Re-diagnosing Malaysia's cancer

Fifty-three years since independence, Malaysia is fighting a losing battle against the R-cancer. It is also not responding to the cancer radiation programme known as 1Malaysia. Instead this rehabilitation programme has worsened the cancer. R refers to racism that has been permeating into the society through various levels.

What makes it more malignant than the rest is that it is being led by people who are along the corridors of power, entrusted to lead and raise a new generation.

This cancer is worsening as the physicians (read politicians) do not treat Malaysia of its cancer. Instead the physicians are turning up as catalyst to spread racism.

When physicians turn cancer catalysts
An example of this is the meeting between Home Minister Hishammuddin Tun Hussein with the cow-head protesters. Yet as home minister he still has the tenacity to tell Malaysians not to incite racism.

In recent times, there are several cases already that have debunked Education Minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s half-past six suggestion for a task force to investigate the case involving school principals.

Muhyiddin’s call for a task force is definitely a half-past-six measure as police reports have been lodged against the principal. By calling for the formation of a task force, he simply is dismissing police investigations.

These incidents cannot be “isolated” as said by Koh Tsu Koon if the culprits are school principals and teachers.

In identifying this cancer, many symptoms have been misdiagnosed.

The education system has, by and large, been overlooked as the contents are lop-sided. The minority race groups can understand the sensitivities of the majority but not vice-versa.

Education over-emphasises on the majority without paying due attention to the minority races. For instance, freedom fighter Sybil Karthigesu is a misnomer. Secondary schoolchildren are unaware of this freedom fighter’s contribution in Perak.

Religion and cultural aspects of Malaysian minorities are taught like a footnote from a chapter.

There are also certain individuals and media who make racial allegations but are let loose by the authorities.

They act as catalyst through their own mediums. A national Malay daily continuously ensures that the cancer blooms at various body parts of Malaysia.

Despite being “Malaysia’s Messenger”, it gives prominence to certain colourful characters that openly endorse racial supremacy and contradicts the 1Malaysia treatment programme and belittles the minorities of a multiracial Malaysia.

To add salt to injury, racial groups have sprouted up like laryngeal cancer to further worsen Malaysia’s health.

In the spirit of Merdeka, the above-mentioned catalysts must be stopped. Various other cancer eradication programmes, apart from 1Malaysia radiation programe, by all levels of society are also needed.

(As published by Free Malaysia Today on Independence Day 2010

Persoalan perundangan dan hiburan berkaitan 'Allah'

Umum kini dimaklumkan perihal fatwa yang mengharamkan penggunaan kalimah Allah oleh golongan bukan Islam.

Dalam perkembangan terbaru, Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz mengumumkan 'Allah' boleh digunakan di Wilayah Persekutuan, Pulau Pinang, Sabah dan Sarawak.

Yang menariknya, meskipun lampu hijau terhadap penggunaan 'Allah' telah pun diumumkan, fatwa yang melarang penggunaan kalimah ini oleh golongan bukan Islam tetap wujud.

Mengapa fatwa dirujuk untuk mengekang penggunaan nama 'Allah' sedangkan fatwa yang diumumkan Majlis Fatwa Negara hanya boleh digunapakai terhadap rakyat beragama Islam?

Masyarakat bukan Islam tidak dibendung undang-undang syariah tetapi oleh undang-undang sivil.

Jika sekalipun fatwa dijadikan enakmen di negeri -negeri yang bersultan, enakmen itu akan menjadi enakmen syariah.

Selain itu, terdapat satu lagi persoalan yang akan timbul sekiranya pengharaman penggunaan kalimah di kalangan bukan Islam dikuatkuasakan.

Lagu Hindustan ini umpamanya menggunakan kalimah ‘SubhanAllah.

Adakah ini bermakna lagu ini boleh dinyanyikan oleh masyarakat Islam semata-mata?

Adakah pihak berkuasa akan menapis bahagian lagu tersebut?

Jika sekalipun tapisan dibuat, lagu tersebut masih boleh diperoleh dari laman sesawang seperti Youtube.

Harus diingati juga penapisan atau pengharaman hasil ini akan turut menggalakkan kegiatan cetak rompak.

ISA is abusive

The Internal Security Act cannot be used as a pre-emptive strike weapon to whomever that the state sees as a threat.

Technically the Federal Constitution is subservient to the ISA as legislators willingly molested the Federal Constitution.

What shocks me even more than that is the authorities unwillingness to release a ISA detainee simply because he can’t sing Negaraku. Its ridiculous.

Oddly enough the Singaporean terror suspect, Mas Selamat Kastari, happens to be more comfortable in detention under Malaysia’s ISA rather than the Singaporean one.

Doesn’t this prove that the government is holding on to false premises that is irrelevant to current times.

Hence, instead of getting more feedback from the so called public, it is best that the government provide the bite for Suhakam and implement their recommendations as a first step.

63rd MIC AGM

Sept 13 and 14 2009 would be forever hatched in my mind as I covered the first party elections as a journalist. It was the MIC elections.

The first thing that struck me as I entered the hall in PWTC is the large number of beautiful women who were clearly lobbying delegates to vote in favor of deputy presidential candidate S Subramaniam.

The party itself is 63 years hence I was surprised to see MIC president S Samy Vellu playing the role akin to a teacher as he personally ensured that no one apart from delegates were in the hall after Prime Minister Naji Razak officially opened the the party’s annual general assembly. I mean, for a president who leads a 63 years old party it definitely says a lot about the type of members that the party have.

An observation that I made on day two revealed that grass root leaders are unaware of national issues and vice versa. Similarly I also found out that certain grass root leaders are unaware of what is happening in their localities. This is something detrimental that needs to be arrested immediately if MIC is ever interested of achieving their KPI which is regaining the Indian community support.



I also had a chat with deputy Puteri MIC chief, Mrs Shaila Nair Vell Paari (see above with husband, S Vel Paari) who comes across as a friendly person.

She promoted her event management company as the company to contact if I were to settle down. In response I told her that as a Puteri MIC she should organise Cupid Club a la MCA so that I can meet someone as I am currently single, available and not having much time to spare.

Campaign for change in the MIC polls

US President Barack Obama got into White House after campaigning for change. After being elected on Nov 4, 2008 he was sworn in Jan 20 2009.

His campaign not only made Americans want to believe in change. The whole world believed that change can be brought upon for the betterment of the society.

His campaign for change ‘bug’ has infected the MIC party polls. The party polls would take place on September 12, 2008.

All three deputy president candidates - incumbent, G Palanivel, former deputy president, S Subramaniam and current vice president S Sothinathan, are all campaigning for change.

They have also raised their stakes into the cyberspace. Apart from the party president’s candidate, the other two have websites. Sothinathan’s campaign site can be seen viewed here whereas Subramaniam’s site is here.

The Tamil press highlighted the fact that party president S Samy Vellu is also chanting the change mantra to ensure his preferred one - Palanivel - to win this three cornered tussle.

My question therefore, are simple.

If change is so important to MIC, why didn’t Samy step down to make way for newer crop of leaders to helm the party?

If Palanivel and Subra want change, why did not they execute the change after becoming deputy president at different point of time?

What rebranding exercise is MIC looking at if they can’t even bring the new generation of leaders to helm the party.

Another point to be noted is the fact that, Sothinathan and Palanivel lost in the March 2008 elections, whereas Subra was not listed as a candidate.

As such, how can they bring about change to the community without having the power to execute?

Reviewing the Indian community empowerment dream

Hindraf activist and Human Rights Party pro - tem secretary general, P Uthayakumar’s book is the first to be under scrutiny.

Going by its title, there appears to be a huge masterplan laid by Uthayakumar in his 109 pages of English and Tamil bilingual book.

For a book with a grand plan title I am disappointed that the author only has one point to empower the Indian community politically.

Gerry - mandering appears to be sole tool towards political empowerment.

The book also took a jibe at DAP for not standing up for the Indians. I remember speaking to the author prior to his trip to London. He said that HRP would be filling the void of an Indian party in the opposition front. It makes me wonder how HRP is going to fill the void of an Indian based opposition if it continues to take pot shots at its future allies.

Also going by its current issues against the interest of HRP, would the party see the dawn of 2012-2013 when Malaysia once again holds a general election?

On the cow head protests

I pity the Islamic faith and my Muslim brothers in light with the actions by a minority few Muslims who protested the moving of a temple to Section 23.

Their actions would create a negative perception of the Muslims in general and the Islamic faith itself.

Worse still, they did it after Friday prayer session during Ramadan.

The video of their short mindedness can be seen here.

Based on my rather limited understanding on fasting in the Muslim faith, I dare say that in conducting the way they did, they have broken their fast.

I wonder what Selangor Exco for Muslim affairs, Hassan Ali would do over this?

Would he get authorities to arrest these Muslims who have erred in fasting?