WHAT IS SO WRONG IN BEFRIENDING THE OPPOSITION?

I was referred to during a conversation with a friend of an article titled PANGLIMA BERSARA SERTAI PKR KERANA BERMASALAH posted in a blog bigdogdotcom.wordpress.com.

I have no interest in knowing who the blogger is, but I certainly have interest in correcting the facts posted in the blog and to counter some issues that he has written.

First, the writer says that the senior military officer whom he named as Brig Jen Dato Abdullah bin Mohamed (Retired) 67 years of age, was the Commander of an Army unit, had on 24 November 2011 joined the PKR and paid RM200 for a life membership at the PKR’s office, Port Dickson. Dato Abdullah, together with 50 other retired military officers and ranks of the Armed Forces acceptance into PKR will be announced by Anuar Ibrahim when the latter makes a scheduled visit to Port Dickson on 25 December 2011.

The writer alleged that the reason Dato Abdullah and the others joined PKR is to expose the audit on the recent purchase of the 8x8 Armoured Vehicles for the Army that were purchased at 7 times the original price. The writer accused the PKR of wanting to solicit the knowledge of Dato Abdullah and the others in party’s investigation (should the investigation be carried out) relating to the purchase of the armoured vehicles for the party’s personal gain. Whatever is revealed during the investigation will be used by PKR during its campaign; purportedly aimed at discrediting (politik kebencian) the government.

First, let me correct a vital error in fact i.e. that I am certain Brig Jen Dato Abdullah bin Mohamed (Retired) is not an army officer as alleged. I am of his age, and I being from the army am fully aware of names of senior military officers of my era. I do not know if there is an officer by that name in the other two services of the Armed Forces.

Second, what is so wrong if Dato Abdullah and the 50 others want to join PKR? Is it an offence for retired military men/women to join a political party of their choice? Is the writer suggesting that they should only join UMNO or any other party within the BN coalition? What is so dreadful and unacceptable in them joining an opposition party? Is the writer suggesting that it is only the BN that has the right to govern the country for another 100 years?

Third, if Dato Abdullah and the others are privy to the dealings in the purchase of the armoured vehicles, what is so wrong for them to expose the dealings if the dealings are deemed to be dubious and are mired in corruption, impropriety, falsification by those involved in making the deal? Are they not doing what is desired by civil society? They being Muslims, I think are committed to reveal and to expose any wrong doing, for if they are to remain quite, is to condone such impropriety. Any other religion for that matter does not condone the obvious wrong doing of others.

To blogger bigdog, I have this to say – I and many others that had served the Armed Forces faithfully has this obvious hatred for corruption. I have known how corrupt some Armed Forces personal were, and how lucky they were not to be caught and jailed. I believe you know too the corruption that goes on among politicians and government officials till this very day, but you chose to ignore that such act do exist and instead turn a blind eye. By doing this, I say that you are in connivance with the devil.

Finally, let me tell blogger bigdog that I am also of the opinion that the RM7 billion purchases of 200 odd armoured vehicles are highly inflated. And for saying this, are you now going to say that I too am a voice of the opposition? So stop being paranoid at seeing retired military officers and ranks joining the opposition party, for this is part of a burgeoning process of creating the best democracy for the country. And isn’t this also the aspiration of PM Najib?

CRUSADE AGAINST CORRUPTION

LIFE IS SO CHEAP

Former Health Minister and MCA's Chairman for Bakri Division Dato Chua Jui Meng had at 4.15 pm Saturday, July 18th 2009 announced at a PKR public forum held at Sunway Lagoon, that he is joining the ranks of PKR. I suppose this is the least that MCA had expected from an illustrious senior politician who had been a staunch party member for more than two decades. What concerns MCA now is the fear that more will follow the steps of Jui Meng, who still have a strong following in MCA.

In his speech following his announcement to join PKR, he was reported to have said that “I know I am leaving the comfort and security of my present life for a road less traveled – a tough and rough road” and he further said that he is “about to take a journey of change”. These are strong statements reflecting presumably his frustration at what is happening to the country today, and a rebuke to the leaders of the ruling party in particular. His decision to quit MCA does not come as a surprise to some. He is known to have an uneasy relationship with some of the top MCA leaders in the past, and he has failed in his attempt to secure the party's top leadership post twice.

I do not know whether the PKFZ scandal that involves a string of former MCA leaders, and the mysterious death of Teoh Beng Hock at Shah Alam recently is partly the reason for Jui Meng to break ranks with MCA. But I certainly think that this two issues have somewhat affected public opinion of the government, and made even worse by the ruling party's poor handling of the Perak fiasco that is still lingering in the courts.

I have just returned from a wedding last night, and the main topic of discussion was the death of Teoh Beng Hock. From the discussion, I could sense that even the Malay majority among the crowd, does not see any logic for Beng Hock to have jumped to his death; rebutting the characterisation made by the infamous Nazri Aziz.

There has to be strong reasons for Beng Hock to have forsaken his life, and he being in the custody of the MACC at the time of his death, should take full responsibility for the incident. To most, this is a mysterious death, unheard of in the country's 52 years of independence, and an incident that can even take a racist twist. Denial by the authorities is not the answer, and to ask the concern public to stop making assumptions, opinions and remarks regarding the incident is impossible. A Royal Inquiry seems the only way out to satisfy public opinion.

The Kugan's death while in police custody is now silent. The alleged abuse by MACC investigating officers upon witnesses is now taking a new pattern.............I suppose, likening it to the CIA/FBI methods of investigation/interrogation that see little value and respect for the human life.

And when can this utter disregard for human life cease, and don't the authorities know that such demeaning acts of some unscrupulous government officials runs contrary to the government attempts at winning public support to their side after a failed March 8th 2008 General Elections? The only way for the government to stop the slide of public support is to come down hard on these unscrupulous government officials and their unwarranted acts.


CRUSADE AGAINST CORRUPTION