Not Entirely Sorry

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

Osaka mayor Toru Hashimoto 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 meant 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. And 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. 

Overall, an enjoyable meeting but I have two gripes. Firstly, it started ten minutes late but what was disappointing was the confession from the General Evaluator who is a member of this club expressing the sentiment that being ten minutes late is something that members are accustomed to! Aww, c'mon! 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? 

I would score this meeting a 2 over 10.

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, 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 had highlighted the RBA on May 07, 2013, alleging that some 200 members are on the DAP’s payroll earning up to RM3,000 monthly and that the party have 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 doesn't make sense. 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. Since when have DAP 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 somebody out of the blue. 

But this aside, I wonder if there are any more positions in the RBA available? I wanna join! After all, when I do write about Malaysian politics, they are mostly pro-opposition anyway. And so why not write for them and get paid in the process? 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 stunned 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.

The Tyranny of a Minority Government

MP Tian Chua being dragged away by Police. Image credit: http://uppercaise.wordpress.com/

Malaysia's minority government are showing their tyranny against those who oppose them. 

PKR’s Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad who is ADUN Seri Setia was hauled up and charged under the Peaceful Assembly Act for allegedly failing to give 10 days notice to the police for the Black 505 rally on May 08 in Kelana Jaya. 

Then Adam Adli was arrested and then charged for alleged sedition. And eighteen people who held a peaceful candlelight vigil to show support for Adam while he was held in remand were similsrly detained. 

The trio of PKR Batu MP Tian Chua, ABU’s Haris Ibrahim and PAS’ Tamrin Ghafar met the same fate – although they were released after an overnight stay at the Jinjang Police lock-up when magistrate Norashikin Sahat rejected the seven-day remand application because the reasons given by the police were too general and did not refer to details of investigation.

The police crackdown was frivolous. The new Inspector-General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar should be reminded (again) that his duty is to serve the people. And to keep the county safe – not from legitimate peaceful protestors – but from criminals and other undesirable elements who are infesting Malaysian society.

Why must Zahid Hamidi clamp down on the rakyat just because they are voicing out their legitimate aspirations? Why must the police preempt the exercise of fundamental rights and freedoms? Why bully Malaysians just because they choose not to support BN?

Already, Catholic bishop Dr Paul Tan Chee Ing is warning that the forces of darkness are gaining the upper hand!

Nick Vujicic Live @ Sunway University

Yesterday, there was this talk that I attended at the very last minute. A talk that impresses, invigorates and inspires. A talk by Nick Vujicic at Sunway University. He was born with no limbs, but he doesn't let that stop him from inspiring us all. From no limbs to no limits. Thanks to colleague Madeline Tan for the ticket!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

I am reproducing three of my favorite quotes of his:

• “It's a lie to think you're not good enough. It's a lie to think you're not worth anything.”
• “There’s no point in being complete on the outside when you’re broken in the inside."
• “Sometimes you may feel like you are just about to realize your goal only to fall short. That is no reason to quit. Defeat happens only to those who refuse to try again.”

And my once-a-month posting of photos of the worksite where Sunway University’s new academic building is being built and which is destined to reach for the sky: