Why My Movie is shown in Singapore and not Malaysia first? — the case of Yasmin Ahmad

Muallaf Singapore poster

While I am still eagerly waiting for Yasmin’s “Muallaf” to be screened in Malaysia cinema, then i read this posting in Yasmin’s blog. It tells us something about Malaysia vis-a-vis our “good neighbor, Singapore in treating our own Malaysian Film produced by a loyal Malaysian.

“A friend told me recently that one local paper attacked me for always showing my films in Singapore before Malaysia. I didn’t read the article, but apparently they accused me of being disloyal, or words to that effect. What the Singaporeans will see.

Again, Malaysia boleh!

Who is UMNO in BN? A big Brother or a big Bully!

Who is UMNO in BN? No doubt, UMNO has always played leading role in BN, even during the predecessor of BN, i.e. Alliance. No one seems to dispute its dominant role all these while, understandably for obvious reasons.

However, lately UMNO’s role vis-a-vis its partners in BN has become a bone of contention. Some described it as Master-servant. Some painted it as Master- bagger.(read:Yes, Tuan! )

The latest version is UMNO, the big Bully! Of course, this was promptly denied by Pak Lah but the question now is how convincing is this lamp-duck denial , especially in view of the Ahmad Ismail’s fiasco! (read:Pak Lah: Umno is no big Bully!)

And now let us hear what Dr. M has to say about some latest proposals to “reform” BN by other component parties.

“On the suggestion by MCA Youth yesterday that a second deputy BN chairman be created for the party, Dr Mahathir said the idea must be studied carefully.

“BN is a multiracial coalition, if they entertain one racial group, other racial groups will be unhappy, if the Chinese support the coalition, but the Malays do not, BN will still be weak,” said Dr Mahathir.

“It must be studied carefully, whether it helps in getting the Chinese support or it will just erode the Malay support,” he added.

He said that the BN is a system that allows every group “to be represented fairly but not equally”.

“Let’s be more careful, that is why certain issues should not be discussed publicly, as it is no longer rational because people will be moved by emotion,” he added.

Similarly, he said, the idea to open up BN for direct membership should also be studied thoroughly.”

Do you still think all component parties in BN can ever be equal in partnership as wishfully hoped by some non-UMNO leaders in BN?

Creative writing or humourless propaganda: “Politik Baru YBJ” by Chamil Wariya

Women in Parliament cartoon, 1933

Who is YB Josephine?

Apparent she has become the Talk of the day in then past few days! What makes this YB Josephine so special and different from those all too boring YBs that we are so familiar with?

Wait a minute. She is not a Real Person. She is only a fictitious character created by Datuk Chamil Wariya in his latest Short Story (Cerpen). Some how his latest literatury work has caused quite a furore in the political arena, particularly amongst the opposition MPs. Go read the work Who is YB Josephine?

Do you think it is just another plain creative writing or a piece of humourless propaganda? humourless propaganda to maintain hegemony

Parting words for Pak Lah: If only you had walked the talk…

No. 1

When he came to power in 2004 Badawi scored the highest mandate in the history of Malaysian politics. Not a single leader before him, not even the country’s founding father Tunku Abdul Rahman or Mahathir Mohamad, had ever managed to win such a huge share of the public’s votes. Yet following the elections of March 2008, he has earned himself yet another honour, this time being the leader who lost the most votes, seats and state assemblies in the history of Malaysia.

No. 2

The man who started with such promise, and who promised so much to the electorate, may well end up in the history books of Malaysia as the one who lost it all.

No. 3

Half a decade on, it would appear that Badawi’s days are drawing to an end, and with that Islam Hadari as well. In the years and decades to come, future historians may be kinder to Badawi who may be remembered as the man who tried to reform Malaysia but failed, and whose failure was due to the rot and inertia that had settled in the very same corridors of power that he walked.

Above are excerpts from: Rest in Peace, Islam Hadari by Farish A. Noor, that I believe have correctly summed up what many Malaysian have to say about Pak Lah’s eventual departure.

And yes, If only he had walked the Talk…

No Contest is undemocratic!

DEMOCRACY is a myth.

To contest in a party election is the right and privileges of a member of a political party. As simple as that. Yet, more often that not, comes party election, there is always the calls to negotiate and to compromise so as to avoid a contest. The common reason or excuse given has always been this: a contest will cause a split in the party, therefore a contest is to be avoided at all costs.

This culture of fear of contest is particularly true to Gerakan, the political party that I am affiliated with. This culture is deep-rooted. For instance, it was reported that the youth wing top post has never seen contest for the past 24 years. So, this year it has made history when the post is going to be a three corner fight this year. (Three corner fight for Gerakan Youth top post)

Personally, I see this as an encouraging development. It proves the party’s democratic practices and the members’ freedom to contest are very much alive and kicking. However, whoever going for the top post this round must realize how onerous responsibilities are awaiting him ahead. Gerakan Youth is currently confronted with numerous challenges. Chief of which is the serious lack of talents. Without talents no political party can survive for long.

Much that we would like to argue otherwise, Gerakan, and for that matter in fact all BN component parties, have not been able to attract young idealists and new talents. No one can deny the fact that for the past few years, Gerakan has lost out in the race to recruit new talents. (we are not talking about the so-called Professional here. One can be professional and yet zero political awareness!) The lack of systematic political education and training has aggravated the problems.

How to reverse this worrying trend so as to resurrect the continued sliding of the Youth? Now the delegates of the party’s youth wing have the powers to exercise their rights to choose that some one that they sincerely convinced could help revive the wing by bringing in more young talents.

They must carefully and wisely exercise their rights. The choice are theirs. A wrong choice may seal most probably the last chance for the Gerakan Youth to rise again as a force to be reckoned with.

Once missed, Gerakan may not have the second chance in another three years to rectify the mistake for the survival of the party is at stake here.

Wall Street Crisis:Bankruptcy, not bailout, is the right answer!

Breaking news!

“WASHINGTON (AP) — In a vote that shook the government, Wall Street and markets around the world, the House on Monday defeated a $700 billion emergency rescue for the nation’s financial system, leaving both parties’ lawmakers and the Bush administration scrambling to pick up the pieces. Dismayed investors sent the Dow Jones industrials plunging 777 points, the most ever for a single day. ”

(more : No Bail-Out for Now)

This bailout was a terrible idea. Here’s why.

The current mess would never have occurred in the absence of ill-conceived federal policies. The federal government chartered Fannie Mae in 1938 and Freddie Mac in 1970; these two mortgage lending institutions are at the center of the crisis. The government implicitly promised these institutions that it would make good on their debts, so Fannie and Freddie took on huge amounts of excessive risk.

Bankruptcy and not bail-out

So, this Hari Raya the world is waiting with bated breath… What will happen after this?

Where have all the flowers gone?

“When will they ever learn? oh when will they ever learn?”

This song is dedicated to all those young men and women who still believe in liberty, freedom and justice.

Where have all the flowers gone?

Where have all the flowers gone?
Long time passing
Where have all the flowers gone?
Long time ago
Where have all the flowers gone?
Gone to young girls, every one!
When will they ever learn?
When will they ever learn?

Where have all the young girls gone?
Long time passing
Where have all the young girls gone?
Long time ago
Where have all the young girls gone?
Gone to young men, every one
When will they ever learn?
When will they ever learn?

Where have all the young men gone?
Long time passing
Where have all the young men gone?
Long time ago
Where have all the young men gone?
Gone to soldiers, every one
When will they ever learn?
When will they ever learn?

And where have all the soldiers gone?
Long time passing
Where have all the soldiers gone?
Long time ago
Where have all the soldiers gone?
Gone to graveyards, every one
When will they ever learn?
When will they ever learn?

And where have all the graveyards gone?
Long time passing
Where have all the graveyards gone?
Long time ago
Where have all the graveyards gone?
Gone to flowers, every one
When will they ever learn?
Oh when will they ever learn?

TIME ‘S UP FOR PM PAK LAH?

(Photo:the Malaysian Insider)

They say a picture says a thousand words. This photo certainly speaks volume about PM Abdullah’s current dilemma. Much that his supporters would like to argue otherwise, PM Abdullah’s fate is almost sealed. Yes, almost, not there yet but looks inevitable. It is no longer a question of when but how to bow out gracefully.

So, the question now is how people would remember PAK LAH or to be precise his legacy? I once wrote a posting here on the possibilities that he be remembered as the Father of Democratization of Malaysia.( Pak Lah as bapa pendemokrasian malaysia) But that was months ago. May be time has come for the people to really assess Pak Lah’s legacy.

Make no mistake about it. Some would still remember PaK Lah as Mr. Nice Guy/Mr. Clean and the PM that won an unprecedented landslide victory for BN in 2004 General Election. Yet, most would remember him as Mr. Flip-Flopping and the PM that created history by losing 5 state governments and 2/3 majority in Dewan Rakyat to the opposition.

However, things could have been different. Had he lived up to so many of his promises of long overdue reforms since 2004, more so after the 308 political tsunami. And Yes, history would have been different, if he had sticked to his own rigorous reform script and not yet another round of UMNO warlords-pleasing for the past few months.

Story had it that ” a couple of days after the March 8 general elections, a calm Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi sat down with some supporters and his inner circle in Sri Perdana to survey the new political landscape and weigh the prime minister’s options going forward.

Those familiar with the meeting recalled that a confetti of ideas were tossed around on how to regain the initiative from the Anwar Ibrahim-led opposition and to hold off Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and other critics within Umno baying for Abdullah’s blood.

One idea got some traction – the notion that Abdullah had to throw caution to the wind and reform the various institutions in the country.

He had to care less of what his party thought and focus solely on what Malaysians wanted. If he followed this strategy, he would be so popular with Malaysians that his party will not dare to move against him.

Even the downside was attractive – the idea that he would be remembered as a Malaysian Mikhail Gorbachev who lost his power and position doing the right thing.

That seems like sound advice which Abdullah should have followed.

Instead, after appointing Datuk Zaid Ibrahim as the de facto law minister and making some loud noises about reforms, he retreated to his usual patch, worried that he was upsetting the Umno warlords. ”

(more please read: If the PM had only thrown away caution, not chances….)

As they also say the rest now is history. And what would be your honest judgment of the 5th Malaysian Prime Minister, Pak Lah’s legacy?

Zaid Ibrahim, Red Guards & Time to Fade Away

Three things keep bothering me these days.

One is the resignation of Datuk Zaid Ibrahim from Pak Lah’s cabinet and his parting words: “Party was not ready for reform.” (Party was not ready for reform)

Second is the rise of irrational and radical political forces in the political landscape at times of uncertainty.

Red Guards

Third, the road ahead: to soldier on or to fade away?

The Answer is obvious.

Anwar’s 916: One door closes, another door opens?

(photo: the malaysian insider)

So, nothing actually happened today on the much-talked about and much-awaited Anwar’s 916?

Not really. Today, it seems that with Datuk Zaid Ibrahim sticked to his decision to resign from the Cabinet in his Press Conference, one door is considered officially close: the door to reform from within Barisan Nasional. (Umno does not have the appetite for change).

Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and wife Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail at the press conference in Kuala Lumpur today. ~ Picture by Choo Choy May (the Malaysian Insider)

Approximately, three hours later, Dato’ Sri Anwar Ibrahim called a room-packed Press Conference announcing that Pakatan has secured more than enough numbers (Pas’s tresuarer Hatta Ramli put the numbers at  116) to form a new Malaysian Government anytime from now. That could mean another door to reform is open. (Anwar demands smooth transition)

To many, today is an anti-climax of sort. But to me, today is the day of utmost significant.

Today marks the door of reform from within Barisan Nasional is close. Our (all those so-called reformists that joined BN through various BN component parties) raison d’tere to remain and fight from within Barisan Nasional is gone.

The door to reform the Nation lies else where, may be Pakatan, but no longer in BN, for that door is close with the departure of, may be, the last good man in Pak Lah’s cabinet.