Ancient Mariner on Loose Ends

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http://cyusof.blogspot.com/2009/04/loose-ends.html

April 06, 2009

I think I am a reasonable man, with reasonable expectations. As an old salt, I have always been uncomfortable with loose ends*, i.e., when there is no simple closure or simple answers to simple questions, such as:

Who ordered the ‘neutralisation’ of Mongolian beauty Altan whatshername?

Where is private investigator Bala whatshisname? etc., etc.

I simply cannot accept pulling of rank by swearing to a higher authority in His house that one is innocent and had nothing to do with all these mysterious happenings and disappearances. I would if I was born yesterday.

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Malay vote split, BN has edge

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http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/index.php/malaysia/22414-malay-vote-split-but-bn-has-edge

Published by The Malaysian Insider

TAIPING, April 6 – Huge billboards proclaiming “Daulat Tuanku???, or “Long live the King??? greet visitors entering Perak, belying the political tension that surrounds the once-peaceful state.

It was here that Barisan Nasional (BN) staged a takeover of the state government in February, prompting a constitutional crisis when the sitting government refused to step down after four of its assemblymen defected.

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Abolish ISA now!

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http://www.niknazmi.com/wordpress/?p=1216

04 Apr 2009

Yesterday’s announcement by Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak that 13 ISA detainees would be released, the ISA would be reviewed and that the suspension on Suara Keadilan and Harakah would be lifted is a welcoming turn of events.

Clearly, the government decided to act following the consistent demands of the rakyat. This is another victory for ‘Makkal Sakti’ – people’s power.

But I would like ask a few questions:

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Let’s Get Real

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Critical Visions and Sustainable Eco-urbanism

Introduction

Eco-cities is now a fashionable brand to be proudly displayed and identified with. This feedback workshop from the various cities in the region will certainly be useful to compare the experiences and effectiveness of actions taken. On the theoretical level, I wish to share with you all the challenges in the broader context towards achieving a liveable and sustainable environment in East Asian cities.

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CPI Wishlist for the newly installed Prime Minister

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Malaysians woke up last Friday to a new dawn and the promise of a new era as newly installed Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak delivered several promises anchored on “One Malaysia. People First. Performance Now??? in his maiden speech to the nation.

In his initial acts — hopefully to preface a more open and democratic government? The Chief Executive of State ordered the release of 13 Internal Security Act (ISA) detainees and the restoration of the printing licenses of the recently banned PAS newsletter Harakah and PKR’s organ Suara Keadilan.

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Welcoming CPI’s new columnist: Introduction

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We welcome Mr William S W Lim on board as CPI columnist, starting with an inaugural titled “Let’s Get Real” on the subject of Eco-urbanism tomorrow. Presently mainly engaged as a visiting lecturer on the Asian circuit, Lim brings along a wealth of expertise and experience, especially in his field of specialisaton, i.e. architecture, and and related disciplines and subjects including urbanism and culture in Asia as well as on current issues relating to the postmodern, glocality and social justice.

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Enter Najib, with baggage

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http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/index.php/opinion/breaking-views/22178-enter-najib-with-baggage–the-economist

Published by The Malaysian Insider

APRIL 3 — One could certainly say that Datuk Seri Najib Razak was born to be prime minister. He is the son of Tun Abdul Razak, the second man to hold that job following independence from Britain, and the nephew of his successor, Tun Hussein Onn. Elected to Parliament aged 23, on his father’s death, he rose to become deputy to the outgoing prime minister, Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

However, Najib, who became the country’s sixth post-independence leader today, enters under a cloud of allegations, including ones linking him to a murder case, all of which he categorically denies. But some Malaysians will be wondering if he is a fit person to lead them.

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Politics in an Age of Unreason

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March 28th, 2009

So now the bomohs (witch doctors) rule the roost it would seem. The news that a magic charm or spell was found hidden surreptitiously under the desk of none other than the Prime Minister of Malaysia does not bode well for the future of this country of ours. It may make the headlines under the ‘Strange but True’ column of foreign papers, but this historian has grown somewhat jaded by now by such ridiculousness dressed in the garment of wonderment and fantasy. No, this was no laughing matter (and if we did laugh, it was a pitiable laugh at best).

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Ancient Mariner on A day of Infamy

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http://cyusof.blogspot.com/2009/04/day-of-infamy.html

A Day of Infamy

April 3, 2009

I didn’t buy the rumours via SMS going around town that the swearing in ceremony of the new PM at the palace was being postponed from 10 a.m. today to a later date. Despite some cock ups about protocol (read about it, here) and a petition by 81 MPs asking the King to postpone appointing Najib as PM until he was cleared of allegations against him, etc., I believe the ceremony would go on as scheduled.

The petition noted that “Lately the DPM has been implicated in many scandals such as the commission for the purchase of French submarines. The most shocking is the murder of the Mongolian woman in which his name has been implicated. This has been published by newspapers around the world.

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Najib is PM, despite some drama

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KUALA LUMPUR, April 2 — Much like the 12 months before, the last 24 hours of Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s tenure as prime minister was marked with the royalty flexing its muscles, some intrigue and with the rumour factory in Kuala Lumpur in overdrive.
The day began with the palace exerting some control over the handover of power between Abdullah and his successor, Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak.
After watching politicians and civil servants muddle up the protocol and procedures over the past few days, Istana Negara set everyone straight, much to the embarrassment of senior civil servants and the Prime Minister’s Department.
The core of the problem was the public statements that Abdullah was going to seek an audience with the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong to tender his resignation and recommend a successor with Najib accompanying him.

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