Sunday, October 19, 2008

Budget debate

Make the time, if you can, to watch the Parliamentary debate on the 2009 Budget. Rosyam123 has a great archive going.

Watch for yourself and then decide who ought to be running this country. For me, it's a no-brainer... if you'd rather ponteng, you're basically saying: "I don't care about the the rakyat."

And to that i say: "Get lost."

Monday, October 13, 2008

Last night's vote

Last night at Padang Timur, a motion was proposed to the collective subconscious:

"Those in favour of abolition of the ISA wave aye....."

The results:





:)

Last days of the dinosaur

Reports the Star:

Speaking to reporters Sunday before attending a Hari Raya gathering with Umno Youth members here, Mukhriz claimed that Zaid’s efforts to make the judicial appointments system more transparent and to allow the Bar Council to be involved in the appointment of judges would not play much of a role in the nation’s progress.

He asserted the reform issues raised by the former minister, if not implemented, would not cause the nation to crumble, adding that Malaysians had lived all this while without them.

“Zaid claimed he wanted to reform the system and to save Umno but I don’t see how all the issues he mentioned will benefit the Malays or Umno,” added Muhkriz who is vying for the Umno Youth presidency.

There was this saying about the likeness of father and son...

Monday, October 06, 2008

Oct 6, 2008; PJ Sessions Court

Let's start with an easy question.

Do you think they can break him?


(Pic was taken at about 1.50pm, when the court broke for lunch. They had to move RPK into the temporary holding cell.)

Do you think they can break her?


This morning, a bunch who'd typically hate Mondays decided to move their butts in a show of love to the editor of M-Today. While Raja Petra was inside, a hundred No-to-ISA people milled outside uncertain if it would be a full session or another adjournment. A full-day session, so it turned out.

Good news, perhaps. In a couple of days, who knows, perhaps we'll get to the part where RPK dishes out the evidence on the Altantuya story. If i were Rosmah - and if there was any shred of truth in the RPK story - i'd be having stones in my kidneys.

And here's one man who's been tirelessly rallying Bangsa Malaysia to wake up, this time taking shots of people all over: the Indefatiguable Haris! Just what ginseng does he grow in his kebun?


Within that little fenced compound of the Sessions Court, the crowd filled its asphalt surface and went about talking, sharing, reassuring - creating the very stuff every chemist dreams about. Bonds.



The PJ Sessions court may be a shabby little enclave of justice, but it has its gems if one cares to see. And as the minutes tick into hours, one begins to discover pretty pockets unexpectedly tucked in corners of the building. Lessons no less. Happy accidents, for they were obviously unplanned. They speak of Freedom and how - with that space to thrive - even the coldest concrete structure gets a soul.

We must create that space, that condition. For tomorrow's sakes, it is now.





And of course, in closing:


Further readings:
The People's Parliament here and here.
Zorro's here.

Wednesday, October 01, 2008

The price of being Sumatran

They were charged up to RM500 to get over to the other side of the straits. This Raya, it seemed the draw of home was worth it. And cruel brokers - stoked by money and greed - decided cold cash meant much more than these lives. Sumatran lives.

They were squeezed into an 80-person-capacity wooden boat - 140 of them - pushed to the rim, and barely 15 minutes out into the benign waters, they learned that 80 means 80 and never the double of it. Twelve bodies have been found. Crew from larger boats nearby pulled 113 to safety.

In the news reports, there was no mention of the hands behind this cruel deal. No names mentioned. No mention of what efforts the police are taking to track down the sick businessmen. Will it just blow away?

Twelve Sumatrans died on the eve of Raya, the rest lost their livelihood. And though it may be a time for forgiveness, i am not quite in the mood for that. This case has to be fully investigated. The culprits' names must be revealed. Bring down the full weight of the law on them that the ones guilty will forever remember their evil deed.

If i had my way, i'd take them out to sea. A one-way trip. On a paper boat.

******

Postscript: The Tioman Ferry Tragedy
i am reminded of another tragedy a year ago. Fire broke out in a ferry carrying 106 passengers bound for Tioman. They were forced to jump ship without adequate lifevests and seven lives were lost. We know the operator's business name - Seagull Express 2. Court proceedings started in September.

The five directors:
Law Ah Hwa @ Lau Khoon Chan, 62
Law Kohoon Huat, 58
Law Khoo Hock, 53
Law See Hock, 60
Hashim Mohd, 49

The boat captain:
Wan Fahrorozi Wan Naman, 35

Neither the Marine Department nor the Transport Ministry has been implicated although a Malaysiakini report said a group of survivors will likely sue for negligence.

********