Today marks the last day of the celestial Rabbit… which means the time has come for the Dragon to once again make its once in twelve years appearance…
myAsylum would like to take this opportunity to wish one and all, wherever you may be
Gong Xi Fa Cai
Happy Chinese New Year! Selamat Tahun Baru Cina! 新年快乐!
According to the celestial cycle of the Chinese zodiac, this year is that of the Water Dragon, which the practitioners of Feng Shui say will be a year of great change and transformation.
Let us hope that whatever transformation and change in store, these bring us the happiness and prosperity we deserve… (origins of the zodiac, a prediction for 2012, and more, in the full post)
For him, the year of the Dragon is always a special one, as this happens to be Walski’s Chinese Zodiac sign. He was born in the year of the Wood Dragon, many many moons ago, and since water helps wood flourish, this is supposed to be a good year for him.
Let’s hope so.
Walski doesn’t put too much stock in astrology and similar “sciences” of prediction, but he’ll take the positive whenever he can. Always look at the positive, the Mrs says, and he cannot but agree. It’s always better to look at the positive side of things, even when on the surface things don’t appear all that rosy.
But enough about Walski… he’s sure some of you wonder how this twelve-year animal cycle thingy came about. And here’s a video to help explain the origins of the Chinese Zodiac.
It’s very much paraphrased, but you get the idea…
Earlier today, Walski came across a posting by Hawkeye about what this coming year of the Dragon has in store for Malaysia. Apparently apart from being the Water Dragon, this year is also the year of the Black Dragon. Which is not a bad thing, because black happens to be Walski’s favorite color.
In a nutshell, Hawkeye predicts that there will be political turmoil and possible change (of some sort), but at the end of the day, the fate of the nation rests with its people.
It is, nevertheless, an interesting read, as Hawkeye has gone to much lengths to use the Chinese Zodiac (the 12 years and the 4 elements) to attempt a possible prediction. Beyond Walski’s immediate comprehension, truth be told.
Anyways, the Chinese New Year usually brings with it fireworks. Increasingly louder over the last few years, it would seem. For Walski, Chinese New Year isn’t Chinese New Year without a fair share of whizz-bangka-boom going off near and far… but that’s probably just Walski.
So enjoy the celebrations, and let’s hope the year ahead is a good one!
Anyone expecting a lull in the hyperactive Malaysian political scene once 901 was out of the way must be disappointed. In fact, knowing the nature of the beast, the word ‘lull’ doesn’t exist in the Malaysian political vocabulary.
It stands for Asal Bukan UMNO or Anything But UMNO, an initiative trying to ensure that come the next General Elections (GE13), the Malaysian people revoke the card blanche given to the party for the last half a century.
Granted, the argument against such kinds of initiatives is usually that UMNO’s rule is by virtue of its cooperation with other component parties within Barisan Nasional (BN), everyone knows who really calls the shots.
As with any initiative that’s political in nature, ABU has its supporters and detractors. It wouldn’t be Malaysia if that weren’t the case.
But before he states his stand on A.B.U., Walski would like to share a back-and-forth exchange between two prominent personalities, both of whom he knows personally… (ABU this, ABU that, and what Walski’s own stand is, in the full post)
The two personalities Walski refers to are Anas Zubedy and Haris Ibrahim. This past week, there was an exchange between the two gentlemen about A.B.U., with Anas stating why he did not agree with it, and Haris explaining why the initiative was important.
You can find the exchange in the following (in chronological order):
First off, allow Walski to express his opinion that the above is the way to have a disagreement on something. Articulately, without going into ad hominem rhetoric, something that's unfortunately all too typical of a lot of 'Net discourse these days.
In summary, Anas’ initial points were that he disagreed with the assumption that everyone in UMNO is bad, and the notion of the need to get rid of UMNO wholesale.
Anas’ standpoint is that a representative should be voted based on the individual’s merit and not based on his or her party affiliation.
Much has been commented about why Anas is taking this stand, including insinuations that his main reason is to protect his rice bowl.
Walski won’t comment on what these commenters think, as the criticism seems to be based more on their suspicion about Anas’ motives. The Anas Walski knows is a centrist, who always prefers the middle ground, a stand he tries to articulate with his opposition to A.B.U..
On the other hand, Haris Ibrahim is of the opinion that UMNO has been given too much leeway, and in the process has used their position in power to their own benefit. More specifically, to the benefit of the elite within the party, not necessarily the general membership Melayu types.
And while Haris doesn’t exactly say outright that all and sundry within UMNO are bad people, he does make a valid point in stating that the inaction and silence of the “good people” against the actions of their party that can and have been construed as being less than savory puts them in a position of collusion. A case in point, the Peaceful Assembly Bill.
Haris has been consistent in his stand on numerous issues over the years that Walski’s known him, and his stand on why ABU is an important initiative doesn’t surprise Walski one iota.
So, you’re probably wondering right about now where Walski stands in all this. Before he clears that question up, allow him to share something that writer (and Walski’s Facebook friend) Kee Thuan Chye wrote, which was subsequently published by Free Malaysia Today.
Umno is beyond redemption. At its general assembly in December, the message it sent out was suspicion of others and hatred for them, and a desperate desire to win the next general election.
Its president, Najib Tun Razak, once again proved what many of us have long suspected – that he is a dissembler. He exposed the ultimate lie behind his 1Malaysia slogan by saying things that would divide the races rather than bring them together. He set the trend for delegates at the assembly to harp on the threats to Umno from other races. It was disgraceful coming from the prime minister of the country. It was supremely irresponsible.
Worse, two days after the assembly ended, he appealed to the right-wing NGO Pertubuhan Kebajikan dan Dakwah Islamiah Malaysia (Pekida) for support. This has to be the final nail in the 1Malaysia coffin.
To cap it all, Umno showed its partiality to cronyism by defending Wanita leader Shahrizat Abdul Jalil over the scandal surrounding her family’s business, the National Feedlot Corporation. One or two colleagues called for her to step down, but the overwhelming majority stood by her and castigated the opposition for exposing the scandal.
This begs the question: Can Umno change? As the major party in the Barisan Nasional (BN) government, can it truly stand up for other races as well, and work for their well-being? Can it stay clear of corrupt practices? Can it stop dishing out favours and projects to party leaders and their cronies? Can it save Malaysia from financial meltdown or will it rather bleed our coffers dry? (source: Free Malaysia Today)
Read the rest of the essay. It articulates quite closely why Walski supports ABU.
Can UMNO change? And if it can, what will it transform into?
Thus far, the transformation that Najib has touted seems to be more rhetoric than reality. In fact, it’s like a game of bait and switch – lure us into believing that his party can transform itself, and then find out UMNO has indeed transformed, but into something uglier and nastier instead. The Najib administration can best be described as one making few steps forward, but several more steps in retreat.
When the 901 verdict was announced, Najib was quick to proclaim that the verdict cleared BN (read: UMNO/BN) of any conspiracy claims.
Datuk Seri Najib Razak has called rival Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s acquittal over a sodomy charge today an exoneration for the political conspiracy claims hurled at the Barisan Nasional government.
“Today’s verdict shows once again that, despite what many have claimed, the Malaysian judiciary is an independent institution where neither politics nor politicians have any influence over the dispensation of justice,” the prime minister was quoted as saying by Bernama Online today.
The prime minister added the ruling in favour of the opposition leader was testimony of his administration’s adherence to the tenet of separation of powers. (source: The Malaysian Insider)
A wiser politician would have taken this small “victory” and move on to bigger and better reforms, as promised. Regardless of how his own party felt.
True, the prosecution has the right of appeal, a right which was exercised at literally the eleventh hour. It’s the timing that raises questions, as does the filing of another acquittal appeal(via The Malaysian Insider), involving another prominent opposition figure, Karpal Singh. Both appeals were filed on the same day.
Personally, Walski does think the speculation that Najib has relented to the wishes of UMNO(via The Malaysian Insider) has merit. He bases this on what’s been ‘said’ by UMNO’s voice on the Internet, the legion of Unit Media Baru (or UMB, UMNO’s ‘Net warrior division, so to speak). The tone exhibited since even before the trial began in February 2010 indicates that the UMB were promoting the idea that Anwar was guilty, regardless of what evidence would surface.
And since the UMB is a sanctioned organ of UMNO, it is therefore reasonable to surmise that UMB reflects the party as a whole, and the party wants Anwar Ibrahim out of the nation’s political picture. Similar case with Karpal Singh. The real reason may not be known, but Walski suspects that UMNO is indeed afraid of any strong opposition. And indications are that UMNO’s opposition is indeed gaining traction.
And then there’s the scandals.
The National Feedlot Corporation (NFC) Cowgate saga is but the most recent of scandals related to those closely associated with BN. And Walski suspects that it won’t be the last.
Tycoon Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar Al-Bukhary will be allowed to take full control of Proton through a mandatory general offer after Khazanah Nasional Berhad announced today the sale of its 42.7 per cent stake in the national carmaker to DRB-Hicom for RM1.3 billion.
In a statement today, Khazanah said its stake would be sold to DRB-Hicom for RM5.50 per share or RM1.291 billion, subject to approval of the latter’s shareholders.
“Upon completion of the sale and purchase agreement, DRB-HICOM will be obliged to undertake a mandatory general offer on the remaining PROTON shares,” Khazanah said.
Khazanah managing director Tan Sri Azman Mokhtar called the sale a significant milestone in moves to place government-linked companies (GLCs) on a more competitive footing. (source: The Malaysian Insider)
Is this another scandal in the making? Khazanah (which for all practical purposes is taxpayer-funded) selling off Proton at an apparent loss to a GLC very closely linked to UMNO(via Malaysians Must Know the TRUTH). Nevermind the mumbo-jumbo crypto-math that Khazanah has used to justify that the divestment was actually profitable.
Scandal or not, it certainly is a favor-ridden business deal given to a party-linked crony. And if Proton still cannot hold its own after this, then what? Another bailout?
UMNO has pretty much ruled Malaysia since day one of Malaya’s formation in 1957, through the Alliance initially, and today through Barisan Nasional (BN). That’s 54 years of rule.
Many within the party – as evidenced by the vibes Walski gets from the UMB fellers – feel that UMNO ruling the country is the only acceptable scenario. It has pretty much become a given. Worse, it has become, to many in the party, almost a God-given right.
In imposing that right, religion is naturally brought into the picture. From what Walski reads from the UMB, the real religionists we need to be afraid of are those from UMNO. In their rhetoric, the UMB belittles PAS for not implementing hudud. And since the UMB speaks on behalf of UMNO, don’t be surprised if UMNO seem to be the ones really championing hudud and an Islamic state, something PAS has all but officially abandoned.
And will we really see the repeal of draconian laws, such as the ISA, as promised by Najib last year? Walski would really have liked to give the man the benefit of the doubt. Until he read this (emphasis by myAsylum):
Laws should not be amended if they are seen to be in the interest of the people, Datuk Seri Najib Razak said today.
The prime minister said laws should be retained if society says they should be maintained.
He was responding to a statement by Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in an interview with a foreign television station recently on the need to amend laws which he perceived as archaic. (source: The Malaysian Insider)
Indications are that the promise of repeal may remain just that – a promise. One that is not kept, since “public interest” in this country is generally not determined by the people per se, but by some people with vested interests.
And more often than not, these some people are UMNO-affiliated, in one shape or form.
Granted Malaysia is finally no longer in a state of emergency, something we’ve apparently been in for a long period of time, much longer than the actual emergencies decades ago. And for that, Walski will give Najib credit.
Well, Walski is a "part of society", too, and he thinks that these draconian laws should be done away with. And he is certain that a significant portion of society feels the same way. UMNO does not the entire society make, and he knows very well the opposition those within the party have against repeal.
But you know, give any political party or coalition 54 years, and in all likelihood you’ll get what Malaysia has today with the UMNO-led BN. Should there come a day when BN no longer rules, Walski does hope the coalition becomes an effective opposition, just so that the required checks and balances in a democracy are kept in place.
So, why does Walski support ABU? It is for the aforementioned reasons, and one other very crucial one – as long as UMNO/BN rules, there will always be a Malay agenda, a Chinese agenda, Islamic agendas, Indian agendas, allegations of Christian agendas, and what not.
But there will never be a sincerely championed Malaysian agenda. And that is the real-political implication of UMNO continuing to be in power, as far as Walski is concerned.
The 1Malaysia initiative is wonderful rhetoric, but the reality is that it is more rhetoric than a sincere Malaysian agenda. Perkasa, and an “I am Malay first” future PM waiting in the wings are some proofs Walski has to offer.
And that is why he supports the Anything But UMNO initiative.
Anas Zubedy may have made a valid point in saying that we should always vote a suitable candidate and not vote based on the party a candidate is affiliated with. In a more perfect democracy, that may be true. Malaysia’s democracy is far from perfect, and at times, appears to not even look like a democracy.
Once elected, that candidate, no matter how credible or otherwise, becomes a spokesperson for his or her party. That’s the reality of Malaysian politics as it stands today.
Until that changes, and an MP can truly represent his or her constituents without having to kow-tow to party wishes, the only way to ensure UMNO is no longer given a blank check to govern is to vote them out of government.
Hence A.B.U., and why Walski’s stand pertaining to it.
YouTube sure has an uncanny way of capturing and displaying things that never happened. It must have technology to tap moving images from our deepest, darkest, and most mischievous sub-conscious.
All of yesterday, you’d probably have seen the image below when trying to bring up the English Wikipedia page.
Wikipedia joins the SOPA protest
Yesterday, Wednesday January 18, 2012 was the Internet Blackout Day, a day when many sites stopped publishing their usual content, and instead posted messaging reflecting their respective stands against the two pieces of legislation.
You may be wondering, why the outcry(via ComputerWorld) from these web-based service providers? To understand why, you’ll first need to understand what SOPA (Stop Online Piracy Act) and PIPA (Protect IP Act) are all about.
Normally, Walski would link you to Wikipedia to help explain the story behind these two problematic acronyms, but…
Simply put, both acts could potentially mean giving media corporations a card blanche type of tool to censor the Internet as we know it. (SOPA, PIPA, and why the Net is up in arms, in the full post)
Now note the words Walski used carefully: media, corporations, and potentially.
The main drivers behind both the SOPA and PIPA legislations are not your ordinary Joe IP-owner, but the big media corporations, in particular the film studios and record labels(via Gizmodo).
An example of how the legislation works (taken from Gizmodo):
If Warner Bros., for example, says that a site in Italy is torrenting a copy of The Dark Knight, the studio could demand that Google remove that site from its search results, that PayPal no longer accept payments to or from that site, that ad services pull all ads and finances from it, and—most dangerously—that the site's ISP prevent people from even going there. (source: Gizmodo)
Wikipedia is not the only party up in arms. The following was published on popular cartoon-satire site, The Oatmeal.
Yes, Walski agrees – kitten BBQ is Bad.
Someone even wrote a song about how SOPA/PIPA would kill sites like icanhascheezburger.com, home of the LOLCats.
ROTFLMAO… but in all seriousness, SOPA/PIPA is no laughing matter, out loud or otherwise.
So what is SOPA/PIPA and why aren’t tech professionals the least bit thrilled about it? This TED video explains it all.
Will the effects of SOPA and PIPA be limited to the US Internet alone? The answer, if you believe the numerous industry professional who have articulated their fears, is a resounding NO. It will effect the Internet as we know it.
In particular, it will have a big time effect on the real internet content producers – you.
As of the time this posting goes up, Wikipedia has restored its normal services, and has updated its SOPA blackout page, which now contains this message:
The Wikipedia blackout is over – and you have spoken.
More than 162 million people saw our message asking if you could imagine a world without free knowledge. You said no. You shut down Congress’s switchboards. You melted their servers. From all around the world your messages dominated social media and the news. Millions of people have spoken in defense of a free and open Internet.
For us, this is not about money. It’s about knowledge. As a community of authors, editors, photographers, and programmers, we invite everyone to share and build upon our work.
Our mission is to empower and engage people to document the sum of all human knowledge, and to make it available to all humanity, in perpetuity. We care passionately about the rights of authors, because we are authors.
SOPA and PIPA are not dead: they are waiting in the shadows. What’s happened in the last 24 hours, though, is extraordinary. The internet has enabled creativity, knowledge, and innovation to shine, and as Wikipedia went dark, you've directed your energy to protecting it.
We’re turning the lights back on. Help us keep them shining brightly. (source: Wikipedia)
What can you do? Exactly what Clay Shirky suggested in the TED video - call your representative or senator, if you're a US Citizen, and if you're not, tell your US Citizen friends to call their representative or senator.
From what he’s gathered by reading up on SOPA/PIPA, Walski is quite convinced that these two pieces of legislation will effect E-V-E-R-Y-O-N-E. Combined, both pieces of legislation have the potential to signal the beginning of the end for the Internet as we know it.
Michael Stipe may have sang, once upon a time, that even though it’s the end of the world as we know it, he felt fine, Walski’s pretty sure the end of the Internet as we know it won’t sit well with most people.
And because the Internet has become a big part of our daily lives, it’s death may very well mean the end of the world as we know it. Not the Roland Emmerich-styled cataclysmic kind of end, per se, but the kind that would be equally catastrophic to you and Walski.
About that prospect, Walski doesn’t feel fine. Not one bit.
Frankly, at first the poll results surprised Walski a tad. Not a lot, just a little bit. He’d have thought that the 901 verdict would have been selected by more people.
After thinking about it some, he thinks there are a few reasons why most people didn’t select that event as potentially the most defining moment for 2012. (poll analysis, and more, in the full post)
First off, the poll was released before the verdict announcement and stayed open until after. Walski reckons the results would have been different if the verdict had not been in Anwar’s favor.
But the fact that more people didn’t see 901 as being the most important defining moment for 2012 also indicates that not very many people buy into Najib and BN’s proclamation that 901 vindicates the Malaysian judiciary.
Based on what was presented during the trial, there were areas of doubt raised by the defense. And so the outcome would have been a no-brainer – the were reasonable doubts to the accusation of sodomy. Of course, this is Malaysia, where justice is in the eye of the beholder, and what would normally be a natural outcome may sometimes not be.
Still, it is good to know that our judicial system is still able to make difficult but credible decisions. A guilty verdict would have had all kinds of worm cans opening up.
Slightly more than a third of the poll respondents (36%) felt that General Elections 13 (GE13) will be something that would define the year. Without a doubt, regardless of the result, it would be important. But will GE13 happen this year?
And that comes as no surprise, since what most of the poll respondents thought would define 2012 was that more BN-related scandals would be uncovered.
We are, of course, in the thick of the NFC scandal, involving the family of Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil, Minister of Women, Family and Community Development. First it was condos for cows, and now allegations of funds being used to pay off the minister’s family credit card debts.
In other scandalous news, there have also been allegations that zakat (tithe) money has been misused by the religious authorities under BN control.
So, are there more scandals to come undone and uncovered? We’ll just have to wait it out, and see. No one – except those involved – knows what skeletons lurk in the closets of power, nor do we know when these skeletons will feel like coming out for a whiff of fresh air.
But it’s only January, and it’s early days yet for 2012. Whatever event, or series of events, that define the year, Walski sincerely hopes that it will be something positive, taking us closer to a better Malaysia…
As promised in the posting from earlier today, it’s poll time once again at myAsylum. And long overdue it is (the last poll was posted in July 2011).
Being that we’re just into 2012, Walski wants to get a feel for what y’all think will define the year.
He’s provided a few suggestions, but you’re free to add your own.
If you look through the list that Walski’s included in the poll, you’ll notice that he’s omitted the repeal of the Internal Security Act (ISA).
Not that he doesn’t think it’s important, but based on the precedent set in 2011 with the (Prevention of) Peaceful Assembly Bill, what replaces the ISA may not be something to particularly look forward to.
But like he mentioned earlier, feel free to add it if you think that the repeal of the ISA will be something that defines 2012. After all, that’s what the ‘Other’ option is for. (poll details, and more, in the full post)
The choices that Walski’s actually put up are those he thinks may be some of the defining moments that 2012 will have in store. Like the Anwar Ibrahim verdict announcement expected on January 9.
Many are of the opinion that the verdict is a foregone conclusion, that the former Deputy PM will be found guilty. Again. On similar charges as he was found guilty of many years ago.
UMNO will undoubtedly be banking on a guilty verdict, as Anwar Ibrahim is one figure they’d rather have out of the way when it comes time for the next General Elections.
Which brings us to the other choice Walski’s put up – the next GE, which many expect will be called sometime this year. But a report by The Malaysian Insider indicates that GE13 will be called later, as opposed to sooner, in the year. With the recent revelations of the Cowgate and Zakatgate (possible) scandals, this doesn’t come as a very big surprise.
Will there be more BN-related scandals revealed this year? That’s another possibility that Walski’s put up as a poll choice.
And finally, Perkasa’s continued race-baiting – will we see more and more of this, and will it make an impact on defining 2012? Frankly, the less of them we hear the better, but like dandruff, they never fail to make their presence felt – like an itchy scalp – when the opportunity presents itself.
Granted they’re thoroughly tiresome, Walski’s pretty sure that there’s more vitriol in Perkasa left, and we haven’t heard the last of them.
So, which of these do you think will define 2012? Or do you think that it will be something else? Do tell.
As with previous polls, Walski’s made sure that the poll is shareable, either via Blogger or Wordpress blogs, quite easily. Let him know if you need the codes if your website is based on something other than these two platforms.
The poll will be open until midnight, January 15, so do let Walski know what your thoughts are on this. Granted it’s really early in the year, but sometimes what defines the year is discernible very early on…
And so Walski made the decision to start the new year with a blog post. Because this year, he intends to keep this blog more active. Unlike in 2011.
To one and all, myAsylum fans and haters alike, Happy New Year 2012… may this year bring our nation much needed success, less politica-wrangling (from all sides), and for once, realize that dwelling on where we individually came from is less important than determining where we’re headed.
Together, as one nation. (Walski’s hopes for the year, and more, in the full post)
To that end, myAsylum will help in whatever little way it can. Be it by posting Walski’s own opinionating, or reposting pertinent news clips and articles from other sources. 2011 was kind of a bleh year for him, but he thinks that it’s high time to put all that behind him.
These days, Walski uses Twitter a lot as a barometer for cyberspace’s opinion climate. The climate in 2011 was gloomy to a great extent, causing him to simply be fed up. Compounding this was probably the fact that he follows individuals from the UMBecile Empire. And inadvertently, Walski’s been affected by their gloom.
But he knows better than to succumb to a bunch of nitwits, and so it probably is a good idea to ignore much of what these folks have to opine, and to fight their rhetoric when it makes sense to do so.
Just so you know, the channels of myAsylum’s engagement are threefold: this blog, Twitter, and via our page on Facebook. While some crossposting will undoubtedly happen in the process, all three channels are designed to be unique.
That’s one of the things you can look forward to in terms of myAsylum’s activities for 2012.
Something else that Walski hasn’t been doing nearly enough of lately: myAsylum Polls. There will definitely be more polls this year, starting with one that will be posted later today.
But will 2012 be a better year for the nation? That’s a tough question to answer, as it really depends on whom you ask.
And it doesn’t help one bit that the same hostile attitudes remain towards freedom of expression. The following happened in the we hours of 2012:
Several student activists at the Sultan Idris University of Education (UPSI) who held a peaceful demonstration demanding academic freedom were allegedly beaten up and arrested early this morning after refusing a police order to disperse.
Up to 17 were arrested by the police at about 2am, said lawyer Fadiah Najwa Fikri. They were still being detained, she added.
The Lawyers for Liberty coordinator said the police had acted in a heavy-handed manner against the students, which resulted in one, Muhammad Safwan Anang, the president of undergraduate movement Gerakan Menuntut Kebebasan Akademic (Bebas), being sent to a hospital in Slim River after he lost consciousness.
“They were beaten up, kicked and punched. According to an eyewitness, Safwan lost some teeth,” Fadiah Najwa told The Malaysian Insider over the phone. (source: The Malaysian Insider)
You can read the rest of the news article at The Malaysian Insider, but this doesn’t bode well for a more democratic Malaysia. On that front, we have a long, long way to go.
Despite what happened this morning, Walski is still hopeful that 2012 will be a good year.
Another area how we can all help make 2012 be a great year for Malaysia - stop associating race & religion with everything. Not only is it tiresome, it’s totally non-productive. A problem is a problem, and problems need solutions, not blame.
In that respect, myAsylum will definitely offer its two bits when things racial and religious seem to get out of hand.
So there, a sampling of what Walski has in mind, and in store for myAsylum in 2012. In short, more activity here, and on the other myAsylum channels.
In the meantime, enjoy your Sunday. Walski definitely intends to enjoy his. More stuff to come this year around, for sure.
Happy New Year 2012… peace, love and rock-n-roll from Walski and the crew invisibule here at myAsylum…
It’s true what they say about how time flies. Little did he realize it but it’s been over a month since Walski’s posted anything on this blog. Not even the cut/paste semi-automated Amplify posts.
Not good. By any measure.
He has his reasons why this has happened, of course, and in due time, Walski will explain why. Many things in Walski’s life have changed and it is due to these changes that myAsylum (and Twitter, for that matter) has had to take a back seat.
But the absence will be temporary, while Walski gets back into the groove of things. In the meantime…
And no, Walski hasn’t lost his sense of humor just yet…
Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and a joyous year end for all of you folks out there who still bother to come by… (when the going gets tough, the blogposts go missing, and more, in the full post)
First big change in Walski’s life: he no longer has to work 9-to-6 anymore. This, thanks to a major restructuring in the organization that he used to work for (no names please if you have to comment, okay?). He won’t go into the gory details of why the restructuring and all. Walski doesn’t kiss and tell.
Suffice it to say that they offered a separation scheme, and Walski decided to take the money and run. Or something to that effect.
Which brings us to the second big change: he is now co-owner of an art gallery. Those who know him may find this to be surprising, but hey – whoever said that Walski always threads the beaten path? So, a lot of time has been devoted of late to getting the gallery up and running.
That’s the main reason why Walski hasn’t been doing much with this blog, because quite simply, there just aren’t enough hours in the day, and prioritization has to kick in.
That said, he’s been watching, reading and listening to much that has transpired in our beloved nation over the past few weeks, and to put it simply, Walski is not at all pleased.
We’re literally digging a hole that Malaysia may not be able to crawl out of – ever – if we don’t get our act together. But more about what he thinks about it all later.
For now, Walski thought that he should get his fingers back to the keyboard, before all skills related to writing leave him for good. Now that would be a tragedy. Of massive proportions. More massive than the mess that our nation has seemingly gotten herself into.
So, rather than Walski making you feel more depressed, he’ll end this short post by wishing everyone (again) Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas, and convey a personal hope that the coming year won’t be as fucked up as 2011 was overall…
For far too long now, the mainstream media, particularly those closely associated with UMNO, particularly Utusan and TV3, have been getting away with making baseless insinuations. Calling the Seksualiti Merdeka event a "free sex festival" is par for the course of these idiotic media organizations.
And yes, Marina has every right to be livid.
Only those without the capacity to think - and sadly there are way too many imbecile Malaysians who fall into this category - would believe lock, stock and barrel, what scumbag media organizations like TV3 and Utusan report.
And guess what? The police are now "investigating" those associated with Seksualti Merdeka. Walski really wants to know WHAT THE FUCK FOR? Who runs this damned country anyway - the morons whom we (unfortunately) elected into office, or the un-elected moist robots whose mental capacity is not much more than that of granite?
Marina Mahathir livid over ‘free sex’ slur on Seksualiti Merdeka
An emotional Datuk Paduka Marina Mahathir lashed out today at media reports describing “Seksualiti Merdeka” as a “free sex festival”, and threatened to sue if the matter was not clarified.
She told a media conference that “no words could describe” her anger at hearing the event being described as such on television station TV3 last night, and warned a reporter from the station of consequences if her statement today is misreported.
“I have been looking at your face and we know who you are,” the eldest daughter of former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said during the press conference on the front porch of Tenaganita’s headquarters here, visibly shaking with anger.
Marina had turned up at the NGO’s single-storey office on Jalan Gasing this evening to lend support to four fellow human rights activists who were being questioned by police over their involvement in the recently-banned sexuality rights festival.
The four are Seksualiti Merdeka founder Pang Khee Teik, Bersih 2.0 chairman Datuk Ambiga Sreenavasan, Tenaganita director Irene Fernandez, and Bersih 2.0 steering committee member Maria Chin Abdullah.
“I am here only as a supporter because two years ago, I officiated Seksualiti Merdeka without any incident,” she said.
Marina explained the event was not to promote free sex, but to help the marginalised lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community understand their legal rights.
“It is an event to explain and educate them of their rights within the laws, and not outside.
“So I am very angry, very angry, there are no words to describe, at certain parties calling this a free sex festival. You have nothing better to do? Nowhere here is free sex allowed... are you crazy to imagine this?” she charged.
Marina reacted with irritation when a reporter later asked Ambiga if she would continue to her struggle in support of events like Seksualiti Merdeka, and pointed out that the former Bar Council president’s involvement in the event was merely to officiate its opening.
“For the struggle, ask me. I have been defending their (the LGBT community’s) rights for over 20 years now. In fact, I defend the rights of all who have been discriminated [against] — the poor, and everyone else.
“So if there is any discrimination or violence against anyone, I will continue to defend their rights. That’s it. Do you understand?” she said.
Marina then threatened legal action against any media organisation that misreports her statement today.
Lately, more and more religious NGOs seem to be getting more vocal and coming to the fore to prevent others from airing views that are contrary to these organizations' point of view. It's not that Walski is against them airing their dissatisfaction, as that is well within their rights to do so in a civil society.
The problem Walski has with these NGOs is the assertion that only their view is valid, only their viewpoint must be accepted, and that they have the right to prevent others from speaking out. And on the basis of perceived political risk, the powers that be let them have their way.
It's part of a rising trend - we're seeing in it in Perkasa, and we're seeing it more and more in these religious NGOs. Call it Islamic resurgence if you want, but Walski calls it by its real name - fascism.
MAPIM could very easily have gone the more intelligent route and insist on dialog. Instead, they choose the fascist route - repress any discussion. Quo vadis, Malaysia?
A Muslim NGO is taking issue with a roundtable discussion on gender rights and women’s issues on the basis that it allegedly promotes “Western” ideas that it claims are a threat to Islamic values.
The group, Majlis Perundingan Pertubuhan Islam Malaysia (Mapim), in a statement today objected to the event ‘Gender Equality: Unaddressed Women's Rights Issues’ organised by Empower on Oct 31 in Petaling Jaya, Selangor.
Mapim general-secretary Mohd Azmi Abdul Hamid singled out two sessions at the roundtable in particular, ‘UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) in Defending the Human Rights of Lesbians, Bisexual Women and Transgenders in Malaysia’ by Angela Kuga Thas and ‘A CEDAW Approach to Family Law in Advancing Equality and Non Discrimination’ by Lalitha Menon.
“Mapim rejects attempts by a group of secularists and liberals who are keen to be slaves of the Western agenda,” said Mohd Azmi.
“Discussions such as this is secretly aimed at fuelling campaigns and advocacy to change the values and moral foundations of Islam that are central to Malay-Muslims and Malaysians in general,” he charged.
At a glance, the headline of the article clipped below would probably lead the reader to think the article is about being sexy, like Scarlett Johansson. Or at least that's what Walski thought until he took the time to actually read the article.
In all honesty, it's this kind of out-of-the-box thinking that gives Walski hope that this nation does have some hope left, amidst the doom and gloom that occupies the news sphere of our every day existence.
That said, it's sometimes difficult to take such fresh thinking to the next level when everything about how we operate says "in the box, and don't you dare even look beyond the four corners". This happens to be true not only in the government sector, but across the Malaysian homegrown private sector as well.
A great article and a good way to look at solving problems from a different perspective, nevertheless.
I was having severe writer’s block — eight hours in front of the computer with no words written. So I decided to watch one of my all-time favourite movies, “The Prestige”.
I had watched it many times before but in the state where my mind was not at its freshest, it was not Hugh Jackman or Christian Bale who grabbed my attention. It was Scarlett Johansson.
You can bet your money that the reason is because of her sheer beauty and unique sexiness, on top of her acting skills, of course.
Then weirdly my mind wandered off a little, to a more serious question. A question I have always pondered about, but could never quite get a truly accurate answer.
The question is, dear all, how do we make the nation-building agenda sexy? Scarlett Johansson-like sexy.
Let's face it, there are people who go around scaring people into submission. It's a subtler form of coercion, if you think about it. But is this practice based on scriptural recommendations, or the vivid imagination of those who practice it?
Another popular story is of an old woman (or man, as the stories do vary) who is at her deathbed surrounded by friends and family.
She is about to die but seems to be struggling and in tremendous discomfort. The story continues to explain that this goes on for weeks.
Then it is discovered that she had led a sinful life and used to (insert dreaded sin of your choice) and she is now being punished for it.
They had to do special prayers to ask for forgiveness and only then did the old woman die, and into the next life where she will presumably be punished again.
Recently, stories like these have been making its rounds on FaceBook and as spam emails and the senders always make comments like “repent now!” or “fear Allah!”.
After reading one too many of these stories whenever I log on to FaceBook, it’s actually making me want to repent of all my sins… NOT!
I wonder if it’s desperation that Muslims are trying to preach to other fellow Muslims to repent and return to the right path.
How low do you have to be when you feel the only way to pull somebody back to Islam is by scaring them witless?
UMNO's New Media Unit - or Unit Media Baru (UMB) - is a cyber unit set up by the party to counter what they consider "opposition propaganda". And as it turns out, they do this - quite consistently - by twisting facts, spreading half-truths, and in this case making up stories.
UMB, or UMBeciles as Walski calls them, is essentially a network of pro-UMNO blogs that use cross-posting to spread their poison across cyberspace, with many of these bloggers also having a presence on Twitter, using the service to promote their posts.
And why do they resort to such underhanded tactics? Well, Walski doesn't call them UMBeciles for nothing. They are mindless cyber-guns (or goons) for hire, and essentially do what they're told to do - discredit the opposition. And they do it with impunity.
Ironically, the guy who heads the UMBeciles, an exco member in UMNO's Youth Wing, portrays himself as holier-than-holy, proving once again these scum are nothing but a bunch of worthless hypocrites...
Umno blogs used chess champion’s picture to attack Guan Eng’s son, says DAP
A girl whose photograph was used by Umno bloggers to level accusations of sexual harassment against Lim Guan Eng’s son has been identified as 21-year-old chess Grandmaster Anya Sun Corke.
Corke, who represents England in chess, has no ties with Penang and has never been a classmate of Lim’s son as alleged by Umno blogs, the DAP said in a press conference in Parliament today.
The girl is understood to be currently an undergraduate of Wellesley College in the United States.
Pro-Umno bloggers including Bukit Gelugor Umno division chief Dr Novandri Hasan Basri had claimed that the Penang chief minister’s son had assaulted a 16-year-old schoolmate and tried to escape punishment by using his father’s name.
DAP publicity chief Tony Pua (picture) showed a press conference today screenshots from Dr Novandri’s and Papagomo’s blog and pictures from www.chessbase.com said to be of a 21-year-old Anya Corke.
“The chess board has been edited from the picture. This proves beyond doubt that the accusations by these Umno cybertroopers are nothing but barbaric lies.
“They have attempted to defame the 16-year-old son of Lim Guan Eng and humiliate his family with a completely fictitious sexual harassment story,” the Petaling Jaya Utara MP said.
Where others chose the path of evolution, Steve Jobs revolutionized. The iPod, iPhone and the iPad will remain the man’s most lasting legacies for that very reason – these three devices not only revolutionized three different industries, but together, revolutionized how we interact with one another.
There's an old Wayne Gretsky quote I love: "I skate to where the puck is going to be, not to where it's been." That's what we try to do at Apple. (source: Engadget.com)
And let’s not forget Pixar, the company Jobs acquired in the mid-80s (and later sold to Disney), which now sets the benchmark for excellence in animation.
It’s one thing to be visionary. But being visionary, and having the ability to take your vision through to fruition is another thing altogether. And it is that very ability that Walski will remember and admire Steve Jobs for.
Indeed, the world has just lost someone truly great... (the man, the vision, and more, in the full post)
As Walski said at the onset, there’s not much that he can possibly add that hasn’t already been said about the man.
By now, we all know of Steve Jobs’ humble beginnings, his career, his successes, and even his failures. He built Apple, was ousted from the company, and later returned to take the company to the pinnacle it’s at today. We also know that along the way, Jobs was at one time dubbed one Silicon Valley’s leading egomaniacs(source:CNN Money). The man was many things, good and bad, but it is probably the good and the visionary that he’ll best be remembered for.
Yesterday, Walski came across this YouTube video, the audio of which was played on the BFM 89.9’s Breakfast Grill morning segment. It gives us a little insight into the man that Steve Jobs was, and Walski thought it apt that he share it with you here.
Whether you’re a Windows die-hard who loathes everything Apple, or someone who swears by their BlackBerry, or even someone who thinks that only vinyl makes your musical day, you’d have to admit that the last 5 years or so have been a half-decade of Apple innovation excitement.
Walski happens to be one of those who’s transcended the strict dichotomy of device preference (he uses Windows, BB and iPad every day), and therefore sees the passing of Steve Jobs as a big loss. He’s not quite iSad (as his friend @blurdevil put it), and Walski’s certain that Apple will continue to trailblaze the world of tech as best as they can under new leadership.
Meanwhile, Walski extends the family of Steve Jobs his personal condolences at this time of grief... we share your loss, and hope that you stay strong. Rest assured that Steve will always be remembered fondly.
Finally, a fitting cartoon tribute to the man (from Pailheads, on Facebook):
R.I.P. Steve... and thanks for everything that you’ve given us.
Welcome to myAsylum. Here you'll still find the ranting and raving of a sane person living in an insane place, MY country, MY home...
Take a load off, and make yourself at home. But beware, your insanity, intolerance, indifference, and mostly your ignorance will be at risk... for here in MY asylum, sanity is the only currency allowed, logic given as change...
Welcome to myAsylum. Where Normality has been restored...
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Cause du Jour
Click on image above to find out more
Return the Rights of Water to the People!
The current Selangor State Government wishes to buy back the water concession in upholding the people's right to sufficient, clean & affordable water. Click image above, or go here to sign the petition.
For more information on the campaign, visit Air Untuk Rakyat to find out how else you can help return the rights over water back to the state government.
MISSED THE 2ND COMING?
Most of you probably missed it the first time around like Walski did. But make sure you don't miss the second coming of 2nd Coming. Available soon on CD. Click here for details.
Awaken... rise up... let your youthful voice be heard! The entry period is now closed, and the winners have been selected. Which brings us to the Good News / Bad News bit - click here to find out more.
The Tiger Blogfest 2010 will be from April 19 - 23, 2010. To-date more than 50 blogs have committed to participate. Interested in helping preserve our national symbol? Click on the image above for more information.
Help MYCAT in their effort to save the Malayan Tiger. For more information, click on the image above.
Have you affirmed the Charter for Compassion yet? Click on the image above for more information and how you can lend your voice to a call to bring the world together...
I look at life through cynical lenses, peeling the dead epidermis to peer at life from the depths of our decaying humanity.
Cutting through bland exteriors hiding the turmoil that is our existence. Relishing the chaos, drinking the fear, and understanding our being here.
Pretending all the time that life is good, life is grand. Well life, in a nutshell, is what we make it - this is merely a personal journey towards understanding my universe (HINT: Don't take what you read here TOO personally)
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myAsylum's Facebook page allows you to keep up with the latest postings from this blog, plus lots of other off-blog entries that Walski doesn't get the opportunity to properly blog about. Also, there's a discussion page for you to discuss anything on your mind...
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Walski's other haunts
myAsylum reLoaded where Walski talks about blogging technologies and blogging experiences, plus which is where other reference stuff too long to post on myAsylum gets deposited.
Asylum ClipBits A repository of clips collected using Clipmarks, both clipped by Walski, and those borrowed from other Clipmarks users.
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Clicking on any headline will take you away from this page. Alternatively, right click the headline and select "Open in New Window". New & Improved in 2008 with new blog inclusions!!
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Has the Club of Obedient Wives (COW) gone a bit too far with their new
campaign?
I'm no ulama. Really, you don't have to be one to know that this is all so...
Najib is made Optimus Prime by Michael's Decepticons
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Datuk Seri Najib Razak was crowned today the “Father of Moderation and Transformation” by the World Chinese Economic Forum (WCEF), which said the prime minis...
Nothing to hide
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Likemany others, I believe that the move by the Chief Justice to have
judgesdeclare their assets should be lauded. As was emphasised in the
speech hedeliv...
ASIA DITCH THE DISH.
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Sharks aren't the true killers — we are. Sharks netted will have their fins
sliced and thrown back into the sea to die.Once favored by Chinese Emperors
for...
13th General Election imminent?
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Two nights ago, I had supper with the very same UMNO people who told me in
December, last year, that Najib would move to dissolve parliament on
February 17...
World Bloggers and Social Media Awards!!!
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I have never entered my blog for an award before, feels kind of strange to
promote my own blog, but what the heck if Madey can do it, why not me :)
So pls ...
"Malay Traitors" Join DAP ???
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The latest on the road to PRU13 is the (non) issue of some Malays turning “traitors” by joining DAP. Quite a number of bloggers have taken up this (non) iss...
Gong Xi Fa Cai
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[image: brucelee]
To all my Chinese friends, here’s to wishing you Happy New Year. May the
dragon bring all of us happiness, good health, prosperity a...
Vagabond’s Note: Street tango in Athens
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(Published in The Malaysian Insider, 15 January 2012) I realise with great
consternation that travel is not about being a gawking tourist at
historical des...
In one ear…
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I was taking a shower this morning when Al yelled from the living room,
“Daddy, your phone!” “Answer it,” I yelled back, “it’s probably Mommy!”
Leen was on...
Box-office figures for Malaysian films in 2011
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1. *KL Gangster* - RM11.74 million
2. *Ombak Rindu* - RM10.9 million
3.* Hantu Bonceng* - RM8.53 million
4.* Kongsi *- RM8.1 million
5.* Khurafat *- RM8.0...
To all those who thinks Hudud Law is cool....
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I dedicate this post to those, especially women (especially women from the*COWs species
*), who is in favor of Islamic Hudud law. We are going to die soon at...
The (Half) Idiot’s Guide to Bersih 2.0
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1. What is Bersih? Bersih is ‘tak kotor‘, which means clean in Malay. I
thought we all naturally support anything that is clean? You suka kotor? On
Novembe...
chedet speaks
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I am compelled to re-publish this very interesting article by YAB Tun Dr
Mahathir Mohamed in his blog chedet.cc recently as I see the relevance to
the Mala...
Not So Perkasa
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APRIL 2 — Perkasa is an interesting NGO. Their raison d’être appears to be
predicated on the following: the right of Bumiputeras to own 67 per cent
the nat...
Sarawak papers take on AFP
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Two Sarawak newspapers have accused French news agency AFP of being
“foreign instigators” responsible for Penan blockades in Sarawak. (For
details as to ho...
Invasion of the Shariah Body Snatchers
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Fantastic. It happens again. This time, it’s a sikh guy. The Shariah court
has refused to released the body of one Mohan Singh at it’s believed he
converte...
Public Work
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Here’s something you were probably not aware of: A UBS AG unit sold a stake
in [Infrastructure Development Finance Co.] the Indian financier of public
work...
4 years ago
myAsylum's Bloggerhood (a.k.a. Blog Roll)
To access the blog roll, click on the [+] to expand the list, and [-] to hide the details. The blog roll has been divided into 5 categories... share & enjoy!
myAsylum takes no responsibility for the loss of insanity, broadening of perspective, gaining of knowledge or any change in your outlook of life, as a result of reading this blog. Any positive change to your life, is therefore your own problem to deal with.
Laws should not be amended if they are seen to be in the interest of the people, Datuk Seri Najib Razak said today. 
We are, of course, in the thick of the NFC scandal, involving the family of Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil, Minister of Women, Family and Community Development. First it was condos for cows, and now allegations of funds being used to pay off the minister’s family credit card debts.
