Voice of Insanity
The voices in my head… they talk to me…
The Average Malaysian
Apr 14th
My response to this article on the Nutgraph.
I can relate to these stories quite well. Being Malaysian we are all used to the "mamak stall crusader". You know these people, who had someone’s uncle’s daughter’s third aunty’s grandfather who knew someone who did something… So they are the experts in giving their opinion on economics, security, politics.
I remember so many times I was persuaded by well meaning and responsible people that I should stay in Malaysia because "its better to be a second class citizen in your own country than a first class citizen elsewhere". This is their logic to be content in the rut that they live in. After all these years, many of them are still in their same spot, the same mamak stall, same jobs (unless VSS or retrenchment)…
I think Malaysia is the only country is the world where the general public knows every dirty little secret of the ruling elite and its discussed feverishly and passionately at the mamak stall. But Malaysian are proud NATO card carrying members – the No Action Talk Only kind…
The reason for this is – all average Malaysians regardless of race, religion and cultural heritage believe in one thing very strongly. We don’t disturb another person’s rice bowl. Even if its illegal, morally wrong. So long as our rice bowl is protected and assured.
This is the reason why BN coalition enjoyed such a long and prosperous comfortable looting, plundering and pillaging of the nation. So long as the average Malaysian thinks that they will continue to be fed, roofed and clothed comfortably – the continued to support every ridiculous and mentally challenged ideas of BN politicians. Until now.
Why now ? Well, the average Malaysian is finding themselves hit where it hurts most. Their rice bowl. The size of the rice bowl has become smaller and while even the scraps and bone are tiny and no meat is in sight. While every minister’s relative is sporting new cars and mansions from sub contracts – the average Malaysian is the orphan Oliver. Finally, the average Malaysian is waking up to the kopi tarik that he, the citizen has been royally buggered for years. Its about time anyway!
Is this the future of Malaysian Muslim women ?
Mar 4th
Saudi woman senteced to 300 lashes
March 4, 2010 – 7:35AM
A Saudi woman is to be lashed 300 times and jailed for 18 months for filing complaints against court officials and appearing in court without a male guardian.
Sawsan Salim was convicted last month in a court in Rass, in Qassim province in the north, after petitioning Riyadh officials, including King Abdullah, over what she alleged was years of abuse by local justice officials, the US-based Human Rights Watch said in a statement on Wednesday.
Despite her request for intervention, two local judges charged her with filing 118 "spurious complaints" against officials, including the judges themselves, and "appearing … without a male guardian" between 2004 and 2008.
On January 25, she was convicted after a month-long trial before two judges, one of whom was a plaintiff in the case and the original target of Salim’s harassment allegations, according to Human Rights Watch.
The group has called for higher authorities to quash the verdict.
Salim alleges that ever since she rejected local judge Habib Abdullah al-Aqsa’s repeated urging to divorce her husband, who had been jailed over debts, in 2004, that judge and other officials have continually created trouble for her.
On numerous occasions through 2008, HRW said, officials "chided Salim for not being accompanied by a male guardian during her visits to their offices".
Under Saudi Arabia’s ultra-strict version of Islam, women are not supposed to move around outside the home without a male guardian.
Salim and her lawyer petitioned top officials several times over the years of harassment.
"She owns a business, and they were making things very difficult for her," said Nadya Khalife, a women’s rights researcher for the Middle East at Human Rights Watch.
"She didn’t keep things quiet."
Two local judges, including Aqsa, countered with their own accusations, and their case went to trial in December, resulting in the conviction. Aqsa was one of the judges appointed to try the case.
"In Saudi Arabia, being a woman going about her legitimate business without a man’s protection is apparently a crime," Khalife said.
AFP
Malaysia embarrassed by outdated political thuggery
Feb 23rd
Dumb autocrats use the army, goon squads and guns to repress the opposition. Smart autocrats use the law courts to do it. Indonesia’s Soeharto was a dumb autocrat. Singapore’s Lee Kuan Yew and Malaysia’s Mahathir Mohamad were smart autocrats.
The Lee-Mahathir model keeps the outward facade of a functioning democracy, with elections, a parliament and supposedly independent courts. Behind it, the systems are gutted to guarantee the ruling party remains ruling.
In Singapore, Lee’s People’s Action Party has been in power for 50 continuous years, the government simply sues opposition politicians for defamation. A tame court hands down ruinous damages, opponents end up in bankruptcy, jail or exile.
When a meddlesome foreigner like the deputy director for Asia of Human Rights Watch, Phil Robertson, said last month that "Singapore is the textbook example of a politically repressive state," the government just shrugged and said: "Singapore is a democratic state with a clean and transparent government."
The army is in its barracks and there are no goon squads smashing through people’s front doors at 3am. It’s all legit, see? The foreign investors and governments play along. So what if the ruling party holds 98 per cent of the seats in parliament? It has an elected parliament, and surely that’s good enough.
Lee quit the prime ministership in 1990 and now holds a personalised cabinet post of Minister Mentor. But his system lives on. His handpicked successors as prime minister, Goh Chok Tong and now Lee’s son, Lee Hsien Loong, have been every bit as smart as the old man himself in preserving the appearance of legitimacy.
In Malaysia, Mahathir was never as subtle or as smooth as Lee. But Mahathir was still a smart autocrat who kept control through his puppetry of the judicial system. The pivotal moment was in 1988 when Mahathir complained that the courts were "too independent".
He purged the chief judicial officer, the Lord President, and suspended the five chief justices of the Supreme Court. The court system has never given any further trouble to the Barisan Nasional, or National Front, ever since. Together with its predecessor, the BN has ruled Malaysia continuously for 54 years.
It’s infinitely smarter to use legal instruments to purge judges than to use guns against protesters. A judicial massacre makes lousy TV. You won’t see one live on CNN. So it remains hidden from international view. Yet it can be every bit as repressive. So when Mahathir faced a power struggle in 1998 with his deputy prime minister and heir apparent, the charismatic Anwar Ibrahim, he naturally turned to the courts to purge his younger rival.
In a blatantly political fix-up, he had Anwar arrested and charged with sodomy, a shocking crime in a predominantly conservative Muslim country. Even today it carries a maximum penalty of 20 years’ jail. The police Special Branch concocted evidence and coerced witnesses. Anwar emerged from his police cell to appear in court with a bruised face, inflicted, it was later learnt, when the chief of police beat him.
The verdict was never in question. The courts convicted Anwar of sodomising his aide and speechwriter, Munawar Anees. The former deputy PM spent six years in jail. Munawar, now living in the US, has since said he was coerced into giving evidence against Anwar. "My detention by the Malaysian Special Branch taught me how it feels to be forcibly separated from one’s wife and children," Munawar wrote in the Wall Street Journal last month.
"How it feels to be searched and seized, disallowed to make phone calls, handcuffed, blindfolded, stripped naked, endlessly interrogated, humiliated, drugged, deprived of sleep, physically abused. What it’s like to be threatened, blackmailed, hectored by police lawyers, brutalised to make a totally false confession."
With Malaysia under tremendous international pressure from Anwar’s admirers, including America’s Al Gore and Britain’s Gordon Brown, and with Mahathir retiring from the prime ministership in 2003, a review court overturned the sodomy sentence. Anwar was released in 2004.
He was allowed to return to politics in 2008 to lead the opposition to the BN. And he committed the crime of doing so with some success. In March 2008, under challenge from Anwar, the BN won a national election, but was shocked to lose its prized majority of two-third of the seats in parliament. The new BN Prime Minister, Najib Razak, reacted exactly as Mahathir had to a challenge from Anwar.
Four months after the ruling party’s election setback, Anwar was once again charged with sodomy. Once again, it’s a blatant political case. The newspaper The Star called the case "Sodomy II".
Why is Anwar such a threat?
"At the moment," says Carl Thayer, an expert at the University of NSW, "there is no other leader who can hold together the opposition coalition of an Islamic party with a Chinese party, who is capable of being prime minister, and who has experience and international recognition that Anwar has."
The case is a joke. It exposes the Najib government as desperate and underhanded. It makes Malaysia a subject of international ridicule. While under Mahathir this form of legal manipulation might have been smart autocracy, in today’s world it just looks like Malaysia is playing silly buggers with its national future.
Peter Hartcher is the Herald’s international editor.
Malaysian Justice System
Feb 23rd
Malaysian judiciary must be the only legal system in the world where you are guilty until proven innocent. That is if you can make it to the courts. You could end up having a black eye or worse still if you’re an Indian Malaysian, killed like a dog. You could also be detained without trial for the stupidest reasons given by the least intelligent "Home Minister"…
On the other hand the Syariah system is sending Muslims back to the stone age by caning women. I await for the day where I can legally own women as slaves in Malaysia endorsed by the Syariah system. After all, its in the Quran right ?
Zulkifli Noordin
Feb 4th
The pin up supermodel for religious extremism. The man who is a sorry excuse for a lawyer (what is with Malaysian Malay lawyers who are in politics anyway? Hishamuddin, Syed Hamid Albar and Zulkifli Noordin have one thing in common. They have nothing intelligent to say!) as he hardly shows any intellectual capability. The man who is more apt for organising lynch mobs so stop Bar Council discussion on religion. A man who loves Islam so much, he fails to see the trees for the forest.
Much has been said about this poster child for sheer stupidity and Zulkifli Noordin carries with himself a big warning about some Malaysian Malays. While majority of Muslims are a voice of reason, these elite group of protectors of Islam have no standing in Islam itself.
While Islam preaches peace, they preach violence. While Islam preaches equality, they preach Malay supremacy. While Islam preaches understanding, they preach hatred among religions.
These men are the product of decades of UMNO brainwashing. The Islam they claim to follow is not Islam at all but a perverse deviant cult created to suit UMNO’s propaganda to hold on to power. These men claim to portray what all Muslims want but they are munafiq (hypocrites).
Whether Zulkifli Noordin quits PKR, is sacked or chased down the street holding on to his mother’s skirt – it is only good for the world. We do not need extremists like him. We have enough idiots killing on a whim for forty virgins in heaven. The last thing we need is more idiots who have little or no understanding in Islam trying to portray the silent majority.
I’ve said it once and I say it again. Malaysian Islam is no longer mainstream Islam. Its a political cult tailored to suit UMNO’s needs. And it produces racists and religious bigots on a daily basis to suit its merry needs. And Zulkifli Noordin is a prime example of that fact.
Political Islam
Feb 1st
As a Malaysian and a Muslim, I’m ashamed at the lynch mob mentality of *some* fellow Muslims in Malaysia. Think about it, the level of thinking of some of today’s Malay Malaysians are in the same level as Americans who a few hundred years ago who in groups accused people of performing witchcraft and who then were subsequently burned at the stake.
I blame this solely on the UMNO propagated education system that deviates a lot of Malays from true Islam. Instead they are force fed garbage churned out by UMNO linked NGO’s and religious bodies. In order to push "Ketuanan Melayu" (Malay Supremacy), they needed to push "Ketuanan Islam" (Islamic Supremacy) to the Malay masses.
While Islam says you have to be fair and just to everyone, these mob push the idea that in Malaysia, because Islam is the "official religion of the federation" – as a Muslim they get to do whatever they want even if this violates Islam. Muslims must not be seen anywhere near a pig. Heck, its even censored from the movies. But the cow, the holy animal for the Hindus can have its carcass proudly displayed in night markets. Islamic preaching can be heard demeaning non-Muslims through blaring microphone after prayers. Hindu temples get demolished while mosque spurt out everywhere, even in locations reserved for community playground. It seems that if you’re a Muslim in Malaysia, you do not have to consider anyone else.
“Islam is the official religion of the federation” is corrupted to mean “Islam supersedes the constitutional rights of Malaysians”. By giving Syariah courts credibility, they mock the long standing equality of the civil courts giving rise to a whole group of problems when Islam mixes with other religions.
Syariah law enactment and state laws furthered this "supremacy" but setting up rules and regulations for non-Muslims. Because Syariah law is sold as "God’s law" in Malaysia – non-Muslims fight a losing battle from the beginning. These laws give religious enforcement bodies to pretty much whatever they want to do and not even the police can question them. Even constitutional rights of a citizen does not matter to these mob for as far as they are concerned, they are Muslim, they are Malays and that gives them the rights to pretty much rape the system!
A few days ago I was told that religious enforcement officials were citing an Indian curry house because they had their deities in the shop. The reason : Because Malays cannot enter the shop to eat! Such feudalistic approach to religion is borders blasphemous to Islam itself. These so called religious officials are rewriting Islam to suit Malaysian political needs – and Malaysia is paying the price for it.
All one has to do is look though the publication of IKIM etc to see that these organisations have not one ounce of credibility. They portray Islam being fair and just but feed the opposite to the Muslim community. For a Muslim, it is wrong to be come a munafiq (hypocrite) but these Islamic Political Opportunists are pretty much breeding munafiq Malay Muslims. A fine example is this the Allah Issue. Some how, Malaysian Islamic laws is opposite of how the rest of the world practices!
As a Muslim, I am now at a crossroads. I find that I can no longer trust what is preached by these religious officials. In fact the more I discuss Malaysian Islam with Muslims from the Middle East, the more I’m convinced that we have it wrong here. Just a few days ago there were reports that Malaysian religious bodies are giving lectures and warning the Muslims there is going to be a civil war over the Allah issue. Just when you think that these UMNO goons cannot possibly sink any lower – they surprise you by showing how slimy they really are…
The problem is, we are a multi racial country. Muslims fail to fathom that for this country to prosper we need everyone – to work together. If Malaysian Muslims keep pushing their will onto the non-Muslims, sooner or later even the most submissive will start to push back.
Allah in Context
Jan 14th
Common statement : "It is a proper noun exclusive to the Islamic faith"
This is a not true. Allah is an Arabic word for God. Its used very widely in the Middle East. It was not "created" in the Malay language but "borrowed" from Arabic.
Prophet Muhammad was an Arab. His language was Arabic. The Angel Gabriel spoke to Muhammad in Arabic and Allah conveyed his message initially to Muhammad through Gabriel.
So in what way all this is specific to only Islam ? Not all Muslims speak Arabic for one and isn’t Allah’s revelation is for all of mankind ?
Besides, if Allah is the name of the God of the Arabs, why are some Malaysian Malays making a fuss over it ? As far as I know, Malays are not Arabs. Even the Arabs seems to be happily going with their business with their Christian brethren over centuries without a fuss – why are some Malaysian Malays ?
All over the world, with any language with some roots with Arabic, like Persia and Punjab, Allah is used to mean God.
Hence no one in Malaysia can "copyright" Allah.
By seeking to "copyright" Allah in Malaysia, it is the most deviating from Islam because in Islam, Allah is universal and supreme. There is no such thing in Islam that says Allah belongs to Malaysian Muslims.
This is why even our most religious Muslims in Middle East did not seek to "copyright" Allah. In fact Quran specifically says that Allah is for "people of the book", the followers for Abrahamic faith. So are Malaysian Muslims changing the Quran now ?
A lot of people talk about "context of usage" when it comes to Allah. But Allah isn’t about context. As a Muslim we should know that if not we are munafiq. What does this mean ? It means just because we technically pray five times a day, fast etc doesn’t make us automatically a Muslim.
Being a Muslim is about understanding. Islam is about brotherhood. We stand united in prayers because of this. But aren’t all people bothers ? Allah created them too. So what right do we have to destroy Allah’s creation if we disagree ? Aren’t we disagreeing with Allah then ? Islam is about charity. Why then do we look at only to serve Muslim needs in Malaysia. Why not help all our brothers. Islam is about compassion and servitude. Why is it then we talk about being Malay more than being a Muslim ? Is being a Malay is more important than Allah ?
Remember, rejecting Christianity means rejecting the Quran as well as Quran talks a lot about Jesus. We were blessed with the Quran for the benefit of all mankind. Not only for Muslims.
As Muslims, we have to open our arms and trust in our faith. If we think that the moment someone says Allah, our faith will erode – that makes us munafiq.
Allah for all.
Owning Allah
Jan 13th
It really makes me wonder about some Muslim Politicians. They love to go about trying to portray as if Malaysia is a lawless country where everyone can do anything they want.
Malaysia has a legal system. Its legal system originates from England because our forefathers chose it to use it as a base. If our forefathers, who were really good Muslims, wanted a Syariah based legal system, they would have implemented it yonks ago. Instead to be fair to all races and religions – they chose a common law to ensure everyone is equal under law.
First and foremost this must be understood by Muslims and non Muslims alike – we already have a legal system and a good one at that. Why segregate people using Syariah law ?
Second, Syariah law may be God’s law, but its implementation is still by human beings and everyone knows when it comes to religion – its full of ulterior motives. Syariah is biased when it comes to non-Muslims. With current Malaysian constitutional law, there could be chance that one day a non-Muslim could become the prime minister. Syariah removes all abilities of that. It hands Muslims a silver platter and removes the rights of individuals – Muslims and non Muslims alike. It leaves the rule of law to theology and politicians with ulterior motives than to benefit the common folk. The state of Syariah implementations in countries across the world shows this clearly.
Third, forcing Syariah into a country with existing laws is a form of extremism. Think about it. The National Registration Department registers births, deaths etc. So if someone walks into NRD and wants to change their religion – what business does NRD or anyone for that matter (except God) to the choice of the person ? Why should a person who doesn’t want to practice a religion be forced to stay in it ? Muslims talk about progressive and intellectual thinking but when it comes to God, they act as if they are cave people. Why regulate something that doesn’t need regulating. Why is it that when it comes to Islam, the states are so insecure in thinking that everyone is just waiting to leave Islam ? Is there something they are hiding that is a ticking time bomb which is going to make Malaysian Muslims leave Islam in groups ? What do they mean by regulation – flogging people until they submit ? Is this what Syariah and Islam is all about ?
Fourth, while Islam does not have moral policing, Syariah and its implementers actively encourage it. More often than not this brings more harm than good. So giving Syariah law criminal jurisdiction encourages abuse. Leave policing to the police. That’s what they are paid to do.
Fifth, its a fallacy and outright lie that Malays are automatically Muslims. East Malaysian Malays are Christians. They have been Christians for generations.
Islamic politics in Malaysia are causing Malaysian Muslims to deviate away from the true Islamic religion to deviant fundamentalism by the day. The current issue with "Allah" is the perfect example… Malaysian Muslims seem to want to *own* Allah in a misguided attempt to achieve superiority over other races. This is not Islamic in any way. Malaysian Muslims are confused in thinking that Allah belongs to the Muslims. This is how deviant they have been from true Islam. Allah is an Abrahamic God. It is the same God for Jews, Christians and Muslims. This is repeated multiple times in the Quran. Here lies the bigger problem. The average Malaysian Muslims doesn’t read the Quran. He merely memorizes it and leave it to some religious leader to fill in the blanks. When you don’t go to the source, you get a lot of crap in the mix. This is why Malaysian Muslims in general have become so deviant. They have become so ignorant about the fundamentals of Islam. Islam is about brotherhood. This means you cannot go kill someone just because you disagree with them. Islam is about charity. Every year, in the month of Ramadan, Muslims fast to remind themselves of this important thing. Charity means the ability to share and give. So why do Malaysian Muslims need to own Allah? Islam means submissive. Why is it for some Malaysian Muslims, being Malay is more important than being a Muslim ? Why do they need their affirmative policies when Islam says everyone is equal ?
Finally, Muslim politicians must understand that we are in a country with laws. And that law is absolute and for everyone. Over the decades this law has been raped by UMNO politicians to suit their own agendas – the last thing we need is politicians from other parties doing the same thing – in the name of Islam. Religion and politics should not be mixed in anyway because it will always be biased towards the religion – no matter how good the intention may be. The more biased it becomes the higher chance of it being deviant from the true teachings of the religion. Islam is in very big danger of this.
I’ll leave you with this thought : God blesses all humans with money, health, wealth, rain and food. Why should Muslims discriminate non Muslims over the same thing ? Are Muslims more important than God ?
Indoctrination
Dec 9th
Response to this article on The Nutgraph.
A very good observation about indoctrination. BTN and indoctrination exists because :
1. To ensure that UMNO’s version of Islam is permeated throughout the nation. Think about it. Every single religious official is hand picked and fed UMNO’s version of Islam. That it is ok to tread on non-Muslim rights, its OK to be racists, corruption is OK and that Malaysian Malays are better than anyone else.
2. To ensure that citizens, especially those in government have the servitude mentality especially to the powers that be. To unconditionally serve UMNO’s purposes. Anything less than that – you are made to believe that you are the enemy of the state.
3. To ensure that every citizen, especially Malay Malaysians are suspect of other citizens. Only UMNO can be trusted. This *trust* cannot be extended to any other BN component parties and other races. Ever wonder why all top government posts are now filled with specifically of Malaysian Malays ? Specifically Armed Forces, Police including Special Branch, Rela etc. Who will these security forces serve should the opposition ever win the elections ? Worse still, will they serve UMNO and destabilize the country ? As it is no secret that the Royal Malaysian Police along with its Special Branch exclusively work in unison with UMNO.
4. The education system is politically motivated to ensure maximum indoctrination about the Malay race. Historical facts about Parameswara, Munshi Abdullah, Hang Li Po have been systematically eradicated from the syllabus or reduces to mere lines. Why? It doesn’t fit into the Malay supremacy ideology. Neither does archaeological studies on chandi in Bruas Kedah. Terms like Merong Mahawangsa, Chola Empire, GanggaNagara etc have all a distant memory. Ask any school going kids these days – they never heard of it! But, instead students are made to learn about Arab culture which have no bearing on Malaysia or Malaysian Malays. Sure Islam is the "official" religion, but since when Malay Muslims became Arabs ? The identity of Malay Malaysians have slowly been turned into Arab culture over the decades to fit into UMNO’s Islamisation policies.
Has anyone stopped to ask why indoctrination and BTN so important so much so that BTN reports to the Prime Minister’s Department ? The answer is : Dr. Mahathir. If you have all your citizens under your thumb you can do whatever you want. Every single government department under Mahathir’s rule was filled with UMNO loyalists who exist till today. And Mahathir got away with it for a long long time. He had the citizens and even the royals under his thumb. His fatal flaw was he didn’t realise how popular DSAI is.
Still BTN continues the damage control on Mahathir’s behalf – painting DSAI as a traitor to the Malay race. BTN is the remnants of the Mahathir legacy. His gift to the average Malaysian from all walks of life. BTN is the reason why government service desks are rude. BTN is the reason why corruption is rife in the police force. BTN is the reason why people like Kugan are treated like animals by the police. BTN produced generation of "Cow Head Protestors". BTN produced religious extremists who now are in high religious positions pumping out fatwas like printing press.
BTN and its indoctrination is Dr Mahathir’s view of Malaysia but just has Adolf Hitler envisaged his Aryan race – its only a dream. Or is it ? Every day we hear Utusan and other Malay propaganda machinery warn us "Do not mess with the Malays". What is it that they know that they rest of us don’t. Is there a Plan B for UMNO ? Will there be a martial law exercised should the current government fall ?
In order for UMNO to set up an indoctrination plan – it first must believe that there is a clear and present danger of dissent in Malaysian society. BTN is the first line of defence. If so, what is the last line ?
Objectivity
Nov 24th
My response to this article in The Nutgraph.
Dear Deborah,
Thank you for taking your time to write to us. I really appreciate that you take your time to look at your work objectively and it really reflects in your articles.
Allow me to defend my fellow Malaysians for a moment. A lot of us grew up learning that submission to higher authority was the key to a better Malaysia. We grew up during scandals of Pewaja, Judicial Crisis and the infamous Anwar trials. Everywhere we turned we were facing corrupt cops, corrupt system, corrupt politicians.
Malaysia has to be the only country in the world that every Malaysian know every dirty little dirty laundry of the government and is discussed at every Mamak stall.
When we turned to religion – we were again found that our choices were again taken away from us. Especially for Muslims we have our rights stripped away from us. But the fact of the matter is, no one is even allowed to question these rules whether they are even truly Islamic at all!
The result – we Malaysians are a jaded bunch. We are cynical of everything and we don’t trust the system. So at every opportunity we try to beat it.
The result, from every single parking ticket to the ministerial appointment – we just don’t believe in it. Our lives is spent trying to make the most of what we have.
But something happened in the last decade. Malaysians became more organised. They realised they are not alone in thinking that there is a lot of pent up frustrations around them. Years of neglect by the people whom they voted for some of them came to the realisation that – thinks may never change so they accepted their fate. Others however wanted change so bad their voices in the dark grew louder.
So you see dear Deborah, its not hard to understand why Malaysians seldom take middle ground in anything. Most of us are just kids rebelling against the elders for the first time in their lives. We never learnt the subtle art of diplomacy – it was either submit or resist.
With every single avenue such as mainstream media, police, MACC, EC (and even the royalty) under the tight leash of the ruling party its hard to voice our opinion and be head. So when we do voice it out, how can we not be biased ?
In fact I find most Malaysians most restraint because they have been putting up with our leaders under the most difficult conditions and yet give respect to them instead of throwing sandals like in other country. In return, this respect is paid back by unleashing the police, firing tear gasses at women and children and arresting lawyers.
Unfortunately Deborah, my fellow Malaysians don’t know when to stop. They dump everyone they come across into the same bowl and come out with stinging critiques to friend or foe. How could they – they never learnt rationalisation. When you write something they like – you’re a hero. If not – you are devil incarnate. Nothing is taken with a pinch of salt and taken time to reflect.
Look on the bright side Deborah. For the first time in the lives of most Malaysians, old and young, we are truly expressing ourselves – because powers that be cannot stop us. They can kill our spirit, they can kill our body – but they cannot kill the idea of a better Malaysia. And this Deborah, why you and I are here.
Deborah, I believe its apt to finish with the lyrics from Billy Joel’s We Didn’t Start The Fire (for those who are used to this song, it is about the defining moments in US history…) :
Harry Truman, Doris Day, Red China, Johnnie Ray
South Pacific, Walter Winchell, Joe DiMaggioJoe McCarthy, Richard Nixon, Studebaker, television
North Korea, South Korea, Marilyn MonroeRosenbergs, H-Bomb, Sugar Ray, Panmunjom
Brando, "The King and I", and "The Catcher in the Rye"Eisenhower, vaccine, England’s got a new queen
Marciano, Liberace, Santayana goodbyeCHORUS
We didn’t start the fire
It was always burning
Since the world’s been turning
We didn’t start the fire
No we didn’t light it
But we tried to fight itJosef Stalin, Malenkov, Nasser and Prokofiev
Rockefeller, Campanella, Communist BlocRoy Cohn, Juan Peron, Toscanini, Dacron
Dien Bien Phu Falls, Rock Around the ClockEinstein, James Dean, Brooklyn’s got a winning team
Davy Crockett, Peter Pan, Elvis Presley, DisneylandBardot, Budapest, Alabama, Khrushchev
Princess Grace, Peyton Place, Trouble in the SuezWe didn’t start the fire
It was always burning
Since the world’s been turning
We didn’t start the fire
No we didn’t light it
But we tried to fight itLittle Rock, Pasternak, Mickey Mantle, Kerouac
Sputnik, Chou En-Lai, Bridge On The River KwaiLebanon, Charles de Gaulle, California Baseball,
Starkwether, Homicide, Children of ThalidomideBuddy Holly, Ben Hur, Space Monkey, Mafia
Hula Hoops, Castro, Edsel is a no-goU2, Syngman Rhee, payola and Kennedy
Chubby Checker, Psycho, Belgians in the CongoWe didn’t start the fire
It was always burning
Since the world’s been turning
We didn’t start the fire
No we didn’t light it
But we tried to fight itHemingway, Eichmann, Stranger in a Strange Land,
Dylan, Berlin, Bay of Pigs invasionLawrence of Arabia, British Beatlemania
Ole Miss, John Glenn, Liston beats PattersonPope Paul, Malcolm X, British Politician sex
J.F.K. blown away, what else do I have to sayWe didn’t start the fire
It was always burning
Since the world’s been turning
We didn’t start the fire
No we didn’t light it
But we tried to fight itBirth control, Ho Chi Minh, Richard Nixon back again
Moonshot, Woodstock, Watergate, punk rockBegin, Reagan, Palestine, Terror on the airline
Ayatollah’s in Iran, Russians in AfghanistanWheel of Fortune, Sally Ride, heavy metal, suicide
Foreign debts, homeless Vets, AIDS, Crack, Bernie GoetzHypodermics on the shores, China’s under martial law
Rock and Roller cola wars, I can’t take it anymoreWe didn’t start the fire
It was always burning since the world’s been turning.
We didn’t start the fire
But when we are gone
It will still burn on, and on, and on, and on…We didn’t start the fire
It was always burning
Since the world’s been turning
We didn’t start the fire
No we didn’t light it
But we tried to fight itWe didn’t start the fire
It was always burning
Since the world’s been turning
We didn’t start the fire
No we didn’t light it
But we tried to fight itWe didn’t start the fire
It was always burning
Since the world’s been turning
We didn’t start the fire…
The meaning to the lyrics above is available here : http://www.school-for-champions.com/history/start_fire_facts.htm
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