Picture source.

Yesterday, the front page headline, “Only on merit” was printed in bold letters on the widest circulated English daily newspaper of Malaysia. That certainly caught my eye.

I am sure that particular headline got many people’s attention, but I am not sure how many actually bothered to pay RM1.50 for a copy of the newspaper. Well, I must confess that I bought a copy of the newspaper, although I deeply resent the way the newspaper is operated. (I am sure you know what I mean.)

Here, I would really like to commend Tan Sri Sidek Hassan, the Chief Secretary to the Government (federal, obviously), for the circular that he sent to all the civil servants directing them to report to their superiors if they are asked for “favours” by politicians and the “well-connected.”

But I won’t. Not because I don’t like him (I don’t know him personally) or because he serves a government that I am not particularly fond of. I am not commending him for issuing the seemingly laudable circular for several reasons. Although the directive contained in the circular may at first glance seem to be a good idea, I strongly believe that it is not what it seems. Here’s why:
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Making sure the Chinatown shoppers are safe? (Click on the photo for the source.)

He who cannot draw on 3,000 years is living from hand to mouth.
- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

We’ve all heard the cliché, “Think out of the box.” Well, this clever suggestion is most often used when we are trying to overcome a very difficult obstacle or find a solution to a set of very difficult problems. Then, some smart aleck will come along and say, “Let’s not look at them as obstacles or problems, but challenges…”

Thank you, Sir.

Now, Malaysia—and the rest of humanity, to varying degrees—has faced persistent problems with crime and illnesses, both physical and mental. Why is it that we, human beings, with about 10,000 years of civilisation and more than 100 years of modern medical science, have yet to really address these two problems effectively?

Indeed, these so-called “challenges” seem to be getting worse by the day in many parts of the world and, if I’m not mistaken, in Malaysia, too (I am a cynic when it comes to government statistics). From anecdotal evidence as well as newspaper reports, we can see that incidences of all sorts of crime seem to be on the rise, as well as illnesses like cancer, heart diseases, kidney failures, depression, schizophrenia, etc.

So, what have we and many people of other nations done to address these problems? Hire more cops? Enact more laws? Place mobile police stations in busy areas? Train more doctors? Build more hospitals? Give out more free medication?
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Hahahah!!! PM Najib Razak is so lame… Probably because he’s whipped by the “First Lady”…

Thank you, Zaid, especially for treating Bala to ice kacang on behalf of all Malaysians who have woken up to the reality of Umno-BN propaganda…

If you don’t know what I’m talking about, read the following news article…

* * * * *

Zaid calls for open probe on RPK and Bala
By FMT Staff

KUALA LUMPUR: PKR leader Zaid Ibrahim, accusing Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak of being afraid to face blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin (RPK) and private eye P Balasubramaniam, has challenged the government to conduct an independent and open investigation to determine RPK’s guilt and Balasubramaniam’s credibility.

He said he was sure the two would return to Malaysia to defend themselves if the government would guarantee their families’ safety and their immunity from detention under the Internal Security Act.

“The truth is that Najib is afraid of these two human beings,” he said in his latest posting on myzaidibrahim.wordpress.com under the title Comedy a la P. Ramlee, which is translated below:
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The plight of the Palestinian people and the role of the ‘Zionist’ government of Israel is a matter of international and humanitarian concern, not a matter for Malaysian politicians to score points with the Malay-Muslim electorate. The prime concern of Parti Keadilan Rakyat (KEADILAN) has always been, and will always be, the fair and humanitarian treatment of all Malaysians and also the downtrodden peoples of other nations.

Four Umno leaders have voiced their opinions on Anwar Ibrahim’s stand on Zionist aggression, especially in light of The Washington Post article that was published recently. These Umno leaders — Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, Defence Minister Zahid Hamidi, Information Minister Rais Yatim and Umno Youth Chief Khairy Jamaluddin — are jumping at the opportunity to distort the words of the writer, who wrote:

He [Anwar] said he regretted using terms such as “Zionist aggression,” which are common coin for demagogues like Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. “Why do I need to use it if it causes so much misunderstanding?” he said. “I need to be more careful.”

In case these Umno leaders cannot comprehend proper English, what that means is that Anwar regrets using terms which demagogues like controversial Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad use, especially when it causes a misunderstanding in the international community. Anwar then humbly concedes he needs to be more careful in how he criticizes Israel’s Zionist government, in light of the fact that accusations of anti-semitism are rampant.
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* The following is a letter I sent to three online news portals regarding the above matter:

I am both bemused and disturbed by what I read in your esteemed online news portal. Indeed, I find a similar story on two other online news portals. I am referring to what my former KEADILAN colleague, Zahrain Hashim, said about Zaid Ibrahim’s links with Raja Petra Kamarudin (aka RPK), the “fugitive” political blogger (to me, he’s the victim of political persecution because of his outspoken views).

What Zahrain said and is trying to insinuate both bemuses and disturbs me; hence, this letter to you.

Firstly, I find it completely ironic that someone of Zahrain’s standing (he is, after all, a Member of Parliament) could say such a ridiculous thing. What is he really trying to say? That KEADILAN or Zaid Ibrahim is funding a fugitive? That somehow some opposition people are aiding and abetting RPK?

Zaid has openly (and proudly, I think) admitted that he is a friend of RPK’s. So is Anwar Ibrahim. Indeed, so am I. Is it a crime to be friends with someone who is being persecuted by an undemocratic and repressive government (who is trying to paint that someone as a fugitive on the run)?
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