Hypocrisy Ad Nauseam



Unelected Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has been reported in the Guardian newspaper, UK as having thrown his endorsement behind silat groups to fight against Bersih while the police rehearsed using banners that threaten to shoot at demonstrators unless they disperse. For an UNELECTED PM, this shows great gall and monumental hypocrisy. This is especially so in the light of the Najib administration's parading before the world that Malaysia is a model of "moderation" and self-hailing our country as an example worthy of emulation by developing democratic nations. But nothing could be further from the truth. Behind his facade of pretended moderation, Najib's administration has quietly presided over the inexplicable deaths of 2 men whilst in MACC custody, the yet-to-be-resolved Altantuya Shariibu murder case which has implicated Najib personally despite the administration's vigorous and bare denials, the sordid sex video drama alleging the Opposition Leader's involvement which brought local politics literally to an even more below-the-belt level and the recent arrest since June 22nd of over 230 people including women and minors amidst threats to use the archaic colonial era's Internal Security Act against Bersih 2.0 supporters under ridiculous charges of "communism" and waging war against the Constitutional Monarchy. All of which smacks of blatant wrongs un-righted and gross abuses of power hiding beneath a tissue-thin veneer of "moderation" and "reform". Najib's administration is slowly but surely losing its tenuous claim to legitimacy and choses NOT moderation and reform, as it publicly proclaims, but feudal repression and a myopic style of administration. It can at least spare us and other nations its wholly unmerited claim to the former.

Freedom from the 'F' word

by Anil Netto (reproduced from Sunday Observer column

published in the Herald, July 3, 2011)

One of the recurring themes of the New Testament is Jesus' proclamation, right at the outset of his ministry, that the kingdom of God is at hand.

What exactly is the nature of this mysterious kingdom? We don't have to look far to find it in the guiding principles in the Beatitudes: Blessed are the poor, the meek, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peace-makers, those who mourn.

Then a more radical edge: Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled. Reflecting how important the cause of righteousness (justice) is, Jesus promises that those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake will be the major players or, to use corporate jargon, "stakeholders" of the kingdom - "for theirs is the kingdom of heaven".

The words 'justice' and 'righteousness' are almost similar. We know God is a god of justice and righteousness. So concerned was he for justice that he guided an oppressed people out of slavery. In fact, the words "just" or "justice"; "righteous" or "righteousness", occurs several hundred times in the scriptures.

The quest for justice is closely linked to God's concern for the poor and the oppressed. Indeed, there is a strong bias towards the poor (and by extension the means of redressing the situation i.e. distributive justice) in the scriptures. No wonder, the first Beatitude is "Blessed are the poor". And at the start of Jesus' ministry, he proclaimed the Spirit of the Lord is with him, because God has anointed him to preach the good news to the poor. "He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed."(Luke 4:18)

In the Beatitudes, Jesus, however, warns that those who hunger for righteousness or justice (including, by logical extension, those who proclaim or work for justice) may be persecuted. Indeed, the first disciples of Jesus - and others who followed them down the ages - who proclaimed the Good News were persecuted, tortured and even put to death.

It is not easy to be brave and courageous in the face of adversity or oppression. The disciples of Jesus had much to be afraid of. Their leader had been given an unfair trial,  and then crucified in the most barbaric fashion. Who could blame the disciples for cowering in fear from such brutal depravity?

Such fear is a debilitating, paralysing force that eats the soul, drains us of energy and disempowers us. How to proclaim Jesus is Lord and work for his kingdom of justice, love, peace and truth when the consequences could be dire?

Those who proclaim the truth of the Good News, therefore, need much courage and fearlessness. And this fearlessness will come from the Spirit. I like what Dr Xavier Pereira wrote about empowerment. When people are empowered, they will realise that they can make a difference not only within the church but in the world outside, joining hands with people of goodwill around them to promote the values of the kingdom - i.e. justice, peace and compassion - in the world around us.

The same Spirit that empowers us will help us deal with our fears. Jesus recognised that the kingdom would not be realised if his disciples are paralysed with fear. No wonder, he repeatedly urged his disciples when he appeared to them after his death, "Do not be afraid. I am with you always." Throughout the bible, the phrase appears in one way or another "be not afraid, "do not fear" ... In fact, one of the most well known verses of Scripture sums it up: "The Lord is my shepherd, who shall I fear?"(Psalm 23:1).

Burma's Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, herself a victim of persecution in the cause of justice and truth, recognises the importance of dealing with fear: "The only real prison is fear, and the only real freedom is freedom from fear." Yes, only when we get rid of the 'F' word - FEAR - will we be able to realise the vision of the kingdom.

We need to hold on fast to the conviction that the Spirit who dispels our Fears will lead us to truth, justice, love, compassion and to the other F-word, real Freedom.

A Samad Said's "seditious" poem

THE POEM

Note: A. Samad Said read out only the last two stanzas of his poem

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.


The Bersih Fire
(English translation)

As the coals that molest us rage higher
we shout still the message of Merdeka
for democracy as bright as the sun
as pure as dignity our purpose is one

Deep is our worry – as democracy’s wounds
long is our sadness – as democracy’s woes
at arrogant democracy we scorn
for a strong free voice we dream

Two centuries ago Sam Adams decreed
in Boston was tea poured into blue seas
no need for riotous shouts full of ire
only for a truly heartfelt fire

Alight now the sacred fire
spread afar raging higher.

the Malaysian Dilemma

Whenever i am in a foreign land and some one asks me where i am from, i'd tell them "Malaysia". Depending on your point of view, you may or may not be surprised at the various reactions that follow. Americans would immediately frown and start querying me about our country's dubious honour of being a human smuggling hub or how the Malaysian government has so done us/itself not proud. Or they would just clam up immediately and stop conversing with me after a snort of disapproval. Singaporeans generally look on us as "Johor chut lai ge lang" in hokkien meaning people who come out from Johor across the causeway into their little island. Indonesians have a generally favourable impression though you'd be prone to be doubtful once you've read the comments posted by some Indonesian Ultras about Malaysia on the web. Filipinos are a mixed base, some feel that "everything about Malaysia is wrong" while others are quite neutral about us. Westerners in general would query me about "why half of Malaysia is in their backyard", be it in Australia or Britain. I often come away from my first meetings with foreigners feeling a sense of dejection at the response that i get. On average, Malaysia hasn't fared very well. Badly, in fact. People had a better impression of me BEFORE i told them which country i was from. And why is this? Because our government cavorts with less-than-wholesome figures on the international stage? This is a legacy from the Mahathir Administration which was constantly at loggerheads with the West in particular. After being labelled "recalcitrant" by former Aussie PM Paul Keating, mahathir's world-wide captive audience must have trebled overnight, publicity-shy he is not. And the old man simply wouldn't shut up even now that he is officially no longer Prime Minister of Malaysia. Could it also be the things that some Malaysians do overseas or at home even that give us all a bad name? From Malaysians travelling abroad as drug mules or plane jumpers/throwers/illegal immigrants, Malaysian-based syndicates counterfeiting everything from CDs to Credit Cards, Malaysian top student turned hooker to Malaysian companies illegally cutting timber in Papua New Guinea or some third world country or even closer to home in Sarawak state and being tagged as robber-baron companies? I attribute such faults to be a lack of education or civic-mindedness on our part. That in turn is the fault of the Malaysian education system, and by implication, the fault of the Malaysian government. It is heartening that the Najib administration has taken tentative steps to get on a better footing with the West and other countries that MATTER in the world and not cosy up to some dictator crackpot chickenshit regime halfway across the globe because my enemy's enemy is my friend. But of course, substance matters at the end of the day. Foreigners will be watching Malaysia very closely to see whether the current Malaysian government is truly reforming or is merely paying lip service to "reform" while business goes on as usual. Take the current drive to reduce subsidies and the budget deficit. Both are commendable efforts. The government has also embarked upon a campaign of educating the public on the prices of goods and passed anti-profiteering legislation. But the proof of the pudding is in the eating, so it remains to be seen how effective enforcement of such laws are. It would be tragic that, if because it is now actually doing what ought to be done, the government's political support begins to evaporate on public perception that subsidies are the people's God-given right and if you fail to support me, i too, will not give you my support. I have been a harsh critic of the government and i am not alone in thinking that Najib was not the best choice of candidate for Prime Minister in any given situation. But if we are stuck with what/whomever is declared by the powers-that-be to be our top dog and unless this government actually LOSES in the 13th General Elections (to be declared by 2013), we will just have to put up with the status quo in the hope that genuine change with the current regime is indeed a real possibility and not just another Public Relations job as we have become so weary of.

Instant Ramen fever

I'm a big japanese ramen fan and while i only occasionally dine in authentic japanese ramen restaurants, i do pig out at home quite often on instant ramen, as shown in the picture above. This brand is really my personal favourite among the plethora of instant noodles available today in our local supermarket shelves. A pack of 5 packets retails for about RM8.20 normal price, but quite often major local supermarket chains sell at a special offer price of RM5.99 only limited for a few days. Its texture reminds me of the instant noodles i consumed during my childhood when instant noodles were still aromatic and springy to chew on (the decline in taste and quality of our instant noodles over the years have been very noticeable). The taste-maker and a small sachet of sesame oil gives it that added chicken ramen flavour. Yum!

Malaysia Airlines' dip in fortunes - Revisited

Riddle me this: What makes money and who's in charge? Take Airlines for instance. Is there a discernible pattern between whoever is the boss and the profitability of an airline? National Carrier Malaysia Airlines (MAS) reported a first quarter ended March 31, 2011 net loss of RM242.33 million as compared to rival low budget carrier AirAsia Bhd's net profit of RM171.93 million over the same period. How much credit or blame should be apportioned to MAS' MD and CEO Tengku Datuk Seri Azmil Zahruddin versus AirAsia Bhd's group CEO Datuk Seri Tony Fernandes is anyone's guess. MAS' stock is currently trading at RM1.55 per share (52-week high of RM2.42 low of RM1.55) while AirAsia is trading at RM3.04 (52-week high of RM3.15 low of RM1.07). MAS actually turned a profit of RM310.04 million in the previous corresponding quarter, but this was mainly thanks to compensation from Airbus for late delivery of aircraft ordered. Granted that the airlines is a cut-throat industry struggling with ever-escalating jet fuel prices and the fall-out from the Arab Spring. And news reports cite a stronger Ringgit, higher fuel costs and lower revenue per seat for MAS' red ink run lately. But challenging times notwithstanding, AirAsia is going ahead with its expansion plans albeit with a keen eye on keeping costs down while introducing a fuel surcharge in May which should reflect positively on its balance sheets over the next quarter at least. Bottomline is, controlling costs is key to profitability in the airlines business. MAS was bleeding red ink under former corporate poster boy Tan Sri Tajuddin Ramli before it was handed over to Dato' Idris Jala in Dec 2005. Idris turned it around in 9 months. There were stories back then that before Idris took over, the National Carrier was run like a government department, paying astrononomical prices for supplies such as the story that MAS purportedly paid RM1 for each egg supplied to it by contractors. Rumours abounded of massive waste, inefficiency and all kinds of shenanigans in the National Carrier. Idris introduced low low fares, cut costs, stopped serving unprofitable routes, laid off staff and managed to turn MAS around in less than a year to proftability, defying the nay-sayers. Then in Sept 2009 Idris resigned from MAS to become Minister without Portfolio in the PM's department to head Pemandu, our national think tank for economic reform and governmental transformation. So now MAS has come to yet another crossroads, it seems. I actually bought a MAS return ticket to X city in a neighbouring country at supersaver rates in Feb this year. The flight is in August, 2011. 10 days ago, i received an SMS message that my departure flight was being postponed to 2 days later. I called and they said that MAS no longer flew from KL to X city on such and such a day anymore. OK, i accepted their explanation. Then last night i received 2 emails informing me that my direct return flight had become a TRANSIT flight! When i called MAS customer feedback i was directed to an automatic response recording which gave out incomprehensible instructions and promptly hung up on me when i couldn't do whatever it was that they wanted (ie. to dial an alphabet on  my fixed line telephone but alas, the alphabets on my ancient office fixed line telephone keys had all but faded out and disappeared, arrgh!). This was just a day after newspaper reports of MAS' first quarter results came out. My point is, if MAS had lost money recently, what it is doing now will certainly make it lose even MORE customers and bleed red ink like there is no tomorrow. You don't simply change flight schedules at will, especially not on tickets already sold, without giving your customers a choice to change flights or refund the price of their tickets, contractual fine print terms be damned. It's simply BAD BUSINESS. So whither now, Malaysia Airlines?

Post Blog Note:

MAS replied to my email within 3 days and has offered to refund to me the full ticket price within 3 weeks. Now that's more like it, Malaysia Airlines. There is hope yet for our National Carrier.

book review - Stockmarket Secrets by Andrew Chia

I picked up this book at 20% rebate/discount for Popular card members at a local Popular bookstore over last weekend. It's worth a read as this second of Andrew Chia's handbooks for the financially un-savvy (his first work is titled "Money Secrets") is easy to read and filled with useful facts and information about the Malaysian stockmarket (Bursa). There is a dearth of books focused on the Bursa so this book is one of the precious few to answer local demand for books on the Bursa as almost all other books in the market are written for and about the Singapore stockmarket or USA's/major overseas equity markets. There are some typo errors and the book could do with a good proof-reader but if you're willing to forgive these minor slip-ups, i would recommend it as required reading for laymen/amateurs investing in the Bursa.