PKFZLing: Neither shocked nor surprised.

When Najib Razak announced a holiday until Aug 10, I was already suspicious about surprises in store for the nation.

The ‘surprise’ came in the news of ex-MCA president and Transport minister Dr Ling Liong Sik’s arrest yesterday afternoon for ‘cheating’.

I wasn’t surprised of his arrest. It was a matter of time. I was surprised though that the Cabinet, headed then by former PM Mahathir Mohamad, could be so naive as to be cheated by Ling about a PKFZ land!

Read full story here and tell me if you are not surprised.

Another story surprised me today. News about young millionaire Jho Low. The STAR called it “world exclusive”. What does that mean?

A double dato’ had a byline on the story. Wow. There were also many parts to the main story. A strategy to divert people from the impending arrest of Ling?

Surely not, as present MCA prez Dr Chua Soi Lek also said he was ‘shocked’ by the news.

Are you impressed by Jho Low? The STAR story did nothing to probe further on what kind of ‘close’ relationship he has with ‘powerful’ Malaysians.

If they did, it would have been a fine story.

I am also thinking it would have been better for Najib and Rosmah to pay Jho Low money for public relations than APCO, don’t you think so?

Amir Muhammad, the ROJAK man.

Here comes the rojak man with the most palatable Malaysian dish. There is only one word to describe Amir Muhammad’s latest book, and that word is SEDAP!.

This compilation of short stories about various things Malaysia is both succulent and succinct. One will never get bored with a book like Rojak. The stories, all 30 of them, are packed into a sweet looking pink cover.

Why pink? Perhaps only Amir can tell. Hats off to the artist Chin Yew who did the illustrations for the book.  The images are very apt and imbue life into the stories.

There’re all kinds of sensations when you bite into the stories: sweet, sour, bitter, hot and spicy, salty, peppery and pungent. After each story, you want to lick your lips and say ‘ho chiak’ or ‘sedap’. Whichever lah. 

So where do you begin to read? With Amir’s book, you can start anywhere, not necessarily from page 1.

I read the stories over and over again, and each time, I laughed out loud.  I will not talk about the stories in detail or even give you a hint, you’ll have to read them for yourself to know how they taste like.

All I can say is there are keywords that’s enough to entice you: screw, horror, sheila majid, panda, artist, 1998, apple, one-night stand, cempedak,woman, money, feng-shui…enough lah, go get a book!

I know what Amir is trying to do with this delicious book, though: He’s saying, it’s quite obvious, that it’s time Malaysians stop taking life and politics so seriously-lah.

The seriousness is killing us. The verbosity, the obsession with perfection, the lengthy text, can humiliate us.
But those days are over.

I’d rather a story brings you straight to the point, coz you know why? We don’t have the time, to wade through the junkful of words, the loadfool of crap, the preachy text, the meaningless melodramas.

Like good sex, we want it raw!

Happy Birthday, Tiger of Jelutong.

The TIGER of JELUTONG celebrated his 70th birthday @ Berjaya Hotel in Penang on Saturday. It was a bash alright but one attended by family, close friends and political comrades. There were about 450 guests.

Despite being wheel-chair bound, Karpal arrived in style, accompanied by a four piece bagpipe band from his former alma mater, St. Xavier’s Institution.

He was flanked by his beautiful wife Gurmit Kaur, children Jagdeep, Gobind, Sangeet, Ramkarpal and Mankarpal.

Karpal was all smiles, with his ten grandchildren, nine boys and a girl aged between 3-6 years, in tow, leading the way to the dinner hall.

He definitely has reasons to celebrate as he has recently escaped a second sedition charge and three year jail term for allegedly uttering seditious words against the Sultan of Perak.(malaysiakini)

As dinner was about to start, Karpal’s eldest son, 39 year old Jagdeep Singh Deo, paid his dad a heart-warming tribute, glorifying the former for being “courageous, selfless and principled” throughout his entire life.

He spoke of how his father’s struggles – defending the poor and downtrodden and representing them on pro bono basis – had inspired him to become a lawyer and politician.

Guests were reminded of Karpal’s frequent run in with the law – Internal Security Act, two Sedition charges and 103 police reports – which qualifies him to be in the Guiness Books of Records, Jagdeep joked.

He also told stories of the journey the family went through during Karpal’s incarceration in Kamunting detention camp following “Operasi Lallang”, which 106 people, including social and religious activists – detained without trial in 1987.

“He never gives up on justice. He had always persevered. Indeed he stands tallest among all of us,” said Jagdeep as he related how he became a lawyer himself after studying in Australia.

“There is an article which says that dad chose to be an ‘Uncommon Man’. I beg to differ. He did not choose it, he was born to be one,” he added, with a huge applause from the crowd.

As the night progressed, Karpal received many gifts, one being a large photo of him framed in gold, which Komtar assemblyperson Ng Wei Aik proudly showed reporters waiting to cover the event.

The guests, who remained chirpy until the party ended, were entertained by various performances, including Indian and Western classical music by AkashaMalaysia, a five-piece band.

I met MP for Ipoh Barat M. Kulasegaran, and didn’t know that we such a bubbly friendly guy and funny, too.

A 20 minute documentary featuring Karpal’s life and achievements in law and politics led everyone, especially his comrades, down memory lane, as they were reminded of each and every struggle, which he faced courageously together with the DAP.

Highlight of the night must be the charming show put up by Karpal’s grandchildren, who performed two songs for their illustrious dadajee.

The night ended with several of Karpal’s university mates from Malaysia and Singapore belting out the song “A jolly good fella” which saw him pleasantly pleased and happy.

During his brief speech before the party ended at 12 midnight, Karpal spoke lovingly about his spouse, who had faithfully stood beside him, through thick and thin, while journeying with him through the various trials and tribulations which marked his colorful life.

“Indeed she is beautiful and I pursued her. I could not have gone through life without her,” he said, later adding that he had also suffered and enjoyed much with his DAP colleagues.

He also spoke about his close comrade Lim Kit Siang and his son Guan Eng, saying the former was actually “the de facto chief minister of Penang”.

He spoke to Dr. Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, calling her the ‘wife of the future prime minister of Malaysia’ and asked her to ensure that her husband (Anwar Ibrahim) manages the country well politically and legally (LOL).

Anwar was absent due to prior engagement. Karpal assured her that he will seek justice for Anwar, who will be vindicated, if not by court of law, by the ‘court of public opinion’.

At the end of his speech, Karpal invited everyone to look forward to his 80th birthday. The tiger, like the awesome oil painting above the reception desk leading to the ballroom, is not going to give up that easily.

‘Giving up’ is simply just not in his blood. Remember, he has the Altantuya dad’s RM100 million case against the government, Abdul Razak Baginda and the two policemen appealing their death penalty sentence for killing the Mongolian lady in 2006.

“We will meet again when I am 80, with the support of everyone, I will be able to drag along until then,” he said, while someone in the crowd shouted “more, more”.

He then performed a Chinese “Peach bun” ceremony, also known as birthday bun, to signify good health and longevity.

During the ritual, his sons – Jagdeep and Gobind – fed their father with the pink colored buns, as if to remind everyone that the Tiger of Jelutong must never be left hungry, for none can withstand his roar, until justice is served.

Lets pray that Karpal will indeed roar for many, many more years to come.
(ENDS).

Teoh Beng Hock visits Penang Speakers Square

Teoh Beng Hock was among us, at the Penang Speakers Square last night.

I return home about 10.30pm to file my story. Was dissapointed that it was reduced to a minor link. So thought I highlight it “HERE”.

It didn’t quite happen at the exact square as nearby there was a movie showing on one of those big wide screens, courtesy of the Heritage celebrations.

So the gathering moved to the road side, facing the sea, the mainland is but a dim row of hills.

I wish it was more of a peoples gathering than one about DAP. Even if it were more a Pakatan Rakyat thing would also be good. But there were hardly any PKR or PAS people. 

Perhaps I didnt recognise many. I saw Pantai Jerejak YB Sim Tze Tsin (did not speak) and PAS Ramlah Bee Asiahoo, who spoke rousingly, calling Teoh “a Malaysian son”; “a hero” and “a freedom fighter”. Wow.

Many of the uncle and aunties who usually frequent the Speakers Square on Sunday attended Teoh’s event too, carrying candles like everyone else, shouting slogans, listening attentively to the speeches.

A group of young people, whom I recognised as the USM student progressive front, and Suaram, were among the crowd, chanting slogans whenever they felt like it.

The cool night was full of warmth from the candle light and people’s solidarity, but heavy with sympathy.

Even the SBs seem to be blending with the crowd, as they always do anyway.

When the candles were line-up on the street, I felt it was a reminder that the road to freedom and justice was long and windy, marked by fire and brimstones, littered with blood.

We know Baginda is ‘innocent’.

From Malaysiakini:
“He (Abdul Razak Baginda) is a scapegoat, he has nothing to do with this matter,” said (PI) Balasubramaniam, in a press conference held on Monday at Holiday Villa, Leinster Gardens in London today.

So this explains why Baginda’s wife went quite hysterical in court one day during the trial and said: “Why charge my husband? He does not want to be prime minister!”

But didn’t we all know that already? That Baginda IS innocent?

Catch Lim Guan Eng @ these spots tomorrow, Jul 7

Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng is going to walk about tomorrow to mark the second anniversary of George Town as a Unesco Heritage site. His programme include:

(1) 8.30 am, Municipal Council, Jalan Padang Kota Lama;

He’s taking a trishaw tour from the MPPP building (officiating the Trea-Saw Hunt) to the Court House (9.45am); 1, Lebuh Penang (Leon Lim “The Last Chair” exhibitio) (10.15am); 29, China Street (10.30am) – “Parting Shot” oby Sharon Cheah; Stewart Lane (“Dream Ficus” by Fuan Wong) (11.05am); Transfer Road (Project “Marking George Town”) (11.25am); Transfer Road/ Lebuh Clark (Mosaic art) (11.50am); Lebuh Carnarvon/ Warisan Dunia office / “ Greening George Town” – official ceremony/ exhibition (12.20am); Refreshments – Armenian Street: Yap Kongsi (1.00am).

3. UNFORGETTABLE GEORGE TOWN NIGHT – STREET CELEBRATION (5.30pm) – Teow Chew Association, Chulia Street;

4. Armenian Street (Yap Kongsi) lunch (1.00pm)

5. UNFORGETTABLE GEORGE TOWN NIGHT – STREET CELEBRATION (Governor will attend) (5.50pm) – eochew Association, Lebuh Chulia;

6. CLOSING CEREMONY – 9.00pm – Padang Kota Lama.

Why should M’sians support & pray for Yong?

Malaysiakini did a good job with this video!

It’s not just a matter of compassion – a young man, poor, in wrong company, druggie, etc – it is also a matter of legal rights, of executive interference in the courts, and about our rights as citizens and Malaysia’s responsibility to protect its citizens.

22 year old Yong Vui Kong, could be anyone or everyone. Read his story here.

WHY is Malaysia not intervening in this case of young Yong Vui Kong on death row in SIngapore? Is it because there is no political mileage for them in it. Or is it because it is Singapore?

“Malaysians, I am sad to say do not get the right treatment, not like Filipinos, Indonesians….” Ravi, the lawyer said. Isn’t that staggering?

Malaysia has in the past intervened in cases outside the country, for example, the case of a young university science graduate from a poor Malaysian family of rice farmers, Umi Azlim Mohamad Lazim, 24.

Am I missing something here?

CNN, bad journalism, and Anwar’s apology tour.

Joshua Treviño sezs:

I’ll be blunt: this is what a good rolling of a major media outlet looks like. Whomever Anwar has hired to do his U.S. public relations clearly has solid media contacts, particularly in CNN proper. The charade doesn’t just extend to omitting Anwar’s excursion into Jew-baiting — it permeates the entire piece, from the narrator declaring that the politician “Fight[s] on no matter what the odds,” to a narrow focus on the martyr-narrative surrounding his sodomy trials, to ludicrous revisionism on the 2008 Malaysian elections. On the latter, CNN’s narrator intones, “Most believed Ibrahim’s political career was over, but in the 2008 elections, he led Malaysian opposition parties to historic gains.” Of course, inside Malaysia itself, the ‘08 elections were widely regarded as a tremendous failure for Anwar, after he publicly guaranteed he would form a government, and then did not. (It was also during these elections, the reader must be reminded — as CNN won’t do it — that Anwar told Islam Online that he had “evidence proving that the government is backing the Jewish lobby in the U.S. and some parties inside Israel.”)

Read the REST here and tell me what you think.

BN prepares itself to become THE opposition.

When I read this story, I get the feeling, that indeed snap polls would be snapping soon:

MUHYI says that BN should start to act like the opposition. Is that an order? Is the BN bracing itself for the ultimate downfall: losing Putrajaya? We do not think it could be so soon. But Muhyi obviously thinks so.

“We must be like the opposition. If you think you are the government then you act like the government. If you think opposition then you are willing to make sacrifices and face the challenge,” he said (malaysianinsider).

Do you think BN would make a good opposition?