为什么要支持年纪轻轻的 Dyana？而不是老树盘根的 马袖强？[回复跳到#15]

Bernard@cari

我只能说，

为何那么多人支持Dyana？这并不是个简单的盲目支持火箭的现象。
我们支持她，也不是因为被她的美色所勾引。

这人不简单。她除了开明、不种族主义外，她也对许多课题有她本身的丰富见解、看法、感想，且她也有敢怒敢言的作风
我在下面几楼会分享她在新闻网站写的一些文章，给大家参考参考
加入火箭的马来人，都是不简单的。起码他们不再有旧有的 “土地王子” 的僵化思维模式。
他们代表着新马来世代、新马来西亚世代。
我们国家就是需要多点这类人，以抗衡日益猖獗的 保守极端主义，这对中和、以及对国家发展，都是具有深远意义的。

说到政治策略。
为何UMNO会那么惧怕这位年轻人，以至于从提名日前夕就已经开始做出攻击举动？
答案很明显。因为一旦火箭胜选，就证明UMNO一直以来所提倡的马来人投马来人党，已经失效。
505全国大选，火箭也有2名巫裔中选国会议员。但基于当时大家都将焦点放在全国中央政权，RTM等主流媒体可以刻意避开这个课题
但补选就不同了，全国焦点都放在候选人身上。Dyana的胜利，意味着马来社群对火箭开始放下戒备心，那鸡也再也没有理由说这是 “华人海啸”，因为这区的华裔只比巫裔多出区区4%，且也没有过半。
这对于火箭未来4年要往马来乡区发展，争取马来乡区选民这群造王者的支持以达致改朝换代的工作，是变得较为容易的。

地方课题。
应该是市议员、州议员负责的范围。
国会议员的主要任务，就是在国会殿堂针对全国课题辩论，以及将选区人民面对的问题/选区课题带上国会供讨论/施压作用。
Dyana也在Gelang Patah国会选区服务中心，担任了林吉祥政治秘书长达1年，时常跟随跑动整个选区，对民生课题也不能说陌生。所以在还没胜利就说她没有能力，是说不过去的，毕竟这有待观察

马袖强。没错，虽然他人蛮好，不会奸到哪里去，很温和。
但毕竟他只是个傀儡。
马袖强赢了当官，对当地选民可以带来发展....赢了，政府建这个见那个
争气的选民，都不会被这些糖果所利诱而受到动摇。因为一个好的政府是不会选时间才来施舍
而是无时无刻都确保全国各选区都得到公平、平等的发展
这本应是个政府所应尽的责任。安顺选民应该坚决表达，“我们不稀罕这些交易。”

最后，我说的这些，未必代表安顺选民想的。所以行动党仍然不能轻视。
但仍然希望投票者能够以更广大的眼光、更长远的考量来看待他们的决定。
只能说句，祝旗开得胜。相信Dyana是个能够令安顺人深感骄傲的代表，她绝对能够胜任。

Bernard@cari

My reply to Datuk Razali Ibrahim on UiTM — Dyana Sofya
MAY 19, 2014

As a graduate of UiTM, I take pride in my alma mater, just like many others with affectionate ties to their respective schools of higher learning, be it Ivy League institutions or local institutions of higher learning. I have always made it known, especially upon my foray into politics in 2011, that I am a lawyer, having graduated from UiTM Shah Alam. Having failed in its attack on my gender, UMNO is now using my alma mater as fodder for political attacks against me. My time in UiTM has trained me well enough to resist this attempt by UMNO to manipulate UiTM by using it as its political tool.

Sometime last year, I proposed in an interview that a similar institution like UiTM, which provides affordable, quality education to the Malays, be established for the non-Malays. I believed and I still do, that education should not be race-based. Access to quality higher education should be accorded to all qualified, hardworking and deserving Malaysians, irrespective of race, religion, region, gender and political affiliation. While a student in UiTM, I noticed the discrepancy where rich children of UMNO leaders were admitted into UiTM while poorer but more qualified non-UMNO linked families were shut out. A responsible and righteous government will not condone such injustice. A responsible and righteous government will correct this injustice. But instead of being open to constructive proposals, UMNO has gone on the defensive by accusing me of wanting to abolish UiTM. This is precisely why many Malaysians feel that UMNO has lost its plot. Instead of working to improve this nation, UMNO closes both ears and reads what it wants to read.

Equal opportunity to all deserving Malaysians does not mean that the Malays will be robbed. It means that more deserving Malaysians of all races, including many Malays who do not support UMNO, will have access to quality higher education. UMNO has lost sight of our future and is more concerned of stoking ethnic sentiments in order to shore up its support base. A public institution, more so a public institution of higher learning should never be placed at the mercy of a political party. UiTM belongs to the people, and not to UMNO.

The extent of this ‘forced takeover’ of UiTM by UMNO has even resulted in UMNO leaders labelling me a traitor for being a candidate of DAP, as apparently according to these UMNO leaders, UiTM alumni are not supposed to do that. When did joining UiTM made us UMNO members? It is highly ironic that UMNO is claiming that UiTM students should support UMNO as this is the same party that discourages students from being active in politics. Students are to be free to express their views and thoughts, and be accorded their freedom to pursue their dreams and ambitions. No political party has a right to stand in the way of the dreams and aspirations of young Malaysians.

I call upon my fellow alumni, and to all students in public institutions of higher learning, to never allow yourselves to be chained to the agenda of UMNO and BN. An alma mater means a nourishing mother in Latin. Never allow UMNO and BN to rob you of a nourishing mother by turning it into a repressive master. I aim to further the cause of student and youth activism if elected into Parliament, for the young are raring to change this nation around and I hope to be given the chance to play my part in this.

Bernard@cari

Feb 25, 2014

Extremists acting against our very own Rukunegara

I never knew the importance of Rukunegara. It brought no meaning to myself and my friends in school, we memorised the Rukunegara after reciting it every Monday during school assemblies after a few weeks in Darjah Satu and we continued the same routine for years.

Rukunegara was even on the back of every notebooks we owned. Still, I was clueless as to why we had to raise our right hand and recite them every Monday during compulsory school assemblies and I never bothered to find out.

I never read about it in books or in the newspapers, although I was a regular Utusan Malaysia reader back in my teenage years, reading it at my neighbour’s house since my father only buys The Star (I never went a day without reading The Star back then). Our teachers never told us why we even had Rukunegara.

When I was reading law in UiTM, again Rukunegara was never mentioned. Although we can still recite it word by word, we never cared about it, never knew the importance of it, left alone to understand the history, the reason behind Rukunegara and why is it so important to instil the values of Rukunegara in every Malaysians. Even my favourite, patriotic, selfless, constitutional law lecturer never said anything about Rukunegara!

So what is Rukunegara is all about?

Rukunegara is Malaysia’s national ideology. It was formulated with the purpose to serve as a guideline in the country’s nation-building efforts. The Rukunegara was proclaimed on Aug 31, 1970 by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong IV, Almarhum Tuanku Ismail Nasiruddin Shah Ibni Almarhum Sultan Sir Zainal Abidin III Muazzam Shah.

The pledge of the Rukunegara is as follows:

“Our Nation, Malaysia is dedicated to: Achieving a greater unity for all her people; maintaining a democratic way of life; creating a just society in which the wealth of the nation shall be equitably distributed; ensuring a liberal approach to her rich and diverse cultural tradition, and building a progressive society which shall be oriented to modern science and technology.

“We, the people of Malaysia, pledge our united efforts to attain these ends, guided by these principles:
Belief in God (Kepercayaan kepada Tuhan)
Loyalty to King and Country (Kesetiaan kepada Raja dan Negara)
Upholding the Constitution (Keluhuran Perlembagaan)
Sovereignty of the Law, and (Kedaulatan Undang-undang)
Good Behaviour and Morality (Kesopanan dan Kesusilaan)
Now, let’s ask ourselves, when was the last time we recited the Rukunegara? Do we really practise our pledge as stated in the Rukunegara? Because these are not mere words, but a national ideology, a guideline, a checklist to what makes you qualified to be a true Malaysian.

I am pretty sure that there are groups of extremists who could not even recite the five principles by heart or even appreciate the meaning of our own Rukunegara and still claimed themselves to be a “nationalist”, “defenders” of the Malay rights and the religion of Islam.

‘Liberal’ mentioned in Rukunegara

The word ‘liberal’ was mentioned in our Rukunegara, so what is this about Malay groups who railed against recent suggestions to remove the ‘race’ category from official forms suggested by a federal minister Joseph Kurup, calling the proposal a sure sign of creeping ‘liberal thinking’ within Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak’s administration.

Dear Perkasa and Ikatan Muslimin Malaysia (Isma), our national ideology has the word ‘liberal’ in it. Go crazy.

The Rukunegara stated clearly that we have pledged to ensure a liberal approach to Malaysia rich and diverse cultural tradition. (Yes, even in the Bahasa Malaysia version.)

These extremists are acting against our very own Rukunegara, when we are supposed to uphold the values and principles in our Rukunegara which makes one a true Malaysian.

We should be dedicated to, among others, achieve greater unity for all Malaysians, maintain a democratic way of life, create a just society, not display class-less chicken and slap act, or declaring it is halal to murder demonstrators, calling each other names such as bughah and kafir harbi in order to prove who is more Malaysian. Where was our Kesopanan dan Kesusilaan? The fifth principle in the Rukunegara.

Don’t ever let these extremists tell you that you are any less of a Malaysian. Probably these extremists would have the shock of their lives after realising that there are non-Malay, non-Muslim Malaysians who are even more Malaysian than they ever were.

I am glad that as a Malaysia-loving citizen, I now understood the meaning of Rukunegara and pledge my efforts guided by the five principles.

So now I suggest we raise our right hand up and recite the now understood and memorised by heart Rukunegara together, from “Maka kami, rakyat Malaysia berikrar….

Bernard@cari

Mar 6, 2014

My closest brush with BTN thinking

In The Malay Mail dated March 5, Umno minister Khairy Jamaluddin has suggested a revision of the country’s National Civics Bureau (BTN) training courses, saying undergraduates should be treated like adults and not taught to be blind supporters of the government.

I, myself have never been to any of BTN’s courses. However, a few years back, a friend of mine who was working for a government agency and was dating a lovely Chinese lady received a directive from his superior to attend a BTN course.

Upon returning from the course held somewhere in the state of Pahang, we went for our weekly coffee session and he shared with me his experience about the course he attended. He mentioned, “The course made me racist. I feel that the other races are not thankful enough for being in Malaysia. We should show them that we are the boss and they better respect it.”

I was shocked.

This came from a person whom I had known since I was 10, had zero racist streak in him and I must highlight that he professed his love to his (then) Chinese girlfriend every day (and night, almost).

My other friend who was with us was not surprised because he heard the same thing from his other friends who attended one or more of those courses. Apparently, BTN is known for brainwashing the participants by masquerading as an agency tasked to instil patriotism and train Malaysia future leaders.

The closest brush I had with BTN was when I was in secondary school, a substitute teacher for Sejarah put the map of Malaysia on my classroom’s whiteboard, and told the whole class that the Malays sacrificed Tanah Melayu for Malaysia. He said that our nation was supposed to be land of the Malays, but we tolerated and accepted ‘them’ and changed the name of our beloved land from Tanah Melayu to Malaya and later, Malaysia.

(Yes, this was years before Ikatan Muslimin Malaysia (Isma) came out with a ‘scientific study’ claiming the existence of Malay genetics could be traced back to 30,000-40,00 years earlier compared to the Chinese and the Indians.)

Honestly, at that time, I bought it. There was a sense of pride came rushing over me and for a good week or two, I looked at my non-Malay friends differently, in a not so good way. Thinking that I was above them. Fortunately, I got over it when I had to go to them for help with my Mathematics exercise (or was it to chat about the latest high school drama that was happening that week?)

Inflicting hate and polarisation

Back to BTN. Are these allegations true? If they were, the time, energy, funds (paid by the taxpayers) and efforts that are being used to inflict hate and further causing racial and religion polarisation should be properly channelled to encourage patriotism, inspire unity, and promote toleration and togetherness among Malaysians.

The suggestion by our Youth and Sports Minister to revise BTN training courses and encourage critical thinking skills should be welcomed. I, too, agree with the Rembau MP when he said that youths should not blindly support the government but should be able to decide for themselves if the government deserves such backing.

I was also under the impression that KJ admitted BTN has a must-have-syllabus on giving thanks and being grateful to the government.

BTN should be a delightful course to educate the participants about our beloved country, to remind them of our colourful history, to make patriotism cool and to show how proud we are to be Malaysians.

Instead of shoving one-sided information to our students, similar revision or reform should be applied to our current education system as well, say by removing the political element in our already too far politicised education system? Well, that is another story.

Bernard@cari

Mar 21, 2014

Wildlife need a place to call home

Growing up in the suburbs, the only time I came across mangrove or paya bakau were in my Geography textbooks and Steve Irwin’s Crocodile Hunter documentary series. Who could forget his unconventional and hands-on methods in handling wildlife, especially reptiles?

I have a titanic dislike for reptiles but Steve made it bearable to watch. Thanks to him, I managed to gather the courage to poke an albino snake for half a second when my Form 2 class, chaperoned by the lovely Ms Fidzah, organised a trip to the National Zoo, only two kilometers from our school in 2001.

Not until sometime last year that I made a trip to Kg Simpang Arang in Gelang Patah constituency, an Orang Asal village located by a mangrove river. Lush green leaves, visible mangrove roots, sight of tiny mudskippers skipping from one spot to another, variety of birds flying over the trees, it was a really beautiful sight. Although I did not see any crocodiles. Or snakes. Thank God.

The Simpang Arang river leads to the magnificent Sungai Pulai, the largest riverine mangrove system in Johor. I was told that the rivers are the main source of living for the Orang Asal as they are in abundance with marine life, an ideal feeding and breeding ground for a significant number of fish species. The locals also depend on the mangrove forest for wood, charcoal production, aquaculture activities and eco-tourism.

Mangroves sites in Sungai Pulai, Pulau Kukup and Tanjung Piai play significant roles in shoreline stabilisation, severe flood prevention, protection from sea-water intrusion and coastal erosion. Pulau Kukup has been identified as one of the important bird areas for Malaysia.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations, extensive areas of mangroves can reduce the loss of life and damage caused by tsunamis by taking the first force of the impact and by dissipating the energy of the wave as it passes through the mangrove area.

An example was seen in Tamil Nadu, India by which the Pichavaram mangrove forest acted as a protective belt slowing down the waves and protecting around 1,700 people living in hamlets built inland.

The three sites in Johor, namely Sungai Pulai, Pulau Kukup and Tanjung Piai were named as Ramsar sites, wetlands of international importance, in 2003. Malaysia has four Ramsar sites and the other one is Tasik Bera in Pahang.

The Ramsar Convention of Wetlands is an intergovernmental treaty that embodies the commitments of its member countries to maintain the ecological character of their wetlands of international importance and to plan for the ‘wise use’, or sustainable use, of all of the wetlands in their territories.

The problem with international convention is its anarchic nature. If there is no higher authority than the state then who will enforce it? Malaysia is a signatory to the Ramsar Convention, but how serious are we in abiding to this particular convention? The truth of the matter is that vast development is affecting many mangrove areas including these Ramsar sites. We witnessed the shrinking of mangroves sites, we saw these areas being reclaimed to make way for development.

Never officially gazetted

These Ramsar sites were never officially gazetted by the state authority as a Ramsar-protected sites, thus, not giving it extra protection aligned as required by the convention. However they are protected under ‘forests reserve’ and ‘state park’ as defined by our laws. Is it enough? Do ‘forests reserve’ and ‘state park’ address the special needs and protections needed by these Ramsar sites?

We can be a signatory to the most expressive, descriptive and extensive international agreements, however, if we do not comply with our own words, there is no existence of sanctions or material consequence to non-compliance. If we employ an Austinian definition of law - i.e., a command given by a sovereign, backed by the threat of sanctions - then it is clear that international law is not law.

Machiavelli once said, if humans were honest and kept their promises, then the Prince also should do so. But they do not, and so the Prince would be foolish to abide by his commitments.

Therefore, the government may or may not comply where international conventions are concerned, especially when it is no longer in their interest or when they have greater interests somewhere else.

With the absence of effective domestic institutions to promote compliance, it is important to note that the emergence of civil society can help in remedying this problem.

Public participation of informed citizens in enforcing certain principles driven by similar honest interest arguably carries more weight and effectiveness in ensuring order, compliance and getting things done.

Due to this awareness that Jaring and Impian Malaysia Green Team are organising a Malaysian Dream project on April 5, 2014, with the objectives to show solidarity for those who are affected by the threatening of our fascinating mangrove forests, promoting awareness, sustainable use of our mangroves and preservation of our natural environment.

The half-day programme will require participants to help plant 500 mangrove seedlings at Pantai Rambah, Pontian near Tanjung Piai, Johor apart from enjoying the view it has to offer.

There is a hadith that indicates the reward for the person who plants a tree or a crop continues as long as the produce is eaten or used. Narrated by Anas bin Malik (RA) that Prophet Muhammad (SAW) said: “There is none amongst the Muslims who plants a tree or sows seeds, and then a bird, or a person or an animal eats from it, but is regarded as a charitable gift for him.”

If you are interested to join this public event, please email to [email protected]

Although I still have a great dislike for reptiles and amphibians, I still want them (and other wildlife) to have a place to call home.  

Bernard@cari

Apr 10, 2014

An earthly beginning

The Bakau programme organised by the NGO Jaring and Impian Malaysia took place in Pontian, Johor, last Saturday. I managed to drag my anti-social younger brother to join in the fun, planting mangrove seedlings in the muddy mangrove site.

We had 500 mangrove seedlings and close to 100 volunteers participating in the programme. The programme was video-recorded and I was asked whether I was disgusted being in a muddy mangrove site for the activity. I replied saying I had no problem being with nature and I was actually enjoying myself while doing good for the environment. Also, a thought that crossed my mind was, even, we human beings originated from earth.

We, Muslims believe that we are made of earth. It is stated in the Quran, Surah Al-Mu’imun (The Believers : 12, “And indeed We created man (Adam) out of an extract of clay (water and earth).”

The earth, the humble stuff beneath our feet. Whenever I am reminded of this fact, a massive wave of humility rushes over me and the voice of my mother would rang in my ears, “Wherever you go and whatever you do, jangan sombong,” she always reminded me.

We have to remember it was arrogance that caused an archangel to be cast out of Heaven, stripped of his beauty, position and his rights to Heaven. He believed himself to be of an elevated status, better than any creation.

Based on this Islamic virtue of humility, I fail to understand when one argues that one’s race is above the others. I cannot comprehend masquerading to be religious police but tolerating double standard treatment to others who are different. To the extent that one even state “there is a price for the citizenship to non-Muslims”. Was the federal constitution amended while I was asleep last night stating that citizenship is granted based on one’s religion?

I cannot recall any other country practising the same. This statement came from an ustaz, a leader of a self-claimed Islamic and ethno-nationalist organisation.

They are also claiming that non-Muslims should not be so greedy to the point that they want to interfere with the exclusive rights and interests of the Malays and bumiputera, who are the original inhabitants of the country.

I refuse to indulge in the argument on who was here first (although there are physical evidence of Kedah Tua being heavily influenced by Buddhism and Hinduism) because like it or not, Malaysia is tanah tumpah darah all of us and no one should be treated differently just because (arguably) their ancestors missed the earlier boat.

How does one lay claim to the earth but treat the others who have as much claim so badly?

Our own enemy is within ourselves

The Malays should be reminded over and over again that our non-Malay, non-Muslim fellow Malaysians were never our enemy. Our own enemy is within ourselves.  

It was arrogance that caused the death of Sultan Mahmud in Sultan Mahmud Mangkat Dijulang. He was assassinated by Laksamana Bentan whose wife was put to death for eating a piece of the sultan’s jackfruit.

It was arrogance that caused the downfall of Temasek by eliminating smart people like Hang Nadim for being too brilliant and deemed to be a threat to those in power.

Humility means not putting oneself either above or below others; it means not thinking about one’s position on a scale. The challenge is not thinking less of oneself but thinking of oneself less often.

If we really grasp the idea of humility, we will have respect for each other despite our differences. We would stand together for our common good and fight against morally-wrong conducts such as discrimination, corruption, unethical conducts and equal monsters. It is humility, not discrimination based on skin colour that is championed by many religions across the earth if not all.

Despite leaving the mangrove site tired and covered in organic mud facial mask, I was satisfied with my tiny contribution to the environment, spending time with my younger brother and rewarded with soft skin by nature itself, almost immediately!

Surah Al Hujurat (The Dwellings): 13

O mankind, indeed We have created you from male and female and made you peoples and tribes that you may know one another. Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you. Indeed, Allah is Knowing and Acquainted.

Bernard@cari

May 15, 2014

To my detractors, you will hear me ‘roar!’

My mother was active in politics. As her children, my brothers and I were exposed to politics at a very young age. We would frequently meet our politician uncles and aunts during dinners, teh tarik sessions, Hari Raya open houses and birthday parties.

Some of them made it to ministerial posts in later years, while some were not as lucky.

Growing up observing my mother taught me many, many things. With the good came also the bad. I soon learned that politics was a dog-eat-dog world which required one to have nerves of steel and skin as thick as oak before one could even begin to participate.

My older brothers in particular saw what my mother endured. They read the books she brought home from work. They saw the dirty games and Machiavellian tactics that my mother had to put up with in the name of ‘perjuangan’. For the party. For the country.

They also saw how she was betrayed by her own comrades and best friends for the sake of position and power. As a result, they have sworn themselves off from the world of politics.

It all began in the late 1980s, when my mother was an Umno worker. She had loyally served the party for years, but all her sacrifice and hard work counted for nothing when the newly constituted Umno Baru of Dr Mahathir Mohamad decided not to rehire staff who had been inclined towards the ‘Team B’ of his opponent, Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, during the 1987 Umno elections.

At the time, she was just about to return to work after maternity leave.

She had just given birth to me.

Twenty years later in 2007, I began the first year of my Bachelor in Legal Studies at UiTM. Malaysia had moved on from Mahathir by then, the prime minister being Abdullah Ahmad Badawi (Pak Lah), a former ‘Team B’ man.

As social movements in Malaysia began to gather pace - such as Hindraf, Bersih and anti-Internal Security Act (ISA) rallies, my friends and I began to get interested in politics. We googled, we read, and we became aware. The next obvious step was to begin attending political ceramahs of various parties and groups. Some were pro-establishment, but mostly were anti-government.

When my mother found out, she asked me: “Aren’t you afraid? You might get arrested for being pro-opposition.”

It was the same thing some of my friends said to me. My only reply was to say that some of these ‘anti-establishment’ leaders who fought long and hard for what they believed in despite suffering under detention were now prominent leaders and would be, when history is written 50 years from now, be seen as heroes.

Only cowards fear the judgment of history.

In 2011, I made the decision to join the DAP. Once again, my friends thought: “There she goes again, doing something no one would think of.”

Malaysia needed a new kind of politics

The truth is, I didn’t do it just to be different. I did it because I felt Malaysia needed a new kind of politics. I had seen how racial politics was nothing but a scam. My mother is Malay, yet she was shunned by the very party that claims to protect Malays.

Hence, the racial model is nothing but a means of power-hungry leaders to stay in power. The only way forward for our country was to break this model of racial politics.

And so I chose DAP. For its principle of multi-culturalism. For its principle of standing up for all Malaysians, regardless of race and religion. For its principle of doing what is right, despite the risks and repercussions. I knew that if I made this choice that I believed was right, I would not have to fear the judgment of history.

Of course, joining DAP came with a price. I was immediately scrutinised and lambasted. False stories were created. My words were twisted. I was labelled a ‘pengkhianat’. I was also called many other names.

Just a few days ago, rumours began swirling around that I may be a possible candidate for a parliamentary seat. I was of course just as surprised as everyone else. But I was even more surprised by the wave of attacks that ensued.

My personal details were misused. My phone number was distributed and I have since been the target of hundreds of lewd messages. Another thing I have realised - Malaysian society is misogynistic!

And now, to tarnish my image further, there appears to be a photo of me allegedly wearing a bikini. While I think the Filipino actress in question is very attractive, I feel this really displays the level of gutter politics that our opponents would go to, especially against a female. Guys, please grow up.

Try as they may, they will not break me. My mother and my mentors have taught me well. They had warned me that there would be days like these.

As much as I have been attacked, I have also received titanic support from my family, friends, comrades, former colleagues and fellow Malaysians across all age groups, races, faiths and parties.

Many have called to encourage me. Some have said they believe in me. But the truth is, it is Malaysians like them who make me believe in what I’m doing. And it is Malaysians like those who have been attacking me that give me even more reason to continue the ‘perjuangan’ (struggle).

As I said earlier, I am confident that I will fall on the right side of history.

And so to my detractors, I wish to paraphrase Katy Perry. You will hear me “roar!”

Bernard@cari

Apr 3, 2014

Youths clueless about our own history

Last week the Memali incident was brought up to the attention of Malaysians, almost 30 years since it happened. The bloody major incident dated Nov 19, 1985 claimed 18 fatalities including four policemen, took place in a remote village called Memali in Baling, Kedah.

The Memali incident is alien to most in my generation. I am assured that most of us never heard of the incident, we don’t know why and how it happened, who was involved and why it was important whether or not Dr Mahathir Mohamad was in the country at the time of event.

The incident can never be found in any of our standard history textbooks.

Many would say we did not read enough. Which was true. In primary school, we had kempen membaca buku and the students were required to record the books they have read. It never really took off.

I cheated by copying my friends’ findings, summaries, identified moral values, or sometimes, by copying the synopsis written at the back cover of the books. I was simply not interested with the books made available in our school library.

What interested me were stories from my mother and her friends. If it wasn’t for my family’s involvement with politics, I would never have been informed of many political yet historical occurrences at a very young age.

These includes Operasi Lalang, the de-registration of Umno, Tunku Abdul Rahman who never re-joined Umno helping Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah to establish Semangat 46. When I spoke to my friends about these stories, I was greeted with awkward looks and an invitation to go play outside instead.

To most, they were not bothered, it did not matter because it was not in the syllabus, “We do not need to know this. Not important.”

When I was in Form 2, we were asked to write a project paper on a historical figure of our choice. Of course many of my friends chose to write about the then-premier of Malaysia. However, being the daughter of an ex-S46 member, I chose to write on Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah. Mine was special because I actually went to see Ku Li and took a photo with him and attached it to my paper.

Upon submission, my friends asked about my paper. At that time, none of my classmates knew who he was. I was even laughed at for choosing someone who they thought was not “prominent enough”.

Yes, please roll your eyes.

Nobody wrote on Tunku Abdul Rahman, Yap Ah Loy, Za’ba, not even Dr Ismail Abdul Rahman. What about the female ones? None that I could recall. Don’t bother with Operasi Lalang and the Memali incident, even names of our historical figures aforementioned were scarcely remarked!

Textbooks inadequate

In my days, our textbooks were inadequate. It was deemed obligatory for one to get extra books for reference. If the textbooks are dull in the first place and could not even invoke one’s interest in history, what makes one would invest in more books on that particular subject?

This is where teachers play a big role; to make lessons exciting by inspiring students’ curiosity, encouraging participation and hope they will no longer yawn when the word ’Sejarah’ is mentioned.

My mother made me curious enough with politics, hence here I am!

When we inquired about certain part of Malaysian history because sometimes the textbooks do not tally with what we were told or read somewhere else, we were asked just to accept whatever that was written in the textbooks, because that is where the A-grade is. For some, that’s all there are for Malaysian history. Hence the birth of many of those misled and not bothered.

If we are so clueless about our own history, how do we learn, understand and appreciate it? How do we avoid from history repeating itself? How do we cinta our own country, our tanah tumpah darah if we don’t even know her story!

To question an authority is a patriotic act, some might say. Questioning the government or higher power’s conducts should not be regarded as an act of treason or betrayal. We are curious enough to try to understand, we are devoted enough to want the best for our country, we are loyal enough to stay and contribute to make her a better nation. We love our nation enough to care, learn and wanting to know her colourful history.

To be ignorant of our own history will bring us to a vicious cycle; when one does not know his country, he cannot love her, he will not be loyal to her and he will end up leaving, or worse, be the cause of her destruction.

Tak kenal maka tak cinta.

“Patriotism is supporting your country all the time and your government when it deserves it.”

- Mark Twain

Bernard@cari

Mar 27, 2014

How grief brings us together

One of my father’s favourite bands is the Bee Gees. I grew up listening to them especially during weekends when he would spend hours in front of his elaborate  sound system listening to old classics, from Santana’s Black Magic Woman, Pink Floyd’s Another Brick in the Wall to Sweet Charity’s Teratai.

My mother who loves to chat, be it face-to-face with another person or on the phone, was not fond of my father’s weekend routine because it would be too noisy for her to listen to herself, but they however subconsciously insisted on being in the same room despite their different needs.

The tragedy of MH370 made all of us realise the value of family, unity and togetherness. Those on board MH370 are someone’s father, mother, son and daughter. We may have different backgrounds, nations, languages, colours, cultures, likes, dislikes, habits, and manners in every way of life, nonetheless, they are our brothers and sisters in humanity.

The incident showed us that we are all connected, we are first and foremost, human beings. We share the same feeling of worry and disbelief throughout the 17 days hoping for a clue, an answer to the missing MH370 together with 239 of its passengers and crew. All of us were concerned and baffled on how an advanced technology aircraft goes missing without a sign.

Our hearts stopped at once for a second when the prime minister made the announcement that flight MH370 had ended in the southern Indian Ocean. All of our hearts, thoughts and prayers go to the passengers and crew, their family members and friends.

A friend of mine said, “The families of 239 people need our strength, our compassion and our attention.” And I agree. We should reach out and help in any way that we can.

We may all grieve in our own ways. Some seek answers, some choose to get closure, and some resort to anger. Some spend hours on conspiracy theories. However, the sadness of loss is universal. Instead of judging one another or getting into a quarrel, we should just look into one another’s eyes, understand that this is a difficult moment and let the negativity go. We don’t need to add to the agony and loss of those who are directly affected.

It’s simply human to be vulnerable, it is not a weakness. We need each other and need to look out for each other. This incident has brought us together.

At times like this, shoulders to lean on, arms around one another, hands to hold to are all that we need. Everything else can wait.

We should be reminded to appreciate the people around us, our parents, family members, friends and foes, colleagues, neighbours and even the makcik who sells kuih by the roadside from whom we always get our evening pisang goreng. Acknowledge their existence, a simple salam or hello, show them that we care, give them a helping hand, a kind act, we might be the sunshine that they need for that particular day.

Caring about others, showing compassion and leaving an impact on people bring happiness to both the giver and receiver.

A moment of unity and togetherness

A moment of acceptance and appreciation is a moment of unity and togetherness.

Despite our differences, we are after all, one big family. Families are there for one another. We are now a family in grief and we should lend shoulders as well as support to each other under this Malaysian roof that we shared. Cherish our family. Group hug.

MH370, you will always be in our hearts.

I have not been spending time with my parents and I will be going back to Ipoh one of these weekends to listen to old songs with my father and gossip with my mother, in the same room at the same time. Dear God, please grant me the ability to do so. Also, I need to dodge questions about marriage when I visit my grandmother at Kuala Kangsar Road. (God, I need help with the dodging, too.)

My love and prayers for the passengers and crew of MH370, their family members, friends and those who are directly affected by the tragedy.

To MH370,

I keep the memory of you and me, inside. We don’t say goodbye.

- Immortality, written by the Bee Gees, sung by Celine Dion.

Al-fatihah.

nickiromero

老的看他的脸就知道他不能的啦

Bernard@cari

Apr 18, 2014

Karpal was my inspiration to study law

It was 2.30am on a Thursday and I was sitting at the dining table in the kitchen. I have been staring at my laptop for almost 12 hours, tapping into the keyboard, writing another story.

My phone rang, the typical Android ringtone that reminds me of R2D2 from ‘Star Wars’. It was a Whatsapp text message from a group of close friends who never failed to crack me up every few hours with their antics. I was expecting another random joke.

‘Are you guys awake? Rumours flying, Karpal passed away’

My heart stopped. I was praying hard that it was a hoax.

I logged into Twitter, saw a tweet from Fahmi Fadzil, ‘Let it not be true’.

The hair on the nape of my neck stood up and goosebumps covered my body. Still hoping it was not true.

Fifteen minutes later, my phone made the familiar noise once more.

‘Confirmed’

I stared at my phone. Stunned. Shocked. Disbelief. The Tiger of Jelutong has left us. Our beloved chairperson was no longer with us. The great Karpal Singh has passed away.

Just last week I saw him leaving the Dewan Rakyat. Just last week I said ‘Hi’ to the sweet smiling Michael when we bumped into each other outside the Dewan. Just less than seven days ago.

Tears were rolling down my cheek. Flashback. I was fresh out of school, I was asked to write about why I wanted to read law. One of the reasons I wrote was, I wanted to be a fighter for justice, just like Karpal Singh.

I regret never telling him that. Of all the meetings, ceramahs, conventions we both attended and I never once went up to him and told him that he was my inspiration to read law. He was one of the reasons why I am who I am today. And I weep.

A man of great principle. A courageous fighter. A devoted lawyer. A dedicated statesman. An amazing person. Taken from us too soon.

I will definitely tell my children about the great fearless Tiger of Jelutong who bears an infectious smile, a truly Malaysian hero. He will never be forgotten.

Your spirit lives forever in our hearts, Sdr Karpal. Thank you for everything.

“Do not stand at my grave and weep,
I am not there; I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow,
I am the diamond glints on the snow,
I am the sunlight on ripened grain,
I am the gentle autumn rain.

When you awaken in the morning’s hush
I am the swift uplifting rush
Of quiet birds in circled flight.
I am the soft stars that shine at night.
Do not stand at my grave and cry,
I am not there; I did not die.”

- Mary Elizabeth Frye

Rest in Peace, the great Tiger of Jelutong. 1940-2014.

Bernard@cari

Mar 13, 2014

‘Going into battle’ in a baju kurung

Since the Parliament sitting is resuming, my friends from all over the country, YBs or not, have flocked to the city centre to exercise their duties.

With the little free time we had, we managed to squeeze in a movie session, and my friends decided to watch '300: Rise of An Empire' (SPOILER ALERT!), loosely based on Greek mythology.

Although I haven’t seen the first installation (I know, I should!), I had the idea that this particular movie will be testosterone-infused with gory human flesh tearing scenes and over-dosage of unnecessary male abs display. Although it was not really my cup of tea, I chose to tag along.

A few minutes into the movie, we were introduced to two strong women, the graceful Queen Gorgo and the brilliant, manipulative Artemisia. Both wore swoon-worthy long-dresses into battles and were commanders of their respective armies of thousands of men. Their courage, fearlessness and strength came from atrocious backstories which I am not going to describe here because you have to watch the entertaining piece of fiction yourself.

Our archipelago is not short of our own female warriors, for example, Tun Fatimah assisted Tun Perak, a Malaccan Bendahara in their fight against the Portuguese in the early 16th century. Tengku Tengah from Johor dared to face her father’s assailants with a sword and restored her father’s honour by allying with the Bugis.

Kelantan’s Siti Wan Kembang was believed to rule the state from 1548 to 1580, was known for her beauty and ability to enter battle on horseback with a sword with an army of female horseriders.

In the case of Artermisia and Queen Gorgo, both women were beaten down at some point of their lives and tested with series of hardships and sufferings. Nonetheless, they picked up the pieces of their broken selves, rebuilt their lives and returned stronger than ever.

As Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail once said, “Lap air mata, teruskan perjuangan” (Dry your tears, the fight must go on).

Recently, Kak Wan (as she is fondly referred to) was named as Pakatan Rakyat candidate for Kajang by-election for Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) and she will be contesting against Chew Mei Fun from the Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA).

As we all know, initially Anwar Ibrahim was supposed to stand as a candidate until he was convicted and sentenced to five years’ imprisonment. The ugly history of Anwar’s conviction in 1998 repeated itself and the coalition had to resort to a different strategy.

Kak Wan was seen wiping her tears when the court delivered its decision, like any other woman would. The gesture moved many. Malaysians, especially women from all background admired her courage, her strength, her faithfulness and her strong-will to brave these never-ending series of challenges in these many years. I was 11 when her husband was first imprisoned.

Put us in her shoes, we might not be able to survive the same ordeal.

From the wife of a deputy prime minister, she became the wife to an ex-convict and now her husband might be imprisoned again. Kak Wan persevered instead of locking herself in a room. She did not avoid facing the world or cry her eyes out like any of us would do.

Kak Wan did the exactly opposite. She decided to stand in one of the most intense by-elections when she could have spent this few months with her husband who might be locked up again soon. She chose to offer herself to the rakyat once again and be a voice in the Selangor state assembly. Kak Wan never gave up.

She even said at the Pakatan Rakyat 5th Convention “Walau sugul di hati, semangat masih tinggi”.

Kak Wan was never a pretty puppet in a baju kurung. She is the definition of a woman. She is the epitome of the word srikandi. This woman, regardless of political affiliation deserves a standing ovation and our never-ending support. As the Malay saying goes, “Tangan yang menghayun buaian, mampu menggoncang dunia” (The hand that rocks the cradle is able to shake the world).

Now who says you can’t go into battle in a baju kurung?

However, I must add that no ‘angkat kain’ or ‘selinsing lengan’ is needed.

Happy International Women’s Day.

Bernard@cari

An hour with Obama
MAY 2, 2014

MAY 2 ― Last Sunday was a very eventful day for me. I was among the lucky hundreds who were selected to attend an hour session with the President of the United States of America Barack Hussein Obama.

Being in the same room with him was overwhelming, listening to him speak “live” was a privilege, getting inspired directly by the first African-American president himself was an unforgettable experience.

Although many of us were disappointed with the questions directed to the president at the question and answer session, one must consider the positive outcomes of the event and I thank the US Embassy and Young South-east Asia Leaders Initiative for organising such a rare event in Malaysia.

President Obama took the trouble ― or as he put it, chose “to have fun… to hear directly from young people” ― to spend his precious one hour with young leaders from all over South-east Asia. Now, how many of our national leaders would do the same to engage with young people, encourage them to be a part of nation building efforts, have the ability to take fluffy questions from the crowd and respond with personal and yet brilliant answers?

I am glad the president feels that young people’s opinions must be taken seriously. Judging from the young faces who participated in the event, most of them are undergraduates who, according to our laws not long ago were not even allowed to take part in national partisan politics.

President Obama’s effort in engaging the young is praiseworthy. They are making an effort to go around South-east Asia, finding ways to listen to young people about their ideas and building partnerships to empower young people’s efforts, develop new exchanges and connect young leaders.

He recognises the impact young people have on the world, he appreciates the involvement of civil societies in our community. President Obama allocated another hour to address civil society leaders from Suhakam, BERSIH, Bar Council, and Islamic Renaissance Front, to name a few. These civil societies rarely get even a second glance from our own powers that be.

Malaysia is a young nation

Almost two-thirds of the population in South-east Asia is under 35. Malaysia itself is a young nation. According to the Department of Statistics Malaysia, 64 per cent of the population is below 35.

The percentage of voters under 40 during the last GE was 42 per cent. Quite a large per centum and we, the young people, have a fairly loud and strong voice, if we choose to speak up. We can determine who and who is in power. We have the ability to change the course of this nation. That includes which policies should be enforced and which laws to be implemented.

Young people must be passionate to be involved, eager to learn and acquire more knowledge before going too strong with what they believe in in order to be taken seriously and bring a meaningful impact. If not, time and attention given to them would be regarded as wasteful. It is good to be outspoken and speak up, but one must remember it is doubly shameful to be ignorant and arrogant.

Seeking opportunities and the right platform are another careful strategy one must plan. Go to where you can contribute, be appreciated and heard, instead of being just another young face to take selfies with.

Young people have the power to uphold democracy by taking part, joining the movement and be decision makers. We must be aware of our capabilities, the impact we can have on the world. Together, we can become a force to be reckoned with.

The Opposition sees the importance in this, as was evident at the Townhall event, as young MPs and ADUNs from the Opposition were invited because they are actually young enough to participate in the under-35 event.

Nonetheless, I did not see wakil rakyat from the ruling coalition, except of course, the Minister of Youth & Sports at the event. That speaks volumes of the trust and faith put in young people by the Opposition.

Shared basic principles create unity

The President also reminded us that we have to make sure we are speaking out in our daily lives, and as we emerge as leaders we should be on the side of politics that brings people together rather than drives them apart. We must respect the shared basic principles we have across religions. If we cannot even respect the basic principles, e.g love thy neighbour, speak the truth, do no harm, do unto others what you would have them do unto you, we are going backwards instead of forwards.



The basic principles shared by all religions approve that our differences are superficial and our similarities are deep. These principles create unity across faiths and skin colours where differences dissolve and we wonder why do we always have interreligious, inter-ethnic conflicts?

We should look back at the basic principles in order to move forward towards a better, unified Malaysia. We must also nurture our love for our home country and do whatever we can to make her great.

Patriotism is cool. Racism is not.

I quote Obama, “We must recognize that democracies don’t stop just with elections; they also depend on strong institutions and a vibrant civil society, and open political space, and tolerance of people who are different than you. We have to create an environment where the rights of every citizen, regardless of race or gender, or religion or sexual orientation are not only protected, but respected.”

I agree with the President. So, are you with me?

Last Sunday was a very eventful day for me. Not just because I got to attend the historic Townhall event, I watched the rare tarian dabus performance from Perak organised by Pusaka, took a photo with the beautiful Tun Teja aka Sofia Jane at the Boh Cameronian Awards, I also get to fist-bump the leader of the free world, Obama himself!

Bernard@cari

还有其他的。可以到malaysiakini 或者 malay mail online 寻找。

来看看王建民写的。

"Why I support Dyana Sofya" - Dr. Ong Kian Ming, Member of Parliament for Serdang (DAP)

I have the privilege of knowing Dyana Sofya Mohd Daud, DAP’s candidate for the parliamentary seat of Teluk Intan, for more than a year. During this time I have found her to be a resourceful, intelligent, diligent and very capable young lady with a bright future ahead of her. I have been inspired by her youthful idealism and energy. I am confident that if elected, she will make the Teluk Intan voters proud to have her as their Member of Parliament. Here are three reasons why I support her candidacy in Teluk Intan.

Firstly, she has shown her ability to think critically and independently on a number of important national issues. And she has demonstrated her ability to defend these her positions despite facing vicious attacks from her detractors. For example, in September 2013, she suggested that poor non-Malays should be given an opportunity to study in a tertiary institution that is similar to UiTM, which was set up with the specific purpose of helping Bumiputeras from disadvantaged backgrounds to pursue higher education opportunities. Even though she did not ask for UiTM to be opened up to non-Malays, she was attacked by many high ranking officials and politicians including an UMNO Selangor leader and former Minister, Datuk Noh Omar, and the Vice Chancellor of UiTM, Tan Sri Prof Dr Sahol Hamid Abu Bakar. I doubt that many MPs would have stood their ground the way Dyana did in the face of all these attacks. She remained unfazed and steadfast.

Later on, she was not afraid to point out the ludicrousness of a proposal to make UiTM into a ‘Royal’ university in order to ‘protect’ its Bumiputera status especially since one arm of UiTM – INTEC – is already open to non-Bumiputeras.

She is clearly not afraid of calling out top BN-UMNO leaders whether it is asking Home Minister, Zahid Hamidi, not to make Malaysia a laughing stock when accusing Mat Sabu of being involved in the Shia movement with any concrete evidence or reminding the former IGP, Tan Sri Hanif Omar, that Dr. Mahathir himself had questioned and criticized the Malays.

She has brought up the need to think critically on a number of issues including the importance of our Rukunegara , the failure and dangers of the BiroTataNegara (BTN) especially in impacting inter-ethnic relations and the need to understand and remember our history.

These are exactly the qualities which are needed in a Member of Parliament – someone who is not afraid to question the status quo and to come up with alternatives on how to make our country into a better place for everyone under the sun. Indeed, I can safely say that Dyana Sofya, in her one year as Lim Kit Siang’s political secretary, has said and written more substantively on important national issues than Mah Siew Keong during his 7 months as GERAKAN President.

Secondly, she has shown her capability in taking on her many responsibilities as Lim Kit Siang’s political secretary. Although not originally from Johor, Dyana relocated herself to serve the voters of Gelang Patah in tackling their constituency problems. I am confident that she will bring the same energy and experience in tackling the constituency problems in Teluk Intan.

During her time in Johor, she has also tackled new issues and tried new methods to address these issues. For example, even though she is not a big fan of reptiles and wildlife, she took time to visit the mangrove swamps in Sungai Pulai in order to understand the importance of wetlands sites. In doing so, she understood the importance of not just preserving these sites for their environmental significance but also their importance in preserving the livelihood of the people, including fishermen, who live near these wetlands. As a small way of addressing this problem, Dyana, together with her DAP colleagues in Johor and a local NGO called Jaring, organized a group of about 100 volunteers to plant 500 mangrove seedlings to increase awareness on the need to conserve these mangrove wetlands.

In addition, Dyana also undertook new initiatives to reach out to Malay voters by connecting them with some DAP representatives. For example, her own family hosted Howard Lee, DAP ADUN for Pasir Pinji. I was also a beneficiary of this program when Dyana put me in touch with Muhaimin, a culinary student as well as an avid DOTA player. I got to spend a night at Muhaimin’s house in Datok Keramat, KL, watched him play DOTA with his online friends and also hung out at the mamak with some of his secondary school friends including Umar Azmi, a student activist who was arrested during the Occupy Dataran movement in 2012.

Thirdly, Dyana has consistently shown a great desire to continuously learn and improve herself. She constantly engages with her more experienced colleagues at the DAP headquarters in KL and at the state level in order to fill gaps in her own knowledge. She regularly attends conferences and seminars on a diverse range of issues covering economics, education and environmental issues in order to gain new knowledge. She is always willing to take on new projects and challenges. Prior to being named, she had submitted a proposal to revive the ‘Kuiz Kenegaraan’ or Nationhood Quiz as a means to increase exposure to and knowledge of our constitution, history, art & culture, religion, national leaders, government policies and international relations. Unlike past efforts, however, she proposed a format for this Quiz that would be decided by a bottom-up consultative approach that would make the quiz a true reflection of Malaysian society.

It is exactly these sorts of new ideas and ways of looking at existing challenges in Malaysia that is very much needed at every level of government. Dyana is a breath of fresh air in the Malaysian political landscape that will spur on the winds of change, starting in Teluk Intan, and then spreading to the rest of the country.

I urge the voters of Teluk Intan to vote Dyana based on her abilities, her capabilities, her ideas and idealism, her youthful spirit and energy, her steadfastness and maturity. I urge the voters of Teluk Intan to cast a vote in support of the future of Malaysian politics. I urge the voters of Teluk Intan to cast a vote to break down racial, religious, linguistic, cultural, gender and age barriers.

Dr. Ong Kian Ming is the MP for Serdang
24th May 2014

110_01

日本幕末   時期有一個叫  土方歲三  的人，懂得用洋槍、洋炮、穿西裝，但堅持跟  新政府   對抗，戰到最後一刻。他的死標誌了  德川幕府    正式走入歷史，日本  進入   明治維新時代。比起很多盲目排外的   '維新志士'（覺得相機會吸掉人的靈魂、認為西方醫學沒有用 etc），土方   跟  坂本龍馬  一樣是非常適應  新時代   的人，卻跟時代背道而馳，這一點非常令人佩服





受過   國陣   恩惠的人，此恩雖小，難道僅因為時代洪流就隨波逐流嗎？看到沒有人站出來捍衛   國陣，我感到很心寒

hesed

无可否认的黛安娜背后有一帮很厉害的形象设计师。
可惜的是,单因为一帮来历不明,或巫青,或公青,或回青,在闹场,黛安娜竟然就诬蔑马袖强。 可见她空有明星效应,却缺乏智慧。 太嫩了。
Lawmaker 国会议员可不是电影明星, 只有稳重与成熟思想的人能胜任。 马袖强是最佳人选。

prince

国阵的发展就是起价，让国阵发展，还是免了吧，加重人民的负担就有！

jason5211

一大堆英文看不明

JowY

好帖不能沉
一定要顶

ｂｚ原谅我ｐｌｓ

flashang

hesed 发表于 24-5-2014 10:38 PM
无可否认的黛安娜背后有一帮很厉害的形象设计师。
可惜的是,单因为一帮来历不明,或巫青,或公青,或回青,在 ...

没办法啊！
现在就两方竞选，
不说你，说谁？

就算是死猫，也没办法。
谁叫 梧桐 平时没有管好狗，让他们乱吠？
现在，丢鸡蛋，暴徒，都可以一律归咎于 梧桐的形象已经深入民心。