Invisible Hands: Digging Out the True Motives of Anwar’s Arrest
Posted on July 18th, 2008 by Nathaniel Tan

Malaysiakini was kind enough to publish a piece I co-authored. Thanks guys! -

“When you eliminate the impossible, that which remains - no matter how implausible - must be true”

“In the kingdom of the blind, the one eyed man is king”

Since Saiful’s accusation, things have moved so hard and so fast that real, considered analysis of the bigger picture has been difficult.

Reflecting on the 24 hours of Anwar’s arrest allows us a good chance to take a step back and make some responsible and analytical suppositions.

Let us begin by highlighting some of the more salient features of Malaysia’s current political climate: a leadership vacuum.

Abdullah is universally - and the word “universally” is not used lightly - perceived as weak. Najib either refused to go for Abdullah’s jugular when he could have, or has been held back both now and then by threats of solid proof emerging to validate what are already widely believed implications of his involvement in a certain crime.

Let’s also be perfectly honest. Neither of these men command any serious popularity; I can barely think of any significant group of people who get excited about Abdullah/Najib as their “hero.”

That kind of accolade can only perhaps be given to Anwar Ibrahim, whose single largest failing appears to be not having a total of about 130 parliamentarians on his side at the moment - another considerable obstacle.

Other contenders for the throne are quite simply unrealistic and hardly worth mentioning.

The last few weeks appear to indicate a stalemate, based in large part on the limitations described above to be facing the three men. Abdullah can’t make himself appear strong and popular, Najib can’t shake his ghosts, and Anwar hasn’t yet pulled the rabbit out of his hat.


Invisible Players

The question we should now ask is: what does this mean for other, less visible players and stakeholders in this game?

In conducting this analysis, we must move beyond front page politicians and examine the other power brokers in the country.

For today’s purpose, let’s concentrate on some heads of law enforcement and perhaps take a glance at some former prime politicians.

For these gentlemen, two things are extremely bad for business: a power vacuum, and Anwar coming to power (let us not forget the subject matter of the ACA statement Anwar gave literally minutes before his arrest).

It is worth noting that of the two factors, in circumstances of the former, the latter becomes ever more likely.

As long as Abdullah and Najib continue to fight, Anwar’s chances of achieving the premiership become higher and higher. It appears that some were less than convinced by Abdullah’s and Najib’s 2010 deal - which plausibly was announced to buy time, placate the Umno masses and give the false impression of stability.

Some could very well view that the stalemate that exists is neither a peaceful nor stable one. In the absence of a domineering power ala Hobbes’ Leviathan, warring parties are always likely to continue fighting their war, bringing everyone down with them - the parameters of the game make it such that there is simply too much at stake to act otherwise.


Refusing to be taken down together

One problem that arises is that the “everyone” that stands to be brought down together with the sinking ship may have ideas of their own.

The conclusion that the police were merely flexing their muscles in Anwar’s arrest as a show of brute strength is overly simplistic. The signal was not to Anwar, but to the factions in the ruling party: “Don’t forget that we are players too, and don’t think that we will let you take us down with you.”

Abdullah may have even gotten wind of potential disloyalty where he disengaged the safety locks on the ACA and gave it its own prosecuting powers, independent of the police or AG’s chambers, introducing another player into the law enforcement game because he cannot effectively control the existing players.

This is not a Mahathiresque landscape, where literally everyone in government comes under the premier’s thumb. Abdullah’s weakness makes for a free for all, one which law enforcement actors appears to have taken advantage of on Wednesday.

Far-fetched? Let us not forget that Umno looked ridiculous the day Anwar was arrested. Pakatan and other social movements have successfully painted a picture of the police wherein they are mere blunt instruments constantly misused and manipulated by political power. This is no longer as true as it once was.

Law enforcement nonetheless capitalised very successfully on this perception; few now blame the police for what happened, they blame an Umno that was embarrassed after the debate from the night before; an Umno perceived to be desperate to defend itself against crossovers and Anwar coming in to Parliament at all costs.

As the arrest developed, the terms “own goal” and “public relations disaster” were bandied about liberally; people could barely believe that Umno would be this stupid.

Maybe it was just made to look stupid by forces incognito.


Indirect Attacks

Too much of a conspiracy theory? Perhaps.

One of the oddest aspects of Anwar’s arrest was its timing and manner. Both of these precipitated maximum elicitation of public anger.

Circumstances? Hours after the debate, minutes after an ACA report, an hour early without any plausible reason whatsoever, and with a squad of fifteen cars. Balaclava masks were used as well, but close inspection of the pictures suggests that the mask wearers were in fact overweight, sloppy, everyday cops who were given ski masks to wear along with their goofy vests and plain clothes at the last minute, rather than professional special-ops personnel (they also appeared fully prepared for their photo-ops, never straying far from Anwar).

Was this by design?

What if KeADILan had failed to maintain control over its angered membership, and riots had spilled over into the streets? Would we be looking at an Emergency situation?

Conveniently, law enforcement would find itself extremely empowered, and political leadership may have been forced to consolidate.

Let us also examine Raja Petra’s case. We notice that while we always suspect Najib of behind behind action against RPK, we should note that Najib himself has never been inclined to do anything whatsoever that may call attention to the Altantuya case (such as initiate criminal or legal proceedings, which would bring the matter to court).

More self-indulgently, let’s recall Nathaniel Tan’s arrest. Some may suspect that Johari Baharom was behind it, in an attempt to exact revenge for “lies” published about him on the internet. However, remember that he was (successfully) trying to stay out of the limelight and avoid further mention of his bribery accusations. Recall as well that at the time, Johari and Musa Hassan were engaged in a bitter war.

Same tactics by the same parties?

It is worth investigating on a procedural level exactly what led to the charge against RPK - was it a police report by Najib? Or a police report by some unknown police officer?

Note further that RPK’s trial - in which he can finally reveal to the world on record all his hidden proof and dirt on the Altantuya murder - is set for the exceptionally early date of August 15 (magistrates are appointed directly by the AG’s chambers), whereas his other sedition charge, months ago, is only set to be heard in early October. Presumably, if Anwar is ever charged with sodomy, his trial is likely to take years before it is heard.

Hit Anwar to embarrass Abdullah, hit RPK to embarrass Najib, and all in all, show them who’s boss.


Resisting

The civil servant class of power brokers almost don’t care who is in power; they just want a strong boss who can secure the current regime, and ensure that ‘business’ can be run as usual.

There’s simply too much at stake - and we are talking entire lives and careers forever besmirched and some serious prison time here - for business not to run as usual, or for any type of new order based on integrity, transparency and justice to take over.

Also in the same boat are certain former prime politicians still alive and kicking in the country, actively egging on a return to the old order.

These civil servants seem to have taken a leaf from Wong Chun Wai’s whiny “We’re sick and tired” book and decided to speed things up and facilitate the dominance of one Umno faction over the other.

Just as in 1988, twenty years ago, the movement for change was identified as an easy target to facilitate the achievement of unholy goals.

Unfortunately for these agitators, they are still oblivious to what was written on the wall last March 8th. The good news is that the the voices of those seeking a better Malaysia for all, have matured and wisened up to these manipulations as well as learnt the value of holding fast to Gandhian principles in their struggle.

The movement has also reached out and expanded beyond its original circles to all right-thinking Malaysians, who will no longer stand and watch all that is decent and honourable stolen from beneath their noses.

I think schemers and plotters will find a stronger, more united Malaysia willing to resist peacefully to the very end.





DATO’ SALEHUDDIN HASHIM and NATHANIEL TAN


Dato’ Salehuddin Hashim is the Secretary-General of Parti Keadilan Rakyat; Nathaniel Tan is facing constant distraction in his efforts to start a new career in finance.



The plot thickens, as they say...

I had this thought when the news came out. Would UMNO be really thick to arrest Anwar knowing it would seriously mean that they would be risking large scale riots not seen since May 13th 1969? Surely they would have the remotest sense of foresight not to do such a thing knowing it would mean going against public opinion which by the way is fast getting fed up with the dirty chicanery of BN politics.

Hmmm... it seems evident that certain powers (the police force, as implied above) are trying to show their teeth; telling the embattled goverment of ours that 'we are not to be dragged down your sinking ship'a case of a game of politcal smoke and mirrors. That's really scary if you think of it. It's something worth notoing from any Shakespearean drama or a Oliver Stone movie (think JFK or Nixon)

Here now is text book example of shadowy politcs od conspiracy. You might think in the most sunniest of political idealogies it would be free of this; a system that is transparent and honest. I think not... for politics, in my present thinking, is far more complex than idealistic partisanship.
A mere network of Machiavellian scheming no better than the afternoon Malaysian sandiwara or Mexican telenovela. Personally I have no time for this. Why lie cheat and kill? Why compromise your ideals for a chance in the hot-seat? You, o'Mr. Politician, should be serving the rakyat... not your party. The basic idea of leadership is for someone to represent the common interst of everyone in the state; to fight for all that is unjust. To see to it every single man has a piece of the pie. It such a bloody shame that the noble idea of leadership has degenerated into a game of egoist wankering. All this for personal gains of wealth and prestige. All this catering to the insecurities of individuals that in early life, could have been neglected attention from their parent's and peers.

But bear this in mind. Do not be swayed by sacharine promises by leaders of either side.
Choose those who are genuinely FOR THE PEOPLE and NOT FOR THE PARTY. The common
man will not be saved by knowing who back-stabbed who, or who fucked who. The matter of uttermost concern is GOOD GOVERNMENT; one that actually listens and solves problems, rather than making it. Who are you working for? Who do you serve in the end of the day. Tyrany may get results that you'd want. But in the end of the day any ill gotten gain will crumble and dissipate. To use force would do nothing but foster hate and ressentment from the people. Did the iron fisted rule of the Romans and the Nazis last? Was the true socialist spirit survive in mother Rusia with the KGB? You can beat someone into submission to force him to your ways and custom. But it only breeds more of his contempt towards it.

There is obviously a reason why we consider ouselves a democracy; the rule of the people, by the people (according to George Washington) Where no one...not the politician, not the police or army is above the voice of the people. Their decision should be in line with the interest of the people. It also needs to respect those who disagree and dissent, for every man has the right to voice his/her displeasure. Therefore it the job of the goverment to listen to thier grivences and solve the problem. Why do nyou think every goverment has it's opposition counterpart? Certainly not for a hypocritcal show of bi-partisan window dressing; for they are there to debate and give unbiased feedback!

To seriosly shut out voices of dissent would be considered fullhardy and counter-productive for the nation. Malaysia is not a fascist state and should not be one. We all need to co-operate with one another. I know that sounds textbook Pendidikan Moral but this is the truth. Back stage politics and rumor milling is hardly productive to true democracy. We the people want plotics to work for us, NOT turn on us!

Malaysia's Anwar Ibrahim arrested

Mr Anwar is a key figure in a resurgent Malaysian opposition Profile: Anwar Ibrahim

Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim has been arrested in connection with allegations of sodomy, a crime in the Muslim country, made by an aide.

Mr Anwar is due to spend the night in custody in the capital, Kuala Lumpur, following his arrest by armed police near his home earlier, his lawyer said.

The arrest came shortly before Mr Anwar was due to give a statement to police over the allegations, which he denies.

The former deputy PM says they are aimed at ending his political comeback.

The move is likely to exacerbate the political tensions that have emerged since the opposition's unprecedented gains in the general election of March 2008.

Tian Chua, information chief for Mr Anwar's People's Justice Party (Parti Keadilan Rakyat), said his leader appeared to be in good spirits:

"He's quite cheerful. He's fresh, relaxed and hoping this will be over soon."

Armed police

Mr Anwar has been in a tense stand-off with police since a former male aide accused him of sodomy two weeks ago.

The manner in which they surrounded our vehicle, it put a lot of fear and intimidation into us Sankara Nair Lawyer for Anwar Ibrahim

Sodomy, even between consenting adults, is punishable by 20 years' imprisonment in Malaysia.

The 60-year-old opposition leader had been scheduled to report to police on Wednesday to be interviewed over the allegations.

But an hour before the meeting, armed police wearing balaclavas took him into custody outside the gates of his home, his lawyer said.

"The manner in which they surrounded our vehicle, it put a lot of fear and intimidation into us," Sankara Nair said.

Mr Nair added that he did not know how long his client would be held in custody. He quoted police as saying they needed to take further statements.

Deputy National Police chief Ismail Omar said Mr Anwar was being questioned at police headquarters.

"We have to record his statement to complete our investigations," he told the French news agency AFP. "Once the facts are in we can make a decision."

Police can detain the opposition leader for 24 hours, after which they must apply for a court order for further detention.

Political challenge

Mr Anwar's arrest will be seen as provocative by Malaysian opposition groups.

Police used tear gas and water cannon against Mr Anwar's supporters in 1998

When he was arrested on similar charges 10 years ago, his supporters staged large demonstrations.

A BBC correspondent in Kuala Lumpur, Robin Brant, says it is almost certain that the same thing will happen again now.

The allegations come only weeks after Mr Anwar said he was in a position to launch a challenge to the ruling coalition, with the help of government defectors.

The opposition leader made his claim at a time when Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi is already under intense pressure to resign over poor election results and high fuel prices.

Mr Abdullah has said he will leave office in 2010, defying pressure to step down this December.

(Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7508805.stm)


It really amazes me to no end that the government, seeing the rise of a dissenting voice amidst the racism and cronyism of this country, has chose to use force to deal with, rather opting for civil democratic means to attain to the rakyat's growing voice for a more accountable government. Is this seriously how they address the grievences of those who dissagree? To use Gestapo/KGB tactics on them and hope, in them minds of our 'benevoloent' goverment, hope it will go like some bad dream?

Those vainglorious twits need to wake up and smell the coffee! They should have made positive steps to address the problem. It took the Opposotion Parties to magnify the problems of economic and social instabilty which is steadily simmering for the last five decades. But what did they do? Shut them up, of course! Bribe and jail them to worm-like submission. A slap to the face and it's back to the goverment ordained tradition of being a country of walking contradictions.

Yes. You all might say that Anwar was being arrogant for not coming to the station as summoned by the police. Well, I have news for you: He did go to the police station! (" The arrest came shortly before Mr Anwar was due to give a statement to police over the allegations, which he denies." ) It would seem this has been done in a feeble attempt to silence the man, while all the while he is fulfiling the order of law to make a police statement! Tell me if it's a blatant act of defiance against the police if all he did was just to what they exactly told him?!

Another instance of arrogance and dogmatic pride:





Now seriously... hats off to Wan Azizzah for being civil and polite, this in stark contrast to the whole lot of BN people making rude and unkind interruptions as she bravely pleaded to the speaker to reconsider the motion. The Speaker himself is himself a conceited man of the moment, weakly declaring his fear of being considererd the laughing stock of all who has seen this. Perhaps it is true... he is making an ass of himself; choosing to kow-tow to his master as well as his inbred insecurity of being reckoned as the man of the moment.

When will this attitude of dogmatic pride go away from politics? You, the politician are supposed to be subject to the people. Perhaps V (from the comic/ movie V for Vendetta) said it best; People should not fear the government, the government should fear it's people!
After, it is us , that gotten you into power. Consider your position also as a God given chance for you to lead the people. No, it's not a matter of the sheer thrill of being exalted. for you are chosen by God to beiagents of His good and blessing. Do not for one minute think you got this job by the sheer merit of your own labor or connections. YOU HAVE A RESPOSIBILTY. AND IT IS A DIVINE ONE TO BOOT!! Perhaps those sober and humble enough should consider this. Perhaps it would be the perfect time for you to pray to God for perfect wisdom and revelation, rather be influence by personal pride or peer pressure!

Much Needed Sobering Truths.

When the ‘Dirty Dozen’ left PKR to rejoin Umno just before the 2004 general election, everyone knew that Ezam and Najib were behind this move. Of course no one said anything about Ezam’s role.

THE CORRIDORS OF POWER

Raja Petra Kamarudin

It is not surprising that one-time PKR youth leader Ezam Mohd Noor rejoined Umno. What is surprising is that he waited until after the 8 March 2008 general election to do so. Long before 8 March, Ezam had already been flirting with Umno. In fact, it was an open secret that Tun Daim Zainuddin was financing his NGO, Gerak. And Daim is behind Najib Tun Razak -- so it was the Deputy Prime Minister and not Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi who was instrumental in Ezam rejoining Umno.

Actually, most people already knew that Ezam was about to take that final plunge. Photographs of him with Muhammad son of Muhammad and Aziz Shamsuddin, etc., had been floating around the Internet for a couple of years -- even during the time when Anwar Ibrahim was still in jail. The problem at that time, though, was that Ezam was PKR’s blue-eyed boy, the darling of the party, and any negative comments about Ezam, or Azmin Ali for that matter, was considered a treacherous act. You are a traitor to the cause, a traitor to PKR, a traitor to the opposition, a traitor to the Malay race, and a traitor to the entire nation -- all in one -- if you badmouth one of the PKR darlings.

That is the trouble with PKR. They dabble in cult personalities. When you are the current hot favourite, the flavour of the day, even your fart smells sweet. But once you fall out of favour then they even curse your poor innocent mother who has nothing to do with your political business and does not even know what is going on.

The PKR crowd is one emotional group of people. I suspect that if Anwar was to order them to commit mass suicide they might just do so. And that is dangerous, as time and time again history has proven. If Anwar could get a religious scholar somewhere in the world to come out with a fatwah (religious decree) that if you die for PKR you will go straight to heaven where 70 virgins are waiting for you, I bet we will not be short of candidates who will volunteer to undertake suicide missions.

Whether it is Anwar, Dr Wan Azizah, Nurul Izzah, Azmin, or Ezam, they all have their cult followers. The PKR people revere their idols and appear to lose their senses when in the presence of these demigods. So how to tell these PKR herds that Ezam is not what he appears to be and that he is a plant, a Trojan Horse, a termite meant to weaken the ranks of PKR? Try doing that and you will get a beer bottle broken on your head. So it was best to just keep quiet and watch. Time would reveal the truth. And, true enough, the truth has now been revealed.

I remember when I was once the sub-editor of the party newspaper, Suara Keadilan, and I published a letter from a reader that criticised PKR’s Youth Movement. The letter was about the high-handed manner the Youth Movement ‘security squad’ handled the crowd. Even Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, when he was still Prime Minister, was not that well-guarded and his security team did not push and shove the crowd the way the PKR Youth boys did.

It was not my comment. It was a letter from a reader and I allowed it to get published. Wow, you should have seen the SMSess I received. The PKR Youth boys cursed me and one of Ezam’s ‘groupies’, Jo, even challenged me to a boxing match. I was having dinner with Johari Abdul and Dato’ Kamarul at that time and I showed them the SMS.

The next day I turned up at the party headquarters in Shah Alam where PKR Youth was having its monthly meeting. I waited at the bottom of the stairs for Jo to see if he really wanted to Kungfu me. Okay, he may be half my age, but I could still deliver a punch that can floor someone 30 years younger than me. Jo walked up to me and I was ready with clenched fists. Only one of us was going to walk away from this fisticuff and I had planned that that would be me. Instead, Jo reached out to shake my hand and he apologised, so I allowed the matter to end there.

Yes, you can criticise Islam. They will allow you to get away with that. But try criticising Ezam or PKR’s Youth Movement and all hell will break loose. Look at what happened to Lokman Adam. He too revealed a lot of dirt on Ezam and they threw him out of the party. Lokman is a good man. He is fearless and would sacrifice his freedom for the party, which he did when he was detained under the Internal Security Act for 26 months in April 2001. But make one negative comment about Ezam or the Youth Movement and you are history.

While on the subject of Lokman, one day, while covering a demonstration in front of the Dang Wangi Police Station along what used to be called Campbell Road, Bakri Zinin, the then OCPD who is now the CID Director, arrested me. I was taking photos at that time when Bakri grabbed me by the neck and asked me where I was from. I replied that I was from Seruan Keadilan and he ordered one of his men to immediately arrest me.

As I was being dragged into the police station I shouted out to Lokman that I was being arrested. Lokman pushed the police officer and he fell to the ground. I almost fell as well but Lokman grabbed me to prevent me from hitting the tarmac. I was too shocked to react. I mean; there was this police officer sprawled on the road trying to get up as quickly as he could and I did not know what I should do. Lokman shouted at me to run and I did, with the hapless police officer hot on my heels.

I escaped and five minutes later sneaked back into the crowd and took all the photos I needed while making sure that Bakri did not spot me. Lokman stood in front of the police station gate and refused to move even when they threatened to arrest him. He wanted to make sure that no one got arrested that day and he was going to stand guard in front of the police station. Yes, there used to be three of them -- Lokman, Tian Chua and Gobalakrishnan -- one Malay, one Chinese and one Indian loose cannon. Today there are only two left.

But Lokman was thrown out of the party not because he did not do his job but because he criticised Ezam and the Youth Movement. Ezam and the Youth Movement can do no wrong. Even their fart smells sweet. And if you criticise them you are dead meat. So no one says anything even though everyone knows the inner dark secrets of Ezam and his Youth Movement.

When the ‘Dirty Dozen’ left PKR to rejoin Umno just before the 2004 general election, everyone knew that Ezam and Najib were behind this move. Of course no one said anything about Ezam’s role. They cursed the Dirty Dozen and called them traitors who sold out for money. But no one dared say that Ezam was behind the Dirty Dozen rejoining Umno. To do so would incur the wrath of the entire party. So everyone kept quiet and did not mention Ezam’s name. They focused on cursing the Dirty Dozen and kept Ezam’s name out of it while in their hearts they knew that this was merely Ezam’s first move in his eventual re-entry into Umno.

Yes, cults are dangerous. If there is one thing that will be the death of PKR it will be the cult culture. People refuse to see things for what they are. Common sense no longer prevails when you look at things from the angle of cults. And Ezam was one such cult figure. And Ezam could do no wrong. Even when Lokman revealed the truth and exposed Ezam for what he is, it was Lokman and not Ezam who was punished.

Today, Lokman can look the entire PKR in the face and proudly proclaim, “I told you so!” But what good will that bring? The damage has been done. The fake Ezam has revealed his true colours while Lokman has much earlier been kicked out of the party for ‘bad-mouthing’ Ezam. Are we going to see more of this as time goes by? Will we finally see the fakes being exposed while those who had exposed them long ago were sent out to pasture?

PKR owes Lokman a huge apology. Lokman had warned the party what Ezam really is but it was Lokman instead of Ezam who was thrown out of the party. And PKR Youth has not changed. It is still high-handed as the recent ‘pesta’ at the Kelana Jaya stadium proved. But try criticising PKR Youth and see what will happen. They will send you a SMS and challenge you to a boxing match. PKR Youth is a sacred cow, which must not be criticised. And, in time, another PKR Youth leader will resign and will rejoin Umno on the excuse that Anwar is gay and has committed sodomy. And then this ‘sacred cow’ will be called all sorts of names although before this you criticised him at your own peril.

When will PKR ever learn? Ten years on and it is still so immature and can’t seem to understand that you just can’t build a party based on personality cults. And PKR will get burned many more times before it wises up. If the survival of PKR is centred on personalities, then it will not go far. Personalities come and go. And if the party’s future is tied to these personalities then the party will disappear when these personalities do.

RPK hits this spot on. Do away with the cult of personality in politics. You never know who turns out to be the biggest snake or poseur ( in this case Mohd Ezam, with his shadowy cloak and dagger firtations with the real enemy) The truth is, the personifcation of mere humans as demigod ambassadors of change is very immature ( according to RPK) and callous.

Was this the same mentality that plagued the Germans in the 1930's and of the Americans in the opening days of the War on Terror. To trust leaders with such naive blindless is nothing more a benign neglect of thinking indivually to make a diffrence. As much that I admire men like Che and Malcolm X, one has to realise these people are like you and me; all of them trying to find the geist of change and progress by stumbling in the vacum of popular ignorance. Let it be noted that Malcolm X was himself a puppet of the Nation of Islam; spouting of racial segregation against the whites before, after visits to Mecca and the African continent, realising that racism itself comes in many shades (How true it is in this so-called 'muhibah' nation.)

As I exhorted to you all... pray for your leaders to have the wisdom and revalation. For He is the true source of inspiration and postive wisdom. These are things that is very much sorely needed not in Malaysia but int the world.

A word from the our friends the Dung men!

Mari nyanyi menjilat

Wahai pemuda, wahai pemudi
Jadilah kamu rakyat yang berbakti
Kami berjanji akan tepati
Semua impian yang anda hajati

Rumah yang besar, kereta yang mewah
Semuanya ada di tangan anda
Hidup yang senang penuh jaminan
Jangan bertanya, serahkan pada saya

Jilat, jilat, mari semua menjilat
Jilat, jilat, jilat sampai berkilat

(sax)

Jilat, jilat, mari semua menjilat
Jilat, jilat, jilat sampai berkilat

Wahai pemuzik, underground rockers,
Jangan bermimpi, jangan idealistik
Kalau nak kaya, nak jadi rockstar,
Marilah mari, sain kontrak kami,

Nak masuk radio, masuk MTV
Kenalah kamu menari macam kami
Tengoklah saja, Carburetor Dung
Cakapnya besar, tak kaya-kaya
Padan muka!
(stop)

Jilat, jilat, semua nyanyi menjilat
Jilat, jilat, mari semua jilat
Jilat, jilat, jilat jangan tak jilat
Jilat, jilat, jubur korporat sedap!

Carburetor Dung 2005


I can't help listening to the song on and on again. It's a pity there were some narrow minded
folks that did not take kindly to the song during the July 6th protest. This song, to me exemplifies the REAL punk rock. No, not the saccharine bubble gum styling's of Good Charlotte and Avril and their ilk. Nope, kids... this is the punk rock that comes up at you and spits you in the face and says @!#$ you in total gratitude. It's music with grit, guts and, in this case, brains.
While other bands opt the option of selling out, bands like the Dung winged it for over a decade, fighting the good fight for good music to saved from the clutches of overzealous moralist politicians and money mad record execs with a vampiric blood lust for the latest trends.

You have no idea how much this song hits me to the core. In my years in the graphic design line, i've been told over and over by companies that I need to tow the official line; to forsake my ideals for consumer acceptability and in most times, bear with the demands of high class twits with no inkling of design logic and even the remotest of common good taste. Do we really need to sell ourselves short? Do we really need to compramise all that is virtuous and good for so-called Darwinian survival instinct? I think not!

Here is my Born-again Christian take on this... the Lord provides for me. I do not need to kow-tow to the corrupt to prove my worth. I do not have to stoop to dirty tricks to get ahead. Knowing thatI am secure in Christ, needs not me to do stupid crap like that. In fact, He anoints me to do good. I say this not as an overt boast of my moral fortitude, for I certainly do not have one at my own strength! As one song by a certain American Idol winner says it all; "Jesus take the wheel!"

This goes the same to anyone given the chance to run for office. Does implementing Machiavellian tactics really give fruit to your policies, be it for personal gain or for actual good.
Some people would reason that a little white lie could get the gears runiing. I'd think not, for
the simplest and seemingly benign of corruption could kill everything in it's path. Take a look
at Bill Clinton's health care program. It would have been great if, implementing this system,
that the American health care system would be saved from the greed of the private insurance companies. But it was by the sheer fickleness of Hillary and Bill selling out to the lobbyists that the plan was scrapped (refer to Michael Moore's documentary SicKO. You'll get the full story.)
A little kickback won't hurt, one would reason, just a little pocket money at the side. But bear in mind simple things like this would seriously destroy the publics confidence in you. For bear in mid that YOU, the politician are subject to the people, and you must make all your actions accountable. To make some side income, it has to be clean and even-handed. You are not a demi-god or a King. This is the rule of law; everyone, including the adminstration, has to obey it.

But perfection in the law is actually difficult. For one to actually follow it 100% to its specification is really impossible if not hard. But to any Christians in office I have only one sure advice for you regarding this: SEEK HIM. Let Him be your anointing to do the best. As I said earlier, you are blessed and greatly loved by Him. What for do you have to compromise your principles for a corrupt piece of the pie? There is no point kissing ass (as the Dung would say) to get ahead in the pecking order. Trust in Him for the favour. But most importantly, trust in Christ for your wisdom to do what is right for the people. It is proven in the bible that He had guided King SOlomon and his father King David. Why not you, public servant of the Malaysian people!

Here is some light reading for you all. YOU be the judge of this.

(source: http://violetyong.blogspot.com/2008/06/cool-info-on-bakun-dam-and-cms-family.html, originally published in www.asiasentinel.com on 15 August, 2007 )

"The Dam that Wouldn’t Die":-

Sarawak’s politically motivated Bakun Dam has a new Australian friend to help keep it going.

The resuscitation of the controversial Bakun Dam as the result of an agreement to build a nearby aluminum smelter is the latest chapter in a long running saga to push forward the environmentally sensitive project closely linked to the longstanding Sarawak chief minister, Abdul Taib Mahmud, and his family.

The mammoth dam, one of the cherished mega-projects of former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad, has already wiped out 23,000 hectares of virgin rainforest, delivered the timber into the hands of timber barons and displaced 9,000 indigenous people. It is also a textbook example of how the New Economic Policy, Malaysia’s affirmative action program to improve the economic wellbeing of its bumiputera, or ethnic Malay majority, instead concentrates riches in a few hands.

On August 7, Australia-based Rio Tinto Aluminum signed a deal with Malaysian conglomerate Cahya Mata Sarawak, whose principal stakeholders are members of the Taib Mahmud family, for a joint study to build a US$2 billion smelter in Similajau, near Bintulu, 80 km inland from the dam itself. Expected to open in 2010, it will be one of the largest in the world, with initial production capacity is projected at 550,000 tonnes a year with the capability to expand to 1.5 million tonnes later.

Rio Tinto, with its projected takeover of Alcan, Inc., of Canada, is already expected to become the largest aluminum producer in the world. The smelter, which will use power from the Bakun dam, is expected to be the fifth and biggest aluminum plant for Rio Tinto, its external affairs manager Jim Singer told The Associated Press. Rio Tinto picked Sarawak for the project due to strong government support, a credible local partner, abundant electricity supply from the Bakun dam and robust demand in the region, Singer said.

Critics are livid. In a forum early this month organized by the United Nations Development Program in Kuala Lumpur to mark World Indigenous Day, Colin Nicholas, the coordinator of the Center for Orang Asli (Indigenous People) told local reporters that "From our point of view, by allowing the Rio Tinto project to go ahead, it is just like trying to cover up one natural disaster with another.”

“There was no open tender for the (aluminum smelter project) and no public announcement of it,” fumed opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim in an email to Asia Sentinel. “Combined, the smelter and the dam raise serious concerns about environmental impacts and the treatment of indigenous populations.”

Just as disturbing, to some observers, is the way Cahya Mata Sarawak, which means “light of Sarawak’s eye” in English and goes by the acronym CMS, has maneuvered itself into position to benefit from the dam.

Begun in 1974 under the name Cement Manufacturers Sarawak Bhd, the company originally produced Portland cement as a state-owned firm. Its transformation has been remarkable, according to a doctoral thesis submitted to the University of London in 2002 by Andrew Aeria, currently a lecturer in the Faculty of Social Sciences at the University Malaysia Sarawak in Kuching.

“The rapid growth and transformation of CMS since the 1990s has been nothing short of phenomenal, and is due to two main factors, namely the privatization and restructuring of CMS from a state-owned public-listed company into a private sector public-listed conglomerate owned by the Mahmud family, and the huge amount of state rents CMS secured for itself and its subsidiary companies from 1992 through political patronage,” Aeria wrote.

Aeria’s study tells the story in voluminous detail. Beginning in the early 1990s, Cement Manufacturers Sarawak Bhd, a state-owned company, bought major stakes in three highly profitable subsidiaries of the Sarawak Economic Development Commission – PPES Quarry, Steel Industries Sarawak and PCMS, for 117.4 million Malaysian ringgit, 50 million of that in cash, the rest covered by 13.48 million shares. For that, CMS got, in addition to the assets, 30.94 million ringgit in cumulative retained profits, according to the company’s annual reports. That moneyproved helpful, allowing CMS to acquire two other companies owned by the Mahmuds, namely Syrakusa Sdn Bhd and Concordance Sdn Bhd, via cash and share swaps. This resulted in the "privatization to the Mahmud family via a reverse takeover. Bank Utama, Sarawak Securities and Archipelago Shipping -- all Mahmud family companies -- were subsequently injected into CMS.

The CMS takeover also reflects the politics of New Economic Policy privatization exercises in Malaysia, which tend to favor hiving off profitable public enterprises instead of loss-making ones to well-connected individuals in the private sector, Aeria claims. Apart from cultivating cronyism and promoting rent-seeking, such privatizations deprive the state sector of lucrative sources of income end up raising the tax burden of ordinary taxpayers, he writes.

During the privatization and restructuring of CMS, numerous public-funded infrastructure projects also were channeled to CMS. These helped CMS maintain an extremely healthy cash flow and high annual turnover. They bolstered its restructuring efforts, hiked up the share price of CMS and helped CMS raise funds easily from banks and other money markets.

By 1996, the Mahmud family had consolidated the cement business, Bank Utama, Sarawak Securities, and Archipelago Shipping, turning the firm, now named Cahya Mata Sarawak, from a publicly-owned cement producer into a private-sector diversified conglomerate involved in stock brokering, road construction, water, quarry operations, steel bar manufacturing, trading, cement production and investment holdings.

“Taib Mahmud’s control over the levers of power and resources in Sarawak saw the SEDC (Sarawak Economic Development Commission) privatize profitable state enterprises to his family,” Aeria wrote in his thesis. “Similarly, his position of favor with the federal government meant that his family received various rents, principally a stockbroker license (to Sarawak Securities) that became a lucrative monopoly, and waivers on mandatory general share offers. Taib Mahmud’s powerful political position also meant that the companies linked to his family easily raised loans from the capital market.”

Taib Mahmud’s 26-year tenure as the chief minister of Sarawak also gave the company at least the appearance of having ready access to government power and favors during a time when the family company had a healthy cash flow and high annual turnover that drove up the share price. The company also got involved in numerous infrastructure projects.

“What is notable about these infrastructure projects is that most of them were secured via negotiated tender from the Sarawak government and its agencies without going through a process of competitive tenders,” Aeria writes. “Not only were many public sector projects channeled towards CMS but CMS also actively undertook a process of seeking out profitable public sector jobs like the maintenance of federal and state roads by the Sarawak Public Works Department estimated at between RM300-RM500 annually, and negotiated for their being transferred to CMS on a turnkey basis.”

Born in relatively modest circumstances, Taib Mahmud now is locally famous for wearing double-breasted suits and driving around Kuching, Sarawak’s capital city, in a cream-colored Rolls-Royce. According to Aliran Monthly, the reformist Malaysian magazine, Taib Mahmud’s spouse Laila and his children are the majority shareholders of Sitehost Pty. Ltd., Australia, which owns the Adelaide Hilton Hotel. Company records dated December 2000 show them holding 95 percent of the company or 9.5 million fully paid up shares, the magazine said.

Onn Mahmud, Taib Mahmud’s brother, his daughter Jamilah Hamidah Taib and her husband Sean Murray are listed as director-shareholders of SAKTO Corporation, a major real estate operator of non-residential buildings in Ottawa, owning and managing more than half a million square feet of prime office space with affiliate offices in the US, Asia, the UK and Australia. They also own SAKTO Development Corporation, a multi-million dollar development and construction company in Ottawa. Jamilah is the sole director of SAKTO Investment Corporation.

“Now, it may well be that the Mahmud family is one of the best and most astute business families in Malaysia,” Aliran wrote. “And more power to them on that account. But much of their known wealth has arisen during the tenure of Abdul Taib Mahmud as Sarawak chief minister. Is there then any wonder why there exists so much public skepticism about the sources of Abdul Taib Mahmud’s family wealth? Would not a transparent audit do well to quash such obviously unscrupulous rumors once and for all?”

The construction of the dam, which had been under development in fits and starts since the 1960s, began to mesh with Cahya Mata’s capabilities in 1994, when construction began, led by a privatized joint-venture consortium called the Bakun Hydroelectric Corporation comprised of Ekran Bhd, the national power company Tenaga Nasional Bhd, the government of Sarawak, Sarawak Electricity Supply Corporation (Sesco) and Malaysian Mining Corporation Bhd (MMC).

The dam project itself is part of a grandiose plan to meet electricity demand in peninsular Malaysia, nearly 700 km away, via a high voltage direct current cable, since the entire island of Borneo, where the dam is situated, is unlikely to be able to use the amount of electricity it is projected to produce.

Thus an additional 300km line was also envisioned to feed power throughout peninsular Malaysia. Because of the distance of transmission, the underwater cables are expected to leak more than half of the wattage before the power reaches peninsular Malaysia. Even without Bakun, Sarawak’s installed electricity reserve capacity was estimated at 25 percent two years ago. At one point, the massive operation was projected to tie up the world’s entire cable-laying capability.

In 1996, Cahya Mata expanded its steel and cement production capacities in response to a massive economic boom in the construction sector. CMS’s new steel and cement plants were financed by large short and long-term loans from both local and international offshore money markets.

The Asian financial crisis, however, brought the Bakun dam project to a halt and forced the government to assume control from the consortium at an estimated cost of 1.6 billion ringgit to Malaysian taxpayers. It was revived in 2000 through a wholly owned-government company, Sarawak Hidro, along with the Malaysia-China Hydro JV consortium. (This also isn‘t Bakun’s first flirtation with an aluminum smelter. One was previously proposed for Similajau, to be funded by the international financier Mohamed Ali Alabbar as a joint venture between Dubai Aluminum Co. Ltd and Gulf International Investment Group. Those plans collapsed due to construction delays and squabbles over contractual terms. By 2004 most of the minor partners to the consortium posted losses or substantially decreased profits.)

The Asian crisis of 1997-1998 also resulted in a spectacular 439 million ringgit pre-tax loss for Cahya Mata for the year ending December 1998 and a reversal of fortunes to the tune of 670.7 million ringgit, primarily because of severe nonperforming loan losses in the company’s banking and financial services arms. By 1999, the company’s total debt burden ballooned to 787.33 million ringgit and resulted in a downgrade of its bonds.

Cahya Mata’s cumulative debts and financial troubles at the turn of the century meant that Bakun took on added importance. A large portion of its debt was secured by pledges of securities as collateral, the share price of which was tied directly to the terms of its debt. CMS’s share price dropped below RM3.00, Aeria wrote.

The revival of Bakun became an overnight confidence boost to Cahya Mata and strengthened the financial status of its majority owners as well as numerous other shareholders. But Bakun was more than just that. From a political standpoint, the dam was a major lifeline thrown at a very crucial time to Taib Mahmud, other client businesses having dealings with the conglomerate, and ordinary shareholders in Sarawak. This lifeline was thrown back in the form of a Sarawak majority party that delivered all 28 of its parliamentary seats to offset the federal Barisan Nasional’s losses of seats in national elections and helped Mahathir to maintain his critical two-thirds majority in parliament.

Taib Mahmud himself has faced numerous corruption allegations by critics over his 26-year career as chief minister, most recently earlier this year when Japanese media reported that he had been implicated in a 1.1 billion yen timber export kickback scheme involving a cartel of nine Japanese timber shipping companies through Hong Kong-based Regent Star, which is linked to Taib Mahmud and his family. He has not been charged and has publicly denied any wrongdoing. He recently said he would sue several Malaysian publications for defamation over articles relating to the case.

When Abdullah Ahmad Badawi came to power in 2003 as Malaysia’s prime minister, he vowed to cut back on the number of mega-projects that Mahathir had lumbered the country with, telling delegates to the 57th United Malays National Organisation’s 57th general assembly that he would turn away from Mahathir’s economic strategies. “That era is over,” he told the delegates. But Abdullah Badawi has been weakened by a series of missteps and scandals, and meanwhile Bakun dam soldiers on.

Carry On, Carry On

And the ridicule you for your ideals and thoughts,
Belittling every notion of your say,
But In Him I say carry on,
For their words hold no sway.

For what do cynical and proud have to offer?
What do the smart have in place for their vacant eyes?
With their weak sarcasm they try to tear us down,
With their complacency they die choking in their conceited peace.

For what do they have that could break this union?
What more could they offer except the excrement's of their 'better' lives

For those who believe is the greater peace,
The anointing of Him that brought down Jericho,
The anointing now that can rebuild this nation.
For was it His wisdom that guided Solomon,
His wisdom that liberated Paul,
For layeth down your broken weapons of your labor,
In Him alone, the corrupt shall be brought to their knees!

Malaysia's True Metanoya

We are still sleeping. We do not hear the fires raging as we sit on our collective behinds
as this country is choking under the Establishment's sanctioned complacency. Sure enjoy life
and drown out the screams with pointless entertainment. Go about your ways and think it's
all alright while the system squeezes us dry with their racist, cronyist legislation. All it's not fine
here. Wake up and smell the bitter coffee.

Certainly no amount of clever politicking could save us all. Not even revolution could do the trick.
We've seen it time and time again that for all good idealogies (lest I repeat myself again, btw) are
doomed to failure with us humans. The cult of personality and the sacharine promises made by all leaders, whatever their political predisposition are... is the Archilies heel that kills a good movement. The stupidity of individual pride goes into their heads and BANG! You're very much
faced with the same enemy: a big dumb politician full of wind-bag rhetoric with nothing more to offer.

But DO NOT be cynical and give up. For all you Christians for change, look to Christ... look to Him to inspire your leaders to bring those who are corrupt. We now may get a lot of crap heaped us, we may be called crazy or naive. But what do those bitter old fogies know? They just sit in their fancy restaurants and spend our tax money on making private vacations to overseas or stuff their bloated faces with their french cuisine. Do not be content to be subject to these evil men. To all children of Christ, PRAY and ABIDE! SEEK His wisdom and revelation to make a difference!

It took a divine miracle to have the five states under Pakatan Rakyat. It's actually unheard off.
To those who have prayed this is sure proof we going from glory to glory. Bob Dylan once sang that the times are a-changing. I guess it's fair to me to say that he pretty much nailed it on this one. But to those who are in fear and in the dark... do not despair! Lest I sound like a broken record, I exhort you to pray and believe. Your prayers do carry weight and in all positiveness, from personal experience, it has and ALWAYS worked.

I know you all scoff at my outrageous exhortations. But to those who believe in a God. Why do you believe in Him the first place? If we knew how to sort it out in the first place, how come for all of human history did we screw up bad?; from the atrocity of religious war to plain racism (even here in our fair country!) My exhortation to you all is the change of the heart, not 2-dimesional behavior modification. I believe, in all sincerity...that only God's unmerited love for us can save us all, even from ourselves.

True love kills hate
True love kill hypocrisy
True love kills corruption
True love kills racism