A casual chat of view exchange with academics and friends of various political beliefs has been part of my known habit of political discourse over the years. Indeed there was no big deal when I was articulating the then prevailing psyche of the ethnic Chinese community in response to the queries on the communitys ground sentiment posed by my visitors, including the diplomat. It is worth reiterating that the comments purportedly made by me (as was implicated or cited in the Wikileaks) was largely my observation and assessment of the Chinese communitys sentiment and perception pursuant to the statement of marginalization by Mr Lee Kuan Yew of Singapore. The metaphoric descriptions of leftover and crumbs were the exact words I quoted from certain corporate personalities that were coincidentally shared by the petty traders in my own constituency over the issue in September 2006. Unfortunately, certain vernacular press had translated the leftover and crumbs portion erroneously and depicted ...

August 31, 2011 Malaysia-Australia Refugee Swap Deal declared illegal UPDATED @ 03:28:27 PM 31-08-2011 By Shannon Teoh@ www.themalaysianinsider.com The refugee swap deal between Australia and Malaysia was deemed illegal by Australias High Court today.The hugely controversial arrangement has been popularly referred to as the Malaysia Solution in Australia. The Sydney Morning Herald ran an Australian Associated Press report that quoted Chief Justice Robert French as saying that the declaration made was made without power and is invalid. The court barred asylum seekers held by Australia from being sent to Malaysia, a ruling that will likely derail the swap deal intending to send 800 boat people to Malaysia in exchange for 4,000 already-processed refugees to Australia. The move was put on hold earlier this month after Melbourne lawyer David Manne won a High Court injunction to prevent deportations pending a decision on the deal. He argued that Australian-held asylum seekers had rights to r...

. From pit-stop to take-off: How F1 is changing the future of air travel CNN, August 27, 2011 Here is an interesting piece of news that I just read. Britain's National Air Traffic Services (NATS) is adopting McLaren F1 teams software to reduce congestion at Londons Heathrow airport. [BTW, I am an F1 fan]. Over the years, McLaren has developed a modeling software to analyze live racing data and visualize a range of potential scenarios -- allowing pit crews to make strategic decisions in the blink of an eye -- all in an effort to get their cars back out onto the racetrack milliseconds ahead of their competitors. It is this technology that NATS hopes to use to unlock congestion and reduce CO2 emissions by streamlining the way aircraft make their own pit-stops once they've landed -- dropping off passengers, refueling and departing again with F1 efficiency. Airport authorties can learn from the lightning speed F1 pitstops With over 1000 flights a day at Heathrow, aircrafts often hav...

I have a legitimate right to say my piece and comment on what is wrong with Malaysia. After all, my grandfather was one of the founding fathers of an independent Malaya. Malaysia would not be what it is today if not for my family as well. And if Malaysia has deviated from what the founding fathers had planned for the country, then it is my duty to speak up and oppose this deviation. THE CORRIDORS OF POWER Raja Petra Kamarudin PM: Dont forget sacrifices of past leaders Their sacrifices in freeing Malaysia from the colonialists must be remembered, says Najib. (Bernama) -- Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak today reminded the people not to forget the sacrifices of past leaders in freeing Malaysia from the colonialists. He said that while Muslims were celebrating Aidilfitri, which entered its second day today, they should never forget the achievements of leaders who won the nation its independence. In the joy of Aidilfitri, I hope we do not forget the struggles of our forefathers in fighting f...

For easy reference, this is the full list as seen at WikiLeaks yesterday before the site went down. Page links are often update and changed, and mirrors do not replicate in time. In case of difficulty use the Cablegate search (see below). View this document on Scribd WikiLeaks has an experimental cable search engine at Cablegate search . The current database has now been refreshed up to the Aug 29 dump. For KL cables, use this link: Cables from US Embassy Kuala Lumpur Short URL: or Enjoy. Filed under: Journalism , Politics

Despite the widely-held perception that Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein is playing the racial card even more than when he was the UMNO Youth chief, MCA leaders who have been faulted by him for incompetence begged to differ. They preferred not to chide Hisham for comments revealed in WikiLeaks that he blamed their party for the BN's loss of non-Malay votes in the 2008 general elction. This happened four years ago. You cant say that this is his current stand, Malaysian Insider reported MCA vice president Donald Lim as saying. As for MCA president Chua Soi Lek, he said that if he reacted, it would result in very inflammatory comments but stopped short of expressing what those burning remarks could be. Cowards and opportunists The MCA leaders were immediately ticked off by Pakatan Rakyat leaders, who expressed disgust at their political "opportunism" and "cowardice". "I thought Hisham is even more hardline and extreme than before. His behaviour over the Be...

Whether these people can or cannot leave Islam is a matter for the Muslims to resolve. This has nothing to do with the church and the church cannot be subjected to Islamic laws. As far as the church is concerned, these people are no longer Muslims. But if there is no such thing as ex-Muslims, then a law needs to be passed stating so. Then the confusion will be cleared up. Then the church would be barred from preaching to anyone born a Muslim since the word murtad would no longer be in the Muslim vocabulary. NO HOLDS BARRED Raja Petra Kamarudin Malaysia has tens of thousands of lawyers. But how many lawyers actually practise law or are most in this only for the money? Seldom do we hear lawyers speak out on what is right and what is wrong. It should be the job of lawyers to educate Malaysians as to what the law is all about. Only then can it be said that they are true to their profession. Laws are man-made. Sometimes we say that these are Gods laws or this is what God ordained. Invariabl...

By MAX LAMBERT When this reporter first began at NZPA in 1958, the staff worked out of a cubby-hole office on the first floor of Wellingtons General Post Office, a building now a hotel site. Up the corridor a huge number of telegraph staff sat at banks of desks, glueing gummed tape to forms that became telegrams. Copy from newspapers became essentially long telegrams, delivered to NZPA, edited and returned to the telegraph officers via old-fashioned pneumatic tubes for re-formatting and transmission over the P&Ts wires to all newspapers. Not much had changed over the years. Race results from some country tracks still came via Morse Code direct from the course, taken down in copper-plate handwriting by white-haired operators. Outside the main centres telegraph offices throughout New Zealand kept business hours and, if NZPA wanted news at night from smaller towns, a telegraph reopening had to be arranged. With the owners approval, NZPA began to strike out on its own and grow in the 1...

Today is 54 years we got our independence from a colonial master the British. The ultra nationalists or those who believe themselves rightful owner of this earth called Tanah Melayu will say that our independence actually started about 509 years ago or thereabouts, depending on when they agree the Malay Hindu Prince, Parameswara converted to Islam and founded the Malacca Sultanate that laid the foundation of this Tanah Melayu being the rightful owner of these conquerors. To historians depending on which 'centric' approach and school they are, remembering my history professor who is from the Malaysia centric vs Malay centric these days historian, the new rulers didn't see themselves as conquerors of this archipelago. The conquerors we are told, relying on historians, were the Portuguese, Dutch, English, Japanese and English. These were the imperialists who conquered this Tanah Melayu. Even if names like Srivijaya and Majapahit preceded the Malacca Sultanate, they were not se...

More transit developments are expected in the Klang Valley in the near future, as it rides the road to modernisation. INTERVIEW PETALING JAYA: Size, location and economic importance are some of the reasons why the Klang Valley is getting all the public transport attention. However, Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) chairman Syed Hamid Albar denied that the rest of Malaysia was neglected over matters of transport. At present, it seems as though we are interested in the Klang Valley. Its got the biggest (traffic) problems, its the capital a certain population lives here, he told FMT in an exclusive interview last week. I dont think you should give the impression that we dont care about the other states The Klang Valley is a test bed. Its where we are doing the first project, he added, referring to the My Rapid Transit (MRT). Spearheaded by the Economic Transformation Programme (ETP), the MRT may be Malaysias biggest infrastructure project yet. Only one line the Sungai Buloh-Kajang...

The New Zealand Press Association filed its final story a few minutes ago at 2pm MYT (6pm NZT), closing down after 131 years. It was the only independent news agency in the country. Forty remaining staff are now out of work, including Peter Martinez (of the NST, Star and Sun) who went there two decades ago. Leigh Catley, a former NZPA executive, told AFP the balanced, thorough reporting provided by NZPA would be sorely missed. Without a doubt Kiwis just dont realise what they are losing, she said. NZPA was an objective, clear and straightforward recorder of daily events in New Zealand. On Monday, the Australian Associated Press will begin a New Zealand section to fill in the gap. Share this: Twitter Facebook Email LinkedIn Print / PDF Print More StumbleUpon Reddit Digg Like this: Be the first to like this post.

Technorati tags: Merdeka , August 31 , Independence , Proclamation Of Independence , 1957 On this day, 54 years ago, an important proclamation was made, signifying the birth of a new nation, at the time called Malaya. The history and events preceding that historic event at Stadium Merdeka over half a century ago may be somewhat contentious, as the contributions of many remain unspoken, or even obscured from public mind-share. But well leave that aspect of Merdeka for another day. What Walsksi wants to focus on instead is what was proclaimed on that day, in 1957. It may have been before Walski was born, what was uttered that day is something that all Malaysians should know. For within the text of the declaration lies something which all Malaysians today should have, but has been made illusive along the historical garden path that weve traversed. That something, in fact, are two important precepts upon which this nation was founded. It is the same two pre...

by uppercaise US embassy political section chief in 2006 WIKILEAKS | #CABLEGATE # 06KUALALUMPUR1935 Comments from the DAP politicians and Suhakam reinforce what we have heard from other Sarawak state leaders and national politicians. By these accounts, the Sarawak state government remains highly corrupt and firmly in the hands of its chief minister. The $82 million state assembly building now under construction serves as perhaps the most obvious and extreme example of the self-enrichment of the states chief minister and other senior government officials. Through a combination of financial and political patronage, media ownership and control, and a seemingly unfocused opposition party, no serious challenge exists to the governing coalitions longstanding grip on political power in the state. Mark D Clark political counsellor, US embassy cable to State Department 13 October 2006 Sarawaks state assembly building hogs the skyline in some parts of Kuching. It is many times the size of Fort M...

Two men who stand to gain with Prime Minister Najib Razak's impending fall from power had very different reactions to a survey confirming the Malaysian leader's loss of favour with the people. One was Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim, who expressed concern the weak results might prompt Najib into scuttling electoral reforms so as to prolong the BN's stay in power. The other was Deputy prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, who showed a glimpse of his ambition by firstly warning that the survey results could not be taken seriously, and yet in the next breath, announced that he was now personally overseeing the rise in prices and would do all he could to stop the inflation. Rising costs of living due to a recent slew of susbidy cuts on consumer essentials plus Najib's harsh and violent crackdown on the Bersih 2.0 campaign for free and fair elections were cited by survey respondents as being the chief factors for marking him down. According to Anwar Ibrahim, the steep fall in Naj...

'Isn't it time for the ordinary members of MCA, Gerakan, MIC and those in Sabah and Sarawak to leave their respective parties?' Wikileaks: MCA can't admit Chinese being marginalised Abasir: Like their MIC and Gerakan counterparts, MCA leaders will not walk away from Umno for one reason only: preservation of self-interest, i.e. to protect a steady source of income, the formal and informal perks that come with the positions and the possibility of making something on the side, maybe a new 'Datuk' or 'Tan Sri' title and all the business and social payoff that comes with being in BN. Umno knows that they are dealing with the 'pagar' that will 'makan the padi'. And so the game goes with the support of the foolish, gullible electorate easily impressed by titles and positions. Kgen: So MCA has admitted its takings have dropped from leftovers to crumbs. Soon it will be 'droppings' exiting from Umno's rear end. Baiyuensheng: What this a...

Comment by US embassy political section chief in 2006 Sarawaks state assembly building hogs the skyline in some parts of the town. It is many times the size of the old Fort Margharita, home of the White Rajahs, and the shape of building, said to resemble Melanau headgear, looms dominatingly in view Comments from the DAP politicians and Suhakam reinforce what we have heard from other Sarawak state leaders and national politicians. By these accounts, the Sarawak state government remains highly corrupt and firmly in the hands of its chief minister. The $82 million state assembly building now under construction serves as perhaps the most obvious and extreme example of the self-enrichment of the states chief minister and other senior government officials. Through a combination of financial and political patronage, media ownership and control, and a seemingly unfocused opposition party, no serious challenge exists to the governing coalitions longstanding grip on political power in the state...

First we saw a report from RTM1 saying that some Pakatan Rakyat leaders were behind some efforts to get many Muslim to turn "murtad" against their religion. Then, there is TV3 who faked another report saying that there is some attempt to make some people "murtad" and even publish a picture of an alleged location which didn't even exist in the first place. What are the intentions of these RTM1 and TV3? From our observation since 2008, we notice that news readers from these two stations seems like hating the opposition Pakatan Rakyat so much when they are reading their news reports in front of the screen. When reporting about the condemnation or criticisms on the opposition party leaders, these news reader like to raise their tones and sometimes added funny and sarcastic words to show their dislike on them. Their faces and body language indeed demonstrated them clearly. It seems like the entire community in the RTM and TV3 hated those who oppose Barisan Nasional (...

Although I do not agree with much of the Perak Muftis past statements, I am inclined to support some of his latest comments that the Malay split is caused by a weak government, corruption and lack of trust. Racism is showing its ugly face everywhere. Not only are the Malays racist, but the Chinese too and so are the Indians. Whether the government realizes it or not, it has depicted Malays by virtue of their bumiputra status as having more privileges than the others. Obviously, the non-Malays are not happy and wont think twice to voice their disapproval any more. They have the perception that Malays are lazy, preferring an easy carefree life without breaking a sweat. Depending on government crutches instead of working hard for a living. Overly religious and without a sense of humour. What could be so wrong? Ong Tee Keats statement on Wikileaks that the MCA cannot say that Chinese are marginalized in this country is another example of the type of propaganda the government has insisted o...

TODAY, 31 August 2011, we will celebrate 54 years of Independence. MALAYSIA, a multi-racial, multi-cultural and multi-religious nation has progressed quite well while the people have been living in peace and harmony with one another. We need to maintain this harmonious relationship and continue to progress much further. Wishing ALL MALAYSIAN a HAPPY 54TH MERDEKA DAY.

The Malaysian voters are a very generous lot during the honeymoon period (like 1955, 1964, 1974, 1978 and 1982) but will punish the ruling party when there is internal strife (like 1969, 1990 and 1999). So, when Malaya saw independence, when Malaysia was formed, when Malaysia had a new Prime Minister and the Prime Minister was still in his honeymoon period, etc., the ruling party would do well. When the ruling party is facing internal strife or the honeymoon was over, it suffers. THE CORRIDORS OF POWER Raja Petra Kamarudin In 1955, during the first municipal elections to be held in Malaya, the Alliance Party won all but one of the 54 seats contested. This was due to the Merdeka euphoria. In 1957, Malaya gained independence or Merdeka. In 1959, two years AFTER Merdeka , during the first parliamentary elections to be held in Malaya, the Alliance Party won only 74 of the 104 seats and 52% of the popular votes. The ruling party lost 30 seats whereas two years BEFORE Merdeka it lost only o...