The 1,805 who did not make it

What goes through the minds of every life-loving human being is, who were responsible for those callous act and why. What were the thoughts of 1,805, seconds before they drew their last breath? Whether they were thieves, rapists, etc, no one has the right to take another man's life. They could even be innocent of any crime because none were accorded justice.

So, we remember the 1,805 today.

Tabung Impian Rakyat [The People's Dream Fund]

As reported in the Malaysiakini, Pakatan will soon launch a RM20m fund in the form of contributions from the rakyat to finance the opposition coalition's efforts to take over Putrajaya after the 13th general elections. The fund will be known as "Tabung Impian Rakyat" or "The People's Dream Fund" which will be launched on Aug 7 at the Melawati Stadium Shah Alam. The launch will also see the participation of top Pakatan leaders such as Anwar Ibrahim and Nik Abdul Aziz, said PAS central committee member Husam Musa.

If the theme is about "impian" or "dream", then it would be wise during the launch to quote from Martin Luther King Jr's "I have a dream" speech.

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed --- "We hold these these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal."

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

I have a dream today.

I have a dream that one day down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips are presently dripping with the words of interposition and nullification, one day right there in Alabama little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.

I have a dream today.

I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plains, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.

This is our hope.

Too many publications to review - that's why the delay

When I read the news report in the Malaysia-Today site this morning, "Home ministry defends lengthy permit renewal", I am just amazed at the flimsy excuse given by the ministry’s Publications Control and Quranic Text secretary Datuk Zaitun Ab Samad, who said the following:

“We do not only handle the publications permits, we also handle the printing licences. We also have to study the content of the publications before granting the approvals.

“When you have more than 300 applications to go through every month, it will definitely take a while,” she said in an interview today.

She said that the ministry did not only process applications for political party organs but for all publications that required permits, including magazines, brochures, bulletins and even newsletters."

Doesn't this amount to an admission of incompetency? If you are short-handed and have many publications to review, then why issue permit on a year-to-year basis? Might as well issue permits that have a validity of two years since that is roughly when the permit status will be made known, as it is now the practice. This is totally UNACCEPTABLE for a permit to be approved or rejected, more than a year after it has expired, and then put the blame on the publishers.

For the information of Datuk Zaitun, there is a major local bank which among its many KPIs, there is one that states that each branch must clear each customer within 3 minutes, and they did it and now they are known as the fastest bank. If it takes longer than 3 minutes, do you think the manager will give an excuse to his superior, in this case the President of the bank, that his staff has too much of paper work to do. The directive from the bank's President was clear - SHAPE UP OR SHIP OUT!!!!

Our two KPI ministers, Idris Jala and Koh Tsu Koon, must issue a KPI for these fellas that all permit status must be known two weeks prior to its expiry. If they can't do their job, then get someone else who can. For starters, they have to reduce all the tea breaks, meeting breaks, toilets breaks, computer game breaks, knitting breaks, gossip breaks and instead, like Lat aptly put it, have more work breaks instead.

Our PDRM and it's uniform

I should have held back this audio clip and post it under my Monday Humour column, but thought it was too good to defer. Just listen to what good old Uncle Patrick (Teoh) has to say about the police uniform. Never thought of it that way.

Price adjustment? My foot!

I, like many Malaysians, am feeling flabbergasted over the recent price hike announcement. Items such as fuel, sugar and cooking gas have gone up at midnight last night. Look again at the items. They have very little to do with businesses or industries but will in a greater sense, affect every household in the country. In case many of you missed the boat, here is the breakdown of the new prices :

• RON 95 grade petrol - from RM1.80 to RM1.85 per litre

• RON 97 grade petrol - no more subsidies (managed float)

• Diesel - from RM1.70 to RM1.75 per litre

• White refined coarse granulated sugar - from RM1.65 to RM1.90 per kg

• Liquified petroluem gas - from RM1.75 to RM1.85 per kg

For cooking gas: (each cylinder)

• 10kg - from RM17.50 to RM18.50, RM1 hike

• 12kg - from RM21.00 to RM22.20, RM1.20 hike

• 14kg - from RM24.50 to RM25.90, RM1.40 hike

Instead of taking care of the rakyat, UMNO have deemed it fit to splurge themselves using our hard earned money, and now, finally, the chicken have come home to roost. The rakyat have been made to pay for the gross negligence of these leaders.

Instead of taking it out on the rakyat, UMNO leaders should have done the following prior:

1. All ministers and deputy minister to take a pay cut of 50%. They like everyone else will also have to pay rent for their living quarters henceforth.

2. Return the two useless empty buckets to Paris. Although we may not get a full refund, but something is still better than nothing, as a way to fill back our nation's coffers.

3. MACC should act on Toyo fast, find him guilty and have his RM24m mansion "lelong" off. The money can go back to the state coffers to help the destitutes.

4. As part of an austerity drive, all ministers, deputy ministers and government officials will now travel economy class or AirAsia. No more first or business class.

5. The books of PETRONAS must be opened to all to vet. It is our (the rakyat) money and therefore have the right to know how the money is being spent.

6. "Lelong" off the ghost town and buildings of PutraJaya to any foreign investor who in return can turn it into a theme park like Disney Land. The prime minister can move back to the old residence located in the city. If the President of United States can work and stay in a building that is more than two hundred years old, and the prime minister of Great Britain staying and working from a roadside apartment with its origin going back to 1732, I cannot understand why our prime minister needs to stay in a palace?

These are just some of my suggestions. Maybe you readers out there can help to add a few more for our lame brain UMNO leaders to take note.

The price hike is totally UNACCEPTABLE, even though the prime minister may term it as "price adjustment"?

UMNO must bring down the price or at least maintain the status quo. If this does not come about, be prepared to face the wrath of the rakyat come GE13. Don't blame the non-Malays this time. You have yourselves to blame because you brought it upon yourselves.

Anwar has this to say: "Burdening the people on the pretext of reducing deficit and using 'government savings' to fund government excesses must be stopped immediately".

The launch of Friends of Pakatan Rakyat, London - July 4 2010

Welcome speech by the Pro-tem Chairman, Friends of Pakatan Rakyat, London, Brian Morais.

Speech by Raja Petra Kamaruddin (Part 1)

Speech by Raja Petra Kamaruddin (Part 2)

Speech by Dato' Zaid Ibrahim (Part 1)

Speech by Datuk Zaid Ibrahim (Part 2)

Speech by Datuk Zaid Ibrahim (Part 3)

Photographs of the gathering.

The launch of Friends of Pakatan Rakyat, London.

Thought for the day

MACC has set a precedent and avoided one. If MACC could send PI Bala a list of questions related to the Altantuya case, by courier, could they do the same with future witnesses from the opposition parties? Witnesses can now review those questions without any intimidation or harassment, and probably not fear of being thrown out of the building from whichever floor he is on. For some rhyme or reasons, the MACC fellas did not turn up in London to meet PI Bala and his lawyers. For had they done so, then I guess similar treatment should be accorded to witnesses from the opposition parties to conduct the "unnecessary" interviews?