A quiz on UMNO leadership

Even though the Barisan Nasional is the government administrating the affairs of the country, no one can deny that it is actually UMNO calling all the shots leaving the mundane ministries to other component members of the coalition. Under such circumstances, how much do you really know of the leadership of the UMNO leaders. Here is a simple quiz to find out.

a.. Chief Editor of a mainstream Malay newspaper who had an affair with a young girl while his wife lay paralysed in bed?

b.. Chief Minister who eloped to Thailand to secretly marry his second wife?

c.. Federal Minister who was caught with a female artiste in a Port Dickson hotel room?

d.. Federal Minister whose brother was arrested for drug trafficking?

e.. Federal Minister who had an affair with someone else’s wife that eventually resulted in a broken marriage?

f.. Chief Minister who had an affair with someone else’s wife that eventually resulted in a broken marriage?

g.. Chief Minister who had an affair with an under-aged girl which resulted in an illegitimate child?

h.. Chief Minister who had an affair with a girl who eventually gave birth to an illegitimate child?

i.. Chief Minister who kept an under-aged mistress at a condominium in Kuala Lumpur ?

j.. Religious leader who had an illicit affair and who is now holding a prominent position in a very important government religious body like the National Fatwa Council?

k.. Chief Minister who had an affair with his sister-in-law who gave birth to an illegitimate child?

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The Answers:

a. A Chief Editor of a mainstream newspaper (Utusan Melayu) who had an affair with a young girl while his wife lay paralysed in bed
-Zainuddin Maidin (became Ministef of Information)

b. A Chief Minister who eloped to Thailand to secretly marry his second wife
– Muhammad Mohd Taib (then Chief Minister of Selangor).

c. A Federal Minister who was caught with a female artiste in a Port Dickson hotel room
– Najib Tun Razak (Defence Minister) and Ziana Zain.

d. A Federal Minister whose brother was arrested for drug trafficking
– Muhyiddin Yassin (who became Deputy Prime Minister)

e. A Federal Minister who had an affair with someone else’s wife that eventually resulted in a broken marriage
– Ruhaini Ahmad.

f. A Chief Minister who had an affair with someone else’s wife that eventually resulted in a broken marriage
– Muhammad Mohd Taib ( Chief Minister of Selangor)

g. A Chief Minister who had an affair with an under-aged girl
– Rahim Tambi Chik (then Melaka Chief Minister).

h. A Chief Minister who had an affair with a girl who eventually gave birth to an illegitimate child
– Shahidan Kassim (Perlis Chief Minister).

i. A Chief Minister who kept an under-aged mistress at a condominium in Kuala Lumpur
– Shahidan Kassim.

j. A religious leader who had an illicit affair and who is now holding a prominent position in a very important government religious body
– Ismail Ibrahim of the National Fatwah Council.

k. A Chief Minister who had an affair with his sister-in-law who gave birth to an illegitimate child
– Abu Hassan Omar (then Selangor Chief Minister).

NOW YOU KNOW WHY WE ARE IN THE SHIT HOUSE!!!

Najib and Sibu

As they say, politicians are like nappies - they should be changed often and for the same reasons. Yesterday, the people of Sibu made history when they elected DAP and rejected BN.

Days earlier, at Rejang Park, the prime minister convinced me that BN does not have the interests of the people of Sibu at heart.

1. He said: “I don't have to come here…..to Rejang Park……This is not the place for a prime minister to come.”

2. He insulted the intelligence of the people by making deals in exchange for public service.

3. He lowered the tone of his speech by saying “Bull Shine”. Is vulgar slang accepted speech by a prime minister?

Without the involvement of money politics, DAP's majority could easily have been in the thousands rather than just 398 votes.

Nevertheless, this win has caused a tiny seismic shift in the Malaysian political landscape. Once again, politics has become interesting and dare I say it, fun too?

DAP's victory is well-deserved but it must be under no illusion, for if the electoral dice had fallen differently, politics in Sarawak and Malaysia would have been business as usual.

Was there one single factor for the swing away from BN? Or was it a combination of factors? There was more money available last week than at any single time over the past 47 years. Was it divine intervention, in retribution for the PM's fleeting visit to the Tua Pek Kong temple?

During this campaign, only a person with a heart of stone would not have been troubled by the poverty that sits uncomfortably beside the wealth in Sarawak. The state is blessed with an abundance of natural resources. Why then is a sizeable portion of its people living in shanty towns devoid of running water and electricity?

My single defining reason to tick the box for DAP, had I been a voter, would have been Najib Abdul Razak's speech at Rejang Park.

Who could forget that 'speech'? Some people have called it 'You help me, I help you' talk. Those present witnessed the display of arrogance of condescension; how he talked down to people; and disgracefully made the public gesture of money in exchange for votes.

He showed us how NOT to demean people and thus get the backs up of those whom we wish to help us. Surprisingly, Najib overlooked how the Internet beamed his unflattering comments worldwide.

Najib also showed the political elite how NOT to treat the electorate or to make empty promises. To a lesser extent, it revealed how his spin doctors, who stage-managed his campaigns, failed to register the suffering of the Sibu people.

The PM joked about solving the flooding, saying: “Can we have deal or not? Can we have an understanding or not? You help me, I help you. It is quite simple.”

I recall how a policeman once stopped me for apparently going through a red light, even though I had not. He also used similar phrases like, “We got deal or not? We have understanding, yes? I can help you. Easy-lah.” These phrases sound very familiar don't they?

Needs long neglected

Najib told the crowd he would have a cheque ready to help solve the flooding, only if Robert Lau Jr was elected. He wasn't aware of the actual cost for the flood defences, but guessed it to be RM3 million.

He insulted the intelligence of the crowd by believing they could be easily seduced. Equally, Lau's credibility was given little value. If he (Lau) had any pride, he would have been angered that his selection as candidate was not because of integrity, hard work and public service, but only because Najib was feeling generous.

Sibu's flooding problem is not new and it is impossible to imagine there were never discussions about this at cabinet meetings - RM 3 million or even RM5 million is a fraction of the total cost.

The whole scenario is reminiscent of an auction with shouts of 'lelong! lelong!'. Have we stooped as low as this?

Then came the shock declaration: “'I don't have to come here…..to Rejang Park……This is not the place for a prime minister to come.”

I am sorry, Mr Prime Minister but your statements have done you and BN untold damage. What sort of place is suitable for a PM then? We are sorry if Rejang Park is not as luxurious or exclusive as Belgravia in London or the White House, which you visited last month, in Washington DC.

Rejang Park is often flooded, but it is still home to thousands. They live, work and play here. And for the past 47 years, the government has neglected to serve them.

When the PM told us about the security concerns of his visit, he said: “My security boys say there are back alleys…..”

Yes. Sibu is infamous for its gangs. Civil law and order is included in the long list of Sibu's problems. If the PM was advised to stay away, then it speaks volumes about the law and governance of the place.

Stupefying effect

People will recall how when Princess Diana died, the British premier - then Tony Blair - captured the mood of the nation's grief and called her the “People's Princess”.

When Najib amused us with his visits to the Sibu pasar, the people thought he was “really friendly”. He used the term “People's Prime Minister”. I am sorry, but three trips to Sibu's pasar does not make him the “People's Prime Minister”. If only it were that simple.

He then said that his government would “fight for the people”. So, why does it hold the people to ransom? Sibu's problems include flooding, lack of basic infrastructure, land issues, poverty and economic malaise. Offers of help should not come with a proviso. That is not responsible government. That only creates mistrust in an already maligned political system.

The PM claimed that “people come first” and “people really matter”. However, these ideals are not addressed in Sibu. Withholding peoples' rights does not win the battle for hearts and minds.

The repeated use of “I never fail to deliver my promises…we honour our commitment” throughout the speech has the same stupefying effect as someone saying, 'I never tell a lie' or 'Honestly speaking'. The opposite effect is achieved.

Body language relays important signals. The regularity with which the PM wiped his mouth with his handkerchief during the speech is disturbing. What is his subconscious trying to wipe off his lips?

Now that the electorate has shown BN the door, what lies ahead for the people of Sibu?

Will Najib's compassion shine through? Will he solve the flooding and other problems in a calculated move to win back the trust of Sarawakians for the upcoming state elections?

Or will he punish Sibu and cancel the cheques for the schools and leave the people to drown their sorrows, in the floods that wreck their lives?

If he does that, the state elections and GE-13 would create another massive tidal bore, just like the ones the Sungei Rejang - and now Sibu - is famous for.

[Source : MARIAM MOKHTAR is a non-conformist traditionalist from Perak, a bucket chemist and an armchair eco-warrior. In 'real–speak', this translates into that she comes from Ipoh, values change but respects culture, is a petroleum chemist and also an environmental pollution-control scientist.]

Read this article about one family who have been neglected after promises made to them during the Hulu Selangor by-election.

Something you can participate in come Friday

The 528 Media Action Group, Writers’ Alliance for Media Independence (Wami), Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) and civil rights committee of KL-Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall cordially invite members of the public to switch off their TV sets for an hour on Friday (May 28), 8pm-9pm and to refrain from buying newspapers that day.

Members of the public are also invited to instead join the ‘Malam Tak Nak Potong 528’ at 8pm at KLSCAH for a special night of performance and screening of censored stuff.

Some of the ‘potong’ stuff: Amir Muhammad’s ‘18MP’ video, Sharon Chin’s ‘Banned Books and Other Monsters’exhibition, Chou Z Lam's Bakun documentary, Pusat Komas’s ‘Selepas Tsunami’ video, and exhibitions of Liew Teck Leong’s ‘Pull Out: Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984’, Lim Sow Seng’s ‘Lonely KL Press’, Zunar's ‘Gedung Kartun’ publication and Wong Eng Leong’s ‘Heaven of Demons’.

There will also be thought-provoking artworks by Fahmi Reza, Five Arts Centre, Tan Hui Koon, Chai Chang Hwang, Satu Hulu Action Group and Teh Hong Seng.

A highlight of the event is the commemoration of the 9th anniversary of 528 – i.e. MCA’s takeover of Nanyang Press Holdings – for which the organisers would like to openly invite National Union of Journalists (NUJ) president Norila Daud, the Group Managing Director of Sinchew Media Group Liew Chen Chuan, all journalists, editors and citizens of Klang Valley, to participate in a symbolic action of abolishing the infamous Printing Presses and Publications Act by removing a nail each from the ‘Pull Out: Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984’ artwork.

May 3 is World Press Freedom Day and the entire month of May is usually treated as press freedom month. In Malaysia, the relevance of this day was brought to the fore by exposés of two cases of self-censorship in TV stations, one after the other.

May 28 is another significant date for press freedom in Malaysia, marking the fall of Chinese dailies under Nanyang Press Holdings in 2001 when they were taken over by MCA through its investment arm Huaren Holdings. From then onwards, the freedom of the mainstream media to report as they saw fit has been deteriorating further, as reflected when current Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak tightened executive control over the media during the Hulu Selangor and Sibu by-elections.

It is distressing to note that in both the ntv7 and RTM cases, the by-election was cited as the excuse for abandoning discussion of current affairs.

Press release issued by 528 Media Action Group et al.