-General who seems to me to be trying to fish in muddy water in submitting the notice of appeal. Let me explain.

On the day that the A-G’s Chambers submitted the notice of appeal on January 20, national news agency Bernama released a bulletin at 1936hrs, quoting an unnamed official in the A-G’s Chambers as saying that “the trial judge was required under the Courts of Judicature Act 1964 to provide a written judgment to enable either the prosecution or the defence to file the notice of appeal within 14 days”. Bernama then quoted the unnamed official:

“After perusing the written judgment, they will decide whether to file the petition of the appeal.”

However, two hours later, another Bernama news bulletin released at 2151hrs reported the A-G’s Chambers making a different statement. Bernama stated:

“The Attorney-General’s Chambers said today that the decision to file an appeal against the High Court’s decision to acquit and discharge opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim was based on evidence and the law.

“It said that in making any decision, the department acts solely on the evidence and in accordance with the law, not influenced by any emotion or parties.”

Bernama further quoted the A-G’s Chambers’ statement as saying:

“The decision to file this notice of appeal will enable this department to obtain the full written judgment of the learned judge and the record of the proceedings from the High Court; and accordingly will be able to appreciate the grounds considered by the learned judge in arriving at that decision.”

It is obvious that the A-G’s Chambers realised the mistake in the first statement for having only mentioned its decision to appeal as being dependent on the content of the written judgment, without the ritualistic recital of “fact and law” as its basis. The second statement was to make up for these deficits.

Even with this supplementary statement to add “fact and law” as its rationale for appealing, the A-G’s Chambers continued to emphasise that what motivated the filing of notice was to avail itself of the chance to peruse the written judgment.

There is the unmistakable impression that the A-G would await the written judgment before making the final decision to appeal.

That begs the question: shouldn’t the A-G’s Chambers have a stand of its own, being the party which initiated the charge and laboriously built up the prosecution case? It should be more knowledgeable than anybody else on the strength and weaknesses of its evidence, and there is no reason why it cannot decide whether the verdict is fair or unfair without the full written judgment, unless of course it is waiting for an opportunity to pounce on any possible technical flaw in the written judgment.

PROSECUTION CASE TERMINALLY FLAWED

The judge has made it clear that he was discharging Anwar because there was evidence of tampering in the only corroborating evidence of the trial — the DNA.

And he was fully justified to make that remark, as it was scientifically impossible for any sperm to have survived more than 100 hours for DNA identification under tropical room temperature as in the Anwar case, as rightly pointed out by the Australian DNA expert Dr Brian McDonald.

Does the A-G agree or disagree with this view?

If he answers in the negative, can he name one authority that would support his opinion?

If he answers in the positive, can he tell us why he is appealing?

And what “fact and law” he was talking about when the DNA evidence had already been exposed as fake?

Is it not obvious that by filing the notice of appeal, the A-G was in fact reserving his right to appeal in the hope that he might later find some technical loophole in the written judgment to knock out the verdict, hence the repeated emphasis on these documents as essential for its decision-making?

Does such unprincipled conduct that disregards justice befit the chief legal adviser to the King and the Cabinet, sworn to uphold the Constitution? Or is such conduct more reflecting that of someone who is faithfully continuing the undertaking to eliminate the chief rival of his political master?

The answer is self-evident from the earlier proceedings and now from the latest move to appeal against the acquittal.

TRAGEDY FOR UMNO

It is indeed a tragedy for Najib and Umno that just as Justice Zabidin’s judgment has opened up a small window of opportunity for Najib to make a baby step in his bumbling attempt to bring some reforms, that window is quickly shut with this opportunistic attempt to appeal.

Worse, it has now proven beyond reasonable doubt that Umno is beyond salvation.

And that is fatal for Umno, in the present ambience of people power sweeping away entrenched corrupt regimes — a tidal wave of change that has transformed the Middle East, swept across the region, and now already landed on Malaysian shores.

May this dragon year brings good luck to all! Heheheheh visit smashpOp.net daily yo!

PERTAMA saya mengucapkan Gong Xi Fa Chai kepada semua masyarakat Tionghua. Pengharapan besar Tahun Baru Lunar ini yang jatuh pada Isnin, 28 Safar 1433 bersamaan 23 Januari 2012 akan meneruskan keharmonian hidup untuk semua masyarakat di Kelantan.

Perayaan Tahun Baru Cina kali ini adalah satu perayaan penting bagi masyarakat Tionghua kerana mengikut giliran kalendar Cina tahun ini adalah tahun Naga Air. Justeru masyarakat Tionghua percaya tahun ini bakal membawa banyak kebaikan dan rezeki.

Apa pun Naga adalah suatu simbolik dalam kepercayaan masyarakat Tionghua, sementara Air adalah nikmat Allah SWT kepada semua makhluk. Maka bagi Negeri Kelantan, sudah terbukti masyarakatnya hidup dengan penuh keharmonian, sejahtera dan berkebajikan dinikmati  semua kaum. Ia ibarat air yang menjadi pendorong bagi masyarakat Tionghua untuk lebih maju menyumbang dalam apa jua bidang, terutama dalam sosioekonomi yang boleh memberi kebaikan untuk seluruh masyarakat Kelantan.

Demikian pula, simbolik hidangan jamuan raya ‘Yee Sang’ yang mempunyai nilai keagungan dan kehebatan institusi kekeluargaan, ia juga suatu simbolik dalam mengharmonikan persefahaman antara masyarakat selain Tionghua.

Semoga Allah SWT memberkati seluruh hidup masyarakat Kelantan yang telah terbukti sejarahnya begitu hormat-menghormati di antara satu sama lain. Ia sesuai dengan semangat kekeluargaan yang dipupuk sempena musim Tahun Baru Cina.

Oleh kerana itu, sukacita saya mengingati balik apa yang saya utuskan semasa sambutan Tahun Baru Cina sebelum ini (sempena tahun Arnab):

“Kita satu ummah yang bersama-sama memberi sumbangan ke arah lahirnya negara Malaysia yang lebih adil dan aman serta sejahtera berteraskan nilai agama.

Islam sebagai agama yang tidak mengamalkan diskriminasi kepada sesiapa sekalipun. Justeru Islam mendidik agar berlaku adil kepada semua bangsa.

Tidak ada kelebihan satu bangsa ke atas satu bangsa yang lain, melainkan dengan takwa kepada Allah.”

Harapan amatlah besar, agar masyarakat Tionghua di Malaysia dan di Kelantan terus memberi kerjasama terbaik kepada pihak Kerajaan Negeri untuk meneruskan program pembangunan masyarakat Kelantan ini dengan sebaik-baiknya.

Tuan Guru Dato’ Bentara Setia Haji Nik Abdul Aziz Bin Nik Mat,
Menteri Besar Kelantan/al-Mursyidul Am PAS
Kota Darulnaim, Kota Bharu.

The MMR would like to wish our readers a Happy and Prosperous Chinese New Year!

from the Malaysian Medical Resources

Gong Xi Fa Cai

Off to Melbourne for 4 days, so you're spared long winded attempts of synchronising musings with photos of the day. So you'll just be getting photos of the day instead. Maybe some wise-ass quips to go with it.

Hey I said you're spared long winded. I didn't say anything about short ones.

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Here are some more related posts for your reading pleasure:

• No related posts

Another 2-hour bus ride back to Narita Airport. It's actually snowing, au revoir for 18 days, Tokyo. twitter.com/greatswifty/st…

— Edmund Yeo (@greatswifty) January 19, 2012

@flipcritic I suffered through more than just a short stopover. flight changed from 1030 to 2200 because of some miscomm with travel agent

— Edmund Yeo (@greatswifty) January 20, 2012

@flipcritic miscomm when I queue for check in and realized that the flight was never booked and the printout I had was just a schedule

— Edmund Yeo (@greatswifty) January 20, 2012

---

Swifty, Writing - the constant misadventures in filmmaking (and life in general) of Edmund Yeo

Saya mengucapkan Xin Nian Kuaile dan Gong Xi Fa Cai kepada semua kaum cina di Malaysia. Adalah diharapkan sambutan Tahun Baru Cina tahun ini lebih meriah dengan sambutan bersama rakyat Malaysia keseluruhannya.

Tahun ini merupakan tahun Naga. Ianya melambangkan, antaranya Keadilan, Keberanian dan Berhikmah buat masyarakat Cina. Oleh kerana itu sempena sambutan tahun baru, yang selalu dianggap sebagai satu titik permulaan serta memperkukuh azam, saya berharap kita bersama beriltizam membentuk Malaysia sebagai sebuah negara berbilang kaum yang adil dan saksama.

Perpaduan perlu dijalin demi kemaslahatan negara. Kita berhasrat Malaysia yang dicintai ini senantiasa makmur, bebas dari rasuah dan rakyatnya hidup dalam kerukunan serta harmoni.

ANWAR IBRAHIM

The Malaysian Insider
Oleh Shannon Teoh

Pendedahan-pendedahan skandal kewangan yang melibatkan pemimpin tertinggi Umno kebelakangan ini menyaksikan naungan politik BN menjadi fokus pada tahun yang dijangka akan diadakan pilihan raya umum, demikian menurut pemerhati politik.

Sementara tuduhan terhadap penyalahgunaan dana RM250 juta Pusat Fidlot Nasional-yang dijalankan oleh keluarga Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil telah mendominasi tajuk utama sejak November, dan skandal-skandal lain dikaitkan dengan menteri Barisan Nasional (BN) turut menjadi perhatian umum.

Pemerhati politik memberitahu The Malaysian Insider bahawa terdapatnya hubungan antara politik dan perniagaan yang berkembang dengan penelitian masyarakat bahawa “skandal ini akan berkekalan.”

“Masyarakat akan bertanya sama ada kerajaan akan berkhidmat untuk kepentingan ahli politik atau kepada majoriti rakyat Malaysia yang bukannya ahli politik,” jelas Pengerusi Pusat Penyelidikan Polisi Awam, Tan Sri Ramon Navaratnam kepada The Malaysian Insider.

Presiden Transparency International Malaysia (TI-M) Datuk Paul Low berkata, pemerhati melihat masyarakat mula berminat dalam isu rasuah kebelakangan ini, dengan kajian baru-baru ini menunjukkan 90 peratus rakyat Malaysia akan menggunakan peluang untuk melawan rasuah.

“Jelas menunjukkan masyarakat sekarang tidak akan melepaskan perkara itu dengan mudah. Skandal ini akan berkekalan,” katanya.

PKR telah berulangkali mengeluarkan tuduhan terhadap Ketua Wanita Umno dan keluarganya kerana didakwa telah menyalahgunakan dana projek penternakan lembu, termasuk hartanah dan tanah bernilai RM 27 juta yang tidak berkaitan dengan projek berkenaan.

Mereka turut mendesak Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom dikenakan tindakan terhadap dakwaan penyalahgunaan wang zakat untuk bayaran guaman bernilai RM63,650.

Blogger yang hanya dikenali nama samaran, TheWhistleblower711, turut menuduh bekas Menteri Pelancongan, Datuk Seri Azalina Othman dan Timbalan Menteri Kewangan Datuk Awang Adek Hussin masing-masing menerima RM300,000 RM100,000 daripada Pengarah Urusan Gerbang Perdana, Yahya Abd Jalil.

Namun begitu, kedua-dua menteri Umno terbabit menafikan dakwaan berkenaan; Azalina menyatakan bayaran tersebut merupakan untuk pembayaran jualan kereta klasik dan Adek Awang menjelaskan bayaran itu dibuat terhadap pelaksanaan program sosial di Bachok, yang mana beliau merupakan ketua cawangan.

Bekas menteri persekutuan, Tan Sri Datuk Abdul Kadir Sheikh Fadzir baru-baru ini turut mendakwa BN telah membuat penyerahan sejumlah RM1,000 dalam kempen pilihan raya sebelum ini yang bertujuan untuk membeli undi dengan menggunakan taktik yang dikenali sebagai “bom.”

“Masyarakat sentiasa mengetahui perkara ini berlaku, tapi BN semakin teruk sekarang, dengan Najib dilihat berusaha melakukan transformasi politik, beliau tidak mampu menolak skandal sedemikian.

“Sekarang Najib berusaha untuk melakukan transformasi, sebarang skandal akan menyebabkan kemusnahan,” kata penasihat politik Ong Kian Ming.

Pendedahan-pendedahan terbaru berupaya menjatuhkan Program Transformasi Kerajaan (GTP) yang mana menentang rasuah merupakan salah satu perkara daripada tujuh Kawasan Kunci Keberhasilan Nasional (NKRA).

Pengumuman terbaru yang dibuat Pulau Pinang berkenaan pengisytiharan aset juga melihatkan ketegasan Ketua Menteri Pulau Pinang Lim Guan Eng yang kerap kali mendesak Kabinet supaya mencontohi tindakannya.

Ketua Hakim, Tan Sri Arifin Zakaria juga mengumumkan para hakim juga akan turut mengisytiharkan aset mereka bagi memastikan integriti kehakiman.

Suruhanjaya Pencegahan Rasuah Malaysia (SPRM) kemudiannya mendesak kerajaan dengan menyatakan Najib bersetuju agar ahli keluarga anggota Kabinetnya mengisytiharkan harta mereka kepada badan berkenaan.

Walaupun presiden BN itu belum memberikan sebarang kenyataan, Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz menyatakan hanya menteri sahaja yang perlu membuat perisytiharan harta dan hanya kepada perdana menteri.

Pengarah Strategik PKR, Rafizi Ramli yang telah membuat beberapa siri pendedahan terhadap NFC berkata, walaupun terdapat berbillion ringgit telah di bazirkan termasuk pembelian kapal peronda bernilai RM9 billion, mereka tidak akan bertolak ansur kepada akar umbi.

“Mereka melihatnya sebagai keperluan harian. Tapi bila melibatkan pembayaran untuk mendapatkan kontrak, lesen, dan sebagainya, masyarakat akan mengaitkannya kerana mereka terpaksa membayar untuk itu,” tambahnya lagi.

團圓快樂。

一直覺得很虧待胡嫂。
把她一個人留在東京，自己到處跑。
也可能相反才是事實。
我被流放四處，胡嫂在東京一個人。

團年是我們苦惱的事情。日本的新年在一月一日，新年後就是工作的高峰期，胡嫂很忙，因為日本學年的開始是在四月中旬，她和她的團隊得作最後的衝刺，為入學的學生把新的課程、教師安排、課室的準備，新生入學輔導和實習單位都得一一妥當完成。
而這個時候卻是我的閒置期，留在家裡發呆，跟一堆八卦朋友們在網上聊天，看書，寫東西，雖然也得準備下學期的研究，但是不會比她忙就對了。

我們的生活節奏不一，但這不表示我們因此而亂了步伐。今年我決定了一件事，要跟胡嫂在東京吃團年飯。這是結婚以來就沒有做過的事情，在某種意義上算是給自己這個家的一個定義吧。

我想胡某爸爸和媽媽都明白的，因為他們跟我這個年紀的時候，也是到處跑，很少回家的人。總之過兩天我就回家跟他們吃飯了。

一個家，人齊當然很好。
然而心靠在一起，更好。

祝大家團年快樂！

I wanted to share with you my TM UniFi setup at my house. You can refer to the simple diagram below on how my TM UniFi setup at my house. The fibre cable is installed on the top floor of my house. I replaced the D-Link DIR-615 provided by TM with Mikrotik RB751U-2HnD. To achieve watching TM HyppTV (IPTV) as well as wireless web browsing on the ground floor, I put a Linksys WRT54GS v4 DD-WRT on the ground floor by connecting it to Mikrotik RB751U-2HnD via TP-Link Homeplug Powerline Ethernet Adapter Starter Kit.

Lets start configuring the Mikrotik RB751U-2HnD as below.

/interface vlan
add arp=enabled disabled=no interface=ether1-gateway l2mtu=1596 mtu=1500 name=vlan.500 use-service-tag=no vlan-id=500
add arp=enabled disabled=no interface=ether1-gateway l2mtu=1596 mtu=1500 name=gwvlan.600 use-service-tag=no vlan-id=600
add arp=enabled disabled=no interface=ether5-slave-local l2mtu=1594 mtu=1500 name=vlan.592 use-service-tag=no vlan-id=592
add arp=enabled disabled=no interface=ether5-slave-local l2mtu=1594 mtu=1500 name=vlan.600 use-service-tag=no vlan-id=600

/interface bridge
add admin-mac=00:0C:42:E4:63:3D ageing-time=5m arp=enabled auto-mac=yes disabled=no forward-delay=15s l2mtu=1594 max-message-age=20s mtu=1500 name=bridge-local priority=0x8000 protocol-mode=none transmit-hold-count=6
add admin-mac=00:00:00:00:00:00 ageing-time=5m arp=enabled auto-mac=yes disabled=no forward-delay=15s l2mtu=1594 max-message-age=20s mtu=1500 name=UniFi-IPTV priority=0x8000 protocol-mode=none transmit-hold-count=6

/interface bridge port
add bridge=bridge-local disabled=no edge=auto external-fdb=auto horizon=none interface=wlan1 path-cost=10 point-to-point=auto priority=0x80
add bridge=bridge-local disabled=no edge=auto external-fdb=auto horizon=none interface=ether2-master-local path-cost=10 point-to-point=auto priority=0x80
add bridge=bridge-local disabled=no edge=auto external-fdb=auto horizon=none interface=vlan.592 path-cost=10 point-to-point=auto priority=0x80
add bridge=UniFi-IPTV disabled=no edge=auto external-fdb=auto horizon=none interface=vlan.600 path-cost=10 point-to-point=auto priority=0x80
add bridge=UniFi-IPTV disabled=no edge=auto external-fdb=auto horizon=none interface=gwvlan.600 path-cost=10 point-to-point=auto priority=0x80

/interface bridge settings
set use-ip-firewall=no use-ip-firewall-for-pppoe=no use-ip-firewall-for-vlan=no

/ip firewall nat
add action=masquerade chain=srcnat comment="default configuration" disabled=no out-interface=UniFi-Internet

/ip firewall filter
add action=reject chain=input comment="default configuration" disabled=no in-interface=UniFi-Internet reject-with=icmp-network-unreachable

/ip pool
add name=default-dhcp ranges=192.168.88.51-192.168.88.60

/ip dhcp-server network
add address=192.168.88.0/24 comment="default configuration" dns-server=8.8.8.8,8.8.4.4 gateway=192.168.88.1

/ip dns
set allow-remote-requests=yes cache-max-ttl=1w cache-size=2048KiB max-udp-packet-size=512 servers=8.8.8.8,8.8.4.4

/interface pppoe-client
add ac-name="" add-default-route=yes allow=pap,chap,mschap1,mschap2 dial-on-demand=no disabled=no interface=vlan.500 max-mru=1492 max-mtu=1492 mrru=disabled name=UniFi-Internet password=PASSWORD1234567890 profile=default service-name="" use-peer-dns=no user=username@unifi

Next, start configuring Linksys WRT54GS v4 to achieve VLAN tagging of using 3 digit VLAN number because it is understood that with the stock DD-WRT it only works with 802.11Q VLAN 0 to 15. I am using DD-WRT v24-sp2 (12/08/11) vpn-small – build 17990M VINT Eko. By changing the original switch-robo.o module with the new from DD-WRT forum post, VLAN number greater than 15 will work. I downloaded the pre-compiled switch-robo.o module from this Linksys WRT54GL VLAN tagging post. In DD-WRT, you need to enable JFFS. Goto Administration, Management, JFFS2 Support and JFFS2 enable. Reboot the Linksys router after successful modification.

Telnet to the Linksys router and run the commands below: -

# cd /jffs
# wget http://www.freqoflife.com/switch-robo.o
# chmod a+r switch-robo.o

Now you need to create a startup script. Goto Administration and Commands. Enter the following below and save startup. Reboot the Linksys router after successful modification.

rmmod switch-robo
insmod /jffs/switch-robo.o
sleep 10
vconfig add eth0 592
vconfig add eth0 600
ifconfig vlan592 up
ifconfig vlan600 up
brctl addif br0 vlan592
sleep 5
echo "1 2 3t 5t" > /proc/switch/eth0/vlan/592/ports
sleep 5
echo "0 3t 5t" > /proc/switch/eth0/vlan/600/ports

Finally, with all the configuration above I hope you are able to use and enjoy your UniFi. Thank you.

DAP 2012 Chinese New Year Message By DAP Secretary-General And MP For Bagan Lim Guan Eng On 22.1.2012 In Kuala Lumpur.

Only Economic Policies That Are Clean, Fair, Competitive And Improves The Well-being Of The People As Well As Attract Back Talented Malaysians Can Help Transform Malaysia Into A High-Income Nation Enjoyed By All.

The time has come to implement economic policies that are clean, fair, competitive and improves the well-being of the people as well as attract back talented Malaysians that can help transform Malaysia into a high-income nation enjoyed by all. What better time than the year of the water dragon to initiate such changes so that the coming general elections marks the new beginning that would be enjoyed by all Malaysians rich and poor by 2020.

Present policies which are corrupt, opaque with no open tenders and benefits only certain cronies would only bring Malaysia backwards. A good comparison is South Korea. In 1970, Malaysia’s Gross National Income(GNI) per capita was USD 380 as compared to South Korea USD 260. But 40 years later in 2010, Malaysia’s GNI per capita was at USD 7,760
while South Korea had exceeded us by almost 3 times at USD19,890 (World Bank)

Malaysia’s failure to compete is compounded by the horde of Malaysians leaving. Even the BN government concedes that 2 million Malaysians have left the country since Merdeka in 1957. Countless Malaysians have PR in foreign countries including present Ministers and former Ministers. No one blames the 2 million Malaysians for leaving when the present policies stresses more on politics of division and hate than results-oriented performance drive our best and brightest away.

A recent example is the unfair, harsh and humiliating treatment of temporary Chinese primary school teachers by reducing their benefits arbitrarily without any consultation. How much will it cost the Federal government to continue maintaining existing benefits or even increasing them to temporary teachers? I doubt that such costs will exceed the RM250 million National Feedlot Corporation scandal where money meant for rearing cows is used instead to purchase luxury condos.

Why allow the few cronies to earn extraordinary profits at the expense of 28 million Malaysians. For instance, it took RM 6 billion to build the North-South Highway. But the toll operators have collected RM 24.3 billion as at 31.12.2010 and yet can continue to collect toll till end 2038 and increase toll every year! As the toll operators have already made RM18.3 billion in profits, there is no reason why toll can not be abolished.

Even more talented Malaysians will leave if BN continues to blame the Chinese and minorities for the federal government’s failed policies or use the Chinese threat to frighten the Malays. How can the Chinese be a threat to Malays when critical economic sectors such as banking, insurance, ports, highway toll concessions and infrastructure, transport, automotive industry, IPPs, sugar, rice, flour, plantation products, oil and gas are dominated by Malays?

We must grow up believing in our abilities, trusting each other and have faith that Malays and non-Malays can be world champions. Malays and non-Malay kids must grow up respecting each other as Malaysians and hating only corruption. 2000-9 is the lost decade of corruption where RM1,077 billion of “black money” was illicitly and secretly taken out of Malaysian.

Enough is enough! Let us implement policies that will stop corruption, wipe out poverty, attract back Malaysian talents so that Malaysia can be a high-income nation enjoyed by everyone regardless of race, religion or gender.

Let us welcome the Year of the Dragon by implementing policies that are clean, fair, competitive and improves our standard of living.
Happy Chinese New Year!

—-Mandarin Translation —
民主行动党秘书长兼巴眼区国会议员林冠英于2012年1月22日在吉隆坡发表2012年农历新年献词：

唯有廉政、公平、竞争力及改善人民生活、吸引人才回国，马来西亚才可能转型成为人人共享繁荣的高收入国。

是时候推行廉政、公平、竞争力及改善人民生活的经济政策，吸引人才回国，马来西亚才可能转型成为人人共享繁荣的高收入国。让我们在水龙年踏出第一步，于来届大选让“万象更新”，好让全民可以在2020年享受国家繁荣。

没有公开招标、只让特定朋党受益，现行政策腐败、不透明，只会让马来西亚越来越落后。最好的比较例子就是韩国。1970年，马来西亚人均收入为380美元，韩国是260美元。2010年既40年后，马来西亚的人均收入为7760美元，而韩国已经超越我们三倍，达1万9890美元（世界银行报告）。

马来西亚无法竞争，也导致大批马来西亚离开这个国家。就连国阵政府也承认，自1957年独立以来，已有200万马来西亚人离开。无数的国人在外国拥有永久居留权，包括我们的现任及前任部长。我们不怪这200万移民的马来西亚人，因为是现有那种导致分裂及制造仇恨的政策，把我们最好、最聪明的国民逼走。

最新的例子就是，政府独断地减少华小临教的福利，让他们遭受不公平、冷酷及侮辱的对待。联邦政府若维持临教的福利甚至增加他们的福利，会花他们多少钱？我怀疑这笔费用是否超过国家养牛中心丑闻2亿5000万令吉？这笔原本应该用来养牛的钱，被滥用来购买豪华公寓。

为什么我们要牺牲全体2800万国民的利益，让几个朋党赚取额外好处？例如：南北大道承建费为60亿令吉。但是收费站在2010年12月31日已经收取了243亿令吉。它们不但可以继续收费到2038年，而且还可以年年调高过路费！既然收费站已经赚了183亿令吉，为什么不能废除收费站？

如果国阵继续怪罪华人及少数民族，不正视本身失败的政策，或者用华人来威胁马来人，更多马来西亚人才将会移民。当许多重要的经济领域如银行、保险、港口、汽车、独立发电厂、白糖、白米、面粉、种植业、石油及天然气都已经被马来人主导，华人如何威胁马来人？

我们要相信自己的能力、互相信任、要有信心，无论是 马来人或非马来人都可以成为世界冠军。马来人或非马来人的孩子都必须在相互尊重、视彼此为马来西亚人的情况下成长，他们只能仇视贪污。2000年至2009年间，我们因贪污而导致1兆7700万令吉黑钱外流。

够了，让我们实施能够除贪、扶贫、吸引人才回国的政策，打造马来西亚可以成为一个各族、各宗教或男女老少都能分享繁荣的国家。
让我们通过推行廉政、公平、竞争力、提升人民生活水平的政策来迎接龙年，祝各界新年快乐！

林冠英

Happy Chinese New Year, Happy Lunar New Year, Happy Dragon Year.

Image by Amuria & The Morning Mist.

Happy Dragon New Year from YeinJee's Asian Blog

This is a typical smartphone…

This is MY smartphone

Yes, that’s an actual screenshot of my phone.  Juice defender is a battery management Android app which is so good that I swear by it, and it’s one of the first apps I recommend putting on your Android phone (sorry Apple folks).

So good that it typically doubles my battery life!

How it works:

In a nutshell all it does is turn off data when you don’t need it.

When my phone screen is on: All my data runs normally.

When my phone screen is off: It turns off ALL my data and turns it back on every 5 minutes for just to check if there’s incoming data like email or twitter notifications.

Now, because data is only turned on every 5 minutes, there is a chance your received messages will be 5 minutes late if your phone screen is off, so this is where you make your conscious trade off…I have to say though, through personal experience, that 5 minutes is really no big deal, and you hardly feel any sort of delay at all.  After all, If you’re expecting some urgent messages you can always turn Juice Defender off.

FriedBeef’s Verdict:

The basic version is free, but I’d recommend you pay for the ultimate version for maximum effect… After all it’s hard to argue with doubling your battery life :)

Malaysia Chroncle
by Maria Begum

International response is starting to filter in on news that Prime Minister Najib Razak’s government has decided to appeal the acquittal of political arch rival Anwar, the Opposition Leader, who was found “not guilty” by a High Court judge last week.

Phil Robertson, Deputy Director of the Asia Division, Human Rights Watch was among the early bird to condemn the Najib administration for its latest flip-flop.

“The trial court gave the government a chance to bow out gracefully from Anwar’s politically motivated prosecution. It’s very unfortunate that they didn’t take it. This decision means the citizens of Malaysia will be further subjected to the more political machinations in the courtroom as the government perpetuates this travesty of a trial for a crime that should not be a crime in the first place,” Phil said in a statement.

Persecution, not prosecution

Meanwhile, Anwar’s lawyer Sankara Nair said he has yet to be notified of the decision. He slammed the move as an obvious case of “political persecution” and not prosecution.

“I have not been formally notified by the prosecution. However if it is true, then it is most regrettable and atrocious- given that the trial judge has stated succinctly, in his verdict that the crucial evidence was “tampered”,” said Sankara.

“Hence the substratum of the prosecutions case is fatally demolished,rendering any appeal, no matter how many times, an desperate act in futility. It appears to be a case of political persecution of Anwar and not prosecution.”

As for Anwar himself, he has said it was the Attorney-General’s right to appeal but warned that there should be no government or political interference. However, most Malaysians would tell him that this may be beyond the manipulative Umno, Najib’s party which has ruled Malaysia for the past 5 decades.

Judge conceded key DNA evidence was compromised

Malaysian prosecutors had filed the appeal papers at the High Court criminal registry at 4.30pm on Friday, January 20, according to criminal deputy registrar Halilah Suboh.

On Jan 9, Anwar was acquitted on a charge of sodomising his former aide Saiful Bukhari Azlan due to a lack of corroborative evidence. Judge Mohd Zabidin Mohd Diah delivered his decision to a packed courtroom, as more than 10,000 supporters gathered outside the court building to show their support for the charismatic and popular leader.

“After going through the evidence, I cannot be 100 percent certain that the evidence could have been compromised. Hence, the court is reluctant to convict on such corrobaration of evidence from SP1 Saiful. The court does not exclude the possibility the (DNA) samples were compromised. Therefore the accused is acquitted,” Mohd Zabidin told a stunned courtroom, that took a second before it burst into euphoria and loud cheering.

Najib’s weak leadership and global attention

The decision was praised throughout the world and Najib’s latest inability to stay the course, giving in to hardliners in his Umno party such as former premier Mahathir Mohamad, is bound to increase the negative impression of Malaysia that has furthered worsened during his watch. The move will also underscore Najib’s weak hand on the government as well as his inability to provide political stability and jump-start the already slowing economy.

“Anwar, I have just heard the news of the acquittal. Congratulations. There was never any doubt of your innocence. That it is confirmed for the world to see is a wonderful thing. We are all so very happy for you and for Malaysia,” wrote Paul Martin, the former prime minister of Canada.

Indeed, there is more than meets the eye in the sodomy charges pressed against Anwar, who has blamed Najib and wife Rosmah Mansor of hatching the plot together with complainant Saiful Bukhari Azlan so as to derail his political comeback. Given the flimsiness of the evidence, experts never expected Najib to take the case to the trial stage, but he succumbed to pressure from the Umno right wing, especially Mahathir, who still harbors a deep hatred for Anwar.

Pundits say Mahathir is also concerned that Anwar, his former deputy and who nearly toppled him in 1998, knows too much of his past wheeling-and-dealing. If not imprisoned, chances are high Anwar will become the next prime minister of Malaysia, leading the Pakatan Rakyat opposition to victory in general elections that must be held by April 2013.

Fair and impartial, says Saiful

Anwar was charged on Aug 8, 2008 under Section 377B of the Penal Code with committing carnal intercourse against the order of nature. He was accused of sodomising Saiful at the Desa Damansara Condominium in Bukit Damansara, Kuala Lumpur, on June 26, 2008. If found guilty, he could be jailed for up to 20 years.

Meanwhile, in an immediate response, Saiful said the appeal shows that the Malaysian legal system was fair and impartial.

“My family and I would like to state that with the filing of the notice of appeal, my right to complaint as stated in my 2008 police report has been heard, and (went) through the proper process of justice all the way to the High Court. In accordance with the law (it) has been achieved,” he said in a blog posting.

和胡嫂來回總共坐了六個小時的地鐵、電車以後抵達日光，這時候的日光已經開始下雪了。我們跟往常一樣，吃了一頓好吃的早飯後才跑了好長一段路到景點，日光的名湖，中禪寺前開工拍攝。

今年胡某以肥胖臃腫不要影響市容為由決定不要出鏡，派遣美美的胡嫂做代表跟大家拜個早年，而胡嫂也隆重其事地不斷練習新的新年賀詞務必把視頻做好。

當然，我也在這裡祝大家新年快樂，心想事成。
今年。變天！

first time dengar hari tu memang sedap lagu terbaru yuna ni

teringat lagu deeper conversation. lagu ni ada ala2 mcm tune lagu tuh la sket kan

aku start dengar yuna daripada yuna appear dalam the hoppers & ahli muzik series lagi. hehe

balik malaysia nanti nak beli la cd yunalis zarai terukir di bintang ni

• I'm at The Father's House (23 Jalan Abdullah, Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur) http://t.co/kB9lP2mX #
• Feel like crap today. Pineapples are bad for me. #
• Whoa they have an app in the App Store! (@ Hong Cha Pork Noddle (Oug)) http://t.co/jWicfQ78 #
• Kijuyubhhgggyy http://t.co/IFvRzOBV #
• Ah yay… I have work lined up for me in April. Planning ahead is important! Thank you God for providing! #
• I also just realized.. My kid posted a twitpic of himself. Errrmmmm…. #
• For the first time in my life, I feel like I should just shut down my Facebook account and start afresh. #
• I would make a quick disconnection right now, this very moment. If I could. I didn't make this decision lightly. #
• Sometimes, when I see the Malaysian online sphere, I wonder how we became a nation of trolls and haters. It's such an ugly scene. #
• J. B. bJ #

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POPCRAP 1

Just came back from trying this Macoto Tea outlet at SS15 Subang with blogger buddies… all I can say is that Chatime tastes better. hehe

POPCRAP 2

I completed the 10k Mizuno Wave Run last weekend and it was really fun! Shorter time than my previous run too. Yay

POPCRAP 3

the MTV Asia and Nickelodeon guys came to Malaysia last week and invited some of us for CNY dinner. Thanks guys!

It was a rare gathering of sorts. With my high school friends and college mates. Things change as time flies by. Each of us are now heading towards different directions in life, separated by career path and choices made. The spirit of unison in Chinese New Year brought us all together. Sitting on the same table, under the gleaming sky, as we updated each other on our respective lives.

That’s what new year’s all about. Bringing family & friends together. As everyone now brave the city exodus & traffic standstill, virtually turning all major highways in the country into a parking lot, with just a single aim in mind: to make it back home in time for the reunion dinner. To savage back memories that are long lost. To find our way back home, to where we belong. It’s perfectly true that there’s no place like home. Not a fancy bungalow, not a table full of scrumptious dishes will replace the warmth of being in companion of family & friends. A place is as only good as the people make it to be.

Now the difference between Christmas, New Year and Chinese New Year is that no one writes about making new year’s resolutions or ponders the meaning of life and etc because Chinese New Year is all about family reunion, eating, drinking and gambling. This festival always bring to mind the movie; Four weddings and a funeral (so, excuse me) because it might be true, alot of times we only see some relatives either during weddings or funerals, and Chinese New Year.

“It is all your memories, the joyful ones and the heartbreak ones, that make up who you are as a person.”

Happy Chinese New Year and Gong Xi Fatt Chai!

拍旅遊照的正確示範。

她說我在 Facebook 上有很多「反對黨」朋友，為了避嫌所以儘量不回應我的留言。
唉～ 這是甚麼世界？

話雖如此，還是得謝謝她山長水遠地帶了一桶蘭花牌怡保醬清到東京。

About half of my work involves troubleshooting why things go wrong. While I haven't been in the forefront theoretical science in a while, at the very least, it's things like this that somewhat satisfy my need to much around and experiment. My only issue is when I have to juggle the routine urgency of the hospital with the slow methodical approach of troubleshooting. In short, I've learned to slap something on and pray that it holds together until the next person takes over.

Some days though when I do have the time, I do like to sit down and geek out on the machines that serve me well. Much like the personal tech I surround myself with, lab instruments have a hum, an energy, a life of their own. I like to say because I'm a geek that I understand these machines more than most people in the lab. Some days I can't stand to see these machines being mistreated because people lack the methodical patience and common sense to operate them properly. Which is why I still prefer to work alone, that way I know the machines won't break down due to human error and I won't have people in my way when I try to fix things.

Of course you can't have everything in the world, so most times you have to think outside the box and deal with the situation as it comes along. Everything else is just minor details. Call it a work in progress. I'll tell you when I've succeeded at that bit.

---
Here are some more related posts for your reading pleasure:

• Two Day Mantra Revision
• B2006 – Hidden Stories
• Late Night Confessions
• Ooops
• The Book Every Blogger Should Read

This 2012 is the year of the Dragon for the Chinese.  According to the Chinese zodiac the dragon symbolises energy.

For those who are born in the year of Dragon it is said that they are energetic people, down to earth, proud, direct and have a zest for life.

Enjoy this Chinese New Year song(click on the picture below)…and Happy Chinese New Year!!!

I refer to the statement by the Attorney-General’s chambers claiming that the decision to apppeal against Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s acquittal is based on evidence and the law and will enable them to obtain the grounds of judgement and apppreciate the judge’s reasoning. In fact, the appeal is politically motivated, legally unsound and influenced by the ruling BN party. If the AG’s chambers had really proceeded solely on the evidence and the law, there would have been no appeal filed against the acquittal. The only kind of law the appeal could possibly be based upon is the law of the jungle.The appeal is a major embarassment to the regional and international reputation of our country. Once again UMNO has made our justice system the object of global mock and ridicule.

The A-G’s chambers has been a willing tool in the hands of UMNO in its vicious, immoral and relentless persecution of Anwar Ibrahim. Since 1998, the A-G’s chambers has been a key player in UMNO’s attempts to imprison Anwar and terminate his political career. The current Attorney- General Abdul Gani Patail who made the decision to file this appeal, featured prominently in the first sodomy trial which ended in Anwar’s 6 years imprisonment for a crime he did not commit.

The A-G’s chambers’ excuse that they needed to file the appeal in order to ‘appreciate the grounds considered by the learned judge in arriving at that decision’ is simply absurd and untenable. The chambers must weigh the necessity of appeal based on the totality of the evidence presented at the trial and the flaws and shortcomings of the prosecution case. As clearly demonstrated by his counsel at trial, the case against Anwar is so full of holes that there is no necessity to even look at the judge’s grounds of judgement.

The filing of this appeal is an outrageous example of the unscrupulous abuse of State powers which has become the trademark of the Barisan Nasional coalition over the past 54 years of its corrupt and authoritarian rule. This appeal is further evidence that Najib’s promises of change and reform were nothing more than a massive and hypocritical fraud upon the people of this nation. The motive for the appeal is to jail Anwar and hinder Pakatan Rakyat from winning Federal power in the coming general election. Come what may, Anwar Ibrahim and Pakatan Rakyat will never falter or fail in the ongoing battle for change and reform, and for a fair and just Malaysia.

Issued by,
N SURENDRAN
VICE PRESIDENT
KEADILAN

2012 Chinese New Year Message By Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng On
21.1.2012 In Komtar, George Town.

Putting Penang First – The RM500 Million Affordable Housing Fund, The RM8 Billion Road Projects And Transforming Penang’s Civil Service That Is Competent, Accountable and Transparent Will Help Make Penang Cleaner, Greener & Safer.

The year of the water dragon holds much promise of making Penang cleaner, greener and safer, which is essential to Penang’s long-term vision of an international and intelligent state. To succeed the state government must retain the rakyat’s faith in our ability and will as well as encourage their unique spirit of creativity and innovation.

Penang’s unique spirit of creativity and innovation can be retained so long as Penangites maintains its faith in the government. Retaining the rakyat’s faith is more about our ability and will to choose the best that can deliver and execute. It is much more about believing in common values of freedom, the rule of law, human dignity and democracy. It is about sharing the commitment of always putting Penang first over our own private interests.

There is a certain confidence in Penang, born of optimism and past achievement in our ability and will to choose the best. Penang has
been praised by the Auditor-General for recording budget surpluses every year in state government finances. Most notable was saving
Majlis Perbandaran Seberang Perai from bankruptcy afer RM230 million of losses in 7 years under BN. Another notable achievement was reducing our state government debts by 95% or RM600 million from RM630 million to only RM30 million.

More important than these achievements, is the optimism in the future stemming from proving that a clean, competent, accountable and transparent can also work and succeed in Malaysia. Open tenders, public declaration of assets and public disclosure of government contracts has brought about confidence and optimism resulting in praise from Transparency Internantional as well as record levels of foreign investments and tourists.

These improvements are meaningful when achieved with respect for each other as well as the institutions of freedom, rule of law and
democracy. Respecting human dignity to speak freely and each other’s differences fosters peace and harmony. Penang’s ability to accommodate diversity has brought great pride to Penang, with the listing of George Town as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

However, present achievements are no guarantees for future success. Future success is only guaranteed when both the rakyat the state government is committed to putting Penang first over any private interests. Putting Penang first requires proof that prosperity is
shared and solutions to problems are inclusive. If possible no one is left behind.

To ensure that the civil service performs well by serving the rakyat with quality, good governance of competency, accountability and
transparency will be intensified to a higher level. There is no room for non-performance, delays, passing the buck from one department to another and corruption.

To deal with housing needs of the lower-income groups, the Penang state government has set up the largest affordable housing fund of any state government amounting to RM500 million. To deal with the traffic congestion caused by the sudden surge of investors and tourists, the government has outlined short-term, medium-term and long term plans of road infrastructure projects amounting to nearly RM8 billion.

Putting Penang First – the RM500 million Affordable Housing Fund, the RM8 billion road projects and transforming Penang’s civil service that is competent, accountable and transparent will help make Penang Cleaner, Greener & Safer.

–Mandarin Translation–

槟州首席部长林冠英于2012年1月21日在槟城乔治市发表声明：

以槟城为先- 推出5亿令吉可负担房屋基金、80亿令吉道路计划、打造能干、公信及透明的公共服务素质，让槟城变得更清洁、绿意及安全。

龙年展望槟城更加清洁、绿意及安全，这可以实现槟城要成为国际及智能都市的长期愿景。如果要成功，州政府必须让人民相信的能力，同时也要鼓励人们革新创意的精神。

只有人民继续对州政府有信心，槟城才能保持独特的革新创意精神。要让人民有信心，在于我们有没有能力及意志，选择最好的人来工作及执行。我们是否相信一些普世价值如自由、法治、尊严和民主。我们是否可以共进退，首先考量槟城的利益，而不是个人的利益。

人民对槟城是有信心的，与生俱来的乐观、以及选择人才的意愿。槟城已因为连续数年都保持财政预算盈余的记录，而被总稽查司表扬。

最明显的成就是，威省市政局在国阵管辖下，短短七年内亏损了2亿3000令吉、近乎破产。另一个重要的成就是，我们把州政府的负债减少了95%（近6亿令吉）， 或从6亿3000万令吉减少至3000万令吉。

最重要的是，这些成就让我们对未来充满希望，证明干净、能干、公信及透明也能够在马来西亚推行成功。公开招标、公布财产和公开政府合约，已经建立起人民的信心和乐观，也让我们被国际透明表扬，在招商引资及游客人数方面也获得不俗 成绩。

这些都是有意义的改变，它们在大家相互尊重以及自由、法治及民主的基础上达致，我们尊敬自由发言的人类尊严、彼此差异、和谐共存。槟城拥抱多元的能力让我们赢得殊荣，被联合国科教文组织列为世界文化遗产。

但是，现有的成就并无法保障未来的成功。唯有当人民和政府都把私己利益放一边，以槟城为先，未来才会成功。以槟城为先就是繁荣与共、共商对策解决问题。尽可能不让任何人落后。

为了确保公共服务的表现，为人民提供良好的服务，我们将再次强化能干、公信及透明的良好施政的方针。我们不允许表现不良、耽搁、部门之相相互推诿及贪法。

为了解决低收入群体的房屋需求，槟州政府已经 成立比其它任何州属还大的可负担房屋基金， 价值为5亿令吉。为了解决投资者及游客突然涌入而导致的交通阻塞，槟州政府已经拟定短期、中期及长期计划，开展近80亿令吉的道路建设计划。

以槟城为先- 推出5亿令吉可负担房屋基金、80亿令吉道路计划、打造能干、公信及透明的公共服务素质，让槟城变得更清洁、绿意及安全。

林冠英

From Saturday’s Globe and Mail

By MARK MACKINNON

Anwar Ibrahim was supposed to be in jail right now. The leader of Malaysia’s opposition would be convicted of having sex with a male aide, everyone here expected, and jailed long enough to ensure he posed no threat in the country’s coming elections.

But after his surprise acquittal earlier this month, Mr. Anwar suddenly has a very different residence in mind. “The next time we meet,” he says conspiratorially as we sit in his party’s headquarters on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur for his first interview with a Western newspaper since the verdict, “it will be in a different office.”

A smile spreads above his greying goatee as he points up and beyond me. He means Putrajaya, the suburb of Kuala Lumpur that’s home to the office of the Prime Minister of Malaysia.

Southeast Asia begins 2012 as a region in upheaval. Myanmar’s generals have begun unexpectedly tearing down their authoritarian system, and neighbouring Thailand’s coup-prone army stood aside last year and let the opposition it had previously confronted in the streets take power via the ballot box.

Mr. Anwar is convinced that Malaysia, a nominally democratic nation that has been dominated by the United Malays National Organization (UMNO) since the country gained independence from Britain in 1957, will be the next to see sweeping change.

“There’s definitely a Southeast Asian Spring taking place. No question about it. … We are between the ancien régime and the rebellion of the masses,” says the man sometimes portrayed as the Nelson Mandela of this Muslim majority state. Mr. Anwar says the opposition would win a fairly held vote – and he warns that Malaysia could see scenes like those in Cairo’s Tahrir Square if it is somehow prevented from taking power.

Tens of thousands of Malaysians have already shown their willingness to demonstrate, marching through the streets of Kuala Lumpur last July to call for reforms to the country’s electoral system, which is seen as having been gerrymandered in the ruling party’s favour

“We want free and fair elections,” Mr. Anwar says. And if not? “Then we will fight. The people will not take it. No civilized country would accept the rape of the nation.”

Having managed to maintain and build support through 14 years of sodomy charges and other smears – no small feat in a conservative country that bleeps out words like “bang” from reruns of How I Met Your Mother – there’s suddenly a sense in Malaysia that Mr. Anwar might just end up in Putrajaya before the year is out.

Another jail term would likely have brought an end to the political career of the 64-year-old, who was deputy prime minister and UMNO’s heir apparent until he fell out with the autocratic Mahathir Mohammed in 1998 over the handling of that year’s Asian financial crisis. The relationship between the two men, long described as being similar to father and son, quickly dissolved into acrimony, mud-slinging and violence.

Mr. Mahathir called for police to investigate allegations that Mr. Anwar was corrupt and gay. Mr. Anwar was duly arrested, beaten by police and sentenced to 14 years in prison, although that sodomy conviction was overturned in 2004. (Sodomy is illegal in Malaysia, though the colonial-era statute seems to be used almost exclusively against Mr. Anwar, a married father of six. Charges against Mr. Anwar – who has denied that he’s gay – and his associates account for four of seven recent uses of the law.)

Malaysiakini
By Terence Netto

Those who claimed that Anwar Ibrahim’s acquittal by the High Court last week on a charge of sodomy was a game-changing move must have felt, after the Attorney-General’s Chambers filed a notice of appeal yesterday, rather like North Korea’s nuclear disarmament interlocutors in recent years.

Just when we discern some sign of softening on the part of the communist world’s first dynastic regime, a South Korean frigate is sunk off the coast of the Korean peninsula, or Pyongyang test fires a missile, or commits some such travesty.

Then, what vestigial hopes the North had managed to keep alive in its adversaries are recognised as chimerical before the rogue regime begins another cycle of ‘now you see my softer side, now you don’t.’

It’s a case of the inveterately bad only getting worse while fiendishly engaged in a dance of deception to take advantage of the gullible.

What are we to think?

Those wanting regime-change

Perhaps what the English poet WB Shelley said (“Poets are the unacknowledged legislators of the world”) that makes one of our own, A Samad Said, a seer in our times with the prophecy of his discourse in his most recent offering, ‘Merindu Ruang’ (A Yen to be Unbound):

Ada sang perubah permainan
kami perubah kekuasaan
Inilah tekad generasi baru
akarnya keadilan syahdu

(Facing purveyors of game-change
Are those wanting regime-change
This is the power of newly emerging forces
Rooted in the sublimity of noble justice)

All good poetry works like this: it teaches humankind their actual desires, the desires that must be accommodated in a truly enduring and beneficent order.

But what of the right of the prosecution in the sodomy and sedition cases to their desires for vindication?

Sure, it is the right of the prosecution, in both the Anwar sodomy and in the Karpal Singh sedition cases, to appeal.

But the sodomy case had so many holes it would have made the one the reefs bore in the hull of the cruise liner Costa Concordia off the Italian coast the other day look meager by comparison.

As for Karpal’s (right) supposedly seditious fulminations in the wake of the changeover in the Perak state government in February 2009, if these were as licentious as what issued from him in some internal DAP disputes of fairly recent vintage, then it’s plausible he would be liable.

But Karpal the solicitor is known to be more judicious than Karpal the political jouster.

Business as usual

So just when elements of the punditocracy were beginning to hold forth on the advent of a more liberal order under Prime Minister Najib Razak, there occur two appeals in the judicial process that imply that business, in our justice system, is reverting to status quo ante.

No doubt this will renew attention to the so-called battle in Umno between the hardliners and liberals, with the former viewed as having, in the wake of the appeals in the sodomy and sedition cases, gained the upper hand.

But these nuances aren’t worth the trouble it takes to be discerning about them.

It’s like the argument over whether the captain of the Costa Concordia abandoned his ship before all passengers had the left the stricken liner.

It’s a diversion from a graver issue: what was the vessel doing so close to where it was perilous to go?

When the system is a sclerotic as the one Umno-BN has contrived for this country, the bard Samad Said’s (left) intimation that you need regime change is not a radical prescription.

Anwar’s second trial for sodomy is not the personal problem that the erstwhile Hasan Ali, formerly of PAS, and at times, even Najib, have airily held the matter to be: it is paradigmatic of plenty that is wrong with a regime that has been in power for far too long and displays the unmistakable symptoms of its entrenched and repetitive abuses.

Its bad ways are beyond reform and a leader seeking to change the game is like someone in quest of an oasis in a parched land.

TERENCE NETTO has been a journalist for close on four decades. He likes the occupation because it puts him in contact with the eminent without being under the necessity to admire them. It is the ideal occupation for a temperament that finds power fascinating and its exercise abhorrent.

Our sister site Medwebapp.com continues to grow as a repository of medical web apps with the addition of a calculator for the CHADS2 score, added to the Neurology and Cardiology sections.
I have also included the mobile version of Shots, the immunization guide from STFM in the Pediatric and General sections.

If you have any medical web app that you would like us to link in Medwebapp.com, please contact us. If you have an idea for a medical web app that you would like to see, we’d be happy to hear from you too. If you are thinking of developing medical web apps but do not have a server for hosting the apps, we’d also be happy to help out – just give us a shout.

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