Ramadan Mubarak 1429H

Kepada semua muslimin dan muslimat izinkan saya mengucapkan selamat menjalani ibadah berpuasa.

Semoga ramadan kali ini adalah lebih baik daripada ramadan-ramadan kita yang terdahulu.

Insya Allah.



(Pic: Islam Online)

Pengerusi MARA: On Management & Mindset Change

In his new weblog named Inside INSEAD, concerning management and mindset change and its relation to politics, Idris Jusoh, the new Chairman of MARA said the following;

Often times, indicators of success in politics are difficult to quantify. By the time the voting results are out, it could probably be too late. Therefore sets of KPIs need to be identified as a controlling mechanism. Strategies that are crafted must be flexible enough to accommodate changes that occur everyday, hence the need for a good change management program. Perhaps of all these challenges, the biggest challenge could be the challenge to change the mindset of the people. I have made this, mind set change, as my biggest struggle as a leader. Read more his view here.

And as the chairman of UMNO's Recovery Plan Committee I am sure we will be hearing more from the man from time to time.

Will there be mindset changes in UMNO too or will they stay jurassic instead? The responsibilities rest upon its members and their will to change for the betterment of the country and its people. They will have a chance at it come this December.

Merdeka!

Selamat Menyambut Hari Kemerdekaan ke 51. And yes, we obtained independence on 31st August 1957 (not before or after), period. 51 years and counting.

In the words of Tunku, "...mencapai kemerdekaan adalah lebih senang daripada mengekalkannya..." May God give us strength and wisdom to ensure that we remain as "bangsa merdeka" for many years to come.

God bless us all!

Merdeka!

That Deadly Tai-Chi (3)

Who said Paklah is losing it?

"Saya tidak akan membenarkan gangguan ini diteruskan.

"Saya tidak akan membenarkan mandat rakyat dirampas daripada parti BN yang telah menang majoriti pilihanraya umum secara sah dan mengikut lunas demokrasi," kata Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi di hujung ucapan 90 minit di Dewan Rakyat petang ini.

Tambahnya, kerajaan pimpinannya "tidak akan membazirkan masa lagi dengan ugutan-uguran golongan oportunis untuk merampas mandat rakyat melalui cara-cara yang tidak demokratik."

Read more Malaysiakini PM bidas Anwar: Kita tidak mau layan 'ugutan oportunis'

Don't you just like all the sounds coming from this guy today? Where was he all this while? I like this particular part especially;

"Rakyat tidak akan dimakmurkan dan negara tidak dapat dibangunkan hanya dengan retorik politik. Budaya berpolitik yang keterlaluan merugikan kita, malah menjejaskan kemakmuran negara," katanya.

If only he would walk the talk. Read also NST's DEWAN DISPATCHES: Don’t laugh! It’s looks and feels like a ‘general election’ budget...

Updated

The other side sudah kena tai-chi? They are calling it "fundamentally flawed", "cling-on to power budget" and so forth. Two can play at the same game, kan? Takkan you all saja yang hendak jadi popular? Orang Kedah kata "tak aci-lah macam tu". Paklah pun teringin nak popular jugak. Hebat lagi tai-chi Paklah ni sebenarnya!

Further reading:-

• Deadly Tai-Chi (1)
• Deadly Tai-Chi (2)
  

Kata orang dulu-dulu...

...."bagai menarik rambut dalam tepung, rambut janganlah putus tepung pula janganlah berserakkan!"

Indah sekali kiasan kata tersebut. Bukan hiasan kata semata-mata. Nasihatnya jelas. Dalam merungkaikan masalah janganlah kita porak-perandakan yang berkaitan. Dalam menyelamatkan sesuatu jangan kita korbankan yang lain. Lakukannya dengan berhati-hati.

Tiada masalah yang tidak boleh diselesaikan selagi ianya buatan manusia. Kena cara dan kena gayanya terungkailah segala permasalahan. Teladan zaman yang lepas jangan kita tolak ketepi. Iktibar peristiwa dahulu kita jadikan pengajaran. "Bagai menarik tali jala, di rasa tegang dikendurkan, rasa kendur ditegangkan."

"Air orang disauk, ranting orang dipatah, adat orang diturut" nescaya negeri tidak huru-hara. "Adat yang kawi, syarak yang lazim" kata orang dulu-dulu lagi. Undang-undang dan kanun mereka kiaskan.

Orang dulu-dulu berkias lagi, "Ada padi semua kerja jadi, ada beras semua kerja deras". Itu soal ekonomi!

Orang dulu-dulu memang ramai yang bijak pandai. Bahasa jiwa bangsa. Mereka berkias, berpantun dan bergurindam. Mesejnya sampai, anak mengikut kata, taat dan setia sehingga ke cucu-cicit aman bahagia.

Jadi nobatkan agama, perjuangkan bangsa, perkukuhkan negara.

Bak kata orang "dari kita tegak bertimpuh, baik kita rebah merempuh!"

No bags, big envelopes or handphones please, ...

...we are the Perak Excos!

"When they enter the office of an exco member, they are not allowed to bring in their bags, big envelopes or handphones," he said, adding that the personal assistants would keep the items for safekeeping until the visitors left the office.

Nga said the state government had to enforce the new security measures in view of the recent corruption allegations faced by exco members Jamaluddin Mohd Radzi and Mohd Osman Mohd Jailu.

I read about that in here just now.

Now, what's this all about-lah pulak? Drama apa pulak ni? Entrapment prevention? Come on-lah! It's like putting a sign in front of the new Opposition leader's office in parliament that says, "No cute boys, Ezam or Nallakarupan allowed!" That does not sound right, is it not? Why must you sound and act so defensive?

And please, please, please don't tell me that this is a preview of what the defences will be for the two Excos when the case is heard in court later on. They'll get fried by the DPPs I tell you. And if the Perak state govt thinks that this latest antics is going to be their defence in the court of public opinion, they better think again.

Back to the "important security measure" (borrowing the words of YB Nga himself) stunt, is it the people or yourself that you don't trust YBs?

Anwar's swearing-in ceremony

Courtesy of no2umno blog. By the way, uncle Kit is not happy with shabery with regard to RTM's "supposed" telecast of the same this morning, read here. Don't worry so much Uncle Kit, we have the net nowadays, not like those days....so chill, will ya!

# Updated!

Just google away! # Unless it's "Google, go away!" (as per Rocky's Bru) policy now?

What about them sour grapes? Just let them be, not worth it!

Lost In Translation

What the PM said, read Don't Misinterpret Permatang Pauh By-election's Result, Says Abdullah

"What happened in Permatang Pauh was not something so big as to change the situation that exists after the last general election.

"The Permatang Pauh by-election is one by-election that cannot be interpreted as something that can happen in other constituencies. I believe we can still continue the government," Abdullah, who is also BN chairman, told reporters after sending off Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah at the Senai Airport here Wednesday.

As if the voice of reason above is not enough, this has to come out from his Minister of Information (another Captain Obvious in the making?), read Parliament: Don’t be upset, Barisan told;

“It cannot be at all perceived to be a threat to the Barisan federal government,” he told reporters at the Parliament lobby here on Wednesday.

Ahmad Shabery claimed that Umno had actually expected for Anwar to win in the by-election with an even bigger majority than the one recorded on Tuesday night.

Seriously I feel so lost now. I just can't fathom the depth and the workings of their intellects anymore. It has becoming an enigma to me. What does it take for the PM and his men to take cognizance and acknowledge the clear writing on the wall?

Quit the politicking, conjure up solution (not another no-it-is-not-a-conspiracy-thingy, not another transition-whatever-plan, not another sumpah-sesumpah session, not those kind of things) and work it! Make haste......for the end is near!

(The following is from the poem "The Run Upon The Bankers" - Jonathan Swift)

A baited banker thus desponds,
From his own hand foresees his fall,
They have his soul, who have his bonds;
'Tis like the writing on the wall,

Another signal; much clearer and louder!

Firstly, congrats to the eventual winner, the official elected parliamentarian for P44 Permatang Pauh. To borrow the words of kickdafella here, the fella has done it "in style!"

With a bigger majority this time around, it is another slap in the face of the top leaders of the ruling party. I guess no burial ceremony for Anwar Ibrahim's political career, huh? Not as what have been trumpeted arrogantly by the son in law few days back.

What's interesting from tonight's result is this, permit me to quote here an excerpt of kickdafella's posting of the above.

"Arif Shah LOST The Votes from State Assembly Area of Seberang Jaya where he is the ADUN with majority almost 4,000 votes. (8.55pm)"

Now, what does that tell you? It is not so much a signal to Arif Shah. He's already a "dead man walking" when he accepted the task to challenge Anwar. The lost of votes in his so called stronghold is a preview of what may come in the next general election if the present leadership of the ruling party and their idea of transition of power in 2010 is to be retained and upheld respectively. Hey, it may well be a signal to the chosen successor himself. As Sakmongkol puts it, Permatang Pauh could well be Najib's Waterloo.

The transition of power idea that was cunningly mooted by Paklah which was gleefully accepted by Najib and was further acknowledged with "standing ovation" by the UMNO's reps few months back is not any more palatable to the common folks, folks who need not to fake allegiance to the Supremo of UMNO.

Tonight another signal has been sent out to UMNO and BN's leaderships, much louder and clearer than it was before. They can't afford to be oblivious of it anymore, not this time around.

Apa yang tinggal setelah terbenam mentari 26 Ogos 2008?

Setelah puas berpesta di Permatang Pauh, 26 Ogos menjelang dan akan pergi akhirnya. Apa yang hampir pasti adalah Anwar Ibrahim akan mempertahankan kerusi yang dimiliki isterinya sebelum ini, hanya keajaiban boleh menghalangnya. Yang pastinya pula Arif Shah akan tetap bergelar ADUN Seberang Jaya dan meneruskan tugas-tugasnya di sana.

Manakala Paklah & Najib akan terus menerajui kerajaan sebagai Perdana Menteri dan Timbalan masing-masing. Para politikus yang kuat bekerja di sana akan pulang ke tempat asal masing-masing dan tetap akan meneruskan perjalanan politik masing-masing seperti sediakala.

Apa yang tinggal untuk kita, rakyat jelata setelah terbenamnya mentari 26 Ogos? Pastinya apa yang akan kita warisi setelah terbenamnya mentari besok adalah:-

1. Semangat kebencian terhadap sesama sendiri yang kian menular hanya kerana anutan fahaman politik yang berbeza yang sedang diternak dan disemai di sana;
2. Kerisauan dan ketakutan yang menghantui minda akibat dijamu dengan hebatnya selama beberapa hari ini dengan kemungkinan-kemungkinan yang menanti jika kita khilaf di dalam memilih teraju negara
3. Keraguan terhadap keikhlasan sesama kita, walaupun telah hidup bersama sebagai masyarakat majmuk berabad lamanya, akibat daripada mainan politik para politikus masing-masing
4. Ketaksuban terhadap anutan politik yang melampau sehingga melanggari batas kemanusian, yang telah mula kembali dan bertapak di dalam sanubari kita
   
5. Kita menjadi penagih konspirasi dan dongengan (yang bertopengkan wadah perjuangan siasah) akibat selama beberapa hari ini dijamu saban hari sebagai makanan ruji minda
   
6. Budaya politik sempit dan tidak beradab yang sebenarnya merupakan budaya songsang melanggar ciri-ciri ketimuran tetapi akan dijaja sebagai sesuatu yang "politically correct".
   
7. Kekalutan undang-undang dan peraturan, walaupun ianya sudah sedia termaktub, akibat manipulasi dan kepentingan perjuangan politik masing-masing
8. Agama diperlekehkan dan ianya menjadi apparatus, mainan dan caturan demi kepentingan peribadi dan kumpulan
9. Menjadi buta (buta hati, mata dan pancaindera) akibat keracunan makanan minda kerana dijamu dengan politik kurang sihat dan tiada zat secara langsung dan terus-menerus selama 10 hari dari Permatang Pauh.
   

Inilah debu peperangan dan cebisan pertarungan nahtijah pilihanraya kecil P44. Ianya akan terus menghantui pemikiran, mencorakkan gaya hidup dan menentukan hala tuju kita, rakyat jelata negara ini.

Siapa yang akan menang besok di Permatang Pauh masih belum terjawab, walaupun ada calon "favourite", hakikatnya ianya masih terletak atas di mana pangkahan kertas undi para pengundi besok.

Namun begitu siapa yang kalah telahpun ditentukan sebaik sahaja hari penamaan calon yang lalu. Siapa lagi kalau bukan diri kita sendiri, rakyat jelata negara yang merdeka ini.

The New DAP National Vice Chairman

He wrote recently in the NST, 27th July 2008 to be exact;

IT seems to me that Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is suffering from paranoid delusions. His preoccupation with what he sees as political conspiracy against him is doing his reputation and credibility, such as it is, enormous damage. To compound the growing cynicism about his version of events, he has not, to date, been able to produce any verifiable evidence to support his contention.

he ended the article with this;

We are all getting a little sick and tired of the "Anwar factor" that is turning out to be an absolutely unnecessary distraction at a time when we need to get on with our lives. Read more here

That was then, today (not even a month after the above) he is already an ally I supposed, although many inferences can be made on why he did not choose other Pakatan Rakyat's coalition partners based on his past writings such as the above.

Well, that's politics, huh!

He also have this to say about bloggers. The following is an excerpt of the said article;

What all this has done is to allow the bloggers -- the overwhelming majority of whom, sadly, are adventurers of sorts -- to set themselves up as the sole purveyors of truth.

and ended the article with this;

And, while you are pondering the appropriate course of action to adopt to put matters right in our society, do come up with something imaginative to prove to all the sceptics out there that the bloggers, in spite of their claims, do not hold a copyright on truth.

Oh, he also touched on the MSM where he has this to say;

It is not surprising that there are people who believe columnists are told what and how to write and that this is subject to censorship.

When I was invited to write this column two years ago, I asked if there were editorial restrictions on what I could write.

There were none, I was assured, except that if there were anything that could possibly be considered or construed as libellous, an article would be rejected. Media sceptics choose what they want to believe, but that is their right.

In the two years I have been writing, every Sunday without fail, I have only had two articles withdrawn for legal reasons, and I am grateful to the editors for educating me in pitfalls of the laws of libel.

If that is censorship, then I am all for more of the same. It is in honouring the rules and laws that govern the members of a profession that they will be able to conduct their work in an orderly and ethical manner.

This is what ultimately sets the mainstream media practitioners apart from the rest. This is the difference between a code of practice and the law of the jungle that seems to dominate cyber-space.

If you like you can read more of his article entitled TUNKU ABDUL AZIZ: The truth about bloggers. I foresee a lot of political gymnastic coming from the DAP and its ally concerning the new NVC of DAP's past writings and thoughts. Or will they brushed it off just like that and give reasons such as "that's the past, not relevant!" and so on & so forth?

Double Treble!

My heartiest congratulation to the Kedah football team for achieving the historical "double treble" of Malaysian football by beating the Selangor team 3-2 just now.

Yes, they are currently the FA Cup champ, League champ and now the Malaysia Cup champ. And they have done it two years in a row now.

Being a "small time" ex-footballer myself, ages ago during my school days in Kuala Kangsar, I do follow footballs and at one time I did follow Malaysian footballs. I am a Kedahan and I followed the Kedah team closely during my "playing days" in the late 80s and early 90s. Wow! I sounded like a pro, "playing days" and all. Hahaha!

Hey! I did quite alright-lah, winning the Perak Schools Championship twice, in 1986 with MCKK (under 15) and 1988 with the Kuala Kangsar district team (under 17). As an MCKK player, I was with the team that was the district champions in 1986, 1988 and 1989. Haha! Enough of that! School level football pun mau cerita ka??!

Back to Malaysian football. I remember how frustrated I was when Kedah failed to win the Malaysia Cup finals thrice in a row (1988, 1989 & 1990,) beaten by Kuala Lumpur (WP) in all finals. Only in 1991 did they win their first final beating Singapore 3-1 if I'm not mistaken. Then came the "rasuah bola" era. And Kedah footballs fade away with it. That was when I stopped following Malaysian football.

"Rasuah" kills! Our local football succumbed to it. As a result of of that era (1994), we have lost a lot of talented footballers, some were quality national players. They were banned for life from football, local and international. Our national team during that time was badly affected by it.

I guess we never recover from it. We do need a miracle now to catch up with the big boys of international football. And it will be eon before we see our national team playing in the world cup judging from the quality of play during the final of Malaysia Cup just now, I am sorry to say.

Harga Minyak Turun! Hooray.....

Petrol Price Reduced To RM2.55 Saturday

PUTRAJAYA, Aug 22 (Bernama) -- Retail petrol price of RON97 has been reduced by 15 sen to RM2.55 per litre while retail diesel price reduced by eight sen to RM2.50 per litre effective tomorrow, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi announced here, Friday.

-- BERNAMA

Read also Malaysiakini here

Undilah Barisan Nasional! Hahaha... okaylah, terimakasih paklah! Anda begitu "prihatin semenjak-dua menjak" ini. Terimakasih!!

Now I can afford to buy that Jaguar!

Updated!

Go read Melvin Mah's blog entry here to get a better angle on this latest move by paklah & co.

The "little engine" that could

# A little railroad engine was employed about a station yard for such work as it was built for, pulling a few cars on and off the switches. One morning it was waiting for the next call when a long train of freight-cars asked a large engine in the roundhouse to take it over the hill "I can't; that is too much a pull for me," said the great engine built for hard work. Then the train asked another engine, and another, only to hear excuses and be refused.

In desperation, the train asked the little switch engine to draw it up the grade and down on the other side. "I think I can," puffed the little locomotive, and put itself in front of the great heavy train. As it went on the little engine kept bravely puffing faster and faster, "I think I can, I think I can, I think I can."

As it neared the top of the grade, which had so discouraged the larger engines, it went more slowly. However, it still kept saying, "I--think--I--can, I--think--I--can." It reached the top by drawing out bravery and then went on down the grade, congratulating itself by saying, "I thought I could, I thought I could."

Read more of Sakmongkol's blog entry here and BigDog's piece here.

Just when Arif Shah and the BN thought that they were doing 'alright' (as the underdogs) in Permatang Pauh by-election campaign, huh?

If the spin-masters of BN think that story and pics of the PM taking the train ride, (all of a sudden) getting hands-on with regard the common people's problem is one excellent tool for their by-election campaign, they better think again.

(#The Little Engine That Could by Watty Piper, Malaysiakini & Pic: The Star Online)

Paradoks Sang Politikus

Sementara itu, Anwar pada sidang akhbar di Taman Cermai, Permatang Pauh dekat sini semalam, menafikan 'beliau berbisik' dengan Tsu Koon mengenai perkara itu.

Beliau berkata, perkara itu tidak perlu dibangkitkan kerana sudah berlaku 12 tahun lepas dan merupakan isu Pusat serta tidak patut dijadikan isu pada pilihan raya kecil Permatang Pauh.

baca lagi di sini.

Seorang manusia yang sukar difahami? Penuh dengan teka-teki bukan? Bolehkah anda memahami kenyataan-kenyataannya di atas? Isu beliau memberikan arahan kepada Koh Tsu Koon berkenaan Business-Focus-SB-yang-bukan-kroni-Anwar itu tidak relevan katanya, kerana:

1. Ianya sudah berlaku 12 tahun lepas
2. Merupakan isu Pusat serta tidak patut dijadikan isu pada pilihan raya kecil Permatang Pauh

12 tahun lepas tidak relevan? Tetapi 10 tahun lepas pula masih releven? 1998 itu amat-amat relevan? November 1993 pula jangan langsung dibangkitkan, tidak releven sama-sekali?

Arakian isu-isu yang ditimbulkan akibat tindakan manusia yang dipanggil beliau "mahazalim" contohnya terhadap institusi kehakiman berpuluh-puluh tahun lepas pula masih releven dan mesti diteriakkan senantiasa?

Sang politikus pun terjunlah dengan labu-labunya, biarkan, biarkan.....

Isu pusat? Isu pilihanraya kecil? Hendak menjadi Perdana Menteri 16hb September bukan isu pusat? "Dari Permatang Pauh Menuju Putrajaya!" hanya isu Permatang Pauh, bukan isu pusat? Sang politikus saya percaya lebih bijak dari itu, lebih matang dari itu untuk gunakan alasan sebegini bukan? Apakah "Merdekakan rakyat daripada korupsi" hanya satu "isu pilihanraya kecil" Permatang Pauh, hanya isu bagi orang Seberang Jaya dan Permatang Rawa sahaja?

Adakah dengan mencanangkan dan mengheret orang asing ke kancah politik negara dan menguar-uarkan bahawa kita telah mendapat sokongan dan endorsmen pemimpin-pemimpin negara luar hanya ada kena mengena dengan masyarakat setempat di Kampung Permatang Janggus, Penanti, Flat Taman Haji Md Amin dan Kampung Tanah Liat di Permatang Pauh semata-mata, bukan isu pusat?

Sang politikus pun terjunlah dengan labu-labunya, biarkan, biarkan.....

Gaining a parliamentary seat but losing one whole state in the process?

With the latest development in Perak, it now seems that the Pakatan Rakyat is about to face the downside of being involved too much in their plan to bring Anwar Ibrahim to parliament. The above news and stories going around on the 2 exco members arrested (read more here and here) for the alleged graft offense is no small matter.

There will be ripple effects on to the campaign of "Merdekakan-Malaysia-from-all-imaginable-ills" currently played up in Permatang Pauh. This should not be taken lightly by the Pakatan coalition. It may not in time turn into a tsunami, but there is possibility that it could turn into a political typhoon at the very least, maybe not in Penang but in Perak instead. It may not cost them the parliamentary seat now in contention but they could end up losing one whole other state in the process at the end.

The arrests made hit them where it hurt the most. One of their core struggle that is to liberate the nation from graft practices which made Pakatan Rakyat came out smelling like roses during the last general election now smells more like rotten eggs.

The idea that they are the chosen one to eradicate the social ills that they say originated from UMNO and BN's rule over the years are now like a boomerang whirling out of nowhere hitting back at them right between the eyes. It's true that you are innocent until proven guilty but in politics it's all about perception. And perception wise, when 2 of your state exco members are arrested for allegedly accepting bribes, the view is not exactly going to be lovely from where the people is standing.

The immediate claims by PKR and Pakatan Rakyat's leaders that the ACA's action is politically motivated would not do them any good. In fact it makes people to see more and more what Pakatan Rakyat is all about. To play the same card over and over again when you hit the dirt reveals a lot of what you are made of. Pakatan Perak leaders need to be wiser and display some elements of maturity when facing crisis. The reaction made only goes to show that the pakatan leaders love conspiracy theories and whenever there is an issue cropping out of which they are at the receiving end, they blame it on the other side.

"They plan it all along, it's a conspiracy!" You think the people, especially those in Perak, would buy that this time around?

This time around, do take it like a man, Pakatan Rakyat!

Updated

Response from Husam Musa in his blog "Cetusan Hati",

Dua Exco Perak ditahan reman BPR - ia kes rasuah tulin atau satu agenda politik? Begitu hati saya tertanya. Mesej untuk Permatang Pauh? PKR sama rasuah dengan UMNO dan BN. Mengapa undi Anwar? Read more here.

Another response with the same line of reasoning and defence. Now, it's good to see that, in one hand, the spirit of camaraderie in the pakatan coalition is still intact but then again, on the other hand, was the response made due to the fact and sole reason that the Chief Minister of the state concerned is from PAS?

I am a Muslim first...

"For me, Islam comes first. I am a Muslim first, a party member second. A Muslim first, a lawyer second. A Muslim first, an MP second.

"You attack Islam, I'll be there, even if I have to do it on my own. Whatever it is, Islam comes first," said Zulkifli, looking agitated when asked about the incident at a press conference at the Parliament lobby yesterday.

Read more here.

Penanda Aras "Kemeriahan" ?

Kadang-kadang terasa amat pelik kenapa kita acapkali laungkan slogan seperti "budi-bahasa amalan hidup kita" sedangkan kita sendiri seringkali keliru tentangnya. Kita alpa, kita lupa, kita biarkan diri kita melayar songsang.

Kita gah dan seronok bila kita ada upaya memaki hamun dan menyumpah seranah manusia lain. Kita rasa bertambah terhibur dengan kutukan dan cacian yang kita lontarkan.

Adakah kini maki-hamun dan caci-mencaci sudah menjadi satu penanda aras "kemeriahan"? Lagi menyumpah, lagi meriah? Lagi seranah lagi indah? Lagi menggila, lagi berpesta?

Kita gah menceritanya. Kita bangga melihatnya. Kita berfiesta meraikannya.

Di situkah tempatnya yang dikatakan akan menjadi titik tolak "fajar baru bagi Malaysia"? Di situkah tapaknya yang akan menjadi asas "Perubahan" kepada negara yang lebih baik?

Kalau begitu budi-bahasa dan budaya yang kita tonjolkan, yang kita canangkan, yang kita masyhurkan, yang kita banggakan, yang kita gahkan, mungkin benarlah apa yang sedang berlaku di sana kali ini tidak ubah seperti apa yang berlangsung saban tahun di Pamplona, mungkin hanya sekadar fiesta manusia melawan lembu, tidak lebih dari itu.

Yang kurik itu kendi, yang merah itu saga,
yang cantik itu budi, yang indah itu bahasa.

Realiti Menjelma

Walau banyak manapun harapan kita untuk menyaksikan Lee Chong Wei muncul sebagai pemenang, ianya tetap tidak kesampaian apabila lawannya, Lin Dan, begitu menyerlah di dalam setiap sudut, baik dari segi fizikal dan minda. Hakikatnya Chong Wei telah gagal untuk menyaingi Lin Dan. Itulah realitinya.

Sokongan padu penonton di stadium jelas akan menjadikan mana-mana lawan Lin Dan malam ini kehilangan punca.

Sekarang yang mampu kita laungkan, yang mampu kita teriakkan adalah "Syabas Chong Wei, anda telah melakukan yang terbaik!"

Jika kita boleh mengambil analogi pertembungan pemain no. 1 & 2 dunia malam ini untuk pertembungan 3 penjuru P44 di negara kita ini sendiri, jelas sekali kedua-dua lawan kepada "Lin Dan Permatang Pauh" akan menghadapi tugas yang maha berat.

Berbagai taktik dan strategi ("bersih" ataupun "kotor") boleh dirangka untuk menumbangkan "Lin Dan Permatang Pauh" di "stadiumnya" oleh jurulatih dan pengurus "Chong Wei Permatang Pauh" daripada tarikh penamaan calon tetapi yang paling penting adalah persembahan di "perlawanan akhir" 26hb Ogos nanti yang akan menjadi penentu. Begitulah juga sebaliknya juga untuk "Lin Dan P. Pauh" demi untuk mendakap "kejuaraan" kelak, berbagai strategi dan taktik ("bersih" atau "kotor") boleh dirangka dan pasti digunakan.

Kita sememangnya berharap supaya semuanya "bersih" tetapi seperti yang kita sedia maklum, "all is fair in love and war". Itulah hakikatnya. Setakat mana ianya adalah tidak melanggar undang-undang, mungkin sesuatu yang dianggap sebagai "kotor" oleh kita adalah sesuatu yang "bersih" dan adil oleh pihak lawan, begitu juga sebaliknya. Ianya begitu subjektif.

Daripada segi fizikal dan minda, "Lin Dan" Permatang Pauh sememangnya mendahului pencabar-pencabarnya. Dan jika kita ambil kehadiran penyokong semasa penamaan calon semalam, jelas "stadium" ini milik "Lin Dan Permatang Pauh".

Bolehkah kita menyalah Lin Dan untuk kelihatan "bongkak" (itu hanyalah permainan minda) di dalam perlawanan malam tadi apabila dia sememangnya mempunyai kelasnya yang tersendiri? Bolehkah kita amarah terhadap Lin Dan apabila dia mempamirkan skil dan tahap minda yang terbaik dalam perlawanan tadi?

Begitu juga, bolehkah kita salahkan Chong Wei apabila dia cuba sedaya upaya sehingga ke perlawanan akhir? Bolehkah kita marah jika dia gunakan segala strategi dan taktik yang ada di dalam buku untuk mencapai impiannya walaupun berhadapan dengan "Tugas Herculean"? Wajarkah kita amarah impian murni Chong Wei? Dia berhak untuk menaruh impian.

Sebagai penonton, janganlah pula kita terlebih reaksi, seumpama "lebih sudu dari kuah", tidak kiralah samada kita penyokong Lin Dan ataupun Chong Wei, janganlah kita hancurkan "stadium" demi menyokong pemain harapan kita. Janganlah pula kita bertindak liar di dalam "stadium" sehingga mengganggu "permainan" pemain-pemain harapan kita. Kita boleh bersorak, tidak salah tetapi jangan sampai menjadi kasar dan amuk setiap kali permainan tidak seperti memihak kepada kita.

Sebagai pejuang di dalam sesuatu pertandingan, kedua-dua Lin Dan dan Chong Wei tidak mempunyai pilihan. Bunuh atau dibunuh ("kill or be killed")!

Tetapi tidak kepada kita, penyokong-penyokong pemain-pemain hebat ini. Kita masih ada pilihan lain dan pastinya ianya bukan "kill or be killed".

Hakikatnya Olimpik akan datang lagi pada 2012, begitu juga pilihanraya, paling lewat 2013 pasti akan menjelma semula. Kalah dan menang adalah adat.

Jangan sampai bakar "stadium", ya!

Food for thought

"POLITICAL BRANDING-Perception or Reality"
(By Vincent Lee, STAR Bizweek 16/08/08)
The original article here.

Here it is in a nutshell

1. The opposition is still behaving like an opposition and the Government is as removed from reality as it was before the so-called “shock to the system”.
   
2. Complacency is a recurrent & often fatal condition in politics.
3. Govt should concentrate on ''bread not circuses'' (scandals & rumours) i.e. keep the people's bellies filled.
4. Perceptions become reality as the old guard failed to listen. The last election was not decided by what was badly done, nor not done by the Government, but by what was perceived to be done and not done.
5. Anwar looks good as he played his branding game perfectly.
6. Anwar positioned himself as the CHANGE agent right from the start.
7. Anwar is the brand of hope and an exciting friend. Any mistake he makes will be quickly forgotten or forgiven.
8. Barisan is a mother brand & the nation is really driven by UMNO.
9. For 50 years UMNO has not changed its brand fight.
10. The same brand promise has somewhat relegated that need to no.4 or 5 in order of importance.
11. The top 3 drivers of political change: TRANSPARENCY, CORRUPTION & ECONOMY.
12. Pak Lah should be reformist as promised.
13. Opposition position Pak Lah's brand as soft, slow & sleepy.
14. Pak Lah outperforms Mahathir in areas of judiciary, GLCs & civil service

What do you think?

Impeccable timing

It's the eve of nomination day. Cometh the hour, cometh the man. That's politics. Now, the mudslinging begins. Expect more to come from tomorrow onwards, right up to the eve of the polling day, folks!

Saiful lafaz sumpah laknat di Masjid Wilayah Persekutuan

15/08/2008 6:33pm

KUALA LUMPUR 15 Ogos – Mohd. Saiful Bukhari Azlan hari ini mengotakan janjinya bersumpah mengikut syariat Islam untuk membuktikan kebenaran dakwaan dirinya diliwat oleh Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim di Masjid Wilayah Persekutuan, Jalan Duta di sini pukul 6.30 petang ini.

Dalam upacara yang berlangsung di Dewan Solat Utama masjid berkenaan, Mohd. Saiful, 23, yang berbaju Melayu coklat menghadap kiblat sebelum melafazkan sumpah berikut:

“Saya Mohd. Saiful Bukhari Azlan dengan nama Allah saya bersumpah saya telah diliwat oleh Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim pada 26 Jun 2008 dan pada hari tersebut Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim telah memasukkan zakarnya ke dalam dubur saya.

“Jika saya berdusta dengan perkara ini, saya berdusta dengan Allah S.W.T dan akan dilaknat oleh Allah S.W.T sehingga hari kiamat.”

Read more on the PC held here and here. Watch the video here.

Updated

A predictable reaction from the man on the other side, read Anwar: It's a political gimmick and Anwar dakwa sumpah Saiful gimik politik UMNO

Questioning the timing of the latest "revelations or swearing antic" of his accuser, Anwar Ibrahim was hardly amused. (Malaysiakini)

With that, the boy had just presented Pakatan Rakyat another round of "bullets" for their Permatang Pauh By-Election campaign.

Wolf Pack: Testing the Hierarchy

Let me tell you a story about wolves today.

In a pack of wolves there is always an Alpha male. Something very peculiar about wolves and wolf pack it is that the hierarchy of the pack is always being tested. The hierarchy is never stable. The testing will be done always by the Alpha male himself.

What the alpha male would usually do is to drop a fresh piece of meat on the ground right in front of the others.

He will then move away. Not far, maybe a couple of feet from where the meat is drop.

Then, he watches.

Clearly he is daring the others to take it away or to even sniff at it. He usually doesn’t have to do anything. A glare from him on the others would be more than enough. The most he would do is to make little bit of gestures or movement with his body. He would raise his tail and ears. Make him to look big and fierce, maybe snarl a bit.

That's all.

None would dare to come close to the prize meat or even to have a sniff at it.

Nonetheless, occasionally a fight does break out. A member of the pack suddenly realizes that he has what it takes in him to challenge the alpha male or maybe he just feels hungry and that piece of meat drop by the alpha male sure does look good.

This particular wolf would then make a move for that meat. What happen next is that the wolf leader, the alpha male will attack the least vulnerable parts of the transgressing wolf's body. Yes, alpha male is cunning. That’s why he’s the leader of the pack. He knows what is at stake. He would not maim the other fellow.

No sir.

He must always test the hierarchy but he must do it without jeopardizing the interests, strength and vitality of the pack. He'll then attack the challenger but he knows he must not seriously injure or disfigure a member of his own pack. Certainly not to the extent of killing the transgressing wolf.

You see, the Alpha male needs the others. Wolves are not big animals. He knows, individually a wolf cannot bring down a caribou or even a deer, without help from the pack.

But at the same time, the leader of a wolf pack wants strength on his team. That’s why infrequent displays of aggression are acceptable. It shows the strength and vitality of the entire pack.

The end.

DAP up the ante!

It's getting hot in here. And it's not even nomination day yet! Lim Kit Siang does not oppose to an Islamic State? That's news to me. Good for you YB! Kudos for the understanding and tolerance shown. The timing is impeccable. The followings are excerpts from his latest blog entry:-

• DAP opposed to Islam from the past to the present? Not true. Never. We have Muslims in DAP and could not be anti-Islam.
• What DAP is opposed to is for any breach of the Merdeka social contract that Malaysia was founded be a multi-racial, multi-religious, democratic and secular nation with Islam as the official religion but not an Islamic state.
  

Read LKS's blog entry here.

Change of heart or "short selling" the stocks due to "bearish signals from the market", my dear friend?

He may not mean it as interpreted by my blogger buddy, Ismail N of the above. The sentences in LKS blog entry above, I am sorry to say, is a bit jumbled up. Another way of looking at it is that what he meant to say was "be a multi-racial, multi-religious, democratic and secular nation with Islam as the official religion but not an Islamic state."

Whatever it is, I 'like' the sound of LKS particular blog entry. LKS has showed the way. As I said his timing is impeccable. It's that time again for one to openly profess his or her love towards the other.

Love is in the air!

Tertutup Hati, Tersimpul Mati?

Hubungan Pas, PKR dan DAP `tersimpul mati’

14/08/2008 2:24pm

IPOH 14 Ogos - Naib Presiden Pas, Mohamad Sabu berkata, parti itu akan tetap bersama pakatan pembangkang sambil menyifatkan hubungan Pas dengan Parti Keadilan Rakyat dan DAP telah 'tersimpul mati'.

Katanya, Pas tidak mahu berpisah daripada gabungan pembangkang itu sebaliknya segala masalah yang tercetus dalam pakatan pembangkang akan diselesaikan menerusi konsep musyawarah.

Beliau berkata, kemenangan yang diperoleh Pas semasa pilihan raya umum baru-baru ini adalah atas nama pakatan pembangkang dan kerjasama tersebut akan berterusan sampai bila-bila.

Mohamad berkata demikian semasa merasmikan Muktamar Tahunan Dewan Muslimat Pas Ke-48 di sini, hari ini. - Utusan

Manakala, Naib Presidennya pula dilaporkan berkata seperti di bawah ini;

Nasha: Kenapa tak boleh dekati Umno?

Aug 13, 08 11:40pm-Malaysiakini

Nasharuddin berkata dasar perjuangan PAS yang berpaksikan Islam menuntut dakwah diterapkan kepada semua yang masih belum memahami apa itu Islam yang sebenar.

"Kalau kita boleh bersekutu dengan DAP yang menentang Islam dari dulu sampai sekarang dan dengan PKR, mengapa kita tidak boleh dekati Umno?

"Pimpinan kita mengadakan perjumpaan dengan Umno atas keputusan Syura Ulama, tidak ada yang pergi ambil kesempatan untuk kembungkan poket atau runding kerusi dan jawatan.

"Kita pergi jumpa Umno untuk beritahu mereka syiar Islam sebenar... Islam pun ajar kita supaya berunding, dalam perang pun kalau musuh nak berunding, kita dibenar berunding," katanya.

Perkembangan terkini muktamar PAS kali ini sangat menarik. Keterbukaan kepimpinan dan kematangan dalam memberikan pendapat jelas sekali kelihatan. Perbezaan pendapat juga ketara. Ianya sesuatu yang sihat. Apa yang lebih menarik adalah impak yang akan diterima secara tidak langsung terhadap pilihanraya kecil yang akan berlangsung di "Matang Pauh" kali ini.

Angin yang bertiup lembut dari Ipoh kali ini memang boleh menjadi taufan yang menggegar bila ianya sampai ke kawasan Matang Pauh, kalau Pakatan Rakyat memandang enteng terhadap apa yang sedang berlaku di dalam Muktamar Agung PAS di Ipoh sekarang ini.

Apatah lagi jika "strategi-balas" PR hanyalah sekadar bermain politik picisan dan serangan peribadi yang tidak bertempat, yang tidak releven sama-sekali sebegini!

Orang Matang Pauh saya percaya jauh lebih "matang" untuk menerima bulat-bulat isu-isu sedemikian bila mana wujud isu-isu yang lebih kronik, signifikan dan mempunyai kesan langsung akan "masa depan" lanskap politik negara yang mesti diperjelaskan dengan penuh keikhlasan oleh calon Pakatan Rakyat kali ini.

Piala Monsun Terengganu: Masih Ada Yang Hargai

Bingkasan dan luahan rasa dari Terengganu untuk tatapan semua:

Rakyat Terengganu dulu merasa bangga kerana mereka mampu mengendalikan sukan berprestij peringkat antarabangsa...Monsoon Cup.

Di musim tengkujuh, yg dianggap musim hujan & tidur, Terengganu dibanjiri pelancung, hotel penuh & perniagaan usahawan tempatan berlipat ganda. Disuatu pagi usahawan songket mendapat tempahan lebih RM100, 000 manakala usahawan kerepok lekor & nasi dagang tak cukup tangan sepanjang musim Piala Monsun. Kini, mungkin tiada lagi.

Rakyat kata,......... kalau Dunia boleh, Terengganu boleh. Kini? "Kalau Dunia boleh, Terengganu TIDAK boleh"?

Benarkah Piala Monsun Terengganu mengalami kerugian? Benarkah perbelanjaan Monsoon Cup mencecah RM 250 juta setahun? Berikut adalah perangkaan yang dibentangkan di DUN Terengganu yang lalu.

PERBELANJAAN MONSOON CUP: 2005-2007

Tahun	Perbelanjaan Kerajaan Negeri (RM Juta)	Yuran Penganjuran (RM Juta)	Dana Khas ke T-Best (RM Juta)
2005	1.1	4.0	tiada
2006	1.2	4.0	tiada
2007	1.0	4.0	12.0

Kos Pembinaan (Infra) Pulau Duyung (untuk pembinaan resort, marina, restoren dan rumah) - RM 272.4m.

Perangkaan yang sama boleh di dapati daripada Hansard DUN Terengganu dan daripada PMINT ataupun Perbadanan Memajukan Iktisad Negeri Terengganu (Terengganu SEDC) dan ianya telah diaudit sepenuhnya.

Jadi tidak benarlah untuk pihak-pihak yang mengatakan bahawa kos penganjuran tahunan adalah tinggi, sehingga ada desas-desus mengatakan ianya mencecah RM 250 Juta Setahun seperti yang selalu dilaung-laungkan.

Sebenarnya hanya perbelanjaan untuk pembangunan infra Pulau Duyung yang mencecah RM 272.4 juta bukannya kos penganjuran Piala Monsun.

Kos penganjuran Piala Monsun yang dikeluarkan secara perinciannya adalah:

• Perbelanjaan oleh kerajaan negeri hanyalah RM 3.3 juta bagi tempoh 3 tahun,
• manakala selebihnya dibiayai oleh yuran penganjuran berjumlah RM 12 juta bagi tempoh 3 tahun
• dan wang dana khas ke Terengganu Best hanyalah sebanyak RM 12 juta bagi tempoh 3 tahun tersebut (iaitu sekali di tahun 2007).
  

Kos keseluruhan untuk 3 tahun adalah RM 27.3 juta (purata perbelanjaan setahun secara keseluruhan adalah hanya RM 9.1 juta setahun) jauh lebih rendah daripada perangkaan kos perbelanjaan Le Tour De Langkawi yang mencecah lebih kurang RM 25 juta setahun.

It's Arif Shah v Anwar

Ariff Shah calon BN tentang Anwar di Permatang Pauh

13/08/2008 10:26pm

BUTTERWORTH 13 Ogos – Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri Seberang Jaya, Datuk Ariff Shah Omar Shah dipilih sebagai calon Barisan Nasional (BN) yang akan menentang Datuk Seri Anwar brahim dalam pilihan raya kecil Parlimen Permatang Pauh pada 26 Ogos Ini.

Pengumuman itu dibuat oleh Timbalan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak pada majlis pelancaran jentera pilihan raya BN di sini malam ini.

Anwar yang merupakan Penasihat Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) akan bertanding di kawasan Parlimen itu selepas isterinya, Datuk Seri Wan Azizah Wan Ismail mengosongkan kerusi tersebut. - Utusan

Now that's settled, can we please move on with the show? No more sidetracking, demonstration this and picketing that. Don't try to buy votes from elsewhere. Let's just concentrate on P44-Permatang Pauh, shall we?

Anyway, hard-luck Ezam! Maybe next time.

P/S Here is Arif Shah's website by the way. I've had a brief chat with the guy once during an opening ceremony of SME Bank's branch in Seberang Jaya couple of months back. Nice chap. More on him here and here.

PAS is leaving the Pakatan?

Kata dua Hadi pada konvensyen parti itu di Pulau Pinang

(Source-Sinar Harian Online)

SHAH ALAM - Tarikh 16 September mungkin akan mencatat sejarah dalam dunia politik tanah air apabila kemungkinan berlakunya perpisahan Pas dari Pakatan Rakyat (PR).

Kemungkinan itu berdasarkan pendirian terbaru Pas yang bertegas mahu keluar daripada PR sekiranya ‘kerajaan baru’ selepas 16 September ini tidak lagi menjadikan Islam sebagai teras kepimpinan dan terpinggir.

Pendirian nekad Presi­dennya, Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang diluahkan sekiranya komponen PR iaitu DAP dan Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) meminggirkan Islam dan tidak menjadikannya teras dasar pemerintahan serta pemilihan kepimpinan dalam ‘Kabinet baru’ yang bakal menerajui negara. Perkara itu disahkan Ketua Dewan Pemuda Pas Pulau Pinang, Mohamed Hafiz Mohamed Nordin kepada Sinar Harian, semalam dan berkata Pemuda Pas negeri itu menyokong penuh pendirian Abdul Hadi yang disifatkan selari dengan perjuangan serta dasar parti.

Menurut Mohamed Hafiz, Abdul Hadi berkata demikian ketika berucap di hadapan lebih 100 ahli ketika merasmikan Konvensyen Pas negeri itu, kelmarin. “Itulah pendirian beliau dan kita menyokong penuh serta mengucapkan tahniah dan syabas kepada beliau. Kenyataan itu menyerlahkan keberanian, ketegasan dan istiqamah Tuan Guru Presiden dalam mempertahankan perjuangan parti. Itu amatlah dialu-alukan dan terpuji.

So who is actually in trouble now? With the by-election edging nearer, things are certainly not looking pretty for Anwar & Co in PKR, now with the above development coupled with the issues cropping up among the coalition partners due to "active participation" of their renegade YB at the Bar Council last Saturday and latest UiTM quota controversy started by their prone-to-put-his-foot-in-mouth MB of Selangor.

By the way, zul4kulim's blog is also not freely accessible anymore. Currently open to invited readers only. I wonder why?

Updated (5.29pm-13.8.08)

Wow! zul4kulim's blog is back online at about 2pm today with a new post and accessible again to all. Then again the new post is a cut & paste article from Malaysia Today without his trademark signing off of his usual postings of late that is "posted from my blackberry... yada, yada, yada" ...Is that really you YB? What's up?

ACA Allowed To Investigate Money Politics In Umno, Says Abdullah

*"The Umno headquarters had decided and allowed the ACA to come in and investigate," he told reporters after launching the Malaysian Agricultural, Horticultural and Agro-Tourism (MAHA) Exhibition 2008, here today.

Read more here.

Does the ACA need the approval from UMNO headquarters to allow them to commence investigation with regard to money politics in UMNO? Let's call a spade a spade, money politics is corruption. There should be no legal difficulties and technicalities in defining and enforcing it. There are no two ways about it. There should not be two sets of laws, one for UMNO and one for the rest of the world when it comes to corruption. The "independent" ACA does have the power to investigate on any form of corruption (especially when reports have been made) notwithstanding anyone's approval or otherwise, no?

Sometimes you do wonder why they (this is from BERNAMA by the way) allow such statement to be published in the news in the first place. They must have "misquoted" the guy, eh?

*Sources: BERNAMA

Nepotism

It is interesting what is written in wikipedia with regard to the above subject.

Excerpts from wikipedia below (in grey):-

Definition: Nepotism is the showing of favoritism toward relatives and friends, based upon that relationship, rather than on an objective evaluation of ability, meritocracy or suitability. For instance, offering employment to a relative, despite the fact that there are others who are better qualified and willing to perform the job. The word nepotism is from the Latin word 'nepos', meaning "nephew" or "grandchild".

Origin: Nepotism gained its name after the church practice in the Middle Ages, when some Catholic popes and bishops — who had taken vows of chastity, and therefore usually had no children of their own — gave their nephews positions of preference such as were often accorded by fathers to sons^[1]. Several popes are known to have elevated nephews and other relatives to the cardinalate. Often, such appointments were used as a means of continuing a papal "dynasty".


The most interesting part is the "EXAMPLES" section. Malaysia, of course, is highlighted (see below):

EXAMPLES: Malaysia: Tun Abdul Razak, the second Prime Minister, and his son, Najib Tun Razak, the current Deputy Prime Minister; Khairy Jamaluddin who won his position as Deputy Chief of UMNO Youth Wing with the influence of his father-in-law, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, the current Prime Minister.

Read more of "nepotism" in wikipedia here.

Now, will Tuan Guru Datuk Nik Aziz & Co. be joining the list of accolades as "examples" from Malaysia too? "Bob's your uncle" syndrome certainly is flourishing in the context of Malaysian politics.

Baiki rumah sendiri dahulu...

...sebelum kita hendak baiki rumah orang lain!

Kini sudah masuk tahun ke 11 saya bergelar Peguambela & Peguamcara Mahkamah Tinggi Malaya dan bermakna telahpun 11 kali layak mengundi setiap tahun memilih "kepimpinan" Majlis Peguam (Jawatankuasa Majlis Peguam). "Sedih" sebenarnya untuk saya mengaku, saya baru sahaja 3-4 kali (kebanyakannya di tahun-tahun awal amalan guaman saya) mengundi dalam tempoh tersebut. Isteri saya juga seorang peguam, mungkin sama sahaja bilangan dia mengundi ataupun mungkin lagi kurang dari saya! Terdapat 5 orang rakan kongsi di firma saya, saya kira untuk undian majlis peguam sessi baru-baru ini mungkin tidak seorang pun dari kami yang menghantar balik kertas undian ke Bar Council. Begitulah juga perihalnya saya kira dengan peguam-peguam pembantu di firma kami serta rakan-rakan peguam saya yang lain. Kebanyakannya sememangnya kurang berminat dengan politik dalaman Majlis Peguam.

Tahukah anda, sebagai contoh, berapa jumlah undian yang diterima daripada lebih daripada 12 ribu ahli Majlis Peguam bagi pengundian sessi 2007/8 yang lalu? Hanya 3, 404 kertas undi yang diterima. Tidak sampai 30% yang mengundi! Begitulah saban tahun. Malahan di antara kami yang terkejut mendengar bahawa si polan si polan sudah bergelar Pengerusi, timbalan Pengerusi dan sebagainya! "Oh, sudar tukar kah, barukah?"

Begitulah keadaannya tentang bagaimana "ambil ringannya" ahli-ahli biasa (termasuk saya!) terhadap politik dalaman badan yang mana kami bernaung di bawahnya ini. Saban tahun hanya muka-muka yang sama sahaja akan kelihatan menerajui badan ini. Sampai ada di antara kami hanya menjadi ahli semata-mata untuk mendapatkan Sijil Amalan Guaman, lesen kami, yang perlu diperbaharui setiap tahun sepertimana yang ditetapkan oleh undang-undang. Tidak lebih dari itu! Ada lagi yang masih tidak faham, kenapa mesti semua bernaung di bawah Majlis Peguam? Kenapa peguam-peguam yang tidak bersetuju dengan kepimpinan sekarang keluar sahaja daripada badan berkenaan? Semua peguambela & peguamcara di Semenanjung Malaysia adalah ahli Majlis Peguam dan akan menjadi ahli selagi kami mengamalkan undang-undang di Semenanjung Malaysia. Majlis ini adalah badan yang ditubuhkan di bawah peruntukan undang-undang negara dan semua peguam adalah tertakluk kepadanya. Ianya mandatori.

Jadi saya kira saranan YB Zulkifli Nordin memanglah kena pada masanya, setakat mana kepimpinan Majlis Peguam perlulah berwajah baru. Muka-muka baru (tidak semestinya peguam Melayu beragama Islam sahaja) perlulah ditonjolkan, yang boleh mencerminkan sentimen sebenar dan pendapat majoriti di dalam badan guaman berkenaan. Kepimpinan yang tidak mengundang konfrontasi keterlaluan. Yang tahu menilai masa dan ketika yang sesuai dan bagaiman sesuatu isu itu perlu diketengahkan. Peguam-peguam Melayu pula haruslah mula dari saat ini menambahkan penglibatan mereka di dalam badan guaman ini. Mungkin dengan lebih ramai ahli Melayu di dalam Jawatankuasa Majli Peguam, dapat membantu pemahaman mengenai isu-isu sensitif dan bagaimana ianya harus ditangani oleh Majlis Peguam sendiri.

Memanglah kita faham, sebuah badan profesional seperti Majlis Peguam ini perlu memperjuangkan hak dan kepentingan semua tanpa "fear or favour". Berjuang untuk mewujudkan "an independent Bar whose aim is to uphold the rule of law and the cause of justice and protect the interest of the legal profession as well as that of the public" dengan mempunyai tujuan-tujuan seperti berikut (rujuk website Bar Council Malaysia):

"The purpose of the Malaysian Bar shall be -

(a) to uphold the cause of justice without regard to its own interests or that of its members, uninfluenced by fear or favour;
(b) to maintain and improve the standards of conduct and learning of the legal profession in Malaysia;
(c) to facilitate the acquisition of legal knowledge by members of the legal profession and others;
(d) where requested so to do, to express its view on matters affecting legislation and the administration and practice of the law in Malaysia;
(e) to represent, protect and assist members or of the legal profession in Malaysia and to promote in any proper manner the interests of the legal profession in Malaysia;
(f) to establish libraries and to acquire or rent premises to house the libraries and offices of the Malaysian Bar or amenities for the use of members either alone or in conjunction with any other body or society;
(g) to protect and assist the public in all matters touching ancillary or incidental to the law;
(h) to make provision for or assist in the promotion of a scheme whereby impecunious persons may be represented by advocates and solicitors;
(i) to award prizes and scholarships and to establish and subsidise lecturership in educational institutions in subjects of study relating to law;
(j) to grant pecuniary or other assistance to any association, institute, board or society in Malaysia in the interest of the legal profession or of the law students;
(k) to afford pecuniary and other assistance to members or former members of the Malaysian Bar and to the wives, widows, children and other dependants, whether of members, former members or deceased members who are in need of any such assistance;
(l) to promote good relations and social intercourse amongst members and between members and other persons concerned in the administration of law and justice in Malaysia;
(m) to encourage, establish and maintain good relations with professional bodies of the legal profession in other countries and to participate in the activities of any local or international association and become a member thereof; and
(n) to establish a Compensation Fund. "

Namun demikian, jika kita perhatikan secara kolektifnya serta ranking keutamaan, daripada tujuan-tujuan yang dinyatakan di atas, kebajikan ahli adalah merupakan tujuan utama kewujudan badan ini sebagaimana juga badan-badan profesional yang lain di negara ini. Tidak perlulah kita nak berhujah tentang "interests of justice" kerana kita boleh berhujah "until the cows come home" pun selagi tujuan utama penubuhan yakni kebajikan ahli masih lagi belum mencapai tahap optimumnya, saya kira matlamat utama sudah boleh di anggap sebagai sudah tersasar. Tambahan bila terkinja-kinja untuk tetap meneruskan apa yang dirancang pagi semalam tanpa melihat akan kesan dan objektifnya secara holistik.

Banyak isu-isu lain yang lebih berkait langsung dengan kepeguaman dan kebajikan ahli-ahli yang masih perlu dicarikan penyelesaian dan formula terbaik oleh kepimpinan Majlis Peguam. Sebagai contoh, kenapa ramai sangat yang tidak berminat untuk hatta mengundi sekalipun bagi perlantikan ahli-ahli jawantankuasa majlis badan ini? Selesaikan masalah di dalam rumah sendiri dahulu sebelum cuba selesaikan masalah di luar. Tambahan pula wujud cara lain seperti mahkamah sendiri ataupun di medan-medan ilmiah yang lebih sesuai untuk menangani "masalah di luar" tersebut. Masa dan ketika sesuatu isu itu diketengahkan juga perlu di ambil kira, "it is always about the timing"! Janganlah sampai kita menjadi, seperti kata mat saleh,"can't see the wood for the trees".

Kecaman Terhadap Siapa?

"Kecaman rasmi" telah dikeluarkan oleh Parti Keadilan Rakyat terhadap tindakan penunjuk-penunjuk perasaan terhadap forum kontroversial Majlis Peguam pagi tadi. Antara lain, dinyatakan bahawa:

Kami memandang berat tindakan segelintir orang yang bertindak kasar dan mengeluarkan kata-kata kesat serta biadap terhadap beberapa orang penganjur serta peserta Seminar itu. Apatah lagi apabila salah seorang dari mereka yang paling "garang" diketahui sebagai seorang peguam serta ahli parlimen pula, dan mendakwa dirinya sebagai "wakil orang Islam".

Baca lagi Syed Husin Ali: KeADILan Mengecam Tindakan Terhadap Seminar Majils Peguam (BM & Eng)

Setahu saya, peguam & YB yang paling "garang" (meminjam kata Syed Husin Ali) adalah YB dari parti beliau sendiri. Lihat juga nukilan-nukilan blog YB Zulkifli Nordin di sini dan di sini untuk memahami pendirian berani beliau!

The Malaysian Insider juga melaporkan perihal peristiwa pagi tadi yang melibatkan beliau;

Parti Keadilan Rakyat's Zulkifli Noordin, who took the lead this morning to address the protesters, said: "If they do it again we will take stern action."

The first-term Kulim Bandar Baharu MP, who is also a lawyer, declared their protest a success after the forum was declared closed a little before 10am after the police advised the organisers to end it due to the noisy protest outside and in the hall. The forum was supposed to end at 1pm.

Baca lagi Harsher actions if Bar Council holds more forums on religion, warn Muslim protesters

Kepada YB Zulkifli Nordin, saya mengangkat tabik hormat kerana berani melawan arus parti politik sendiri di dalam mempertahankan sesuatu yang menyentuh dan hak kepentingan yang telah sedia termaktub di dalam perlembagaan daripada tercalar dan di heret ke arah konflik yang lebih berat lagi.

Kepada Parti Keadilan Rakyat pula, nyatakanlah dengan jelas pendirian tanpa berselindung dan janganlah pula sampai mengecam salah seorang kepimpinan mereka sendiri semata-mata untuk meraih markah siasah ("scoring political points").

Tidak mahukah Parti Keadilan Rakyat bersama-sama dengan Tuan Guru Nik Aziz dan bersetuju dengan apa yang dikatakan beliau seperti yang dilaporkan oleh Harakah Daily di bawah ini?

Pandangan rasmi kerajaan itu turut dipersetujui oleh Mursyidul Am PAS, Tuan Guru Dato' Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat. Kata beliau, "Saya tidak faham mengapa dia (Majlis Peguam) nak anjurkan forum ini, apa tujuannya kerana telah berjuta-juta manusia di dunia ini memeluk Islam sekian lama, jadi kenapa pula mereka perlu bising sekarang.

"Saya lebih setuju jika dibuat satu forum khas tentang mana yang lebih baik dan logik antara agama Islam dan agama lain. Ini lebih baik dan bermanfaat".

Pendirian Datuk Nik Aziz Nik Mat ini dipetik dari artikel Harakah di sini.

Sudah-sudahlah tu...

....wahai Majlis Peguam. Tak habis-habis, sudah-sudahlah....

Perjuangkan dan bincangkan kes-kes lain juga, ingat lagi Boonsom Boonyamit lwn Adorna Properties, penghakiman Mahkamah Persekutuan & akibatnya?

Sedutan terkini dari The Malaysian Insider (Baca Protest stops Bar Council conversions forum )

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 9 — Several hundred protesters demonstrated outside the Bar Council forum on conversions to Islam this morning, with some forcing their way into the hall as police called on the organisers to wrap up proceedings by 10am.

Witnesses said several protesters entered the building escorted by police, stood in the middle of the hall and stared at the several hundred participants attending the "Conversion to Islam: Article 121(1A) of the Federal Constitution, Subashini & Shamala Revisited" forum.

The protesters had gathered since 8am and brought out banners criticising and condemning the forum which has received objections from both government and opposition leaders.

At 9.25am, Bar Council president Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan interrupted the forum to say the police have advised them to wrap it up by 10am as protest still going on outside the building. The forum began at 8.45am.

Ambiga closed the forum 3 minutes before 10am deadline. Protesters still trying to barge in. Pas Unit Amal members standing between them and the police, trying to stop them.

Semakin hari semakin kelihatan politikal, itulah hakikatnya anggapan masyarakat melihat telatah badan guaman ini. Sudah-sudahlah, kembalilah kepada objektif utama, jagalah kebajikan ahli-ahli badan ini terlebih dahulu.

Of Section 377A & 377B of the Penal Code

The section deals with two specific forms of sexual act, namely sodomy & oral sex. According to Mallal's Penal Law (at page 643) penetration alone will suffice for an offence under section 377A of the Penal Code.

There's no mention of consent in the section. According to the "explanation" in that section, it is made clear that penetration alone is sufficient and the act need not be a fully completed act. Mallal's Penal Law went on further to state that consent is not accepted as a defence for the offence as the law treats the offence seriously.

Only male is liable under this section despite the phrase "any person" since the section is clearly dependable on the introduction of the penis into the anus or mouth of the other person.

It is also stated that the male or female partner whose anus or mouth is penetrated by the offender, will not be liable under this section, even though they consented to the act [see Mallal's Penal Law at page 643].

Therefore the ingredients for the above offence shall only be:

1. The accused introduced his penis into the anus or mouth of another person
2. There was penetration

Section 377B of the Penal Code deals with punishment for offences under Section 377A.

There are no pari materia provisions with regard to 377A of Malaysian Penal Code in the Indian Codes or Singapore Penal Code.

Reproduced herewith the above sections of the Penal Code:

377A. Carnal intercourse against the order of nature.
Any person who has sexual connection with another person by the introduction of the penis into the anus or mouth of the other person is said to commit carnal intercourse against the order of nature.

Explanation-Penetration is sufficient to constitute the sexual connection necessary to the offence described in this section

377B. Committing carnal intercourse against the order of nature
Whoever voluntarily commits carnal intercourse against the order of nature shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to twenty years, and shall also be liable to whipping.