Happy Merdeka Day! – though some of you may not exactly be in a celebratory mood.
Anyway, if you are feeling a little bored on what is a sunny day here in Penang, why not hop over to your local news-stand and pick up a copy of Off the Edge magazine for some ‘fun’. (The magazine does not come with The Edge weekly tabloid; you have to buy the magazine separately.) This week’s cover story is a remarkably frank and hard-hitting interview with Gerakan adviser Dr Lim Keng Yaik, who even accepts partial blame for the 8 March BN setback.
He is not a happy man though and, horrors, utters an expletive during the interview.
I just hope interviewers Ho Kay Tat and Jason Tan were sitting a safe distance away, if you know what I mean. 
He says he has spoken out before - to Dr M and within BN circles, about the prevalence of money politics. (“It’s all money, money, money, money, money.”)
Just to give you a flavour of the interview:
Where did the BN and Umno go wrong especially in their response to Anwar’s ‘branding’ of Ketuanan Rakyat?
The more they hammer Anwar, the more they popularise him. I was also part of it, hammering Anwar, telling all the stories about Anwar.
Didn’t work. [The people responded by saying], ‘Lu kong si ha mi ah? Lu boh aneh cham ah, lu boh eong eh lang, sway lang, chau lang lai.’ (In Hokkien: ‘what are you all in BN talking about? Aren’t you so bad yourself? BN is useless, a pox on the people, and a bunch of rogues.’)
I blame this purely on the arrogance, abuse of power and non-transparency of Umno, the interference of the ‘Fourth Floor’ boys who think they know best, and the inability to keep the civil servants at bay….
About problems involving an uncooperative and “racially biased” civil service:
We have a damn bloody serious problem, you are right!
And about Umno leaders saying they want a multi-racial government:
They don’t mean what they say (laughs). We realise that we’ve been bloody led up the garden path!
What about the dubious land deals in Penang?
(Koh Tsu Koon) was not strong enough to stop the Umno fellas. Let’s see the land cases coming up; you’ll find an Umno arm all over the place. Yes, and Guan Eng is saying, “You did not stop it.”
All the same, Keng Yaik thinks that Anwar is not the right leader and says he will never be PM because of his “impatience”.
Meanwhile, there’s already a debate within Gerakan on whether they should stay on in the BN. If a vote was to be taken today among party leaders and members, what would it be?
“Out,” responds KY, but then adds that no vote has been taken because “they are not ready”.
Ai-yah, still not ready, ah? (From the poll on this blog, 36 per cent of you feel Gerakan should join Pakatan.)
Go get a copy of Off the Edge and read the full interview. It’s worth a few laughs – good value for RM6!
Related posts:
Permatang Pauh has shown that BN needs support from the non-Malays to win. If BN cannot win in a Malay majority area with their pro-Malay racial mongering, where can they win?
Malaysiakini estimated that 78% of non-Malays voted BN. (Because of the margin of error, I would put it at least 80%). Incidentally, Umno usually gets only about 50% of the Malay vote. Prior to 2008, the majority of non-Malays voted BN, giving them their victory.
In retrospect, it has been the non-Malays who have kept BN in power for so long. How ironic that the racial groups who kept them in power are the ones who have been systematically marginalized.
PP was an epic victory in that it was a by-election where BN can concentrate their resources including abuse of development funds. That BN still lost big shows how much the political ground has changed.
Malaysia has changed. There’s no going back to the old system of racial divide and rule. Parties which still cling to it will be consigned to the dustbins of history.
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Yeah but LKY also … as he was watching UMNO boys did it. Even within his own ministry, they all like to say ‘Tan Sri sudah kaya’….
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(In the past) UMNO has asked (certain component parties) etc to get out as UMNO has ruled the country for 50 years and “can rule for another 50 years”(without them in BN), so it is time to GET the HELL out… Remember the Rusty guy from M’cca asking the Indian Kayves to get out of BN if they are not happy with the seats allocated to them? Ta’malu ka? Those who did not vote for the ‘present’ Govt is branded as ungrateful, but what these a** **** does not understand is that we are voting for a ‘new’ Govt., so are we ungrateful?
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Under Tuanku Abdul Rahman,Tun Razak and Hisammudin UMNO has adopted secularism and civil law as the sumpreme law of the country.Muslims can convert out of islam(not openely)at least.I kinow a number of such cases.Under Mahathir Islamic law was made the supreme law of this country.MCA,GERAKAN, MIC supported the amendenment 121(1A).
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In this respect i support PAS especially after the famous LINA JOY case. Since UMNO refused to defend secularism and they apply selective application of the islamic law(why apply apostacy law on muslims and then refuse to implement hudud on muslims)THEREFORE I THINK THIS IS A RACALIST AGENDA) At least PAS is consistient on this matter.
I think it is therefore apporiate to for the non muslims to support PAS now(at least pas is less corrupt)
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i think most non muslims think that the UMNO PM did not wear turban or teir wife did not wear the tudong so tay are liberal.COME ON NON MUSLIMS DONT BE DECIVED BY THE CLOTHS.They are excately like pas when they refuse to accept the secular constituion of this country..take a look at the 121(1a) and the LINA JOY case.
SUPPORT PAS WHICH IS LESS CORRUPT.
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I for one, am quite happy if Gerakan and MCA stay with BN.
How else can we get free advertisement on ‘what not to do’ in Malaysian politics? To have them doing all the ‘wrong’ things’ as elected representatives in a so-called democracy is PRICELESS mileage to Pakatan Rakyat! Hopefully, more interviews can be conducted on Gerakan begging for an apology from UMNO, etc.
Howlers!!
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Pakatan Rakyat should refuse MCA & Gerakan as members of a coalition. UMNO would be standing alone, perhaps with MIC (lol). It is not politically sustainable for a growth of a strong 2 party system.
UMNO/MCA/MIC should be rebranding themselves as a coalition of cultural organization of the polity. An interracial tolerance group gone astray since Tunku, well maybe a while later..
In the meantime check out ‘firebrand’ Dennis Kucinich – 6 mins political speech; goto min 4.35’ and the text below ala Malaysia boleh style.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lv0smG7ptcM
Wake up Malaysia. This is not a call for you to take a new direction from right to left. This is call for you to go from down to up. Up with the rights of workers. Up with wages. Up with fair trade. Up with creating millions of good paying jobs, rebuilding our bridges, ports and water systems. Up with creating millions of sustainable energy jobs to lower the cost of energy, lower carbon emissions and protect the environment.
Up with health care for all. Up with education for all. Up with home ownership. Up with guaranteed retirement benefits.
Up with peace. Up with prosperity. Up with DSAI.
Wake up, Malaysia. Wake up, Malaysia. Wake up, Malaysia.
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Shan is correct. I served on the National Consultative Economic Council I (1988-1990), and the UMNO delegation (headed by the present PM, Abdullah Badawi) was absolutely amazing. UMNO representatives and their other supporters gave innumerable … anti-Chinese tirades (but, it must be pointed out, never anti-other races!) in the closed door sessions, but those very same persons would, during tea-breaks, be chatting up the bemused Chinese representatives, and trying to get from them all manners of business deals. The PAS delegation at NECC never behaved in such a hypocritical fashion. They politely stated their position, and I cannot recall them ever, so frontally and violently verbally attacking the Non-Muslims. To this day I still wonder which is (was) the REAL UMNO? The UMNO of the fiery (and that is putting it mildly) anti-Chinese rhetoric, or the UMNO trying to cut business deals with the Chinese towkays over tea.
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Ha! Very good advertisement here. The Edge should be making a lot here.
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The Constitution has been raped by the 22 of the former premier+ 6 years of an ineffective premier. In the past the formerPM was an all in one..he was the government, he was the spiritual leader and he was the PM..Now we have the fourth floor boys who ahve effectively taken away the current PM’s role and he walks around in a daze…
I think we must have leaders who have conscience.
I do not see any hope if we have leaders who rape the constitution, rape the countries riches and ahve policies that divide the people.
It is time that such leaders be put to the pasture to graze quietly …
Some we do not have to put to pasture…as they are asleep..
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For 18 years the People in Penang were living with hope under Kok lose sleep (Koh Su Koon) management that will progress, prosperity, equality and many other expectations. As year by year passed Rainman (LKY)still keeps him there, probaly he made this understanding with Lim Chong Eu before he steped down for LKY to take over the leadership.
Over the years, Gerakan had been ******* MCA in Penang instead of working together to stand up to the UMNO’s demand. The people of Penang had been very patience since KSK took helm of the state but slowly and surely the patience ran out in March 8.
If some of you could remember, Chong Eu was a good negotiator, during the time he was the CM, he proposed KOMTAR which way ahead of its time in Malaysia then. UMNO Penang, was making a lot of protest regarding the project as UMNO deem the project would not benefits the Malays. Chong Eu gave the Tanjung To’kong land for trade off to UMNO keep the Malay heritage encave.
What happen? After all these years nothing much been done to up grade the Malay encve by UMNO, it is a plain NATO (No Action, Talk Only), Now this area is developd by E&O and most of these are owned by foreigners or non Malays, so who is to be blamed?
Another interesting fact is, how is this special reserve land right hand over to non Malay entity? Did the Penang UMNO leadership sold out the Malays for their own personal benefits?
Coming back to KSK, he was puppet CM (allegedly) put up by UMNO because UMNO has more seats in the state government many terms. UMNO Penang to KSK for breakfast, lunch and dinner. If Gerakan and MCA could put their differences for the interest of the people and stand united against UMNO, PKR and DAP would have been irrelevant in Penang during March 8 election.
KSK and Gerakan took for granted that people in Penang are stupid. Now KSK and Gerakan is hoping that UMNO will still need them. Just look at KSK as shown in the TVs during the PP by-election, he was following PM, DPM and senior lUMNO eaders around like a … following the master. Sudah lah, Gerakan is irrelevant to UMNO now.
AS indications shown by senior UMNO leaders in their speeches and action, MCA, Gerakan, PPP and all others are irrelevant to them except the parties in Sabah and Sarawak who were smart to put in their demand or they quit to join PKR. Hopefully, they will get all their demand and still quit as you can trust this new generation of UMNO leaders. They are not like the leaders of Tunku or TAR era who were elected by the people and work for the people.
LKY to UMNO is like a condom to them, time syiok we need you. After that you are disposible. Wakeup lah! Many times you make your stand but weak stand, why? Because UMNO make you retract what you have said or make you to make a public apology? shame on you! You don’t stand on your principal.
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aiya … not need to comment so much liaw lar…. i think this whole blog should be emailed to every gerakan member you know especially those in the higher up so that they get the bloody message -
CLOSE THE F****** PARTY lar …
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you had your day lim keng yaik but you wasted it. gerakan did not gerak, the rusty wheels have ground to a halt. junkyard here you go.
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Now that Lim ky no longer in govt and his son also kala, so he can open his big mouth and says what has all along in his heart. Beware when he speaks, bring an umbrella along. Too late Lim, we dont need your advice anymore.
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UMNO don’t give a damn whether Gerakan leaves BN or not after all they have only 2 parlimenterian seats. There is no bargaining power. LKY is only making noises…an opportunist to maybe gaining some face…He should stand up at time when he is the president of the party..He knows from the onset UMNO dominate BN….Any blind man can see the course it was leading and the fate of Gerakan at the time when he reigned. But he did nothing…and now he blah blah blah….
He should shoulder responsibility of his misjudgement if that is at all misjudgement… It boils dwon to the bare fact that he did not raise any voice when he is in the party….
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FOLKS, CAN DEMOCRACY ACTUALLY GUARANTEE US FREEDOM???
CAN WE LEARN SOMETHING FROM THE AMERICAN EXPERIENCE …. read on
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What’s the Meaning of ‘Freedom’? …. But don’t ask a politician!
by Rep. Ron Paul
“Man is not free unless government is limited. There’s a clear cause and effect here that is as neat and predictable as a law of physics: As government expands, liberty contracts”.
- Ronald Reagan
We’ve all heard the words democracy and freedom used countless times, especially in the context of our invasion of Iraq. They are used interchangeably in modern political discourse, yet their true meanings are very different. George Orwell (picture above right) wrote about “meaningless words” that are endlessly repeated in the political arena. Words like “freedom,” “democracy,” and “justice,” Orwell explained, have been abused so long that their original meanings have been eviscerated. In Orwell’s view, political words are “often used in a consciously dishonest way.” Without precise meanings behind words, politicians and elites can obscure reality and condition people to reflexively associate certain words with positive or negative perceptions. In other words, unpleasant facts can be hidden behind purposely meaningless language.
As a result, Americans have been conditioned to accept the word “democracy” as a synonym for freedom, and thus to believe that democracy is unquestionably good. The problem is that democracy is not freedom. Democracy is simply majoritarianism, which is inherently incompatible with real freedom. Our founding fathers clearly understood this, as evidenced not only by our republican constitutional system, but also by their writings in the Federalist Papers and elsewhere. James Madison cautioned that under a democratic government, “There is nothing to check the inducement to sacrifice the weaker party or the obnoxious individual.” John Adams argued that democracies merely grant revocable rights to citizens depending on the whims of the masses, while a republic exists to secure and protect preexisting rights.
Yet how many Americans know that the word “democracy” is found neither in the Constitution nor the Declaration of Independence, our very founding documents? A truly democratic election in Iraq, without U.S. interference and U.S. puppet candidates, almost certainly would result in the creation of a Shi’ite theocracy. Shi’ite majority rule in Iraq might well mean the complete political, economic, and social subjugation of the minority Kurd and Sunni Arab populations. Such an outcome would be democratic, but would it be free? Would the Kurds and Sunnis consider themselves free? The administration talks about democracy in Iraq, but is it prepared to accept a democratically elected Iraqi government no matter what its attitude toward the U.S. occupation? Hardly. For all our talk about freedom and democracy, the truth is we have no idea whether Iraqis will be free in the future.
They’re certainly not free while a foreign army occupies their country. The real test is not whether Iraq adopts a democratic, pro-Western government, but rather whether ordinary Iraqis can lead their personal, religious, social, and business lives without interference from government. Simply put, freedom is the absence of government coercion. Our Founding Fathers understood this, and created the least coercive government in the history of the world. The Constitution established a very limited, decentralized government to provide national defense and little else. States, not the federal government, were charged with protecting individuals against criminal force and fraud. For the first time, a government was created solely to protect the rights, liberties, and property of its citizens.
Any government coercion beyond that necessary to secure those rights was forbidden, both through the Bill of Rights and the doctrine of strictly enumerated powers. This reflected the founders’ belief that democratic government could be as tyrannical as any King. Few Americans understand that all government action is inherently coercive. If nothing else, government action requires taxes. If taxes were freely paid, they wouldn’t be called taxes, they’d be called donations. If we intend to use the word freedom in an honest way, we should have the simple integrity to give it real meaning: Freedom is living without government coercion. So when a politician talks about freedom for this group or that, ask yourself whether he is advocating more government action or less. The political left equates freedom with liberation from material wants, always via a large and benevolent government that exists to create equality on earth.
To modern liberals, men are free only when the laws of economics and scarcity are suspended, the landlord is rebuffed, the doctor presents no bill, and groceries are given away. But philosopher Ayn Rand (and many others before her) demolished this argument by explaining how such “freedom” for some is possible only when government takes freedoms away from others. In other words, government claims on the lives and property of those who are expected to provide housing, medical care, food, etc. for others are coercive?and thus incompatible with freedom. “Liberalism,” which once stood for civil, political, and economic liberties, has become a synonym for omnipotent coercive government. The political right equates freedom with national greatness brought about through military strength.
Like the left, modern conservatives favor an all-powerful central state? but for militarism, corporatism, and faith-based welfarism. Unlike the Taft-Goldwater conservatives of yesteryear, today’s Republicans are eager to expand government spending, increase the federal police apparatus, and intervene militarily around the world. The last tenuous links between conservatives and support for smaller government have been severed. “Conservatism,” which once meant respect for tradition and distrust of active government, has transformed into big-government utopian grandiosity. Orwell certainly was right about the use of meaningless words in politics. If we hope to remain free, we must cut through the fog and attach concrete meanings to the words politicians use to deceive us.
We must reassert that America is a republic, not a democracy, and remind ourselves that the Constitution places limits on government that no majority can overrule. We must resist any use of the word “freedom” to describe state action. We must reject the current meaningless designations of “liberals” and “conservatives,” in favor of an accurate term for both: statists. Every politician on earth claims to support freedom. The problem is so few of them understand the simple meaning of the word.
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