The Half-Baked Cake of AES

Sometime back, I figured that I would say "I told you so" over the AES (Automated Enforcement System) issue that most Barisan Nasional MPs would certainly scream about then making a U-turn later on. When it was mooted in about 1-2 years ago many of them, without thinking deep further except from the nutshell  / surface would scream yes and gave the one common answer of why the need of having AES. And then when the negative buzz over the system goes over and over the top, those politicians, whose mouth is faster than the brain would then say - stop the press / hold the implementation. When Khairy Jamaluddin and Bung Mokhtar started coming out - from their own turf to say that AES should be put on hold, I knew that these bunch of people have already eaten a half-baked cake and made a bad mistake.

Many have said that the system was too rushed, and there's a perception of how hidden costs or the timetable of implementation as well as how the government brushes (bulldozes) through the system without a thorough check and stakeholder consultation has given to the fact that not many people are well receptive to the system. I am actually fine to the system, particularly for the red light camera part but the major parts of the system that I am not very well receptive of and this brought a interesting thought - something that it was well ignored around 2002.

Unrealistic Speed Limits

Recently, the KASE (Kempen Saman Anti-Ekor) highlighted a case where a speed camera is placed on a road with the limit of 30 km/h. Many believed that having an absurd and illogical limit there is what will irked a lot of road users. The present road limits on the road is more or less outdated. Contrary to what many people generally think about speed limits, this short FAQ seems to speak otherwise than what MIROS said. For example:

"Inappropriately established speed limits cause drivers to take all traffic signals less seriously. The brochure also points out that unrealistic speed limits create two groups of drivers. Those that try to obey the limit and those that drive at a speed they feel is safe and reasonable. This causes dangerous differences in speed. "

The subsequent questions actually depict the scenario and on the road emotions of many road users:

(note: taken from National Motorist Association, U.S.A)

Q. Isn't slower always safer?
A. No, federal and state studies have consistently shown that the drivers most likely to get into accidents in traffic are those traveling significantly below the average speed. According to research, those driving 10 mph slower than the prevailing speed are more likely to be involved in an accident. That means that if the average speed on an interstate is 70 mph, the person traveling at 60 mph is more likely to be involved in an accident than someone going 70 or even 80 mph.

Q. Wouldn't everyone drive faster if the speed limit was raised?
A. No, the majority of drivers will not go faster than what they feel is comfortable and safe regardless of the speed limit. For example, an 18-month study following an increase in the speed limit along the New York Thruway from 55 to 65 mph, determined that the average speed of traffic, 68 mph, remained the same. Even a national study conducted by Federal Highway Administration also concluded that raising or lowering the speed limit had practically no effect on actual travel speeds.

Q. Don't higher speed limits cause more accidents and traffic fatalities?
A. No, if a speed limit is raised to actually reflect real travel speeds, the new higher limit will make the roads safer. When the majority of traffic is traveling at the same speed, traffic flow improves, and there are fewer accidents. Speed alone is rarely the cause of accidents. Differences in speed are the main problem. Reasonable speed limits help traffic to flow at a safer, more uniform pace.

Q. Aren't most traffic accidents caused by speeding?
A. No, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) claims that 30 percent of all fatal accidents are "speed related," but even this is misleading. This means that in less than a third of the cases, one of the drivers involved in the accident was "assumed" to be exceeding the posted limit. It does not mean that speeding caused the accident. Research conducted by the Florida Department of Transportation showed that the percentage of accidents actually caused by speeding is very low, 2.2 percent.

Q. Aren't our roads more dangerous than ever before?
A. No, our nation's fatality rate (deaths per 100 million vehicle miles traveled) is the lowest it has ever been. The total number of fatalities has also stayed relatively stable for several years. They do occasionally increase, but given that our population and the distance the average person drives are also increasing, this is not surprising, nor is it cause for alarm.

Q. If nobody follows the speed limit, why does it matter that they are underposted?
A. According to a speed-limit brochure published in conjunction with the Michigan State Patrol, inappropriately established speed limits cause drivers to take all traffic signals less seriously. The brochure also points out that unrealistic speed limits create two groups of drivers. Those that try to obey the limit and those that drive at a speed they feel is safe and reasonable. This causes dangerous differences in speed.

In actual truth, because of the improved car technology over the last 25 years, the car performance of newer vehicles are far better and has better safety standards than the models made prior to that period. This doesn't match with the present speed limits on most roads which are still using the outdated vehicle count percentile data as in the early 90s. Highways for example in France is now allowed up to 130 km/h while in Germany, each lane is designated a minimum limit that has to be followed in each lane, so as to give those who in fast the priority.

Use of the 85th percentile speed concept is based on the fact that:

• the large majority of drivers:
  • are reasonable and prudent
  • do not want to have a crash
  • desire to reach their destination in the shortest possible time
• a speed at or below which 85 percent of people drive at any given location under good weather and visibility conditions may be considered as the maximum safe speed for that location. 
•  

Sometime in 2002, the timing of raising speed limits was ignored, and even until today with the calculation not up to date. In fact most ministers are wrong in determining it because the driving is not experienced first hand by themselves but instead their chauffeurs do the driving instead. The perception of being a passenger vs being a driver behind the wheel differs much. For example, the passenger may say that the driver is veering too much on the left, even touching the boundary line of the emergency lane whereas in contrary the driver says otherwise.

A gist in that measurement is that it has be done on a very frequent basis.

I came across a document on the 85th percentile measurement. However, I am unsure if MIROS would bother looking at this as to match the claim or so. 

The other part is about how the system would affect the existing equipment being used. As examples, there's still the existing red light camera that uses film to capture images and the mobile speed detection devise that is being used by traffic police (not JPJ) people that it creates confusion over who is actually doing the system or shall we say that the usage is being overlapped by the two parties. 

However, the attitude of those politicians whose haste to have things bulldozed for nothing should be blasted on stage.

A Pity For The Succumbed and The Indoctrinated

“In our style of writing, we have fact, spin and — one more — blatant lies. From the point of psychological warfare, let’s not follow ‘blatant lies’, let’s not write lies.

“Spin we can; no matter how we spin a certain fact to be biased in our favor, that’s okay."

-- Zaini Hassan

I had a feeling from the beginning of why Utusan Malaysia would come out with news that were colored with their own facts. The whole idea was meant to manufacture people's (since they claim to be the leading newspaper for the Malays), especially those in the civil service consent and opinion that the opposition especially the DAP will tend so spoil the country if they happened to take over Putrajaya someday or so. When this was reported in an online newsportal a few days ago, it confirmed not just my suspicions but others who may have the same thinking as I do.

If you notice carefully, among the parties co-organizing that event that day, one of them is the BTN (National Civics Bureau). For decades, the agency has been involved in brainwashing many people to believe of certain things that are in fact bogey man in nature. With that statement above, it seems not hate but a pity for many of those who read that paper (among the MSM-based papers) have been mislead and brainwashed indirectly by not just the party that claims to represent the Malays but an agency that is out to implant hate among other people.

In short, the thrall and the toxic indoctrination has extended its tentacles to its people especially those who are naive and those who are alive prior to the 1969 riots. 

Lately, the Najib administration had a multi-prong approach moves including attempts to recapture Selangor, enticing youth support and putting all those propaganda-oriented ads everywhere (billboards, trains, buildings, etc..). People at times may feel fed up and a well mature, knowledgeable person would know that this whole thing uses people's money (but they think it's their own money) for this big amount of publicity.

Yesterday at KLCC's park, there was the 1M4U event thing there. Spotted on the podium among them was Najib, his cousin Hishamuddin and Shabery Cheek. There's something that I felt irked by that event. It's not the turnover that I aimed to point out. There's a banner for example above. It's somewhat reminded me of Batu Caves or having seen that being pasted in every KTM Commuter caboose there. Looking at the phrase, "I M 4 U" sounds like a  man being worshiped as a god or something.

Looking at the crowd, I felt a tingle of uncertainty. The "One" thing that is the prefix of his 1Malaysia campaign thing often points me to the "One World Government", "One World Order", secret organizations that conspiracy theory buffs would often talked about. In fact whenever we do or trade, there are things that are indirectly, unknown to us point to that hidden things mentioned. When McCain and his partner came to visit Najib in Kuala Lumpur recently, some people like myself would think that visit is a secret message or a reminder sent by the cabalists to him.

It can be very dangerous at times to use that One prefix to everywhere in life.

I'm For You - would be better if it's I Am God.

I wondered for a fact whether these people and participants have been ordered to come here or whether if there are people among the congregation who support it but unaware that they are supporting things that they are really against of. Can you imagine dozens of buses and police security vehicles lining up within the vicinity of KLCC yesterday? I also wondered whether if these people could be either be brainwashed into believing non-existent things. In the last few posts, I have often brought out the phrase of "believing that elephants can fly" and related some example.

I guess the first guess was right. The Milo Suam blog has released a leak circular letter with an order to get 10000 people minimum to fill in the KLCC esplanade. (See entire post here)

Call it paranoia or insomnia, but having seen the crowd there by myself, I keep wondering whether they, being potential first time voters would make a first-time and only mistake that would condemn themselves, their future and their generations to come into more misery.

And when you realize that you've made a mistake, you lament that it's already too late to reverse it.

Call it a pity for those who succumbed to temptations and brainwashed to accepting falsehoods by people, politicians and parties who claimed to be omnipotent.

Amateur Day(s) At Casino UMNO

Before Bersih 3.0, I wrote a posting about Casino UMNO. I also had said that if the people turnover on that very day, April 28 was quite much compared to the first two, then like a Casino, then can make a big bucks or losing out a lot. Having read several accounts in the post-Bersih period, I can imagine how the present government acts now, including damage control measures, arresting people and deflecting accusation at others as a way of recuperating a sudden money blitz in one day.

It's like watching that critical blitz scene from Ocean's Thirteen where at the end of the day $500 million went out of the door, no doubt thanks to the shrewd manipulation of gambling inventory (rigged card shufflers, dice added with polymer material. and some internal sabotage from the people inside The Bank). There are still people out there who are unwilling to take the fact that about 250,000 people alone in Kuala Lumpur have come out to say that the election system is still inefficient and full of discrepancies.

Considering if every of the 250,000 in attendance are high rollers in a casino, then UMNO lost maybe around $750 million or more in one day itself. It can be considered as a "Amateur Day" event. The amount falls between the estimated amount of RM600 - RM1.2 billion of election war chest to be used for the next general election. Amusingly, there are people out there who scream things that point out on "capitulation" to the enemy. Even Najib himself declared that the whole thing was like the Arab Spring, which was never intended by the organizers.

Maybe Najib was misadvised by the intelligence reports of the Duduk Bantah plan or maybe not. However, if we are to put in comparison what is the same thing happening here with Ocean's Thirteen is not about faulty equipment, it's about accidental screwing up by those in charge. Two parties notable for this is the DBKL and of course the police. 

I keep wondering if Ahmad Fuad would have said yes instead, those around him would immediately point fingers at him as insubordination to political demands of the main party lynchpin (read UMNO). Indirectly, it has got people more and more angry and hostile towards the City Council. The other one, which I found it more amusing  and a reason to ridicule at is the IGP cop himself. It was surprising to read that instead of acting base on the situation, it was the "cry to mummy" case.

Here's an excerpt by Raja Petra about the IGP recently in his "The IGP must fall on his sword" piece:

When news broke that Bersih is, yet again, going to organise a rally in April, the IGP went running to the Prime Minister to ask him as to what to do. What the hell is going on? The IGP should be having his fingers on the pulse of the nation. He should be the one advising the Prime Minister as to what to do, not asking the Prime Minister what the police should do.

Yes, on Twitter, the rumors have been of a few police officer's death on that day that got the police being too emotional instead of being professional. The same brutality as in Bersih 2.0 happens again, but approach was different. The second one was considered like a witchhunt. This one was more of a hate yellow thing. That's why there are pictures of cops identified in assaulting people including journalists. More shocking was that IGP privately admitted that he had lost control of the force.

The IGP crawled back to Najib’s office with this tail between his legs and sheepishly told the Prime Minister that he had lost control of the police on that day. 

What happened? What made the police go berserk?

It was because of the rumour, the IGP replied. There was a rumour circulating amongst the police that three police personnel had died, killed by the Bersih protestors. Hence the police were outraged and were out for revenge. They no longer could control the police personnel on the ground.

It's true that the brutality exhibited in the second rally drew a lot of people that many wanted to come out and witness / participate in person for Round 3. It is also likely that if there is a Round 4 of the rally, the number would have been doubled, close to a million - as what Mat Sabu is talking lately on 1 million for Round 4.

 

Picture this in a film, both men might have played a roll of a pitboss. The cops can be considered as the security personnel of a casino. What about Hishamuddin? Where does he fit into that day itself? He was not consistent in his words. Hence his moniker as "Mat Lidah Kontot" called by a few people on him is accurate. One moment said that Bersiih was not a threat to security. Later, what he said seems to imply that it's a threat to security and pushing for Stadium Merdeka. Hold on: if previously Bersih was not given the right to sit at Stadium Merdeka then what the hell this time you said ok for?

If there is another Bersih that happens, first it means, that more people are starting to get awake from slumber, with the amount of the 3rd rally attracts them. Secondly, it's another amateur day to go to Casino UMNO. With the same type of players sabotaging by accident in the casino, it is likely that it will be another 1 -4 billion ringgit out of the door in one amateur day, if 1 million high rollers come in to that day itself. 

Consider that as taking back the money you paid to the government of the day.

A/N: I know I have not been writing anything in the last few weeks but I admit that being in the period of work transition, it means a hard time to pass and adjust to the new environment so it will take more time than writing here, which I am trying to accommodate some time here.

It's Comes Overdue Already

Najib announces repeal of ISA, three emergency declarations

Datuk Seri Najib Razak announced tonight the repeal of the Internal Security Act 1960 (ISA) and the three Emergency Declarations when both the Dewan Negara and Dewan Rakyat have their next sitting.

The prime minister said that new laws will be enacted to protect the peace, harmony and security of the country.

He also announced that the government will do away with annual printing and publishing permits with permits that can be cancelled if regulations are flouted.

Najib acknowledged in his address to the nation on the eve of Malaysia Day that the move to increase civil liberties was “risky, but we are doing this for our survival.”

“No individual will ever be detained simply due to political ideology,” he said in his speech that was broadcast live on all local television stations.

The move to scrap the law has been hailed by ex-ISA detainee and DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng as “an epochal move.”

The Barisan Nasional (BN) chief said that two new security laws would be introduced for preventive detention which would be limited only to cases of terrorism and “ensure that basic human rights are protected.”

Najib said that under the new laws, detentions could only be extended by the court and therefore “the power of detention will be shifted from the executive to the judiciary, unless it concerns terrorism.”

Before a studio audience of 800 including his entire Cabinet, he also announced that the Banishment Act would be repealed while he will do away with the need for annual publishing permits under the Printing Presses and Publications Act (PPPA).

 -- The Malaysian Insider

I once said before that it takes a disaster for the country to realize its mistakes. And by the time they realized that there's the need of having a reform, it is already far overdue already. For instance, when Bersih 2.0 decided to launch it's campaign to make a statement to the government of the necessity of election reforms, many - especially the government's butter-up boys do not really believe in their claims and instead, misguided by the MSM papers including Utusan were made to believe that they are about to start another 13 May 1969 incident.

And that allegation came unfounded. But it is only after they noticed that 1700 people arrested and how the cops handled the situation, with the directive from they themselves, they realized of the terrible mistake that they have committed. They only then also realized that they cheated themselves into believing that there was to be another riots or so. They didn't even trust themselves, like a dog being duped by it's own reflection on the pool..and so decided to embark on the reforming thing that they've spewed out on the news.

The ISA abolishment was also another thing overdue. When the anti-ISA movement decided to protest in the streets August last year (that's to commemorate the 50th anniversary of its inception), the government refused to believed in that thing and the GMI's demands, thinking they can handled on their own terms. Scores of people arrested, roadblocks here and there, well of course I've kept some pictures as to remember that incident. With more and more people pressuring the government, it became imminent and evident that even amending the ISA is totally impossible. But it took more than 20 years since the cession of arms against Malaysia by the CPM to realize that ISA is already irrelevant.

Many people still do not understand why ISA has to go and in fact some people including those in Perkasa think that ISA is still needed for something that is illogical like Malay rights. However, many are not aware that there's no such thing as abolishing ISA without something to compensate, right? With the specter of 9/11 around us, of course there has to be something to replace it and of course people have proposed a new Anti-Terrorism bill in its place. As what Nazri said, the bill is for real terrorism. This missing piece of information is one of the causes of bro ha has that foam in the mouths of those people who complained about removing ISA.

With people getting angry over the EO6 episode, what is much more necessary of putting the EO 1948 off coupled with the close to the 80 year old Restricted Residences (a.k.a Banishment) act for good? What...applying a more than 60 year old laws into the 21st century scenario? Somewhat doesn't fit like big engines into a small car?

Connecting the dot from that above is the official end of three declarations of emergency. I suppose that many people and politicians have forgotten about it, with many assuming that the 1989 ceasefire automatically ends it, but there were no proclamations until 22 years later where they finally realized that they have overlooked that matter. It took lawyers and civil movement pressure to get them to come into their senses.

In spite of all that, there are still things neither never mentioned or partially mentioned that raises questions from other quarters. For instance, the publications permit - whether it can be challenged in court after the annual renewal condition is removed. However, people still bash Pornstar Chua over the need of having online publication permit - this guy is one hell of a jester in this point.  Talk about another Rais Yatim thing that is.

I am bit unclear about this amendment to the notorious Section 27 of the Police Act. Demos usually happen if whatever statements that is to be sent out are totally ignored by the government of the day, so generally it is theirs to be blamed. Bersih rally happened because of government ignorance, otherwise how would those unnecessary police ruckus happened on that day? I would definitely would want to see and read more of the amendment ideas before talking more.

Unfortunately, the AUKU 1971 act was never mentioned and this has raised dire questions from university students who felt the need to have more active participation in the present issues. They were asking "what about AUKU". Sedition Act remains one of the archaic laws that has yet to be asked then.

I look at some of the statements and thoughts by other people in regards of this in online avenues. Some good, some disagreed but I have the thought that this could be one something else that motivates the reason of Najib Razak doing such thing, that would be discussed later. Since these things are to be brought forward to the Parliament when it reconvenes next month, I have the feeling that it could be well opposed by some of the MPs in his front, who are also UMNO warlords and those who have a different opinion of his statements. If most of the Cabinet ministers were in the studio where he made the statement, it's likely that most of them have already agreed to follow the ship's directions, albeit a few, probably.

Ibrahim Ali has also been making noises but when the government finally realizes their mistakes and started doing things, he has been quiet over this subject or so. It's my gut feeling that he could be making noises tomorrow to show his disagreement over what Najib would say.

Anyhow, it's about time, too long already.

Failing The Spot The Difference Game

AUG 11 — It does seem like honesty is a rare commodity in Malaysia. Not once before, during and after the Bersih rally have the BN government, police and senior politicians spoken truthfully about the rally.

Now we have the country’s No. 2 cop alluding that police put down the Bersih rally because otherwise things would have gone awry like the London riots.

This is the same line of argument put forward by Umno bloggers and the mainstream media (one can only surmise that instructions were handed down by Putrajaya).

Deputy Inspector-General of Police Datuk Seri Khalid Abu Bakar is rewriting history. It is an open secret that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, after an audience with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, decided to offer the Bersih people the use of a stadium.

Soon after that meeting, he chaired a meeting of government officials and announced that he had decided to offer a stadium to the Bersih cause, prompting a round of congratulations by attendees who were pleased that a reasonable solution to the stand off was in the offing.

That stadium offer was revoked the next day. Why? It is anyone’s guess but a representative of an NGO met the PM a day before July 9 and said that the PM was talking about an uprising to overthrow the government and about resistance from groups within Umno.

It is interesting that some of the PM’s insiders are now blaming the Home Ministry and police for the mishandling of Bersih, saying that both groups told Najib that the Bersih people would not vacate the stadium for weeks ala Tahrir Square in Egypt and would force the collapse of the BN government.

These insiders say that Najib’s gut feeling was to allow the rally to take place but was persuaded otherwise.

All that sounds nice on hindsight but the fact is that he took the advice of people — home minister and the police — who don’t have a clue on the DNA of Malaysians. Ninety-five per cent of people who marched on July 9 probably have jobs, unlike the unemployed in Egypt and the yobs in London.

The Bersih people were marching for electoral reform. A sizeable number are from the middle class, and the middle class all over the world are not looters or people who are willing to lose their employment by staying in a stadium for days or weeks!

So for the police and Home Ministry to liken the Bersih rally to the situation in Egypt and London is dishonest.

The police clamped down on the rally because their political masters in Putrajaya told them to do so. 

Now Khalid is trying to put a sheen of credibility on the over-reaction by the police by drawing a parallel between Bersih and the London riots.

How far has the rot set in?

--- What A Load of Rubbish by The Malaysian Insider, 11 August 2011

*******************

I was laughing my ass of loud on Khalid Bakar's comments. Not only me, but in twitter space, everyone too is having a good laugh at how the deputy IGP puts the London riots with Bersih protests. However, in this case, Khalid has failed in his language because it shows that there are people who are unable to discern the difference between riots and protests.

A few of us got "maki hamun" by some at twitter about talking bullshit in this subject matter. But I just simply asked those a question of whether they are able to understand the clear definition of riots and protests. Even the dictionary also defined it clear and concise of what is protests and riots. Therefore, if you are unable to discern the difference, either you have fared poorly in English in school or, as I have told someone, MSM inaccuracies and spinning as been feeding you with shit. Full stop, and I don't even bother to reply at all.

The London riots originally started with the killing of an innocent man. Similarly, the Los Angeles riots in 1992 started with the beating of Rodney King and the first acquittal of the four police officers involved. While it's clear that the four were guilty, acquitting them got the city into furor and thus days of carnage started. Bersih 2.0 in contrast was just only a one day, 3 hour affair on the streets to send an electoral message to Najib and Co.

I sometimes asked the nay sayers whether they have read the history of Malayan Union, which I always remembered that part while in secondary school. UMNO was formed out of the protest against the Malayan Union. They came out in demos to make a collective statement to the English that they don't want the plan. Otherwise, Malaya then Malaysia would not have exist. This of course contradicts Dr. M's famous statement in the aftermath of the Perak takeover in 2009, which he said "Demo is not our culture". Sounds contrasting, yes?

As what Pete said today, the riots in London happened for no reason apart to loot, plunder and making mayhem along the way for nothing. If anyone of you who have watched The Dark Knight, you would see the tag title, "Welcome to a World Without Rules." A world without rules is like you can do anything you want including riots above there. Good and bad allowed, no holds barred. But as what was witnessed in Bersih, there have been a clear set of rules - a three hour affair, once message has been sent to the King, disperse. Simple as it. Bersih's protest, as he said, was to make clear political statement to the Najib administration and the Election commission.

The BERSIH march was a political statement. There was no political statement in the UK riots. It was all about plundering, looting, robbing and stealing.

No, we can’t compare BERSIH to the UK riots. This would be like banning drivers/bikers who do not drink and only allowing drunks on the road because drinking and driving causes only 1.4% of traffic accident deaths.

Did not the Malays oppose the Malayan Union that the British were trying to impose on Malaya through a street demonstration? And was it not because of this demonstration that the British abandoned the plan for the Malayan Union and instead the Federation of Malaya was formed?

-- Ban Non Drinkers, Malaysia Today

Of course, when the ruckus happened on 9 July, this shows that Najib has violated his own tenets, whereas the many events happened during Pak Lah's time indicate that he too violated his own Islam Hadhari tenets.

The main mistake that politicians made out of paranoia was to associate protest with riots. This was how the tone of antagonism towards Bersih started. The 1969 riots happened because the ruling party could not stomach losing the customary 2/3rds control fair and square in the elections. From there that's where they got berserk, fueled with delusions. A side note though, my late grandfather was absolutely upset later when it was known that his ex-colleague Harun Idris started the whole thing.

Back to Khalid Bakar, the mistake was assuming that people are stupid. In fact, the statement simply reflects of making himself look stupid or "membodohkan rakyat". I always held that man as an unqualified person sitting behind Ismail Omar and a liar on the fateful night on 9 November 2008. In fact, there are more and more people that start to laugh at his face since this morning for the nay sayers, I am not the only one needed to be criticized of.

The Magic Flute And Its Relevance

This year marks the 220th year since The Magic Flute, Mozart's final opera first premièred in Vienna. In fact, this was the money-making opera for Mozart since he's beset by financial difficulties, owing many people money. I actually planned to write this to commemorate it on its premier date, 30 September, but the recent situation involving how the government reacts to the planned Bersih rally, which I admit that they have gone bonkers and delusional coupled with throwing bewildering accusations at Bersih, including arresting many people in accusation of supporting it somewhat makes it fun to put some relevance to Mozart's masterpiece. 

By November 1792, the opera has been conducted 100 times, but sadly Mozart died before that time, in December 1791.

The opera was largely influenced by Enlightenment philosophy and it is an allegory to absolute enlightened absolutism. The narrative progression goes from chaos through religious superstition to rationalistic enlightenment  by trial and error culminating in the creation of a kingdom of heaven. 

What is interesting is that the key characters in the opera represent the many facets of society. The characters are simplified as follows:

The Queen of the Night - a representation of obscurantism , in other words, the practice of deliberately preventing the facts or the full details of some matter from becoming known. This is ironically what is happening right now, where people are denied the knowledge of what they want to know. Instead, they were threatened with a charge of the Official Secrets Act if information is to be revealed. And this is why many people to this day has either no clue or they acted foolishly without the proper and sufficient knowledge. The aristocracy's obscurantism of the social problem's is the main factor the start of the French Revolution.

The three ladies of the Queen - Represents the agents that will carry out her order. The mainstream media has been ordered to do a smear campaign of Bersih. The main goal is simple: manufacturing consent, to create a consent among the simpleton minded (those like Papageno) that Bersih is a no good thing, without presenting the reasons why Bersih would do such thing. They would also twist to include statements from leaders who are opposed to the idea of clean elections.

Ironically, like Tamino, the trials that are facing the people is how to march and protest in peace without having the consistent troublemaking from the police. It's a pity that many policemen were programmed to do as ordered, without using their common sense and even if the orders are in conflict with morality grounds.

Sarastro - a representation of the enlightened sovereign who rules according to principles based on reason, wisdom, and nature. The complete anti-thesis of the Queen of the Night. He reveals that she attempts to bewilder people with superstition and groundless fears. The first model that serves the influence of the character was Holy Roman Emperor Joseph II - an ultimately flawed figure despite his attempt on using the principles above.

Pamina - daughter of the Queen of the Night, representing people. Sarastro refused to let her return to her mother because she was not properly guided. As what Mozart and Schikander put in - the people must be guided proper, even if there are mistakes apart.

Tamino - the main protagonist - representing the trials that mankind must go through. At the start of the second act, Sarastro declared that Pamina must be guided by man, Tamino represents the trials that Pamina will faced or in other way round, the people.

Papageno - Tamino's companion, Papageno represents the foolish and the error of the people. These people are mainly simpletons, those who do not really bother about enlightenment and wisdom but just food, drink and companionship. In Act II Scene 5, the priests scolded Papageno because he will never know the enlightened bliss of the gods, but instead Papageno said, there are many unenlightened but happy. This is the danger of being susceptible to the danger of superstition and groundless fears. 

The are three famous numbers for this opera:

1. Hell's Vengeance Boils In My Heart - The most difficult aria, performed by the Queen of the Night. She orders Pamina to kill Sarastro, or risks being disowned in pain by the mother. The pitch notation of this aria can reach up to F6. A few sopranos could perform at such degree, and currently the modern day soprano that could perform that is Diana Damrau. 

2. A Girl Or Young Woman - Papageno's number representing his desire for a young woman as a wife, but it is already that he refuses enlightenment, as mentioned at the start of Act II. 

3. Papapapa duet - Papageno and Papagena stammer at each other that they started to warm up and eventually got their wish of love.

The storyline or whatsoever is not quite important. The metaphor of the story is. Looking back at the story, and coupled of what is happening right now, it is clear that the government's paranoia over the matter of people demanding for fair and clear elections is akin to what the Queen of The Night would exhort to do. The police, and some ministers like Hishamuddin Hussein are like the Queen's three ladies, doing her bidding. They would harass people, simply arresting people, do all the silly things instead of catching the real scum out on the streets.

It's the government's paranoia - the fear of losing power, to divert the internal fighting among themselves, and all the things that are considered to be a bane as well as how the society will go against them prompted them to be in such obscurantism. 

The mainstream media, like one of the three ladies have been on the smearing Bersih campaign. The main goal is obviously to manufacture consent among the audience, particularly simpletons and those in the rural land area. They are the ones ignorant or do not have alternative access to other channels. Manufacturing consent is one of the things the acclaimed Noam Chomsky spoke about in several of his books. I am very critical on the attitude of many Papagenos online. I have seen many people who seem to be very ignorant of those and have yet to understand the realities of the fragile present election system. Many claimed that Bersih is opposition. On the contrary no. It is natural for them to support for they have been victims of fraud. The instance of fraud in Sarawak or Hulu Selangor is the case in point.

Monostatos is the big henchman of the Queen of the Night. Perkasa can the example

Obviously, Pamina is representing the people themselves and the actions of trial and error will determine whether she would either go back to her mother or follow the guidance of Sarastro and the marriage of trial / Tamino. 

The problem with Malaysia is there are lack of enlightened leaders to lead the way. By the antics of how they deal, Najib and his most team of ministers are mere showman, but not with people with quality. They could have handled the situation well, give Bersih 3 hours for the day and solving the problem. Unfortunately, because of paranoia, they decided to play hard. Can Anwar be under the group of enlightened leaders like Sarastro? No, given of the present skeletons in his closet. 

The Saturday's rally will be a trial that Malaysians who have realized the importance of fair playing field of the election game that will determine the outcome in generations to come. It will be one step towards enlightenment or one step backwards to obscurantism as what the present government of the day is advocating, by playing dirty. And it has already attracted an international audience, with human rights groups in particular paying attention. 

I am certain that the Vatican and London is also watching as Najib will be visiting these places from tomorrow and next week. Many said that Najib is a laughing stock now given of his handling of the situation. I bet it would be.

They Didn't Use Their Heads and See The Big Picture!

There were 8 reports made to the police in regards to the upcoming BERSIH 2.0 rally on 9 July and leading the party of complaints is UMNO Bukit Bintang and UMNO SHEB department following by Perkasa FT Branch, ABIM Kepong, Jalan TAR Petty Traders Association and GERTAK. I can find that the excuses presented by these parties, particularly from this UMNO man above is very amusing and didn't really make sense. You can use your head and figure it out. All you have to do is to take a weekend walk down to SOGO and picture yourself being on 9 July, walking all the way up past Dayabumi all the way to the National Palace, then go back to the starting point. It's very similar to what happened the last time round on 10 November 2007.

Anyhow, the key focus here is to point some silly mistakes and to show that those who complaint about this doesn't use much of a head and instead these bunch of jokers made a fool of themselves with their bullshit. Let me illustrate some of those:

1.“The police reports are lodged as an early measure to stop the rally as it will affect city dwellers and the business community.

--This is only a one day affair. It's is not like in Tahrir Square, Cairo, where days (I repeat days) of protests really hit businesses. It's just only a few hours. There is a big difference between a few hours, one whole day of 24 hours and many days. The scales vary. So they can't spot the difference. Yikes!

2. “July 9 is a Saturday, a busy day that attracts scores of people to the area; in addition, the night market would be held at Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman.”

-- Where got night market on daytime? Your head lar! Night market is night time, by 6 pm. Rally is 2 pm...by the time it's 6 pm, it should be far gone already! See..another no brain point used.

3. “Bersih can raise its concerns in Parliament through its elected representatives,” 

-- Did this guy ever go to forums that involves Election Commission officials and Bersih? Anyone seen him or them before? No? Then they didn't understand. Just go and ask Ambiga or any of the Bersih and people and they gladly will fill in for you. Asking anyone from the party may give you an impartial answer. No harm done asking others, right?


4. “It is their right to gather peacefully but not on the streets.”

-- Here's the question. If your plea for attention is totally ignored at the first time at a controlled place, how do you get the attention of others? Common sense can tell you that the point is right but as the last resort. Since after the first one, the demands have not been met, means the plea for attention has been totally ignored. With no other avenues, no one to get your point, what else can you do but by crude means? If you don't want that then they should have done it earlier and do as what Bersih say. Ambiga have stated that this is always the last resort - and it's true.

5. Bersih 2.0 organisers would be able to control the participants.

-- Too bad these guys didn't see how the PAS Unit Rela was in action that day. They did well. Everyone of them was called in to handle the job, even it was raining heavily on 10 November 2007. There are some of us who have pictures to testify that Bersih 2.0 got these people. Why not this Tengku chap go and ask Mat Sabu? Can he have the balls to ask Abang Mat?

6. “Based on past experience, a lot of things happened. The participants became overly emotional and when police tried to calm them, they claimed police provocation"

-- If my memory serves correctly, it is true that on that day the police started the whole problem. There are many accounts to corroborate. Of course many people perceive that in the case of UMNO people having their own protests, they cry of unfairness and why the police didn't take action against them? The logic is simple. Remember policemen are civil servants and public sector workers. Their monthly source of income is from the government, not private corporations. And the government of the day is ruled by BN. BN is led by UMNO. This is real politics. You just need to do some trace backs to understand. 

7. "Jangan sampai dah rugi RM10 juta baru nak ambil tindakan. Tak ada gunanya lagi"

-- This is another stupid excuse raised out. UMNO never understood and realized Malaysia is losing more money via patronage, cronies, corruption and so forth. Billions, which is a few hundred times more than just the RM10 million to be lost on that one day itself. Pity that they will never wake up and see the big picture. Pity that they never used their heads well. And since they are the government of the day, who is actually really going to sell the country out? PR? Wait..PR is not the government in ruling now....but fingering on the other party but not by yourselves first? But on that day in November 2007, did it happen? PAS said nothing happened. No windows broken, no robbery, no property damage, no money stolen, according to them, so why the excuse?

I always see this thing like they want to play hero (jaguh kampung) and in fact scare the shit out of unaware and uncertain people that participating in this event is an omen that befell or something. But what is portrayed from UMNO reveals that BN is afraid of implementing those changes that BERSIH wants, for if it happens, it is the end of the 37-year-old coalition. This is not an insult, but a reality that few hardcore people have yet to understand and see it properly, not in a distorted picture. For them, to win the election, they need the same state of system to play with.

Many have people have criticized the ruling government as moving one step ahead, two steps backwards. You can call it a flip-flop. But in Russia World War II, that thing is considered as one step backwards (1-2 = -1). And WW2 Russia considers those who walk one step backwards as traitors that they will be shot on sight. This was famously known as Order #227. Were that case to apply here, you can imagine what will happen to those jokers up there. 

The problem is that these people open their mouths without seeing the real undistorted big picture and never bothered to use their heads. Why? Just to be hero? Or are they really afraid that of not facing the people? I though BN takes care of people and problems? And have they understood who's who in the top part of the Bersih 2.0 umbrella? Are those people hooligans and violent people? Have these people who complaint seen that angle? No? Then why whine?

Lynas Protest: Another Test Case For The 1Malaysia Creed

Six bus loads of people from Kuantan and others braved the afternoon rain to show up at the Australian High Commission, as to make the point to Canberra, and the Gillard administration: "No way Lynas". The venue and timing is all part of the effort and factors included to get Australia's attention. 

And it happened about 6 hours ago, when ABC posted their coverage of today's event. (see appendix below).

I am not surprised to see how the police responded to the protest, though they are to be complemented for having done a decent and proper job in crowd control. It's largely to my thinking that there are international observers and press people involved in this matter and I infer that if the police acted in the high-handed manner, they could be well embarrassed on international news. I have documented this in my morning posting on "Eyes on Police" previously.

Kuantan residents have made their point loud and clear to Putrajaya and Canberra. If we go back to Murphy's Law, that anything could happen, taking what happened in Fukushima had been the main reason and motiviating factor of many who are against the rare earth plant in Kuantan.

Now, it's another case of testing the 1Malaysia creed that Najib has been talking and bragging all around. I keep seeing those propaganda advertisements everywhere, in the bus or driving past the UMNO headquarters building (a distraction to motorists driving along Jalan Mahameru). At the end of each ad, there always show the "Rakyat Didahulukan, Pencapaian Diutamakan". In this point of the protest, this is where the slogan is being tested.

Is it going to be real or just merely part of the public relations exercise of the Najib administration?

This is not the very first case of testing the 1Malaysia creed. The minimum wage call that has been pushed by worker unions and I considered it failed against the creed for it was not done in a swift manner. What both have in common is that they face opposition, a.k.a stumbling blocks particularly from the economic / nuclear-lobbyists and I do think that they are starting to caving to their pressure.

On Thursday, Leonardo DiCaprio twitted something similar to this matter:

Update #oilsubsidies RT @NRDC Senate Caves to Big Oil Pressure; Decides Against Cutting Industry Tax Breaks http://bit.ly/ki1w6C

 

"Caves to Big Oil Pressure". This reminds me of the demand to the Federal government to cut the IPP subsidies. Sometime ago, there was pressure yet they didn't do so, and just only talked again about doing it recently. If you read the whole NRDC press release, you can see its relevance:

Senate Caves to Big Oil Pressure; Decides Against Cutting Industry Tax Breaks

NRDC President: Hopefully Senators Will Vote More Responsibly on Upcoming Drilling Bill

WASHINGTON (May 17, 2011) -- After the Senate failed to pass a bill to eliminate nearly $4 billion a year in Big Oil tax breaks, Frances Beinecke, president of the Natural Resources Defense Council, issued the following statement:

“The Senate today had the chance to do right by American taxpayers. Instead, pressured by oil industry lobbyists and a misguided Republican leadership, it decided to continue to give tax breaks to highly profitable Big Oil companies that don’t need any taxpayer incentives.”

Up next on Big Oil’s wish list to Congress is a bill by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell that would expand offshore drilling while audaciously making the system that oversees drilling even less safe than before the BP Deepwater Horizon disaster. Sen. McConnell’s bill mirrors legislation already passed by the House.

“More drilling and more tax breaks won’t lower prices at the pump,” Beinecke said. “All it means is more money for Big Oil companies. Our lawmakers ought to be pushing for ways to help taxpayers, not more ways to help Big Oil.”

There were about 500 people there, as according to some people. Some estimated less, maybe around 200 on the afternoon of the protest there. I have seen pictures of all races even participating there, which brings the meaning that everyone are able to make their own choices and not to be fooled by those who would not accept a different mind and view. And there are other silent majority of people who shared this same view but unable to take part in this event. It shows us that people are really taking the responsibility of tuning in and keeping an eye on the government. Not them at us. Us at them.

In this case as illustrated by NRDC, if the government caves into corporate pressure, which is against the spirit of the 1Malaysia creed that was talked about, then that creed is with non-substance, just rhetorics - meaning there needs to be a swift remedy action by the public.

The Lynas event was well accomplished but laurels should not be rested here but should go on.

From ABC.net

More than 150 people have demonstrated outside the Australian High Commission in Kuala Lumpur against a plant that will process radioactive iron ore in Malaysia.

The Lynas plant will extract rare earth minerals with low levels of radioactive thorium from Western Australia, which are used in high-tech manufacturing of everything from iPods and mobile phones to missiles.

Activists say they are not happy with the waste disposal plans of the company and they do not want the almost completed plant to open. 

Under a heavy police presence, protesters held posters that read "Too toxic! Too risky!" and "We don't want Lynas" and "Lynas, go back to Australia". 

Following public concern that the plant could produce radioactive waste, the government said last month it would not issue a pre-operating licence to Lynas and bar imports of raw materials from Australia to be processed at the facility, pending a review by an independent panel of UN atomic energy experts. 

The protesters also appealed to the embassy to stop the plant or at least take back the radioactive waste they say it will produce.

"We, the residents of Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia are extremely concerned over the proposed construction and operation" of the plant, Vincent Jiam, chairman of the Save Malaysia Committee, said in a memorandum sent to the Australian High Commission.

In a statement, Lynas said it welcomed the government's review and insisted that its storage plans for the rare earths and waste at the plant were safe and represented no hazard to the community.

"The Radiological Impact Assessment completed by Nuclear Malaysia (Malaysia's atomic agency) on the storage of these residues shows them to be safe, posing no risk to the public," it said.

"However, Lynas has taken the additional safety step of placing these residues in safe, reliable engineered storage cells that are designed so that there is no possibility for any leakage of material into the environment."

Eyes on Cops' Handling on Anti-Lynas Protest

I am aware that later in the afternoon is the Anti-Lynas protest heading from KLCC towards the Australian High Commission. And true, people even from Australia and Malaysia have been protesting over the start of operations of the Gebeng plant, 25km from Kuantan over the concern of health. We have been reminded of the Bukit Merah disaster that happened before that people do not want it to repeat again.

The Gillard and Najib administration respectively were under fire from many quarters over this matter.

But we all know what's the summary about. It's about the protest today.

Because today's protest involves international eyes and observers, the eye now turns to how the police will be there to handle the situation. If the same case happens where unnecessary action could be taken, it will be police that will be flayed on that day. I could see possible footage from there could hit international news channels by nightfall.

In the past experience, there are mainly two to three main police heads in the vicinity of KL that would be responsible.

One of them is the Dang Wangi police chief, OCPD Zulkarnain Abdul Rahman, and the other one, replacing Datuk Wira Sabtu Osman was Zulkifli Abdullah, formerly the Perak state police chief. Remember that Zulkifli was responsible for the not so professional handling of the state assembly protests back in Ipoh in May 2009. As for Zulkarnain, I recalled that he was one of those that refused the issue of permit for the Bersih 2007 rally.

I recalled this was written by the Kuantan Environmental Watch Group:

A WARNING TO ALL THE FRU & POLICE OFFICERS THAT MIGHT BE PRESENT THAT DAY, MANY LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS GROUPS WILL BE MONITORING YOUR MOVEMENT. THIS IS A PEACEFUL EVENT. IF YOU TAKE ANY UNNECESSARY ACTION AGAINST OUR PARTICIPANTS, WE WILL REPORT YOU TO THE INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION.

The heads will have to take the responsibility there. Period.

Postal Summons - Wrong Way of Handling Summons

There is been a recent development about postal summons where Mahfuz Omar is going all round to "educate" people to go against postal summons. And given of the sheer volume of unpaid summons (17 million) as of Tuesday, the government is extending the half-price discount of summons until end of next Thursday (10). 

I do not wish to elaborate about extension about it is basically Malaysian culture to do everything last minute or so, and as such the electronic system gets clogged and jammed up hours before the deadline when everyone goes in to pay the summons. But what I find is a very sinister feeling is about why postal summons, which dated to offenses committed even up to 10 years ago! Most people don't really remember of small details or things that they did 10 years ago, only to see a summon letter coming in after many long years. 

If there is a problem of why all out of the sudden comes that, it simply reflects of poor handling of summons by the authorities. I would dare to say that there are imbeciles who absolutely said in the old archaic manner that postal summons must still remain whereas there are better ways, given of new technologies coming in and growing like a mushroom allows better ways of reaching to people and following up.

PAS has claimed that to blacklist a driver from renewing a driver's license or a road tax for not paying summons is tantamount to putting a person into ISA. This true, given of the present situation and much of the summons are issued before the Road Transport Act amendment which went on effect last month. And with that problem this clearly illustrates that the government's way of handling summons is wrong and it also reflects on how they have yet to understand human psychology in pursuing the amendments and enforcements.

It is understood that the bulk of summons are from speeding offenses. The numbers matches the conventional wisdom of "speed kills". However the problem here is many: speeding offense is easily traced and track. And as according to what Khir Toyo said, this creates the perception that the government is out to make more money instead of reducing accidents as intended. This is one of the ulterior motives. To makes things bad, when the AES system goes full operational by April, if there are no signs or warning of camera, and instead if it is misused just to make money for government without educating users, expect a mass backlash over a flawed method of enforcement. Expect more public anger and straining relationship between people and government.

Secondly, the problem is summon letters is that sometimes they do not have proof to back the claim that you have committed the offense or not. Until the amendment, the letter cannot be used as to final say that you did it or not, so it's bit hard to wipe off the case unless you bring it to the court to decide on it.

I've been observing all over and over again that the speed limits in certain roads are very unrealistic and inconsistent. For example, from Serdang to Kajang stretch, you are bound by a 90 k/m limit although you are in the highway that you can actually move to 110. This also applies after the Bukit Lanjan divider heading towards Jalan Duta, both are highways, yet it is inconsistent and you have a good road that is the highway! The speed limit of 110 at this time still remains unrealistic and I find it awkward for the then Deputy minister Donald Lim said that 110 is enough. No. It has to be increased to 120 or 130 given of how car technologies have improved and consider the traffic at highways is always smooth except on rainy and festive seasons.

I too agreed with Khir that many of us are not robots and sometimes, we don't see the heck of driving faster than the speed set there or because we are in the rush. The problem is lawmaking processes failed to take the human factor into consideration. Just because we go too fast doesn't mean that we are reckless all the way without knowing that we are in danger of an accident? It is also unfair to say that those who went 10-30 km/h more than usual should be given a compound summon (as with the amendment says) but it should be more structured, depending on speed severity.

Since the postal summons dating back to 2000 do not reflect the amended methods of enforcement started in February, it would be better to wipe the slate clean and start it again from scratch, starting with offences committed from 1 February 2011. Then it would be fair to all. Of course, those who paid would say it's not fair, but you might want to call for a rebate or something later on in either tax refunds or etc..

I would also suggest watching this video, as it too gives elaboration to what I mentioned above.

Kow Tow And Gloating Arrogantly

I decided to wait and see how the Hindraf rally over Interlok plays out, including the sequence of events before and after the event. But of all the pieces that I've looked into, the bulk of the pieces that I've examined are those propaganda in nature news, written by the National News Agency (Yong Soo Heong's team, that nobody from that agency dares to show their names of who wrote it). This is in fact a tool to manufacture consent from people that the conclusion that is to come is that nobody should listen to Hindraf and in fact turn to

Sequence 1: The Order From The Big Two

A few days before that aborted Sunday rally, it started with two parallel events, with first (at here) - Muhyiddin demanding the police on firm action. But his statement is very plain and blunt, but short and simple. But it's him that started the ball rolling. And at around 10 pm of the same time, it was Najib's turn (sorry the reference piece here is just in Malay news, so you may need a translation tool) to say - almost the same as Muhyiddin but goes one more step ahead to tell the existing Indians to reject Hindraf (see this is a concept of manufacturing consent).

Quotes:

Muhyiddin: “If they act outside the law and disregard regulations, holding rallies and the like ... stern action should be taken." 

Najib:  "Soal kepentingan kaum India kita telah ambil tindakan, maknanya mereka tidak perlu pada Hindraf, mereka hanya perlu pada BN sahaja"

Note what Najib said below. It is a statement meant to cheat people to think that there is only one option to problem solving, whereas there are many avenues.

Sequence 2: The Kow Tow Moment

This happens one day before the planned rally. The statement by Ismail Omar, the IGP warning (read: threatening) people of arrest in participation takes place the day after the statements from Najib and Muhyiddin. To augment Ismail's statement, below it was mentioned that Hishamuddin Keris gave the directive to the cops, top brass.

Hishammuddin said he believed the organisers were trying to create an atmosphere that was being witnessed in the Middle East, but Malaysia was a different situation altogether, and they were not getting the response they wanted.

"We know their intentions, we know that certain quarters are trying to bring about sentiments of the kind we see in the Middle East.

And to round up the chain of events above, the police have rejected appeals to hold rallies, even though it is according to the procedure, and I have determined that they posed no harm, but mainly because it has been declared as an illegal entity, which forms the basis.

Comment: Hindraf was banned due to faulty and non-existential info. In 2007, there accusations that Hindraf harboured weapons to create chaos in Malaysia from Sri Lanka, but it turned out that there was no such thing as that above, but just a mere creation and ruse to make Hindraf an illegal organization.

If one of the top brass from the police actually give the permit to hold the rally, he would be put to court martial for violating a directive which actually contradicts the first 20 articles of the federal constitution but in fact did an action that is morally correct. If it is as of now, to reject the permit, it summarily points out that the police in fact kow tow to the political masters, without considering other aspects and relying on information which turned to be a false info at all. However, there is a high probability that if a policeman who approved a permit gets court-martialed for disobeying an order that is actually wrong, he in turn is respected by many civil societies for standing to the correct principles and actual truths rather than becoming a mere lap dog.

Sequence 3 - The aborted rally where 109 people gets stopped before it started

That is self-explanatory. 

Sequence 4: Where The Masters Gloat For The Stop

The reaction and statement by the ministers, PM and etc..is somewhat demonstrating how at times it can be arrogant and gloating over the fact that the rally never got off at all, and instead police came hawking in. In propaganda format, they would show how things are great, and things can be arrogant. 

Hishmauddin got this statement wrong by himself. It was noted that way before the event was started, the police have been choking around KLCC and the roads in its vicinity there. Therefore, it is inaccurate to say that people not coming to rally is failure. To say that the cops' refusal and high-handedness is actually true.

The worst spin and claim of all is that the claim by Najib to say that the rally is meant to bad mouth Malaysia's image. But if looking at the other side of the coin, sometimes it is needed to tell the world what really happened truthfully in Malaysia. In this angle, it is not about bad mouthing Malaysia. It is to correct things that has been veiled to the outside world by arrogant leaders and spinning of wrong information by media.

Additionally, Najib was quoted on Malaysiakini that Hindraf was inviting the police to come after them. But in the Malaysiakini "Yoursay" column, many people said the other way round. Many would say that it is not the Hindraf protesters that are threatening, but instead it is the police with their high-handed tactics. No doubt, this justifies many accusing Malaysia as a police state, yes?

Few Comments At The End

Malaysia is part of the UNHRC, and it means a lot of prestige to seat in the Human Rights commission. When you are in the commission, you are expected to be a role model in handle human rights properly. But seeing how they handled the rally, I suppose they are not really fit as they claimed to be and should be kicked out.

Hindraf tried to tell the Malaysian government of Indian race plight. To go back all the way in the beginning, it is the MIC that failed them first. Then the Indian community should blame themselves on the mess. Instead of thinking ahead, they are thinking and responding at this present times (the mindset). I noticed that in many news items that many blame others for their problems instead of trying to fix their problems. And if they think that the present federal government didn't help them at all, why not change another one but afraid to get scolding for changing?

Public relation between police and public still goes back to the lower levels because of how they handle things here. Does this whole event above mean to send 10000 non-violent people who gather into prison, mixing with the violent-crime prisoners together? Some people when seeing this (affects psychologically and perception) that they will not cooperate with a policeman or at times can get very angry / frustrated because of one action done at them, where people did no wrong.

Hindraf themselves are to be blamed. They burnt the bridges instead of helping Pakatan Rakyat in reducing the handicaps. They could have helped the Indian community who are still at large no clue about what is really happening in the country and so forth. 

Do I look like a sympathizer? No, but I am looking from above and I think that Barisan Nasional gloated over one event. Either they deliberately do not know that they are stamping human rights on that day with many excuses flying left and right from ministers, yes men and so forth.

"Demo Bukan Budaya Kita" - 2 Years Later

DEMO BUKAN BUDAYA KITA: DR M

KUALA LUMPUR: Pembangkang, yang hilang kuasa mentadbir kerajaan Perak, perlu sedar demonstrasi jalanan bukan budaya Malaysia dan menunjuk kekuatan seperti ini boleh berlaku erhadap mereka pada masa depan, kata Mahathir Mohamad.

"Ia (demonstrasi jalanan) bukan budaya kita. Bagaimana anda hendak membentuk sebuah kerajaan dengan bertindak di jalan raya. Jika mereka (pembangkang) sendiri menggalakkan demonstrasi jalanan, macam mana pula mereka hendak mentadbir negeri.

"Jika anda bertindak di jalan raya setiap kali ada masalah, maka jika dan bila anda membentuk kerajaan, orang lain akan melakukan yang sama," katanya kepada pemberita selepas demonstrasi teknologi SmartPool di the Mines Waterfront Business Park, di sini, semalam.

Dr Mahathir diminta mengulas demonstrasi jalanan oleh penyokong Pakatan Rakyat ketika upacara mengangkat sumpah Menteri Besar Perak yang baru kira-kira satu kilometer dari Istana Kuala Kangsar kelmarin.

Kerajaan PR yang belum berusia setahun tumbang selepas empat anggota dewan undangannya melompat ke Barisan Nasional (BN).

Dr Mahathir berkata "tindakan melompat" itu seharusnya mengakibatkan pembubaran dewan undangan negeri (DUN) tetapi oleh kerana Sultan Azlan Shah mengisytiharkan tidak perlu diadakan pilihan raya, keputusan itu harus dihormati.

Katanya, Menteri Besar pembangkang harus dibenarkan memanggil mesyuarat DUN dan undi tidak percaya perlu diluluskan terhadap kerajaan berkenaan.

"Tetapi jika Menteri Besar tidak mahu mengadakan sidang DUN, jadi bagaimana kita boleh paksa beliau berbuat demikian. Undang-undang menyatakan undi tidak percaya mesti diluluskan sebelum ada pertukaran kerajaan.

"Sekalipun mereka terus memerintah negeri itu, mereka bertindak sebagai kerajaan minoriti. Bagaimana kerajaan minoriti hendak mentadbir negeri, bila ia tidak punya sokongan," katanya.

Mengenai laporan bahawa pembangkang bercadang mengambil tindakan undang-undang terhadap Sultan berhubung keputusannya, Dr Mahathir berkata walaupun tindakan pembangkang itu tidak beretika, undang-undang membolehkan tindakan itu diambil.

Bagaimanapun, Ketua Umum PR Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim semalam berkata, pihaknya tidak akan memfail saman terhadap Sultan.

- Berita Harian - 8 February 2009

**************

Today I will not talk much except to bring back something for everyone of us to go through and compare to the current situation, 2 years after the report was first published. True, I am pretty exhausted after work in office and treating myself to watching a movie to have some fun.

This week marks exactly 2 years of when Dr. Mahathir made that statement above that "demonstration" is not our culture" in the wake of the fall of the Pakatan Perak Government 2 days before on 5th February 2009. There have been plenty of demonstrations in the last 4 years, tracing back to the Lawyer's march in Putrajaya in August 2007 in the wake of the Lingam tape leak, then going on with the Bersih rally in November 2007 and the Hindraf rally three weeks later.

Those three demos got the ball rolling and in other words proved to Malaysia that anyone can gather for a common cause. However, do note that demonstrations usually happen primarily because of whatever grievances aired via official channels were mostly ignored and turned away by the government that we have entrusted our vote with in the elections.

The Perak coup de tat was the lowest point of all because the sultan had ignored the Perakians vote and choice of the government and instead UMNO and Barisan had taken over via the backdoor route, a.l.a. Katak frogging that Anwar Ibrahim spoke of about the never happened 916 promise. And still, there happen to be more demos in the subsequent times after the low point including anti-GST tax rallies, anti-ISA rallies, and so forth.

Why does it happen? It's primarily that people's wishes were ignored in favor of political power and survival. If the majority of people say no to ISA for example, the government must immediately throw it off, not to amend, not to keep it because the boss said so. Demonstrations happened usually as the last resort when everything was turned away and people - like an infant - cry for attention when there is no one else to turn to.

There are more than a dozen of demos around Malaysia after Dr. Mahathir's statement. This means, that in other words, that no one give a hoot on Dr. M's statement. And it also reveals that in this situation, Dr. M has misjudged himself as well as getting too much than what he can chew on. Maybe his statement could be irrelevant already, if we take the domino factor from Egypt, Tunisia and Jordan as well.