Will the PM muster the balls to rebuke Sultan Azlan as well?

Malaysiakini reports that PM Abdullah Badawi rebuked the Bar Council over The ‘Walk for Justice’... for giving the impression that ‘a problem’ in the judiciary has reached a point of no return, when it has not (so he claims).

Will we see the PM rebuking Sultan Azlan Shah anytime soon? Has he the balls?

Full text of Tuanku's speech available at the Bar Council website, but since it's become painfully slow of late, the speech is reproduced below.

For contrast, you might also want to read Minister in PM's Dept Nazri's interview with NST giving his perception of the current judicial crisis (or in his words... "what crisis?") and the judiciary's position in the triumvirate of government (ie. legislature, executive and judiciary... for more reading on the separation of powers see here). You can easily tell the differences between a man who is King and an idiot who barely qualifies as Jester.

“50 Years of Constitutionalism and the Rule of Law"

Assalamaualaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh.

Salam Sejahtera.

Bismillahi Rahmanir Rahim.

This year marks the 50th year of our nation’s Independence. It is also the 50th year of our Merdeka Constitution.

Malaysia and its people have every reason to celebrate this joyous occasion as the country prospers as a constitutional democracy with a constitutional monarchy in the form as established by the Merdeka Constitution in 1957.

Not all countries that achieved their freedom at the end of the colonial period are today able to celebrate their independence with pride. Some are under military rule, whilst others have had their institutions undermined or even abolished.

The 50th anniversary of our independence is therefore an appropriate moment for all of us to reflect upon the strength of our constitutional system. As we rejoice in our success, It is important to be alert to the pitfalls of failure if proper regard is not given to our constitutional mechanisms.

We must ever be mindful that written constitutions are mere parchment pieces.

It is important that there must be, in the hearts and minds of those who are entrusted to administer and uphold the constitution, a belief in the values and principles that animate the august document.

I had occasion to observe when sitting in the Federal Court in 1977 that the “constitution is not a mere collection of pious platitudes”. I spoke then of the 3 essential features of our constitution. I said:

“It is the supreme law of the land embodying three basic concepts: One of them is that the individual has certain fundamental rights upon which not even the power of the state may encroach.

The second is the distribution of sovereign power between the states and the federation,…

The third is that no single man or body shall exercise complete sovereign power, but that it shall be distributed among the executive, legislative and judicial branches of government, compendiously expressed in modern terms that we are a government of laws, not of men.”

The prescription that “we are a government of laws, not of men” describes the basic principle that runs through our entire constitution-the principle of the Rule of Law.

The Rule of Law is the defining feature of democratic government. In delivering the eleventh Tunku Abdul Rahman lecture in November 1984, I again defined it as follows:

“The Rule of Law means literally what it says: The Rule of the law. Taken in its broadest sense this means that people should obey the law and be ruled by it.

But in political and legal theory it has come to be read in a narrow sense, that the government shall be ruled by law and be subject to it.

The ideal of the Rule of Law in this sense is often expressed by the phrase “government by law and not by man””

In a speech delivered in Kuala Lumpur in April 2004, Lord Woolf spoke of the ‘Rule of Law’,

“The Rule of Law is the rule by the laws that govern a true democracy.

They are the laws that provide for a proper balance between the protection of human rights and the interests of the State. Laws which an independent and responsible judiciary can enforce to protect all members of society from abuse of power.”

The reference by Lord Woolf to the role of the judiciary is highly significant. I wish to state with all fortitude that without a reputable judiciary-a judiciary endowed and equipped with all the attributes of real independence-there cannot be the Rule of Law.

All countries, including those that are totalitarian regimes, have courts. But as I observed previously:

“The [mere] existence of courts and judges in every ordered society proves nothing; it is their quality, their independence, and their powers that matter.”

In matters concerning the judiciary, it is the public perception of the judiciary that ultimately matters. A judiciary loses its value and service to the community if there is no public confidence in its decision-making.

In this regard the principal quality a judiciary must possess is “impartiality”. Lord Devlin said of “judicial impartiality” that it exists in two senses-the reality of impartiality and the appearance of impartiality. He emphasized that the appearance of impartiality was the more important of the two.

Impartiality also means that judges are not only free from influence of external forces, but also of one another. No judge however senior can dictate to his brethren as to how a decision should be arrived at.

It is of the essence of a judge’s character that he must be a person of unquestionable integrity who brings an unbiased mind to his task. Like Caesar’s wife, he should be above suspicion.

It is said that public confidence in the judiciary is based on four evaluating criteria. They are:

(1) the principle of independence of the judiciary;

(2) the principle of impartiality of adjudication;

(3) the principle of fairness of trial; and

(4) the principle of the integrity of the adjudicator.

How does our judiciary measure today against these criteria?

Sadly I must acknowledge there has been some disquiet about our judiciary over the past few years and in the more recent past. In 2004, I had stated that it grieved me, having been a member of the judiciary, whenever I heard allegations against the judiciary and the erosion of public confidence in the judiciary.

Recently there have been even more disturbing events relating to the judiciary reported in the press. We have also witnessed the unprecedented act of a former Court of Appeal judge writing in his post-retirement book of erroneous and questionable judgements delivered by our higher courts in a chapter under the heading “When Justice is Not Administered According to Law”. There are other serious criticisms.

I am driven nostalgically to look back to a time when our Judiciary was the pride of the region, and our neighbours spoke admiringly of our legal system. We were then second to none and the judgements of our courts were quoted confidently in other common law jurisdictions. As Tun Suffian, a former Lord President of the then Federal Court, said of the local judges who took over from the expatriate judges after Merdeka that the transformation was without “any reduction in standards”.

Admittedly society is more complex today and the task of judges may be more difficult then what it was before, but the values I speak of are universal and eternal.

There is no reason why judges with the assured security of tenure they enjoy under the Constitution should not discharge their duties impartially, confidently and competently.

Judges are called upon to be both independent and competent. In these days, judges must ever be mindful that the loss of independence can come from many sources, and not just from the executive. Therefore, judges must piously resist the lure of socializing with business personages and other well connected people. They may discover at their peril that they have compromised themselves in the cases that come before them with the unedifying spectacle of recusal applications.

Nothing destroys more the confidence the general public, or the business community has in the judiciary than the belief that the judge was biased when he decided a case, or that the judge would not be independent where powerful individuals or corporations are the litigants before him.

Confidence in the judiciary may also be eroded where the business community perceives incompetence in decision-making. A judgement in a banking or commercial transaction that is contrary to the established norms or which is incomprehensible in its reasoning is bound to give rise to suspicion and loss of confidence.

It therefore becomes apparent, that our attempts to establish ourselves as a leading financial and commercial center will fail, if we do not have a competent judiciary to decide on complex commercial disputes. In this regard, it is utmost importance that the foreign investor have faith in the competence and integrity of our judiciary.

The international foreign investor also expects a speedy resolution of their cases before the courts. Delays cause a loss of profits to the business community. In the recent World Bank survey on resolution of commercial disputes, Malaysia ranks poorly, 63 amongst 178 economies. A similar report by the US State Department warns American businessmen to be wary of the slow process of adjudication of cases before the Malaysian courts. This is indeed a poor reflection on our courts.

Countries such as Singapore and Hong Kong, who have a similar legal system and who share similar laws, and whose judges and lawyers are trained as ours, are ranked in these surveys as amongst the best in the world (Hong Kong is placed first and Singapore ranks as fourth in the world).

The reason is obvious: these countries have undertaken major reforms in their court structure and procedures and have introduced more efficient and transparent commercial courts so as to attract the foreign investor.

Maybe it is also time for us to consider such changes in our legal system and introduce a strong central commercial court in Putrajaya as in London, with especially trained judges who are familiar with the new and ever changing commercial laws and their developments, so that we too can become the center for the resolution of commercial disputes in the region.

I should point out that mere cosmetic changes alone would not suffice. If we wish to achieve this goal, it is imperative that major reforms are introduced. Many other countries have taken such steps to establish specialized commercial courts. Recently, the Dubai Commercial Court (where one of our own former Chief Judge has recently been appointed to sit as a judge in this new court), and the Qatar Commercial Court have been established.

I know that judging is an arduous task calling for a good mind and a capacity for hard work. The inevitable consequence of incompetence is delayed judgments and backlog in cases leading to all round dissatisfaction.

Only last week, I read in a latest Malaysian law report that a case of medical negligence involving a death of a lawyer took 23 years to reach the Court of Appeal. Similarly there have been reports that some judges have taken years to write their grounds of judgements involving accused persons who have been convicted and languishing in death row.

Surely, such a situation cannot be tolerated in any progressive nation.

It will also be appropriate for me to say a few words on lawyers.

The administration of justice is not just the role of the judiciary. I had said previously in July 1984 on the occasion of a farewell dinner speech to the Bar Council on leaving office as the Lord President, that there cannot be an independent Judiciary without an independent Bar. I stated further that the judiciary cannot function without legal profession.

This symbiosis calls for a proper understanding of the relationship between the Bench and the Bar. The Bar and its leadership must ensure there is a high standard of integrity and ethics among its members. A Bar that is riddled with bad practices cannot assist the administration of justice.

In this respect the relationship between judges and lawyers must be a roper and correct one. As I have said earlier, judges are supposed to be no respecters of persons who appear before them. This rule applies not only to litigants but also to lawyers. It is not just a matter of prudence and good practice, but fundamentally one of ethics.

As is often said, there are good lawyers and bad lawyers. Whilst the majority of the lawyers discharge their duties as officers of the court with professionalism and dedication, there have been cases of some others who have brought disrepute to the legal profession. There have been allegations against some lawyers that in clear dereliction of their responsibilities, they have either misled the courts, or attempted to choose the judges or courts for their cases to be heard so as to obtain a favourable decision in their client’s favour. This is serious interference with the administration of justice and the process of the court.

There is one further important point that I feel compelled to say.

This deals with a judge’s quality in decision-making. We in Malaysia live in a multi-cultural and multi-religious society. Our founding fathers accommodated this diversity into our Constitution that is reflected in the social contract, and saw this diversity as strength.

Judging in a diverse society is not an easy task. Judges in many parts of the world face similar difficulties. Those of you who were present at the lecture delivered by Justice Albie Sachs at the Second Tun Hussein Onn Lecture last week will know how the Constitutional Court of South Africa, as the guardian of the constitution, wrestle to arrive at a just decision when dealing with the issues relating to diversity or discrimination.

Judges in Malaysia must be ever mindful that they are appointed judges for all Malaysians. They must be sensitive to the feelings of all parties, irrespective of race, religion or creed, and be careful not to bring a predisposed mind to an issue before them that is capable of being misconstrued by the watching public or segments of them.

I am reminded of the proud accolade of the late Tun Suffian in his Braddel Memorial Lecture in 1982, when speaking of the Malaysian judiciary to a Singapore audience he said:

“ In a multi-racial and multi religious society like yours and mine, while we judges cannot help being Malay or Chinese or Indian; or being Muslim or Buddhist or Hindu or whatever, we strive not to be too identified with any particular race or religion – so that nobody reading our judgement with our name deleted could with confidence identity our race or religion, and so that the various communities, especially minority communities, are assured that we will not allow their rights to be trampled underfoot.”

I have found it necessary to speak at some length on these matters because it is my earnest hope that the Malaysian judiciary will regain the public’s confidence and it will once again be held in high esteem as it once was held.

In conclusion, I wish to say as I have said on previous occasion ‘in the judiciary, people place their trust and hope’.

It now gives me great pleasure in officially declaring open the 14th Malaysian Law Conference.

I wish all of you a fruitful and meaning full discussion and exchange of ideas.

Sultan Azlan calls for end to vernacular, religious and Malay boarding schools

If Tuanku means what I think he means, I think he's calling for a stop to racial religious segregation in the country's education system by putting an end to vernacular (Chinese and Tamil schools), religious and Malay-only composition of the elite boarding schools.

Race relations and religion should be given priority in the crafting and implementation of the country's education policy, said the Sultan of Perak, Sultan Azlan Shah.

He said educating the young generation separately according to ethnic and religious groups would not be appropriate for a multireligious and multiracial country like Malaysia.

"As people living in the same country and breathing the same air, it's important that everyone is moulded by the same education system.

"National interests should take precedence over those of ethnic groups," he said when launching Sekolah Tuanku Abdul Rahman's (STAR) golden jubilee celebration here today.

He said it was important that the racial composition of students in boarding schools reflected that of the country.

"By living, playing and studying together, the students will view themselves first and foremost as citizens of a sovereign country and regard ethnicity as something of lesser importance," he said.

This news is available from BERNAMA and The Star. Conspicuously absent from the pages of NST and Malaysiakini though.

If that is indeed what's on Tuanku's mind, it will be an initiative I wholeheartedly support:

I also feel the schooling system needs to be revamped to draw Malaysians closer to each other.

(a) No more venacular Chinese or Tamil schools, Malay boarding schools or MARA junior colleges.
(b) All Malaysian children attend National Schools. The Vision schools were a good idea.
(c) All subjects to be taught in BM and English.
(d) All Mandarin, Tamil and religious classes can only be taught AFTER a full day's "regular" classes and to be fully funded by the schools.
(e) Teachers and the Education Dept will be the first govt department to be revamped to make sure the composition of teachers and officials is balanced.
(f) Instead of a Higher Education and an Education Minister, there will be 3 Education Ministers of the same rank (one of each race or something to that effect) each with veto power that cannot be overwritten even by the PM, unless by a 2/3rds majority in parliament. The Party Whip does not apply to MPs when voting on education bills.

-- sean-the-man's NEW NEP! Is it palatable to all? on 25/9/2006

And I feel it's very telling that Tuanku chose STAR (Sekolah Tuanku Abdul Rahman) in Ipoh - an exclusive Malay boarding school of similar pedigree as MCKK (Malay College Kuala Kangsar) in terms of perpetuating the fallacy that educating teenage boys in an elitist, single race environment will produce good leaders for a multi-racial Malaysia - to convey his message.

No manners... the village idiot from BN-Jerai

Hot on the heels of the 'bocor-gate', yet another verbal faux pas in parliament rudely exposes the fact that some BN MPs are not even civilised to be members of the human race, much less members of parliament.

NST reports that Badruddin Amirudlin (BN-Jerai) practically insulted all wheelchair bound people as being punished by god when he shouted at DAP's Karpal Singh that:

"Now you are sitting in a wheel chair. God has punished you."

Jeff Ooi in Screenshots further revealed that parliamentary transcripts detailed an allegation that Badruddin had also uttered the words "Puki Mak" in parliament.

Badruddin of course maintains that he had been misquoted and misunderstood.

Well if that's the case, then I too wish to state I was be misquoted and misunderstood by the people who supposedly heard me say that Badruddin is a foul-mouthed, goat-fucking, retarded village idiot who somehow managed to convince the even dumber voters of Jerai to send him to parliament so that the name of their town (BN-Jerai) is plastered on TV screens and newspapers everytime Badruddin says something stupid in public.

New from Michael Backman... "Malaysia's PM failing his people at every chance"

Here's a new one from Michael Backman... the Aussie of "Malaysia Bodoh" fame (here and here).

The gist of his latest article...

Malaysia is truly at a cross-roads. It has many good people with great potential but it is slipping beneath the waves of mediocrity, weighed down by officials intent on an orgy of plunder while the ship's captain stands idly by.

The process of government needs to be dramatically and urgently overhauled. Malaysia needs a dynamic, strong visionary leader who is up to the task. Instead, it has Abdullah Badawi.

I wonder what Perigi Zam-Zam will have to say about this. He's already chided a Canadian parliamentarian for overstepping the boundaries by making a press statement about being attacked by Mat Rempits.

Budget airlines will fly MY-SG either 16 or 4 times (WTF?) a day

NST and TheStar appears to have gotten their wires crossed when they reported that budget airlines AirAsia and Tiger Air will be able to fly to Singapore from Malaysia. Malaysiakini also has a report on this, but since it's a paysite, I don't know what the heck its report says.

NST reported that a total 8 daily flights from 4 Malaysian cities to Singapore had been approved for Air Asia. Nothing was said about how many flights any Singaporean airlines will get but a reference to a 'reciprocal arrangement' was made.

AirAsia has been given the green light to operate two daily flights each from Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Kota Kinabalu and Kuching to Singapore.

Sources said the cabinet agreed yesterday to open the routes to budget airlines from the two countries under a reciprocal arrangement, starting in December or January once the logistics are sorted out.

Prices for the Singapore flights are expected to start at RM9.90 for return trips.

The Star however mentioned only 2 daily flights out of KLIA's LCCT and nothing about Singapore-bound flights from Penang, Kuching or KK. It also specifically mentioned that Tiger Airways will get the same number of flights.

AirAsia got the nod from the Government yesterday to operate two flights daily to the republic. It is learnt that the Cabinet gave the nod at its weekly meeting.

According to sources, Tiger Airways, Singapore’s own budget airline, would also be offered to fly the same route.

AirAsia and Tiger Airways are expected to charge about 30% of the non-shuttle fare but will have the usual cheap offers for limited seats. The two low-cost carriers will operate the route between the LCCT at KLIA and the Budget Terminal at Changi Airport.

It was learnt that AirAsia and Tiger Airways would only be allowed to operate the two flights each on off-peak hours. Sources expected the two carriers to start operations in January.

Whether NST or Star got it correct... well, it's a matter of whether it's good news or great news. Either way, consumers will stand to benefit for once. I hope this is not a false alarm though.

More reading on the KL-Singapore air route:

KL-SG route: Open skies are open lies

Open Skies Agreements Can Cause Problems, Says MASEU

How badly is MAS screwing us over KUL-SIN? RM75 MILLION a year!

KL - Singapore route to remain high cost only

Lat, the Kampung Boy. A picture is worth a thousand political speeches.

A bit of news about our Ipoh-mali (well, sort-of lah) cartoonist, Lat.

Lat, The Kampung Boy, A Hit In Washington DC

WASHINGTON, Oct 24 (Bernama) -- Lat, Malaysia's famous cartoonist, drew a crowd of Malaysian and American fans here Tuesday who could not get enough of his depiction of the simple life of a kampung boy in Kampung Lalang in Kota Baru, Perak.

Datuk Mohammed Nor Khalid, better known as Lat, who is here to promote his Kampung Boy and Town Boy books published in English by the First Second, a publishing company in New York, talked about his simple childhood. - Bernama

One of the things I've always loved about Lat was that his insights on Malaysians of all races and Malaysian life in general are so on the money, so compelling, that it hits the nail on the head like a pneumatic nailgun. Each cartoon manages to articulate a socio-political comment that is clear and concise, but at the same time, is not abrasive and makes his 'victims' laugh at themselves rather then get defensive. A talent that Malaysia needs more than ever... (tell me about it ;p)

Good luck and fair winds, datuk.

Show me your Sloggi, baby

Damn, the Japs have all the fun. Reckon we'll see a similar contest here anytime soon? Show me your Sloggi, baby.

An 18-year-old girl, Kaho Watanabe, was surprisingly crowned "Japan's best bottom" babe at Triumph International's "Show Me Your Sloggi" Japan contest held on Tuesday (October 16, 2007) in Tokyo after a freak accident scorched her rump days before the contest.

Besides posing in Sloggi bras and panties, ten contestants in the Japan contest, who passed the preliminary selection out of 112 online entries, showed off their skills such as dancing, playing an instrument, and even singing a traditional enka song in a skimpy S&M type of costume. - Mainichi Daily News

The only colours that matter are Red, White and Blue

Something uplifting from the states.

I like the governor-elect's quote:

"People want to make everything about race. The only colours that matter here are red, white and blue," he said last week, referring to the colours of the American flag.

If only some of our politicians had that sort of maturity and spirit.

And what's more apt is that the colours quoted [red, white and blue] apply equally to Malaysians, since we did a Mamula Moon on the American flag as well.

Iceman winneth... 2007 F1 World Driver's Championship

Kimi Raikkonen finally wins it. Hail the 2007 F1 World Driver's Champion.

Other reading...

The battle: Kimi beats Lewis to maiden title glory

The aftermath: McLaren appeal puts title result in doubt

Angkasawan nothing more than lab rat

We've been bombarded by all sorts of cheerleading news about our Angkasawan's progress. For eg. this ridiculous report from Malaysiakini about eating Hari Raya goodies in space.

I'm no Houston Mission Commander, but aren't their diets very, very tightly controlled?

I'm pretty sure that astronauts (and space flight participants) really... REALLY don't need a bout of diarrhea in space. Especially when there's no gravity to make sure everything ends up neatly in the toilet bowl, instead of say.., the ceiling or smeared all over your arse. And the time it takes to get out a space suit will probably feel like an eternity when barbarians are at the door, and you really need to take a crap... and take it right now.

Anyway, here's something more interesting I read from Bernama about the details of our Angkasawan's "research".

Malaysian astronaut Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor Sheikh Mustapha, who is currently at the International Space Station (ISS), is also assisting the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) in their research.

OK, sounds good so far.

National Angkasawan Programme Director Col Dr Zulkeffeli Mat Jusoh said the research involved the effects of microgravity and solar radiation on the astronaut's body system.

And that's the first clue that our spaceman is not conducting research as such, but merely subjecting his own body to 'research'.

It goes downhill from there...

"The ESA research is on the effects of microgravity on the back portion of the body, movement perception, resilience before and after the ISS trip and the stability of visibility and the body," he told Bernama when contacted in Moscow today.

Effects of microgravity on the back portion of the body... got any back pain?

Movement perception... how's your hand eye coordination?

Resilience before and after the ISS trip... any changes to your health due to the space flight, Mr participant?

Stability of visibility... any blurry vision? Double vision? Cross-eyed?

Stability of the body... can stand and walk straight?

The JAXA study is on the level of exposure to radiation by the astronaut in space.

"JAXA introduced a gadget which is placed in the astronaut's shirt pocket to study the radiation level," he said.

Put a rad sensor in your pocket and THAT'S IT? I mean, how complicated is that? Isn't the sole requirement for successfully 'conducting this research' simply remembering to wear a shirt that has a pocket?

Heck, I'm no expert on the intricate techniques of space bound research.., but it sure sounds to me like our Angkasawan is no more than a convenient test subject on which to conduct some physiological experiments into the effects of space travel on humans.

A crash test dummy, a laboratory rat, a Durex condom tester, a tube of glucose gel to grow a colony of fungus in. He's subject matter rather than subject expert.

And we PAID 95 million ringgit for the privilege of being experimented on like Bubbles the chimp?!

Majulah Program Angkasawan Nasional. Damn, I'm proud. Aren't you?

Other reading:
Angkasawan selection process - brains or brawn?
Astrocannot is also Cosmocannot
Our Malaysian Astrocannot
Outer Space - The Final Frontier for Malaysia Bodoh... oops Boleh

3.1 Megawatts of lighting for S'pore F1 GP Night Race

The obscene Happy Balls palace (Istana Zakar-ria)

How else can one describe Happy Balls Zakaria's palace, except with the word "obscene"?

Besides being disgusted with how he manipulated 400 orphans to show off his wealth, there's also a couple of questions I like to ask:

1. Why isn't the ACA or IRB curious where he got the money from to build this architectural monstrosity? Why hasn't the ACA's probe into Happy Ball's illegal residence, unpaid assessments, illegal restaurant and his tenure as a councillor been finalised? Has the investigation even gotten off the ground?

2. Has Happy Balls benefited from any of the 'poverty eradication' programs under the NEP? Has he gotten any govt contracts or licences meant for 'disadvantaged' bumiputras? Has he received any bumiputra discounts on the purchase of property? Has any of his 11 kids been given govt scholarships?

Is the objective of the NEP to produce Happy Balls and other filthy rich people like him, with taxpayer money? And the govt wonders why so many people are against the NEP?!

From The Star: The mansion has 21 bathrooms and 16 bedrooms, where his 11 children would occupy one each.

Palatial: Zakaria’s brightly lit mansion.

There's a jacuzzi in the master bedroom's bathroom.

Cool sight: A swimming pool is part of the facilities at the mansion.

Spacious: The master bedroom has a changing room as well as a jacuzzi.

Besides this, the mansion also has a swimming pool, several gazebos, an orchard, a two-hole mini golf course, a VIP room, three living rooms, a prayer room, an office, a store room, two rooms for maids, a dining room, a wet kitchen and a dry kitchen.

Holding a red IC, but a Malaysian by any other name.

I think it'll be very interesting to do an objective comparison of the number of people who have been granted Malaysian citizenship or permanent residence in the 50 years since independence. Compare the figures of those who have applied, and those whose applications were accepted and rejected in terms of their home countries, racial and religious backgrounds, and political affinities.

The immigration dept and home ministry should also be compelled to reveal their reasons for accepting and rejecting citizenship and residence applications. I'm sure red IC holders like Mr Kon (ref to article below), anyone who has ever married a foreigner and all Malaysians would be very, very interested in their reasoning.

Born in KL in 1949 but still not a citizen
The Star

KUALA LUMPUR: Kon Foo Chin, 58, has always called Malaysia home.

Born in 1949 in Kuala Lumpur to a Chinese immigrant father and a Malaysian mother, Foo Chin calls himself a Malaysian – but his red identity card (IC) and the authorities say otherwise.

“He applied for citizenship in the 1960s, but the only problem was that he failed the Bahasa Malaysia test which he took as a young man."

“Not being granted citizenship has been difficult because my father does not get the same kind of privileges that citizens get. Applying and renewing passport is one example,” said his son Kek Heong, 29, when contacted Tuesday.

He said his father had filled in the application forms and attached the necessary documents, including his father's birth certificate and his grandmother's death certificate in his application for Malaysian citizenship. Foo Chin's five children and even his siblings all hold MyKads, but he is still waiting.

And Foo Chin is not alone.

According to Federal Territory MCA Youth deputy chairman Yee Poh Ping, he estimated that some 200,000 Chinese residents in Malaysia are still holding red ICs.

“Most of them are senior citizens who have been living in Malaysia for many years. Some have been here even before Independence. Over the years, they have paid their taxes and contributed to the Malaysian economy, and their families are all here,” he told the press yesterday.

Religious bullying (1) Filial piety (0).

Apparently, this miscarriage of justice and filial piety has been dragging on for 7 years.

A non-Muslim soldier (E. Ragu) serves in the army and names his mother (Rukumony Muthiah) the beneficiary of his army insurance under a trust deed. 7 months before his death, he converts to Islam but does not revoke the trust deed. In accordance with the trust deed, the mother claims the proceeds of his insurance policy, but Koperasi Angkatan Tentera has seen fit to set aside this legal arrangment (under civil law) by invoking the argument that under syariah law, a non-Muslim cannot inherit the property of a Muslim. Read NST and Malaysiakini for the background.

At the crux of the matter is whether a conversion to Islam conveniently erases all the legal responsibilities, under civil law, that the convert had entered into before his/her conversion?

Here's a fictitious example that illustrates clearly the legal illogicality of the parties contesting the trust deed by arguing that a conversion renders all previous legal undertakings by the convert, null and void.

From: Do conversions automatically end civil law marriages? Hell NO.

Can someone like Saravanan come to my coffeeshop one evening and consume RM1,000 of Guinness Stout on his tab, then he converts to Islam the next day and reneges on his contractual obligation to pay his RM1,000 tab - on the argument that Muslims are not allowed to be party to a contract that involves things that are haram? Notwithstanding the fact that he had already gotten nicely pissed drunk on my booze which he hasn't paid for yet? Is that fair?

So, it is again up to the civil court to uphold the integrity of contracts and legal arrangements made under civil law, and defend the rights of non-Muslims against the encroachment of overzealous Islamist entities like the Majlis Agama Islam Wilayah Persekutuan and Amanah Raya Berhad.

And we are told over and over again that Islamic laws exist purely to serve and implement justice. Tell me, where is the justice in denying the final wishes of a dead man to be a filial son where by his passing, he wants to lessen the [financial] sufferings of his grieving mother?

I have no doubts whatsoever in the innate justice of religious law WHEN implemented by biblical prophets and messiahs. But I have little confidence in mortal men who seek to rule other men (even those of other faiths) by purportedly acting on god's behalf, ESPECIALLY when (unlike a milennium or two ago) god rarely makes personal appearances nowadays to confirm that delegation of authority.

As I see it, many of these inter-religious issues (eg. Rayappan, Subashini etc) are always the result of conversions that sorely lack proper due-diligence. Which is why (unless there is an official state visit by god himself to Putrajaya), Malaysia must move quickly to have much stricter and tighter rules governing conversions. Read an earlier post: A Solution to the Article 11 Impasse. The case would be scenario #3:

Therefore, the answer is to compel a prospective convert to satisfactorily resolve all his/her non-Muslim affairs before conversion, for example:

• legally divorcing his/her spouse if the spouse will not convert with him/her, and distributing their marital property according to secular law,
  
• producing a written agreement between the prospective convert and the spouse as well as other logical legal guardians (like grandparents and siblings) regarding the religious status of any of their children (this point is important because if the convert dies, and his children were converted as well, they cannot be cared for in a non-Muslim home, even if those people are the children's closest living relatives, including the non-Muslim biological parent).
  
• resolving in a secular court any possible future conflicts arising from property jointly owned by the convert and a non-Muslim, or any property of the convert where secular laws and Islamic laws will treat differently in the event that a non-Muslim lays claim to it (eg. heir, family, business partner etc).

And as stated earlier, no conversion is possible if these matters are not fully resolved beforehand. In the event that the religious authorities fail in their due-diligence where a conversion is accepted, but the said resolutions required for the conversion are subsequently found to be insufficient or omitted at any time in the future - the earlier conversion must be deemed to be retrospectively invalid and any disputes that arise are to be adjudicated by a secular court.

Can't see his face, she cannot tell if it's her husband. But let's have sex anyway.

Here's a funny story.

She felt a warm body next to her. Thinking it was her husband, she did what came naturally.

Not until her husband entered the room and asked her about a man he had seen walking out of the room did she realise that she had had sex with another man.

The housewife, 40, then lodged a report at the Cukai police station at 5.30pm alleging she had been raped. Police later arrested the couple's friend, a 29-year-old labourer, who had been staying with them over the past two months.

The woman said she went to bed in their Chuping home about 5am on Friday after making preparations for Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebrations. Her husband had gone to work earlier.

About an hour later, she claimed, she felt a man next to her and she proceeded to make love to him. She claimed she did not see his face. - NST

I've got only one question and it's for the ladies. When it comes to your husbands and boyfriends, is his face the only physical feature you can recognise? Be honest. And do all men smell the same to women?

I reckon she's two-timing her husband and when he found out, this is her excuse.

RELA: Petty, uneducated, jobless men with batons and guns

RELA or Ikatan Relawan Rakyat Malaysia has been getting a lot of flak in the past couple of years. Accusations range from high-handedness and rudeness to outright abuse of power, rape, beatings and violent house invasions.

Lots of folks have put forward arguments and defences about RELA's behavioural issues. Do a search on Google with the search words +RELA +abuse and you'll see how bad things are. NST, Star, The Sun and Malaysiakini also have loads of interesting trinkets about RELA.

But here's why sean-the-man thinks that members of RELA act like angry retards (ie. big bodies, small brains and a bad temper).

2 words. Qualifications and Training.

In order to fully appreciate what RELA lacks in those regards, let us first examine a much more professional voluntary law enforcement body... the Police Voluntary Reserve (PVR) or Sukarelawan Polis (SP-PDRM).

PVR recruitment criteria

Bagi menyertai pasukan ini, seseorang pemohon itu perlulah memenuhi syarat-syarat berikut:- SPDRM-Kontinjen Selangor

1. Warganegara Malaysia

2. Umur: Tidak kurang 18 tahun dan tidak melebihi 40 tahun. Keutamaan diberi kepada mereka yang berumur bawah 35 tahun.

3. Ukuran Badan: Lelaki- Tinggi 162cm (5'4") Lilitan dada 81cm (32"/34"). Berat badan 48kg. Wanita- Tinggi 152cm (5'). Berat badan 43kg

4. Penglihatan dan Pendengaran: Mempunyai penglihatan biasa sekurang-kurangnya vision 6/9 tanpa cermin mata, tidak buta warna dan pendengaran yang baik.

5. Kelulusan Akademik: Sekurang-kurangnya lulus SRP/LCE Pangkat A (sertakan salinan sijil). Golongan profesional akan diberi keutamaan serta fasih bertutur dan menulis di dalam bahasa Melayu

Lain-lain Kelayakan:

6. Mempunyai pekerjaan yang tetap

7. Mendapat kebenaran Ketua Jabatan/Majikan untuk masuk berkhidmat

8. Bersih daripada sebarang rekod jenayah/tapisan keselamatan dan tidak pernah terlibat dengan penyalahgunaan dadah.

Syarat-syarat Perkhidmatan:

9. Pemohon yang berjaya di dalam temuduga pemilihan dikehendaki menjalani pemeriksaan kesihatan, tapisan Jenayah dan keselamatan oleh Cawangan Khas dan pemeriksaan cap jari sebelum diterima masuk berkhidmat.

Note the

- educational requirements (minimum Form 3 SRP grade A and special encouragement for professionals to enlist),

- the requirement that recruits are gainfully employed (I guess it takes a certain minimum calibre of person to hold down a proper job),

- no criminal record and no history of substance abuse, and

- a compulsory background check

PVR training

1. Semua pemohon yang berjaya dikehendaki menjalani latihan asas kepolisan (latihan tempatan) selama 6 bulan sebagai rekrut dan latihan menembak sebelum disahkan berkhidmat di dalam Pasukan SPDRM.

2. Perkhidmatan Sukarelawan Polis adalah tertakluk kepada jadual/ perintah/ peraturan/ kaedah: PVR Regulations 1956, Akta Polis 1967 dan Perintah Tetap Ketua Polis Negara Bah.A502

Training consists of 6 months of police basic training and a code of conduct based on the Police Act and the IGP's Standing Orders.

PVR website: SPDRM Kontinjen Selangor

In stark contrast, here's the stuff that RELA members are made of:

RELA recruitment criteria

Syarat Syarat Am Untuk Menjadi Ahli RELA - Ministry of Home Affairs

1. Warganegara Malaysia.

2. Umur 16 tahun ke atas bagi kaum wanita dan 17 tahun ke atas bagi kaum lelaki.

3. Sihat tubuh badan.

That basically means that ANY 16 year old female or 17 year old male Malaysian who's not physically handicapped (mental handicap is not a problem?) can become a member of RELA.

No educational or employment requirements. No background checks. Nothing at all to ensure the quality and integrity of its recruits.

RELA training

Jangkamasa latihan adalah dari 3 hingga 14 hari dan bergantung kepada jenis kursus. Latihan ini membolehkan seseorang anggota itu dapat memberikan sumbangan yang efektif dalam mencapai objektif pasukan - Ministry of Home Affairs

3 to 14 days?! Damn, that's a pretty long way from the PVR's 6 months, don'tcha think?

I had longer training in the boys scouts and even then, I wasn't allowed to beat people up or break into their houses.

So, now do you see what's wrong? How can you take someone off the street with no educational background nor evidence of good character.., give them a few days of training and then expect them to be able to enforce the law? Some of them might not be able to read the newspaper, much less interpret the law, for god's sake (no educational criteria, remember?).

And some of these people might have no experience being responsible for their own lives (16/17 year olds, no gainful employment criteria nor background checks). How do you expect them to know how to ethically and professionally wield power and authority over other human beings? In fact, can they even be expected to respect the need for ethics and professionalism to go hand in hand with power and authority?

Any organisation is only as good as the standards they hold themselves up to. And as far as I can see, RELA possesses no standards and has no standard whatsover. Therefore, is there any doubt that RELA needs to be disbanded or managed more professionally like the PVR?

RELA website: Ministry of Home Affairs

An interview with Lee Kuan Yew - 27 Sept 2007.

As always, Singapore MM Lee Kuan Yew gives a cracker of an interivew.

This is the complete transcript of Minister Mentor (as the founder of modern singapore is now known) Lee Kuan Yew's interview with syndicated columnist Tom Plate of the UCLA Media Center and new-media expert Jeffrey Cole of the USC Annenberg School Center for the Digital Future. It took place on Sept. 27, 2007 in the minister's private office at Istana, Singapore.

Here's an excerpt that might interest the readers of this blog:

Q: It's amazing, you come in here and you walk around here in one of the great cities in the world. Yet you are worried about survival.

Lee: Where are we? Are we in the Caribbean? Are we next to America like the Bahamas? Are we in the Mediterranean, like Malta, next to Italy? Are we like Hong Kong, next to China and therefore, will become part of China? We are in Southeast Asia, in the midst of a turbulent, volatile, unsettled region. Singapore is a superstructure built on what? On 700 square kilometers and a lot of smart ideas that have worked so far -- but the whole thing could come undone very quickly.

For this to work, you require a world where there are some rules of international law and there is a balance of forces of power that will enforce that international law and the U.S. is foremost in that. Without that balance of power and international law, the Vietnamese will still be in Cambodia and the Indonesians will still be in East Timor, right? Why are they out? Because there were certain norms that had to be observed. You can't just cross boundaries. This little island with four and a half million people, of whom 1.3 are foreigners working here, has got to maintain an army, navy and an air force. Can we withstand a concerted attempt to besiege us and blockade us? We can repel an attack, yes. Given the armed forces in the region and our capability, we can repel and we can damage them. Three weeks, food runs out, we are besieged, blockaded.

Q: Who will come after you? Who would come after you?

Lee: There are assets here to be captured, right?

Q: Some unnamed bad regime?

Lee: When [Malaysia] kicked us out [in 1965], the expectation was that we would fail and we will go back on their terms, not on the terms we agreed with them under the British. Our problems are not just between states, this is a problem between races and religions and civilizations. We are a standing indictment of all the things that they can be doing differently. They have got all the resources. If they would just educate the Chinese and Indians, use them and treat them as their citizens, they can equal us and even do better than us and we would be happy to rejoin them.

Angkasawan selection process - brains or brawn?

Amidst all the fluff articles in the press hyping up Malaysia's first SFP - space flight participant (even Malaysiakini is not immune to publishing candy floss, see: Space fever grips M'sia as launch nears ??? apart from the press and politicians, who's feverish?), I happened to spot this article on Bernama's website. It lists chronologically how the SFP was selected.

OK, is it just me or does the selection process seem overwhelmingly skewed towards making sure that our SFP doesn't pass out from the physical stresses of space flight, rather than actually turn him into a contributing member of the crew?

I'm pretty sure the chimps they sent to space in the 60s-80s were selected in a similar manner, no?

And here's a superb cartoon that makes a point like no one else except Lat can. This came out some time back, but it just shows that Lat has some amazing foresight into how things tend to turn out the Malaysia-boleh way.

Read also:
Our Malaysian Astrocannot.
Astrocannot is also Cosmocannot
Outer Space - The Final Frontier for Malaysia Bodoh... oops Boleh.

How Malaysia Picks Its First Angkasawan

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 9 (Bernama) -- Below is the chronology of events leading to the blast off of Malaysia's first angkasawan (cosmonaut) into space:

Aug 5 2003: Malaysia signed a contract to procure 18 Sukhoi Su-30MKM fighter jets from Russia under a package deal worth about US$900 million. The aircraft are to be delivered in stages between June 2006 and end of 2007. The payment for the aircraft will be stretched until 2009. In return, Russia will purchase Malaysia's palm oil, provide transfer of space technology, and train a Malaysian to become Malaysia's first angkasawan.

Oct 2003: Over 11,000 applicants registered online to become Malaysia's first angkasawan. Application requirements included being above 21 years old, a degree holder or a professional pilot.

Aug 27-Sept 3 2005: 894 candidates shortlisted but only 435 took part in the fitness test starting with a 3.5km run which must be completed within 20 minutes. 199 made it through. Of the figure, 194 underwent the basic medical examination based on National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Programme Criteria. 59 passed.

Sept 25-30 2005: First aeromedical test which included blood, nose and ear checks, X-ray, and electrocardiogram (ECG). 59 were tested, 27 passed.

Jan 16-21 2006: Second aeromedical test, including bone, air passage and centrifuge tests. 27 were tested, 18 passed.

Jan 16-24 2006: Overall assessment based on performance in 3.5km run and second aeromedical test as well as psychiatric, psychology, land and sea survival and technical competence. 10 were tested, 8 passed.

Jan 25-26 2006: Medical examination (including CT Scan, endoscopy and blood analysis). 10 were tested, 8 passed.

Feb 9 2006: Eight qualified candidates interviewed by selection panel at Shangri-La Hotel, Putrajaya. Overall assessment based on performance in all the events covering all aspects in communication, character, forwardness and determination.

Four were selected to be sent to Moscow for further medical examination:

Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor Sheikh Mustapha, 34, orthopaedic surgeon;

Vanajah Siva, 35, senior quality engineer;

Dr Faiz Khaleed, 26, Armed Forces dental surgeon; and

Mohammed Faiz Kamaludin, 34, Malaysia Airlines pilot

March 2006: The four candidates underwent medical examination in Russia including neurology (brain) and body adaptation in microgravity environment.

Sept 4 2006: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi named Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor Sheikh Mustapha and Dr Faiz Khaleed as the final two candidates at the KL International Airport.

Sept 2006-Sept 2007: The two were sent to the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre in Star City, Moscow and then to NASA in Houston, Texas, for training. One will be selected to fly to the International Space Station (ISS) while the other is his back-up.

Sept 24 2007: Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi announced that Dr Sheikh Muszaphar and Dr Faiz Khaleed passed the test and recognised as cosmonauts.

Oct 9 2007: Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Seri Dr Jamaludin Jarjis announced in Baikonur that Dr Sheikh Muszaphar will be the first Malaysian angkasawan to blast off to the ISS from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

Oct 10 2007: Dr Sheikh Muszaphar together with a Russian and an American cosmonauts to blast off to the ISS.

Khairy: We have not lost the Chinese vote... sure or not?

This is just rich.

As if to coincide with Malaysiakini's article entitled 'Family ties make Khairy an easy target',.. my hero, Mr "It's not wrong to fight for your race" (it's really funny if you say it with an Arnold Schwarzenegger accent... honest) plops himself right in front of the cross-hairs when he tries to justify the NEP and racial discrimination to a Singaporean newspaper ala Syed Hamid Albar on BBC's Hardtalk.

Here are some of my favourite quotes from the interview:

IN SUPPORT OF THE NEP

"Distribution of wealth made possible under these policies is crucial not only for the bumiputeras who are doing badly but also for those non-bumiputeras who are still suffering from poverty and do not have educational opportunities."

WTF? Since when has the NEP had any initiatives whatsoever for impoverished non-bumiputeras? When was the last time a Chinese labourer in a new village or an Indian plantation worker given a govt loan, a govt contract or a seat in a residential school? Do you have any facts and figures supporting how the NEP has provided financial and educational opportunities to poor and therefore, politically unconnected non-bumiputeras?

"If you look at broad-based numbers, with regards to education attainment and income disparity, the numbers show a marked gulf between bumiputeras and non-bumiputeras" [with the latter much better off than the former]. "Certain people" would therefore require "certain advantages" in education, poverty alleviation and in the startup of, for example, small businesses.

Oh yes, and who are those "certain people"? According to this here letter (see: Why the NEP is hopelessly corrupted and who it actually benefits), it seems that the afore-mentioned 'certain people' are those people who are politically connected to UMNO. I hardly think they are impoverished, and I hardly think their numbers are 'broad based'... do you?

And answer me this, my hero. Was your education to Oxbridge paid by the Malaysian taxpayer? Did you or any of your family receive a bumiputera discount on a house or houses purchased? If either is in the affirmative, then are you saying that your family is impoverished? How can that be, what with 2 iPhones (running American Cingular Wireless contracts which means paying $roaming charges$ in Malaysia), cars with personalised number plates and being able to buy & sell shares worth millions of ringgit - all this despite having never been employed... ever. So, how come a wealthy chap like you is entitled to enjoy benefits from the NEP?

And as for the 'gulf' of disparity, I think it'll never be gapped because the UMNOputeras' excuse to prolong the NEP (and enrich themselves in the process) is tenable only as long as the Malays as a whole, stay poorer than the Chinese (see: Lesson 101: How to Justify Racial Discrimination).

ON THE FUTURE

"We are not going to make you say you're Malaysian and forget about the fact that you are Malay or Chinese. That is ridiculous. The success of Malaysia comes from the fact that we have our own heritage. The trick is how to work together - to strengthen the Malaysian identity. To me, that is going to be the key to the future."

I have one comment on that... "Who doesn't know your mother is a woman?" Isn't that just stating the obvious? All the races working together is the key to the future... damn, you need an Oxbridge education to know that?

The 'trick', my hero, is the act of working together itself. UMNO's definition of 'working together' is Ketuanan Melayu calling the shots and the cowering non-Malays fall over them themselves rushing to pay rent and tax. And that... is why BN has lost the Chinese vote!

Utterly absurd that video maker's identity overshadows video's content

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

Why the NEP is hopelessly corrupted and who it actually benefits.

The NEP (New Economic Policy or NEarly apartheid Policy... depending on your moral fibre) is fatally flawed as it is, because it seeks to trap Malaysians into racial silos and then discriminate between these different races in all areas of their lives.

The "moral" argument (if you can even call it that) for the NEP has always been that Malays lag behind the non-Malays, and the NEP is needed to equalise the 'wealth distribution' between the races. And a large part of this wealth redistribution program is the granting of govt contracts to 'bumiputra' or Class F / Kelas F companies in order to 'encourage' Malays to involve themselves in the business world. For info on what the requirements are to be a Kelas F contractor, see here.

And one of the main factors that the govt has always stressed to cast an illusion of legitimacy on the NEP is that these Kelas F contracts are distributed fairly to DESERVING bumi contractors, so that Malays are incentivised and given ample opportunity to be successful businesspeople.

But many people have said otherwise... that the benefits of the NEP do NOT go to the intended beneficiaries (ie. the average Malay). Instead, the benefits are strongly rumoured to benefit ONLY the politically connected Malays, who also happen to be the rich ones ie. the ones who deserve the NEP the least.

Well... it's a rumour no more. Here's a letter published on Malaysia-Today that was apparently sent from the UMNO chief of Batu Pahat, Johor to the Batu Pahat District Engineer in the Public Works Dept (JKR) that expressly and explicitly instructs the latter to blacklist and exclude a number of Kelas F contractors who are supposedly 'supporters' or 'sympathisers' of the Opposition parties.

Let's do a little logical thinking. The exclusion and blacklisting of Malay contractors who 'support and sympathise' with the Opposition from obtaining means that only those Malay contractors who 'support and sympathise' with the ruling party (ie. UMNO) will be eligible for govt contracts.

Question:

Is the NEP a tool for uplifting the poor Malays?

Or is it a plot to channel the country's coffers into the pockets of those who "support and sympathise" with UMNO?

If you're reading this blog and you're non-Malay, then your suspicions of the NEP's role in destroying this country is confirmed.

If you're a Malay reader, then you've just found out who your true nemesis really is.., who from the very beginning, has been trying their best to derail the upliftment of the overall Malay community in order to enrich themselves and their cronies.

Read also Malaysians Unplugged for an English translation of the letter and his take on this.

The 'New Evidence' on Hamilton's Japan Fuji F1 GP victory on youtube

Hamilton's driving to be investigated
Thursday, 04, October, 2007, 12:07

Lewis Hamilton is facing a stewards' investigation into his driving while under the safety car in the Japanese Grand Prix.

The officials are understood to be considering whether Hamilton could have contributed to the collision between Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel that took the duo out of second and third places during the second caution period at Fuji.

"New evidence has been brought to the stewards' attention and they are currently investigating the matter," an FIA spokesman told autosport.com.

Vettel said at the time that he had hit Webber while distracted by Hamilton slowing unexpectedly.

“I was exiting turn 13 and looking at Lewis, because all of a sudden he seemed to slow down really much and I thought he had a problem at that stage," Vettel told ITV Sport's Louise Goodman in Japan.

“And by the time I was looking back to the front I was already crashing into Mark’s rear end.”

Read the rest of the itv article above for Hamilton, Vettel and Webber's comments.

And it is my understanding that the youtube below of a spectator's video is indeed the 'NEW EVIDENCE' mentioned above.

Apparently under the safety car conditions, the race leader must stay 5 car lengths behind the safety car. So, that's another charge against Hamilton besides the accusation of reckless driving.

Do we really want to send 'The Keris' to UNESCO?

Malaysia's Education Minister Hishammuddin Hussein is going to vie for a seat on the exec. board of UNESCO or the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation - Bernama.

From UNESCO's website, the purpose of the Organisation, as defined by it's Constitution, is:

"to contribute to peace and security by promoting collaboration among nations through education, science and culture in order to further universal respect for justice, for the rule of law and for the human rights and fundamental freedoms which are affirmed for the peoples of the world, without distinction of race, sex, language or religion, by the Charter of the United Nations."

Now I ask you, fellow Malaysians and astrocannots...

DOES THIS MAN FIT THAT DESCRIPTION?!

Can we, in good conscience, send 'The Keris' to UNESCO and allow him to taint that organisation with his racist, supremacist disease?

Will that not be a blatant example of hypocrisy of the highest degree? Where the last Apartheid country on earth purports to send a delegate to help further the cause of universal equality?

Astrocannot is also Cosmocannot

The mainstream media has been referring to our angkasawan, Sheikh Muzhaphar Shukor, as an Astronaut. Even alternative news portal Malaysiakini bought the bull (although they cheekily added the "part time model" reference to their headline). Refer to the earlier post: Our Malaysian Astrocannot for details.

Then bloggers found out that NASA calls him a Space Flight Participant. That apparently means space tourist. To an average joe like me, that means baggage. The Space Flight Participant moniker opened the floodgates of public opinion against the "Nasional Space Program". Malaysians were outraged that we had spent USD30 million to send a man on what is essentially, a joyride to space. And we sounded our displeasure... loudly.

Obviously, our lamentations fell upon the ear of Science, Techology and Innovations Minister Encik Jamaludin Jarjis, prompting him to blurt out:

Malaysia's first "angkasawan" (space traveller) will be recognised as a cosmonaut by the Russian space authorities. He said that an official recognition ceremony for the angkasawan as a cosmonaut would be held in Moscow on Nov 11 following his return from space on Oct 21.

"Some countries might question this, but to me, it is not important. What matters is that the candidate was selected and trained by Russia and the country recognises him as a true cosmonaut."

"The Russians themselves had told our man (angkasawan) that he is a cosmonaut, and that's the end of the story." - Bernama

Really, Minister? Is that really the end of the story? Have you told the Russians that?

I did a quick check at the Russian Federal Space Agency or ROSCOSMOS' website. It's the Russian equivalent of the US' NASA. Turns out that they do have a profile on our angkasawan.


But it's in Russian. So what does it say? What is the ROSCOSMOS calling him? A quick stint at Google Translator reveals that he is called... wait for it... "Participant space flight".


So... who's bullshitting who, Mr Minister?

He still sounds like jettisonable flotsam to me.

>>>>>Update 4 Oct 2007 4:30pm:>>>>>

I found the English pages on the ROSCOSMOS website. Hmmmph... it just got worse. The Russkis are calling him simply 'Flight Participant'. They can't be bothered so much so that they even left out the word 'Space'.

And guess what? Faiz, our Angkasawan #2 is called... 'Flight Participant Backup'. WTF?... Luggage also need backup?

Also read The Star for an account of the Russian Ambassador to Malaysia trying to back up our Minister by contradicting ROSCOSMOS.

>>>>>

A judicious recap of the events surrounding the judiciary

If you've been left behind by the pace of events about the Malaysian judiciary, here's a recap about what's happened and the real issues underlying the circumstance.

The article asks a good question. If the govt has nothing to hide, why does it do so much more to pursue and victimise the whistleblower, but so little to bring the culprits to justice?

Are the culprits part of the govt? Or is the govt the culprit?

Singapore F1 GP - 3D drivethrough and detailed route map

Here's a nifty piece video from earth@sg taking a 3D test drive down the F1 track. It's not flash-bang like a slick commercial or advertising video (dang, it hangs abit once or twice), but it's pretty good effort from a group of dunno-whos.


And if you were trying to figure out what each of the buildings and landmarks were, here's a detailed route map from the Singapore's URA (Urban Redevelopment Authority).