Sedition Charge

Listen, listen, listen! Najib Razak, listen! The Malaysian rakyat has spoken up for democracy, for free and fair elections and for “ketuanan rakyat”. Here is a sample of Malaysians who think he should just do himself a favor and quit as the (illegitimate) Prime Minister of Malaysia:

On Wednesday, five people were charged in the sessions court with sedition, adding to the smouldering political tension that has refused to fade as the opposition contests the outcome of a general election that kept the ruling BN coalition in power. All five – as well as Adam Adli (who was charged on May 23) – had spoken at a May 13 Forum at the Kuala Lumpur Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall.

All five claimed trial to the charge. If convicted, they face up to three years in prison. And although all were allowed bail, set at RM5,000 each, Safwan refused it as a sign of ‘protest’ and is being remanded at the Sungai Buloh prison.

Judge Norsharidah Awang set the hearing for July 02, 2013.

It is good to hear that squash – which is bidding for an Olympic spot for a third time – made the IOC shortlist on Wednesday for inclusion in the 2020 Olympics. The other two sports that also made it are wrestling and baseball-softball. Eliminated from contention were karate, roller sports, sport climbing, wakeboarding and the Chinese martial art of wushu. I pray squash makes it.

Not Entirely Sorry

Image credit: http://www.ratestogo.com/blog/a-guide-to-tokyos-districts-iii/

Osaka mayor Toru Hashimoto – that bigmouth whom I wrote about in my post titled "Support for Sexual Enslavement" published May 15, 2013 – made another offensive remark saying US troops should patronize adult entertainment businesses as a way to reduce sex crimes! What he was implying was that the Americans are the culprits for these offences in Japan! Anyway, he has since apologized for the sex slur. But he still refuses to retract his earlier remarks about “comfort women” – instead he re-interpreted his disparaging utterance by saying that Japan’s wartime government did not systematically force girls and women into prostitution. What he was intimating was that the latter willingly became whores. This man should be tarred and feathered for his insulting outbursts.

PAS spiritual leader Nik Aziz Nik Mat in an interview with PAS organ Harakah published May 29, 2013 has stated in unequivocal terms: “No PAS-UMNO unity government as long as I’m alive”! That should put paid to those who still harbor the silly notion that PAS should leave Pakatan Rakyat and team up with the flagitious UMNO.

Last evening, I went to Jalan 1/155B in KL’s Bukit Jalil to attend the AFC Toastmasters meeting. I evaluated Hilson Yeap who delivered a “Make them laugh” speech from ‘The Entertaining Speaker’ manual. My evaluation earned me the Best Evaluator award. Besides Hilson who is already a good speaker, I was particularly impressed with another speaker, Eugene Lau who showed a lot of promise. This meeting was enjoyable but I had two complaints. Firstly, it started ten minutes late but what was disappointing was the confession from the General Evaluator who is a member of this club who expressed the sentiment that being ten minutes late is something that members are accustomed to! Secondly, a member presented a 3-minute speech that wasn’t even from any Toastmasters manual. It was labeled a “Special Thesis Presentation” and it called for an open evaluation. How did it get into the meeting agenda? And why was this speech being entertained by the Vice President Education? Overall, I would score this meeting a 3 over 10.

Wan Ahmad Challenges

One of the two imbeciles at the Election Commission yesterday had dared Anwar Ibrahim to withdraw from parliament if he does not accept the results of GE13. This is plain rudeness that borders on epic stupidity. This is a disgusting display of vulgar arrogance. Its deputy chairman Wan Ahmad Wan Omar had told Free Malaysia Today: “I challenge Anwar to boycott Parliament if he is unhappy”!

I repeat. This is boorish and unbecoming. The EC is an accomplice in managing fraudulent elections, so it does not have any right to throw a challenge at the opposition, much less to even make a suggestion. And it should exercise great care because it is hardly trying to camouflage its disposition towards UMNO.

The EC should learn from our next door neighbour. The same fate can befall them. In July 2006, Thailand’s three election commissioners – namely, Vasana Puemlarp, Prinya Nakchudtree and Virachai Naewboonnien, who were seen as close allies of then embattled Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra – were sentenced to four years in prison for violating election laws and abusing their powers by allowing unqualified candidates to run in parliamentary elections in April of that year. The country’s top court later nullified the poll results, saying the elections were unconstitutional. The court also revoked the commissioners’ right to vote and conduct any political activities for 10 years.

Last evening, I crossed the road from Sunway University to evaluate Ashwinee Rvan’s tenth CC speech at the Monash Toastmasters meeting. I was roped in because she had requested for someone who knew her when she first started Toastmastering and could avouch the gilt-edged progress she has made since then. After all, she was a member of the Sunway University Toastmasters Club before she transferred her membership to the Monash Toastmasters Club (Sunway). Not surprisingly, she delivered her speech with amazing aplomb. I can confirm that she is indeed a good speaker. Generally-speaking, the meeting too went well – the energy was palpable and the quality commendable. An 8 out of 10 score.

I had requested that my evaluation slot be moved forward so that I could rush off to attend the Taman Indrahana Toastmasters meeting and I did. At least the last one-third of the meeting anyway. And I stayed on for the AGM after that where the new Exco for the 2013-2014 term was elected.

Alias Ahmad Threatens

First, it was the newly-minted Inspector-General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar wanting to show that he is a toughie – and so he happily threatened Malaysians. Now another civil servant – Immigration director-general Alias Ahmad and probably another UMNO toady – got into the same act and parroted him. He had been reported as saying that his department would not hesitate to cite Section 8 of the Immigration Act 1959/1963 to revoke Malaysians’ passports from three to five years for protesting overseas. Also these Malaysians will be stopped from entering their own country.

He had said this when responding to Berita Harian about the actions of Malaysian students who held demonstrations, displayed the Malaysian flag upside down and posted comments on social media calling for the government to be overthrown.

But civil liberties lawyer Syahredzan Johan is quoted as saying that “Section 7 of the Immigration Act explicitly provides that a citizen is entitled to enter Malaysia without need for permits or passes, except to Sabah and Sarawak”.

Putting aside the legal argument, the fact of the matter is that Alias has no business to stop citizens from entering Malaysia. He also has no business to comment on what Malaysians choose to do or not to do when they are overseas. At the end of the day, by him threatening Malaysians – he is showing that he doesn’t deserve to be in the job.

BTW, this was the same moron who barred Australian Senator Nick Xenophon from entering Malaysia by citing Section 8(3) of the Immigration Act and labeling the latter a “prohibited immigrant”. [For more of this particular story, check out this link at http://helpvictor.blogspot.com/2013/02/xenophobic-malaysia.html, dated February 18, 2013].

I am sick and tired of the threats from the vile vermin who took up residence in our civil service – behaving as if they own the country and can do just about anything they like!

I need a respite from writing about these dregs of society and therefore, I seek refuge in music as a way to seek solace from the political madness engulfing my country. And I discovered this Hong Kong actress and singer – Shiga Lin – have a listen and enjoy!

The Red Bean Army

An ex-PKR Youth information bureau secretary Nordin Ahmad told the New Sunday Times that Anwar Ibrahim is deploying a band of cybertroopers, known as the Red Bean Army (RBA), in an elaborate effort to incite hatred against the government by spreading falsehoods over social media. Nordin said the group's subtle but effective propaganda had managed to influence many Malaysians into thinking that the elections were mired with fraud, thus enabling Anwar to stage a series of Black 505 rallies nationwide.

In fact, Utusan Malaysia (above pic) highlighted the RBA on May 07, 2013, alleging that some 200 RBA members are on the DAP’s payroll earning up to RM3,000 monthly and that the party has been spending some RM1.5 million over the past six years to fund the operation that is charged with demonising UMNO and BN.

Don’t be seduced by this fairy tale, it is purely a work of fiction. These storytellers should go back to school to re-learn their maths instead. Two hundred cybertroopers multiply by RM3,000 a month multiply by 12 months in a year multiply by six years equal to RM43.2 million. Does DAP has that much money in the first place?

Anyway, no one has offered any concrete proof to show that the "Red Bean Army" does exist and that it is a real menace, and not just a silly name concocted by some fool. But this aside, I wonder if there are any more positions available? I wanna join! After all, when I do write about Malaysian politics, they are mostly pro-DAP, pro-Keadilan and pro-PAS, so can I ask to be paid? RM3,000 a month is not bad ah!

Malaysia's world number one Nicol David failed to retain the British Open Squash Championship title after losing to England's Laura Massaro.

In the final at Pontefract in West Yorkshire, England, David was shocked by Massaro with a 4-11 score in the first set but she made it 1-1 when she took the second set, 11-3. David appeared to have lost her momentum in the other two sets which saw Massaro sealing the match with 12-10 and 11-7 in 53 minutes.

“I was watching Laura too much,” said David. “She was playing very well. Sometimes things don’t go your way, and all these girls are getting stronger.

“I gave her a little window and she took it. But I will be back.”

For the record, David has won the British Open four times in 2005, 2006, 2008 and 2012.

The Black 505 Rally on May 25th

Image credit: https://weehingthong.wordpress.com/2013/05/20/the-peoples-festival-saturday-25-may-2013-at-padang-timur-in-front-of-amcorp-mall/

For the first time, over 60 non-governmental organisations, including Solidariti Anak Muda Malaysia (SAMM) and Bersih, came together with Pakatan Rakyat figures on Saturday to stage a defiant Black 505 rally that has been described as the climax of a series of massive rallies that began in Kelana Jaya on May 08, followed by similar events in almost all the states in peninsula Malaysia. On Saturday, more than 50,000 people converged onto Padang Timur in Petaling Jaya to protest the alleged electoral fraud during GE13.

This video clip of the said event provides snippets of speeches by Ambiga Sreenevasan, Tian Chua and Haris Ibrahim:

These rallies tell those in power that Malaysians in general, are upset and unhappy with the electoral irregularities and they are making themselves heard. Woe to the UMNO government if it continues to wallow in self-denial because there is a limit to the people’s tolerance.

Democracy although mortally wounded, is not dead yet but it will be if we allowed it. Malaysians must continue the fight or else all hope die and that will be a sad day for a nation that has so much promise. Arise, fellow Malaysians for the day of reckoning is upon us!

On May 22, 2013, the Election Commission gazetted the official results of the election. Under Malaysia’s laws, the result of an election can only be challenged by an election petition which must be filed within 21 days of the gazettement. So let the aggrieved parties (i.e. Pakatan Rakyat) prepare their evidence and file their petitions. Let’s see if the Malaysian judiciary can find the courage to uphold justice.

Black-themed Protests Continue

Reuters pic.

Animal rights activists pretending to be bulls stuck through with banderillas lie on the ground covered with mock blood during a protest against bullfighting in Barcelona, Spain on May 23, 2013.

Photos by Choo Choy May

In Malaysia, Pakatan Rakyat held a Thanksgiving rally at Padang Timur, Petaling Jaya on the same day. Photos of the said event are shown above.

And in Kuala Ibai, Kuala Terengganu, a Black 505 rally was also held on Thursday and where around 40,000 people protested against fraudulent polls. Again, nearly all Malays.

On Friday, it was Malacca’s turn to host the Black 505 rally and Malaysians turned up in droves in Bukit Katil. The crowd is estimated to be between 30,000 to 40,000 people.

In all these rallies, the Police warned that they were illegal and those who attended face arrest. But Malaysians were undeterred. The message is clear – the people have had enough of the UMNO shenanigans.

Doing Good

During his homily – a daily event where he speaks without prepared comments – at Wednesday Mass in Rome, Pope Francis (above photo) emphasized the importance of "doing good" as a principle that unites all humanity, and a "culture of encounter" to support peace. This is so refreshing – he is saying all who do good are redeemed. Including atheists.

[Pope Francis, born as Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, Argentina, is the 266th pope of the Catholic Church].

Using scripture from the Gospel of Mark, the leader of the world's 1.2 billion Roman Catholics explained how upset Jesus' disciples were that someone outside their group was doing good, according to a report from Vatican Radio.

The Pope said: “They complain” because they say, “If he is not one of us, he cannot do good. If he is not of our party, he cannot do good.” And Jesus corrects them: “Do not hinder him, he says, let him do good.” The disciples, Pope Francis explains, “were a little intolerant,” closed off by the idea of possessing the truth, convinced that “those who do not have the truth, cannot do good.” “This was wrong . . . Jesus broadens the horizon.” Pope Francis said, “The root of this possibility of doing good – that we all have – is in creation”

On Thursday, I was at PJ’s Wisma IEM to attend the IEM Toastmasters meeting. It was an unusually restrained meeting and verve and vigor had probably fled the room upon seeing me make an entrance. Actually, the truth lies in the fact that there were only thirteen of us and it was an all-male cast. I am not being sexist but methinks, women can add sparkle to a meeting. I took part in Table Topics and I also evaluated an Advanced speech delivered by a MIHRM Toastmaster, Francis Choong. And I was voted Best Table Topics Speaker and Best Evaluator. As for my score for this particular meeting, I can only award a 2.5 over 10 score. It didn’t help that although we started on time, we finished the meeting twenty minutes after the prescribed finishing time.