The End

Well, as mentioned in my last post about a week ago, this blog has come to an end, and I've moved lock, stock and barrell to the new address at www.miaj2.wordpress.com

It has been a good journey, beginning in 2006. I just realised that 4 years have passed by. So quickly!
And for some strange reason, I'm thinking of friends, relatives and acquaintances who have passed on these last few years. Bloggers too, and public figures, some who have been inspirational to me.

It's been a good ride. But it's time to say "Goodbye Blogger" now....

See you on the other side...... here:    www.miaj2.wordpress.com

MIAJ ON HIBERNATION!

I had a call from a friend who asked why this blog has not been updated for about a month now...

Well, I didn't realize I had a fan club (or even half of that...) but the news is that I am on indefinite hibernation.

Just taking some time out for a breather while pursuing future options.  Nevertheless, I'm also working on ways to improve MIAJ. Hopefully, this will come sooner than later.  In the meantime, take it easy and enjoy life!

Jude

Live: Hulu Selangor Nomination Day

For live updates, click here, thanks to Anil at Hulu Selangor.

The Times - They're A Changing

"The times - they are a-changing"..... so crooned Bob Dylan back in the sixties in his trademark half sung half spoken voice. Forty years on, similar stirrings are beginning to happen here in Malaysia.

Just a few years ago it would have been unthinkable that a PAS Member of Parliament would consider initiating a dialogue with Christians in Malaysia. Yet, in the three months of this year, the PAS Chairman for National Unity, YB Dr. Mujahid Yusof Rawa, MP for Parit Buntar has done three sessions in three different Catholic churches in Penang. Last Sunday about 250 Catholics attended the dialogue on the "Allah" issue at the St. Anne's Church in Bukit Mertajam. Also in attendance were some 40-50 PAS members.

It seems incredulous that it took us this long to come together to talk and listen to each other.
Nevertheless, the walls of division, misunderstanding and suspicion are beginning to crumble.
According to a friend who was at the previous two sessions, the one at St. Anne's seemed to have attracted the most participants. I returned home to find my Malay Muslim neighbour asking me where I'd been. When told we were just returning from church, she immediately asked, "Did you attend the dialogue too?" I was pleasantly surprised to say the least.

In hindsight, it now seems that the gamble by certain desperados to hang on to power at all costs has backfired. The game is up. The people aren't as gullible as we once were. Times have changed. The playing field too has changed somewhat dramatically. And, like most Malaysians have sensed, this is simply the beginning of the end of one dynasty.

For some reason, the picture that comes to mind is how the mighty Soviet empire crumbled in the wake of "perestroika" and "glasnost" within a short space of time during 1987-1991. I wonder if history is going to repeat itself here within the next few years.

Meanwhile, here's Dylan to keep us thinking, hoping and working for that change to happen:

Save Penang Update

The answers to some of the questions plaguing on many of our minds I suspect.....

Anil reports of some startling revelations at the Penang Forum 2.

Read on.

Forum: Save Penang!

Lucia posted this post in her blog today.

There have been so many allegations against Lim Guan Eng and company by some of his own Pakatan people. The word on the ground is it's simply a case of "sour grapes" from those who expected a "windfall" or two from the current state government. For what it's worth, instead of listening to hearsay, coffee shop talk and etc., the forum should at least merit an attendance from concerned Penangites:

Date: Feb. 12, 2010 (Jumaat/Friday)

Time: 9 malam (9.00pm – 11.30pm)

Venue: Tapak Pesta Sg Nibong, Pulau Pinang (Sg Nibong Pesta site)

Speakers:

YAB Lim Guan Eng, Ketua Menteri Pulau Pinang (Penang CM)

YB Mansor Othman, Timbalan Ketua Menteri (Penang DCM I)

YB Malik Kassim, Exco Kerajaan Negeri (State Exco)

YB Chow Kuan Yeow, Exco Kerajaan Negeri (State Exco)

YB Ravin, ADUN Batu Uban

YB Sim Tze Tzin, ADUN Pantai Jerejak

Follow updates and other events in the DAP Penang website here.

"Men do less than they ought, unless they do all they can" - Thomas Carlyle.

Malaysia heading towards instability

Coming hot on the heels of the "legitimate" MB of Perak decision by the Federal Court in Putra Jaya yesterday, here are a couple of more sombre headlines on Malaysia by the Hong Kong based PERC Report:

1. The Malaysia Insider quoted the PERC - a political risk consultancy, on how Malaysia is heading towards instability; and

2. The PERC also spills the beans how countries like India, Malaysia and Thailand face the highest political and social risk among Asia-Pacific countries in 2009, mainly because of internal instability.

If At First You Don't Succeed....

"If at first you don't succeed, try, try again....." so goes the quote by writer William E. Hickson.

Normally, I wouldn't associate these words with our elected reps (on both sides of the divide) .... but the events that have occurred over the past year and a half keep showing that these people are dead serious about their jobs... and that they will go to any lengths to keep, fight, take over, legally, ethically or otherwise, what they consider as rightfully theirs. And without ever failing to remind that they are indeed fighting to "serve" us! Err...ah...hmm...

Whether it's a case of Barisan vs Pakatan, as has been the slug fest mostly since 2008, or Pakatan vs Pakatan as is unraveling now, one thing is crystal clear. These guys sure take their roles seriously. So, they keep trying their darndest.

They tried at Perak..... and won, for now at least;

They tried in Kedah, and were thwarted ...... for the time being;

They tried, still are, and doubtless will keep on trying in Selangor, presumably because that's where the "pot of gold" lies;

And now, they've finally brought the circus to Penang. I was wondering why it was taking them so long - presumably they must have been very busy with the necessary "ground-work"! See how hard they try!

But, rather unfortunately for them (and us), Malaysia Insider paints a more bleak picture about the true state of affairs here and my own local YB Chong Eng was prompted enough to state the obvious. But then I suspect we knew that already!

Let's presuppose a few facts. Most would agree that this country is in a mess. We were not like this all the time. It took us at least 30 years to get where we are now. We know all about the corruption, cronyism, racism, discrimination, incompetence, insecurity, brutality, etc.e ctc. . By that same token, wouldn't it take an equal length of time to set things right again? And if that were true, wouldn't it be mere wishful thinking to want all the wrongs righted within a couple of years?

There's a lot that needs to be Unlearnt, Undone and Uprooted.
Then only the new Seeds can be Planted and Nurtured.
Then maybe in due time, we (well, maybe not us, but our children & their children) will harvest the Fruits of our Labour.

In the meantime, we need to remember those faces and the names that belong to them that are "trying" so hard. Because come next GE, we can give all of them an almighty kick - out of public office, which is what they really deserve - try or no try.

In which case, this Quentin Crisp quote may sound just right:

"If at first you don't succeed, failure may be your style".

In the meantime, it would be great if those of us who consider ourselves as conscientious citizens, take time to meet up with others, for the kind of collaboration that is needed to take the rakyat's struggle one step further. Like the one happening below this Friday, 5th Feb in Penang:

Forum: Pakatan Rakyat's Common Policies Framework - Meeting Voters' Expectations?

5th Feb 2010, 8.30 p.m., Caring Society Complex, Penang.

Speakers include:

Tunku Abd. Aziz Ibrahim (V-Chairman DAP)
Dr. Zulkifli Ahmad (Central Committee Member PAS, MP Kuala Selangor)
Sivarasa Rasiah (V/President PKR, MP Subang)

Take 2 Headlines

Two different stories, one funny, the other not:

1. Malaysia In The Dock - from the Wall Street Journal;

2. Malaysia files suit against Apple IPad for copyright infringement

Finally, for live news of Sodomy II, go here

Doctor! Doctor! What's ailing me?!

The story begins in The People's Parliament blog run by Haris who had posted a Malaysia Insider quote attributed to Dr. Mahathir as saying that " “If there was no social contract, the terms and conditions of allowing citizenship to non-Malays would have not taken place. One million outsiders were given citizenships at the time.”

Now, that got Harris curious and he goes on to probe that statement further in his blog. And his...err..." investigations" reveal some surprising details.

Raja Petra also has a link to the post here.

Like Harris and I suspect many Malaysians, I don't give a hoot what, who, or from where we supposedly (pre and post Merdeka pendatangs, citizens or whatever we chose to call ourselves) came from. The fact is we are here. And I suspect that those of us who have remained here have either simply accepted there is no choice (and if you look at wherever we came from, is the grass really green on the other side?) or that we'd stay back and fight for our rights. For ALL of us.

Unfortunately, the good doc continues to play the "race" stunt every time something doesn't go according to his plan.

Which is why Robert S. Mendelsohn's (himself another M.D.) words sound so chillingly right: “The reason doctors are so dangerous is that they believe in what they are doing.”

The MI quote above is merely Dr. Mahathir's latest yarn. But, here we are, and especially after a watershed election, and despite all that's happened to us over the course of the past 30 years, many of us are trying, in our own ways, to make things right, make things better, trying to be fair to all, and trying to build a new way forward. Admittedly, this is going to take time, given the fact that there is so much damage that needs to be undone.

The people at the grassroots seem to have accepted the reality of the situation that we find ourselves in. Which is one reason why, despite all the recent provocations, the people have largely refrained from "ultra" reactions with the exception of the extremists which exist in any society. The problem is that we have let the politicians (and who may be doctors too!) dictate too much what this country is all about and the direction we in are headed as a nation.

When public men indulge themselves in abuse, when they deny others a fair trial, when they resort to innuendo and insinuation, to libel, scandal, and suspicion, then our democratic society is outraged, and democracy is baffled. - J. Wiiliam Fulbright.

Which is why I totally agree with Susan who had this tag on her blog, "Politicians should be changed often, and for the same reasons!"

Meantime, since it's Saturday.... it would good to just take some time out, thank God for all that we already have, and chill out with The Young Rascals' video "Good Lovin" - heard asking the family doc for advice right here!