Paper Free Tuesday

Technorati tags: Initiative, Mainstream Press, Boycott, Paper Free Tuesday, Journalism

Update @ Tuesday, January 29: Details of the press conference held yesterday can be found here (via The People's Parliament). Walski will post more on this when he can sneak some free time in... on the road again, by the way

Original post:
No, it's not an initiative to give away newspapers on Tuesdays...

If you've been following The People's Parliament these past few weeks, you would have noticed a series of posts called "Boycott the newspapers !". Well later today (Monday, January 28), a press conference will be held at Blog House, to unveil an initiative called Paper Free Tuesday.

When the buying stops, so will the lying...

Yes, it's essentially a boycott of the mainstream print press. Walski doesn't have much details right now, other than what you can read at The People's Parliament, or alternatively reports by Rocky, Ol' Blue Eyes, and Syed Syahrul Zarizi.

Unfortunately, due to the timing, Walski will not be able to attend, but felt it necessary to put the word out. If you would like to attend the press conference, the first thing you need to do is to drop an e-mail to the organizers.
(event details, and more, in the full post)

Full details of where and when:

Date: January 28^th 2008

Time: 11.00am

Venue: BlogHouse @ No. 66, Lorong Setiabistari 1, Bukit Damansara, 50490, Kuala Lumpur

It's a well-known fact that the mainstream media, the print press in particular, are under the indirect control of Barisan Nasional, thru their proxies. That, and the repressive Printing and Presses Act, which allows the Ministry of Insecure Internals to control what news gets printed, and in certain cases, not get printed. Oh, and also arbitrary censorship of any media deemed "unsuitable".

You might think that penalizing the print media companies for being forced to follow the law is a little unfair. Well, look at it this way - they have a choice of how they report, if they had any journalistic integrity - something which is key to the news business the world over.

In Malaysia, on the other hand, journalistic integrity means printing only what you are allowed to - regardless of whether the news is biased or (in some cases) accurate. The problem lies with who owns the print media, and their relationship with BN. True, any media has its own bias, but when all of the media is biased in one direction, something is definitely amiss.

Walski has not purchased newspapers for at least the last 3 years, so boycotting the mainstream print press wouldn't be much of a problem. Besides, these days, the Internet provides an alternative means of reading the very same news we kill trees to print. So, indirectly, you'd be helping the environment, too.

The boycott essentially calls on all of us to forego buying ANY newspapers on Tuesday - not sure if it is this Tuesday specifically or every Tuesday (Walski will let you know once he gets the information).

One day a week without buying any papers is not going to kill you - it may take a little getting used to, but if you're a news junkie like Walski, there's always the online version.

Perhaps, when the buying stops, so will the lying...

Click here for the full post......

Democracy is Dead

Technorati tags: Police State, Barisan Nasional, Protes, Price Hike Protest, Death of Democracy

Walski woke up this morning with the realization that democracy is really, truly dead in Malaysia. In fact, as Walski reveals later on, there's even no such country called Malaysia anymore.

Welcome to Malaysia Barisan Nasional...
(hat-tip to Zorro, video by MediaRakyat)

When citizens are arbitrarily hauled up, and arrested for no other reason than to voice out their dissatisfaction against unending escallation of the cost of living, particularly in the last 4 years, call it whatever the fuck else you may want to - Parliamentary Somnambulistic but Totalitarian Police State comes to mind.

But it sure as Hell ain't democracy.

Coupled with the obsession for the glorification of our current leaders, rivalling the most fervent of communist countries, not to mention the same kind of Leninist stranglehold on the press, Malaysia has become more communist than anything else - a (somewhat) free-market communist state.

Elizabeth Wong has a photo-essay on yesterday's police show of force. There were initially over 50 persons detained - including journalists - and who were denied legal counsel during their detention. As of the time of Eli's posting, 10 persons were still yet to be released. What a great way to utilize police resources...

Crime? Fuck crime - mobilize the police to terrorize the people. That's the real job of the police these days. As pit-bulls at the beck and call of the BN masters. More than ever, right this moment, Walski really hates these motherfuckers, who serve even bigger motherfuckers in the BN-led government.

Welcome to the Totalitarian State of Barisan Nasional...
(Malaysia has changed its name, and more, in the full post)

You are probably wondering by now why Walski didn't say "Totalitarian State of Malaysia", aren't you? Well, take a gander at this picture below.

Picture taken somewhere in Kuala Lumpur, capital city of Barisan Nasional

When even the Government thinks that it's not the Government of Malaysia, but Government of Barisan Nasional (which is what Kerajaan Barisan Nasional can also mean), the conclusion that Walski makes is that our country changed its name on the sly. But this name changed happened many years ago in Dr. M's time - Fuck Pak Lah merely inherited it... and has gone to town with it.

Rocky, not too long ago, reported that larger than life images of political leaders were being projected onto the side of KL City Hall tower. It's a typical tool of the communists to portray their leaders as being larger than life - Mao, Stalin, Lenin...

All Hail our gigantic leader...
(pix taken from Rocky's Bru)

... Pak Lah the size of Godzilla... minus the lizard scales, and breath of fire... now that's an interesting thought. But the propagandist imagery that Walski caught on film was a lot smaller - and included Najib - but lined almost the entire length of Jalan Jelatek, between the Enggang-Keramat intersection and the Setiawangsa 4-way traffic light junction.

Another term of Somnambulistic Totalitarianism? Walski says, "Tak Nak!"

And it's not even election time yet - these banners were for the purpose of telling the tax-payers and voters that the government of Barisan Nasional's election machinery is prepared. The tax-payers may not have paid for these posters, banners and flags, but guess who foots the fucking bill for RTM?

RTM - Radio Telivisyen Malaysia - the biggest, most blatant propaganda tool of the Barisan Nasional Government. Funded by tax-payers, for the benefit making glorious Government of Barisan Nasional. And televising crap that passes off as info-tainment.

And you fuckers still think we live in a democracy? When citizens are denied the rights of free speech, free assembly and freedom to associate, without encumbrance from the state, only morons would still think we live in a democratic system. Democracy is a lot, lot more than just being given the privilege to vote every four or five years.

Democracy is Dead... Malaysia is Dead... Long Live the Totalitarian State of Barisan Nasional!

Click here for the full post......

Poll Position: Wishlist and a Mandate

Technorati tags: 2008 Wishlist, Poll Results, Politics, Barisan Nasional, Mandate

Earlier this month, Walski put up a poll to ask you folks to pick 3 things you wanted to see happen in 2008. What Walski didn't tell you was that the list put up was part of Walski's personal wishlist - a mandate, if you would, for the next government, whenever that's going to be formed. Indications are, however, that the whenever will be sooner, rather than later.

The results of the poll, based on the 92 of you who responded (equating to 276 responses, 3 per respondent), are shown below, in descending order of preference.

The majority want a shift in how the NEP is structured

What most of you wanted for this year, was that the NEP be realigned towards absolute needs, and no longer be race-based. And in terms of a mandate for the BN government, this is something almost impossible to hope for.

We live in a time where an entire generation of Malays has grown up on the NEP crutch, and see it as a privilege belonging to the right race, rather than something meant to help those who most need it. And UMNO, who claims to speak on behalf of the entire Malay population, will never allow the NEP to be adjusted to fit any other need, other than their own, of course.

"Wait long long" as the Hokkien speakers will probably tell you...

And a long, long time is probably what we'll have to endure, being that Pak Lah has flat out said that BN needs more time. But if each BN government is going to exhibit the same ineffectivenes - okay, incompetence - as the current one... that long time may just be an eternity.

The sad thing is, though, is that Walski fears most Malaysians are going to be gullibly sweet-talked - again - into giving BN the mandate they don't deserve.
(more wishlist analysis, in the full post)

If it's any consolation, however, and if this poll really reflects how most Malaysians feel, then there is some consolation. Like Walski, most of you are tired of BN being able to bulldoze whatever the fuck they want through Parliament. And as such, most of you chose BN being denied ⅔ majority in the coming General Election (with a sizeable response for BN not getting ANY majority). If this reflects the true feelings of the Malaysian public, then Walski's sweet-talk prediction is wrong - and in this instance, he'd be more than glad to be wrong.

For far too long, the ⅔ majority in Parliament essentially meant that what BN wants, BN gets. Regardless of how strong vocally the Opposition, due to the sheer lack of numbers, what BN wants, BN gets - especially when the BN creed in Parliament is "party first, screw the people". There are, of course, exceptions, but these conscienable MP's are sooner or later ostracized by their political masters for not toeing the line.

One of the things that becomes a major barrier to good governance is, of course, corruption - at all levels. And when it comes to this bane, 42.4% of the responses wanted the PM to be held personally accountable for the success (or lack of ) in eradicating corruption. Again, the current PM may have stated that eradication of corruption is high on his list of priorities. To date, it would seem that this important factor is only high on his lip-service puchlist.

Walski won't elaborate on the rest of the results, which pretty much speak for themselves. It's heartening to know that every single thing on the wishlist resonated, to some extent, with all respondents. Including, of course, the one about less governmental interference in our personal lives. Particularly when it comes to faith.

Unfortunately, there is no indication as to the demographics of the respondents. From reading through the Malay language media and blogs, Walski gets the impression that some Malay/Muslims actually want more stringent controls over their personal lives, and the lives of other Malay/Muslims. And that the intrusive behavior of the religious bureaucracy is simply not intrusive enough. Walski doesn't honestly know if this is prevalent throughout the Malay/Muslim community or not, but he's certainly seen a lot of opinions to indicate that this is what they want.

Of course, these sentiments are the ones being capitalized by political parties like PAS and UMNO in their battle for the Malay mindshare. The ongoing one-upsmanship (the my Islam is more Islamic than your Islam kind of thing) seems to have no end in sight - the latest assault being the exclusivity of certain Arabic words, which have been deemed only useable by Muslims.

What many people don't seem to realize is that any erosion of rights and liberties, once decreed by those in religious authority, are usually irreversible. Lose it, and you lose it forever. Which means, given enough rope, we'll see ourselves sinking deeper and deeper into the quicksand of conservatism, without any hope of resurfacing.

But mindset is something that's difficult to change, and change is seen, particularly by those whose mindset needs to be altered, as dangerous. What The Malaysian recently reported - a statement by the US Ambassador to Malaysia, James Keith - is a case in point. The Ambassador, commenting on the not-so-smooth FTA discussions, had this to say, among other things:

“The world is changing and anyone who just wants to preserve what one has is facing a dilemma because if one doesn’t change with the times, then in time, one won’t even be able to keep what one already has,” he said.

“That’s the problem with Malaysia. These are tough political decisions and they won’t get any easier, as the neighborhood is getting more competitive. That’s the hard reality, and Malaysia has to face it.“

The option is not to stop the world from changing, it’ll keep going whether Malaysia does or not.”
(source The Edge Daily, via The Malaysian)

Walski was in Vietnam in May 2007, and compared to the previous time he was there (seven years earlier in 2000), the pace of development has been scaryingly staggering. At the rate they're going, and at the rate Malaysia isn't, it will just be a matter of time before they leapfrog us in terms of economic prowess. As Vietnam scurries down the road of liberalization, it would seem like we're going the other direction.

As long as BN remains the self-serving entity that they've evolved to become, things are not going to change. And if they change, it won't be for the better. Liberalization, from the BN perspective, will mean having to concede the tight control they have (via the Government) over the people. It will mean that the Government has to be more transparent, which is another are BN (particularly UMNO) will have great difficulty accepting. Liberalization will also mean making tough political decisions, which may not necessarily be popular ones, but are beneficial to the people.

Is BN capable of taking Malaysia into the second decade of the 21st century, to fulfill this wishlist that Walski's put up? One that at least 92 Malaysians identify with... Or is it time to try something new?

Like the Einstein quote Walski likes to use to death: Insanity is doing the same thing over and over, expecting different results. Change is drastically needed, and sorely needed now. And perhaps it will take a little less of BN and more of the opposition to elicit that change...

Click here for the full post......

Segreganation: One Nation, Separate Lines

Technorati tags: Humor, Religion, PAS, Sex Segregation, Social Ills

This story, supposedly reported by NaSTy Pee, was carried by the AFP, and picked up by a number of news agencies. Walski didn't bother finding the original NaSTy Pee version, incidentally, so he takes it at face value that they were the ones responsible for the original report.

Yeah, yeah... the same 'ol segregation thing. Separate him/her lines at the supermarket, segregated cinemas, segregated co-ed schools... It does make one wonder if the males in Kelantan are so depraved and deprived that they would resort to groping in the supermarket lines. And who's to say that it's just the men? Women are empowered to grope, too, you know?

Another question - is same-sex groping allowed?

But the main point is this - is segregation of the sexes the panacea to our social problems? Social problems like theft, kidnapping, murder, poverty, illiteracy... Walski invites you - in fact, dares you - to respond to this question if you think the answer is Yes. And Walski really wants to know how exactly these social problems can be overcome via segregation.
(segregation can't cure stupidity, and more, in the full post)

The fact that this itsy bitsy news item was purportedly first published by NaSTy Pee does make Walski wonder if the focus is more towards discrediting PAS, being that the nation seems to be under the guile of election fever. Infectious like ebola, but at least you don't bleed to death.

Then again, this stand on segregation is not new, nor is it news, per se. One thing, though - Walski wonders about the last sentence in the news clipping above:

"Other shoppers are hesitant to step in and tell these people off for fear of being reprimanded."

Or is it because the shoppers actually don't mind? And that they don't really see what the big fuss is about. It would also seem that speaking on behalf on the ubiquitous "others" is something all politicians do. No matter what your religious leanings might be. Must be one of those unwritten politician creeds, or something.

In any case, segregation is probably no cure for the biggest social ill of all - stupidity. Even in this current environment of low safety, some parents will still leave their young kids unattended in public places. No amount of segregation is gonna change that behavior.

Incidentally, Walski has only been to Kota Bharu, Kelantan, once, and that was before all these segreganatory laws were announced. He does not, however, remember people groping each other in the shops while waiting in line at the payment till.

Must be a relatively new phenomenon. Or are the cashiers in KB so God-awfully slow that those waiting in line have no choice but to entertain themselves?

Click here for the full post......

Duck and Cover

Technorati tags: Humor, Judiciary, VK Lingam, Judicial Reform, Royal Commission of Inquiry, LingamGate

There's a saying: if it quacks like a duck, walks like a duck, then it's gotta be a duck.

Why is it so difficult to get straight answers from lawyers? VK Lingam has essentially said that the person in the video is definitely maybe him. And a definite maybe was as close to an answer the Royal Commission of Inquiry got.

Walski thinks though, that if it sounds like VK Lingam, and it looks like VK Lingam... it's a very good chance that it's not a duck.
(round and round the judicial review, in the full post)

Okay, we got that part settled. Well, here is a snippet of the commission transcript, as published by Malaysiakini yesterday.

Are you the man speaking on the phone?
It looks like me.

So are you the man speaking on the phone?
My answer is - irrespective of what other have said - it looks like me, it sounds like me. I have consulted my experts overseas, (they said) the only way to verify its authenticity is to have the original video or equipment (which made the video clip) itself. If I have (the original video or equipment), I will send them to my experts and if necessary, I will ask them to testify.
(source: Malaysiakini - subscription required)

Gee... it's no wonder this joke was featured in the 1993 film Philadelphia:

Q: What do you call a thousand lawyers chained together at the bottom of the ocean?
A: A good start.

Well, all kidding aside, Walski reckons that just like doctors make lousy patients, putting lawyers on the witness stand probably has the same effect - as in they make lousy witnesses...

Whatever it is, going by the testimony revealed through the Royal Commission of Inquiry so far, regardless of what they eventually find out, it's becoming pretty clear that a serious review of the judiciary is in order.

And no amount of duck and cover is concealing this sad and sorry fact.

Walski's not a lawyer-hater disclaimer footnote: Okay, Walski has nothing personal against lawyers in general, so don't get the wrong idea. It's just funny that in this case it's easier to pry off car tires with your bare hands, than it was to get a straight answer from VK Lingam.

Click here for the full post......

Two years on: "I have a dream..."

Technorati tags: Anniversary, myAsylum, Peace, Harmony, Martin Luther King Day, Malaysia

Today, January 21, 2008, the United States observes Martin Luther King Day. It's a day dedicated to a man who gave his life fighting for a more just and equitable America. And as if by some strange, almost cosmic synchronicity, this year's MLK day happens to fall on the very day that myAsylum celebrates its 2nd anniversary.

Like the late Dr. King, Walski, too, has a dream...
(click here to view original MLK image source)

Yes, myAsylum turns 2 today. Time flies, doesn't it? While nowhere even close to the same class and stature of the Malaysian heavyweight blogs, Walski feels that myAsylum has managed to carve a niche for itself - a blog, which like Walski, is somewhat difficult to compartmentalize. And Walski is more than happy with that.

Granted, over the last couple of years, myAsylum inadvertently has evolved into a blog that increasingly focuses on Malaysian socio-politics, this was never Walski's intention when he started it back in 2006. But it's still eclectic and unique in its own way... Walski is, after all, someone that has a varied spectrum of interests... someone that's also difficult to compartmentalize. After all, you blog what you are... and not vice versa (hopefully).

It's just that the past 24 months has seen our nation, Malaysia, become progressively worse off... rising crime, rising cost of living, rising conservatism that's driving a stake through the heart of this nation, rising state intimidation of its people, rising feeling of hopelessness to some extent... all because of a government that has exhibited a rising level of incompetence, with political self-preservation becoming more important than service to the very people who voted them in.

And yet, Walski is optimistic that things will look up. They may get a whole helluva lot worse in the process, but Walski believes that things will get better. It's this optimism that keeps Walski going, and makes living here in Malaysia tolerable still.

Like the late Dr. King, Walski, too, has a dream. It's a dream that's not very much different, in spirit, from the one that Martin Luther King Jr. spoke about on August 28, 1963 - in a speech that, to many, has become synonymous with the struggle for human rights, justice and equality.

Walski has a dream...
(a blog-birthday wish, in the full post)

... that one day, we will stand shoulder to shoulder, hand in hand, truly as one nation.

... that one day, the most important thing that binds each person is their citizenship of this great nation.

... that one day, we help our brothers and sisters, not because they are of the same ethnicity, religion and have the same political ideals, but simply because they are in need.

Walski has a dream...

... that one day, we shall live freely as Malaysians, with only ourselves to police our conscience, and not live under the imposition of a religious state we seem to be fast becoming.

... that one day, everybody below a certain income level enjoys discounts on housing, and not just certain groups based on their ethnicity and religion.

... that one day, the term bumiputera shall mean anyone born on Malaysian soil.

Walski has a dream...

... that one day, political rhetoric will revolve around the ability of a given party to best serve the entire nation, and not how specific parties must champion the interests of only specific ethno-religious groups.

... that one day, our politicians enter politics to serve the nation, and not become self-serving leaches, robbing the nation dry of its aspiration and resources.

... that one day, our politicians realize that it's not easy to buy our mindshare, and that we are not so cheap as to be swayed simply by granting us public holidays (we have too damn many as it is).

... that one day, our government serves the nation because it fears it's citizens, and not it's citizens living in fear of a repressive regime.

... that one day, discrimination will be but a concept read about in history books, and not the way of life we struggle through in present times.

Walski has a dream...

... that one day, respect is something we give mutually and willingly, and not something we demand others to accord us.

... that one day, religion will no longer be used as a political tool to divide us.

... that one day, our ethnic background becomes irrelevant, and not the main criterion of how we are treated.

... that one day, when we talk about race, we mean the human race.

... that one day, we can, once and for all, hold our heads up high, and proudly claim to be Malaysians - one nation - with peace, prosperity and justice, for all.

And that, God-willing, Walski's dreams will become reality... within his lifetime.

Because of this dream, Walski will continue to speak against the wrongs, but also remember to celebrate the rights. Our lives are, after all, a yin and yang - a balancing act that constantly needs a little adjustment - something Walski sometimes forgets himself.

And myAsylum shall continue to be a thorn in the side of those who seek to selfishly take what belongs to all Malaysians, and a respite for those who believe in playing nice, and sharing what we have with our fellow sisters and brothers.

So here's to another year of blogging ahead... with fond greetings of Peace, Love, and Rock 'n Roll... towards a dream that Walski would love for everyone to share, one day...

Click here for the full post......

Simply Criminal...

Technorati tags: Crime, Malaysia, Syariah, PAS, Hudud

Related external post: PAS Wants To Apply Strict Syaria Law, Including Amputations And Stonings! (via The Malaysian)

Every time a high profile case of violent crime gets media attention, two things generally happen. The first is that the question once again arises as to why the rate of violent crime has gone up. Second, champions of stricter Islamic laws, and its unilateral application, start to voice out their calls for religious statedom - and hudud being the answer to crime eradication, they say.

In the span of one week, a state assemblyman was gunned down, and another pre-teen abduction. So, what gives? And what is our Royal Malaysian Police doing about the seemingly incredible increase in violent crimes? More substandard (and sometimes faulty) CCTV systems?

Walski's not calling for a police state like environment, with road-blocks around every other corner, incidentally. It's funny, but any time there is a challenge to the incumbent BN government via peaceful protests, all kinds of police crawl out of the woodworks to ensure that civil voices are quelled efficiently. So, it can't be that there's not enough police manpower.

With the Police's outright recalcitrance against the IPCMC, the somewhat sustained levels of graft, and the rising crime rate, it's no wonder the confidence level of the public towards the effectiveness of our police is at an all-time low - despite what you might have read/heard in the state-controlled media.

And then there's other thing Walski mentioned: continued calls for instituting an Islamic state, and the implementation of hudud - corporal punishment, 10th century style. It's no surprise, therefore, when dogma-driven Islamists like MENJ blame the current crime rate on our secular system, and stating that it's the one thing Pak Lah has given Malaysia as a legacy. You got empirical evidence to back your claims, dude?

If that's not enough, take a gander at what Reuters reported yesterday.

In the first place, Walski predicts that if, God forbid, PAS should come into power nationwide and hudud is implemented, you'd actually see a rise in "crime" initially. Hopefully, Walski won't be around to ever witness this travesty.
(making Malaysia even more unlivable, and more, in the full post)

Why? Well, for one thing, Walski predicts that a lot of things, which are considered mundane today, would be criminalized, on the pretext of going against "morality". Like holding hands between male and female. Same-sex holding hands is okay though.

Interestingly, as the Reuters report goes on to state, what Nik Aziz said was in context of trying to make PAS more acceptable to non-Muslims.

"Thieves steal from the rich and the Chinese are more well-off than the Malays. If a thief's hand is amputated and he goes to the football field or he goes to the market, people can see that he is a thief," he said.

"Everyone will be afraid and won't steal."
(source: Reuters)

Rather simplistic, if you ask Walski. A little too simplistic. It also shows that being religious doesn't necessarily make one more intelligent, nor does it save one from the diesease of stereotyping. Walski reckons that, like other lame-brained political ploys (and not necessarily only by PAS), politicians go for the perceived quick-fix, and not the root cause of problems. Which is why, to Walski at least, PAS is a political party first and foremost, with Islam being their primary political tool.

Don't know about you folks, but with this kind of political rhetoric, what Nik Aziz has effectively done is essentially making PAS even more un-appealing to non-Muslims (and probably to a lot of silent-majority type Muslims as well). Inadvertently, by trying to reassure us that non-Muslims will not be subjected to hudud, is Nik Aziz implying that the problems with crime we're having now is entirely the fault of the Muslims?

And please - don't even try to tell Walski that the real root cause of our crime problem is because there's not enough Islam (or any religion for that matter) in the public sphere. That's like saying motor vehicles are the main cause of road accidents - it's just nonsensical.

If indeed Malaysia's crime rate escallation is because there's no hudud, how does one explain Singapore? The violent crime rate there is definitely lower, drivers actually stop at padestrian crossings, and no hudud to "scare" the populace into behaving like human beings. In short, a very secular state - but a state whose citizens definitely feel more secure from crime.

The reason why Malaysia is not worse off than we are today is because of our secular system, not despite it. And with continuing erosion of Malaysia being a secular nation with every succeeding generation, the further down the pits of depravity we seem to be finding ourselves in. Goodbye first world wannabe, Hello Pakistan...

Sad though, for those who'd have no choice but to vote for PAS against BN in the coming elections. This kind of simplistic reasoning seems to be endemic in both these parties. Maybe it's a typical Malay mentality thing.

Not that Walski wants or likes to stereotype, but if Mastika is largest circulated periodical in the country - and who else reads that sordid publication if not the Malays (many actually swallow what's written lock, stock 'n barrel) - it's gotta be a reflection of sorts on what goes on in the Malay mind.

And that, folks, is simply criminal... the real root cause of our problems today.

Click here for the full post......

Un-ministering our Insecure Internals

Technorati tags: Humor, Parody, Satire, Uncyclopedia, Malaysia

Bit hat-tips to Howsy, and Jeff Ooi (via CNet Asia).

Apparently, our Internals are so Insecure, the Ministry now even sees humor as a threat to national security.

All Walski has to say is this: get a fucking dictionary (preferably an English ↔ Bahasa Malaysia one) and look up the words parody and satire.
(England not my mother tongue, and more, in the full post)

Walski had to clip the article above from Howsy's blog, due to technical difficulties with Clipmarks - the original Wikinews bulletin can be found here. Oddly enough, the only Malaysian media outlet to carry this story was Kwong Wah Jit Poh. Walski reckons no one else thought it was newsworthy.

Seriously, what the Ministry of Insecure Internals has done here is reinforce the idea that Malaysia is fast adopting an Orwellian thought-control regime when it comes to information. Like Zam isn't already bad enough on his own. Who, in their right mind, would even consider Uncyclopedia as anything more than brilliant parody?

Err... apparently our Government does. As if the tagline "the content-free encyclopedia" weren't already a dead giveaway... then again, humor probably escapes these bureaucrats. Especially since England is obviously not their mother tongue...

Real life... always stranger than fiction.

Click here for the full post......

Help! Microsoft's threatening my religion...

Technorati tags: Humor, Religion, Islam, Symbolism

This wouldn't be funny if it weren't true... and shows how shallow some people's thinking can be. And it really amazes Walski how some Muslims find the littlest of things threatening to them. First it was biscuits, and now... well, read on.

While browsing thru the news on Monday, Walski came across this letter, written by one of Harakah's readers (for the benefit of non-Malaysian readers, Harakah is the media organ of PAS, the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party). Walski has taken the liberty of translating this into English, for your Wednesday enjoyment (the original letter, in Bahasa Malaysia, can be found here).

Other religion’s symbology in the computer: What is PAS’s stand?
Hamba Allah

I hope PAS can become more than a political party. PAS not only has to be a political party, but also an active prostelyzation body. Prostelyzing to Muslims, the munafik (lit. hypocrites), and non-Muslims. Besides that, PAS should also become the reference in matters of laws (religious).

It is also hoped that PAS can open itself up to train mujahids (those who struggle in the way of God), because jihad is an Islamic calling (or required servitude).

I ask PAS’s opinion regarding a problem, that is, what is the edict towards using something that has symbols or pictures of other religions, such as the statue of Buddha? This is contained within Microsoft Office, specifically in the clipart, which has images of Santa Claus and statue of Buddha.

It is hoped that PAS can champion this issue, towards, for instance, banning/forbidding Microsoft Office, or even the computer, if such equipment can be made forbidden.

I am very worried because there is discussion about our people who wish to develop an IT system in Medinah. It is feared that Microsoft Office, too, will be brought in. It would be a travesty, should, on the soil of Medinah, idols will once again appear, in the form of drawings.
(source: Harakah)

Truth be told, Walski's first reaction was "WTF?!?".
(further thoughts, and more, in the full post)

Walski would love to have made this up, but unfortunately, it is a real letter, written by someone obviously really concerned. Which is the worrying part.

How is it that some Muslims have become so myopic and jittery, such that the slightest thing is seen as a threat. Threats are seen in biscuits, in clip art on computers - not to mention people of other religions... sheesh.

If it's any consolation, this kind of silliness is not peculiar to Malaysia. It's just peculiar.

So far, no one within PAS has responded. Walski supposes they gotta keep good PR for now... you know, with elections around the corner and all. Wouldn't want to make any sorta rash (or idiotic) remarks, lest they become counterproductive to PAS's election chances.

There is so much more in life to focus on, things more important and pressing. And yet, it's little inconsequential things like these that some Muslims are "concerned" about. Everyone is probably also aware of the school headmaster who went overboard, segregrating the sexes in school, despite it being a co-ed school. Are Muslims going to further devolve until they become Masters of the own Inconsequence?

Walski still wonders, though - how is it that a system of belief, one that helped Europe emerge more enlightened from their dark ages, can devolve to such an extent, such that a book can be considered unclean? Or that images in your computer can erode one's faith. Crosses on biscuits, for that matter... Better watch your step on that tile floor the next time you walk across the room!

Walski, however, maintains that it is not Islam that is at fault - at least not the Islam as the Quran teaches. It's the religion cleverly masquerading as Islam that is to blame.

And like the politician that starts to believe his own spin, many Muslims, it appears, aren't any the wiser...

Click here for the full post......

Missing Person: Sharlinie, aged 5

Technorati tags: Missing Persons, Sharlinie, Child Abduction, NURIN Alert

Walski admits that he's terribly late in posting this. And for that he apologizes...

Yes, another little girl has gone missing. Sharlinie Mohd Nashar, aged 5, has been missing since Wednesday January 9th, 2008. What makes this particular missing persons case interesting is that the little girl went missing in Taman Medan.

If the name Taman Medan sounds familiar, that's also where Nurin Jazlin Jazimin was believed to have been abducted. Walski doesn't have to remind you what happened, now, does he? Nurin has become the wake-up call to just how rampant violent crime has become in our nation.

If it's any consolation, Sharlinie's disappearance has really gotten the police off their asses and taken this case seriously, and in fact, appaears to have given them greater impetus to revisit Nurin's case. At least, that's how Walski sees it, anyway.

So much so that it has even gotten the IGP riled up. Yeah, maybe if all those resources were put to investigative use, rather than suppress the voices of the people. And in the meantime, all kinds of violent crimes are being committed.

And CCTVs... what about 'em CCTVs? Well, as evidenced in the less than ideal CCTV video showing what appeared to be Nurin's body being dumped, simply having CCTVs just ain't good enough. At the very least, they need to be relatively high-res CCTVs.

Be that as it may, in Sharlinie's case, just about every media body, bloggers, telco services... you name it - have gotten into the effort bandwagon to spread the word around. Earlier today, Walski received an SMS from his service provider, and Walski understands that those subscribing to the service would also have received MMS's.

Let's hope we're not too late. You cannot imagine how Nurin's parents must have felt when they found out the poor little girl's fate. And it's something no parent should have to go through.
(more missing photo-fit thoughts, in the full post)

Well, enough of Walski's thoughts on this. Let's get down to the important facts. Nuraina had earlier posted a textual description of Sharlinie (who also answers to the nickname "Nini").

Height: 3ft 2in
Description: SLIGHT BUILD, ROUND FACE, TANNED COMPLEXION LAST SEEN WEARING STRIPED LIGHT BLUE-WHITE SLEEVELESS TOP, LIGHT BLUE SHORT SKIRT AND PINK SLIPPERS, AROUND 11AM AT PLAYGROUND NEAR HER HOUSE IN TAMAN DATO HARUN, PJS AREA

Should you see, or think you have seen, any little girl resembling Sharlinie, you can do one of the following:

► call the police, either via the national panic number, 999, or at (03) 7966-2222
► call the Petaling Jaya police operations center at (03) 7966-2184 or 7996-2177
► call RakanCop at (03) 2115-9999
► SMS 32728 with information that you may have
► call the parents, either Mohd Nashar, at (016) 258-3450, or Suraya, at (016) 270-9096

The police have also released a photo-fit of the person suspected of abducting Sharlinie.

Photo-fit of suspect responsible for Nini's abduction

If you happen to see someone fitting the description of the photo-fit, DO NOT take any action on your own (for your safety), but immediately inform the authorities.

Walski again hopes and prays that Sharlinie is safe, and urges whomever responsible to not harm her. We, in the meantime, can only hope and pray. Oh, and please do not play pranks on the already suffering parents - and yes, Walski is telling you so.

Click here for the full post......

Mal-Hijrah

Technorati tags: Religion, Politics, Harmony, 1429H, Islamic New Year

Related posts: Earth-Sun-Moon: Have Muslims gotten it ALL WRONG?

The missing 'a' is intentional. Like mal-formed, mal-nourished, or mal-adroit... And in keeping up with the wrongness of it all, this post also comes to you approximately 30 hours late (the Islamic "day" starts at dusk, in case you were wondering).

But not to diss those who wish to ignore the Earth's orbit around the sun, and its effects on nature and the seasons, Happy 1429 all the same.

Where Walski was earlier when he started writing this post (he actually has to work today), it was a rainy and overcast mal-New Year's Day. Fitting, actually, if you think about it. Regardless, for most people in Malaysia, yesterday was a public holiday, one of the many we have annually (in whichever calendar you observe).

1428H, as far as Malaysia goes, saw a hightened divide in inter-ethnic and inter-religious relations. Arbitrary copyrighting certain words for Muslims only definitely didn't help. 1429, Walski expects, may see Malaysians further polarized along religious lines, the way things are going. And so it was rather appropriate that Walski came across this letter from Syed Alwi published at Malaysia Today.

The letter goes on to state that for Muslims to wake up and smell the 21st century (Walski's paraphrasing here), they will have to un-mire their state of mind that is by and large stuck in 10th century mode. In other words, a "Hijrah" of the mindset.
(more mal-formed thoughts on this Mal-New Year's day, in the full post)

But old habits are hard to break. Even more difficult are entrenched points of view. Putting all kinds of restrictions on Islamic publications that don't fit the officially sanctioned viewpoints is another compounding obstacle. A double whammy, if you would. A sum total of which almost guarantees the continuum of entrenchedness.

There are, however, small groups of Muslims worldwide working towards reinterpreting scripture, making it more relevant for the world today. But these are rather isolated for the most part, and usually demonized by the Islamic establishment as heretics. It may take another whole generation or three before such movements gain any significant mindshare.

One interesting thing to contrast, however - the country with world's largest Muslim population - our neighbor, Indonesia. Religion is allowed to be a personal choice and conviction - as it should be - rather than being imposed on by the state, like it is here in Malaysia. Yes, there are those in Indonesia, too, who instigate inter-religious rifts, but the difference is that these are, by and large, individuals or organizations, and not the state itself. While the official rhetoric from our leaders is one of harmony, the actions of the Islamic state bureaucracy contradicts the rhetoric.

So, will things be fine in 1429? Will there be less hate, like there was in 1428?

Rhyming hypothetical questions aside, Walski honestly doesn't know. He hopes that whatever rifts that have developed can be bridged. But these bridge-building exercises have to start from the ground up. From individual and community action, and not reliant upon the bureaucracy.

Left on its own, otherwise, this will be another Mal-Hijrah year, like the few that have gone past in recent memory...

Click here for the full post......

3 Limes and a Trident

Technorati tags: Humor, Religion, Religious Tolerance, Religious Understanding, Musings, Confession

Some days back, Walski had a few friends over for dinner. Yes, he admits it - Walski cooks - as in food, and not just tongue-in-cheek blog posts. He related this short story of an experience he had as a rambunctious 6-year old, while living in Tanjung Malim - back in the days before there was Proton City, and when Yik Mun was just a small coffeeshop.

So, in any case, here's the story:

As a kid, you could say that Walski was very inquisitive (okay, it's a trait that never went away) and nothing anywhere went untouched. So one day, while cycling around the neighborhood, Walski saw a small, simple Hindu shrine, underneath a large tree. There was a small statue - can't remember of which deity - and a trident. As is customary, the trident had on it 3 green lime fruits, one on each spike of the trident.

Being the inquisitive brat, Walski of course was intrigued by this, went over to the tree to take a closer look. And then, Walski did the one thing (he knows better now) that he shouldn't have done.

He took the limes off.
(more of this tale, and the point of the story, in the full post)

That night, Walski suddenly came down with a very high fever. So high that he was delirious. According to his parents, Walski kept saying that there were paratroopers landing in our yard. That pretty much went on the entire night.

Can't exactly remember much apart from that, except that it was a really rough night, but the next morning, Walski was okay again.

Now, Mrs. Walski, whenever Walski tells this story, is always amazed that he remembers things from such a young age. Yeah, Walski is kinda strange that way. He can even remember stuff from when he was three. Like the crayon mural on the front wall of his grand-dad's house, that really pissed grandpa off. If memory serves, it was Walski's rendition of grandpa and grandma...

Anyhow, the point of telling you the 3 Limes and a Trident story is the epiphany Walski had the last time he re-told it, which was at the dinner party Walski mentioned earlier.

Walski suddenly realized that the trident incident is why he respects the beliefs of others, and respect for the religious icons of others, as well. Which also contributed, perhaps, to why Walski is pretty liberal when it comes to religion

There are things in life that can never be rationally explained. Like why Walski had the high fever. Of course, growing up in a Muslim family, the Devil gets the blame when these sort of things happen. Others explain it as mysterious forces guarding these icons, and getting pissed off with idiot kids who mess with 'em. Walski's experience was probably mild in comparison with others that he's heard of before.

Regardless, the incident was probably a turning point in Walski's life, when it comes to viewing the beliefs of others, which Walski never realized until recently. The beliefs of others may run contrary to what Walski personally believes, but who is Walski to say that those beliefs are baseless, and that those who believe in such things are bound to go to Hell?

Perhaps those who decided that A**** can only be used by Muslims never had such an experience, or if they did, simply chose to belief that it was the work of the Devil. But sometimes we create our own personal demons, then blame the Devil for it. Life, and human nature, are weird that way.

Walski's personal belief? At the end of the day, there is only one Supreme Being, but called by many, many names. There are just way too many parallels between beliefs for this not to be so - sad to say, however, most people prefer to get anally fixated on the differences, and ignore the similarities altogether. To lay exclusive claim on A**** really is silly, not to mention selfish. It has more to do with a self-centered need for exclusivity, driven by ego, and fueled by insensitivity - and not piety.

As far as Walski is concerned, we are all His children, and He probably doesn't mind it one bit who calls him what. As long as we call on him from time to time.

Walski's post title credit (and other important stuff) footnote: The title of this post was suggested to Walski by his friend, brilliant photographer David Lok, and Walski would like to acknowledge and thank him for coming up with such a brilliant title. And he's such a wonderful human being to boot. Thanks David.

And the reason A**** has been written the way it has been is because Walski doesn't consider himself a typical Muslim. At least not the kind that we typically find in Malaysia, whose ridiculous demands on other people really put themselves in a bad light, so much so that Walski doesn't even like being associated with them.

And no, God doesn't have a gender - the masculine is used in the last paragraph simply for the sake of convenience. PEACE to all....

Click here for the full post......

Worm Signs

Technorati tags: Humor, Politics, General Elections, Malaysia, Dune, Frank Hebert, Worm

We've been talking about it for quite some time now - the next general elections. Nobody, except God, knows when it will be exactly. Pak Lah? Somehow Walski thinks he doesn't really know either... or more precisely doesn't know when it should be. Contrary to popular belief, he does keep awake from time to time, and does think about these things.

But Walski reckons that they will be within the next six months or so. At least from this worm sign...

January, plus six months, comes to... around July (keep that month in mind folks). And after the six months? Well, Walski can only read worm signs... he can't exactly foretell the future.
(more worm signs, in the full post)

And then there's this news flash, also from Malaysiakini. The Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) has decided to delay its party polls, due for April this year.

The MCA central committee today unanimously voted to postpone the election of office-bearers which was due in April, in view of the pending general election.

Under the party constitution, MCA can delay its election up to three months after the general elections.
(source: Malaysiakini - subscription required)

Coincidentally, three months after April is... yup, July. Yeah, yeah... Walski knows the baseline here's different. But it's some kind of nice coincidence all the same.

Of course there are other worm signs, like the PM giving us assurance that there will be enough supply of cooking oil (as reported by The Star yesterday). How? Well, apart from this:

"We are having an important meeting to discuss the current shortage of cooking oil in the country," he said before chairing the Cabinet Committee on the Competitiveness of the Palm Oil Industry Cabinet Monday.
(source: The Star)

... we can only guess that Pak Lah, could be hoarding lots of cooking oil himself. And when you've got the word "Cabinet" appear twice in a meeting name... you really gotta wonder. But the real worm sign, was this worry that Pak Lah expressed (from the same Star news report, emphasis by myAsylum).

"We don't want housewives to start complain about this," he said, adding that this was among the problems facing the country.

Yeah, screw the hawkers, who are most hard hit by this cooking oil fiasco, but we can't have the housewives bitching about it, now, can we? Yeah, bitching housewifes - among the major problems facing this country. Which probably explains why Rafidah Aziz is so keen to get Wanita BN to "teach the public how to vote" (via The Star).

And what's that supposed to mean, anyway? Marking an "X" beside the dacing (scales) sign is the only correct way to vote?

Worm signs, baby... they're all around. The only thing Walski can't tell with any certainty is when the elusive worm's gonna actually surface...

Walski's cryptic post-title explanatory note: Just in case you were wondering, Worm sign is a phrase taken from the Frank Hebert sci-fi classic Dune, denoting tell-tale signs that a worm is about to surface close by. Of course, the tell-tale signs are about something else, but from what we've seen in the past, results from certain polling stations have been a little worm-ish... and here's a small confession: the only worm Walski actually likes is the one at the bottom of a good bottle of Mezcal.

Click here for the full post......

Un-recycleables Top Ten...

Technorati tags: Humor, Politics, Top Ten, Recycling, Un-Recycleables

In general, recycling is good. Walski has no problems with recycling, and hopes that where he lives, the retards in local government will implement separated trash collection soon. It's good for the environment, in the long run - and helps slow down the depletion of resources on planet Earh.

But not everything can, or should, be recycled. So, here's Walski's top 10 things that fit the category of un-recycleables...

10 - Film scripts
Now, many people will probably disagree, but what the hell was the point of remaking the Alfred Hitchcock classic Psycho? Some classics should be left untouched. But Hollywood is rife with these made-as-if-new remakes of old movies. What... creative juices dried up? Or just fucking lazy? And don't give Walski this "tribute" crap...

#9 - Condoms
Okay, Walski's not referring to re-processing here, incidentally. Re-using them is pretty gross to begin with - but believe it or not, this actually does happen (via YouTube). But Walski also came across this news article from November last year.

Just remember, when in China, make sure you ask where the hairbands you're about to buy really came from...

#8 - News
It's a question of ethics - and linguistics, too. News is no longer 'new' once recycled. So, should they be called Olds, of Useds? But the recycling of news does happen from time to time, usually for political benefit. Not sure if this sort of thing happens here in Malaysia or not...

#7 - Tires
Rethreads, in other words. Many of our Malaysian transport vehicles use them. Over-laden lorries, mostly. Which accounts for the rubber-roadkill we see so frequently on our highways. Yeah, they're cheaper than new tires, but definitely aren't as durable. But as usual, economics always wins over safety...

#6 - Tired Politicians
Like Herpes - that wonderful STD gift that keeps on giving - many politicians simply refuse to disappear. Even long after their useful shelf-life has expired. It's one thing if they're dynamic, but tired politicians who have nothing good to contribute anymore shouldn't keep recycling themselves every time elections roll along. Crap, when recycled, generally still is crap. And oh, Uncle Sam... if you're reading this, Walski IS talking about you...
(more of the Un-recyclables Top 10, in the full post)

#5 - Music
Not that Walski has anything against cover versions, per se. But these cheesy hip-hop covers are really something else. Not exactly something Walski likes, particularly. Nothing against hip-hop either - P. Diddy using The Police's Every Breath You Take (for his Notorious B.I.G. tribute) was somewhat tolerable (ok - barely tolerable) - it's the other hip-hop covers covering Coomb's cover that's got Walski's nerves somewhat uncovered. It's like every other day that our crappy commercial radio plays a new hip-hop cover of good music... what is the world coming to? Incidentally, this rant against hip-hop covers DOES NOT include Run-D.M.C.'s cover of Aerosmith's Walk This Way. But in a way, it was this cover that probably inspired the rest of the hip-hop world... not to mention jump-start Aerosmith's second-wind career.

#4 - Excuses
Your grandma/grandpa/dog can only die so many times. And saying "I'm working on it", repeatedly, is only effective if you actually are working on it. Saying you're listening, when it's obvious you don't really give a shit, is another excuse that loses its meaning when you recycle it too often.

#3 - Cooking Oil
Walski touched on this yesterday. Recycling cooking oil makes it carcinogenic after a few rounds of frying. Don't know how far this is true, but Walski was told that there were cases of some hawkers buying used cooking oil from the fast food restaurants...

#2 - Engine Oil
Recycling engine oil gives your car engine cancer. Or cause it to seize. Either way, your car engine dies, and you're left mourning the demise of your automobile. And hoping for a new one that you can actually afford. Like the ever-elusive Proton BLM, maybe? Well, at least now we know what the frame of the damn car looks like. It's not known just how long Malaysian motorists are gonna have to wait for the actual release of this new model, the replacement model for the ancient Saga and Iswara product lines. Engine oil lubricates your car engine internal moving parts. Heat causes the oil to lose viscosity after some time. And the delay of the BLM? Who knows... but it did seem at times like things had seized to a grinding halt... to much recycled organizational engine oil maybe.

And finally, the #1 thing that should not be recycled (again):

#1 - The incumbent BN-led Government
Does Walski even need to elaborate? If you wear the same underpants for umpteen years, it'll start to itch real bad, and all myriads of diseases can fester. Odd analogy, but Walski thinks you catch his drift (and he hopes you've registered to vote).

Click here for the full post......

5,000 grams

Technorati tags: Humor, Economy, Price Control, Coomunist Economy, Cooking Oil, Malaysia

5kg of cooking oil... that's all you get to buy at a time. If you ask Walski, announcing this is probably the best way to ensure hoarding and panic buying. Especially since you've got the weekend to do it. Or if a family of 5, each with a 5 kg bottle of cooking oil, stands at the cashier, each purchasing their own oil... is the supermarket gonna do DNA tests to ensure the 5 aren't related?

Are we also gonna start seeing Cooking Oil Police? Whose acronym, quite by coincidence, also happens to be COP...

This is the kind of potential idiocy you end up getting when government continually screws around with free-market supply & demand (there are better ways of doing it, incidentally). __earthinc likens the move (and similar ones in the past) to increasing "communistic" price-control tactics. Lulu, however, thinks donuts are to be blamed. A donut-driven economy, Lulu?

Don't know about you, but Walski's probably gonna lay off the yau char kwai (or any other hawker deep-frieds) for a while...
(more 5kg oily thoughts, in the full post)

Why?

Recycling. A big vat of oil, to deep fry yau char kwai with, is probably about 5kg. Recycling it for eternity will allow you to sell lots of deep fried goodies. And it's a known fact that recycled cooking oil can be carcinogenic (that's cancer-causing, to you semi-literates). Walski has long suspected that one of the leading causes, why incidences of cancer has been on the increase in the last decade, is deep-fried hawker food - yau char kwai being one of them. One that Walski happens to like a lot, dammit.

And what is one of the things that hawkers would probably do help increase their bottom line? Recycle the oil as much as possible, especially for deep-fried foods. One 5kg bottle of cooking oil? Probably good for a month's worth of crispy brown yau char kwai ... or deep-fried banana fritters (another one of Walski's favourites, dammit).

Okay, Walski hopes not. Seriously. Alternatively, Walski should really consider learning to make them things.

All kidding aside - is controlling how much a person buys effective? Or even enforceable, in the first place? Sounds like our government has totally run out of ideas to sustain this economy, sometimes.

Incidentally, if you start seeing water-cannons poised up and down the supermarket cooking oil aisle, you'll know why. Now, that would be an interesting sight... FRU guarding the cooking oil aisle... How's the MSM gonna spin such incidents is also going to be interesting...

Well, for now, let's see how effective this latest move is to restore order to the cooking oil supply-and-demand equillibrium. Walski will reserve his judgement for now.

And in the meantime, go easy on those deep-fried hawker foods, too.

Click here for the full post......

Democratic fault-lines in logical thinking...

Technorati tags: Democracy, Malaysia, Faulty Logic, Media Spin, Poll Violence, Kenya

This is a few days old, but sometimes, the things our politicians say... nothing more than capitalizing on tragedy for political mileage. And rife with faulty logic.

clipped from thestar.com.my

The assassination of former Pakistan Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto shortly after she held a political rally showed why Malaysia was against street demonstrations, said Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar.

He said demonstrations could lead to violence and Malaysia rejected all forms of violence, including that involving militancy.

It's no secret that the recent public rallies became violent because the police started using water cannons and teargas. It's not the rallies themselves that were violent, but the action taken against the participants that caused trouble in the first place.

Later, in the same report, Syed Hamid had this to say:

“We don’t want a democracy that can cause havoc and deaths,” he said after opening a forum on Malay culture here yesterday.

He said total democratic freedom demanded by certain parties in Malaysia would have a negative effect if people were free to demonstrate and create havoc.
(source: The Star)

The main problem with our incumbent politicians is that they actually believe their own spin, turning it into a reality that isn't. Why not come straight out and say that we don't want a real democracy? Because that, at the end of the day, is what they really mean.
(tin-pot logic below the international al-bar, and more, in the full post)

And why is it that Malaysia gloats about being a much better place than really awful countries, such as Pakistan, all the damn time? Why are we frequently setting such a low benchmark for ourselves? Yes, we may be better off than Ghana, but not when it comes to press freedoms (by RSF's measure, at least). Are we aspiring to be the shining democratic torch of despotic governments, or do we want something better to aim for? Don't know about you folks, but being best of the worst isn't something that Walski would particularly be proud of.

As it is, Malaysian democracy only happens every 4-5 years. And it is a "guided democracy" - meaning that the outcome is guided towards something desirable - usually to the incumbent. The recent challenge by the EC chairperson to the opposition parties, urging them to boycott the general elections if they felt it was not free and fair (via Malaysiakini, subscription required), has been seen, by some, as an attempt to trap the opposition into boycotting the polls, thus giving the incumbent BN an unopposed passage to winning the next general elections.

Speaking of elections, around the same time the inane statement from Syed Hamid was published, Walski came across this news item, from the BBC.

clipped from news.bbc.co.uk

Thirty Kenyans including many children have been burned to death in a church, after seeking refuge from the mounting violence over last week's elections.

A mob attacked and set fire to the church in the western town of Eldoret where hundreds of people were hiding, say police and eyewitness reports.

Dozens more are reported to have been taken to hospital with severe burns.

It comes as EU election monitors said the presidential poll "fell short of international standards".

Going by the kind of skewed logic displayed by our Foreign Minister, Walski was almost anticipating another insipid statement from our incumbent politicians, as to why Malaysia is against really free and fair elections... with the kind of treatment Bersih has gotten from the government and government-controlled media, one can only come to that conclusion.

Because elections, too, apparently can cause violence.

Click here for the full post......