2dPoint

Moving On...

2007-06-23T09:04:00.000-07:00

Please continue to:

http://rozaini.wordpress.com

2007-06-21T22:53:00.000-07:00

Returning from numerous encounters

2007-06-21T02:04:00.000-07:00

I have been writing... but mostly elsewhere...I am just back in Labuan several times this year. My time is somewhat divided these days between here and elsewhere. Life has a way of ascertaining priorities...so for me now, most time, what I need to do is no longer a choice.

The rare choice that I got was to have met Yasmin Ahmad at a forum last night. I had really wanted to see her in person. The most controversial Malaysian film director around. First impression...it is not easy to like her nor easy to dislike her...She is the only panelist in all forums that I had been so far, that took a break whilst a forum was still going on. She simply walked down stage and tried to catch up with someone whom she thought would be a good character for her film. She had definitely a mind that ripples stereotype and status quo thinking - which I thought was not necessarily a bad thing. I would have liked to sit and talk with her, but the night was late, and I had to leave for Labuan early the next day. Perhaps, God will let me meet her again...

I had almost not gone to the forum. Lost my way (some friends would know that that was not unusual for me), but somehow the last attempt brought me to the Bar Council building where the forum was held. I was already terribly late...I guess, it was proven that deep intention will be a prayer heard by God. The same gist is reflected in the first hadith of the Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. in Imam Nawawi's book.

Perhaps I should watch "Muallaf" (this is, however, not a promotion for her film), Yasmin's latest creativity. I should watch her other two renowned films, too. Maybe there is something there to tell me about her life and thinking. I would be asked on why my interest in Yasmin Ahmad...well, one scholar of Islam enjoins that we learn about history - though I never met the scholar, I hope that I am allowed to interpret the meaning of his advice as to include the learning of the history of people, especially people that have made an impact on so many others. Yasmin has sparked much debate about the issues she raised in her films...I think I would like to know her thinking better first rather than judging her.

Hmm...there could be a chance that she'll make a film about Lina Joy...

Unfolding a Transformed Leadership Front?

2007-02-09T00:16:00.000-08:00

Unfolding a Transformed Leadership Front?

On September 1, 2006, Fuziah Salleh, Head of the Women Wing of Parti Keadilan Rakyat (keADILan), has presented in her policy speech at the third Women Congress of Parti Keadilan Rakyat, an expectation of a new breed of politicians as the ones rightly to govern the country. The essence of such leadership is in the ability to move from being a “reformasi” leadership to a transformational leadership. To put it simply in general analogy, transformational leadership involves the ability to transform a present status to a totally new one, starkly different, even alien to the old/previous one, likening to a caterpillar transformed into a butterfly.

The suggestion is out rightly Martian to the prevailing political culture in Malaysia. Some have staunchly defended the present political setup as the most fitting in the Malaysian context. They support race-based party politics. They feel that only by maintaining the status quo, all races are appropriately represented. It would be impossibility for a number of Indian politicians to be a wakil rakyat as there are no majority Indian constituencies in Malaysia. That is true for race-based politics. Race-based politics decides on the interests of each race and negotiates its position from the strengths each race has. Policies are also designed according to the interest of race. Each party thinks about their own race first, rather than the interests of all people in Malaysia. Race-based politics denies the importance of other races except in political negotiations. Other races are not thought of as one of them but as something, that does not belong to them. These outsiders are considered petty items and best taken care of by their own kind only. The scramble for limited resources depicts the worst of race-based politics. Corruption in the form of bribery, political appointments, academic development, project distribution, resource allocation, and conflict of interests in positions of power, to mention only a few, are the result of race-based politics.

Race-based politics in Malaysia is already almost thoroughly infested with corruption, injustices, irrevocable wrongs, and individuals with greed dominating their minds and souls and the hunger to dominate others. The lack of human compassion is also there for all to witness. The lack of competence and non-partisan leadership is even overtly in feat.

Therefore, a transformation of political leadership is in order. Its main responsibility is to transform the ugly scenery of race-based politics from its roots. It will take a brave and bold action by the transformed leadership to achieve that. The team will have to make tremendous sacrifice, particularly in ensuring another term of office in parliament, for such changes will invite political anger from the infested politicians, who will stop at nothing to achieve their aims. Transformational leadership guarantees people’s rights in wealth, education, health, safety, and development. There will be a conscious and spirited effort to ensure the real narrowing of the economic disparity and knowledge gaps among races and among the haves and haves-not. Everyone, regardless of race and ideology will be opportune to develop his/her potential and given due rights. The present political leadership is known to sideline those who maintain a different political outlook on the country’s administration and development although such individuals may be the best element/worker that the country possess. Such is the unjust and prejudiced dealings of the Barisan Nasional government, which often disregard merit in many of its business.

A main issue of transformational leadership is its delineation from business involvement in all its aspects. That means, there should never be conflicts of interest at any time, anywhere as long as one is a wakil rakyat or a minister of the government in power. That implies that family connection becomes an automatic reason to shun business and any connection to government or government-linked projects. It ultimately means that the job of wakil rakyat and ministers are not the promising occupations for aspiring millionaires or billionaires in the country. Only then, will such group of leaders wholly and absolutely give imperative concentration on the fulfilment of the people’s needs. Such hope is highly suspect when money politics rule the political scene. Raja Petra had insinuated that in his writing, “Again money talks, bullshit walks.”

I think Fuziah regards the transformation occurring within the party will be major propulsion to win the trust of the people. It means practising in its totality the talk of new politics. That is a very difficult path, though not impossible, to political victory, judging from the continued lack of freedom in the press and the existence of intimidating and draconian laws, such as the ISA, which thwarts a free flow of alternative opinions writings and voice to the population.

The onset of declining growth has always prompted the ruling Umno-BN to maintain large deficit budgets and giving away bonanzas for everyone. The idea is to deviate even any thoughts of dissent of any kind from the voting sectors, whose support are vital in ensuring the present ruling UMNO-BN’s power to rule the country. Declining growth implies job losses, which results in the pain of unemployment and falling incomes. That is a sure indication that the present government is incompetent to provide the people’s needs and alleviate their difficulties. In reality, the problem of incompetence, of mismanagement of funds, improper delivery of monetary allocation and corruption are the major causes and obstacles to harmony, real physical and human development. Such problems will never be eradicated as long as BN leaders are bent on making decisions and budgets based on what keeps them in power. Power has become a sort of God of the BN regime. Strategically, the people have been deliberately made ignorant of the real state of affairs of the government and country. Public apathy, to me, is an orchestrated phenomenon aimed for the convenient realisation of irresponsible leaders’ self-interests, devoid of what Dr Syed Hussin Ali calls as “kepedulian rakyat.”

Transformational leadership makes correct decisions, NOT politically correct decision. The interests of the people will take precedent over the interest of any race or group. This kind of leadership is the leadership that speaks what resides in the hearts. They are dependable and we feel safe with them. In order for transformational leadership to flourish and becomes an institution, the transformation from within individual leaders, who make up the party leadership, is crucial. There is great hope from such leadership. As for a nation that believes in God, it is the right kind of leadership in achieving the pleasure of the Creator of men and universe.

appeared in Malaysia Today Oct 2, 2006

In reply to V.Vasudevan, NST, OPPOSITION MUST RETHINK BOYCOTTS posted in Malaysia Today, 29 January 2007

2007-02-09T00:08:00.000-08:00

My article which appear in Malaysia Today, February 5th, 2007:

In reply to V.Vasudevan, NST, OPPOSITION MUST RETHINK BOYCOTTS posted in Malaysia Today, 29 January 2007

Well, after reading the short “analysis” by V.Vasudevan (New Straits Times), posted on 29th January 2007, I thought I would mend some serious misleading opinion of his (V.Vsudevan).

The decision to boycott Batu Talam by-election was correct. It was a boycott decision independent of future election. It was a move to pressure the SPR to reform. For the opposition, PAS & keADILan, it was going to be a measure of how far the SPR will change to ensure a free and fair election, even without an opposition candidate (but somehow an independent candidate emerged, a mere 22-year old without experience and election machinery to support him. One tended to query the real intention of contesting. One does not enter battle to die like what the Malay says mati katak. It was a foolish decision unless he carried some other agenda not overtly mentioned. I believe that politicians should start saying what they mean, and do what they say).

The intention to reform must be met with actions as proof of serious attempts to free SPR from the clutches of BN.

Najib’s comment on the decision to continue the process of election even when there would be flood on polling day was clearly a deliberate and arrogant interference in the administration of the SPR. Only the SPR was qualified to make any decision on any issue related to the election process.

Objectively, under a non-independent SPR and non-levelling playing field, we know that votes alone do not represent the understanding of the people regarding the politics of the country because the ability to ferry voters actually decides the number of votes.
Did the Batu Talam people really vote on the basis that they accepted the BN’s policies?
It was thoroughly unjustified to say that the by-election was a successful mid-term review of the BN administration.

The ugly smudges on the record of BN’s administration is clear from the following: the report Sham Democracy( http://www.malaysia-today.net/Sham_Democracy.pdf ), the toll hike, the petrol price hike, the PM’ lavish spending, the Altantuya’s murder case, the summoning of citizens who blew the whistle on corruption under OSA, the wastage on the 2nd Johore bridge, the dismal administration of the control of floods in Johore and other areas, the continued imprisonment of the ISA detainees –detention without cause, the almost 100% increase in cost of the MRR2 highway, the endless report of misconduct and election irregularities, the endless delay of the IPCMC, the apathy in calls for the freedom of press and information, the shameless monopolisation of media, and the list goes on and on…

In the Batu Talam by-election, the high percentage wining figure quoted is seen as not the reflection of the people’s rejection of the boycott because admittedly, the opposition only failed to reach a wider audience of voters (that is a different topic altogether) NOT failing in delivering the right decision and principle behind the boycott.

BN likes to harp on its development. The scale of development in Malaysia is NOT a measure of BN’s ability to govern the country. The physical aspect of development can be achieved simply even by an NGO – probably it will do a much better job than BN!
The ability to empathise, to sacrifice, to instil good values in people, to make safe all the streets from crimes, to provide free education and health care, providing suitable accommodation for each citizen and for leaders to live simply would be a more holistic indicator of a ruling government’s success.

Whither the BN government which is neither deaf nor blind to the people’s plight?

Rozaini M. R.
rozmr@tm.net.my

Civil Disobedience & Civil Obedience

2006-11-11T00:17:00.000-08:00

"Civil disobedience is not our problem. Our problem is civil obedience. Our problem is that numbers of people all over the world have obeyed the dictates of the leaders of their government and have gone to war, and millions have been killed because of this obedience. . . Our problem is that people are obedient all over the world in the face of poverty and starvation and stupidity, and war, and cruelty" : Howard Zinn

The secret policeman's fall

2006-11-01T08:50:00.000-08:00

The secret policeman's fall

In post-communist Romania, the government is making real progress towards transparency and openness.

Monica Macovei
October 26, 2006 04:31 PM

As Hungary's prime minister Ferenc Gyurcsany found out when a recorded admission that his government was lying incited riots, openness in government doesn't come easily in Eastern Europe's new democracies. Like Hungary, post-communist Romania has struggled to increase transparency and honesty in what was once one of the world's most closed societies. As we struggled, continued secrecy allowed an explosion of corruption and abuse of office.

But there has, at last, been real movement towards openness - progress recognized by the European Union when it gave Romania the green light to join the European Union at the beginning of 2007. Aside from achieving what the EU now deems a "functioning market economy", key political and legal changes, which I have overseen as minister of justice, range from increased transparency and control in the funding of political parties to a shakeup of the judiciary.

Judicial reforms are, in turn, helping to root out corruption. Indictments have been issued against former and current cabinet ministers, members of parliament, judges, prosecutors, lawyers, police and customs officers, and other public officials, as well as directors of private companies. In addition, new standardised forms have been introduced for declarations of assets and financial interests by anyone who holds an official position in government, parliament, public and local administration, and the judicial system. The new declarations are the most detailed in Europe, and, more importantly, they are published.

Romania's progress is confirmed in a report released earlier this month showing that citizens' access to government information in Eastern Europe is now equal to that in established democracies. Indeed, the report, Transparency and Silence, conducted by the Open Society Justice Initiative, indicates that in some ways the new democracies have something to teach the old: certain government agencies in Romania were more responsive to citizen requests for information than comparable agencies in France and Spain.

Specifically, 60% of the requests filed in Romania met, compared to 31% in France and 24% in Spain. Other countries that performed well include Peru and Mexico, both of which adopted freedom of information laws in 2002, shortly after Romania.

But getting access to sensitive information in transitional democracies is not always easier, as I know from my previous work as a human rights lawyer with the Romanian Helsinki Committee. Often we had to go to court to force disclosure of information, using Romania's 2001 Freedom of Information Act.

For example, even when we won a case regarding access to the records of wiretaps authorised by the general prosecutor, the prosecutor simply ignored the court order. We filed a civil action against the prosecutor, and the judge imposed a fine for every day the information was withheld. But it was only when we caught the media's attention that the data - detailing the number of wiretaps authorised over the previous 10 years, against whom, and for how long - were released. With its publication, Romania began to move away from its Securitate-dominated past.

Now, inside government, I realise that sharing information with the public is sometimes hard. But when painful reforms are necessary, there is no alternative. We could not have achieved the economic and political reforms that qualified us for EU membership if we had not subjected policymaking to public scrutiny and accepted the increased public participation in decision-making that inevitably accompanies such openness.

Indeed, this has become a sine qua non of democratic government throughout the world. When the United States adopted its Freedom of Information Act in 1966, it joined the exclusive company of Sweden and Finland. Today, roughly 65 countries have such laws.

In Romania, those who fought for a freedom of information law have made full use of it. As part of the Justice Initiative study, those who request information from Romania's government were willingly supplied with the kind of information that would have been unthinkable to release just a few short years ago. The Romanian Defense Ministry, for example, disclosed the number of armed forces personnel who died in 2003, as well as the causes of death (including 13 suicides, two shootings, and two combat deaths in Afghanistan).

Likewise, the Bucharest court was asked for the number of judges disciplined since the beginning of 2000, including grounds for any sanctions applied. The Court transferred the request to the Superior Council of Magistrates, which provided a full response: a four-page list of all sanctioned judges, with details of the reasons and penalties. Such information is both a product and a motor of continuing reform.

It has not always been comfortable for those in government, and there is still a tug-of-war over sensitive documents. But, in the former communist bloc, the benefits brought by transparency have been undeniable. At the same time, Romania's experience demonstrates that official secrecy remains a threat to the core values of democratic governance, and that only constant vigilance, in both established and young democracies, can prevent its encroachment.

Copyright: Project Syndicate, 2006.

For the Love of a Leader

2006-10-21T05:26:00.000-07:00

For the Love of a Leader

To love a leader is to die for his/her cause; a cause that one believes in.
To love a leader is to sacrifice for his/her cause; a cause that one believes in.
To love a leader is to be able to say what should be said to a leader, who still loves you as you are.
To love a leader is to be able to be told by him/her where you got it wrong; where a wrong is based on deliberation, not because one is different from the leader in any way.
To love a leader is to be able to approach him and be approached in return for assistance; assisting in the best manner and ability.
To love a leader is not wanting something in return and be expected to receive anything in return.
To love a leader is to be able to say no and be rejected, too; rejections that are reasonable, not based on narrow centred categories.
To love a leader is to believe in him/her when he/she takes risks; swimming or sinking together; for the rewards out of another life is immense, surpassing ALL the world has to offer.
To love a leader who loves you is a duty; love is earned like almost everything else.
To love a leader is giving access to him/her; the accessibility is reciprocal.
To love a leader is to examine all that is said about him/her before concluding one’s assessment.
A leader loved is a leader who is fair and firm and consistent in his/her principles regardless of how his/her position is affected.
A leader is loved for his/her ethics, amicableness.
A leader is loved for the hopes he/she exuberates, even in times of despair.
A leader who is loved is usually respected by his/her enemies, who in time become familiar with the leader.

Love can be a very sticky and at the same time slippery thing. Once love exists, there will be no stopping of the unrelenting existence of massive dynamic energy (ies) that drives every thinkable visionary item to reality.
A leader loved by God is a leader loved by all humans and creatures.
The key to a successful nation is the love of a leader.

Menjawab Laporan 'GRO asing hanya untuk pegawai dagang luar negara'

2006-10-14T14:52:00.000-07:00

Menjawab laporan ‘GRO asing hanya untuk pegawai dagang luar negara’
(re posting 9 October, 2006:Acceptabe Logic? ‘GRO asing hanya untuk pegawai dagang luar negara’)

Prinsip Rukunegara yang pertama, Kepercayaan Kepada Tuhan, bagi saya memanggil semua rakyat Malaysia untuk menghayati nilai agama masing-masing. Dalam beberapa perkara tiada pertembungan nilai di antara agama-agama. Suatu kebaikan yang jarang sekali diambil kira dalam masyarakat berbilang agama, jauh sekali untuk dipraktikkan oleh dasar yang memuja pembangunan material dan keinginan insan. Dasar ini meletakkan kepentingan mengekalkan kekuasaan dengan apa cara sekalipun, walaupun melawan arus nilai keagamaan yang dianuti di kalangan rakyat. Tersirat di sebalik kekuasaan, segala kemudahan dan autoriti wewenang untuk membuat keputusan-keputusan agar membukitkan segala yang terlarat untuk dikumpul sebagai khazanah dunia.

Tiada agama yang menganjurkan pemuasan nafsu secara rambang. Di era dunia yang dilanda oleh pelbagai penyakit sosial dan fizikal, khususnya AIDS, dasar yang membasmi punca yang akan mengakibatkan segala penyakit tersebut adalah yang diutamakan. Di kalangan mereka, ramai yang berasal dari negara barat, yang telah menyedari hakikat tersebut, memilih menetapkan bahawa pergaulan bebas dan rambang adalah suatu perbuatan yang amat tidak bertanggungjawab terhadap diri, keluarga dan masyarakat. Ada juga yang sudah berpendapat bahawa abstinence adalah suatu alternatif yang mulia bagi memelihara kemaslahatan umat manusia.

Apabila seorang tetamu hadir di rumah kita, wajarlah mereka dilayan dengan mesra dan baik. Sedayanya kita memenuhi keperluan mereka sebagai musafir. Hubungan tersebut berbentuk dua hala. Seorang tetamu akan berterima kasih dan menjaga nama baik dan tatasusila tuan rumah, yang mempunyai adab-adab yang tertentu dalam kehidupannya di rumah sendiri. Begitulah persefahaman yang wajar wujud antara rakyat Malaysia dan para pegawai dagang dari luar negara, saling memahami, hormat-menghormati sebagai dasar hubungan yang sihat dan selesa. Persefahaman yang sedemikian boleh diwujudkan tanpa langsung menjejaskan ekonomi dan kesejahteraan penduduk Labuan.

Pergaulan bebas dan seks rambang adalah menyimpang jauh dari penghayatan nilai dan susila rakyat Malaysia, termasuk Labuan. Satu pemerhatian terhadap pertambahan pesat pusat-pusat hiburan dan rumah-rumah urut menghasilkan kebimbangan rakyat Labuan.

Adakah benar GRO yang ramai-ramai didatangkan itu HANYA melayan tenaga kerja dari negara asing? Adakah kajian mengenai GRO di Labuan boleh menafikan sebarang kaitan dengan perdagangan wanita yang tidak halal (women trafficking)? Adakah para pekerja di pusat-pusat hiburan tersebut dibenarkan untuk menyatakan dengan jelas dan benar tentang situasi di pusat-pusat tersebut?

Ibu bapa yang waras dan menyayangi anak-anak perempuan mereka sentiasa menginginkan yang terbaik buat anak-anak mereka. Kepimpinan yang sensitif dan bertanggungjawab akan menganggap mereka seperti anak-anak mereka sendiri yang memerlukan perlindungan. Begitulah hendaknya juga anggapan rakyat yang ihsan terhadap semua anak-anak perempuan di mana saja mereka berada, tidak kira dari mana asal-usul mereka. Maka jika demikian, adakah kita akan membenarkan anak-anak kita untuk berkarier dalam arena yang cenderung untuk mencabul kehormatan mereka pada bila-bila masa?

Janganlah nanti pulau Labuan dilanda musibah kerana memakmurkan apa yang tidak disenangi oleh nilai-nilai agama rakyat Malaysia.

Negara Malaysia wajar memperincikan prinsip Rukunegara yang yang pertama itu dengan menggesa rakyat Malaysia meneliti semula apa yang terkandung di dalam kitab masing-masing bagi menjalani kehidupan yang selamat di dunia ini.

Is there another choice?

2006-10-13T16:27:00.000-07:00

Rencana

Memilih antara demokratik dan autokratik

Oleh: MOHMAD SHAID TAUFEK

SEORANG siswa berbincang dengan gurunya mengenai gaya kepimpinan. Sang siswa bertegas bahawa kepimpinan stail demokratik (participative) adalah lebih baik daripada stail autokratik (authoritative). Si guru, sesuai dengan peranan dan kedudukannya, sengaja memerangkap sang siswa supaya berfikir secara lebih kritis dengan mengatakan pendiriannya itu kurang baik.

Sang siswa berhujah bahawa pendiriannya itu lebih baik kerana ia mementingkan rasa kemanusiaan, timbang rasa dan sayang kepada anak buah. Apa yang lebih mulia dan terpuji dari itu - dari kemanusiaan, tegasnya. Si guru menjawab: ‘‘Pasti ada.’’ Setiap sesuatu ada banyak pilihan dan kadang-kadang ia berkedudukan bertentangan dan tidak semestinya tidak baik.

Siswa itu tidak puas hati lalu berkata bahawa stail demokratik melibatkan penyertaan dan pandangan anak buah. Mereka berasa dihargai, diajak berbincang dan menjadi sebahagian daripada jentera membuat keputusan. Ini akan mengukuhkan bukan hanya perhubungan dalam organisasi tetapi juga menimbulkan rasa taat setia dan perasaan sense of belonging yang kuat. Jadi di mana letaknya kelemahan stail itu, soalnya.

Si guru menjawab bahawa sungguh- pun gaya autokratik nampaknya keras, tetapi itu bukan bererti tiada perbincangan dan pertukaran pendapat. Cuma perbincangan itu lebih didominasi pemimpin berdasarkan andaian dan pendirian serta komitmen pemimpin itu sendiri. Dia tidak membebaskan perbincangan ikut selera berbagai andaian dan pendirian anak buahnya.

Sang siswa segera menghujah bahawa gaya itu jadinya adalah monodirectional, sering kasar - iaitu mengenepikan pandangan orang lain dengan mudah - dan tentunya perbincangan menjadi singkat berbanding gaya demokratik.

Maha guru tersenyum; jerat telah mengena. Betul, katanya, tetapi bukankah gaya autokratik itu lebih cepat, lebih efisien dan menurut kehendak satu pendirian dan satu paradigma yang tidak berubah-ubah! Di sebaliknya, gaya demokratik itu sering menyebabkan pemimpin berubah-ubah pendirian dan paradigmanya kerana kepelbagaian pendirian dan paradigma anak buahnya yang ramai itu. Ini menyebabkan dasar-dasar menjadi simpang-siur atau saling bertentangan. Akhirnya anak buah menjadi kelam-kabut, bingung dan berpecah belah. Kadang-kadang mereka jadi berontak.

Yang lebih penting lagi, kata maha guru itu, ialah pencapaian prestasi. Atas sebab-sebab di atas itu maka gaya autokratik lebih cepat, lebih berkesan dan lebih tepat memungkinkan pencapaian prestasi dan kemajuan. Gaya demokratik amat perlahan membuahkan hasil; kadang-kadang tidak mendatangkan hasil langsung kerana banyak sangat cekcoknya. Langsung maha guru bertanya, “Mana yang anda pilih, mahu yang berhasil cepat atau lambat?"

Sang siswa kurang yakin, lalu meminta penjelasan lanjut. Maha guru tersenyum lagi, menyedari sang siswa sudah mulai keliru. Seterusnya dia menjelaskan bahawa dua elemen ini - iaitu cara layanan terhadap pertimbangan kemanusiaan dan prestasi - adalah sentiasa bertentangan fitrahnya. Jika tinggi layanan diberikan kepada pertimbangan kemanusiaan, maka rendahlah pencapaian prestasi. Sebaliknya, jika rendah layanan diberikan kepada pertimbangan kemanusiaan, maka tinggilah pencapaian prestasi.

Sang siswa terasa kalah dalam perdebatan itu tetapi masih belum mahu mengakuinya, langsung mencabar maha guru bagaimana proses itu boleh terjadi. Maha guru segera menjawab. Katanya, dalam gaya demokratik pemimpin boleh menjadi patung, atau paling baik pun undecisive, kerana pengikut menjadi lebih kuat lantaran ramai dan banyak pendapat. Sebaliknya, dalam gaya autokratik, pemimpin menjadi pengukir patung. Tentulah pengukir lebih berkesan dari patung, katanya sambil ketawa kecil.

Sang siswa terasa malu alah tetapi bagi menutupnya dia terus lagi mencabar maha guru itu untuk membuktikannya. Mahaguru itu tersenyum lagi dan berkata ilmu pengurusan ini boleh diaplikasikan kepada situasi pengurusan kerajaan atau korporat mahupun juga politik. Hasilnya sama sahaja. Lihatlah pemerintahan Saddam Hussein yang dikatakan diktator itu. Ia lebih baik, berkemajuan dan berkesan serta memberi kemakmuran sekurang-kurangnya kepada sebilangan besar rakyatnya berbanding dengan pemerintahan di bawah naungan Amerika Syarikat. Sekarang ini yang dikatakan demokratik tetapi ia membawa kucar-kacir, kerosakan, bencana dan kemunduran kepada majoriti rakyat Iraq!

Sang siswa merasa tertekan lalu semberono menyoal maha guru sama ada kerana itu maka seseorang bos atau pemimpin itu mesti memilih stail autokratik. Tidak, jawab maha guru, tegas. Sang siswa bertambah bingung lalu terus sahaja bertanya, mengapa. Kerana, kata maha guru itu, kedua-dua gaya itu jika tidak digunakan dengan berhemah akan bermasalah dan membawa padah kerana kedua-duanya boleh disalahgunakan.

Dalam gaya demokratik, penyalahgunaan boleh berpunca daripada anak buah sendiri, terutama yang disayangi, manakala bagi autokratik, penyalahgunaan boleh berpunca daripada diri pemimpin itu sendiri.

Langsung maha guru bertanya: " Jadi, mana satu pilihan anda?"

- DATUK MOHMAD SHAID TAUFEK ialah bekas Datuk Bandar Kuala Lumpur.
utusan online
14/10/06

Acceptable Logic?

2006-10-09T19:40:00.000-07:00

‘GRO asing hanya untuk pegawai dagang luar negara’

Oleh Kassim Sangi

Daily Express, Selasa 3 Oktober 2006

Labuan: Dakwaan kononnya tindakan pihak berkuasa tempatan(PBT) membenarkan pusat hiburan disini mengambil pekerja wanita asing telah menjadikan pulau ini sebagai syurga bagi pegawai perhubungan (GRO) asing, adalah tidak benar.

Anggota Parlimen Labuan, Datuk Suhaili Abdul Rahman berkata, GRO asing itu hanyalah untuk menampung pegawai dagang yang bekerja di sini.

Beliau menjelaskan, Labuan mempunyai beribu-ribu pegawai dagang asing yang keluar masuk setiap bulan sama ada bekerja di syarikat berkaitan Gas dan Petroleum atau syarikat yang beroperasi di pulau ini.

Suhaili berkata, adalah jelas yang para pegawai dagang itu akan mencari tempat untuk berhibur setelah bekerja keras sepanjang hari.

“Dan kita perlu menyediakan tempat seperti itu untuk mereka. Ia hanyalah tanggapan liar penduduk semata-mata dan dakwaan itu tidak benar sama sekali,” katanya kepada Harian Ekspres dalam satu wawancara, baru-baru ini.

Suhaili mengulas surat yang disiarkan dalamForum Harian Ekspres, baru-baru ini yang mempersoalkan rasional di sebalik tindakan GRO asing untuk bekerja di pusat hiburan tertentu di Labuan.

Penulis itu mendakwa,dengan kebenaran istimewa seperti itu, Labuan telah dibanjiri GRO asing yang boleh membawa keruntuhan rumahtangga.

Sepucuk lagi surat mendakwa GRO asing menjadi semakin berani dengan mencari pelanggan di sesetengah tempat pada waktu siang.

“Beberapa faktor membawa kita untuk menimbang sama ada hendak membenarkan pusat hiburan mengambil GRO asing,” kata Suhaili, dan menambah, antaranya ialah untuk memberikan kerja seperti itu kepada rakyat asing bukannya penduduk tempatan.

Suhaili mengulangi bahawa tindakan membenarkan gadis-gadis tempatan untuk bekerja di tempat seperti itu sudah tentu akan mendapat bantahan keras daripada ibu bapa.

“Sudah diketahui umum bahawa GRO terdedah kepada “sentuhan” oleh pelanggan terutamanya apabila mereka mabuk alkohol,” katanya, sambil menambah, dengan nilai-nilai budaya dan agama yang kuat di kalangan penduduk tempatan,maka sudah tentu ibu bapa tidak akan membenarkan perkara ini berlaku terhadap anak-anak perempuan mereka.

Quotable Quotes

2006-10-04T23:13:00.000-07:00

Throughout history, it has been the inaction of those who could have acted; the indifference of those who should have known better; the silence of the voice of justice when it mattered most; that has made it possible for evil to triumph: Haile Selassie

"The world is a dangerous place to live, not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don't do anything about it." - Albert Einstein

There is no week nor day nor hour when tyranny may not enter upon this country - if the people lose their confidence in themselves - and lose their roughness and spirit of defiance. - Walt Whitman

Malaysia Boleh stabilize price?

2006-10-01T06:44:00.000-07:00

"Jangan naikkan harga -- TPM ingatkan peniaga tidak eksploitasi keperluan musim perayaan"

We read such headline every year. This year looks worse than previous years. Soon, it is reported, there will even be a plunge in the supply of chilies. That, in economics, signals a rise in price.
On another reflection, the price of petrol is expected to rise again in 2007. The cost of traveling by cabs at LCC-T rose today. After electricity, the authorities are mulling to increase the rate of water usage. I suspect the price of school textbooks will also raise come 2007. Keeping track of household products will discover the prices of most of the things we buy; condensed milk, biscuit, milk, meats, vegetables (less vegetables for same price), breads (have you noticed Gardenia’s burger breads getting ridiculously smaller than it used to be?), rice (at one time it rose almost 100%), etc.
This is hard times and getting harder in the future. On the advice for consumers to be mindful and wise in spending, I think the authorities with spending power should be the ones in the forefront in being mindful and wise in spending public money. Almost half of the 2007 budget is spent on administrative and maintenance costs (like at Purtrajaya.) The contracts for maintenance of government buildings can be exorbitant. How much are you charged for maintenance of aircond? RM150? Well, government building may pay RM300 for the same service. Now, who gets the contract for the maintenance is the subject for another scrutiny. Serious lack of deliberation in ascertaining priorities in spending causes wastage and diversion from proper spending in needed sectors. We should support an administration that has the political will to stabilize prices, not engage in unnecessary wastage and spending how they like but truly spending in the interest of the people.

Quotable Quote

2006-09-29T18:38:00.000-07:00

So long as the people do not care to exercise their freedom, those who wish to tyrannize will do so; for tyrants are active and ardent, and will devote themselves in the name of any number of gods, religious and otherwise, to put shackles upon sleeping men: Voltaire. François Marie Arouet (1694-1778)

Rise Up Against the Empire

2006-09-27T04:33:00.000-07:00

Rise Up Against the Empire

http://informationclearinghouse.info/article15041.htm

Rise Up Against the Empire

President Hugo Chavez, Address to the United Nations

See also - Press Conference: Mr. Hugo Chavez Frias, President of
Venezuela: Video: United Nations Press Conference

09/19/06 "Information Clearing House" -- --

Representatives of the governments of the world, good morning to all
of you. First of all, I would like to invite you, very respectfully,
to those who have not read this book, to read it.

Noam Chomsky, one of the most prestigious American and world
intellectuals, Noam Chomsky, and this is one of his most recent books,
'Hegemony or Survival: The Imperialist Strategy of the United States.
'" [Holds up book, waves it in front of General Assembly.] "It's an
excellent book to help us understand what has been happening in the
world throughout the 20th century, and what's happening now, and the
greatest threat looming over our planet.

The hegemonic pretensions of the American empire are placing at risk
the very survival of the human species. We continue to warn you about
this danger and we appeal to the people of the United States and the
world to halt this threat, which is like a sword hanging over our
heads. I had considered reading from this book, but, for the sake of
time," [flips through the pages, which are numerous] "I will just
leave it as a recommendation.

It reads easily, it is a very good book, I'm sure Madame [President]
you are familiar with it. It appears in English, in Russian, in
Arabic, in German. I think that the first people who should read this
book are our brothers and sisters in the United States, because their
threat is right in their own house.

The devil is right at home. The devil, the devil himself, is right in
the house.

"And the devil came here yesterday. Yesterday the devil came here.
Right here." [crosses himself] "And it smells of sulfur still today.

Yesterday, ladies and gentlemen, from this rostrum, the president of
the United States, the gentleman to whom I refer as the devil, came
here, talking as if he owned the world. Truly. As the owner of the world.

I think we could call a psychiatrist to analyze yesterday's statement
made by the president of the United States. As the spokesman of
imperialism, he came to share his nostrums, to try to preserve the
current pattern of domination, exploitation and pillage of the peoples
of the world.

An Alfred Hitchcock movie could use it as a scenario. I would even
propose a title: "The Devil's Recipe."

As Chomsky says here, clearly and in depth, the American empire is
doing all it can to consolidate its system of domination. And we
cannot allow them to do that. We cannot allow world dictatorship to be
consolidated.

The world parent's statement -- cynical, hypocritical, full of this
imperial hypocrisy from the need they have to control everything.

They say they want to impose a democratic model. But that's their
democratic model. It's the false democracy of elites, and, I would
say, a very original democracy that's imposed by weapons and bombs and
firing weapons.

What a strange democracy. Aristotle might not recognize it or others
who are at the root of democracy.

What type of democracy do you impose with marines and bombs?

The president of the United States, yesterday, said to us, right here,
in this room, and I'm quoting, "Anywhere you look, you hear extremists
telling you can escape from poverty and recover your dignity through
violence, terror and martyrdom."

Wherever he looks, he sees extremists. And you, my brother -- he looks
at your color, and he says, oh, there's an extremist. Evo Morales, the
worthy president of Bolivia, looks like an extremist to him.

The imperialists see extremists everywhere. It's not that we are
extremists. It's that the world is waking up. It's waking up all over.
And people are standing up.

I have the feeling, dear world dictator, that you are going to live
the rest of your days as a nightmare because the rest of us are
standing up, all those who are rising up against American imperialism,
who are shouting for equality, for respect, for the sovereignty of
nations.

Yes, you can call us extremists, but we are rising up against the
empire, against the model of domination.

The president then -- and this he said himself, he said: "I have come
to speak directly to the populations in the Middle East, to tell them
that my country wants peace."

That's true. If we walk in the streets of the Bronx, if we walk around
New York, Washington, San Diego, in any city, San Antonio, San
Francisco, and we ask individuals, the citizens of the United States,
what does this country want? Does it want peace? They'll say yes.

But the government doesn't want peace. The government of the United
States doesn't want peace. It wants to exploit its system of
exploitation, of pillage, of hegemony through war.

It wants peace. But what's happening in Iraq? What happened in
Lebanon? In Palestine? What's happening? What's happened over the last
100 years in Latin America and in the world? And now threatening
Venezuela -- new threats against Venezuela, against Iran?

He spoke to the people of Lebanon. Many of you, he said, have seen how
your homes and communities were caught in the crossfire. How cynical
can you get? What a capacity to lie shamefacedly. The bombs in Beirut
with millimetric precision?

This is crossfire? He's thinking of a western, when people would shoot
from the hip and somebody would be caught in the crossfire.

This is imperialist, fascist, assassin, genocidal, the empire and
Israel firing on the people of Palestine and Lebanon. That is what
happened. And now we hear, "We're suffering because we see homes
destroyed.'

The president of the United States came to talk to the peoples -- to
the peoples of the world. He came to say -- I brought some documents
with me, because this morning I was reading some statements, and I see
that he talked to the people of Afghanistan, the people of Lebanon,
the people of Iran. And he addressed all these peoples directly.

And you can wonder, just as the president of the United States
addresses those peoples of the world, what would those peoples of the
world tell him if they were given the floor? What would they have to say?

And I think I have some inkling of what the peoples of the south, the
oppressed people think. They would say, "Yankee imperialist, go home."
I think that is what those people would say if they were given the
microphone and if they could speak with one voice to the American
imperialists.

And that is why, Madam President, my colleagues, my friends, last year
we came here to this same hall as we have been doing for the past
eight years, and we said something that has now been confirmed --
fully, fully confirmed.

I don't think anybody in this room could defend the system. Let's
accept -- let's be honest. The U.N. system, born after the Second
World War, collapsed. It's worthless.

Oh, yes, it's good to bring us together once a year, see each other,
make statements and prepare all kinds of long documents, and listen to
good speeches, like Abel's yesterday, or President Mullah's . Yes,
it's good for that.

And there are a lot of speeches, and we've heard lots from the
president of Sri Lanka, for instance, and the president of Chile.

But we, the assembly, have been turned into a merely deliberative
organ. We have no power, no power to make any impact on the terrible
situation in the world. And that is why Venezuela once again proposes,
here, today, 20 September, that we re-establish the United Nations.

Last year, Madam, we made four modest proposals that we felt to be
crucially important. We have to assume the responsibility our heads of
state, our ambassadors, our representatives, and we have to discuss it.

The first is expansion, and Mullah talked about this yesterday right
here. The Security Council, both as it has permanent and non-permanent
categories, (inaudible) developing countries and LDCs must be given
access as new permanent members. That's step one.

Second, effective methods to address and resolve world conflicts,
transparent decisions.

Point three, the immediate suppression -- and that is something
everyone's calling for -- of the anti-democratic mechanism known as
the veto, the veto on decisions of the Security Council.

Let me give you a recent example. The immoral veto of the United
States allowed the Israelis, with impunity, to destroy Lebanon. Right
in front of all of us as we stood there watching, a resolution in the
council was prevented.

Fourthly, we have to strengthen, as we've always said, the role and
the powers of the secretary general of the United Nations.

Yesterday, the secretary general practically gave us his speech of
farewell. And he recognized that over the last 10 years, things have
just gotten more complicated; hunger, poverty, violence, human rights
violations have just worsened. That is the tremendous consequence of
the collapse of the United Nations system and American hegemonistic
pretensions.

Madam, Venezuela a few years ago decided to wage this battle within
the United Nations by recognizing the United Nations, as members of it
that we are, and lending it our voice, our thinking.

Our voice is an independent voice to represent the dignity and the
search for peace and the reformulation of the international system; to
denounce persecution and aggression of hegemonistic forces on the planet.

This is how Venezuela has presented itself. Bolivar's home has sought
a nonpermanent seat on the Security Council.

Let's see. Well, there's been an open attack by the U.S. government,
an immoral attack, to try and prevent Venezuela from being freely
elected to a post in the Security Council.

The imperium is afraid of truth, is afraid of independent voices. It
calls us extremists, but they are the extremists.

And I would like to thank all the countries that have kindly announced
their support for Venezuela, even though the ballot is a secret one
and there's no need to announce things.

But since the imperium has attacked, openly, they strengthened the
convictions of many countries. And their support strengthens us.

Mercosur, as a bloc, has expressed its support, our brothers in
Mercosur. Venezuela, with Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, is a
full member of Mercosur.

And many other Latin American countries, CARICOM, Bolivia have
expressed their support for Venezuela. The Arab League, the full Arab
League has voiced its support. And I am immensely grateful to the Arab
world, to our Arab brothers, our Caribbean brothers, the African
Union. Almost all of Africa has expressed its support for Venezuela
and countries such as Russia or China and many others.

I thank you all warmly on behalf of Venezuela, on behalf of our
people, and on behalf of the truth, because Venezuela, with a seat on
the Security Council, will be expressing not only Venezuela's
thoughts, but it will also be the voice of all the peoples of the
world, and we will defend dignity and truth.

Over and above all of this, Madam President, I think there are reasons
to be optimistic. A poet would have said "helplessly optimistic,"
because over and above the wars and the bombs and the aggressive and
the preventive war and the destruction of entire peoples, one can see
that a new era is dawning.

As Sylvia Rodriguez says, the era is giving birth to a heart. There
are alternative ways of thinking. There are young people who think
differently. And this has already been seen within the space of a mere
decade. It was shown that the end of history was a totally false
assumption, and the same was shown about Pax Americana and the
establishment of the capitalist neo-liberal world. It has been shown,
this system, to generate mere poverty. Who believes in it now?

What we now have to do is define the future of the world. Dawn is
breaking out all over. You can see it in Africa and Europe and Latin
America and Oceanea. I want to emphasize that optimistic vision.

We have to strengthen ourselves, our will to do battle, our awareness.
We have to build a new and better world.

Venezuela joins that struggle, and that's why we are threatened. The
U.S. has already planned, financed and set in motion a coup in
Venezuela, and it continues to support coup attempts in Venezuela and
elsewhere.

President Michelle Bachelet reminded us just a moment ago of the
horrendous assassination of the former foreign minister, Orlando Letelier.

And I would just add one thing: Those who perpetrated this crime are
free. And that other event where an American citizen also died were
American themselves. They were CIA killers, terrorists.

And we must recall in this room that in just a few days there will be
another anniversary. Thirty years will have passed from this other
horrendous terrorist attack on the Cuban plane, where 73 innocents
died, a Cubana de Aviacion airliner.

And where is the biggest terrorist of this continent who took the
responsibility for blowing up the plane? He spent a few years in jail
in Venezuela. Thanks to CIA and then government officials, he was
allowed to escape, and he lives here in this country, protected by the
government.

And he was convicted. He has confessed to his crime. But the U.S.
government has double standards. It protects terrorism when it wants to.

And this is to say that Venezuela is fully committed to combating
terrorism and violence. And we are one of the people who are fighting
for peace.

Luis Posada Carriles is the name of that terrorist who is protected
here. And other tremendously corrupt people who escaped from Venezuela
are also living here under protection: a group that bombed various
embassies, that assassinated people during the coup. They kidnapped me
and they were going to kill me, but I think God reached down and our
people came out into the streets and the army was too, and so I'm here
today.

But these people who led that coup are here today in this country
protected by the American government. And I accuse the American
government of protecting terrorists and of having a completely cynical
discourse.

We mentioned Cuba. Yes, we were just there a few days ago. We just
came from there happily.

And there you see another era born. The Summit of the 15, the Summit
of the Nonaligned, adopted a historic resolution. This is the outcome
document. Don't worry, I'm not going to read it.

But you have a whole set of resolutions here that were adopted after
open debate in a transparent matter -- more than 50 heads of state.
Havana was the capital of the south for a few weeks, and we have now
launched, once again, the group of the nonaligned with new momentum.

And if there is anything I could ask all of you here, my companions,
my brothers and sisters, it is to please lend your good will to lend
momentum to the Nonaligned Movement for the birth of the new era, to
prevent hegemony and prevent further advances of imperialism.

And as you know, Fidel Castro is the president of the nonaligned for
the next three years, and we can trust him to lead the charge very
efficiently.

Unfortunately they thought, "Oh, Fidel was going to die." But they're
going to be disappointed because he didn't. And he's not only alive,
he's back in his green fatigues, and he's now presiding the nonaligned.

So, my dear colleagues, Madam President, a new, strong movement has
been born, a movement of the south. We are men and women of the south.

With this document, with these ideas, with these criticisms, I'm now
closing my file. I'm taking the book with me. And, don't forget, I'm
recommending it very warmly and very humbly to all of you.

We want ideas to save our planet, to save the planet from the
imperialist threat. And hopefully in this very century, in not too
long a time, we will see this, we will see this new era, and for our
children and our grandchildren a world of peace based on the
fundamental principles of the United Nations, but a renewed United
Nations.

And maybe we have to change location. Maybe we have to put the United
Nations somewhere else; maybe a city of the south. We've proposed
Venezuela.

You know that my personal doctor had to stay in the plane. The chief
of security had to be left in a locked plane. Neither of these
gentlemen was allowed to arrive and attend the U.N. meeting. This is
another abuse and another abuse of power on the part of the Devil. It
smells of sulfur here, but God is with us and I embrace you all.

May God bless us all. Good day to you.

17 tahun dan buta huruf!

2006-09-25T07:04:00.000-07:00

Utusan Malaysia Online, 17 September 2006 melaporkan bahawa ada pelatih Program Latihan Khidmat Negara(PLKN) yang buta huruf! Bagaimana boleh perkara sedemikian berlaku jika mereka telah melalui prosess pendidikan negara? Itulah persoalan yang berligar-ligar dalam fikiran yang waras. Menulis namapun tidak tahu? Adakah Timbalan Menteri Malaysia, yang juga bekas Menteri Pendidikan, tidak tahu keadaan buta huruf rakyatnya sebelum ini?

Apakah penyelidikan dan rancangan terperinci untuk mengatasi fenomena buta huruf di kalangan rakyat? Saya rasa, untuk mengajar anak-anak membaca bukanlah suatu kesulitan. Jika ia menjadi suatu beban dan kesulitan kepada yang bertanggungjawab untuk melaksanakan amanah memastikan anak-anak boleh membaca, maka eloklah guru-guru dan pegawai-pegawai berkenaan berhenti bekerja dalam arena ini dan mencari pekerjaan lain, agar memberi laluan kepada yang benar-benar berminat untuk mendidik generasi masa depan.

Kurikulum pendidikan pra-sekolah menghendaki anak-anak boleh membaca apabila berada di tahap akan mengikuti tahun satu di sekolah-sekolah rendah. Tidakkah ada usaha-usaha penyeliaan dan pengawasan dalam membasmi buta huruf di kalangan anak-anak kecil?

Saya mendapati bahawa usaha-usaha pemulihan di peringkat sekolah rendah dilakukan di tahun dua. Saya rasa itu sudah agak lewat. Pemulihan wajar dilaksanakan di peringkat pra-sekolah lagi. Sebarang kelembapan dalam kemahiran membaca perlu ditangani lebih awal kerana umum mengetahui bahawa tahap keupayaan anak-anak untuk menggarap ilmu paling pesat ialah di antara umur 0-6 tahun.

Produk-produk dasar pendidikan negara yang buta huruf ini membawa implikasi bahawa seolah-olah tiada “synchronization” di antara jabatan pendidikan pra-sekolah, kementerian pelajaran dan kefahaman para penggubal dasar mengenai masalah buta huruf. Dengan sebab itu, dasar-dasar dan pengoperasian yang diwujudkan tidak membasmi buta huruf, bahkan mungkin meneruskannya dan ini menimbulkan tanda tanya yang mendesak di kalangan masyarakat prihatin.

Menyelitkan usaha pengislahan buta huruf dalam program-program Khidmat Negara bukanlah jalan penyelasaian yang terbaik untuk pelatih-pelatih yang buta huruf. Pakar-pakar pendidikan akan bersetuju dengan pandangan sedemikian. Jika objektifnya ialah untuk membasmi buta huruf pelatih-pelatih tersebut, suatu program yang khusus dan sepenuh masa perlu diwujudkan. Pasukan yang tinggi iltizamnya dan kesungguhannya menjadi kriteria utama dalam memastikan objektif tersebut tercapai. Model-model kejayaan dalam menjadikan anak-anak boleh membaca ada dalam masyarakat, khususnya dari institutsi swasta.

Di peringkat pendidikan anak-anak pra-sekolah, kita ingin gurunya bukan hanya setakat menjadi “nanny” pada anak-anak, tetapi itulah yang berlaku di kebanyakan institusi pra-sekolah tajaan kerajaan. Meningkatkan kelulusan akademik guru-guru tersebut belum mencukupi untuk meningkatkan usaha dalam memastikan anak-anak berjaya membaca. Apa yang lebih utama ialah kesedaran dan rasa tanggungjawab yang tinggi di kalangan guru-guru agar bersedia berkorban dan bersungguh-sungguh dalam mencapai tujuan celik membaca di kalangan SEMUA anak-anak, dengan itu mencapai sasaran sifar buta huruf. Oh, hakikatnya kita belum ada dasar sifar buta huruf!

Ramadhan al-Mubarak begins Sunday 24th September 2006

2006-09-22T06:06:00.000-07:00

"O Believers, the Fast has been made obligatory on you just as it was prescribed for the followers of the Prophets before you. It is expected that this will produce piety in you...Ramadhan is the month in which the Quran was sent down; this Book is a perfect guidance for mankind and consits of clear teachings which show the right way and are a criterion of Truth and falsehood...
al-Baqarah: 183 & 185

Other related verses:
al-Baqarah: 184, 196
an-Nisa': 92
al-Maidah: 89,96
Maryam: 26
al-Ahzab: 35
al-Mujadalah: 4

Climax at the Global Intellectual Production

2006-09-21T02:57:00.000-07:00

The good, the bad and UPM
Kuek Ser Kuang Keng and Bede Hong
Sep 21, 06 4:54pm

In several universities malaysiakini visited today, the campus polls went without a hitch, although several universities displayed underhand tactics in ensuring that the pro-establishment group wins.

In Universiti Putra Malaysia, the e-voting system was down for more than three hours this morning, from 9am to 12.30 pm.

By after lunch, malaysiakini found that the polling stations began to recover.

Students who were unable to vote expressed their resentment against the university. At Hostel 13, for example, it was found that many students were forced to queue up in a long line the stretches to outside the hostel. It rained at 12 pm, and students without umbrellas had to bear with it.

UPM authorities has made it compulsory for all students to vote. Students who did not register to vote, are required to write an explanation letter to the authorities.

Today, the UPM hall is under tight security, with guards placed at every hostel entrance. Each vehicle is subjected to checks and the media are prohibited from entering the university compound.

In Universiti Malaya (UM), the election ran smoothly despite a quarantine for hostel students who were required to vote before leaving the hostel. All main gates to colleges were found to be closed.

In this year’s election, the UM election committee no longer records the serial numbers of each ballot as the voting process proceeded at the main auditorium. However, malaysiakini could not confirm that the same practice is carried at other universities.

When approached, several anti-establishment student leaders alleged that the university’s hostel management limited students from campaigning in the college. The campaigning period was reduced to half an hour and speeches at five minutes each.

Power cut off

Student leaders said they had trouble with audio system. “But when the pro-establishment students speak, the system is okay again,” claimed one student.

There were also allegations that pro-establishment students were handing out free t-shirts while they were campaigning.

Students residing at hostels also alleged that they were called up by the hostel quartermaster to attend a dialogue.

“When some students refused to come down, the hostel authorities cut off the power,” said second-year business administration student Fou Hou Thek.

In the dialogue, the students were asked to vote for Aspirasi candidates. Students claimed that authorities cut the power of at least ten colleges to get students to come down. There were at least four kinds of dialogues; one conducted in Mandarin, one in Bahasa Malaysia, one for senior students and one for first year students. The dialogue were conducted by students, who said they had the authority of the hotel quartermaster.

It was also alleged students were told that if the voting turnout exceeds 90 percent, the hostel management would reduce the hostel rent from RM6.50 per day to RM5.50 per day. Students said the information was found on notices placed in College 12, in which students were also advised to vote for Aspirasi candidates.

Meanwhile, Universiti Islam Antarabangsa (UIA)’s Gombak anti-establishment group, ‘We United for Islam’ (WUFI), is expected to win today, as the university’s Aspirasi camp has only sent six candidates to contest for a total of 26 seats.

WUFI has sent 16 candidates, including four international students (two from Palestine, two from Afghanistan) to contest. WUFI has won 4 seats uncontested while the pro-establishment students won four on nomination day.

In UIA’s Kuantan campus, the election will only be contested by individuals. Aspirasi has not sent any candidates to the Kuantan campus.

Face-saving tactic

This year, the voting is done via e-voting, and a total of 11 polling stations were opened throughout UIA Gombak today. After allegations of vote tempering last year, a WUFI spokesperson said it has assigned three students to monitor the polling stations.

“We know the number of students who voted. We want to make sure the figures are not inflated,” said Zikul Amin WUFI election co-ordinator.

There were also allegations by WUFI of a last-minute smearing campaign by the Aspirasi camp.

“Around six this morning, we found some students distributing pamphlets, which had the WUFI logo on it” said one student. The official cut-off time for campaigning was 12 midnight last night.

“The pamphlets stated that those who vote for Aspirasi candidates are infidels and if WUFI wins this election there will be stricter curfew rules, and that male and female students will be separated at all times,” said the student.

Students said that the low turn-out by Aspirasi this year was due low academic performance. It is a requirement that candidates achieve at least a cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of at least 2.8.

However, former WUFI student leader Amin Idrus felt otherwise: “They didn’t contest that many seats because they knew there are going to lose. It’s a face saving tactic.”

The Meaning of Sacrifice

2006-09-20T23:29:00.000-07:00

I'm taking this @ face value.
Rozaini M R
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China Muslim Activist: From Unknown to Nobel Nominee

By REUTERS Published: September 11, 2006
BEIJING (Reuters) - China counted on Rebiya Kadeer, a Muslim businesswoman-turned-activist, fading into political irrelevance like most exiled Chinese dissidents when she left for the United States last year. But it may have miscalculated.
Kadeer, 58, an ethnic Uighur jailed for more than five years in China for providing state secrets to foreigners before her exile, won a Rafto Prize for human rights in Norway in 2004 and has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize this year.
``Rebiya Kadeer champions the rights of western China's Uighur ethnic group and is one of China's most prominent advocates of women's rights,'' Annelie Enochson, a Swedish parliamentarian, wrote in nominating Kadeer for the prestigious Nobel award.
``Kadeer has also used her resources as founder and director of a large trading company in northwestern China to provide fellow Uighurs with training and employment,'' Enochson wrote in the nomination, a copy of which was sent to Reuters by e-mail.
This year's winner is due to be announced in Oslo on October 13. Kadeer is probably only one of many nominees as any member of parliament worldwide can put forward a name.
Four Rafto laureates have gone on to win the Nobel prize. Only 12 women have won since 1901, upsetting many feminists.
The director of the Norwegian Nobel Institute, Geir Lundestad, said in 2001 the committee should ``sooner rather than later'' speak out about the lack of democratic rights in China. He said China was the main exception to a global move to democracy.

ONE-TIME LAUNDRESS

Tibet's god-king, the Dalai Lama, won the Nobel prize in 1989, almost 40 years after Chinese troops marched into his homeland. He fled to India in 1959 after an abortive uprising against Chinese Communist rule.
Kadeer, a one-time laundress, was little known outside China before her exile but a win would raise the profile of militant Uighurs' hitherto faceless movement to make the restive region of Xinjiang an independent state called East Turkestan.
``Rebiya has undisputed legitimacy and the capacity of uniting Uighurs in exile,'' said Nicholas Bequelin, a China researcher in Hong Kong for the New York-based Human Rights Watch.
Kadeer, president of the Uighur American Association, is tipped to be elected president of the World Uighur Congress in October, a source close to her said.
Her biography in German, ``A Woman's Struggle against the Dragon,'' will be published next year.The Chinese Foreign Ministry had no immediate comment on the nomination but denounced Kadeer for ``frequently engaging in anti-Chinese splittist activities.''
``This kind of person is not qualified to represent Chinese Uighurs,'' the ministry spokesman's office said in a statement.
China keeps a tight grip on oil-rich Xinjiang, which shares borders with three former Soviet Central Asian republics, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Russia and Mongolia.
China calls Uighur militants terrorists and blames them for a string of bombings and assassinations in the 1990s.
But human rights groups say China has used its support for the U.S.-led war on terrorism to justify a wider crackdown on Uighurs, including arbitrary arrests, closed-door trials and use of the death penalty.
Kadeer was once a member of the top advisory body to China's parliament but fell from grace and was arrested in 1999 while on her way to meet U.S. congressmen visiting Xinjiang.
Her assets were worth 270 million yuan ($33.8 million) at the time of her arrest but her trading firm and other businesses in real estate are now almost bankrupt due to official harassment.
She said two of her sons were beaten up by Chinese police when they were detained in June and accused of tax evasion.
The whereabouts of a third son who faces subversion charges are unknown and a daughter has been put under house arrest.``Wang Lequan rushed to arrest my sons but Beijing may not rush to sentence them,'' Kadeer, a mother of 11, told Reuters by telephone from her office in Washington, referring to Xinjiang's Communist Party chief.
She insisted her children were innocent.Kadeer pledged to champion the rights of Uighur women and children at any cost, lamenting that many girls ended up working as prostitutes in Chinese cities and boys became thieves or pickpockets.``I'm ready to pay the price,'' she said. ``The more the Chinese government tries to destroy me, the more respect and influence I will have from my people.''

Raja Nazrin extols virtues of a ruler

2006-09-20T21:11:00.000-07:00

I watched the occassion(below) yesterday evening on Brunei TV (we get to watch Brunei TV from Labuan, see). It is a good forum which can be emulated by the Malaysian society. What struck me most was the nature of Raja Nazrin's speech, a part from the extensive research, I thought it was a direct tazkirah for kings and rulers and that the Sultan of Brunei ( and the Brunei royal family) sat to hear all of it. I thought it should have moved those who understood his speech to tears. The extent of the duties of a Muslim ruler surpasses many other responsibilities on this earth.
Raja Nazrin, however, did not in depth compare the realities of present monarchs, esp. those in the South East Asian countries where Monarchs' independence of thought, influence and action starkly varies. In particular between the Thai and Malaysian monarch.
Prof Emeritus Datuk Khoo Kay Kim was also invited to speak as a panel in a forum, after Raja Nazrin's speech. He said that a lack of importance placed in social research has retarded in depth knowledge of social sciences, including knowledge of the Malay Sultanate and its history and influence in society. The quintessential of science and technology have been overemphasised, consequently, the present generation, and for sure the future generation, will not think social sciences is relevant anymore.
After hearing Raja Nazrin's speech, might we expect a reformation in the royal circles in Malaysia in the time to come? One can always be hopeful.

Oh, RN's Malay was simply exquisite.

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Thursday September 21, 2006

Raja Nazrin extols virtues of a ruler

KUALA LUMPUR: The role of monarchs should not be merely symbolic, restricted to carrying out ceremonial and traditional duties.

In making this observation, the Raja Muda of Perak, Raja Nazrin Shah said a king was not “a frozen decorative monument without life.”

Raja Nazrin: ‘A king should exhibit a firm, intelligent and just character’

“A king should exhibit a firm, intelligent and just character, be rich in knowledge and experience,” he said yesterday at a special forum on the Muslim Malay monarchy system in Bandar Seri Begawan, the capital of Brunei.

The forum was held in conjunction with the 60th birthday celebration of the Sultan of Brunei Darussalam, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah.

Raja Nazrin said a king should be able to bridge the old and the new and bring about reforms as well as retain traditions and be ready to institute changes by allowing modernisation to take place without discarding the richness of inherited customs.

For the king to act wisely, intelligently, fairly and equitably, he must have officials and advisers who are knowledgeable and do not have hidden interests, he said.

“A king should never feel pressured and should not have to give his assent if any advice presented contradicts the spirit of the Constitution, contravenes the rule of law and is in breach of the global principles of justice.

“A king should never favour actions that do not symbolise justice or accede to actions that do not reflect the truth,” he said.

Raja Nazrin said administrators appointed to govern a country must prove their loyalty to the king by carrying out their responsibilities honestly, sincerely and with full determination and commitment.

“A king falls because of the collapse of a country, and the country crumbles because of the people's anxiety.

“Weak governance causes the people to be anxious. Defective governance damages the country and, in the end, weakens the king,” he said.

The strengths and weaknesses of a king, he added, were dictated by the strengths and weaknesses of those entrusted to be his officials and advisers.

“Those given the trust and responsibility to advise the king must speak the truth however bitter it may be,” he said.

Raja Nazrin said a king should not underestimate the role of the media, which was becoming more open.

“Managing the media is an art that requires skill, charm and prudence,” he said.

He suggested the creation of a website on the monarchy to allow the world to understand the institution of the monarchy from the palace's perspective.

Raja Nazrin also said monarchs had the responsibility to help overcome terrorism.

He said they could, for example, initiate inter-religious and inter-cultural discussions, enhance the understanding of Islam, voice humanitarian demands and help those who were suffering, especially in Palestine, Afghanistan and Lebanon. –Bernama

Quotable Quote

2006-09-20T08:05:00.000-07:00

And that we owe it to ourselves and our fellows to follow the dictum of the great philosopher and pacifist Bertrand Russell:
“Be isolated, be ignored, be attacked,
be in doubt, be frightened, but do not be silenced.”

Developments from where global intellectuals to emerge

2006-09-19T14:08:00.000-07:00

Free hotel stay for pro-gov’t candidates
Alvin Yap, Bede Hong and Kuek Ser Kuang Keng
Sep 19, 06 7:06pm

Want to dine and spend a night at a luxury hotel? Here’s one way to do it - become a pro-government candidate in the campus polls.

Malaysiakini learnt that scores of university students were booked into a four-star hotel in Petaling Jaya last weekend as part of a gratuitous gesture by the government.

The 42 students from Universiti Malaya (UM) are running as pro-government candidates in this Thursday’s nationwide campus elections.

A check revealed that the bill, which passed the RM5,000 mark, was footed by the Selangor Menteri Besar’s office, or in other words, taxpayer’s money.

Malaysiakini was able to verify that the students checked into the Crystal Crown Hotel on Sunday. They later dined at the hotel restaurant.

Thirty-two rooms - including several located on the highest level known as the ‘executive summit floor’- were booked.

However, it could not be confirmed if any progammes had been conducted for the students.

This development is the latest in an organised effort on the government’s part to ensure that the opposing faction, or anti-establishment students, lose all seats in the campus polls.

Workshop for students

Sources also confirmed that a character-building workshop was organised by UM administration on Sept 12-13 at the Pearl International Hotel in Kuala Lumpur.

Called the ‘entrepreneurship workshop’, it focussed on public speaking skills and the importance of teamwork.

According to sources, the vast majority of those present at the workshop were from the pro-government faction, including those shortlisted as candidates.

UM deputy vice-chancellor (student affairs and alumni) Prof Dr Mohd Razali Agus and other officials , including from Umno Youth, were also present. In all public universities, these deputy vice-chancellors double as the election committee chairperson.

Like their counterparts in other public universities, UM’s anti-establishment faction - known as GMUM (Gagasan Mahasiswa Universiti Malaya) - is expected to face an uphill struggle.

Out of the total 41 seats, the pro-government faction has won six uncontested while their rivals took two.

Unlike last year, where ‘anti-establishment’ students boycotted the polls in five top universities after complaining about unfair election rules, this year only Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) will see a boycott.

When contacted Mohd Razali said he was busy and will only be able to comment next week.

Malaysiakini.com

2006-09-19T06:38:00.000-07:00

I walked into the Labuan KWSP office to do a transaction last week. One of the personnel accosted me and asked if my application to withdraw money was approved. It was a proactive gesture on her part. I must say that the management of the KWSP office is one of the best if not the best in Labuan. I also believe they have the best monitoring system of payments (unlike SOCSO! One can never get a current update of one's monthly payment! Beware, though the fines come very swift!).
Personnel are not allowed to speak unnecessarily before afternoon. Yes, the offfice is very quiet when clients come to visit in the morning (unlike in some departments, one can hear chattings and laughter like its some place else, not an office).
They are attentive and try to help as much as they can. Most importantly, they follow-up unfinished clients' transactions (this is extremely rare, if not unheard of, in a governmental organisation).
On one of the walls of the KWSP office, I saw a statement that says something like this:
To become the best organisation in the world(I'll check again the exact words).
Go for it, KWSP people!
Of course, management of office and day-to-day transactions are completely different from management of the funds. Well, I may research on KWSP's good governance when I have the time later.

What's the cost to be an intellectual?

2006-09-18T04:23:00.000-07:00

When Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi called for intellectuals to be globally outstanding, it seems so far fetched, to me, for a great number of Malaysians to achieve that. From tax incentives and prices of educational materials to the freedom of intellectual discussions everywhere in Malaysia, the environment to produce intellectuals, let alone globally competent intellectual remains a myth.
One global survey found that in Malaysia, less than 15% of the population received higher-level education. A lesser percentage of that pursues further academic level. Highly intellectual people are a rarity in Malaysia. When such people enter politics, most of them rarely hold the reins but are reined in by their voters who put them in power. Such is the soulless intellect and intellectual.
From another perspective, to produce intellectuals, reading should be a habit. It is a very expensive activity to read the latest title in the market to keep abreast of world developments in every human and non-human endeavour. Simply, because quality books are a rip-off.
Students in higher learning institution can easily spend up to RM500 per semester (3 months). That makes a total of RM2000 per year. A family who has several children at higher educational centres will probably incur at least RM5000 per year. Schoolchildren need books, too. They may spend several hundred ringgit per month to buy new activity books, magazines, storybooks, etc. Parents who study further may also spend money on reading materials. One tends to question, why only books? Why are not included all other educational materials, like CDs, software, magazines, newspapers, etc. for tax exemption? The meagre RM1000 allowance for book purchase does not reflect a serious and whole-hearted intention of the government to produce a knowledge-based society that will face the challenges of the coming competitive years and global era. It is truly a high-priced venture to become an intellectual in Malaysia for the not so well to do lay people.
To become an intellectual, one needs to read, read, and read, and to do more reading. Yes, other than book purchase, one can visit the library. Most public libraries offer old edition books. Alternatively, one can be an outside member of a university library. Such libraries are now under private management. One has to subscribe at RM100 per year with RM150 deposit per book to borrow. If one wishes to borrow four books at a time, then one needs to deposit RM600. In some areas, the government is not intimate with what the people are experiencing. It is pointless to urge people to accomplish various expectations when the environment for the said expectations is not provided for.
In Malaysia, what is discussed within the classroom in campus is not supposed to be repeated outside, particularly regarding topics under Malaysian Studies/History/Politics or the like. What touches the sensitivity of the status quo is to remain untouched even when it does not help the understanding of our history and perspectives. Therefore, students are often unaware of the depth and factual aspects of some topics in discussions. We see lecturers and teachers unable or refusing to engage in controversy, that is, playing safe, for they will be monitored and their lectures and discussions taped by camouflaged students working for those that have a stake in keeping students uninformed about the real events of history. Therefore, we see the negligibility of free intellectual thinking.
The internet is truly a source of information. Where in some countries the rate of charges is minimal, Malaysia, via Telekom Malaysia, is charging a rate that puts off whole-hearted research by those with average means. Of course, the hikes in petrol price have also diminished the intellectual quest of the lay people. How can that be happening? For sure, this question suggests that no such consideration (the erosion of intellectual quest) was evident when the price hikes occurred.
Harvard University, the top ranking global university, waives fees for low and middle-income families. Such move is exemplary, for great brains can come from all sections of the society. One of the stepping-stones to become globally competent is a great education from a great university. Therefore, really, I have a pessimistic view about Malaysians achieving globally outstanding status in great numbers unless the real aspects that propel the production of such globally outstanding intellectuals exist.

What "Retreat"?

2006-09-16T08:01:00.000-07:00

What “Retreat”?

The news about Labuan’s prospective future was made public in the papers on Friday 18^th August 2006 (‘Labuan’s population too little’, Daily Express). There is no untoward implication mentioned of its “u-turn policy,” from being a duty-free to a non-duty-free island. It is far from unusual, as a culture on the island, to let the public know a little at a time until the grand plan is all ready for implementation. Only a handful of elite will know exactly what will be on the menu for the future. There is no document on the “Retreat Halatuju Pembangunan WP Labuan” published anywhere in the relevant website. No such or related document is available for public access.

This writing is not primarily about contending whether a U-turn is good or bad for Labuan. It is the way a policy about the island is ascertained, that is, without much public awareness and absence of a concrete feasibility study available for public scrutiny. After all, it is the public’s fund that will be utilised.

There is also the question of who will benefit from a drastic change in the direction of Labuan’s future, especially from the building of a bridge from mainland Sabah to Labuan?

Some welcomed the idea (building the bridge) because they say, there will be ease of mobility for people and goods; that encourages trade and population increase within the island, and that the price of cigarettes and liquor will be high so consumption (and smuggling) of such products will be heavily reduced. Is that supported by any study on the matters? How will ease of mobility increase Labuan’s population? Population does not increase purely on enhanced mobility.

The seminar on “Retreat Halatuju Pembangunan WP Labuan” held at Magellan Sutera, Kota Kinabalu (why should such an important event for all Labuan to know is held outside the island is beyond my comprehension as Labuan has all the facility needed for an international function.) suggested that the development concept previously adopted had failed to develop Labuan according to its objectives. That means, at least 22 years of policy implementation had come to nothing for Labuan; not to mention the billions of ringgit spent by the authorities on various projects on the island. At this stage, too, obtaining clean water for all Labuan citizens is still an issue. Has there been a lack of priority thinking on the part of the policy makers? Basic utility comes first before mega projects.

The Federal territory Minister said “… we need to look back on what we have done and what needs to be done.” What HAD been done? Where are the statistics, figures, yardstick/measurement to measure the success/failure of the administration of the island? Is it true that a small population was the only cause for wanting a U-turn in policy? What may happen if job opportunities are improved? What if more niches are created for Labuan? What will happen if the skilled labour sector is improved?

There was also mentioned that Labuan can be developed as a regional educational centre and a halal food hub entails? Has there been any successful venture in both the areas? Reactivating Sabah Shipyard to its glorious past had been a promise made for almost a decade without any success.

The long-proposed bridge is thought to improve the economy of the island. What are the rationales for that opinion? How in specific terms the bridge will significantly contribute to improve the island’s economy?

Perhaps, first, the island needs a reform in its administration. There ought to be a professionally run local authority to achieve the highest standard of administration that concerned itself mainly with the interest of the people by simultaneously being a sustainable organisation. A different mindset is needed to upgrade the quality of the workforce that make the island functions as the IOFC, tourist attraction and a duty free island. We cannot be continually building infrastructure, bricks, and walls to sustain the economy. Purchasing power can be obtained other than through increased population. There should be in place strategies to ensure that the buying powers stay to support local businesses.

What research has been done to justify a change in policy? These and many more questions are imperative to be answered by the authorities to put the citizens' mind and soul at rest.

In addition, I believe, the principles of “participation, transparency, responsiveness, equity, accountability, and good governance, rule of law, efficiency, and effectiveness” will serve as excellent guidelines to begin a new administrative era on the island.

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The above article first appeared in the Daily Express (Forum section) on Sunday 3rd September 2006 with a different title.

Anih, sapak Menteri MCA yg bartangkar dangan Hishamuddin tok?

2006-09-16T07:24:00.000-07:00

Good question from a MakCik I met at a feast late yesterafternoon. Yes, I speak a bit Brunei Malay. I need to...if I must communicate with my husband's family.
Lately, there's always a scoop for journalists. A scoop which can always turn to a sensational prolonged item in the papers if not managed properly by those in authority.
Its about the spat between the Deputy Minister of Higher Education, Datuk Ong Tee Keat and the Minister of Education Dato' Sri Hishammuddin bin Tun Hussein. Tee Keat has been perceived to trangress the boundary of a minister by commenting on the weakness of another ministry in handling certain budget allocation. I guess, if I put myself in Hishammuddin's shoes, I would say to Tee Kiat,"Thank you, Datuk. I will check the allegation and take appropriate action if it was found to be true. In future, please let me know personally if there are similar or new cases or suspected cases in the misappropriation of public funds." However, that was not to be the case. Now, MCA, too, must apologise to Hishammuddin. As a layman, I can only look at events on its face value. Perhaps there are reasons why Hishammuddin reacted the way he did, but I don't have that information. Neither do those people that talk, talk and talk in coffee shops. I think, politicians of the status quo must also be extra conscious about their face value actions and words. They are supposed to be role models of the nation . I think they have failed.

The day I decided to become a blogger

2006-09-16T05:16:00.000-07:00

With the help of my second daughter, I am finally writing to the world. There seems so much to respond to, especially when I read the papers, digital or not. This blog will certainly contain issues that I am passionate about. Readers will get to know me as they read my postings (I hope!). Ah,yes, I should gladly entertain queries (bearing in mind that TIME is the one limited resource in this life). I believe, we can learn from one another when we share our thoughts. Please be well-informed that "to the point" (hence the blogname:2dPoint) is the prevailing culture in this blog."To the point", yes, but laden with the ethics of seeking to understand others and having the patience to be understood by others.RMR