HAPPY NEW YEAR

Here's wishing everyone a 

HAPPY NEW YEAR

May all your dreams come true and may 2011 be a happy, healthy, safe and prosperous year for all Malaysians.

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!!

HERE'S WISHING ALL MALAYSIANS A JOYOUS CHRISTMAS

HAVE A BLESSED DAY

AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR

PEACE ON EARTH. GOODWILL TO MEN

WTF!!!

WHAT                THE                !!!!

Today's Star reported that the high-deck bus that crashed in Cameron Highlands and killed 27 people was illegally modified to carry more passengers.  The bus was originally designed to carry 19 but was modified to accommodate 40 passengers!!! The story says that the bus had a permit for only 19 passengers. Now, if I am not mistaken there was an earlier story that said that Puspakom had inspected and approved the bus about a month ago. I think it is the duty and responsibility of Puspakom to come out and tell us and the families of the victims what happened at that inspection.  Did they inspect and approve a 19-seater or 40-seater bus?  The story even goes further to say that the crashed bus had been inspected by Puspakom regularly since the bus was registered in 2007.  So what happened Puspakom?

Since 2003 there have been 122 people killed in bus accidents in Malaysia. And the reaction from the government is always the same. First express great shock and horror. Then point some fingers and look for scapegoats - badly maintained buses, poorly-skilled drivers etc. That will be followed by announcements of some study or other to be conducted by "independent panel of experts". This latest tragedy is no different. There will be another study. Okay. Fine. But first can we all know the results of all the other studies and what actions have been taken since? Please. Oh yes, and of course Chua Soi Lek has come out with a "holistic" approach to something or other. What the fuck that means I don't know. Do you? And Chua also suggested that buses install seat belts.  Ho-hum, Chua Soi Lek. That's old hat. Some other YB made that noise long before you. But you won't be the last one lah.

And in Selangor, Ronnie Liu has come out with the big announcement that using the 1Malaysia logo on advertisements in the state is NOT allowed. That's great Ronnie. But why only now? 1Malaysia was announced by Najib months ago and has been used to further the Barisan Nasional/Umno spin all over the country. Now suddenly banned in Selangor. That's a bit slow isn't it? I know, I know. There's just been way too much on your plate. Do I want to understand and sympathise? No.

One parting thought. Is 1Malaysia a Najib original? Motor-mouth, Nazri has released 2 letters that are supposed to prove that it is. One from APCO denying that it was ever involved in the creation of the concept and the other a sworn statement by a political consultant who claimed credit for the One Israel concept. As a Malaysian citizen I really don't give a fuck! Why is that so important? It doesn't matter to me who created it. It is still CRAP! Anyway, if a doubt has been cast about the involvement of APCO in Umno/BN spin doctoring do you think we're going to believe you just because you produced 2 letters from the same fuckers? Hiyoh!

This just received from a Niamah!!! visitor. I thought I might post it here in case some of you don't go to read the comments. Read it. Raises some interesting questions.


Nazri Abdul Aziz, have you got your facts right?

1) You put forward the motion to refer Anwar Ibrahim to the committee in April 2010.

2) The Apco letter, which had been used to justify Anwar's suspension, was dated Aug 19, 2010.

3) You (not the rights and privileges committee) received Robert Shrum's letter only last week, meaning, the committee had not yet received this letter when they recommended to suspend Anwar.

4) Now you are telling the world you have proof that Anwar lied.

It looks very obvious to me that when you moved in Parliament to refer Anwar to the committee these two 'documents', which you now refer to, were never in your hands at that time. So, four months before Apco's letter was received, you already decided Anwar was guilty.



Niamah!!!

Merry Christmas?

Hello everyone! My last post was on December 11 and since then I've been receiving all sorts of messages asking what's happened to me and how come the blog has not been updated.  The messages were quite amuisng.

"Oi! What happened lah, Patrick?"

"I think Patrick has lost his balls."

"Patrick deserves a good rest."

"Patrick is planning something big." 

(There's always the eternal optimist lurking around.)

And there are other more colourful ones that referred to my ancestry and all.  But I think I shall spare you those.

The truth is that I have been away in LaLa Land otherwise known as Singapore. No, I am not checking out emigration possibilities although that thought had crossed my mind. Thankfully, alcohol-induced stupor  doesn't last that long. And while I was in Singapore there was just no way of getting my hands on a hard copy of any Malaysian newspaper. I am not sure why but online versions just does not give me any inspiration (if it can be called that) to blog.  Anyway, so I am back in Bolehland and been reading the newspapers that I missed.  And I still don't have anything that I want to blog about. Ya, ya, ya...there's been lots in the news lately. Ranging from Parliament suspensions to the creation of a 3rd Force in Malaysian politics to the MACC dragging out some BIG-er fish to parade ahead of elections to Chief Ministers marrying women young enough to be their granddaughters.  Yes there has been much happening. But it is all SO DEPRESSING.

But luckily in today's news there were some rather good funnies.

I just read in The Malaysian Insider that Najib said that 1Malaysia was his own creation and not a carbon copy from another country. I supposed he was referring to allegations that he took the cue from the 1Israel campaign slogan.  Well, he's right. It is not a CARBON copy. Otherwise we'd have to change our country's name right? Like that also don't understand ah. Some more say I copy. Hummmph! The prime minister should learn to quit when he's ahead.  But he had to add, "The 1Malaysia concept was not copied from another country. It is my own creation. Other countries may have a one this and a one that but nowhere in the world is there a 1 Malaysia, People First, Performance Now".  I know he is trying to take ownership of the slogan but with that kind of argument?  Tsk...tsk...tsk...

At the same function Najib also had this great punchline..."We cannot afford to be spendthrift, we have to spend according to our capability. What is important is that the country's future is guaranteed under the present government." HUH???!!! Coming from the leader of the BN/Umno government?

In today's Star it was reported that Prime Minister Najib said that the government will strike a balance between meritocracy and social justice when rewarding students for outstanding academic achievements. I presume that he was referring to the awarding of scholarships and other financial assistance for deserving students.  He said that while rewarding students based on meritocracy was important it was also imperative not to sideline others who came from low income families and still achieved good results.  What's the big problem here?  It isn't rocket science what.  Scholarships should be based on academic achievements as well as family income levels. So if a millionaire's children achieve good academic results they should not be in line for government funds to further their education because the family can afford to fund it themselves. Simple. No?  So why is the PM making such a big deal? Dunno lah.

Our prime minister did add another great quotation to his list of hilarious utterings in today's Star. He said, "We should not be doing things to divide the nation. If we divide this nations, we will all be losers."  The question is, why is he telling this obvious fact to US? We know already lah, Yang Whatever. Tell your Umno flers lah.

In page N3 of The Star today there is a story that initially restored my faith in justice. Former senior immigration officer Yusuf Abu Bakar was sentenced to 56 years and fined RM620,000 for corruption. Wah! Finally, a BIG-er fish has been caught and charged and sentenced.  Wah! MACC means business now lah?  But when I read the story it was back to status quo.  The judge had ordered the fler's sentence to run concurrently. That meant that he serves no more than 6 years in jail. I guess he might even be out in less given good behaviour and whatever. Tell me the truth. Does that make you feel that things are finally going right? No.

But hey it's Christmas. The season to be jolly. The season to be sharing and giving. So there is a bit of good news from our Najib.  He's announced that the Federal Government is planning to make Penang the preferred economic hub of the region.  Just exactly how that translates into benefits for the rakyat he didn't say.  What? You expected him to?  Yes, there is a Santa Claus and he'll be leaving presents under your Christmas tree.

Merry Christmas.


NIAMAH!!! 

Operation Toy Story

OPERATION TOY STORY 

The Annexe Gallery is helping Roddy Teo to collect toys for a visit to paediatrics ward of UMMC hospital this Christmas, to be placed on the kids' beds before they awake. 

Deadline: Sunday 19 Dec. Come look for a box that says "Operation Toy Story". 

If you too would like to visit the hospital (or maybe more), please contact Roddy: http://www.facebook.com/arteo

Here is Roddy's personal message:

Hey hey! How are you doing?

I'm writing this note to ask for a little favour. You see, this Christmas, I won't be going back to KK, and I declined locum on that day ;o) so there will be some time for me to kill.

So this is what I'm thinking of doing, to visit some kids in the hospital and bringing them a little goody while they're asleep. The idea is to have them wake up to a surprise next to their pillows the next morning! No, this wouldn't be the first time I'm doing it, but this might be the first time you'll get involved! Now here's the exciting part. I will need some toys, those that are cluttered in your attics, those that are stashed away in your boxes. Or maybe those that are sitting at the foot of your bed and could be more glad to make other kids happy. The idea is to give them (the toys) another chance at love (sounds like ToyStory?)

We usually visit the wards where the kids are more sick, like the cancer ward, before distributing them to other wards. No one wants to spend this time of the year in the hospital, really. And saddest of all, this may be the last year for them too.

So how about that toys that you've been meaning to give away but never found an outlet to do so? Do give me a call, and I'll send my reindeer to come and collect from you ;o) or buzz me and we'll chat about what other things we can give to them.

Hope to hear from you soon ;o)

Specially for the Genting Group

Here's a great lunch and dinner deal for the management and staff of 

HERE

And the award goes to.........

The You-Got-To-Be-Shitting-Me award trophy

The how to keep a straight face award goes to Najib Razak for saying,

"We are not using the prosecution as a gimmick. How is it a sandiwara if he (Khir Toyo) has been charged?"

The PM was commenting on the charging of the ex-Menteri Besar of Selangor for land fraud. Full story here.


The Errr...I'm sorry I don't really know what I am talking about but I will say it anyway award goes to Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin for saying,


"The important thing is the rakyat benefits from the funds. If we channel it to the Menteri Besar (of Opposition-led Selangor), I wonder how he would spend it?"

The DPM was shooting down a request in Parliament that the Federal Government extend development funds to Opposition MP's as well as BN MP's. Full story here.


The award for ex-Prime Minister most out of touch with reality goes to Mahathir Mohd. for saying,


"We were very far behind in terms of engineering when we started producing Proton cars. But we have succeeded and we are still here after some very big names have gone bankrupt."

Dr. M was urging Proton vendors to supply components for the manufacture of hybrid and electric cars. Here.

Oh by the way, do Proton car power windows still fail after 1 month? No? But I still see most Proton drivers open their car doors to pay tolls instead of using the window. Why ah? Save battery issit?

And finally, the award for best screeching, smoking U-turn goes to Nazri Aziz for saying,


"I think Malaysians should always sangka baik (assume what is good first). We are multi-racial, so we cannot have the opposite."

Nazri was speaking in defense of rapper Namewee whom he said was just "grossly misunderstood". Story here. 

Nazri also added (when he should have quit while ahead) "I think he has potential. If we can help him, he will be able to become an artiste one day."

I wonder what Namewee thought of that last statement.

UPDATE 11 December, 2010


It had to happen and it did!!! Perkasa has accused the government of 'letting down the race' by giving rapper, Namewee "VIP" treatment in Parliament. Full Star story HERE


Have a good weekend.Publish Post


Niamah!!!

Register to vote. Now!

The next 13th General Elections are coming. 

The signs are there. 

Petrol prices have been raised. They are filling the war chests. 

Khir Toyo is being investigated by the MACC. The sideshows have begun. 

If the 13th General Elections are going to be called for March 2011 
then the last day to register as a voter is
December 15, 2010

There isn't much time. Register to vote now!

You can register to vote at any Malaysian 

post-office. Nation-wide.  

Do it soon. Before December 15, 2010.


A visitor to Niamah!!! just reminded me that it takes anywhere from 3 to 6 months to register a new voter!!! So if you register now you MIGHT just make it to vote if they call general elections in March 2011. Maybe.
Such is life in Malaysia. You can get a new passport in 1 day. But it takes 3-6 months to get registered as a voter. And apparently, if you want to change your voting address it will take about the same time too. Unless you're a member of the police or the armed forces. Then no problem! Can do instantly one. Could it be that all those votes go in the same box anyway? 


NIAMAH!!!

Wednesday mysteries

Horrors! They all love this lah!

Rais Yatim has admitted that horror movies are a favorite with TV audiences and that RTM has succumbed to the demand and aired 2 of those during the Hari Raya holidays. Of course, the YB with a PhD chose to call the movIes RTM broadcast not horror but  mystery-themed.  Well done, YB! I always knew you had some noodles between your ears. When I worked for RTM there was a rule, unwritten maybe but a rule nevertheless, that Sex, Violence and Horror were taboo on RTM airwaves.  I guess these days, like Rais says, the rule has bent because RTM had to "take into consideration the demand and good response from the audience."

Wah! Can we then have better English newsreaders on RTM2 with better wardrobe? Please?

Is it just my imagination or are the RapidKL buses rapidly descending into the typical low standards of Malaysian 'maintenance'? Over the past couple of weeks I've noticed that most RapidKL buses are dirty, have badly faded paintwork, peeling advertising panels...and I've seen a number of them broken down by the side of roads and highways and causing massive jams. And today The Star on page N12 headlines "Eye on Klang Valley buses".  Seems like they are going to make some attempts to monitor the buses and the system now. It's the typical Malaysian way of doing things. Close the barn doors after the horses have bolted.

So who said you're worth shit?

So are they supreme or are THEY supreme?  In The Star's continuing report today, on the interpretation of Ketuanan Melayu or Malay Supremacy by Nazri Aziz, the Minister in the Prime Minister's Department, he said it is about the status of Malay Rulers and not about racial supermacy.  Okay. Then he also said,"At the end of the day, the rakyat is not in complete control of the country......."

Huh? We are not ah?

Okay I shall leave you all to go figure that one out. I am going to get a stiff drink even though it is not officially Happy Hour.

NIAMAH!!!