Dear ER, lease read the following post -- courtesy of the Malaysian Insider, thanks -- in conjunction with the previous post which reported a court sentencing a Blogger to THREE MONTHS' JAIL, a first such punishment on BUMmers in NegaraKu. Rais Yatim should either shut his BIG MOUTH or resign from the ministry that oversights the Internet as part of Communications portfolio. -- YL, Desi
AG urged to act against UMNO Youth's attempt to "stoke religious hatred" online
August 21, 2012
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 21 — The Attorney-General must prosecute Umno Youth for attempting to stoke racial and religious hatred online to prove he is impartial in enforcing a “presumed-guilty-until-proven-innocent” clause in the controversial Evidence Act — a law that is widely seen to shackle freedom of speech and dissent on the Internet — the DAP’s Lim Guan Eng said today.
A controversial anti-Christianity poster that was uploaded on a Facebook page that shares the same name as the political wing’s official site but which Umno Youth says is “unauthorised” has spotlighted the weaknesses in the recently-passed section 114A of the Evidence Act — a clause that, among others, presumes that the named owner of a website is the publisher of the statement.
The poster, which was uploaded last Saturday and taken down the same day, appeared to suggest that votes for federal opposition Pakatan Rakyat (PR) will cause Islam to be replaced by Christianity as the country’s official religion.
“We call the A-G, since he defend (sic) 114A of the Evidence Act, to prosecute and charge Umno Youth because of this post,” Lim (picture) told a news conference in George Town today.
“Because the burden of proof now goes to the accused, not to the prosecution because this is now turned backwards, this is now flipped backwards.
“It is not an indication of my support for the amendment but just to show, now this thing happened, isn’t this a gross injustice?” he said.
An audio clip of the news conference was made available to The Malaysian Insider.
Lim, who is also Penang chief minister, said government lawyers must take legal action against Umno Youth to show they do not practise double standards.
“So if that is the case, Umno Youth is presumed guilty for making this type of inflammatory statements — they say their web page is hacked and all that — inflammatory statements to create hatred among Christians and Muslims especially during Hari Raya, they are presumed guilty. They must prove themselves innocent.
“So if they do not charge Umno Youth, this shows there are double standards,” he said.
The DAP secretary-general said unless the prosecutors act on the ruling party’s youth wing, it would show section 114A “is intended to clamp down on freedom of the Internet, freedom of information and to muzzle the voices of freedom and dissent and to silence dissent against the Barisan Nasional government.”
Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin has denied his team was responsible for uploading the poster he described as “offensive”. A representative of the wing, Ibdilillah Ishak, filed a police report yesterday asking for an investigation to be carried on the perpetrators.
The controversial poster had read: “Jika anda setuju untuk jadikan KRISTIAN sebagai agama rasmi persekutuan Malaysia, teruskan sokongan anda kepada Pakatan Rakyat. (If you agree to make CHRISTIANITY the official religion of the federation of Malaysia, continue supporting Pakatan Rakyat.) ‘God bless you my son’.”
Critics and lawmakers from both sides of the political divide are lobbying for the law that could curb Internet freedom to be repealed after it came into force last month.
The amendment to the Evidence Act sparked an uproar in April when it was passed as it introduces a presumption of publication of online content on the publisher or registered owner of a network, and in essence shifts the burden of proof onto the accused.
Khairy and Deputy Higher Education Minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah had added their voices to the call to repeal the clause, joining opposition lawmakers already clamouring for the same.
Yesterday, PKR’s Nurul Izzah Anwar said she awaited “the authorities’ speedy action to charge the person held responsible for any posts on the Umno Youth FB Page”, noting that section 114A would be the relevant law.
The prime minister had on Twitter last week said his Cabinet would review the law after several organisations ― including the Malaysian Bar ― chose to black out their websites to signal their opposition to the law.
A day later, however, Information, Communications and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim announced that the law will stay. ~~ MI
DESIDERATA: The sections in the report above highlighted (THUS BOLDED) are done by Desi, not UMNO Youth, not any other BUMmer but Desi! ~~ YL Chong, newsdog about 40 years olde.
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Monday, August 20, 2012
Desi sympathises wit this BLOGGER, it's Rais Yatim's "selective" persecution!
BELATED but IMPORTANT FOR THE RECORD! From mysinchew.com:) ~~ YL, Desi
Blogger gets 3 months for contempt of court
News 2012-08-10 14:42
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 10 (Bernama) -- The High Court here today sentenced blogger Amizudin Ahmat to three months' jail after finding him guilty of contempt of court by further publishing 11 articles defaming Information, Communications and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim.
Judge Datin Zabariah Mohd Yusof, in her ruling, said that Amizudin had breached a court order prohibiting him from publishing such articles on Rais in his blogsite.
"This is a serious contempt case. The court imposes a custodial order of three months jail, effective today," she added.
After Zabariah read her judgement, Amizudin, who was outside the dock, rose and said, "I admit my mistakes. I apologise. I don't understand."
To this, Zabariah said that had Amizudin not understood the court order, he should have asked his lawyer.
On Nov 21 last year, Rais, 70, was granted leave to commence committal proceedings against Amizudin in relation to a suit filed by Rais.
On July 19 last year, Rais won his suit and the blogger was ordered by the High Court to pay RM300,000 in damages and RM100,000 in costs to the minister.
Rais filed the suit on Jan 31, 2011, against Amizudin, 42, who is a Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Youth Committee member, for defamation over an article posted on the latter's blog site, sharpshooterblogger.blogspot.com, on or about Dec 28, 2010.
Earlier in mitigation, Amizudin's lawyer, Ahmad Nizam Hamid, asked the court to not impose the jail sentence on his client by taking into account his client's apology.
However, counsel Datuk Seri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, representing Rais, said Amizudin had breached the court order not once, but by posting 11 more articles.
"If once, we can regard it as an error, but 11 times, and in the defamatory articles, the contemnor wrote clearly that he was aware of the court order prohibiting him from doing so.
"Perhaps this is the worst and bad contempt proceedings using words which I can described as 'jijik' (disgusting)," he added.
DESIDERATA: I say "selective" BECAUSE THAT MINSISTER HAS NO BALLS to go after the BIG BOYS like rockybru.com and other BUMmers who broke the news story! So dear fellow BUMmers. take care OK, Some UMNO ministers are pretty discriminatory, and they don't have balls for a great debate with BLoggers wit' the gumption and the guts to fight wit' WORDS, and like the Bee Gees, Desi can only console wit':
And WORDS are all I have, To take your heART away...
Blogger gets 3 months for contempt of court
News 2012-08-10 14:42
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 10 (Bernama) -- The High Court here today sentenced blogger Amizudin Ahmat to three months' jail after finding him guilty of contempt of court by further publishing 11 articles defaming Information, Communications and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim.
Judge Datin Zabariah Mohd Yusof, in her ruling, said that Amizudin had breached a court order prohibiting him from publishing such articles on Rais in his blogsite.
"This is a serious contempt case. The court imposes a custodial order of three months jail, effective today," she added.
After Zabariah read her judgement, Amizudin, who was outside the dock, rose and said, "I admit my mistakes. I apologise. I don't understand."
To this, Zabariah said that had Amizudin not understood the court order, he should have asked his lawyer.
On Nov 21 last year, Rais, 70, was granted leave to commence committal proceedings against Amizudin in relation to a suit filed by Rais.
On July 19 last year, Rais won his suit and the blogger was ordered by the High Court to pay RM300,000 in damages and RM100,000 in costs to the minister.
Rais filed the suit on Jan 31, 2011, against Amizudin, 42, who is a Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Youth Committee member, for defamation over an article posted on the latter's blog site, sharpshooterblogger.blogspot.com, on or about Dec 28, 2010.
Earlier in mitigation, Amizudin's lawyer, Ahmad Nizam Hamid, asked the court to not impose the jail sentence on his client by taking into account his client's apology.
However, counsel Datuk Seri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, representing Rais, said Amizudin had breached the court order not once, but by posting 11 more articles.
"If once, we can regard it as an error, but 11 times, and in the defamatory articles, the contemnor wrote clearly that he was aware of the court order prohibiting him from doing so.
"Perhaps this is the worst and bad contempt proceedings using words which I can described as 'jijik' (disgusting)," he added.
DESIDERATA: I say "selective" BECAUSE THAT MINSISTER HAS NO BALLS to go after the BIG BOYS like rockybru.com and other BUMmers who broke the news story! So dear fellow BUMmers. take care OK, Some UMNO ministers are pretty discriminatory, and they don't have balls for a great debate with BLoggers wit' the gumption and the guts to fight wit' WORDS, and like the Bee Gees, Desi can only console wit':
And WORDS are all I have, To take your heART away...
Saturday, July 9, 2011
BUM2011 Rocks In with a Luncheon Forum on July 24!
YES< keep a date with a group of intrepid Socio-Political Bloggers -- who call themselves BUMmers, but some pronounce it as BOOMmers because of its obvious hi-desibelles! -- who have been cooking up a new recipe to welcome all-comers with RM50 to spare to a beautiful Sunday lunch downtown Kuala Lumpur. On Sunday 24 July 2011 at MAJU PALACE RESTAURANT, MAJU JUNCTION,- -- yes, Malaysians like to talk while they eat or they never stop eating throughout the day. I guess tha's why 7ELEVENs are sprouting up around every street corner -- gifting real meaning to the term "convenience store".
So here's extracting details from the dedicated website to promo the luncheon forum -- bum4msia.wordpress.com-- come for a sit-back-and-rest-and-relax chowdown with almost-2B-disqualified-as-MP (I understand they hold his staus as a BUMmer in hi-stead, so he survives to march down Batu Road!) YB Tian Chua -- you haven't heard of him? "Art thou from planet Mars?", KimQuek -- whose real name is actually Yong Thye Chong-- but few people know his real professional background, accountant or engineer? -- author of banned book "March to Putrajaya" all the way from Johor Bharu!
But before lunch starts punctually at 12.15PM, let's gift a hearing to the CEO of the most advanced state in Malaysia, Selangor, YAB Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim who will share some insights as Menteri Besar on a topic related to the forum's theme: ) Just add a rumour the BUM2011 Org Comm chair YL Chong, aka Desiderata, will be making the off-repeated SWANsong APpearance!:(
Okay, details from bum4msia.wordpress.com:
Updated @11.26PM:
So here's extracting details from the dedicated website to promo the luncheon forum -- bum4msia.wordpress.com-- come for a sit-back-and-rest-and-relax chowdown with almost-2B-disqualified-as-MP (I understand they hold his staus as a BUMmer in hi-stead, so he survives to march down Batu Road!) YB Tian Chua -- you haven't heard of him? "Art thou from planet Mars?", KimQuek -- whose real name is actually Yong Thye Chong-- but few people know his real professional background, accountant or engineer? -- author of banned book "March to Putrajaya" all the way from Johor Bharu!
But before lunch starts punctually at 12.15PM, let's gift a hearing to the CEO of the most advanced state in Malaysia, Selangor, YAB Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim who will share some insights as Menteri Besar on a topic related to the forum's theme: ) Just add a rumour the BUM2011 Org Comm chair YL Chong, aka Desiderata, will be making the off-repeated SWANsong APpearance!:(
Okay, details from bum4msia.wordpress.com:
BUM2011 LUNCHEON FORUM UPDATE
Theme: Nation Building Across The Political Divide
Date: Sunday, 24 July 2011
Time: 10.30am to 2.30pm
Venue: Maju Palace Restaurant, Maju Junction, Kuala Lumpur
ADMISSION: Open to the Public, Fee Payable at RM50 per pax with Table booking at RM500 per table for 10 most welcome
Programme Outline:
10.00AM: Registration of Guests starts
10.45AM: Welcoming Speech
by BUM 2011 Organising Committee Chairman, YL Chong, Desi
11.00AM: Keynote Address by YB Menteri Besar of Selangor Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim on a ***TOPIC related to the Theme wrt Selangor Experience
Q and A to follow: 20 minutes
**************BUFFET LUNCH TO BE SERVED 12.15PM to 1.15PM***********************
Forum: 1.15PM to 2.30PM on Topic “Transformation&Reform: Sloganeering, Lip Service and Performance” featuring:
Panel of 4 to 5 Speakers to speak 10-12minutes each.
1. MP of Batu YB Tian Chua, “You haven’t heard of him? Thou art weird!”
2. Sdr Kim Quek aka Yong Thye Chong, malaysiakini.com columist
Author of “March to Putrajaya” all the way from JB!
3. Dr SM Yeoh, Maverick, Blogger-lawyer-management guru who gives free advice with a wit’ a dosage of Malaysian profanities
4. Sdr AB Sulaiman, malaysiakini.com columnist
Q and A to follow …
Kuala Lumpur
7 July, 2011
***NOTE: Topic to be finalised by Selangor MB’s Office
Updated @11.26PM:
Registration
BUM 2011 participation fee is RM50 per head inclusive of buffet lunch.
Payment mode: Online/ATM transfer to Public Bank a/c: 3149149826 ( FNR2U.Com Sdn Bhd)
After remitting payment, kindly email Kenneth Cheok at globallink.industries@gmail.com with the following details:
Your name:
No of attendees:
Amount paid:
Date of payment:
your email address/contact no.
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
BUM2011 Forum this Saturday -- Open Invite
From bum4msia.wordpress.com...
BUM 2011 forum this Saturday
PRESS RELEASE
Bloggers Universe Malaysia (BUM) is belatedly commemorating World Press Freedom Day with a forum by popular speakers.
The ‘Bloggers’ solidarity with the press?’ will feature:
- Cheam Toon Lee – former editor-in-chief who had served in Sabah/Sarawak,
- Zunar as Malaysiakini cartoonist Zulkiflee Anwar Ulhaque is better known,
- Ambiga Sreenevasan – Bersih 2.0 chairperson and ex-Bar Council president,
- Hata Wahari – former National Union of Journalists president until his employer Utusan Malaysia sacked him recently.
Selangor state assemblyman Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad will give the keynote address on ‘Legislating freedom of information act in parliament”.
The event is co-organised by a group of bloggers in their individual capacities, the Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall, and the Centre for Policy Initiatives.
CPI director Dr Lim Teck Ghee said that with the political environment becoming more hotly contested and the mainstream media working overtime as cheerleader and fear leader for the establishment, it is vital that bloggers and those with integrity in the mass media quickly close ranks and provide Malaysians with truthful, fair and objective news and analysis.
“I hope this forum will serve to galvanise media practitioners and bloggers to reassert their adherence to the norms of journalistic ethics and independent reporting,” Lim added.
BUM2011 organising committee chairman YL Chong aka Desiderata said this year’s event almost never got off the ground as the Sarawak state elections came in April and interrupted the preparations. The BUM gatherings in previous years were all held in the month of May.
“Nevertheless, I was motivated to press ahead after learning about Hata Wahari’s plight. His sacking explains the theme for our fifth BUM outing,” he added.
Admission to the forum is free and open to the public.
Date: June 11, 2011
Time: 7.45pm
Venue: Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall auditorium (1, Jalan Maharajalela)
More background and updates on the event are posted at the BUM dedicated website bum4msia.wordpress.com.
Contact person: YL Chong at 012-970 2285.
Sunday, June 5, 2011
BUM2011 Is On!
FROM: bum4msia.wordpress.com:)~~~~June 1, 2011
BUM 2011 Is Now at the Starting Blocks!
An exciting panel of speakers has been lined up for the BUM2011 Forum on June 11, 2011 to mark World Press Freedom Day (which fell on May 3, 2011). This evening forum is co-organised by a group of bloggers in their individual capacities (who call themselves BUMmers), and the Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall and the Centre for Policy Initiatives.
*************************
Theme: Bloggers’ Solidarity with the Press?
Date: Saturday, 11 June 2011 Time: 7.45pm to 10.15pm
Venue: Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall Auditorium (KLSCAH)
Admission: Free and Open to the Public
*************************
Programme Outline:
7.45PM: Welcoming Speech by Dr Lim TG, Director, Centre for Policy Initiatives;
7.55PM: Address by BUM 2011 Organising Committee Chairman, YL Chong, Desi
8.10PM: Keynote Address by YB Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad on “Legislating Freedom of Information Act in Parliament”
Q and A to follow: 20 minutes
*************************************
Forum: Bloggers’ Solidarity with The Press?
9.00PM to 10.00PM featuring:
Sdr Cheam Toon Lee, newsman, former GEIC
Sdr Zunar, cartoonist, writer
Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan, Chairperson, BERSIH 2.0 ;
Sdr Hata Wahari, NUJ President, “sacked” by Utusan Malaysia recently
Q and A to follow…
Kuala Lumpur June 1st, 2011
BUM 2011 Is Now at the Starting Blocks!
An exciting panel of speakers has been lined up for the BUM2011 Forum on June 11, 2011 to mark World Press Freedom Day (which fell on May 3, 2011). This evening forum is co-organised by a group of bloggers in their individual capacities (who call themselves BUMmers), and the Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall and the Centre for Policy Initiatives.
*************************
Theme: Bloggers’ Solidarity with the Press?
Date: Saturday, 11 June 2011 Time: 7.45pm to 10.15pm
Venue: Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall Auditorium (KLSCAH)
Admission: Free and Open to the Public
*************************
Programme Outline:
7.45PM: Welcoming Speech by Dr Lim TG, Director, Centre for Policy Initiatives;
7.55PM: Address by BUM 2011 Organising Committee Chairman, YL Chong, Desi
8.10PM: Keynote Address by YB Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad on “Legislating Freedom of Information Act in Parliament”
Q and A to follow: 20 minutes
*************************************
Forum: Bloggers’ Solidarity with The Press?
9.00PM to 10.00PM featuring:
Sdr Cheam Toon Lee, newsman, former GEIC
Sdr Zunar, cartoonist, writer
Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan, Chairperson, BERSIH 2.0 ;
Sdr Hata Wahari, NUJ President, “sacked” by Utusan Malaysia recently
Q and A to follow…
Kuala Lumpur June 1st, 2011
Sunday, September 19, 2010
A GoOD Read on Globalisation...
Desi likes to read the works of Malaysians resident abroad, for somehow they are not caught up so much with the local politics which can easily colour one's objectivity because of one's partisanship. One such writer is a surgeon based in the US, and today's read is important because of the topic -- GLOBALISATION.
Many leaders here don't even know that we have entered a new millennium ten years ago for they continue to play politics of the 1970s to the 1990s -- prominent are the PERKASA and its many clones, Hindraf and its many offspring, ah,leading the pack of the originals is UMNO ...entrenched in Ketuanan Melayu concept, tongkat economics while the world outside has moved on for three to four decades by leaps and bounds, and they continue to KONSTAN GEAR... God save us from these socalled national leaders, they may have good intentions, as they keep reminding the Rakyat that their policies are for the good of the nation! --- BUT REMEMBER, the path to hell is paved with many good intentions. God save us from such good intenders! Desi always believes that the polititics of the future will largely hinge on the country's economic status, and unless Malaysian leaders wake up from their stupour, neighbours like Thailand, Indonesia and Vietname are going to outstrip us pretty soon in economic stature. Don't even talk about India and China, and there are still oud mouths like Ibrahim Ali playing the Jaguh Kampong dance and they don't realise the whole wide world is laughing at us. Their sandiwara and outOFtime steps are magnified and circulated superfast a hundred times by one of Globalisation's tools, The Internet, so much so even the authorities are baffled as some misguided Minister maketh pronouncements that other media like Facebook are western evils hat should be filtered before they endanger young Malaysians, and people like NameWee should be sut up for their own good. God save us indeed! Amen, YL, Desi
Malaysia in the Era of Globalization #32
September 15th, 2010
By Dr Bakri Musa
Chapter 5: Understanding Globalization
There is no doubt that globalization is an idea whose time has come….[But] the fact that [it] has come…does not mean we should sit by and watch as the predators destroy us.
—Mahathir bin Mohamad, Prime Minister of Malaysia
The one dominant force shaping the world today is globalization. That is, the increasing integration of markets, economies, infrastructures, and other institutions into one world standard. As a consequence, there is increasingly free movement of goods, capital, services, and ideas across borders.
Globalization, observes the World Bank, is not just an economic phenomenon. While the accounting of benefits and costs of globalization depends very much on one’s perspective, there is no question that it is a relentless and inevitable tidal wave. And like any tidal wave, one is more likely to survive and even thrive, if prepared. A non-swimmer will be swept away and drowned, but a skillful surfer will exhilaratingly ride the crest.
The choice then is simply whether you should prepare yourself to be a skillful surfer if not at least a passable swimmer, or let yourself be swept by the tidal flow. Stopping the flood is not one of your options.
While many clamor to join this global mainstream, just as many resist. Globalization is enthusiastically embraced by those steeped in the ways of the new economy and modern technology. Its detractors include such “America first” advocates as Pat Buchanan, as well as the Mahathir’s of the Third World. Such bewildering alliances and confluences reflect the complexity of this phenomenon.
One of the reasons for these diverse coalitions is that globalization is perceived differently by the various constituents both in the West and in the developing world. To American factory workers, it means the loss of their jobs to such places as China and Mexico; to their executives, an opportunity to reduce costs of production. Third World leaders view globalization as surrendering their nation’s sovereignty to multinational corporations; those citizens meanwhile look forward to the job opportunities afforded by these foreign companies. Such conflicting perceptions are understandable as there is no consensus what globalization actually means. That notwithstanding, there is at least a general agreement on what globalization is not.
What Globalization Is Not
Globalization does not mean a single all-powerful world government along the line of a vastly expanded United Nations issuing edicts from New York to remote corners of the world. This is a particular paranoia of American right wing groups who are forever on the look out for black UN helicopters ready to take over their country. Similarly, globalization is not another form of regional cooperation in the fashion of a strengthened Asean (Association of Southeast Asian Nations). Nor is it a political and economic entity along the lines of the European Union or a common market like Nafta (North American Free Trade Agreement).
Globalization will not mean the decline or end of the nation-state, as some exuberant advocates proclaim and some nationalistic leaders like Mahathir fear. As Peter Drucker, the management guru and respected futurist noted, it will be a greatly changed nation-state that will survive globalization. In particular, totalitarian states that have a tight stranglehold on their citizens will have difficulty maintaining their grip. With the free flow of ideas and information across borders, the state’s propaganda machinery would be effectively neutralized. [Author’s updated note: We are certainly seeing this in Malaysia where the government-controlled mainstream media are losing their credibility and the accompanying rise of independent blogs.]
Globalization will definitely result in major changes in the power relations between and within nations. This can be disorientating to those comfortable with or dependent on the status quo.
Globalization does not mean a decrease in international regulations and rules. This would disappoint those advocates for a minimalist government, On the contrary, in many cases there will be increased rules with respect to human and labor rights, pollution and environmental laws, and international crimes, as the various national agencies will get increasingly coordinated with those across their borders. Thus polluters in Indonesia for example, will face the wrath of not only their countrymen but also neighboring countries. Environmental groups like Greenpeace are now forging global alliances that transcend national and political boundaries.
Lastly, to those who fear that the universe would be turned into a dull monotonous cultural landscape filled with the Madonnas, Michael Jacksons, and other icons and artifacts of the McWorld, globalization will not mean cultural homogenization. The fear of globalization being just another form of Western hegemony or neocolonialism is simply delusional. On the contrary, globalization provides a much-needed leveling of the playing field and gives small fringe cultural groups hitherto isolated in their remote villages or ashram an avenue to expand its influence worldwide.
It is significant that through globalization, the 13th Century Persian poet Jallaludin Al-Rumi is now the most widely read in America. Similarly Sufism, which once was relegated to the margins of Islam and presented to the world only at exotic cultural festivals, is now fast becoming chic in the West. The public library in my small California town now carries at least a dozen books on the subject. And they are always being signed out! The Internet enables Sufism to reach a much wider audience globally.
As more nations adopt and benefit from globalization, the present cultural, economic, and other dominations of the West would gradually be eroded. For example, once China becomes prosperous, it too will contribute its share of talent onto the world stage to challenge the supremacy now enjoyed by Americans. Further, once China has the market power comparable to America, manufacturers and marketers will cater to the Chinese tastes and market. And then by sheer momentum, that taste or trend will become universal. The reason America now enjoys supremacy (at least in popular consumer taste) is purely the consequence of it being the largest and most lucrative market. Producers and manufacturers everywhere cater to it. Thus by sheer mass dynamics, the American taste and style become universal.
Many leaders here don't even know that we have entered a new millennium ten years ago for they continue to play politics of the 1970s to the 1990s -- prominent are the PERKASA and its many clones, Hindraf and its many offspring, ah,leading the pack of the originals is UMNO ...entrenched in Ketuanan Melayu concept, tongkat economics while the world outside has moved on for three to four decades by leaps and bounds, and they continue to KONSTAN GEAR... God save us from these socalled national leaders, they may have good intentions, as they keep reminding the Rakyat that their policies are for the good of the nation! --- BUT REMEMBER, the path to hell is paved with many good intentions. God save us from such good intenders! Desi always believes that the polititics of the future will largely hinge on the country's economic status, and unless Malaysian leaders wake up from their stupour, neighbours like Thailand, Indonesia and Vietname are going to outstrip us pretty soon in economic stature. Don't even talk about India and China, and there are still oud mouths like Ibrahim Ali playing the Jaguh Kampong dance and they don't realise the whole wide world is laughing at us. Their sandiwara and outOFtime steps are magnified and circulated superfast a hundred times by one of Globalisation's tools, The Internet, so much so even the authorities are baffled as some misguided Minister maketh pronouncements that other media like Facebook are western evils hat should be filtered before they endanger young Malaysians, and people like NameWee should be sut up for their own good. God save us indeed! Amen, YL, Desi
Malaysia in the Era of Globalization #32
September 15th, 2010
By Dr Bakri Musa
Chapter 5: Understanding Globalization
There is no doubt that globalization is an idea whose time has come….[But] the fact that [it] has come…does not mean we should sit by and watch as the predators destroy us.
—Mahathir bin Mohamad, Prime Minister of Malaysia
The one dominant force shaping the world today is globalization. That is, the increasing integration of markets, economies, infrastructures, and other institutions into one world standard. As a consequence, there is increasingly free movement of goods, capital, services, and ideas across borders.
Globalization, observes the World Bank, is not just an economic phenomenon. While the accounting of benefits and costs of globalization depends very much on one’s perspective, there is no question that it is a relentless and inevitable tidal wave. And like any tidal wave, one is more likely to survive and even thrive, if prepared. A non-swimmer will be swept away and drowned, but a skillful surfer will exhilaratingly ride the crest.
The choice then is simply whether you should prepare yourself to be a skillful surfer if not at least a passable swimmer, or let yourself be swept by the tidal flow. Stopping the flood is not one of your options.
While many clamor to join this global mainstream, just as many resist. Globalization is enthusiastically embraced by those steeped in the ways of the new economy and modern technology. Its detractors include such “America first” advocates as Pat Buchanan, as well as the Mahathir’s of the Third World. Such bewildering alliances and confluences reflect the complexity of this phenomenon.
One of the reasons for these diverse coalitions is that globalization is perceived differently by the various constituents both in the West and in the developing world. To American factory workers, it means the loss of their jobs to such places as China and Mexico; to their executives, an opportunity to reduce costs of production. Third World leaders view globalization as surrendering their nation’s sovereignty to multinational corporations; those citizens meanwhile look forward to the job opportunities afforded by these foreign companies. Such conflicting perceptions are understandable as there is no consensus what globalization actually means. That notwithstanding, there is at least a general agreement on what globalization is not.
What Globalization Is Not
Globalization does not mean a single all-powerful world government along the line of a vastly expanded United Nations issuing edicts from New York to remote corners of the world. This is a particular paranoia of American right wing groups who are forever on the look out for black UN helicopters ready to take over their country. Similarly, globalization is not another form of regional cooperation in the fashion of a strengthened Asean (Association of Southeast Asian Nations). Nor is it a political and economic entity along the lines of the European Union or a common market like Nafta (North American Free Trade Agreement).
Globalization will not mean the decline or end of the nation-state, as some exuberant advocates proclaim and some nationalistic leaders like Mahathir fear. As Peter Drucker, the management guru and respected futurist noted, it will be a greatly changed nation-state that will survive globalization. In particular, totalitarian states that have a tight stranglehold on their citizens will have difficulty maintaining their grip. With the free flow of ideas and information across borders, the state’s propaganda machinery would be effectively neutralized. [Author’s updated note: We are certainly seeing this in Malaysia where the government-controlled mainstream media are losing their credibility and the accompanying rise of independent blogs.]
Globalization will definitely result in major changes in the power relations between and within nations. This can be disorientating to those comfortable with or dependent on the status quo.
Globalization does not mean a decrease in international regulations and rules. This would disappoint those advocates for a minimalist government, On the contrary, in many cases there will be increased rules with respect to human and labor rights, pollution and environmental laws, and international crimes, as the various national agencies will get increasingly coordinated with those across their borders. Thus polluters in Indonesia for example, will face the wrath of not only their countrymen but also neighboring countries. Environmental groups like Greenpeace are now forging global alliances that transcend national and political boundaries.
Lastly, to those who fear that the universe would be turned into a dull monotonous cultural landscape filled with the Madonnas, Michael Jacksons, and other icons and artifacts of the McWorld, globalization will not mean cultural homogenization. The fear of globalization being just another form of Western hegemony or neocolonialism is simply delusional. On the contrary, globalization provides a much-needed leveling of the playing field and gives small fringe cultural groups hitherto isolated in their remote villages or ashram an avenue to expand its influence worldwide.
It is significant that through globalization, the 13th Century Persian poet Jallaludin Al-Rumi is now the most widely read in America. Similarly Sufism, which once was relegated to the margins of Islam and presented to the world only at exotic cultural festivals, is now fast becoming chic in the West. The public library in my small California town now carries at least a dozen books on the subject. And they are always being signed out! The Internet enables Sufism to reach a much wider audience globally.
As more nations adopt and benefit from globalization, the present cultural, economic, and other dominations of the West would gradually be eroded. For example, once China becomes prosperous, it too will contribute its share of talent onto the world stage to challenge the supremacy now enjoyed by Americans. Further, once China has the market power comparable to America, manufacturers and marketers will cater to the Chinese tastes and market. And then by sheer momentum, that taste or trend will become universal. The reason America now enjoys supremacy (at least in popular consumer taste) is purely the consequence of it being the largest and most lucrative market. Producers and manufacturers everywhere cater to it. Thus by sheer mass dynamics, the American taste and style become universal.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
from malaysia-today.net a letter worth a pound in gold...
RESPONSE TO PRESS RELEASE BY MACC RE: BALA INTERVIEW IN LONDON
LETTERS/SURAT
Wednesday, 30 June 2010 Super Admin
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It is nothing less than astounding to now realize that an authority such as the MACC, who would have been expected to have done everything in their power to investigate the very serious allegations made against the Prime Minister, his wife and his brother, to now forfeit that opportunity on tenuous and exasperatingly flimsy grounds knowing full well that much preparation has gone into organizing this interview and to then pull out at the very last moment contrary to the false perceptions created by them up till now.
Americk Sidhu
I refer to the press release by the MACC this afternoon to the effect that they will not be sending their officers to London to interview my client P.Balasubramaniam (Bala), as promised.
The excuses (they do not qualify as reasons), given are as follows:
1. That the MACC will instead submit questions to which my client will give his answers in affidavit form.
2. That the A.G's chambers had provided advice along these lines to the MACC.
3. That precedence has been established in the Eric Chia case to the effect that a witnesses statement recorded overseas is inadmissible in a Malaysian Court.
4. That even if an affidavit was sworn by Bala it would not hold much weight in court if he was not available to testify.
These statements appear to be full of contradictions, misguided assumptions and ill-devised excuses used to decline the invitation to interview Bala which has been so vehemently pursued by the MACC in the past.
The recording of a witnesses statement can take place anywhere in the world as this statement forms part of the investigations conducted by the MACC for the purposes of a potential prosecution and is not intended to be used as evidence in a Court of Law. If this were the case, then the statement recorded from Saiful in the ongoing Sodomy II trial of Anwar Ibrahim would have been willingly tendered by the prosecution as part of their case instead of being guarded jealously and hidden from view. So this is really no excuse for not recording a statement from Bala. It would never be tendered in court unless it is used to discredit the oral evidence of a witness if that evidence contradicts a previously recorded statement. This process is called impeachment. That is why a statement is first recorded.
The MACC have assumed that Bala will not turn up in Court to testify.
Why have they assumed this?
Bala is ever prepared to testify against those personalities who have caused him and his family untold misery for the past 2 years. Was it not Bala who surfaced to tell his story as soon as he was able? Has he ever shirked from his duty as a law abiding citizen to assist the authorities in whatever way he could without compromising his own safety? All Bala asks is that the authorities concerned ensure that his well being is preserved if he is required to testify. Nothing more nothing less.
Bala could quite easily have gone into forced exile with RM5 million in his pocket and his life would have been a lot easier. Instead he has come forward to expose the misdeeds perpetrated upon him by a host of unsavoury characters who stretch all the way to the personalities holding the highest positions in government and their immediate family members.
If the MACC requires signed depositions from Bala to wrap up their investigations, may I suggest they consult the documents available all over cyberspace in the form of Bala’s 1st SD released in July 2008 and the 3 parts of his Q&A released in November 2009. These documents exhaustively detail all issues involved in this conspiracy and have been available for a long time now. If this is all the MACC required, why suggest that their investigations could not proceed without the cooperation of Bala? Why did Nazri inform Parliament that the MACC were emasculated in continuing with their investigations because Bala could not be found?
Bala was available at all times and the MACC knew this. We have documents to prove we had informed them of our willingness to cooperate as far back as December last year. Why is everyone becoming so coy at the eleventh hour?
It is nothing less than astounding to now realize that an authority such as the MACC, who would have been expected to have done everything in their power to investigate the very serious allegations made against the Prime Minister, his wife and his brother, to now forfeit that opportunity on tenuous and exasperatingly flimsy grounds knowing full well that much preparation has gone into organizing this interview and to then pull out at the very last moment contrary to the false perceptions created by them up till now.
This turn of events has certainly destroyed what little credibility the MACC had left and has confirmed the suspicions held by most right thinking members of society that they are a body existing solely to protect the interests of the powers that be and to ensure that any opposition to the government is dealt with by harsh, brash, unnecessary and lopsided vehemence with the sole purpose of destroying any legitimate questioning of the excesses of the ruling regime so that power is perpetuated in the hands of their masters.
As far as I am concerned, and I know I speak for the team of lawyers representing Bala in this matter, that we will all be in London at the Holiday Villas, Bayswater at 10 am on the 5th July awaiting the arrival of the 3 MACC officers who are supposed to interview Bala as arranged and as promised.
Let me add that whatever advice the MACC may have received from the Attorney General's chambers is highly suspect and devoid of any legal basis, but instead smacks of a hastily assembled concoction of very weak excuses designed to avoid a potentially embarrassing situation for those who are obviously in control and who are able to hijack the machinations of the State and to manipulate the system to suit their own illegitimate agendas.
And if there are still any reservations as to whether the MACC were indeed genuinely planning on interviewing Bala in London then that misconception has now been destroyed by the fact that they had, up till now, not bothered to book the conference room at the Holiday Villas, Bayswater even though they had assured us they would handle the booking. They had never intended to interview Bala and have spent the past few weeks scrambling around for an excuse not to. The only problem is the excuse is ludicrous and everyone knows that.
LETTERS/SURAT
Wednesday, 30 June 2010 Super Admin
E-mail Print PDF
Digg!Del.icio.us!Google!Live!Facebook!Technorati!StumbleUpon!MySpace!Yahoo! Twitter!LinkedIn!
It is nothing less than astounding to now realize that an authority such as the MACC, who would have been expected to have done everything in their power to investigate the very serious allegations made against the Prime Minister, his wife and his brother, to now forfeit that opportunity on tenuous and exasperatingly flimsy grounds knowing full well that much preparation has gone into organizing this interview and to then pull out at the very last moment contrary to the false perceptions created by them up till now.
Americk Sidhu
I refer to the press release by the MACC this afternoon to the effect that they will not be sending their officers to London to interview my client P.Balasubramaniam (Bala), as promised.
The excuses (they do not qualify as reasons), given are as follows:
1. That the MACC will instead submit questions to which my client will give his answers in affidavit form.
2. That the A.G's chambers had provided advice along these lines to the MACC.
3. That precedence has been established in the Eric Chia case to the effect that a witnesses statement recorded overseas is inadmissible in a Malaysian Court.
4. That even if an affidavit was sworn by Bala it would not hold much weight in court if he was not available to testify.
These statements appear to be full of contradictions, misguided assumptions and ill-devised excuses used to decline the invitation to interview Bala which has been so vehemently pursued by the MACC in the past.
The recording of a witnesses statement can take place anywhere in the world as this statement forms part of the investigations conducted by the MACC for the purposes of a potential prosecution and is not intended to be used as evidence in a Court of Law. If this were the case, then the statement recorded from Saiful in the ongoing Sodomy II trial of Anwar Ibrahim would have been willingly tendered by the prosecution as part of their case instead of being guarded jealously and hidden from view. So this is really no excuse for not recording a statement from Bala. It would never be tendered in court unless it is used to discredit the oral evidence of a witness if that evidence contradicts a previously recorded statement. This process is called impeachment. That is why a statement is first recorded.
The MACC have assumed that Bala will not turn up in Court to testify.
Why have they assumed this?
Bala is ever prepared to testify against those personalities who have caused him and his family untold misery for the past 2 years. Was it not Bala who surfaced to tell his story as soon as he was able? Has he ever shirked from his duty as a law abiding citizen to assist the authorities in whatever way he could without compromising his own safety? All Bala asks is that the authorities concerned ensure that his well being is preserved if he is required to testify. Nothing more nothing less.
Bala could quite easily have gone into forced exile with RM5 million in his pocket and his life would have been a lot easier. Instead he has come forward to expose the misdeeds perpetrated upon him by a host of unsavoury characters who stretch all the way to the personalities holding the highest positions in government and their immediate family members.
If the MACC requires signed depositions from Bala to wrap up their investigations, may I suggest they consult the documents available all over cyberspace in the form of Bala’s 1st SD released in July 2008 and the 3 parts of his Q&A released in November 2009. These documents exhaustively detail all issues involved in this conspiracy and have been available for a long time now. If this is all the MACC required, why suggest that their investigations could not proceed without the cooperation of Bala? Why did Nazri inform Parliament that the MACC were emasculated in continuing with their investigations because Bala could not be found?
Bala was available at all times and the MACC knew this. We have documents to prove we had informed them of our willingness to cooperate as far back as December last year. Why is everyone becoming so coy at the eleventh hour?
It is nothing less than astounding to now realize that an authority such as the MACC, who would have been expected to have done everything in their power to investigate the very serious allegations made against the Prime Minister, his wife and his brother, to now forfeit that opportunity on tenuous and exasperatingly flimsy grounds knowing full well that much preparation has gone into organizing this interview and to then pull out at the very last moment contrary to the false perceptions created by them up till now.
This turn of events has certainly destroyed what little credibility the MACC had left and has confirmed the suspicions held by most right thinking members of society that they are a body existing solely to protect the interests of the powers that be and to ensure that any opposition to the government is dealt with by harsh, brash, unnecessary and lopsided vehemence with the sole purpose of destroying any legitimate questioning of the excesses of the ruling regime so that power is perpetuated in the hands of their masters.
As far as I am concerned, and I know I speak for the team of lawyers representing Bala in this matter, that we will all be in London at the Holiday Villas, Bayswater at 10 am on the 5th July awaiting the arrival of the 3 MACC officers who are supposed to interview Bala as arranged and as promised.
Let me add that whatever advice the MACC may have received from the Attorney General's chambers is highly suspect and devoid of any legal basis, but instead smacks of a hastily assembled concoction of very weak excuses designed to avoid a potentially embarrassing situation for those who are obviously in control and who are able to hijack the machinations of the State and to manipulate the system to suit their own illegitimate agendas.
And if there are still any reservations as to whether the MACC were indeed genuinely planning on interviewing Bala in London then that misconception has now been destroyed by the fact that they had, up till now, not bothered to book the conference room at the Holiday Villas, Bayswater even though they had assured us they would handle the booking. They had never intended to interview Bala and have spent the past few weeks scrambling around for an excuse not to. The only problem is the excuse is ludicrous and everyone knows that.
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