T-shirts: free and unfree

T-shirts: free and unfree
Malaysia in the Era of Globalization #72
King’s concern most welcome – call on Najib to meet with Berish organisers as the first positive government response to popular concerns for free and fair elections
BERSIH dan Respon Dari Kerajaan BN
Veto the Bersih ban, Mr PM
Malaysia in the Era of Globalization #72
Awake & fight!
BERSIH 2.0 ~ Halal atau Haram? Hukum berjuang dibelakang Ambiga
King wants Putrajaya, Bersih 2.0 to hold talks...
"Yang dikejar tak dapat, Yang dikendong berciciran"
How China Conquers The World
POLIS ...ingat Ngeh cakap? Apa lagi, kasi tangkap!
Tourism player could suffer from Bersih 2.0 rally
Orang Hotel dah ngamuk dengan Bersih 2.0
What Is This Country Coming To?
Lift ban on Bersih, urges Kit Siang
Lift ban on Bersih, urges Kit Siang
Bakri MP, 5 others held over yellow gotong-royong T-shirts
LKS backs Sabah Speaker on education autonomy
Patriot and Bersih: A tale of two rallies

Posted: 03 Jul 2011 06:39 PM PDT

This entry was posted on Monday, 4 July 2011, 9:39 am and is filed under Bersih, Police, Zunar. You can follow any responses to this entry through RSS 2.0.

Malaysia in the Era of Globalization #72

Posted: 03 Jul 2011 06:32 PM PDT

By M. Bakri Musa

Chapter 9: Islam in Malay Life

Authoritative Versus Authoritarian Ulamas and Scholars

Then there are such irrelevant issues as who can and cannot partake in these debates. There are those ulamas and scholars who feel that only they are qualified enough to partake in such heavy issues. There rest need merely follow their dictates. They are not so much authoritative as much as authoritarian, to use Khalid El Fadl's words.

It reminds me of the bad old days of imperious doctors who behave like Gods; their utterances and decisions cannot be challenged, least of all by the laity. Thank God, those days are gone. Today physicians fully engage their patients and they in turn participate fully in decisions affecting themselves. The seeking of second and alternate opinions is now standard practice.

Take the issue of Islamic scholars, another very contentious one. Much of the confusion and the ensuing controversies revolve around the different meanings of basic terms. I can best illustrate this by using the example of surgical scholars. In the academic department I was once associated with, among my colleagues were a veterinary doctor, a biochemist, and an engineer. In standing, pay and prestige, these professors of surgery were no different from the other "operating" professors of surgery, the clinician surgeons. They taught medical students and would-be surgeons, and published in surgical journals. But if one were to have appendicitis, one would not ask these "non-operating" professors to operate. If someone were stupid enough to do so, he or she would be politely if not embarrassedly referred to the "real" surgeons in the department.

Similarly there are Islamic scholars and there are ulama. One can learn a lot about Islam – both the discipline as well as the faith – from Islamic scholars; but in performing funeral rites or reciting the Surah Yaseeen (requiem), one needs the ulama. In medicine there are strict rules as to who can treat patients. Apart from specific training, he or she has to be properly licensed. Anyone not so licensed, no matter how competent, could be charged with fraud and criminal assault were they to practice as physicians. This is to protect the public.

No such statutory delineations occur in the practice of Islam, and rightly so. Islam, unlike other religions, lacks a proscribed clergy class. In Islam it is we mortals and Allah, there being no need for an intermediary. There are no priests, bishops, or pope in Islam. Sure we have an imam, but to paraphrase an ancient saying, he is imam because we, the flock, call him so. His power and prestige are derived from and not imposed upon the congregation.

The present heavily bureaucratized Islam, with ulama placed on salary schemes and acquiring all the other accouterments of the civil service, is purely a Malaysian phenomenon. No surprise then that these modern day ulama behave like their petty counterparts in the civil service – very conscious of their turf. Thus, instead of engaging in a scholarly fashion with those who disagree with them, these ulama treat new ideas as potential threats. Hence the ugly specter of the president of the Muslim Scholars Association filing a police report against writers he disagreed with, instead of publishing his own scholarly rebuttal!

This is not a surprise considering the training these ulama had undergone. They are not so much being educated as being indoctrinated. The quality of their scholarship, certainly when viewed from the vantage point of Western scholarship adept at critical thinking and "deconstruction," is severely wanting. Their training is akin to that of students of classical music. Classical musicians are trained not to interpret but simply to follow the path of their masters before them. Improvisations or novel interpretations are not expected or welcomed. If you do, you may end up playing for the local jazz band instead. Only when you have become a Glenn Gould could you establish your own style. Until then, no fancy incidental notes or flourishes in phrasing. Follow the score as it is written.

Likewise the ulama; they are not expected to put forth any new thought or to question. Indeed such critical thinking and novel interpretations are viewed suspiciously as the devil's machinations. Occasionally one may get an alim, who, having mastered the existing state of knowledge, goes on to make his own seminal contributions. There were many such outstanding individuals in the history of Islam. Some were successful in blazing new trails in the understanding of our faith, but most ended up being marginalized or worse, labeled as apostate –and treated accordingly.

What is threatening the world of the traditional ulama today is not the "orientalist" secular Islamic scholars like Patricia Martinez and Farish Noor, rather the emergence of ulama trained in the traditional madrasah system who then went on to be exposed to the rigors of Western scholarship. In the past such scholar-ulama were denigrated back in their native lands, but with the heightened interest in Islam in the West, these individuals are now eagerly sought after by leading Western universities. From their vantage point there, with its superior supporting structures and generous funding, this new breed of scholar-ulama are spreading their views onto the wider Islamic world. With their madrasah credentials, they are as erudite and exquisite in their tajweed (rendition of the Qur'an) as the best of Al Azhar.

The Islamic faith is invigorated with this new breed of scholar-ulama like UCLA's Khaled Abou El Fadl and Duke University's Ebrahim Moosa. These distinguished scholars, steeped in the traditional as well as Western scholarship and well versed in Arabic (the language of Islam) as well as English (the language of technology), will take Islam to greater heights. El Fadl is also remarkable in that he has a personal library of over 6,500 Islamic texts and manuscripts, some dating as far back as the 13th Century. More importantly, these enlightened scholars present a refreshing face of Islam to the modern world, a view more in consonant with the ideals of the faith as revealed to our prophet (pbuh) – a much-needed antidote to the rabble rousing and fatwa-issuing likes of Osama bin Ladin. These modern scholars spread the word of Islam not by issuing endless edicts but by the power of their intellect and the logic of their arguments. As the Iranian scholar Abdoolkarim Soroosh noted, the Qur'an is divine; its interpretation is human. The text of the scripture is silent; it is up to us to make it speak. These enlightened scholars have given a fresh voice to the Qur'an.

Much of the present understanding of Islam comes from the works of dedicated scholars, Muslims and non-Muslims alike. All Muslims should value their contributions. They complement our ulama. Confusion arises only when scholars try to assume the trappings of an alim, or when ulama take on the pretensions of a scholar.

For Malays, Islam is the central element of our culture; it also defines Malayness. Legally, a Malay is someone who regularly practices the Malay culture and professes Islam. Malays belong to the mainstream Sunni sect. But what is more important at the daily level is that Islam in Malaysia is what the government bureaucrats deem it to be. Anyone straying from this "straight path," as defined by the government's ulama, risks being branded as a subversive or "deviationist," and will suffer the worldly consequences (like being incarcerated under the ISA).

Islam arrived in the Malay world in the 15th Century by way of Muslim traders. It did not land on a cultural vacuum as Malays then were already steeped in Hindu beliefs and animist traditions. Many Malays today would want to deny this aspect of our past, to wipe the slate clean. This tendency to overlook what present-day Islamists view as less-than-pristine "unIslamic" past is not an affliction peculiar only to Malays. The Japanese have yet to come to terms with their role in World War II. Thus the preoccupation of Malays today in trying to "cleanse" and "purify" the faith, while misguided, is understandable. The difference between the Talibans blasting to smithereens the ancient Buddhist monuments and Malaysian Islamists desecrating Hindu temples is only a matter of degree.

Sadly, much of the world today view Osama bin Ladin and his band of the Talibans as representing the essence of Islam. Unfortunately many Islamic leaders and scholars implicitly encourage this misconception by not condemning unequivocally the criminal activities of these extremist Muslims. As the late Sudanese reformist Mohamad Taha observed, religious fanaticism is inalienable from religious ignorance. It is out of ignorance of the basic tenets of Islam that these fanatics view this world as hostile, and not as God's wonderful gift to mankind. The challenge is to enlighten Muslims especially those in Malaysia to the pristine message of Islam.

Next: Shari'a in a Plural Society

This entry was posted on Monday, 4 July 2011, 9:32 am and is filed under Bakri Musa, globalisation. You can follow any responses to this entry through RSS 2.0.

King’s concern most welcome – call on Najib to meet with Berish organisers as the first positive government response to popular concerns for free and fair elections

Posted: 03 Jul 2011 06:28 PM PDT

BERSIH dan Respon Dari Kerajaan BN

Posted: 03 Jul 2011 06:46 PM PDT

Kelam-kabut dan gundah-gulana merupakan dua perkataan yang barangkali boleh menggambarkan serba sedikit keadaan UMNO/BN dalam usaha mereka menangani perhimpunan BERSIH 2.0 sebagai Pembuka Jalan Politik Baharu pada 9 Julai ini. Berbagai propaganda telah dilancarkan untuk menghalang perhimpunan tersebut dari terus berlaku. Berdasarkan ucapan, tingkah laku dan riak wajah mereka, 1mesej jelas terpampang, iaitu 'BERSIH' akan mengakibatkan UMNO/BN tersungkur dalam pilihan raya ke-13. Maka mesej inilah yang ingin mereka sampaikan kepada para penyokong atau golongan CARMA supaya BERSIH dihalang dengan sedaya upaya.

Walhal segenap lapisan rakyat Malaysia yang mengikuti perkembangan semasa memahami bahawa BERSIH hanya sekadar menuntut pilihan-raya yang bebas dan adil. BERSIH mengemukakan hanya 8 tuntutan yang kesemuanya selari dengan prinsip-prinsip demokrasi. Melalui pilihan-raya yang bersih, maka pilihan rakyat yang sebenar akan dimartabatkan dan kerajaan yang terbentuk akan benar-benar merupakan kerajaan pilihan rakyat. Oleh yang demikian, BERSIH tidak bertujuan menjatuhkan BN mahupun PR, atau menaikkan BN atau PR. Ia bertujuan untuk menentukan rakyat dengan sepenuhnya diberi kuasa untuk memilih kerajaan yang diinginkan mereka dengan menjamin tiadanya penipuan dan penyelewengan semasa pilihan-raya.

BN TERSUNGKUR KALAU PILIHAN RAYA BERSIH DARI PENIPUAN!
BN memahami hakikat sebenar usaha BERSIH. Namun mereka tetap berusaha keras untuk menfitnah usaha BERSIH dengan bermacam-macam tohmahan dan dakwaan palsu. Mengapa? Jawapannya mudah sahaja. BN sedar bahawa pada hakikatnya rakyat sudah tidak bersama mereka dan pilihan-raya yang bersih, tanpa penipuan undi pos, kad pengenalan palsu, monopoli media dan sebagainya, akan menghasilkan kekalahan bagi BN!

Dalam erti-kata yang lain, pilihan-raya bersih = BN kalah!

Maka itulah sebabnya perhimpunan BERSIH telah difitnah dengan dakwaan kononnya BERSIH ingin menjatuhkan kerajaan melalui huru-hara dan keganasan. Oleh itu ianya diharamkan. Sedangkan himpunan BERSIH adalah himpunan aman yang bertujuan untuk menzahirkan sokongan rakyat terhadap tuntutan supaya pilihan-raya bersih dari penipuan. Ianya bertujuan untuk menganjurkan perarakan aman dari SOGO ke Istana Negara demi menyerahkan memorandum BERSIH kepada DYMM Yang Di Pertuan Agung.

Sebenarnya perarakan sebegini amat mudah untuk dikawal, sekiranya pihak berkuasa menghormati hak rakyat berkumpul dan berhimpun secara aman. Apa yang perlu dilakukan hanya sekadar menjaga lalu-lintas dan laluan kenderaan sepanjang perjalanan dari SOGO ke Istana Negara. Dalam masa tidak lebih dari 2 jam, semuanya akan selesai. Malangnya, UMNO/BN meyakini bahawa pilihan raya yang bersih dari penipuan akan menyebabkan mereka tersungkur. Oleh itu mereka akan terus berpegang teguh kepada kekuasaan dan bertindak untuk menundukkan rakyat.

TINDAKAN UMNO/BN LEBIH DAHSYAT DARI TINDAKAN ISRAEL
Tindakan kerajaan BN memfitnah BERSIH boleh disamakan dengan tindakan kerajaan Israel memfitnah Flotilla LL4G sebagai Flotilla perang yang membawa senjata. Ini sebenarnya tidak menghairankan kerana Tok Guru mereka adalah sama. APCO penasihat kepada kedua-dua kerajaan. Malahan, tindakan UMNO/BN lebih dahsyat dari tindakan kerajaan Israel dalam dua aspek seperti berikut:

a) Mencemar Kesucian Agama Islam

Tindakan UMNO/BN mengatasi tindakan kerajaan Israel apabila pada hari Jumaat yang lalu, khutbah di Masjid-masjid di sekitar Wilayah Persekutuan mengharamkan ummat Islam dari melibatkan diri dalam perhimpunan ini. Hujjah untuk mengharamkannya adalah berdasarkan fitnah UMNO/BN bahawa perhimpunan ini bertujuan untuk melakukan huru-hara, tumpah darah, membawa kerosakan dan berniat untuk menjadikan keadaan Negara lebih teruk dari yang sedia ada. Amat malang apabila mimbar masjid digunakan untuk menyebar fitnah dan tohmahan kerana pada hakikatnya BERSIH inginkan suatu pembaikkan kepada yang sediada melalui satu perarakan yang aman.

Kalau ada yang inginkan huru-hara, ianya bukan BERSIH. Kalau ada yang inginkan tumpah darah, ianya bukan BERSIH.

Amatlah sedih apabila khutbah dipergunakan sebegini rupa. Amat sedih melihat mimbar digunakan untuk menabur fitnah dan dakyah demi kepentingan politik UMNO/BN. Sebenarnya ummat Islam sepatutnya yang pertama bangun untuk menjadi pejuang keadilan dan kebenaran, penentang penipuan dan kezaliman. Tetapi oleh kerana UMNO/BN berkuasa, maka ummat Islam didorong untuk menjadi pembela penipuan dan kezaliman.

Merosakkan agama sehingga diperalatkan untuk membela sesuatu yang jelas songsang dan bercanggah tidak dilakukan oleh mana-mana kerajaan walaupun oleh kerajaan Israel terhadap agama Yahudi. Pilihan raya Israel dilakukan secara telus dan adakalanya parti Likud menang, adakalanya parti yang lain membentuk kerajaan. Tetapi UMNO/BN ingin terus memerintah dan mereka pada awalnya memutar-belitkan undang-undang pilihan-raya. Sekarang mereka sudah mula memutar-belit ajaran agama Islam untuk membela penipuan dan penyelewengan.

b) Mengasari Rakyat Sendiri

Tindakan kerajaan UMNO/BN mengatasi tindakan kerajaan Israel dari satu aspek lagi. Dalam isu Flottila, kerajaan Israel berjanji tidak akan melakukan tumpah darah. Walaupun anggota Flottila terdiri dari warga Negara asing, mereka tidak akan dikasari, menurut Israel. Percaya atau tidak itu soal kedua. Paling kurang Israel mengakui anggota Flottila ada hak dan tidak boleh dikasari atau ditembak sewenang-wenangnya.

Kerajaan UMNO/BN sebaliknya. Melalui polis dan samseng yang bertopengkan NGO, mereka secara terang-terangan mengugut untuk melakukan tumpah darah dan kegansan terhadap rakyat sendiri! Di sini APCO sendiri mungkin terkejut dengan 'kehebatan' UMNO/BN. Kesediaan mereka untuk mengasari rakyat sendiri mungkin tidak disangka tetapi pasti merupakan sesuatu yang menggembirakan APCO.

KESIMPULAN
Ini semua merupakan bukti akan betapa terdesaknya UMNO/BN. Mereka tahu rakyat tidak bersama mereka tetapi mereka akan mempertahankan kedudukan mereka walau apa sekalipun yang akan berlaku. Inilah jenis pemimpin yang mementingkan kedudukan dan jawatan mereka lebih dari nyawa rakyat sendiri. Inilah jenis pemimpin yang perlu kita jatuhkan melalui PRU ke-13 kelak.

WaLlahu 'Alam
KHALID SAMAD

www.khalidsamad.com

Veto the Bersih ban, Mr PM

Posted: 03 Jul 2011 05:37 PM PDT

by Thomas Lee Seng Hock
Malaysiakini
Jul 3, 11

COMMENT

The Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih 2.0) has been declared an illegal organisation effective 1 July 2011.

A statement issued by the Registrar of Societies (ROS) says that the declaration was made by Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein (right) under Section 5 of the Societies Act 1966.

According to the ROS statement, Bersih is not a registered organisation.

The statement claims that Bersih has been actively creating confusion and causing anxiety among the people.

It says that Bersih has been distributing handbills containing propaganda aimed at toppling the BN federal government.

The ROS statement says that Bersih has undermined the nation's sovereignty and disrupted the harmonious environment among the country's multi-racial population, and also caused disrepute to the country's image, and is a threat to public order, security, and economic development and prosperity.

Bersih had earlier announced plans to hold rallies in Kuala Lumpur, Sabah and Sarawak on July 9 to mobilise concerned citizens to demand for a clean, fair and transparent electoral process.

Unilateral decision

The home minister's unilateral decision to ban Bersih is certainly something any right-thinking and fair-minded believer in democracy and the rule of law will not be able to accept as just and constitutionally valid.

The rights to freedom of expression and assembly are enshrined in our federal constitution, and embraced as essential fundamental divine rights of all peoples in all democratic nations of the world, and revered in the Charter of Human Rights of the United Nations, of which Malaysia has been a proud member since it gained its independence on 31 August 1957.

The home minister's action in declaring Bersih an illegal organisation is a direct violation of the human, civil and constitutional rights of the country's citizens.

Human rights are the fundamental foundation upon which the total life, life-style and well-being of a human person is built and developed upon.

Human rights ensure that the spiritual, moral, intellectual, emotional, physical, social and cultural aspects of an individual's existence is treated appropriately with value, dignity, honour, respect, and affection, and any violation of the basic human, civil and constitutional rights of any citizen of the nation should be regarded with contempt and condemnation.

Not a subversive movement

Bersih, which means "clean" in Bahasa Malaysia, is not a subversive movement out to create a violent revolution to overthrow the government of the day.

It is simply a coalition of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and certain political parties to seek and promote a legal reformation and transformation of the current very unsatisfactory and unacceptable electoral process in the country.

The allegations that Bersih is being funded by foreign sources, in particular by Christian interests, to destabilise the nation, and is a movement to bring about the resurgence of communism are uncalled for and unwarranted, and a real despicable attempt to create hatred and contempt among the various races.

Those who made such allegations should be the one arrested and charged for sedition, not the Bersih advocates.

Bersih has specifically demanded that several changes be instituted for the present election laws and practices to ensure that elections are conducted in a fair, just and transparent manner.

Among the reforms Bersih proposed are (1) a complete and thorough cleaning of the electoral rolls to remove entries that are no longer valid such as names of dead persons, (2) all political parties and their candidates be allowed and provided with equal access to the print and broadcast media, (3) the campaign period be extended to allow all parties and their candidates more time to reach out to the people to promote and explain their views. (4) abolish postal voting in view of the high probability that it is easily abused and manipulated, and (5) using permanent ink to ensure that each voter may only vote once.

Such proposals are not unreasonable or impractical, and any government professing to practise democracy and rule of the laws should surely has no genuine ground to reject them.

And the promotion of a fair, just and transparent electoral process should not be considered a subversive plot to overthrow the government of the day.

In fact, it is a joke to suggest that Bersih is out to grab political power by illegal means, especially the use of violence.

The mobilisation of concerned citizens in a peaceful assembly to exercise their rights to seek changes for the betterment of the nation is surely not a sin, not indivisible to the pursuit of a holistic, righteous, fair, just and dignified nation-building process.

It is the inherit divine right of a citizen to express his views vocally, visibly, and vividly, the government has no moral right to deprive and curb such rights.

Reformation of electoral process

The stated ultimate goal of Bersih is just the reformation of the nation's electoral process to ensure that the human, civil and constitutional rights of the legitimate citizens are protected and respected, and not any evil political agenda as insinuated by the mercenary spin writers of the mainstream media, and certain former opposition politicians who had sold their souls, betrayed their constituents, and manoeuvred themselves into favoured and profitable positions in the establishment.

Such despicable persons should be dismissed with scorn, and their views discharged with disbelief and disparagement.

Meanwhile, the police force should consider the fact that all forms of peaceful expression and assembly by the people should be respected and allowed to take place without any enforced restraint and forceful intervention by them.

Bersih should be allowed to hold its civil rights assembly so long as no violence or chaotic disorder are intended.

The Bersih rally organisers have never attempted any incitement to riot and chaos, and the police should not take any unilateral action that may possibly cause confusion and provoke an unpredictable disorder with people scattering in various random directions.

The police should not use canes, tear gas or water cannons on the crowd, but should provide proper crowd and traffic control to ensure that no untoward and adverse situation could develop.

Any suspected trouble-maker should be stopped and detained, but no use of force should be made on the peaceful assembly.

The Bersih ban is surely a dark blot on the image of the nation, and I appeal to Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak to use his wisdom and good office to stop further damage to the country by vetoing the foolish action of the home minister, and also allow the peaceful assembly to take place as scheduled.

If he does that, I will salute him for his statesmanship.

This entry was posted on Monday, 4 July 2011, 8:37 am and is filed under Bersih, Elections, Human Rights, Thomas Lee. You can follow any responses to this entry through RSS 2.0.

Malaysia in the Era of Globalization #72

Posted: 03 Jul 2011 02:14 PM PDT

Chapter 9: Islam in Malay Life

Authoritative Versus Authoritarian Ulamas and Scholars

Then there are such irrelevant issues as who can and cannot partake in these debates. There are those ulamas and scholars who feel that only they are qualified enough to partake in such heavy issues. There rest need merely follow their dictates. They are not so much authoritative as much as authoritarian, to use Khalid El Fadl's words.

It reminds me of the bad old days of imperious doctors who behave like Gods; their utterances and decisions cannot be challenged, least of all by the laity. Thank God, those days are gone. Today physicians fully engage their patients and the y in turn participate fully in decisions affecting themselves. The seeking of second and alternate opinions is now standard practice.

Next: Shari'a in a Plural Society

Awake & fight!

Posted: 03 Jul 2011 11:35 AM PDT

Darkness has descended upon our nation sadness has overwhelmed our hearts madness has seized the minds of our leaders it's time to wake up & fight. Empty the closets of apathy bring forth the weapons of courage gather all ye soldiers of peace arise for the monster is nigh! Awake! tarry no more! fight with … Continue reading →

BERSIH 2.0 ~ Halal atau Haram? Hukum berjuang dibelakang Ambiga

Posted: 03 Jul 2011 11:38 AM PDT

Aa'uudzu biLLah himinasy Syaitan nir rajiim
Aku berlindung diri dengan Allah dari syaitan yang direjam!

Bismillahirrahmanirrahim

Dengan nama Allah, Maha Pengasih, Maha Penyayang.

Apa pandangan Ustaz Fathul Bari? Seorang ilmuan Salafi tentang perancangan puak puak yang kebanyakannya terdiri dari ahli ahli dan penyokong parti berlabel Islam turut sama mahu berdemonstrasi menentang Kerajaan Malaysia sekarang ini dengan berpimpinkan seorang kaffir harbi ~ Ambiga Sreenevasan!

Ambiga Sreenevasan yang terkenal dengan perjuangannya menentang kerajaan berteraskan umat Islam dan memperjuangkan kebebasan untuk murtad dikalangan umat Islam yang jahil atau lemah didalam aqidah mereka seperti didalam kes Azalina Jailani @ Lina Joy.

Takkan sebegitu jahil puak puak ini yang tidak menghiraukan sejarah permusuhan Ambiga dan kelompoknya terhadap kita, umat Islam di Malaysia?

Apakah sudah kemaruk sangatkah mereka ini yang berlabelkan parti politik Islam sehingga sanggup berpakat dengan golongan manusia kaffir harbi sama serupa dengan perangai Syaitan Laknatullah untuk menjatuhkan Kerajaan sedia ada tanpa menunggu peluang mereka didalam pilihanraya umum yang ke 13 tak berapa lama lagi?

Saya cuma boleh memperingatkan sesama Muslim melalui laman blog ini supaya mengambil kira akan segala kemungkinan yang akan berlaku nanti bilamana ratusan ribu manusia membanjiri jalan jalanraya di-ibunegara kita Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur ini jika pada tanggal 9hb Julai ini berlaku juga perhimpunan haram BERSIH 2.0?

Apa natijahnya nanti pada mereka yang turut berdemo membuta tuli tanpa mengetahui agenda sebenar Ambiga Sreenevasan dan Mat Sabu serta pucuk pimpinan PAS serta rakan sepakat mereka didalam Pakatan Pembangkang?

Penggunaan istilah 'Pakatan Rakyat' itu adalah haram dari segi undang undang negara kita kerana mereka tidak mendapatkan izin penggunaan istilah tersebut dari Pendaftar Pertubuhan, Kementerian Dalam Negeri, Kerajaan Malaysia.

Tidak semua rakyat berpakat dengan puak puak ini yang memperjuangkan agenda kaffir harbi harami Laknatullah!

Agenda Lim Kit Siang, Karpal Singh, Teresa Kok dan segala mereka yang memerangi Agama dan umat Islam secara halus dan terbuka sudah sekian lama didedahkan oleh para pejuang Islam melalui media perdana dan sosial seperti didalam blog blog dan portal maya.

Sepertimana dijelaskan oleh Ustaz Fathul Bari dan kebanyakan ilmuan agama kita yang lain bahawa adalah haram bagi mana mana umat Islam bersekongkol dengan puak kaffirin untuk menjatuhkan dan menghapuskan kuasa kepimpinan Islam didalam Kerajaan Malaysia.

Hadis Sahih Riwayat Ta'rif Abi Tamima bahawa Jundab Radhiallahu Anhu menyampaikan bahawa ia telah mendengar Rasulullah Sallalahu Alaihi Wassallam bersabda:

"Barangsiapa yang menyusahkan masyarakat dengan membuat angkara dan menimbulkan kesusahan, maka ianya akan disusahkan dan disulitkan keadaan nya oleh Allahu Ta'ala!"

Mereka yang berbuat demikian adalah menjadi pencacai Ambiga Sreenevasan dan gerombolan IFCnya yang senantiasa berusaha untuk menjahanamkan kuasa dan kedudukan umat Islam seMalaysia.

Semenanjung Tanah Melayu ini sahaja yang masih tinggal sebagai benteng terakhir untuk umat Islam kekal hidup bebas aman selesa menjalani kehidupan secara Muslim dirantau Asia ini.

Walaupun agak ramai yang sudah hanyut leka didalam kehidupan yang jauh dari tuntutan Ad Deenullah didalam suasana kehidupan moden berciri cirikan kebebasan cara hidup Barat kerana sudah kaya raya dan bersenang lenang hasil pencapaian mereka di alam duniawi kapitalis, masih kukuh institusi keagamaan didalam hati dan sanubari kebanyakan umat Islam di Tanah Melayu ini.

Sepatutnya umat Islam seMalaysia bersatu teguh membangunkan tamadun Islam berciri cirikan warisan Melayu yang bersejarah tetapi hari ini sudah ramai yang termakan umpan dan hasutan Iblis Iblis Laknatullah didalam bentuk golongan manusia manusia kaffir seperti Ambiga dan sekutu sekutu nya didalam gabungan haram BERSIH 2.0.

Pihak Suruhanjaya Pilihanraya @ SPR sudah menjelaskan dengan panjang lebar akan hakikat ketelusan sistem pilihanraya negara kita sehingga membolehkan Pakatan Pembangkang berjaya mempengaruhi para pengundi warganegara Malaysia untuk beralih memilih mereka didalam 5 buah negeri di bumi semenanjung ini.

Masih mahu menuduh SPR tak bersih ke?

Hanya mereka yang tamak gelojoh kemaruk gila babi untuk berkuasa dan menyapu bersih segala perwakilan diperingkat DUN dan Parlimen sanggup menjayakan agenda kaffir laknatullah sahaja yang akan terus menuduh SPR begitu!

Apakah mereka yang mahu melembukan diri sendiri bersedia menjadi pencacai penyebab kehancuran negara kita dengan membuta tuli memenangkan agenda jahat Ambiga dan sekutu sekutunya?

Hayati pesanan bernas dan tepat didalam lagu nyanyian Datuk M.Nasir didalam video khusus ini yang amat relevan dengan suasana sekarang:

Demi Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala dan Rasul Sallalahu Alaihi Wassallam, setiap Muslim yang waras sepatutnya memerangi mereka ini dengan segala kudrat yang ada!

Jangan sekali kali kita sanggup untuk menjadi talibarut kuffar!

King wants Putrajaya, Bersih 2.0 to hold talks...

Posted: 03 Jul 2011 09:12 AM PDT

Istana Negara tonight issued a special statement by Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin on the planned rally by Bersih.

Below is the translated full text of the King's statement.

"I am following closely the developments of the proposed gathering and procession by Bersih with the aim of handing over a memorandum to me as the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, and how the government, particularly the agencies and departments concerned, is handling the issue.

"However, I believe that the nation's leadership under Najib Abdul Razak is capable of handling this problem in the best possible way.

"I urge that amid the political fervour of a section of the people to bolster democracy in our country, it must also be ensured that this demand on democracy does not bring destruction to the country.

"Generally, we cannot be following too much the practices in other countries, as harmony and stability are vital foundations for a country and which all quarters must protect.

"I also urge the government to carry out everything that is entrusted to it by the people in a just and wise manner, and it is important that I as the Yang di-Pertuan Agong do not want to see this country with a plural society in a situation where there is animosity among them or a section of the people being enemies with the government, on whatever grounds.

"When any problem arises, we as a civilised society must resolve it through consultations and not follow our emotions, as the Malay saying goes, 'Yang Dikejar Tak Dapat Yang Dikendong Berciciran'" (Not getting what we chase after and spilling what we carry).

"The fact is, street demonstrations bring more bad than good although the original intention is good. Instead, we should focus on our main objective to develop this country, and not create problems that will cause the country to lag behind.

"Remember that there is no land where the rain does not fall, there is no ocean that is not turbulent. That is how important moderation and compromise is, which has been long been in practice by our nation's administration."- Bernama

Titah Khas YDP Agong di sini.

source:malaysian insider

King intervenes, tells Putrajaya, Bersih 2.0 to hold talks

Bersih 2.0: Agong mahu isu diselesai secara rundingan

Titah Agong Mendalam Maksudnya - Bersih 2.0

cheers.

"Yang dikejar tak dapat, Yang dikendong berciciran"

Posted: 03 Jul 2011 08:17 AM PDT

The Agong has spoken. Lu orang baca sendiri lah. Yang tak faham simpulan bahasa, Bernama ada bagi terjemahan tapi mungkin tak berapa tepat ...

How China Conquers The World

Posted: 03 Jul 2011 09:12 AM PDT

Many things have been said about how China is going to dominate the global economy for the next 50 years. This in a nutshell, is how they go about laying the groundwork. China already is a player in the commodities side of things, they are laying the groundwork for the rest of the jigsaw puzzle.

The first question to entertain is why are they keeping the yuan low while they keep registering tons of surpluses. This is key to buying up the world. Some may say that although they have surpluses, a lot of that are in US Treasuries. If USD falls, they stand to lose a lot. That is B.S. ... I think even a second year economics student at Beijing University would be able to see through that.

Although China has a lot of Treasuries, their buying has decelerated substantially. Some think that they cannot ever dump the Treasuries - yes they do not dump, they cannot even afford to dump as the derailment of the global economy can have massive ramifications.

Instead, they basically recycle the surpluses by lending or pumping funds into state-controlled firms, buying up anything and everything related to commodities and even ports related entities to ensure the logistics chain are under their control. That being the case, many have been wondering if the Chinese have been over paying, yes they have been and they know it, but they rather have it than to see their surpluses dwindling 20% every 2 years in value.

Next, is to make their big companies become global players. China Development Bank, which is not really a commercial bank but a sovereign entity, issues bonds and lends aggressively to help China companies to frog leap the rest. The prime example had been the phenomenal growth of ZTE and Huawei, ask any telco vendor person, they were also-rans 5 years ago. Now they are the top few in the world.

Back in 2004, CDB provided a $45 billion line of credit to Huawei and ZTE. Yes, $45 billion of vendor financing. This basically meant that if you were Singtel and Huawei tries to sell you their products, if you were mildly interested but may lack the necessary funding/budget this year ... Huawei will say no problem, 100% financing can be provided at attractive rates. These type of export financing schemes are done all the time by the more enterprising governments, but certainly not in the scale of China. Naturally the other global players are crying that these are unfair advantages.

Next, is cementing the global economic and political ties. You cannot be just owing and running businesses, you need to be needed as a major player all corners of the world. China owns Asia already, but they have gone out of their way to go big into Africa and South America, investing b

ig bucks, cementing political ties, granting loads of loans to various governments. Plus increase trade with them, China needs everything anyways .... What a friend.

Unlike the US or EU, China does not (yet) have a political agenda in doing all these, they are not aiming to protect the sanctity of the democratic world or pushing some political ideaology, which makes them easy to befriend the usual enemies of the Americans. China couldn't care less about the atrocities or dictatorships in other countries - you don't criticise my ways, I don't criticise yours ... (unless they get really really bad ... I guess.

Even now, China is making inroads into the troubled Greece, and possibly soon to Portugal and Spain, buy assuring them that China will buy their bonds.

It does not take a smartass to note that gradually China will own probably the top few players in every significant industry in the world. They tried doing that with banking and failed miserably, the timing was off and they made huge losses, but they can afford to make these kind of losses anyway.

So, you can shake your heads, but we all will have to work with them, one way or another, cause soon we all will be working for them, one way or another

POLIS ...ingat Ngeh cakap? Apa lagi, kasi tangkap!

Posted: 03 Jul 2011 03:09 PM PDT

Tourism player could suffer from Bersih 2.0 rally

Posted: 03 Jul 2011 01:01 PM PDT

Orang Hotel dah ngamuk dengan Bersih 2.0

Posted: 03 Jul 2011 11:00 AM PDT

What Is This Country Coming To?

Posted: 03 Jul 2011 03:55 AM PDT

by Kee Thuan Chye
Malaysian Digest
01 July 2011 WHAT is this country coming to? Many Malaysians are asking this question in view of the numerous actions taken by the police over the past week. First, they arrested 30 Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) members, including MP for Sungai Siput Dr Michael Jeyakumar Devaraj, and are now investigating them for resurrecting Communism and waging war against the Yang di-Pertuan Agong. While on their way to a Bersih roadshow in Penang, they were arrested in Kepala Batas and found to have in their possession T-shirts bearing faces of Chin Peng and Rashid Maidin. They have been remanded for seven days. Communism? That's crazy talk. The Communist Party of Malaya (CPM) is long dead and gone. Chin Peng is a geriatric and Rashid Maidin is dead. The party disbanded in 1989 after signing a peace treaty with the Malaysian Government, and its members were allowed to reside in Malaysia if they chose to do so. After 22 years of its being defunct and virtually forgotten, why is Communism still a threat today? And if it were – by some stretch of the imagination – are we to believe that this threat is manifest in these 30 PSM members among whom 14 are women, the oldest aged 64? A friend of mine who was at the court in Penang when the 30 were brought in told me they were just "a motley crew" of people who didn't look like they would carry a stick to fight, much less wage war against the Agong. "When I saw that, my faith in the system hit rock-bottom," he said. "And to see Jeyakumar in handcuffs was too much," he added. "He alone is worth many of our people in power put together. Top scorer in exams, a doctor, a man who has dedicated his life to helping poor people – he doesn't deserve this." Like my friend, I too knew Jeyakumar while at school. He was one year my junior at the Penang Free School, and I remember him well as a thoughtful, gentle person. He was soft-spoken, cerebral, and humble despite his well-to-do background. I find it hard to believe that someone like him would wage war against the Agong. Only someone stupid or deranged would consider doing that. He might be a socialist, but that's a far cry from being a Communist. Don't the police and the Government know the difference? To all intents and purposes, he is probably someone who transcends labels and merely cares for the poor. And why remand him and the others for a week? The High Court has since upheld this decision and said it is correct. Justice Zamani A Rahim said the case was serious. "It involves the security of the country, of everyone – you and me and our children." These 30 people are so dangerous that they are a threat to us and our children? Case number 2: Sasterawan Negara (National Laureate) A Samad Said was called in by the police and told he was being investigated for sedition because he had read part of a poem at the Bersih launch on June 19. When has reading a poem been seditious? In any case, did it provoke an uprising afterwards? Look at the poem. Can it threaten national security? Unggun-bersih Semakin lara kita didera bara –
kita laungkan juga pesan merdeka:
Demokrasi sebenderang mentari
sehasrat hajat semurni harga diri. Lama resah kita – demokrasi luka;
lama duka kita – demokrasi lara.
Demokrasi yang angkuh, kita cemuhi;
suara bebas yang utuh, kita idami! Dua abad lalu Sam Adams berseru
(di Boston dijirus teh ke laut biru):
Tak diperlu gempita sorak yang gebu,
diperlu hanya unggun api yang syahdu. Kini menyalalah unggun sakti itu;
kini merebaklah nyala unggun itu. Translation: Cleansing Fire Even as we are lashed by the sickening fire,
we still shout out the message of Merdeka:
Democracy as brilliant as the sun,
united in purpose as pure as self-worth. Long have we been restless – democracy is wounded;
Long have we been sad – democracy is ill.
Democracy that is arrogant disgusts us;
We dream of a free voice that is full and strong! Two centuries ago Sam Adams declared
(in Boston while tea was being poured into the blue sea):
No need for noisy, trivial cheering,
all that's needed is a serene bonfire. Light now that magic fire;
illuminate to others the flame of that fire. Samad Said was prompted to say to the media afterwards that instead of intimidating writers, the action the police had taken against him could spur fellow writers to use the power of literature to state their views openly. Indeed, it is time for Malaysian writers to come forward and defend what is right. All those who have been conferred the Sasterawan Negara award, like Shahnon Ahmad, Abdullah Hussain, Muhammad Haji Salleh, Noordin Hassan, Anwar Ridhwan and the newly installed Kemala should use their pen to "menyala unggun sakti" and "merebak nyalanya". Case number 3: More than a hundred people have been arrested for wearing Bersih T-shirts. Eight of them were among 14 people giving out the national flag at a wet market in Sungai Siput. All 14 were arrested. But what is the offence? Which part of the law says it is an offence to wear Bersih T-shirts in public? Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein has come up with the justification. "If the Bersih T-shirt is related to an illegal activity, then wearing it is illegal," he said. Is that logical? What "illegal activity"? The Bersih rally hasn't happened yet. Until the rally is carried out, no illegal activity has been performed yet. So how could he declare it illegal? On that score, why should it be illegal to wear a Bersih T-shirt? As an analogy, if I were to express an intent to do something illegal, like smoking marijuana openly in public, but I haven't done it yet, would it make sense for the police to arrest me? If they should do so, the case would be thrown out of court straight away. Doesn't Hishammuddin, who is a lawyer himself, know that? Case number 4: The police raided the Bersih secretariat and detained its staff members. According to Bersih, the cops did not produce a search warrant. They confiscated Bersih T-shirts, leaflets and other paraphernalia. Why raid only the Bersih secretariat? Why not raid those of Perkasa and Umno Youth as well since they will also be holding rallies? And why did the cops not produce a search warrant but instead threaten to break open the gates? Later that day, the announcement came from the Inspector-General of Police, Ismail Omar, that the police would not only arrest those wearing Bersih T-shirts but also those using any medium to promote the Bersih rally. "Not just T-shirts but shoes, cars, buses. If these are the tools used to encourage people to gather (illegally), this amounts to sedition," he said. Shoes too? Sedition? For dressing as one likes? Aren't Malaysians allowed the freedom to dress as they like? Are there new laws that have come into place without our knowing? Gopeng MP Lee Boon Chye was arrested for wearing a yellow T-shirt the next day. It did not even have "Bersih" printed on it, it was just a plain yellow collared T-shirt. The police told him he was arrested for illegal assembly as he was with three other people at a wet market. Two of them wore Bersih T-shirts and the third a white shirt. Ipoh OCPD Asst Comm Azisman Alias said, "The shirts are evidence that they are trying to get people to take part in the illegal rally." Is that all it takes? What is happening to our beloved country? Is it all turning into a farce? Do we laugh or cry? My friend in Penang was full of admiration for the 30 PSM members arrested in Kepala Batas. He said when they were marched out to face the music, they were not cowed by it. "I tell you, I never thought I would have lived to see this. Despite the situation they were in, they were shouting, 'Hidup rakyat! Hidup rakyat!'," he said. "I'll never be able to forget that." Now the question is, will the rakyat be able to survive the power of the police? And also that of the State?

Lift ban on Bersih, urges Kit Siang

Posted: 03 Jul 2011 02:21 AM PDT

Jul 3, 11 | MalaysiaKini The PM, Najib Abdul Razak, should overrule Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein and lift the ban on Bersih said DAP Parliamentary Leader Lim Kit Siang. He said in a statement today the three grounds given for the ban under the Societies Act do not stand scrutiny and will only expose the government and country to public disdain and international scorn. Bersih is not guilty of the first ground, "Being active and sparking an atmosphere of unrest and worry among the multiracial community in the country," he added. "Those guilty are Perkasa and Umno Youth, with the former even threatening another May 13 what with the warning to the Chinese to stay indoors and to stock up food, and Umno Youth in front of PKR headquarters threatening violence and chaos." He asked why had Hishammuddin acted against Bersih, the innocent party, while the culprits, Perkasa and Umno Youth, seem to enjoy immunity and impunity. He also argued against Reason 2: "Spreading propaganda to incite the people to topple the government by distributing certain leaflets," saying that in the first place, how could a government be toppled by the distribution of leaflets. "This is a baseless and groundless charge as could be established in any challenge to the authorities to produce evidence to back up this ridiculous allegation." As for Reason 3: "Its activities have given a bad image to the country, which can threaten and undermine public order, security, economy and the country's sovereignty and affect the harmony of the multiracial community," he said it was Perkasa and Umno Youth which must plead guilty to this charge not Bersih. "Now, with the outrageous ban on Bersih, the Home Minister is himself guilty of giving Malaysia a bad image which will cause great loss of public and investor confidence in Malaysia detrimental to Malaysia's economic interest and national unity. "Will Hishammuddin ban himself from committing such disservices to Malaysia?" concluded the MP for Ipoh Timor.

Lift ban on Bersih, urges Kit Siang

Posted: 03 Jul 2011 02:17 AM PDT

Bakri MP, 5 others held over yellow gotong-royong T-shirts

Posted: 03 Jul 2011 02:09 AM PDT

By Clara Chooi
July 03, 2011 | The Malaysian Insider JOHOR BARU, July 3 — Six DAP members, including Bakri MP Er Teck Hwa, were hauled up by the police this morning during a gotong-royong exercise, on suspicion that it was part of the now-outlawed Bersih 2.0's activities. The six, wearing yellow T-shirts bearing designs different from that of the Bersih 2.0 logo, were picked up at the Taman Pelangi market as they were distributing leaflets to the public. Despite trying to explain to the cops that their walkabout this morning was part of a community cleanliness campaign themed "Negara Bersih, Rakyat Bertuah", they were still hauled up to the Taman Pelangi police station. Er managed to post an update on his Facebook profile page, writing, "BN (Barisan Nasional) government should make new announcement — cleaning street campaign is prohibited in Malaysia." He claimed the cops had told them that if they had not invited the media to cover their arrests, they would have been freed immediately. The six were later led to the Sentral police station for questioning. They are being represented by PKR lawyer Hassan Karim. "PKR lawyer Hassan Karim is now dealing with police. Lawyer said they might be charged under sedition act but dont not know yet," Er wrote on Facebook at about 1.30pm. The six include Er, Johor DAP Socialist Youth (DAPSY) chief Tan Hong Pin, Johor DAPSY vice chief Jason Josob, Johor DAP committee member Chen Kah Eng, Taman Bukit Indah DAP branch secretary Yan Boon Meng and Johor DAP assistant political education director Tang Chee Kia. Police have arrested more than 100 people over the Bersih rally and have detained six under the Emergency Ordinance for 60 days. Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishamuddin Hussein has outlawed both Bersih 2.0 and the movement's yellow T-shirts, saying it is related to illegal activities. But Bersih has vowed to go ahead with its planned July 9 rally asking for free and fair elections.

LKS backs Sabah Speaker on education autonomy

Posted: 03 Jul 2011 02:06 AM PDT

Jul 3, 11 | MalaysiaKini DAP parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang voiced support for Sabah Speaker Salleh Said's call for the state education department to be given more power and autonomy. Salleh had said reportedly said that many school buildings in Sabah are in a state of disrepair and educational projects are carried out only haphazardly due to the need to refer even simple matters to the education ministry headquarters in Putrajaya. This, said the speaker, was jeopardising the government's efforts in developing education in Sabah. Sabah education director Muhiddin Yusin had also backed Salleh's call for the state authorities to be given greater decision-making autonomy and powers in the implementation of development projects, especially maintenance, training and recruitment of teachers. In a statement, Lim (above) said Education Minister Muhyiddin should fully devolve powers to the Sabah education department in the interests of autonomy and efficiency, and for Sabahans' general educational interests. Litany of education woes Lim listed as some of "weaknesses, anomalies and downright abuses" by the education authorities in Sabah as being: - the lack of safety in some 90 schools against floods, such as the SMK St Peters in Telipok; - 'Cabin' classes in rural areas where lessons are being conducted in sub-standard and poorly-constructed classrooms where gaps not properly sealed and zinc roofs are not properly placed, posing dangers to students and teachers; - 'Computer labs' that are without computers, or computers that cannot be turned on due to absence of electricty: Most of the 300 computer labs for secondary and primary schools in Sabah are 'white-elephants' and are not being used for their intended purpose. - The abandonment, after three years, of a RM7 million project to elevate SMK Peter Mojuntin in Penambang into a sports school; - The payment of school contract works by Putrajaya, not by the state education department; and - Inordinate delay – ranging from six months to two years – in the promotion of teachers in Sabah as these are decided by Putrajaya, resulting in some 22 schools in Sabah that are without principals. Describing the state of Sabah education as "topsy-turvy", he urged Muhyiddin to "reduce politicking inside and outside the country" and tackle the problems faced by Sabahan children seeking an education. "Who must bear responsibility (for the problems) – the Education Minister in Putrajaya or the state education director in Kota Kinabalu?" asked the veteran opposition politician.

Patriot and Bersih: A tale of two rallies

Posted: 03 Jul 2011 02:00 AM PDT

By Hazlan Zakaria
Jul 3, 11 | MalaysiaKini COMMENT Growing up, Charles Dickens was my favourite author. He still is. His stories are exciting, insightful, witty and rich of sobering social commentary. His tales tell of the wealthy and poor alike, of the arrogant all-powerful and the disenfranchised powerless. But for all his seriousness, he had a great sense of humour, if a little moribund. Nothing perhaps illustrates his dry tongue-in-cheekiness than the first paragraph of one of his most revered classic, 'A Tale of Two Cities':

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to heaven, we were all going direct the other way – in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on it being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only."

Splendidly done, spectacularly written, the passage is a clever way to place his tale into any time, any place. They speak of truths evident still, such is the timelessness of his work. Sadly, its echo is heard loudly in our age, in our beloved land. Not as a lesson nor precautionary tale, but a reality that we now face first hand, if we but observe the twin dualities of the rallies; Patriot and Bersih. Perhaps never in Malaysian history, have the lines been drawn so clear, between the dual truths of unselfish nobility and crass ignoble behaviour. There exist two rallies hence, one of Bersih's, a mass movement of Malaysians made up of many ilks and colours, and the other Patriot – made up of Malay rights group Perkasa and their colleagues in Umno Youth. One seeks clean, free, fair elections. While the other sought to preserve that which authorities hold absolute; Their grip on power. I think I need not explain which is which. 'A Marquis of our own' Bersih has promised peace, while the other warned of violence. The Patriot group spoke of chaos, seething members they can't control, whilst those marching for electoral reforms, have made good conduct their motto. But the government's spiel and response, is at inappropriate if not strange – punishing the meek with out-of-date powers and letting the belligerent walk free. "Foreign agents" and "Communists", such bogeymen they resurrect, but the truth is self evident, it is they who initiated misconduct. A movement for reforms they outlawed, while the champions of divisiveness they greet. It seems like pre-revolution France, we too have a Marquis of our own, whose actions this past few weeks demonstrate more than just mere disregard, to the plight and voice of the rakyat. What we oft see is the image its likeness paints in our hearts of hearts; A tyranny. "Repression is the only lasting philosophy. The dark deference of fear and slavery, my friend," observed the Marquis to his nephew Charles Darnay, "will keep the dogs obedient to the whip, as long as this roof, shuts out the sky." How true and how apt, an intractable authority that refuses to give up the reins nor change. Like the Bastille, our future's safekeeping, may perhaps require the storming of our own castle of arrogance. Figuratively, if not literally. Is it time to bring down the house of cards? As I pen these words, I cannot but feel a twinge of regret, at the life choices I made. My decision to take on the mantle of observer and join the cadre of journalists. To man the watchtowers of an alternative press, one that is as free and objective, as we can make it. 'Rakyat's hopes and sacrifice' For as my duties hold, I cannot take to the streets with my brothers and sisters. Such is the curse of my profession, for the privilege of commenting, I must enact boundaries and recuse myself from those that I observe. But I do have opinions and a clear realisation of what is wrong and right. For that and in this commentary, is my balm to setting things right. In so far as words have power, as breath of spells can kindle magic, I give my spirit to their cause and bend my mind to their noble deed, for that freedom that well nigh fifty years, have the tentacles of oppression denied us. For those of us in the free press, we shall do our best to record this momentous time, the hopes and sacrifice of the rakyat. Turning our objective glare unto a government desperate to stop the inevitable. May we be the bulwark against their agenda of untruths. But be all forewarned, we shall record the misbehavior or appropriateness of each. As Dicken's also warned us, the oppressed can also oppress. This is why we are the fourth estate, for ours is to watch and tell. I shall end my tale with another quote from Dickens. Quite appropriately from the ending of A Tale of Two Cities. May it be for the activists on the streets and the honest journalists on the ground, that our deeds on that day measure up with the best that we can. These are the last thoughts of the lawyer Sydney Carton whilst alive, before the greatest act of his sacrifice. As Carton's did, may our deeds birth a better brighter future. For our nation, our brethren and our children, if not ourselves.

"It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to, than I have ever known."

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Sunday, July 3, 2011

T-shirts: free and unfree

T-shirts: free and unfree