Friday, February 17, 2012

SINGAPORE MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT SHOWN THE EXIT

It does not come as a surprise to me when told that Worker’s Party of Singapore and Hougang MP Yaw Shin Leong (35) was expelled from the party Wednesday for an alleged extramarital affair with a fellow member of the party. Besides this allegation, there was also another report by a married PRC woman who claimed to have had an affair with Yaw Shin Leong. Both the allegation and claim were neither denied nor admitted by Yaw.

Yaw Shin Leong was made MP for Hougang after having won the Hougang single member constituency during the 7 May 2011 Singapore General Election. The Worker’s Party Central Executive Committee was unanimous in their decision to expel (not a suspension)Yaw at the expense of facing a by-election that may go against the party. The reason given by the party for the expulsion is short and plain i.e. “indiscretion in personal life” and the party “cannot compromise on the basic fundamental principles which we believe in” despite Yaw’s contribution to the party in the past.

I was in Singapore when this issue was hotly debated and I could hasten a guess then as to its outcome i.e. expulsion from the party. I had no other choice.

The reason why I had brought out this issue is for all of us to acknowledge that elected leaders in Singapore, regardless of whether it is the government or the opposition leaders, takes a serious view of its members that indulges in activities deemed immoral. Action taken against an alleged offender (regardless of its status) is swift and devoid of compromises. This is an exemplary lesson that our leaders could learn from if they are serious in wanting to see our country be the ‘best democracy in the world’. I do not know if our country can achieve this in my lifetime; certainly not under the prevailing political environment.

We have so often heard the word ‘winnable candidate’ be toyed around as a criteria for selecting a right candidate for the general election. I am still unclear as to the meaning of a ‘winnable candidate’ and what all it demands of the candidate. Is it money? Is it popularity? Or does the moral input of a person places him high in the category of a winnable candidate?

Let us all wait and watch the final list of so claimed ‘winnable candidates’ for the upcoming elections from both the political divide, for us to make a judgment.

CRUSADE AGAINST CORRUPTION

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

CAMBODIA – FROM A WAR RAVAGED COUNTRY TO AN ECONOMICALLY VIBRANT STATE

Most have noticed that I had laid down writing for almost 14 days. The reason was this i.e. that I had been on a weeklong business cum leisure trip to Cambodia beginning 30 January and upon my return, I was down with cough and cold that forced me to confine myself to bed for the next 6 days. For a man of 68, it wasn’t easy to recover from the dreaded cough and cold, even if I had forced myself to drink two bottles of Band Essence of Chicken daily hoping to reenergize my ailing body. I never really liked visiting a doctor for a simple illness like this for I know the prescription would be the good old panadol and some anti- biotic pills.

Several friends called to find out what has gone wrong with me. I am feeling better now and the first thing I did was to open my email only to find more than 1001 unread emails. If you were me, would you want to read all the emails or be selective in reading only those that are of interest to you and the rest be ignored?

The trip to Cambodia was an interesting one this time. It gives me the opportunity to meet up with people that I had befriended back in 1992. Some of them are holding high government position; some in business while some have long retired and settled in their villages, and their whereabouts unknown.

One interesting personality that I met was General Chhum Sucheat, currently holding the position of the Under Secretary of State and spokesman for the Cambodian Ministry of National Defense. I had known him as the Cambodian People’s Armed Forces (CPAF) Liaison Officer who was with me throughout the period of my UN duties in Cambodia in 1992. He was at the time just a 37 year old CPAF officer of the rank of Brigadier, while I was already reaching the age of 50 and a Colonel. Surprisingly too, General Ke Kim Yan, CPAF Chief of Defence Force at the time was also of the same age with General Sucheat. The former has ventured into politics and is today a Minister in the Hun Sen government. I was fortunate to have met him again during an earlier visit to Cambodia in 2005 when he was still the Chief of Defence Force.

My first day in Cambodia was to call upon the Malaysian Ambassador at the newly built Malaysian Embassy complex that is also home for the Ambassador and his staffs. I also called upon the Defence Attache, Col Adnan Ariffin in his beautifully furnished office and the Matrade marketing officer Mr. Thorn Sarorn who happens to be a local Khmer who spoke fluent Indonesian and English. I am indeed thankful to the Ambassador and his staffs for having agreed to meet despite me being a nobody, and for me to express the reason for the visit to Cambodia, and to be accorded well by everyone.


My meeting with General Sucheat on the second day brought back many fond memories. As I had alluded earlier he was much younger than me. But what surprised me most is that he now is a tee-totaller; having being told by his doctors to abstain completely from alcoholic liquor because of a heart ailment. In the days that I had known him, he is never without a glass of liquor at hand; more so during period of leisure.

What is obviously visible in Phnom Penh today is that one can no longer see armed soldiers and military vehicles roaming the city. This is strikingly unusual from what was witnessed in the period leading to the UN intervention of the early 90’s where armed soldiers roamed freely in the city and around the country side. Road blocks manned by the militia and police were so common around the city center and along the country roads then, that one finds it unsafe to travel after dusk. The city of Phnom Penh has gone through some major facelift, spotting newly constructed high raised modern designed buildings all over the city. From the number of foreign banks seen around the city, I believe businesses in Cambodia are growing at a rapid pace. Malaysia’s Cambodian Public Bank (Campu Bank) the first Malaysian bank to venture into Cambodia in 1992 appears to be one of the largest foreign banks having its headquarters in a newly constructed multistory building.

My weeklong trip to Cambodia wasn’t in vain. Here, I wish to recall the final paragraph of a book I wrote about the Malaysian Experience in Cambodia, quote, “Malbat has learnt one valuable lesson i.e. that peacekeeping is not about projecting one’s physical might; on the contrary, peacekeeping has all to do with the portrayal and the exercise of one’s humble and humane values. This was where our soldiers stood above the rest and the sacrifices they made were all for a worthy cause. We gave the Cambodian people the peace that they so deserve. With peace, there would be prosperity and with prosperity, there would be enduring regional stability” unquote.

Having witnessed the rise of Cambodia from the ravages of war, I can now say that Malaysian soldiers were a party to the peace and prosperity that Cambodia enjoys today, and we all ought to be proud.

CRUSADE AGAINST CORRUPTION

Thursday, February 2, 2012

PERSATUAN BEKAS WARGA BATALION PERTAMA REJIMEN ASKAR MELAYU DIRAJA

Majlis Perasmian Persatuan Bekas Warga Batalion Pertama Rejimen Askar Melayu DiRaja akan di adakan seperti berikut:

1. Tarikh: 10 Mac 2012 (Sabtu)
2. Tempat: Bn 1 RAMD, Kem Sg. Besi, Kuala Lumpur
3. Waktu: 0900 pagi
4. Pakaian: Bersesuaian dan kemas

Majlis ini akan dirasmikan oleh Menteri Pertahanan Malaysia ,YB Dato Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

Semua bekas warga Bn 1 RAMD di jemput hadir. Semoga kehadirin tuan tuan akan dapat mengeratkan lagi silatulrahim serta mengekarkan semangat kekeluargaan dikhalangan semua bekas warga battalion.

Bagi mendapatkan maklumat lanjut mengenai majlis ini, sila hubungi Setiausaha Persatuan, Mej Nordin Hassan (B) ditalian 019-3113404

CRUSADE AGAINST CORRUPTION

Sunday, January 29, 2012

RELA – PM NAJIB’S FINAL LINE OF DEFENCE?

PM Najib says that there are 2.8 million RELA (Paramilitary People’s Volunteer Corps) in the country (Malaysia Chronicles, Saturday 28 Jan). That is a much bloated figure that far outmatched the collective strength of the Armed Forces and the Police put together. From my reading, there are only 500,000 odd Rela members.

Now, how and where did PM Najib pluck this number from? Does he not know what it takes to maintain such a large force? I think this figure even doubles that of the Indian Army. If indeed there are 2.8 million RELA members, then we don’t really need the Armed Forces and the Police…….. Just disband them and let the RELA take over the defence and security of the country. And with that kind of number, there wouldn’t be any more thieves, murderers and illegals in this country. Everything will be safe and sound, and it may cause some concern to all the neighbouring regional states.

And what really scares me was when PM Najib said that “when the chips are down, RELA will be with this government to defend the country”. What ‘chips’ is he referring to, and what is the threat that the government is trying to defend……external or internal security threat or a political threat from the opposition.

Please PM Najib, be weary with the kind of words and language used. What you have said can be interpreted to mean many things, and to people like me that had served 34 years in the military, I take it to mean that RELA would be your ‘final line of defence’; I suppose to be deployed to defend the country when both the Armed Forces and the police have lost their battle. And do you seriously think that when the Armed Forces and the police have been defeated, RELA can take over the defence and security of the country? I have serious doubts.

Now, there is already a move by the Home Minister Hishamuddin to arm the RELA. Yes, arming them may frighten Abu, Ah Kow and Muthu, but this will not frightened an enemy’s military force. It has taken years to build an Armed Forces and the Police with some credibility, and there is no way that RELA can be credible by just arming them to be trained once a week in basic weapon handling.

Defence and security training is not just about weapon training. PM Najib knows this very well for he was a long serving Defence Minister. And if someone were to ask me whether our Armed Forces and the Police today are well equipped and trained to defend this country against an external threat, my answer is one of skepticism. And if my answer is to be believed, then it is the government’s responsibility to ensure that the Armed Forces and the Police attains an appropriate level of ‘force credibility’ as a matter of urgency.

I think there is now a lot of confusion about the roles of RELA, made worse by the statement of PM Najib. I think RELA started as an unarmed paramilitary civil volunteer corps that predates to the time when the government was saddled with the influx of illegal immigrants. It was never meant to be a force involved in defence and security because they are not organized and structured as such. Rather they are to work alongside all other security enforcement agencies, to assist them in dealing with security and social issues arising from the mass influx of illegal immigrants.

My stand on this issue is that the roles and tasks of the RELA should not replicate that of the Armed Forces and the Police. They should remain subservient force to assist, rather than being involved with defence and security per se.

In restructuring the RELA and boosting them the extra allowances, I hope the government does not have a hidden political agenda, especially one that is connected to the upcoming elections. Let me be honest and straight with the aforesaid statement. I will agree that RELA should be given an increase in their allowances that has been meager in the past, but I will certainly have my reservations if their roles and tasks are to be changed.

CRUSADE AGAINST CORRUPTION

Friday, January 27, 2012

IS IT A GREVIOUS SIN TO JOIN DAP?

Hello Khairy Jamaluddin, what is so wrong for a Malay to join the DAP? You should be asking yourself why are the Malays joining the DAP at a time when you think that there is no other party in the country that can serve the Malays better? Yes, UMNO have for the last 50 odd years served the Malays, but it has now become increasingly a party of the elitist that only takes care of a handful, rather than all Malays (regardless of their political affiliation). You may want to ask why is it that UMNO itself has been claiming that the Malays are still poor and need to be looked after. You mean to say that 50 odd years of UMNO/BN rule isn’t enough? Now who do you blame for the never ending predicament of the Malays – is it the DAP or PCG (Parti Cap Gajah)?

Search your soul Khairy and you will find the answer as to why the Malays are joining DAP. You don’t need to ask those that have joined because should they answer, you will then reply to them by saying that they are traitors of their race. But let me ask you Khairy, aren’t the Malays in UMNO traitors themselves? Just look at the faces of those that surround you? Do you think they are all an incorruptible lot? Corruption to me is the most heinous of all crimes performed by those that have little regard for their faith and are blind to Allah’s retribution in the hereafter. And I do not wish to bring out the many wrong doings of UMNO during the time of the Constitutional Crisis of 1992 where the Malay rulers were battered defenseless; stripped naked of their honor. That was the time when UMNO were really kurang ajar and please don’t deny this Khairy. You must be a school boy then when this entire Malay ruler’s bashing episode happened.

Now please don’t get me wrong Khairy. I am not saying that you are corrupt, but the talk about you being corrupt around the time when your father-in-law was the PM is so resounding that it is too difficult to disbelieve. I remembered your name being mentioned repeatedly around the coffee shops as the smartest 27 year old and a PM in the making. They also say that you acted like a ‘gate keeper’ and what this really implies, I do not know. I find it hard to believe that for a person like you, so young and to be educated at one of the most reputable and recognizable universities in the world is not able to reason why are the Malays joining the DAP, and you need others to give you the answer.

I am surprised that it was Khairy first that was able to sense the sudden migration of the Malays into the DAP. Now I hear that DPM Muhyiddin has also sounded a warning to the Malays “not to fall for the DAP trap”. I do not know what trap he is referring to – not a mouse trap I hope. We will now have to wait for a day or two before Perkasa’s Ibrahim Ali and other Pro-UMNO NGOs to join in the fray with a threat to hold a massive public rally against the DAP; something that they are good at i.e. waste of time.

Let me warn UMNO that the Malays that joined the DAP are not the ‘kucing kurap’ or the ‘katak lompat’ type that goes around begging for favours and contracts. They know what they are doing. They are all learned and with a clear vision of change for the better for the country and its people. More importantly, they are clean and are yet to be exposed to the rot that is plaguing UMNO politicians today. Regardless of who and what they are, I personally think that they will be our leaders of the future. Mark my word.

Now, let me also say this that with Malays joining the DAP, this has further emboldened the Chinese, especially the fence sitters to say that they must be something good about the DAP that had drawn Malays to the party, knowing that the Malays in the past would not want to be associated with a Chinese dominated party, let alone become a member. Clearly, in this regards, the MCA and Gerakan has lost its Chinese appeal and attraction, and especially the MCA’s so oft slogan that they are a party that takes care of the Chinese race is no longer true. I now believe that a party that is based solely on racial lines is no longer attractive and cannot survive the new Malaysian mindset.

With this new political development and shift, can the UMNO Malays now say that they are the only party to defend the rights of the Malays?

CRUSADE AGAINST CORRUPTION

Thursday, January 26, 2012

ABU-HINDRAF FRACAS – SIGNS OF A FAILED POLICE FORCE

The ABU-Hindraf gathering at Jalan Kebun, Shah Alam on 21 January 2012 that ended up being roughed up by Malay thugs and ruffians allegedly at the behest of UMNO and in connivance with the local police proves that this country is at the verge of a total collapse of civility, respect and tolerance. Viewing the video that was uploaded in several blogs, it was clear that the fracas was started by a group of thugs led by one Muhamad Razali alias Baharom. I do not know if he is from the force or paid by someone to create trouble, but one thing was certain i.e. from the language uttered by the thug, it was derogatory aimed at the Indian community intent at causing a riot.

My question is what if it were an Indian guy that started the fracas and the audience were mainly Malays? I am quite sure there will be a riot and the police will be there in droves and in double quick time making the arrest. What is actually happening to this country today, especially that of the police force that is suppose to protect us? Is the government in control or have they lost the interest to run this country? Or has that responsibility to govern being handed over to the police? Can Home Minister Hishamuddin say something please? Where are the 60,000 security guards that the government has been talking about? Blue Ocean strategy they say.

I am utterly disgusted at the initial response by the state police officer whose remark reflects total ignorance, arrogance, lack responsibility and incompetency. I just wonder where he was when the trouble was brewing. Was he at home or attending a kenduri kahwin somewhere? Wasn’t he briefed by his officers or was the briefing given by the thugs themselves? And now he comes up with a statement that they have arrested six people whose age ranges from 16 to 19 years old. But the video shows that the main perpetrator to be someone much older and a fatso. Why hasn’t this thug being arrested? Or has he being told to go into hiding until all is safe and clear?

If this is what we call efficiency of the police force, then I beg to differ. If the police had responded well and professionally, they could have affected arrest that same night because there was police presence that was witnessed to the fracas. Obviously the policemen that were there didn't have the slightest clue as to how to react and to control the situation. This clearly shows the standard of training of the policemen now that were no better than the Rela guards. I am sorry to say this because I have many police friends, but I believe they too are equally disappointed at the lack of professionalism in the policemen. Had they been some military guys, I would have hit at them much harder.

I do not know if the six and several others will be charged for causing a public disturbance. Whatever the outcome, the punishment must be seen to be punitive and not just a simple fine and a warning. This incident could have caused a racial riot that we do not wish to experience it once more.

CRUSADE AGAINST CORRUPTION

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

IBRAHIM ALI – PLEASE STOP MEDDLING

Perkasa’s court jester Ibrahim Ali has now made himself an unwarranted spokesman for the NFC. Now who is he to be briefed by the NFC’s Chairman about the much talked fiasco of the NFC? Who is he to make a comment after the briefing by the NFC Chairman that all is well with the company and for making some racist remarks that there was a non Malay that stole some money from the company and had exposed the NFC’s ‘misappropriation’; I suppose to the opposition.

If indeed money was stolen from the company, why wasn’t it reported early in the case? And why has the court jester to make a reference that it was a non Malay that had stolen the money? Now, is the court jester saying that there aren’t any Malay thieves involved in the fiasco? Now, who actually listens to this court jester – I wonder? And why would the NFC Chairman wants to brief Ibrahim Ali when there is already an ongoing investigation by the police and the MACC. And does he not know that the government had announced that the NFC accounts will be audited by a reputable auditor? Is Ibrahim Ali that reputable auditor?

My advice to Ibrahim Ali is to get off this case as he has nothing to do with it. He is a no body but just being a busy body. And I think he just want to be seen by his ‘masters’ to be doing a just service. I do not think he has a clue about accounting and even if the books were thrown at him, he wouldn’t know what to look at. Is Ibrahim Ali now questioning the integrity of the Auditor General who was the person to have brought out this issue to the public? And all Malaysians must thank the Auditor General for being brave and honest to highlight the many flaws in the management of the NFC.

After Ibrahim Ali, we now hear of another court jester i.e. Perkasa’s Secretary General declaring that Islam is under threat in Selangor with Selangor’s MB Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim taking over the portfolio of the Exco for Islamic Affairs. This court jester even questioned the religious credentials of Khalid Ibrahim whom he deemed as being unqualified for the job.

Now may I ask this court jester, what are your religious credentials? Do you honestly think you are more qualified than Khalid Ibrahim? Don’t you know that even if Khalid Ibrahim does not have the right credentials, I am quite sure he will have his religious advisors to assist and advise him to make a decision on all religious issues that arises?

Now, just look at all our Malay rulers. They all are the Head of the Islamic religion within the state. And do you think they will make a decision regarding matters of the Islamic faith without any consultation with the religious experts? Even PM Najib has an Islamic religious advisor in the person of Jamil Khir. So what is so wrong with Khalid Ibrahim taking over the post of the Exco for Islamic Affairs of the state?

My sincere advice to Ibrahim Ali is to start looking at all the corruption issues that are being reported involving UMNO politicians and their cronies. To begin with, go and investigate the people that are involved in the illicit money transfer out of the country that runs in the billions. If this is too big a job for Ibrahim Ali, then why not interview the PM’s wife Rosmah Mansor to ask if she did or did not spend that RM300,000 for her clothing in Australia as reported. And if this is also too difficult for Ibrahim Ali, why not interview the two secretaries, Azlina Othman and Awang Adek whether they did or did not received cash from an UMNO contractor as alleged?

And finally, if Ibrahim Ali is too shy to interview all the personalities stated above, then ask UMNO what have they done for the Malays for the last 54 years. You should know the answers.

CRUSADE AGAINST CORRUPTION