Much has been said about the ISA detention of Raja Petra Kamarudin. Over the past decade, the 58 year old has emerged from obscurity to become a sort of cult figure for some Malaysians, and his detention has become a cause célèbre for “the quest for justice and inequality.” RPK is also perceived by many to be some sort of figurehead and rallying point in their opposition to the UMNO-led Barisan Nasional coalition that has governed the country since Merdeka 51 years ago.
Who are these RPK supporters?
Do they truly represent the Malaysian social milieu? Well, they themselves certainly feel that way. A browse through RPK's Malaysia Today portal would give that impression. The lively postings allude to a sense of inevitability in the socio-political evolution of this country, where some sort of People's Power movement, indeed an alternative irresistible political force, would sweep through Putrajaya to obliterate and replace the current ruling oligarchs with an "enlightened" administration driven by the mantra of Ketuanan Rakyat.
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Is this really an accurate sketch in the complex Malaysian socio-political canvas? Do these people -- the posters, lurkers, trolls and bots inhabiting the Malaysia Today cyber-habitat -- really represent the conscience and aspirations and, indeed, the essence of the Malaysian people, a compelling sampling of the changing socio-dynamics permeating our nation?
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Not really.
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Who are these people then?
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Malaysia Today is a typical SoPo portal, an aggregator of third party newsfeeds and blog postings, spiced with some original articles by RPK himself prior to his ISA detention. The Malaysia Today Webmaster (RPK in the past, and now his close associates since his detention) would "moderate" incoming readers' comments to ensure congruence to the portal's political sentiment. RPK himself saidthat daily he had to delete 500-600 comments sent by Malays, which he termed the "UMNO Cyber Troopers." This effectively skewed Malaysia Today into a supra cyber platform for non-Malays to spew their bigotry and chauvinism while sheltered from Malay reactions.
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Typical of other SoPo blogs and portals, the site is frequented by the usual suspects, namely political gossip junkies in need of their daily "fix" of sensational revelations and maladies of the ongoing Malaysian political telenovela. The human tendency to revel in a schadenfreude orgy was satiated by RPK's rich pipeline of sensational "scoops" as well as his series of "True Stories" of our historical past, including a revisionist portrayal of the May 13 Incident, a version much more palatable to his predominantly non-Malay audience.
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Visitors to his portal may not necessarily share RPK's ideology or the anti-Malay, anti BN/UMNO flavour of the content. Many just want to read alternative viewpoints to supplement the less-than-credible spin spewed by the mainstream media. Some visitors may, indeed, be RPK's many enemies, wanting to check out his latest antics. Yet others are just curious.
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Out of this pool, a smallish group ultimately immersed themselves into the Malaysia Today cyber-habitat, became hyperactive posters, and evolved into "MT junkies," glued to the site for hours on end, alienating themselves from the realities of Main Street Malaysia and oblivious to the constantly shifting socio-political undercurrents that define Malaysian politics. These MT junkies -- overwhelmingly non-Malay -- actually believed their own postings, facilitated by the total lack of competing Malay viewpoints as these were "moderated away" by Malaysia Today's Webmasters. The MT junkies reinforce this make-believe empowerment by incessantly regurgitating the same points of view, essentially preaching-to-the-converted, in their comments to every new Malaysia Today story.
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The propensity of Malaysia Today to block comments from Malays (RPK's "UMNO Cyber Troopers") that would countervail the bigoted viewpoints of the Chinese chauvinists and Hindraf sympathizers contributed to this false sense of empowerment among the non-Malays.
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The unbridled spiral of prejudice and contempt -- in a make-believe cocoon devoid of the voice of the Malay majority -- fueled an irrational exuberance among the MT junkies over a perceived "inevitable" change in the Malaysian political landscape, where the non-Malays (in the guise of DAP's Malaysian Malaysia stance shrouded by the Ketuanan Rakyat mantra of the Pakatan Rakyat coalition) would have the major grip on political power in this country while the UMNO-led Barisan Nasional coalition would collapse and dissipate into thin air.
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This RPK chap, a likable personality with a free-spirited, bohemian streak, was gradually emboldened by the ceaseless cheerleadings and promptings of the MT junkies. Ever more sensational stories were churned but these could not satiate the hungry hordes. RPK then did the ultimate – he himself became the story, starring in his own improbable sinetron radiating from the keyboard of his PC.
With RPK in the starring role, who needs third party revelations? He is the story! He can craft his own play and act in his own drama. He has reached the nirvana of SoPo blogging. Quite predictably, hits on Malaysia Today hit the roof, giving chedet.com a run for its money. RPK was now on par with Dr. Mahathir Mohamad! Nobody gets larger than that in Malaysia. Pak Lah, Najib Razak and even Anwar Ibrahim were reduced to supporting cast and bit players in the eyes of the MT junkies. A sense of invulnerability descended upon the Malaysia Today cyber-habitat and the mystique of RPK’s infallibility permeated his congregation.
But again, who are this flock of adherents that contributed to the deification of RPK in the cyber universe?
Here’s a quick and dirty classification:-
Groupie Gang I: The Idealists These are the believers of a new, utopian Malaysia devoid of racial, religious and class conflict; a land of plenty for all; a just, corrupt-free nation of civil, law abiding citizens united in a celebration of cosmopolitan multiculturalism. The thought leaders of this small but influential group include fellow bloggers Dr. Azly Rahman, Malik Imtiaz Sarwar, Dr. Bakri Musa, Harris Ibrahim, as well as writers Karim Raslan, Wan Hamidi Hamid and politicians, Zaid Ibrahim and Tunku Aziz Ibrahim. The Idealists, albeit for different reasons and motivations, advocate either the abolishment or a revamp of the NEP, demonise Ketuanan Melayu, and view BN/UMNO as an obsolete post-Colonial relic quivering through the final vestiges of its existence. The elegant intellectual discourse spewed by the Idealists, usually revolving around the need for social justice, meritocracy and more “progressive” Malay attitudes are well received by the predominantly non-Malay MT junkies as this would entail the dismantling of perceived Malay-centric policy legacies built over the years by BN/UMNO. The non-Malay MT junkies usually refer to this group in their comment postings as the “good Malays.” Articles and blog postings by these "good Malays" are prominently displayed in Malaysia Today and their Chinese and Indian-friendly comments are approved by the gatekeeper, giving the casual Malaysia Today reader the false impression of a softening Malay stance amidst the perceived newfound political clout of the non-Malays in this "new" post-318 Tsunami political landscape.
Groupie Gang II: The Anwaristas This collection of visitors and posters view Malaysia Today as a convenient platform to spew their venom against anything that had to do with BN/UMNO, more so the likes of Pak Lah, Najib Razak and Hamid Albar. The nucleus of the Anwaristas’ gene pool can be traced back to Anwar’s ABIM and Reformasi days. Many are ex-hardcore UMNO cadres purged from the party in the aftermath of Anwar Ibrahim’s battle royale with Dr. M. These are essentially closet UMNO people – in attitude and mindset – the “have nots” in the intra-Malay competition for patronage and privileges. Beyond a common enemy in a Pak Lah/Najib-led UMNO, they have no affinities to Groupie Gangs I, IV and V and do not partake in commenting except to glorify Anwar Ibrahim and to ridicule the key UMNO personalities.
Groupie Gang III: The PAS Malays These are predominantly PAS members, with some PKR supporters among the lot. They view UMNO as their ideological foes and tolerate the other RPK Groupies (for now) in their bigger quest to win the Hearts and Minds of the Malay masses. This group makes up a small minority in the English-centric Malaysia Today Cyber Habitat and many have filtered away amidst the strident criticisms on Islam by the portal and the comments sent by the anti-Malay MT junkies.
Groupie Gang IV: The Rabid Anti-Malay Racists These are the bread-and-butter of Malaysia Today and form the majority of the posters. Their posts and comments say it all. Everything in Malaysia is linked back to their hatred of the Malays. These are the ethnic-Chinese chauvinists, Hindraf sympathizers and assorted hangers-on who suffer from an overwhelming sense of alienation in this country. They equate every symbol and instrument of Malaysian statehood – from Bahasa Malaysia to the Negaraku to the Rukunegara to the Songkok to the Jalur Gemilang and, of course, the Keris – to the Malays and hence not worthy of their respect and deference. This attitude spawned a deep-seated hollowness permeating their souls as they languish in a land whose essence run contrary to their aspirations. Hence, every post emanating from this Group would revolve around their revulsion of and paranoiac vengeance towards the Malays. Of course, when like-minded posts coalesced in the Malaysia Today cyber-habitat, an explosion of Malayphobia saturates the portal. And with the Malay voice effectively moderated-away by the Webmaster, this racist mania continues unchecked and unchallenged. The venom and ferocity of the attacks are matched only by the “spin” applied to various issues by authors and articles allied to their non-Malay agenda. Of course, to appease the Anwaristas and the PAS and PKR Malays, these Rabid Racists would replace “Malay” with the term UMNOputra or Mat Rempit or just plain beruks, but the message to the casual reader is clear: They hate Malays, and all the maladies of this country can be traced back to the Malays. Their own kind – the “repressed, smart hard working people” – are portrayed as a Superlative group, held in check only by the smothering political grasp of the Malays (oops, no … by the “UMNO people”) crawling in their subsidised tongkats and crutches.
Groupie Gang V: The RPK Cultists To this group -- mostly young, impressionable non-Malays with their first intoxicating taste of politics – RPK is a demigod, a messiah sent by the Gods to rid Malaysia of the bad guys, to single-handedly rescue Malaysia from all the maladies caused by these people. Yes, all these and then some in one fell swoop of his …. errrr ….. keyboard! The cultists elevate RPK to a Supreme Being-like persona, a larger than life sage whose every word is the gospel truth, who’s every action is holy, and whose every pronouncement must be followed. Utterances of “my RPK,” “our RPK,” “I love RPK,” “RPK our hero,” “RPK wants” and “RPK says” began to percolate in readers’ postings and comments on Malaysia Today. I get blurry images of Jim Jones, Idi Amin and Kim Il Sungas I forage through the thick undergrowth of readers’ homage to RPK in Malaysia Today. And you know what? I think RPK actually gradually believed in this burgeoning personality cult and began to suffer lapses of self-grandiosity as manifested in his later posts and articles.
So what happened when RPK got banished to Kamunting? What happened to his hordes of supporters, the people who would join him arm-in-arm in a fight to the death with the ruling oligarchs? Where are the untold millions that would march to Kamunting to tear down the walls and hand-pluck RPK from the grasp of the baddies? Where? A hundred people in Anti-ISA and Free RPK t-shirts assembling at the entrance of the Kamunting camp or a couple of hundred people holding a candlelight vigil at Dataran Merdeka just don’t cut it.
Is this the real Malaysia? Is this group of affluent predominantly non-Malay urbanites a true sampling of the Malaysian population, representing the sentiment of the rakyat? These people may be nothing more than a like-minded interest-group with deep-rooted animosity towards the Malays, egged on by partisan politicians naturally at loggerheads with their BN/UMNO rivals.
What about the on-line petition drive to free RPK? How many actually signed up?
A sampling of the Free RPK Petition
Does this list represent Malaysia’s demographic mix, a necessary condition to “transform the nation” from Perlis to Johor to Kelantan to Sabah into a different Ketuanan Rakyat paradigm? After discounting the meaningless prank names such as “Father of Najis,” “Death 666,” “Johnny Doe” (in the above sample), as well as the non-citizen residents and foreigners signing from afar, how many people actually signed up? How many legitimate citizens actually walked the talk and signed the petition? 10,000? 30,000? 100,000? These are peanuts compared to the purported millions of hits charted daily by Malaysia Today.
Assuming 100,000 Malaysians actually signed the petition, this would represent less than four-tenth of one percent or 0.0036 of Malaysia’s 27.5 million people, or one out of every 275 Malaysians. It means, 274 out of 275 Malaysians don’t really care. Is this four-tenth of one percent the Critical Mass sufficient to revolutionise the Malaysian political landscape, the people with the mandate to dismantle this country’s socio-economic-political equilibrium?
No.
These people are just a smallish cyber-community not at all representative of the Malaysian ethno-cultural milieu. But isn’t Malaysia Today the voice of the people?
What people?
Any blogger will admit that the number of "hits" do not translate into number of people. A Malaysia Today junkie might reload the portal 20-30 times a day just to access the stories. Also, not more than 30 hard core junkies post 90% of the comments. Go check the site. It’s obvious that a small group of hyperactive adherents account for a large amount of postings, hence, essentially preaching their political gospel to themselves in an affliction which may be termed “inbred blog postings syndrome.”
Again, where are the Malays? Where is Mainstream Malaysiana that would change the country? The writings on the banners allude to a predominantly ethnic-Chinese grouping. What does this say? Why are the Malay majority not taken in to RPK and the ideals of Malaysia Today?
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The vast majority of RPK’s supporters are just armchair quarterbacks and fair weather cheerleaders and people with nothing better to do who essentially outsourced and sub-con their political activism to this poor chap from the airconditioned comfort of their homes and offices, from their cosy beds and plush sofas, cybercafés and chic gourmet coffee joints. They are not even representative of the country, in terms of demographics, dispersion and political inclination. These junkies are more akin to the lunatic fringe than to the mainstream of Malaysian society. Who are these people? The content and nature of their postings revealed an English-literate motley crew of private college kids, bored pensioners, the unemployed, the under-employed white collar salarymen, the disenfranchised and a handful of professionals -- all with chips on their shoulders. There is also a good sprinkling of expats and foreigners posting from faraway places (146 countries according to RPK in the clip above). Plus a fair bit of ex-Malaysians with axes to grind and some kiasu Singaporeans. Hardly forming the vanguard of the Malaysian Rakyat. Yes, RPK (and poor Marina and kids) were conned by these people. These cyber-opportunists outsourced and sub-con their politicking to him while they cheer him from the comfort of their cosy homes and plush offices. Many seemed to ignore that RPK is a real human being, a late middle-aged man with a wife and many children. A man with responsibilities, hopes, fears, aspirations and vulnerabilities like the rest of us. These parasites and blood suckers ruined his life and unnecessarily estranged his family from mainstream Malaysia. RPK himself is not really a grave threat to national security. His incoherent rantings and pathological animosity towards BN/UMNO and prominent UMNO personalities are old news. RPK is a known loud-mouth, a prickly irritant with a penchant for the dramatic. For many, his revelations and cyber activism are no more than pure entertainment, melodramatic political gossip on par with TV3’s obnoxious Melodi and a much needed comic relief from the socio-political quagmire of the past 3-4 years under Pak Lah’s disastrous watch. But RPK’s real fault lies in his propagation of Malaysia Today as a cyber platform for assorted bigoted and racist characters to spew their venom against the Malays and, in more than one instance, to ridicule Islam. His personal vendetta against the UMNO Cyber Troopers (purportedly led by Azalina Othman Said and Norza Zakaria according to RPK in the clip above) degenerated into an almost blanket deletion of pro-Malay comments, hence rendering the portal into a one-sided anti-Malay arena in the uniquely Malaysian game of race-tinged politics. Indeed, MT Junkies (the Rabid Anti-Malay Racists and RPK Cultists mentioned above) are the bigger threats to national security. These racists, bigots and cyber-misfits hide behind their anonymity to flood Malaysia Today with venomous racist postings, instigating hatred for the Malay majority, ridiculing Islam, and spewing seditious spins to various national issues. This was the real threat and his refusal to curtail this threat finally nailed RPK.
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My advise to RPK, Marina Lee and family: take a few steps back and view the bigger picture, the real landscape out there. What exactly is your struggle? Justice? For whom and where? The Penans, Dusuns, Senois and Semangs deep in our rainforests? Kedah paddy farmers? Trengganu fisherfolk? The ordinary civil servant or private sector clerk? The hardworking Pasar Malam vendors? The labourers in our plantations? The trishaw/beca man (yes, we still have them)? The hard core urban poor? Who? Where? Why aren’t they outraged by your ISA detention? We don’t see them take to the streets in Kota Bharu or Sarikei or Lahad Datu to demand your release. Most have never heard of you! Aung San Su Kyi you are not. Nor are you a Nelson Mandela or a Xanana Gusmão.
You are just a political tool for some selfish interests, for the elitists far removed from the grassroots and the ordinary man.
RPK doesn’t really speak for the real Malaysians out there, for the 27.5 million people from Langkawi to Besut to Batu Pahat to Kemaman to Santubong to Miri to Ranau to Semporna. RPK hardly exists in the consciousness of these masses. No, RPK speak only for the small lunatic fringe of our society -- the affluent, private art school on daddy’s-money set (bottom below) and the rabid anti-Malay Chinese chauvinist (with Marina, top below) and Hindraf Indian racists languishing in the deep murky crevasses of the cyber world. RPK and his ideals do not represent the sentiment of the vast majority of Malaysians.
Pics: delCapo.wordpress
RPK, Marina Lee and their kids were used by the nameless parasites lurking in cyberspace These anonymous characters embody the worst of human traits; they got something for nothing. Oh yes, they got their schadenfreude fix all right when the going was good. They have chewed the sweet fruits plucked by RPK, and spit out the pits to be picked up by Marina and her kids. The long lonely trips to Kamunting, the endless court dates, the deprivation of a husband and father, the despair and helplessness – will all be borne by Marina Lee and family.
Finally, where is Anwar Ibrahim? What is his stand on RPK’s detention? RPK gave his life, metaphorically speaking, to uphold Anwar’s “ideals.” RPK bet the ranch on Anwar becoming PM on 916 and came out a loser, a pathetic flat broke loser. Has Anwar and gang even addressed the RPK ISA issue? Indeed, his silence is deafening. What about Lim Kit Siang? Once Teresa Kok and the Sin Chew reporter got out, Unker Kit Siang has disappeared as well. What about PAS? Do you think either the old ulamas or the younger Islamist cadres have anything in common with RPK? Do you think they like RPK? Did RPK and his MT junkies pushed for the release of Nik Adli, Tuan Guru Nik Aziz’s son, who was under ISA detention for many years? I don't recall any Ah Sohs, Ah Mois, Leng Chais and Uncles bearing "Free Nik Adli" t-shirts in front of the Kamunting camp. Actually, you MT junkies would not recognize Nik Adli even if he walked right past your smug faces. And you expect PAS to sympathise with RPK? You expect PAS to fight for RPK amidst Malaysia Today’s anti-Islamic postings and its readers’ rabid rantings against Islam?
In a nutshell, do you think the Pakatan Rakyat gives a hoot about RPK? No. He was a useful tool. But he was also a disposable tool. RPK is no use to them now. Indeed, he is now a distraction . They want to govern the nation. They have no time for this old chap. To them, RPK is just a lost soul who threw too many dices in his own little crapshoot. Their focus is on 27.5 million men and women. Not one guy who spoke and wrote too much. And they won’t glorify, deify or make a martyr out of RPK either. That’s already reserved for one man.
Marina, you owe it to RPK to close down Malaysia Today. Your “struggle” is for nothing. These sly political opportunists and selfish cyber-parasites don't deserve your sacrifice. There are hardly a few thousand legitimate signatures in your Free RPK petition. Only a few hundred turned up in candlelight vigils and at the Hari Raya assembly at the gate of Kamunting. What does that tell you? There is no avalanche of support for RPK. There never was. The “millions of supporters” are just but a mirage spawned by delusions of grandiosity that snowballed in the Malaysia Today cyber-habitat over the years.
Let this be a lesson to other bloggers. Do not get caught in your own demagoguery, in a propensity to over-fantasize your relevance to the political process and role as some sort of a “peoples’ hero” based on the digits of your blog’s Hit Counter and a bucketful of readers’ comments.
68 comments:
Anonymous
said...
I've always wondered the same. What exactly is RPK's struggle? Why does he put his family through all this - despair, loneliness, sadness etc. For what?
You are so right. RPK is nothing more than a prickly irritant with a penchant for the dramatic.
I think he is like a mad dog who loves chasing cars. The dog wouldn't know what to do with the car if it ever caught it.
RPK ialah manusia zaman moden. Pemikirannya jauh ke depan berbanding anda semua, beliau sudah melihat kelemahan dan kehancuran dunia akibat sikap manusia hari ini yang hidup seperti zaman jahilliah (ASSABIYAH). Manusia hari ini suka menegakkan benang yang basah, melakukan sesuatu membuta tuli tanpa usul periksa, mengambil risiko tanpa mengira kesan dan akibat...itulah musuh utama perpaduan negara.
Walau apa formula anda guna, sistem quota, DEB, NEP,ABC etc. Malaysia atau dunia ini tidak boleh diperintah oleh satu bangsa kerana yang bijak akan berjaya, yang berilmu akan cemerlang, yang lemah akan kepupusan, yang kerdil akan dihina dan yang malas akan dicerca. Keluarga akan hancur kalau kita memanjakan anak-anak kesayangan kita, anak-anak kita akan menjadi "ANAKKU SAZALI"...PASTI negara juga akan hancur kalau kita memanjakan satu-satu bangsa, kelak bangsa inilah menjadi perosak negara menjadi mementing diri / puak sendiri, lantas mengorbankan kepentingan negara untuk cita-cita peribadi.
Terima kasih atas pandangan anda dan blog anda memang menarik.
Anda seorang anak Malaysia dari ethnik bukan Melayu. Tapi anda lain dari yang lain kerana anda memartabatkan Bahasa Malaysia sebagai bahasa utama dalam blog anda, dan ini telah menarik ramai pembaca dari berbagai keturunan yang lebih senang memahami Bahasa Kebangsaan tercinta kita.
Saya faham pendirian anda -- di sebalik istilah Arab dan adegan filem lapuk P. Ramlee -- di mana anda mahu menegakkan suasana negara adil dan saksama buat semua rakyat tanpa mengira kaum dan agama.
Ini saya tiada masalah.
Perkara yang di perbincangkan di posting ini -- "Mengupas Mistik RPK" -- adalah bersabit dgn gejala perkauman yg mendadak yg di amali oleh kaum anda dan kaum bukan Melayu lain dlm komen-komen yg tertera dlm portal Malaysia Today kelolaan RPK dan kerabatnya.
Awang, kalau kita mahukan persamaan hak dan peluang dengan kaum majoriti, kita harus dulu menampilkan sikap dan budaya yg boleh di terima dan di senangi oleh kaum majoriti tersebut. Ini sudah lumrah hidup, di mana-mana pun begitu, termasuk di negara China dan India sekali pun. Dan ini juga ciri sistem berdemokrasi, dimana kumpulan teramai akan menerajui dan mengemudi sesebuah negara.
Sebagai seorang ahli kaum minoriti, anda adalah contoh yg baik. Anda menerima Bahasa Malaysia sebagai bahasa utama blog anda. Itulah sebabnya kita bisa berbincang begini. Tetapi berapa byk kah kerabat anda sanggup berbuat demikian? Tak ramai kan? Mereka masih lagi hendak pertikaikan Bahasa Kebangsaan negara kita.
Dan jika isu Bahasa rasmi pun sudah gusar, apatah lagi isu-isu lain? Itulah sebabnya kaum Melayu dan Bumiputra, sebagai kumpulan majoriti 68% di negara ini, masih ragu-ragu dgn kesetiaan dan kejujuran kaum-kaum lain di negara kita,tidak seperti di lain-lain negara (umpamanya Thailand dan Indonesia) di mana semua ethnik telah bergabung sebagai satu bangsa dgn identiti nasional yg utuh berlandaskan Satu Bahasa dan satu falsafah nasionalis yg sama. Justru, amatlah mudah bagi kaum pribumi di sana memberi hak-hak hampir sama rata kpd kaum-kaum minoriti nya, sehinggalah watak seperti Taksin Shinawatra (ethnik-China Chiengmai, tetapi telah di Siamkan sepenuhnya sehingga tak bisa ckp China) boleh jadi PM.
Selagi keraguan ini kekal, selagilah tiada persamaan hak kerana ini perlu kerestuan kaum Melayu dan Bumiputra lain sebagai kumpulan majoriti negara ini.
Teruskan perjuangan anda. Mulai dgn memantapkan lagi kegunaan Bahasa Malaysia di kalangan kaum anda. Bila kita tiada perbezaan Bahasa dan minda (yg juga berlandaskan Bahasa), kita boleh berbincang dgn nas dan rentak yg sama, yg. mantap lagi berwibawa.
How can RPK think he has a huge national following when all his supporters (100-200 souls at candlelight vigils & the Kamunting gathering) seemed to be Ah Sohs and Ah Mois and Uncles, probably friends and relatives of his wife, Marina.
I went to Malaysia Today blog. It is a deplorable blog, full of RACISTS bigots, ANTI MALAY/ISLAM. I had the impression of reading a gangster's blog. They are not Malaysians - the contents are equivalent to the attacks on Malays/Islam in Singapore blogs, try Asiaone.com sometimes, you will know what I mean.
I hate the one about Dr. M - someone said that only now Dr. M has started praying ....what rubbish..the writer just played around what Dr. M wrote in his blog.
Hello, I've just come to know your blog 30 minutes ago after following your link at Sheih. Before that, I had also seen your comment at Rocky's Bru. And when I've come to this blog ... I'm impressed!
You are "somebody"... someone well-known, aren't you?:-)
Let me introduce myself first: I'm a small fry when it comes to blogs. And I'm an even smaller one when it comes to politics. But I still want to write about it - and so I started a site/blog: Cendana Blues: Addicted to Politics, which focuses on satire, spoof and lampoon.
BTW right now this site is called `something else'; erm, "Badawi's Bru".
Anyway, I was doing some research on what people think about Sheih and his "revelations". And among THE BEST that I had read is that from you. For what it's worth, I've IMMEDIATELY included the RSS feed from here to my list.
Well, time to go write that post of mine. Oh, I have another blog: Recovery from Drug Addiction, which is just that. It's at http://cendana287.wordpress.com I hope you could come over both sites to see for yourself should you have the time some day.
Gosh, this must be one of the best and satisfying read in blogsphere. You've addressed I think most of the things I often wondered about RPK.
I confess I used to read MT too but less and less in the last year and not at all in the last six months. The comments really put me off. Eg, one commenter (commentator?) on the Muslim prayer: as sticking their asses up in the air or words to that effect. Enough said. Thank you for this illuminating piece. TST
Dengan izin, saya telah mengirimkan posting/entry ini ke posting Rocky Bru's "Malaysian blogger RPK to appear in Court" untuk menjadi bahan bacaan buat mereka yang sering melayari di sana.
Semoga saudara Rocky akan memberi laluan untuk ianya disiarkan.
Terima kasih juga, kerana setelah membaca kesemua postings yang terdapat di blog ini, saya kini tidak lagi merasakan bersendirian dalam perjuangan saya untuk memartabatkan simbol-simbol kedaulatan negara.
In your own words; "NOBODY should even think of tampering with it (NegaraKu), nor with the Jalur Gemilang, national crest, Rukunegara or other icons and instruments of Malaysian nationhood" best sums it up.
Interesting entry. While I agree that MT often demonize BN/UMNO as well as the leaders of our country, I do think that it is a bit unfair that you are demonizing MT readers as well.
I am a frequent reader of MT, and while I enjoy some of the articles by the 'Idealist' group of people (borrowing your label), some of the comments I read just horrify me. I believe in the freedom of speech, but to do so behind nicknames and pseudonyms is just irresponsible. People can say whatever they like, without having to worry about the consequences. That's not bravery, that's cowardice!
I agree that the majority of the readers of MT has a warped perception of the hopes and wishes of the rakyat, but it is unfair to dismiss them as lunatics. They have a vision of Malaysia, they longed for a country that doesn't alienate them. Is that unreasonable?
This is the first time I visit your blog, and in a way it's refreshing to read yet another alternative point of view on Malaysian politics. Keep up the good work, and I'll continue to explore your earlier writings as well as future posts.
Comment moderation has been enabled so no one can read a polite and factually correct refutation of your skewed views. So delete this comment immediately - you wouldn't want people to come to their own conclusions after reading both sides would you?
I don't think the blog owner would approve my statement because he feels shy of his own writings and knows what he will get for his stupidity beside payment from UMNO. I dare him to post my reply.
Greetings, my old friend Saruman! I see you've been hanging out with Wormtongue. Watch what you do with your God-given intellect, buddy. Bad move, putting a keris on your banner and pretending to be Malay. Just who you trying to fool???
I've browsed your blog as well. Impressive indeed. A lot of thinking and homework before every post. That's what we need -- critical thinking, without fear or favour.
You asked:- "You are "somebody"... someone well-known, aren't you?:-)"
Well, no. I'm just an average Malaysian Citizen. I’ve travelled the world, lived abroad for many years and served the corporate/MNC sector here for two decades. Born and brought up in the KL-area, but by ancestry a proud true-blooded Kelantanese (with a dash of Patani warriors' genes for good measure). I’m one of those oghé Kelaté hok balik dok rilék kaapong lepah buak pitih negeghi oghé. You are Kelantanese as well from what I gather? Good for you. Oghé Kelaté tok aké hilé di dunio nih.
Anyway, I've been a keen (and usually pissed off) observer of Malaysian politics for the past three decades. What I've seen and am seeing now is not pretty. Our beloved motherland is being thrown off-tangent by the combination of utter leadership incompetency befuddled by multifaceted, divisive adversarial political forces. The socio-political faultline caused by this bruising struggle are now filled by radical elements, the ethno-centric racists and anarchists of every stripe and colour percolating from the fissure and crevices of our fractured society. The Rakyat is being pulled apart by this tumultuous struggle for power by these small groups of warlords.
I couldn't just sit still and watch my Tanah Air being ruined by selfish interests on both ends of the political spectrum. We are in a scenario where the leader in power has no idea what’s going on and devoid of the capacity to comprehend the intricacies of governance; and with the grasp on power rapidly slipping from this incumbent, we have a “successor” whose legitimacy on the “throne” is justified by some sort of “hereditary right” only known to him and the incumbent; and an opposing personality whose singular drive for power at all costs has fragmented and will further unravel the tenuous linkages of our fragile nationhood. Oh yes, throw in the coterie of assorted courtiers and psychopants and hangers-on from all sides into the fray and you’ll get this sick quagmire currently afflicting our nation.
Malaysia has become a litmus test for a young, burgeoning democracy. Our political prescription is still work-in-process. And we are witnessing this evolution, with transformations taking place almost by the day, if not the hour. In the end, the jury’s still out on what’s tenable and sustainable for our nation’s longer term survival as a cohesive political unit.
Do blogs matter in synthesizing the trajectory of this socio-political evolution?
I don’t know.
But blogs – the content, angle, attitude, flavour -- are certainly indicative of the elements inducing this evolution. Hence, in a way, where our nation hurtle into the socio-political space is determined by our collective mindsets and attitudes, and part of these -- not all -- reverberate in blogs across he land.
As for myself, I will share my thoughts on issues affecting our nation, and hope it would encourage an intelligent discourse by fellow concerned citizens. Some people may disagree, perhaps vehemently oppose my opinions. Fine by me. But this people should also allow us to disagree with THEIR opinions. This is the essence of democracy.
I am non-partisan. I'm beyond that now. My political party is called “Kami Rakyat.” I will say what I need to say. That’s my obligation – indeed, our collective obligations – as the Rakyat of this blessed land.
Very well written, but under cover (no profile of who you are)and a one sided thrashing of another blogger.
Freedom of speech, one may say. If your readers were to read carefully of what you write about RPK and your other posting, you are just a mirror of him. That's the way he write and you are just writting the way he did. You are no difference from RPK if what you said about him is true.
Trying to gain a foothold in cyber space to counter whatever truth are being revealed (by bloggers) on behalf of someone else whose wrong doing must and never be exposed. This is the real reason RPK is ISA'ed and not for any other reasons.
If you are truly sincere in promoting your blog to be just and fair, I hope you will write about all the corruptions in the ruling government.
The Curse of Altantuya hangs over Najib and the whole of Umno/BN. It will not be lifted till justice returns to this fair land. You are only attacking the messenger - one who has taken on the uncompromising role of John the Baptist. Guess who's playing Herod Antipas?
I would like to thank Din Merican here for spreading my thoughts to netizens across the land and beyond.
It’s not common to have your ENTIRE 3,700-word posting – warts and all -- copied and pasted lock-stock-and-barrel by an established blogging old hand like Din Merican.
Thanks again buddy. You made my day.
But I must say that your exuberance to disseminate my piece should not be smothered by your emotional need to “belong” -- your desire to be part of the scene.
What am I talking about?
Well, Din Merican – apart from piggybacking on my post (yeah, I heard it’s a good tactic to divert traffic without investing your own grey matter) – cunningly INSERTED HIS NAME (and for some reason “Farish Noor”) into my paragraph on the “Idealists.”
See here:-
“The thought leaders of this small but influential group include fellow bloggers Dr. Azly Rahman, Malik Imtiaz Sarwar, Din Merican, Farish Noor, Dr. Bakri Musa, Harris Ibrahim, as well as writers Karim Raslan, Wan Hamidi Hamid and politicians, Zaid Ibrahim and Tunku Aziz Ibrahim.”
The “Din Merican, Farish Noor,” is Din Merican’s handiwork; the rest are my original.
Hmm, what do you call this? It’s not censorship because you “cut-away” and blank-out content when you censor. Well, I’m not going to waste my time to coin a neo-phrase for this act but I think this has something to do with Din Merican’s “need to belong”, perhaps his delusional perception of relevance in the blogosphere, hence, the act of inserting his own name in a perceived prestigious list for all to see. It’s o.k. I understand this inherent need to belong, to be perceived as part of something, to be seen as a peer of a select group.
Anyway, beyond this intriguing self-promotion in other people’s posting, Din Merican somehow saw a hidden hand, in fact a PAYMASTER, behind my blog. To quote him (don’t worry, I won’t insert my name into his writing):-
“It reminds me of the heydays of the Cold War when the CIA used novelists, academics and journalists to spread the word. Stalin and Hitler too did the same thing when they temporarily held the reins of power.”
I’ll be quoting your gem of a preamble which you wrote in your blog on top of my posting (that you copied-added your name-and-pasted) to a future book entitled “Confessions of a SoPo Blogger.”
In one fell swoop of your keyboard, I’m now a suspected novelist, academic and journalist. Thank you sir. I guess I’m now in your Deepavali (oops, I mean Hari Raya) A-List now uhh? Wow, I’m now an “Elite”. An Orang Ternama. The multiple “Vs” in the IP.
But again, maybe I’m just a simple paddy farmer in Kelantan with a Darjah Enam education who somehow reads a lot and can write well in Bahasa Malaysia and English? You never know, do you?
Isn’t it interesting how one simple analysis of a sacred cyber-deity would result in being tagged a hired hand on par with the “novelists, academics and journalists” lapdogs of the CIA, Stalin and Hitler! Din, please come for Raya at my Yalta dacha and my Berghof villa next week. Ketupat and borsch is good. Oh, check out Olga’s lemang sprinkled with beluga caviar. Certainly will give your Nasi Kandaaq a run for its money, yeah the Rubles and Reichsmarks and Renmimbis.
People, I value reactions like Din Merican’s. It gives us an indication of the thought processes of the competing forces of Malaysian politics. Indeed, my future posts may also trigger perhaps even more rabid reactions from the BN/UMNO pahlawans and perwiras, with keris and machetes in hand to silent this “paid writer from the Din Merican camp.” Interesting ……..
Din Merican may then have to do a sequel: “This is what we are up against: Double Agents.”
And for your sequel, please feel free to copy-and-paste my other postings. Be sure to state your source (that’s me lah) clearly. BUT please lah, don’t lah add YOUR NAME in my writings. Bloggers must have ethics too.
See, beyond your constipated verbiage and giddy rhetoric, you are all the same – whether it’s UMNO, PKR, DAP, PAS, Gerakan, MCA, MIC, SAPP, Kimma, ……… Hindraf, ……… ABC, AEIOU, …… ad nauseam. You all emerged from the same cesspool of hate and intolerance and delusional aspirations and are actually more alike than you think. The only difference is that you slithered up different slopes of the cesspool, and evolved into mutually-hating organisms. Throw in a couple of self-appointed cyber messiahs and demigods, coupled with a sleepyhead and some lanuns and a chameleon of a Confidence Trickster and you have the current potpourri of Malaysian politics.
Din Merican went on: “… there are people who are willing to sell their integrity for money and promise of favors.”
Yeah, I agree Din. How much they pay you? C’mon tell us lah. On hard times now uhh?
Seriously, your observation is interesting. Can you please give us bloggers a feeler on these paymasters willing to buy our “integrity for money and promise of favors.” There are a lot of starving bloggers holed up in dingy cybercafés out there. Spread the rubles around lah Din. I’m sure the largesse has piled up now, with one paid hand already out-of-service and a few more getting their wings clipped. Geez, these Nazis and Stalinists and CIA bosses give me the creeps.
Finally, Din Merican said: “There is so much gubberish (sic), like this one for example, out in cyberspace, print media and the air waves, that we need to be careful.”
I don’t quite understand this “need to be careful.” But many Malaysians are now just about had it with the malicious lies and bigotry that clutter our cyberspace. We won’t allow the rantings and racist attacks and utter bigotry go unchecked. Since these chauvinists and misguided souls deemed it fit to “moderate away” competing reactions to their rantings in their blogs, others have no choice but to create their own platform to express their thoughts. If Din Merican feels a “need to be careful” with this scenario, so be it. I guess as they say, “… it figures.” Indeed Din, hopefully the chauvinists and rabble rousers would “be more careful” when they post their racist and bigoted points of view.
For purveyors of Free Speech and Freedom of Expression, please read Din Merican’s “warning” carefully. Tolerance for competing views are not his forté. Anyone that makes sense but goes against the grain of his thinking, he will call them “paid hands” and such.
So what else is new in our country? Remember my cesspool story above. Yup, Din Merican himself is a living embodiment of the intolerant cesspool organism that he opposes so much …
Truth hurts, I understand Din. As for the Rabid Racists on MT, too bad. That's life. You dish out your venom, you'll get more potent antidotes in return. There's no sheltered cocoon for you here. That's life people.
Hey, I have an idea for a Hollywood movie... it's about a black guy who pretends to be a white so that he can become the Grand Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan. Why don't you take on that project?
Hey Kim Jong Il, for how long do you want to masquerade as “Antares” uhh? I’ve seen you hang out with the Talibans and assorted lowlifes. And what’s this story of a keris sticking up your black butt? I’ll see you at the DMZ.
- Din Merican's copy-and-paste job of my post gave it a super Gatorade Boost. And the linkage to his blog (regarding my posting) on MT spawned a deluge of hits on this blog. Now, that's what I call a trickle down effect. Thanks Din. Couldn't do it without ya.
- The Rabid Racists and MT junkies came out in full force. Thank you people. Now you see that critical opinion is not only in your domain.
- The MT junkies spewed substantial racist and bigoted remarks here, thus confirming my thesis of their character.
- These trolls challenge this blog not to moderate their hate messages. Well, Deminegara will open the floodgates the moment MT and other racist, anti-Malay, anti-Islam sites remove comment moderation on THEIR sites as well. Then try to match the 500-600 Malay comments on MT daily (in the words of RPK) with your own numbers.
- The MT junkies curiously accuse this blog of "answering your own posts." On the contrary, I think these same handful of MT junkies sent comments under multiple nics or just plain Anonymous. I see this as a very typical reaction of brats and the mentally challenged. Instead of engaging in a stimulating intellectual discourse, they hurl names and accusations. Well, I guess it comes with the territory.
- Din Merican and the MT junkies equate critical writing with paid literary servitude. Well, as the saying goes, it takes a whore to know one. Anyway, I don't think anyone can afford me. Thanks for the thought all the same. But we know who Din Merican's ultimate paymaster is, right? It's o.k. people. He needs to cari makan as well. That is his rezeki.
- Many of the MT junkies theorize that this blog owner may not even be a Malay, perhaps because the "quality" of the analysis and writing would be beyond the mental faculties of the Malay. Well, I guess Malays have IQs of <50 (as posted by someone on MT today) and couldn't walk and chew gum at the same time, right? See what I meant when I refer to these scums as Rabid Racists?
- Comments on this Posting in other racist, anti-Malay blogs have been interesting as well. Some are calling for this blog owner to be held under the ISA once the PR takes over. See people, my theory's right again. They are all from the same cesspool, irrespective of party. They want to abolish the ISA to get RPK and the Hindraf 5 out, but they still want the ISA to lock up people who have different opinions to theirs. Hypocrites!
- The intolerance to dissenting views is much higher among these MT junkies than anywhere else in the cyberworld. They fight for Free Speech, Freedom to Demonstrate, Freedom of Assembly, ..... BUT they'll be the first to stifle dissent, to want to lock-up people, to insult alternative voices. Well, try sending a pro-Malay, pro-Islamic piece on MT and see what happens. Nothing happens. Someone called "jebatmustdie" commented on Din Merican's blog that his "balance view" sent to MT never gets posted, in effect moderated into oblivion.
- The quality (well, the crudeness) of the Comments from the MT junkies again confirmed my suspicion of their mental capacity and attitude. I've posted some milder ones here. Read and judge yourself.
In a nutshell, thank you to the MT junkies who visited and participated. I've wanted to engage you people for ages now, to show you that your MT Cyber Habitat is NOT the norm, not the definitive rendition of public opinion of the majority of Malaysians. I know THAT for a fact now.
I went to the link to Din Merican's blog (where your entire blog was copied and pasted)and scrolled through the comments. I must say that I am not in the least bit surprised with how crude and moronic their comments were. It says volumes about their attitude and mental capacity. Some just do not want to accept any view different from theirs whilst others simply do not have the intellectual capacity to comprehend what you've written. Well, they are what they are.
I'm glad you've addressed all these people but I hope you won't need to again in the future so that you can continue writing your very insightful pieces.
I appreciate you taking the time to blog. I look forward to reading your posts everyday.
KijangMas, Thanks for this lengthy reply to my comment. We seem to share another similarity here - making lengthy replies:-)
I'll come back another time to make another comment. Right now I'm a bit busy trying to write another post at my site. Yes, I'm glad you had noticed it - I do some researching first before sending in a post; hence the low number of posts.
And I do have another blog: Recovery from Drug Addiction at http://cendana287.wordpress.com
Anyway, I'm happy to see that your blog is beginning to attract the attention it deserves ... and all sorts of criticisms, insinuations and abuses:-) THAT'S GREAT! I don't agree with some of the things here, but that's not a problem with me - I appreciate the reasons given by you for all the things that you say.
Mark my words here: Your blog will become BIG very soon Right now I'm trying to figure out how to ride on your coattails Heheh!
We'll be coming across each other more often; this I'm rather confident of.
BTW, despite the fear of being labelled "Menyibuk", I feel your blog deserves "a catchier name" - "Kijangmas" is good (but you'll have to decide whether to spell it as such and stick to it - had seen "KijangMas" at Kickdefella; "Kijang Mas"). BUT "Demi Negara" is a bit too bland and low-profile. Just a thought...
Thanks for your support. When I have the time, I will post some more thoughts on other issues.
As for the ignorant, intolerant racist rogues that couldn't handle my analysis, too bad for them. They have shown their true colours in this and other blogs. Agree, no point in wasting time and bandwith on these pathetic bunch.
Mat Cendana,
You said: "Mark my words here: Your blog will become BIG very soon ..."
Well, I'm not seeking fame and fortune here. In fact, I prefer to remain anonymous.
All I want is a better Malaysia. The Malaysia that should have been. A cohesive, united nation with a shared identity, a shared destiny, a nation of one people with common values and aspirations. There really is no other way. We must be one Bangsa Malaysia proud in our common Bahasa Malaysia.
But sadly our beloved Malaysia has become a nation of ghettos and enclaves, a patchwork of estrange peoples languishing in a tense, stressful and simmering land. This is NOT how you build a nation.
There must a base of shared values and socio-cultural norms. Of course, we may be of different origins, but we cannot go forward as a nation via divergent, distinct paths in language, education and social norms.
As for my blog's name, I think Demi Negara is o.k. Not catchy or glamorous but succinct.
Dear Sir, This is a gem. If I know where you live, I will head straight to your home to offer my humble self to be under your tutelage. As a fellow Kelantanese I am proud of you. "Oghé Kelaté tok aké hilé di dunio nih"
Clicked your link to Din Merican's DAP/PKR-sponsored self-promoting pseudo-blog and found this comment by one of the RPK zombie cultists by the name of Jeyapalan Mahesan:-
"I am a little ICT not-so-savy & had been wondering about the extent to which deminegara blog can go ... A friend{ICT} explained that one needs to look at the site address to trace the source and gpsr the person and even hack into the site!!!!!"
Wah, pedih sikit sudah mau main kotor ahh? See what these racist thugs and samseng jalanan will do to stifle dissent.
Kijangmas, they like to preach free speech, fairness, keadilan, hak rakyat, hak bersuara, etc. But the first serious chink in their armour, dah menggelabah employ dirty tactics.
Then when orang react to their crimes, they will do police report! Putar belit tak habis-habis. Aku nak muntah tengok geng-geng pemusnah negara ni.
Don't bother about the welfare of RPK's wife and family.
She enjoys this limelight. Why do you think she'd carry on antagonizing the authorities in Kemunting without a thought that it might make things worse for the husband inside?
Her mental strength is more powerful than RPK's whom Pink Shades rightfully likened to the dog chasing cars. That is why I think he is used by his wife to front her ideas and chauvanistic views.
Please remember that she is of Chinese desent. When they marry Malay males, they usually have the upper-hand and the Malay husbands usually think they hit the jackpot for marrying a superior race that usually avoids marrying Malays who they deem inferior.
That is why I think that all this while we've been giving to much credit to RPK when it might very well be the wife who is actually behind Malaysia Today.
You know what? I think there is much truth in your thinking.
RPK's wife do seemed strangely upbeat and bubbly even as he's stuck in Kamunting and shuffled to/from the courthouse.
RPK may, indeed, be remembered in history as the tragic "Malay keldai" ridden roughshod by a bunch of Chinese racists and bigots.
Another observation: his MT portal has maintained its form and substance, in fact, dishing out even more scandalous fallacies. RPK's absence made no difference. It's as if RPK was never really involved in the first place.
This is NOT a one-man-show as popularly portrayed by his lady boss.
There must be a whole "industry" out there, well-finance by deep-pocket bosses, well-stocked, with the expertise and resources. Remember, the mirror site(s) emerged in an instant when the MCMC clamped down on the original site.
Maybe he was just the customary loud-mouth "Bumi frontman" after all.
Wonderful kijangmas. Your grasp of the English language is 'magnifique'. I like your analysis and critical thinking, the way you write, the way you reason things. Keep on writing and never, never stop but take care that those RACISTS ASSHOLES don't hack onto your blog.
Fyi, I am hooked to your blog now (as well as chedet's).
Btw, who said that MT is not a racist blog with racist bigots ???? a bunch of hippocrates as you said ...I was upset when I went to their blog the other day. Their comments are mostly ANTI MALAY ANTI ISLAM. Now, they are attacking you for putting the kris on your blog, for saying what they actually are....morons.
Thanks for your tip-off. I'm sure this Jeyapalan Mahesan character will be able to shed some light in the event the lights went out on Demi Negara.
I know that these scums have identified this blog and a couple of other nationalist sites for attack.
Yes, these biadap and kurang ajar ungrateful racist samsengs have declared war on this country. They will leave no stone unturn to hijack and ruin our beloved Tanah Air.
I, for one, will not step aside. This is my Negara. Nobody messes with my Negara.
*******
Zawi and Denone,
Thanks for visiting. As I've said above, the biadap/kurang ajar gang has declared war on our values, identity and way of life.
Allow me to share my thoughts in our beautiful Kelantanese:- ________
Kito semo keno sedar dé péhé gapo puok-puok laknatulloh nih nok buak ko tanoh air kito. Kawé panggé naté nih geng makhlok peghusok. Hok sedihnyo, ghama oghé kito hok jadi jông dio, hok jadi kuba bodo dôk bowoh tapok kaki naté tokpék nga si pok hité. Mulo-mulo kito benar oghé asing nih dok senyak-senyak bowoh naungé raja-raja kito, pah tuh kito bui jadi ghakyak, pah tuh buléh ngundi. Lo nih, kôk balik, tebalik kôk. Naté-naté nih nok jadi bohh kito pulok! Hok muko macé tokpék kandar taik belaké ghumoh bondo kawé pông doh panda berpolitik sapa beghaning nok cabar kito. Kawé raso, oghe Nayu nih aké sedar dé papah bangung lepah dio peghati oghé Kelaté kito doh mulo tunjok gedébé nga naté-naté makhlok peghusok nih. Jadi, kito oghe Kelaté keno lah tunjôk jalé ko sahabak-sahabak kito di negheri-negheri laing di Tanoh Melayu nih. Kito beri semangak dé sôkôngé. Seléké lah ghoyak ko saing-saing Kelaté kito hok dudok Kolupô, Pula Piné dé Peghok supayo tulông bui semangak ko oghe Nayu kito di tepak nih. Dio oghe keno lah masok semangak jué Kelaté. Baghu buleh tepih ancamé naté-naté penyagok nih. ________
Again, appreciate your dropping by. Be safe and be strong for our Negara tercinta.
Wow, i like this article of yours.I'm going to visit here often . Combination of you and Jebat Must Die will creat spiral effect as well. Here is another favarite blog that I love most (besides chedet) http://jebatmustdie.wordpress.com/2008/09/22/anwars-play-acting-is-encyclopedic-part-3/
If you haven't visited the blog, I would advise you to.
Kijangmas, I came across this at Rocky's, and it deserves some space here at yours too.
***********************************
Then again Rocky, having read what Din Merican did to Kijangmas's original posting on “Unraveling the RPK Mystique”, it's expected coming from him.
Pretty obvious that Din Merican is suffering from serious inferiority complex, or the need to be recognized especially among those “small but influential group include fellow bloggers Dr. Azly Rahman, Malik Imtiaz Sarwar, Dr. Bakri Musa, Harris Ibrahim, as well as writers Karim Raslan, Wan Hamidi Hamid and politicians, Zaid Ibrahim and Tunku Aziz Ibrahim”, hence the need for him to insert his name (and Farish Noor) when he reposted Kijangmas’ article over at his own blog.
Not being mentioned in the same line with those ‘influential’ people must be very painful for him, especially when he considers himself as Anwar’s biggest apologist.
Din, just stick to spinning music ok? You being ‘influential’?
I am so glad that slowly and assuredly, writings like yours, like Jebat’s are appearing and appeasing the info-hungry market of the Silent Majority who had otherwise been fed with a constant nauseatic diet of hate-mongering, RPK-worshipping, intellectually-deficient MalaysiaToday cybertroopers already high in self-delusions. I see that your writing has been posted in one of their lion’s den and as expected, no sooner had you brushed off the dust from the impactful descent, they came scavenging for your blood. But fret not. That’s the way truths make a stand. Calling you names, alleging that you are paid and generally discrediting your abilities to write as mere UMNO stalwarting expose the kind of low-mentality these RPK supporters are.I guess your article hit the the heads of too many nails, driven home too many points there that sensible analysis like yours would better off be killed before it becomes contagious. Heck, the longer they let you spraul around in their turf the more sense you may seem to them, and THAT is not good at all!
In general, there ARE many more sensibly written articles in this manner than the ravenous rantings of blind-but-enthusiastic followers of Malaysia Today but if you notice carefully, foreign news would rather first land on places like MalaysiaKini or MT to get their news. Example: try the daily MSN feeds. Now could that be that sensible voices (or writings) of the Silent Majority are really Silent? Where are we when our country needs us especially when our analysis is vital to be presented to correct the false impressions concocted to the foreigners out there? And if the only “Malay Intellectuals” they read about are only the likes of Azly Rahman, Farish Noor or the grand daddy intellectual of all, Raja Petra Kamaruddin, whence then is our contribution to the betterment of the fare of the nation?
Therefore I would like to suggest to make your blogs more prominent, more far-spreading and more marketed. Perhaps form a circle of like-minded bloggers and exchange infos and articles and form a concerted front in info-dissemination. (I’d like to become a part but I am better off at active commenting than passive and procastinating blogging).
Lastly, that bit about getting paid as slandered: Is it true? If it is, can I be, as well? My car needs a new battery, one tire gone botak and am running a bit low this month after raya. But PKR afficiniados also be take note: pay me and I will start blogging for you all too.
read the news today where the gerakan wanita chief picked a point from some bloggers, which she categorizing the bumis, the chinese and indians are pendatang and to have equal rights, with the natives are not well taken care of. well, another fellow mocking the federal constitution. Another angry product from the chinese school system that the dong whatever must be really proud of. What are they teaching at those schools?
I enjoy reading your meticulously penned writings in the blogosphere.
I know that you're one of the pioneers in seeing the true Rabid Racist colours of Malaysia Today behind their phony facade of political change, human rights, free speech, etc. And yes, I often wondered myself about some Malays who ended up there as collaborators in MT's war against the Malays and Islam. I would think that as "intellectuals," they would the first ones to realise the scam behind MT. But thats not to be. Perhaps it boils down to their pathetic inferiority complex, where their self-worth is dependent on the "validation" of the non-Malays, although this would entail their "collaboration" in the anti-Malay agenda of the MT junkies.
I quote your piece here from the JMD blog:-
"Little do the malays who join in foray of these name calling realize that these putrid profanities are not really directed to the two leaders in question but quiescently and inherently to his own race; cleverly camouflaged in some amorphous shibboleth of Justice, Freedom and Equality."
I couldn't put it any better.
You also made a key point:-
"In Petra’s like-minded mindspace, supporting contributors and visitors deliriously have a false sense of Ultimate Right, calling themselves “the Rakyat” when, of course, we all know better, don’t we?"
Bingo. You hit the nail squarely on the head. The MT Spinmeisters and the MT junkies hijacked the term "Rakyat" to legitimise their narrow anti-Malay agenda. This is part of their template to cloud the perception of the real rakyat and foreign observers.
But Demi Negara and fellow nationalist blogs will lead the charge to unravel this fallacy, to expose their charade.
I hope you drop by often and contribute to the effort to reclaim our nation, our Tanah Air Tercinta from these treacherous hordes.
you are nothing but a cheapskate UMNO cybertrooper trying to discredit RPK. What have you got to say about all the dirty 10000001things about your UMNO masters who are the most notorious racists and corrupt bastards? What you spew out here is nothing but UMNO pigshit fit for a pig sty like PWTC. Convey this feedback back to your UMNO masters, esp. that lesbian azalina and norza zakaria who hired you...out of taxpayers' money. UMNO scumbags like you deserved to be shot upside down by their balls
I cannot describe what a pleasure in reading your article. I have the same feeling as yours with regard to MT, but unfortunately is not able to put those feeling into words. You have done in on my behalf and put it into one nice piece of work.
The overwhelming responses and praises that you received shows that there are many who share the same frustration with MT.
Keep up the good work and thank you for letting out the voice of many silent majority against few hypocritical bigots who infest MT as though the represent the voice of Malaysia.
See Anonymous above (October 13, 2008 5:04 AM) for a reaction by a certified malignant toxic MT Junkie. This is actually a relatively mild sample.
Do you think these psychopaths and weirdos think about the much-talked about quest for Fairness, Equality and Justice in their twisted minds? Just marvel at their reaction to the TRUTH and COLD HARD FACTS. Do you think these people will respond to reason? Will be amenable to a dialogue? No. What do you do when you see a cockroach? Hug it? You know what you'll do. Same here with these Rabid Racist Junkies.
Is this MT Junkie a representation of the new Bangsa Malaysia empowered by Ketuanan Rakyat that will drive our beloved Motherland forward in these challenging times?
Think about it.
These are Rabid Racists to the core and we patriotic Malaysians of all races and creeds will weed out these filth from our midst, once and for all.
As an Anak Malaysia, I will not allow these poor excuses for humanity to languish on my Tanah Tumpah Darah; to pollute the minds of our fellow Rakyat with their philosophy of hate and vengeance; to sow the seeds of disunity, indeed, to oppose the very foundation of our nationhood.
As the saying goes: Jangan jolok Harimau tidur. But 5 yrs of persistent joloking has finally awaken the Harimau. Now the Harimau Sudah Bangkit Dari Tidur. And Harimaus do not undur.
For scums like this, I hope they have a hole to crawl into soon.
Quote:- “… scumbags like you deserved to be shot upside down by their balls.”
This is what the Communist Terrorists did to our gallant servicemen during the Emergency. Saya harap sikap begini tidak berleluasa di kalangan kaum asing.
I’m your ardent fan but I’m also a firm fan of chedet and jebatmustdie. These three blogs are a must-read for me. That’s where I get my education on SoPo issues. It’s heartening to know that there are citizens out there who can articulate their thoughts so well and are able to give meaningful, factual and compelling analysis of their subject matters. You all write with so much passion it’s inspiring.
Even the comments here are well-written such as Apocryphalist’s (tongue- twister name!). I’m happy to see that all of you are using your gift of writing and high intellect for the good of this nation. Keep on blogging. We want to hear your views.
You are one of my earliest "junkie" (no, lets call it "fan"). You sent a comment on the very first day of this blog. That was the day I said to myself enough is enough and decided to do my little infinitessimal part in this battle for Malaysia's future.
Thanks also for putting a link at chedet.com (one of my favourites as well).
You know, 6-7 yrs ago I somehow found myself in Che Det's office (when he was still THE head honcho of Malaysia) to explain to him the gist of a paper that I wrote on Corporate Governance. Supersmart guy. Very attentive. Never interject. Sharp, incisive questions.
I guess he took some of my advise (on compelling Entrepreneurs to hire Professional Mgrs) and taught me a thing or two. Also got invited to his trade trips to the U.S. and Japan. Those were fantastic days, so full of hope and ambition. But that's another story for another day (blog?).
I am kinda your “junkie” but yeah “fan” is much better. I’m actually surprised you noticed my comment in chedet because I didn’t. I thought it got lost in that avalanche of comments.
I’m guessing you’re from the corporate sector (please correct me if I’m wrong). If you do decide to create another blog, let us fans know. I’m sure it will provoke thought and inspire discussion. I like blogs like that. They are meaningful.
By the way, nice photo of the tiger. How about a more menacing-looking one? The video clip of the 10th Paratroop Brigade, Malay Regimen, is a nice touch too. These visuals drive home some powerful points.
Good thing you put up that Tiger photo in here, Kijangmas.
I just hope that it's one of our own, the Malayan Tiger species, as seen proudly flanking our National Crest (Jata Negara). Hard to tell to the naked eyes, when they all looked so alike. This one appears more like a Bengal Tiger (together with the Siberian ones are bigger than other species), but I stand corrected.
Undoubtedly, deme have excellent linguistic/writing skills, bravo! Thanks to ur prolonged exposure overseas. Wonder whether you 'went West' as a beneficiary of the NEP(or DEB), a by-product of the May 13...or on FAMA (I mean, father-Mother) scholarship? In any case, I am looking for you 'beef.'
Yes, you can be critical of RPK (am not his loyalist though), or others but he former did unravel 'what's cookin' in the UMNO/BN political melting pot - those sizzling anecdotes ... (the truth yet to be ascertained, by the courts).
Please reveal more of your aspirations, your dream, etc etc., for a developed Malaysia ...
Last, but not least, your Kelatenese mindset (tak hile di dunia..) still deeply embeded in your mind. What is this? Parachiolism? (ooops, my spelling?) Open up ur mind, my fren. Ignore them should ur fellow Kelatenese folks labelled you as "aghah Mu...!'
Let me extinguish some of the fallacies troubling analysts of KijangMas (Demi Negara is the name of the Blog).
- Excellent linguistic/writing skills due to prolonged exposure overseas. No. I've always spoke and write well, even in my Sekolah Rendah. If your theory works, every single Malaysian “exposed” overseas would be eloguent linguists and literary connoisseurs. Are they? Most just get by with rudimentary talking/writing skills even after years of kena celup overseas. I’m fortunate to have a father who was very well-educated (Queen's Scholar, sent to London in the late 1950s) and who encouraged me to read at a very young age and who developed a sense of inquisitiveness in his children. Yes, with mum’s support as well. So parenting is key. Not geographical location. I’ve seen very smart people in Rantau Panjang and many stupid people in Mont Kiara and Bandar Utama. Even in the U.S., there are millions of functional illiterates and millions of ignorant people, from the dysfunctional blacks in the ghettos to the White Trash country bumpkins. So lets not generalise here.
- 'Went West' as a beneficiary of the NEP(or DEB), a by-product of the May 13...or on FAMA scholarship? Why I sense a perversion to any of these possibilities? Is scholarship a bad thing? Heck even Lee Kuan Yew went to Cambridge on scholarship. Nobody’s complaining. Don’t be influenced by the Rabid Anti-Malay Racists who have spun the NEP into a dirty three-letter word. I will post my thoughts on the NEP soon. So no need to elaborate here. Oh, actually I “went West” on a one-way ticket at the age of 18. My late dad gave me some “start-up” money, a plane ticket, and arranged for an F-1 Student Visa for me to enter the U.S. That’s it. With a cheap suitcase and some clothes, off I went. This was part of my dad’s toughening up regime instilled in all 8 of us. He gave us two options: Go overseas and survive and thrive OR come back and survive and thrive. That’s it. I was not a product of a govt. MRSM or SM Sains or any of those. I went to a normal Sekolah Menengah in PJ where, between gang fights and sports, I managed to ace the system. As Dr. M said, choose your parents (genes) wisely. In California, I saw the demotivated MARA and JPA “scholars” fooling around while I had to work my butt off to find the money, to makan, to buy books, to exist. But I don’t complain. We are ALL part of the system. You win some; you lose some. I don’t think like a non-Malay Malaysian who’s life is crippled by a hatred of the system, living a wretched life of vengeance. Anyway, I was later given a scholarship by invitation of the Malaysian Embassy in DC after I trounced every student in the university (and this is not your typical Boondocks U.) with 4.0 GPAs for 3 semesters and 3 of my professors actually wrote to the M'sian Students Dept in DC recommending a scholarship lest I will be "acquired" by the American defense dept or something. Sure they gave me money to pay fees up until my MBA at a Top 10 US Biz School (where I was the first Malaysian, not Malay, but first Malaysian to be accepted). So what? I've paid back many times more in M'sian income taxes compared to the funds used fo my education. There were many, many non-Malays on the list of M'sian govt. scholars in my peer group across the world, inc. doctors and engineers. Of course Malays get the bulk of the funds because Malays and other Bumis form a 68% majority in Malaysia.
- Kelatenese mindset (tak hile di dunia..) still deeply embeded … in your mind. What is this? Parachiolism? No. Its called having an anchor. Having a point of reference. Having a distinct Marker amidst life’s complexities. The difference between an Oghé Kelaté and other Malays of this country is that the Oghé Kelaté do not see their race, their identity, their pride as a detriment to progress. We know who we are, and we are proud of it. With our identity firmly in place, we can partake in the business of self-development, of progressing, of fighting it out in the marketplace. There are hundreds of Oghé Kelaté in Southern California. Many are multi-millionaires – making their big bucks in the food and logistics business. A couple even became Hollywood extras. Many have American/Mexican wives. No big deal, The wives will be fully conversant in Kelantanese in no time. My former gorgeous Californian gal could eat nasi kerabu and budu with her hands while sitting cross-legged on the carpet and became a great fan of everything Kelantanese. Ended up marrying another Kelantanese (a Husam Musa lookalike)! She's hooked. That’s the essence of being an Oghé Kelaté. We are not weak and easily swayed by mannerisms of others. In Kelantan, the non-Malays speak perfect Kelantanese. But in other parts of Malaysia, the Malays are the ones who must adjust to the Bahasa Longkang of these people, hence you speak like an Ah Pek to a Chinese and like a mamak roti to an Indian. Why is that? I know why. Because you are shy of your identity. You are all “reluctant Malays.” That’s why minority races can treat you with contempt. You go to a two-bit coffeehouse and start to utter “Can I have Fresh Orange please” to a fellow Malay. Why? Because your language is not suited to that environment. Sad indeed. But not in KB, from the gardener to the hotel GM to the CEO to the royalties, everybody kécé Kelaté with gusto, with pride, with confidence. That is called IDENTITY. A race with no identity cannot progress. Of course, when the time comes to communicate in English, you will never know I’m a Malay or Malaysian over the phone. That’s the beauty of it. Pure beautiful Kelantanese in Kota Bharu; pure beautiful correct American English in the U.S. No half way, no Manglish here.
Take pride in your Pahang roots. Learn Pahang history. Find out where your ancestors came from. Speak your Bahasa Melayu Pahang aloud, with pride and passion. Be your true self. Only then can you succeed in life’s journey.
Very nice of you for the expeditous response, to share with readers more about yourself, your not-so-easy and the blood-sweat-tears days in going West - in the pursuits of enlightenment and excellence - unlike some, if not, many of those fully-sponsored govt 'scholars' who did not make full use of their grey matter. Am not boasting but just to take some pride, as you did, that I'd gotten almost all As (cd have been CGPA 4 Flat if not of the Jewish Prof.) when I had that opportunity in California. May be, my MU lecturers then were too stingy with marks...Could still recalled that the MU Geography Dept was dubbed as 'The Slaughter House' - simply cos many graduated without 'Honours.'
You're an exception, for sure - inheriting the God-given genes/DNA of a Queen Scholar!. Theoretically, whatever you touch, you can make 'gold'. You could be the first Malaysian-born astronaut at NASA, had you chosen a different path! Am sure you are now doing your share, as a responsible corporate citizen, in your own ways, to the betterment of, not only the Kelatenese folks but Malaysia as a whole.
Touching on this dicey (Kelate) issue, I recalled an instance, during my undergrad days, of one housemate who had no qualms of deserting fellow (non-Kelatenese) housemates merely to join fellow 'countrymen' (statemates rather) - even though he had to commute longer distances to the campus...I presume you dont belong to that cattle of fish. In his defense - he said he would be dubbed as 'unKelatenese' and 'aghah' if he didn't. Hope this mindset/stereotypes are extinct. I am not less-Pahang either - no doubt about it. Thanks for your sincere advise, anyway.
On scholarships - those who had shown merits truly deserve it, as you did. So was your Dad, LKY, Tun Razak, Tan Sri Tajuddin (ex-TNB Chairman, a 1st Class brain) and so forth. No qualms whatever... Again, with deep humility, I was fortunate to be one of the two chosen by the govt. to take up a particular course. However, room shd also be given to the above-average but not-so-financially sound parents so their sons/daughters can break and get out from the poverty-cycle.
Back to RPK - what interest the readers (I dont read them all) are the revelations ... absent in the MSM. Are they totally false and unsubstantiated? I am more interested in 'the beef' - not so much the 'toppings.' Could you imagine what would happen to us, our country in the future? We need good governance and leaders with good morality, as opposed to the 'private- vs public-morality' types. Aint sure if true 'maturity' in democracy means either Party A or Party B could rule, there is a choice.
Of course, I too derived great joy in scanning those beautiful literary pieces, esp penned by Bumis, like your goodself...I take pride in that too.
In his final paragraphs, I think benj here has voiced the thoughts of a subclass of beings within the silent majority (of whom I am a prime example) who are dissenting within a dissent, rebelling within a rebellion and perhaps pointing to the pointer of the clotheless emperor:-
“ what interest the readers (I dont read them all) are the revelations ... absent in the MSM. Are they totally false and unsubstantiated? I am more interested in 'the beef' - not so much the 'toppings.' Could you imagine what would happen to us, our country in the future? We need good governance and leaders with good morality, as opposed to the 'private- vs public-morality' types. Aint sure if true 'maturity' in democracy means either Party A or Party B could rule, there is a choice.”
Let me surmise what a LOT of like-minded people like us have as their mode of thinking, in the briefest of words:-
1. We don’t like RPK/PKR/DAP/MalaysiaToday/MalaysiaKini etc. If they are going to attack the muslims, belittle Islam or threaten the malays by whatever means, then we are going to retaliate in ways that will make them wish their mothers had never given birth to them.
2. Well we don’t like the ruling government either. Or, more succinctly, large aspects of it, the primeval one being CORRUPTION and DESPICABLE BEHAVIOUR of SOME politicians making up the government. At the same time, we are NOT going to let the country go down the drains just because an alternative ruling body is not available and thus handing the rein to the more spiteful pembangkang (who, of course, have their own agendas).
3. Commensurate with (2) above, we are NOT the ungrateful ones (unlike some segments of society) who never at all recognize the efforts and policies of the government in dealing with poverty, education, fairness, economies etc etc, to THE BEST OF THEIR ABILITIES.
4. We HATE racism, even if it comes from of our own people, the malays. Denying the rights of the non-bumis as guaranteed by the constitution, calling them with derogatory names or saying how one would like to bathe some curved blades with other people’s blood, are not something we are condoning, irrespective of how rhetorical or symbolic that statement can be. However, this should not be misconstrued by others that we are letting YOU to pijak our kepala instead. If sensible people react in the same way as insensible people do, then how can we be WITH you? Remember: an ultra-bigoted chinese will beget an ultra-bigoted malay and vice versa. For the malays, your best recourse is to go back to the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad who had never condoned anything ultra in any of his teachings.
5. We are NOT going to let this country be headed by contesting politicians who are morally bankrupt. Or to be more specific: morally, sexually tainted. And that goes BOTH for those who think sodomization is ok and we just want his “economic expertise” and “social fairness” (read: yang nak hapuskan hak melayu) AND those who have affinities for multi-lingual foreign Central-Asian lasses who are “susceptible for anal intercourse” but now resting in peace in the bosom of the Lord.
6. While government contracts and businesses should be done always in lieu of the NEP in mind, we HATE that all transparencies disappear. We HATE multi-million ringgit kickbacks, multi-billion purchases with dubious contracts etc. We HATE that the result of the NEP should be to enrich one or two friends of the government and making untold number of malays still in the red as far as the social economics is concerned.
7. Between a chauffeur-driven, bimmered Ujang and an Ah Chong or Velloo on motorbike with his wife and two children at the back going to the pasar malam to setup their livelihood for the week, we HATE that the government should still continue awarding contracts to this Ujang while having a blind-eye policy to the plight of Ah Chong or Velloo and not giving their sons scholarships or bantuan. If this is NEP, then NEP is a bad word. (I am not sure whether such a thing or policy exists but that was based on a real scenery I witnessed when I was stopping at the red light in front of Eastin Hotel one day: on my left was this true-to-life Ah Chong with THREE small children clinging to him on his dilapidated honda cup, and on the right was this sardonically grinning MatSom-whose-father-was-a-hospital-dresser-but-now-he-is-a-CFO-,-lunches-at-the-Legend-and-rebukes-kids-from-the-anak-yatim-society-asking-for-donations. I nearly puked on the floor of my car.) Malay muslims would be better off learning how caliph Omar Khattab, Omar Abdul Aziz and the other righteous caliphs handled non-muslims and preserving their rights and taken over their welfares to be responsibilties of the state.
Lets look again at what benj wrote: “…the revelations ... absent in the MSM. Are they totally false and unsubstantiated?”
Well that’s the whole point, you see. Here’s the statement of the problem, in Reader’s Digest version:
BN is good. Opposition is bad. BN (or members) does unhloy act “A”. Opposition Media (OM) highlights A. The MSM hides A. OM raises a call on eradicating anything corruptive like A BN says this is all Tuduh-tuduh and Fitnah-fitnah. OM gives proofs of A. In form of Statutory Declarations, Photocopies of Dubious Letters, Voice recordings, Video Tapes, Leaked reports, Private conversations etc. MSM hides them while BN invokes OSA on OM.
Now what we, the people simply want to know is this: Are those allegations true? If they are, aren’t we really having extremely BAD people heading the country here? And if they aren’t, ho ho wah lau! We have an extremely air-tight reason for clamping and dismantling opposition voices once and for all under the pretext of creating fitnah to disrupt the peace of society and making the masses at logger-heads with leaders to create instability now, don’t we?
I implore that you, Kijang Mas, to be very Objective, Precise, Factual and Neutral in your postings. So far, your postings are one of the very few who have not shown any …. err... love towards things obnoxious in your bid to defend the malay psyche. Many a blog post have been set up to counter-act some of the very ultra-anti-malay voices in the blogosphere but in so doing, most have been slowly swept by emotionalities: it is as though in order to refute the ultra-bigots of the other side, we ourselves have to be ultra bigots of this side. By that I mean, justifying all the wrong doings of some parties in the ruling government. I mean can you imagine how pathetic that can be? Menteri UMNO kalah 7 juta gambling kat Casino nak defend jugak ker? Ketua Menteri UMNO pegi taji budak pompuan bawah umur pun nak defend jugak ker? BN minister “saya lah orang itu” caught in camera doing some gymnastics without clothes with girl in hotel room nak defend gak ker? In short, does being UMNO, BN, give a free rein to be obnoxious in behaviour because you KNOW that there are people who will defend you? Let us not be like the Malays of the time Sultan Mahmud Mangkat di Julang. Even when they knew their raja was in the wrong, they still continued menyembah, and in so doing gives an assurance to the king (read: leaders) to continue doing wrong.
And thuswith do we find the conundrum of the century: The obnoxious behaviour of those we hate to love in the ruling goverment are exposed by RPK, LKS, TK, AI, KS, and others whom we love to hate.
If some people face an uphill battle in defending the malay’s insight to his viewpoints, it could probably not only because they have been mentioned in the same breath as the corrupt leadership, but they continue to defend them. Let us build a true circle of voices fighting bigotry but at the same time hating injustices as well.
On the 'love-to-hate' and 'hate-to-love' affair, you hit it right on the nail, my dear friend. It's a kind of Malay/Muslim dilemma, I guess.
Very well crafted passages, and I am proud of you too.
Wish our leaders or aspiring leaders knew what are they upto when they vie (or plainly put, elbowed each other) in their quest for leadership. Not for personal glory, wealth creation, etc., etc. - but think of the trials in HIS Court of Justice. Shd take the cue from Abu Bakar when he albeit reluctantly assumed the Caliphate...
Meanwhile bloggers and commentators shd remain apolitical and objective in their opinions/assessments as well as offer constructive criticisms and also solutions in their endeavours towards a better Malaysia...for all, especially to the under-privileged and needy.
If you're interested in the Patani story, click on the Patani Book icon on this blog, go through the website and buy the e-Book via paypal.
I finished writing that book earlier this year, culminating over 20 years of data gathering, primary research, deciphering of ancient Malay manuscripts and field study.
Tell the publisher (patanibook(at)gmail.com)that you came from the Demi Negara Blog and you'll get a US$5.00 discount.
Congrats on the Pattani book, I sincerely salute you since this kind of literature is scarce - especially authored by a non-Western. Godwilling, I will try to grab it soonest, and hopefully you are kind enough to autograph it...I did it once with Pierre Trudeau when he was Premier then.
You are truly one in a million. Your blog has opened my eyes to a viewpoint that has so far eluded me. I confess to being an ex-MT junkie, probably Groupie I, but a very naive one at that. Only lately have I discovered Jebat and your goodself, and as a Malay (non-Kelate)I am very proud that there are people like you who also call themselves Malays. Keep up the good work, and you guys will be able to turn back the tide of the March 8 tsunami. I consider myself in touch with popular feeling, and I think the turnaround back to BN will happen sooner than later. Anyway your blog is now a must visit for me, and I am recommending it to my friends and family.
68 comments:
I've always wondered the same. What exactly is RPK's struggle? Why does he put his family through all this - despair, loneliness, sadness etc. For what?
You are so right. RPK is nothing more than a prickly irritant with a penchant for the dramatic.
I think he is like a mad dog who loves chasing cars. The dog wouldn't know what to do with the car if it ever caught it.
Pink Shades
selamat hari raya
http://aberamly.wordpress.com
http://ramlyotai.blogspot.com
RPK ialah manusia zaman moden. Pemikirannya jauh ke depan berbanding anda semua, beliau sudah melihat kelemahan dan kehancuran dunia akibat sikap manusia hari ini yang hidup seperti zaman jahilliah (ASSABIYAH). Manusia hari ini suka menegakkan benang yang basah, melakukan sesuatu membuta tuli tanpa usul periksa, mengambil risiko tanpa mengira kesan dan akibat...itulah musuh utama perpaduan negara.
Walau apa formula anda guna, sistem quota, DEB, NEP,ABC etc.
Malaysia atau dunia ini tidak boleh diperintah oleh satu bangsa kerana yang bijak akan berjaya, yang berilmu akan cemerlang, yang lemah akan kepupusan, yang kerdil akan dihina dan yang malas akan dicerca.
Keluarga akan hancur kalau kita memanjakan anak-anak kesayangan kita, anak-anak kita akan menjadi "ANAKKU SAZALI"...PASTI negara juga akan hancur kalau kita memanjakan satu-satu bangsa, kelak bangsa inilah menjadi perosak negara menjadi mementing diri / puak sendiri, lantas mengorbankan kepentingan negara untuk cita-cita peribadi.
Awang,
Terima kasih atas pandangan anda dan blog anda memang menarik.
Anda seorang anak Malaysia dari ethnik bukan Melayu. Tapi anda lain dari yang lain kerana anda memartabatkan Bahasa Malaysia sebagai bahasa utama dalam blog anda, dan ini telah menarik ramai pembaca dari berbagai keturunan yang lebih senang memahami Bahasa Kebangsaan tercinta kita.
Saya faham pendirian anda -- di sebalik istilah Arab dan adegan filem lapuk P. Ramlee -- di mana anda mahu menegakkan suasana negara adil dan saksama buat semua rakyat tanpa mengira kaum dan agama.
Ini saya tiada masalah.
Perkara yang di perbincangkan di posting ini -- "Mengupas Mistik RPK" -- adalah bersabit dgn gejala perkauman yg mendadak yg di amali oleh kaum anda dan kaum bukan Melayu lain dlm komen-komen yg tertera dlm portal Malaysia Today kelolaan RPK dan kerabatnya.
Awang, kalau kita mahukan persamaan hak dan peluang dengan kaum majoriti, kita harus dulu menampilkan sikap dan budaya yg boleh di terima dan di senangi oleh kaum majoriti tersebut. Ini sudah lumrah hidup, di mana-mana pun begitu, termasuk di negara China dan India sekali pun. Dan ini juga ciri sistem berdemokrasi, dimana kumpulan teramai akan menerajui dan mengemudi sesebuah negara.
Sebagai seorang ahli kaum minoriti, anda adalah contoh yg baik. Anda menerima Bahasa Malaysia sebagai bahasa utama blog anda. Itulah sebabnya kita bisa berbincang begini. Tetapi berapa byk kah kerabat anda sanggup berbuat demikian? Tak ramai kan? Mereka masih lagi hendak pertikaikan Bahasa Kebangsaan negara kita.
Dan jika isu Bahasa rasmi pun sudah gusar, apatah lagi isu-isu lain? Itulah sebabnya kaum Melayu dan Bumiputra, sebagai kumpulan majoriti 68% di negara ini, masih ragu-ragu dgn kesetiaan dan kejujuran kaum-kaum lain di negara kita,tidak seperti di lain-lain negara (umpamanya Thailand dan Indonesia) di mana semua ethnik telah bergabung sebagai satu bangsa dgn identiti nasional yg utuh berlandaskan Satu Bahasa dan satu falsafah nasionalis yg sama. Justru, amatlah mudah bagi kaum pribumi di sana memberi hak-hak hampir sama rata kpd kaum-kaum minoriti nya, sehinggalah watak seperti Taksin Shinawatra (ethnik-China Chiengmai, tetapi telah di Siamkan sepenuhnya sehingga tak bisa ckp China) boleh jadi PM.
Selagi keraguan ini kekal, selagilah tiada persamaan hak kerana ini perlu kerestuan kaum Melayu dan Bumiputra lain sebagai kumpulan majoriti negara ini.
Teruskan perjuangan anda. Mulai dgn memantapkan lagi kegunaan Bahasa Malaysia di kalangan kaum anda. Bila kita tiada perbezaan Bahasa dan minda (yg juga berlandaskan Bahasa), kita boleh berbincang dgn nas dan rentak yg sama, yg. mantap lagi berwibawa.
Could someone send this posting to Malaysia Today?
I don't think they'll dare post it there. MT censors all criticisms and analysis that differ from its ideological line.
Where got free speech?
Eye opener!
How can RPK think he has a huge national following when all his supporters (100-200 souls at candlelight vigils & the Kamunting gathering) seemed to be Ah Sohs and Ah Mois and Uncles, probably friends and relatives of his wife, Marina.
Where are the masses?
Yes RPK got millions and millions of supporters.
The only problem is: These are CYBER supporters.
They don't exist in real life.
But 2 yrs of hell in Kamunting is REAL!
Damn these Cyber RPK supporters. They are fair weather scums and parasites!
BK
I went to Malaysia Today blog. It is a deplorable blog, full of RACISTS bigots, ANTI MALAY/ISLAM. I had the impression of reading a gangster's blog. They are not Malaysians - the contents are equivalent to the attacks on Malays/Islam in Singapore blogs, try Asiaone.com sometimes, you will know what I mean.
I hate the one about Dr. M - someone said that only now Dr. M has started praying ....what rubbish..the writer just played around what Dr. M wrote in his blog.
Really pathetic !!!
Hello,
I've just come to know your blog 30 minutes ago after following your link at Sheih. Before that, I had also seen your comment at Rocky's Bru. And when I've come to this blog ... I'm impressed!
You are "somebody"... someone well-known, aren't you?:-)
Let me introduce myself first: I'm a small fry when it comes to blogs. And I'm an even smaller one when it comes to politics. But I still want to write about it - and so I started a site/blog: Cendana Blues: Addicted to Politics, which focuses on satire, spoof and lampoon.
BTW right now this site is called `something else'; erm, "Badawi's Bru".
Anyway, I was doing some research on what people think about Sheih and his "revelations". And among THE BEST that I had read is that from you. For what it's worth, I've IMMEDIATELY included the RSS feed from here to my list.
Well, time to go write that post of mine. Oh, I have another blog: Recovery from Drug Addiction, which is just that. It's at http://cendana287.wordpress.com I hope you could come over both sites to see for yourself should you have the time some day.
Thank you.
I'm impressed as well by the concise and succint analysis!
Impressive...Cantik you punya Analysis ... but then again , i hope you're not another Kris weilding Melayu my friend " with a Dendam Tak Sudah !
Gosh, this must be one of the best and satisfying read in blogsphere.
You've addressed I think most of the things I often wondered about RPK.
I confess I used to read MT too but less and less in the last year and not at all in the last six months. The comments really put me off. Eg, one commenter (commentator?) on the Muslim prayer: as sticking their asses up in the air or words to that effect.
Enough said.
Thank you for this illuminating piece.
TST
Ps
I shall now be following your blog regularly.
Saudara/ri Blogowner.
Dengan izin, saya telah mengirimkan posting/entry ini ke posting Rocky Bru's "Malaysian blogger RPK to appear in Court" untuk menjadi bahan bacaan buat mereka yang sering melayari di sana.
Semoga saudara Rocky akan memberi laluan untuk ianya disiarkan.
Terima kasih juga, kerana setelah membaca kesemua postings yang terdapat di blog ini, saya kini tidak lagi merasakan bersendirian dalam perjuangan saya untuk memartabatkan simbol-simbol kedaulatan negara.
In your own words; "NOBODY should even think of tampering with it (NegaraKu), nor with the Jalur Gemilang, national crest, Rukunegara or other icons and instruments of Malaysian nationhood" best sums it up.
Salam and Selamat Aidil Fitri.
Interesting entry. While I agree that MT often demonize BN/UMNO as well as the leaders of our country, I do think that it is a bit unfair that you are demonizing MT readers as well.
I am a frequent reader of MT, and while I enjoy some of the articles by the 'Idealist' group of people (borrowing your label), some of the comments I read just horrify me. I believe in the freedom of speech, but to do so behind nicknames and pseudonyms is just irresponsible. People can say whatever they like, without having to worry about the consequences. That's not bravery, that's cowardice!
I agree that the majority of the readers of MT has a warped perception of the hopes and wishes of the rakyat, but it is unfair to dismiss them as lunatics. They have a vision of Malaysia, they longed for a country that doesn't alienate them. Is that unreasonable?
This is the first time I visit your blog, and in a way it's refreshing to read yet another alternative point of view on Malaysian politics. Keep up the good work, and I'll continue to explore your earlier writings as well as future posts.
thom
Why do you need to moderate this message? Nothing seditious here !!!!
Comment moderation has been enabled so no one can read a polite and factually correct refutation of your skewed views. So delete this comment immediately - you wouldn't want people to come to their own conclusions after reading both sides would you?
I don't think the blog owner would approve my statement because he feels shy of his own writings and knows what he will get for his stupidity beside payment from UMNO. I dare him to post my reply.
Nice piece :) I need some side income too. How much can you make from this?
--Kars
Greetings, my old friend Saruman! I see you've been hanging out with Wormtongue. Watch what you do with your God-given intellect, buddy. Bad move, putting a keris on your banner and pretending to be Malay. Just who you trying to fool???
Saudara Mat Cendana,
I appreciate your comments. Thanks for visiting.
I've browsed your blog as well. Impressive indeed. A lot of thinking and homework before every post. That's what we need -- critical thinking, without fear or favour.
You asked:-
"You are "somebody"... someone well-known, aren't you?:-)"
Well, no. I'm just an average Malaysian Citizen. I’ve travelled the world, lived abroad for many years and served the corporate/MNC sector here for two decades. Born and brought up in the KL-area, but by ancestry a proud true-blooded Kelantanese (with a dash of Patani warriors' genes for good measure). I’m one of those oghé Kelaté hok balik dok rilék kaapong lepah buak pitih negeghi oghé. You are Kelantanese as well from what I gather? Good for you. Oghé Kelaté tok aké hilé di dunio nih.
Anyway, I've been a keen (and usually pissed off) observer of Malaysian politics for the past three decades. What I've seen and am seeing now is not pretty. Our beloved motherland is being thrown off-tangent by the combination of utter leadership incompetency befuddled by multifaceted, divisive adversarial political forces. The socio-political faultline caused by this bruising struggle are now filled by radical elements, the ethno-centric racists and anarchists of every stripe and colour percolating from the fissure and crevices of our fractured society. The Rakyat is being pulled apart by this tumultuous struggle for power by these small groups of warlords.
I couldn't just sit still and watch my Tanah Air being ruined by selfish interests on both ends of the political spectrum. We are in a scenario where the leader in power has no idea what’s going on and devoid of the capacity to comprehend the intricacies of governance; and with the grasp on power rapidly slipping from this incumbent, we have a “successor” whose legitimacy on the “throne” is justified by some sort of “hereditary right” only known to him and the incumbent; and an opposing personality whose singular drive for power at all costs has fragmented and will further unravel the tenuous linkages of our fragile nationhood. Oh yes, throw in the coterie of assorted courtiers and psychopants and hangers-on from all sides into the fray and you’ll get this sick quagmire currently afflicting our nation.
Malaysia has become a litmus test for a young, burgeoning democracy. Our political prescription is still work-in-process. And we are witnessing this evolution, with transformations taking place almost by the day, if not the hour. In the end, the jury’s still out on what’s tenable and sustainable for our nation’s longer term survival as a cohesive political unit.
Do blogs matter in synthesizing the trajectory of this socio-political evolution?
I don’t know.
But blogs – the content, angle, attitude, flavour -- are certainly indicative of the elements inducing this evolution. Hence, in a way, where our nation hurtle into the socio-political space is determined by our collective mindsets and attitudes, and part of these -- not all -- reverberate in blogs across he land.
As for myself, I will share my thoughts on issues affecting our nation, and hope it would encourage an intelligent discourse by fellow concerned citizens. Some people may disagree, perhaps vehemently oppose my opinions. Fine by me. But this people should also allow us to disagree with THEIR opinions. This is the essence of democracy.
I am non-partisan. I'm beyond that now. My political party is called “Kami Rakyat.” I will say what I need to say. That’s my obligation – indeed, our collective obligations – as the Rakyat of this blessed land.
Hence, my simple blog.
you must have been joseph goebbels in a past life
sieg heil!
Very well written, but under cover (no profile of who you are)and a one sided thrashing of another blogger.
Freedom of speech, one may say. If your readers were to read carefully of what you write about RPK and your other posting, you are just a mirror of him. That's the way he write and you are just writting the way he did. You are no difference from RPK if what you said about him is true.
Trying to gain a foothold in cyber space to counter whatever truth are being revealed (by bloggers) on behalf of someone else whose wrong doing must and never be exposed. This is the real reason RPK is ISA'ed and not for any other reasons.
If you are truly sincere in promoting your blog to be just and fair, I hope you will write about all the corruptions in the ruling government.
The Curse of Altantuya hangs over Najib and the whole of Umno/BN. It will not be lifted till justice returns to this fair land. You are only attacking the messenger - one who has taken on the uncompromising role of John the Baptist. Guess who's playing Herod Antipas?
I would like to thank Din Merican here for spreading my thoughts to netizens across the land and beyond.
It’s not common to have your ENTIRE 3,700-word posting – warts and all -- copied and pasted lock-stock-and-barrel by an established blogging old hand like Din Merican.
Thanks again buddy. You made my day.
But I must say that your exuberance to disseminate my piece should not be smothered by your emotional need to “belong” -- your desire to be part of the scene.
What am I talking about?
Well, Din Merican – apart from piggybacking on my post (yeah, I heard it’s a good tactic to divert traffic without investing your own grey matter) – cunningly INSERTED HIS NAME (and for some reason “Farish Noor”) into my paragraph on the “Idealists.”
See here:-
“The thought leaders of this small but influential group include fellow bloggers Dr. Azly Rahman, Malik Imtiaz Sarwar, Din Merican, Farish Noor, Dr. Bakri Musa, Harris Ibrahim, as well as writers Karim Raslan, Wan Hamidi Hamid and politicians, Zaid Ibrahim and Tunku Aziz Ibrahim.”
The “Din Merican, Farish Noor,” is Din Merican’s handiwork; the rest are my original.
Hmm, what do you call this? It’s not censorship because you “cut-away” and blank-out content when you censor. Well, I’m not going to waste my time to coin a neo-phrase for this act but I think this has something to do with Din Merican’s “need to belong”, perhaps his delusional perception of relevance in the blogosphere, hence, the act of inserting his own name in a perceived prestigious list for all to see. It’s o.k. I understand this inherent need to belong, to be perceived as part of something, to be seen as a peer of a select group.
Anyway, beyond this intriguing self-promotion in other people’s posting, Din Merican somehow saw a hidden hand, in fact a PAYMASTER, behind my blog. To quote him (don’t worry, I won’t insert my name into his writing):-
“It reminds me of the heydays of the Cold War when the CIA used novelists, academics and journalists to spread the word. Stalin and Hitler too did the same thing when they temporarily held the reins of power.”
Wow! Holy whatchamacallit! I’m honoured. Danke Schoen. Спасибо.
I’ll be quoting your gem of a preamble which you wrote in your blog on top of my posting (that you copied-added your name-and-pasted) to a future book entitled “Confessions of a SoPo Blogger.”
In one fell swoop of your keyboard, I’m now a suspected novelist, academic and journalist. Thank you sir. I guess I’m now in your Deepavali (oops, I mean Hari Raya) A-List now uhh? Wow, I’m now an “Elite”. An Orang Ternama. The multiple “Vs” in the IP.
But again, maybe I’m just a simple paddy farmer in Kelantan with a Darjah Enam education who somehow reads a lot and can write well in Bahasa Malaysia and English? You never know, do you?
Isn’t it interesting how one simple analysis of a sacred cyber-deity would result in being tagged a hired hand on par with the “novelists, academics and journalists” lapdogs of the CIA, Stalin and Hitler! Din, please come for Raya at my Yalta dacha and my Berghof villa next week. Ketupat and borsch is good. Oh, check out Olga’s lemang sprinkled with beluga caviar. Certainly will give your Nasi Kandaaq a run for its money, yeah the Rubles and Reichsmarks and Renmimbis.
People, I value reactions like Din Merican’s. It gives us an indication of the thought processes of the competing forces of Malaysian politics. Indeed, my future posts may also trigger perhaps even more rabid reactions from the BN/UMNO pahlawans and perwiras, with keris and machetes in hand to silent this “paid writer from the Din Merican camp.” Interesting ……..
Din Merican may then have to do a sequel: “This is what we are up against: Double Agents.”
And for your sequel, please feel free to copy-and-paste my other postings. Be sure to state your source (that’s me lah) clearly. BUT please lah, don’t lah add YOUR NAME in my writings. Bloggers must have
ethics too.
See, beyond your constipated verbiage and giddy rhetoric, you are all the same – whether it’s UMNO, PKR, DAP, PAS, Gerakan, MCA, MIC, SAPP, Kimma, ……… Hindraf, ……… ABC, AEIOU, …… ad nauseam. You all emerged from the same cesspool of hate and intolerance and delusional aspirations and are actually more alike than you think. The only difference is that you slithered up different slopes of the cesspool, and evolved into mutually-hating organisms. Throw in a couple of self-appointed cyber messiahs and demigods, coupled with a sleepyhead and some lanuns and a chameleon of a Confidence Trickster and you have the current potpourri of Malaysian politics.
Din Merican went on: “… there are people who are willing to sell their integrity for money and promise of favors.”
Yeah, I agree Din. How much they pay you? C’mon tell us lah. On hard times now uhh?
Seriously, your observation is interesting. Can you please give us bloggers a feeler on these paymasters willing to buy our “integrity for money and promise of favors.” There are a lot of starving bloggers holed up in dingy cybercafés out there. Spread the rubles around lah Din. I’m sure the largesse has piled up now, with one paid hand already out-of-service and a few more getting their wings clipped. Geez, these Nazis and Stalinists and CIA bosses give me the creeps.
Finally, Din Merican said: “There is so much gubberish (sic), like this one for example, out in cyberspace, print media and the air waves, that we need to be careful.”
I don’t quite understand this “need to be careful.” But many Malaysians are now just about had it with the malicious lies and bigotry that clutter our cyberspace. We won’t allow the rantings and racist attacks and utter bigotry go unchecked. Since these chauvinists and misguided souls deemed it fit to “moderate away” competing reactions to their rantings in their blogs, others have no choice but to create their own platform to express their thoughts. If Din Merican feels a “need to be careful” with this scenario, so be it. I guess as they say, “… it figures.” Indeed Din, hopefully the chauvinists and rabble rousers would “be more careful” when they post their racist and bigoted points of view.
For purveyors of Free Speech and Freedom of Expression, please read Din Merican’s “warning” carefully. Tolerance for competing views are not his forté. Anyone that makes sense but goes against the grain of his thinking, he will call them “paid hands” and such.
So what else is new in our country? Remember my cesspool story above. Yup, Din Merican himself is a living embodiment of the intolerant cesspool organism that he opposes so much …
Truth hurts, I understand Din. As for the Rabid Racists on MT, too bad. That's life. You dish out your venom, you'll get more potent antidotes in return. There's no sheltered cocoon for you here. That's life people.
this blog is pure evil... I LOVE IT!!! >:)
Keep up the good work, Mein Fuhrer!
Hey, I have an idea for a Hollywood movie... it's about a black guy who pretends to be a white so that he can become the Grand Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan. Why don't you take on that project?
Oh my, Antares …
Hey Kim Jong Il, for how long do you want to masquerade as “Antares” uhh? I’ve seen you hang out with the Talibans and assorted lowlifes. And what’s this story of a keris sticking up your black butt? I’ll see you at the DMZ.
Time for a Head's Up:-
- Din Merican's copy-and-paste job of my post gave it a super Gatorade Boost. And the linkage to his blog (regarding my posting) on MT spawned a deluge of hits on this blog. Now, that's what I call a trickle down effect. Thanks Din. Couldn't do it without ya.
- The Rabid Racists and MT junkies came out in full force. Thank you people. Now you see that critical opinion is not only in your domain.
- The MT junkies spewed substantial racist and bigoted remarks here, thus confirming my thesis of their character.
- These trolls challenge this blog not to moderate their hate messages. Well, Deminegara will open the floodgates the moment MT and other racist, anti-Malay, anti-Islam sites remove comment moderation on THEIR sites as well. Then try to match the 500-600 Malay comments on MT daily (in the words of RPK) with your own numbers.
- The MT junkies curiously accuse this blog of "answering your own posts." On the contrary, I think these same handful of MT junkies sent comments under multiple nics or just plain Anonymous. I see this as a very typical reaction of brats and the mentally challenged. Instead of engaging in a stimulating intellectual discourse, they hurl names and accusations. Well, I guess it comes with the territory.
- Din Merican and the MT junkies equate critical writing with paid literary servitude. Well, as the saying goes, it takes a whore to know one. Anyway, I don't think anyone can afford me. Thanks for the thought all the same. But we know who Din Merican's ultimate paymaster is, right? It's o.k. people. He needs to cari makan as well. That is his rezeki.
- Many of the MT junkies theorize that this blog owner may not even be a Malay, perhaps because the "quality" of the analysis and writing would be beyond the mental faculties of the Malay. Well, I guess Malays have IQs of <50 (as posted by someone on MT today) and couldn't walk and chew gum at the same time, right? See what I meant when I refer to these scums as Rabid Racists?
- Comments on this Posting in other racist, anti-Malay blogs have been interesting as well. Some are calling for this blog owner to be held under the ISA once the PR takes over. See people, my theory's right again. They are all from the same cesspool, irrespective of party. They want to abolish the ISA to get RPK and the Hindraf 5 out, but they still want the ISA to lock up people who have different opinions to theirs. Hypocrites!
- The intolerance to dissenting views is much higher among these MT junkies than anywhere else in the cyberworld. They fight for Free Speech, Freedom to Demonstrate, Freedom of Assembly, ..... BUT they'll be the first to stifle dissent, to want to lock-up people, to insult alternative voices. Well, try sending a pro-Malay, pro-Islamic piece on MT and see what happens. Nothing happens. Someone called "jebatmustdie" commented on Din Merican's blog that his "balance view" sent to MT never gets posted, in effect moderated into oblivion.
- The quality (well, the crudeness) of the Comments from the MT junkies again confirmed my suspicion of their mental capacity and attitude. I've posted some milder ones here. Read and judge yourself.
In a nutshell, thank you to the MT junkies who visited and participated. I've wanted to engage you people for ages now, to show you that your MT Cyber Habitat is NOT the norm, not the definitive rendition of public opinion of the majority of Malaysians. I know THAT for a fact now.
Actually, 40,000 signatures is a HUGE number.
Imagine if you have another petition - side by side - which says "Detain RPK indefinitely under ISA".
How many signature do you think the 2nd one will get?
Hi Kijangmas,
I went to the link to Din Merican's blog (where your entire blog was copied and pasted)and scrolled through the comments. I must say that I am not in the least bit surprised with how crude and moronic their comments were. It says volumes about their attitude and mental capacity. Some just do not want to accept any view different from theirs whilst others simply do not have the intellectual capacity to comprehend what you've written. Well, they are what they are.
I'm glad you've addressed all these people but I hope you won't need to again in the future so that you can continue writing your very insightful pieces.
I appreciate you taking the time to blog. I look forward to reading your posts everyday.
Thank you.
Pink Shades
KijangMas,
Thanks for this lengthy reply to my comment. We seem to share another similarity here - making lengthy replies:-)
I'll come back another time to make another comment. Right now I'm a bit busy trying to write another post at my site. Yes, I'm glad you had noticed it - I do some researching first before sending in a post; hence the low number of posts.
And I do have another blog: Recovery from Drug Addiction at http://cendana287.wordpress.com
Anyway, I'm happy to see that your blog is beginning to attract the attention it deserves ... and all sorts of criticisms, insinuations and abuses:-) THAT'S GREAT! I don't agree with some of the things here, but that's not a problem with me - I appreciate the reasons given by you for all the things that you say.
Mark my words here: Your blog will become BIG very soon Right now I'm trying to figure out how to ride on your coattails Heheh!
We'll be coming across each other more often; this I'm rather confident of.
BTW, despite the fear of being labelled "Menyibuk", I feel your blog deserves "a catchier name" - "Kijangmas" is good (but you'll have to decide whether to spell it as such and stick to it - had seen "KijangMas" at Kickdefella; "Kijang Mas"). BUT "Demi Negara" is a bit too bland and low-profile. Just a thought...
Yawn - another RPK hater..one nobodt will bother to remember 2 seconds after they close this blog.
Pink Shades,
Thanks for your support. When I have the time, I will post some more thoughts on other issues.
As for the ignorant, intolerant racist rogues that couldn't handle my analysis, too bad for them. They have shown their true colours in this and other blogs. Agree, no point in wasting time and bandwith on these pathetic bunch.
Mat Cendana,
You said: "Mark my words here: Your blog will become BIG very soon ..."
Well, I'm not seeking fame and fortune here. In fact, I prefer to remain anonymous.
All I want is a better Malaysia. The Malaysia that should have been. A cohesive, united nation with a shared identity, a shared destiny, a nation of one people with common values and aspirations. There really is no other way. We must be one Bangsa Malaysia proud in our common Bahasa Malaysia.
But sadly our beloved Malaysia has become a nation of ghettos and enclaves, a patchwork of estrange peoples languishing in a tense, stressful and simmering land. This is NOT how you build a nation.
There must a base of shared values and socio-cultural norms. Of course, we may be of different origins, but we cannot go forward as a nation via divergent, distinct paths in language, education and social norms.
As for my blog's name, I think Demi Negara is o.k. Not catchy or glamorous but succinct.
Dear Sir,
This is a gem. If I know where you live, I will head straight to your home to offer my humble self to be under your tutelage. As a fellow Kelantanese I am proud of you. "Oghé Kelaté tok aké hilé di dunio nih"
Clicked your link to Din Merican's DAP/PKR-sponsored self-promoting pseudo-blog and found this comment by one of the RPK zombie cultists by the name of Jeyapalan Mahesan:-
"I am a little ICT not-so-savy & had been wondering about the extent to which deminegara blog can go ... A friend{ICT} explained that one needs to look at the site address to trace the source and gpsr the person and even hack into the site!!!!!"
Wah, pedih sikit sudah mau main kotor ahh? See what these racist thugs and samseng jalanan will do to stifle dissent.
Kijangmas, they like to preach free speech, fairness, keadilan, hak rakyat, hak bersuara, etc. But the first serious chink in their armour, dah menggelabah employ dirty tactics.
Then when orang react to their crimes, they will do police report! Putar belit tak habis-habis. Aku nak muntah tengok geng-geng pemusnah negara ni.
So only BN use dirty tactics kar?
You racist anarchists are worst!
Podahhh!!!
Kijangmas,
Don't bother about the welfare of RPK's wife and family.
She enjoys this limelight. Why do you think she'd carry on antagonizing the authorities in Kemunting without a thought that it might make things worse for the husband inside?
Her mental strength is more powerful than RPK's whom Pink Shades rightfully likened to the dog chasing cars. That is why I think he is used by his wife to front her ideas and chauvanistic views.
Please remember that she is of Chinese desent. When they marry Malay males, they usually have the upper-hand and the Malay husbands usually think they hit the jackpot for marrying a superior race that usually avoids marrying Malays who they deem inferior.
That is why I think that all this while we've been giving to much credit to RPK when it might very well be the wife who is actually behind Malaysia Today.
Bravo Kelantese!
Good piece of work. Gimme more, love it so much. I've to admit I wouldn't be able to articulate my thinking superflously as you did.
Anyway, it's not about being a fellow orghe kelate. Your thinking and analysis, to say the least, is brilliant.
ambo tabik...
Dene - De Me Wih De Golde Ge - The Man With the Golden Gun)
TPJ,
Now that's a fresh, interesting observation.
You know what? I think there is much truth in your thinking.
RPK's wife do seemed strangely upbeat and bubbly even as he's stuck in Kamunting and shuffled to/from the courthouse.
RPK may, indeed, be remembered in history as the tragic "Malay keldai" ridden roughshod by a bunch of Chinese racists and bigots.
Another observation: his MT portal has maintained its form and substance, in fact, dishing out even more scandalous fallacies. RPK's absence made no difference. It's as if RPK was never really involved in the first place.
This is NOT a one-man-show as popularly portrayed by his lady boss.
There must be a whole "industry" out there, well-finance by deep-pocket bosses, well-stocked, with the expertise and resources. Remember, the mirror site(s) emerged in an instant when the MCMC clamped down on the original site.
Maybe he was just the customary loud-mouth "Bumi frontman" after all.
Wonderful kijangmas. Your grasp of the English language is 'magnifique'. I like your analysis and critical thinking, the way you write, the way you reason things. Keep on writing and never, never stop but take care that those RACISTS ASSHOLES don't hack onto your blog.
Fyi, I am hooked to your blog now (as well as chedet's).
Btw, who said that MT is not a racist blog with racist bigots ???? a bunch of hippocrates as you said ...I was upset when I went to their blog the other day. Their comments are mostly ANTI MALAY ANTI ISLAM. Now, they are attacking you for putting the kris on your blog, for saying what they actually are....morons.
Sidek,
Thanks for your tip-off. I'm sure this Jeyapalan Mahesan character will be able to shed some light in the event the lights went out on Demi Negara.
I know that these scums have identified this blog and a couple of other nationalist sites for attack.
Yes, these biadap and kurang ajar ungrateful racist samsengs have declared war on this country. They will leave no stone unturn to hijack and ruin our beloved Tanah Air.
I, for one, will not step aside. This is my Negara. Nobody messes with my Negara.
*******
Zawi and Denone,
Thanks for visiting. As I've said above, the biadap/kurang ajar gang has declared war on our values, identity and way of life.
Allow me to share my thoughts in our beautiful Kelantanese:-
________
Kito semo keno sedar dé péhé gapo puok-puok laknatulloh nih nok buak ko tanoh air kito. Kawé panggé naté nih geng makhlok peghusok. Hok sedihnyo, ghama oghé kito hok jadi jông dio, hok jadi kuba bodo dôk bowoh tapok kaki naté tokpék nga si pok hité. Mulo-mulo kito benar oghé asing nih dok senyak-senyak bowoh naungé raja-raja kito, pah tuh kito bui jadi ghakyak, pah tuh buléh ngundi. Lo nih, kôk balik, tebalik kôk. Naté-naté nih nok jadi bohh kito pulok! Hok muko macé tokpék kandar taik belaké ghumoh bondo kawé pông doh panda berpolitik sapa beghaning nok cabar kito. Kawé raso, oghe Nayu nih aké sedar dé papah bangung lepah dio peghati oghé Kelaté kito doh mulo tunjok gedébé nga naté-naté makhlok peghusok nih. Jadi, kito oghe Kelaté keno lah tunjôk jalé ko sahabak-sahabak kito di negheri-negheri laing di Tanoh Melayu nih. Kito beri semangak dé sôkôngé. Seléké lah ghoyak ko saing-saing Kelaté kito hok dudok Kolupô, Pula Piné dé Peghok supayo tulông bui semangak ko oghe Nayu kito di tepak nih. Dio oghe keno lah masok semangak jué Kelaté. Baghu buleh tepih ancamé naté-naté penyagok nih.
________
Again, appreciate your dropping by. Be safe and be strong for our Negara tercinta.
Dear Deminegara,
Wow, i like this article of yours.I'm going to visit here often . Combination of you and Jebat Must Die will creat spiral effect as well. Here is another favarite blog that I love most (besides chedet) http://jebatmustdie.wordpress.com/2008/09/22/anwars-play-acting-is-encyclopedic-part-3/
If you haven't visited the blog, I would advise you to.
kijangmas,
Fantastic read. This is literature!
My doubts are answered now. RPK is just a charlatan bearing gifts to gullible "MT junkies" (in your words)out there.
The faster these junkies get out of their trance, the better for our country.
Kijangmas, I came across this at Rocky's, and it deserves some space here at yours too.
***********************************
Then again Rocky, having read what Din Merican did to Kijangmas's original posting on “Unraveling the RPK Mystique”, it's expected coming from him.
Pretty obvious that Din Merican is suffering from serious inferiority complex, or the need to be recognized especially among those “small but influential group include fellow bloggers Dr. Azly Rahman, Malik Imtiaz Sarwar, Dr. Bakri Musa, Harris Ibrahim, as well as writers Karim Raslan, Wan Hamidi Hamid and politicians, Zaid Ibrahim and Tunku Aziz Ibrahim”, hence the need for him to insert his name (and Farish Noor) when he reposted Kijangmas’ article over at his own blog.
Not being mentioned in the same line with those ‘influential’ people must be very painful for him, especially when he considers himself as Anwar’s biggest apologist.
Din, just stick to spinning music ok? You being ‘influential’?
Hahahahahaha!
Demi Negara,
I was directed to this article of yours, ergo your website as well, after posting a similar but far less colourful piece in JebatMustDie:-
http://jebatmustdie.wordpress.com/2008/06/04/dictator-dollah-too-stupid-to-learn-any-lesson/#comment-1957
I am so glad that slowly and assuredly, writings like yours, like Jebat’s are appearing and appeasing the info-hungry market of the Silent Majority who had otherwise been fed with a constant nauseatic diet of hate-mongering, RPK-worshipping, intellectually-deficient MalaysiaToday cybertroopers already high in self-delusions. I see that your writing has been posted in one of their lion’s den and as expected, no sooner had you brushed off the dust from the impactful descent, they came scavenging for your blood. But fret not. That’s the way truths make a stand. Calling you names, alleging that you are paid and generally discrediting your abilities to write as mere UMNO stalwarting expose the kind of low-mentality these RPK supporters are.I guess your article hit the the heads of too many nails, driven home too many points there that sensible analysis like yours would better off be killed before it becomes contagious. Heck, the longer they let you spraul around in their turf the more sense you may seem to them, and THAT is not good at all!
In general, there ARE many more sensibly written articles in this manner than the ravenous rantings of blind-but-enthusiastic followers of Malaysia Today but if you notice carefully, foreign news would rather first land on places like MalaysiaKini or MT to get their news. Example: try the daily MSN feeds. Now could that be that sensible voices (or writings) of the Silent Majority are really Silent? Where are we when our country needs us especially when our analysis is vital to be presented to correct the false impressions concocted to the foreigners out there? And if the only “Malay Intellectuals” they read about are only the likes of Azly Rahman, Farish Noor or the grand daddy intellectual of all, Raja Petra Kamaruddin, whence then is our contribution to the betterment of the fare of the nation?
Therefore I would like to suggest to make your blogs more prominent, more far-spreading and more marketed. Perhaps form a circle of like-minded bloggers and exchange infos and articles and form a concerted front in info-dissemination. (I’d like to become a part but I am better off at active commenting than passive and procastinating blogging).
Lastly, that bit about getting paid as slandered: Is it true? If it is, can I be, as well? My car needs a new battery, one tire gone botak and am running a bit low this month after raya. But PKR afficiniados also be take note: pay me and I will start blogging for you all too.
Sheesh. Paid blogging my foot.
read the news today where the gerakan wanita chief picked a point from some bloggers, which she categorizing the bumis, the chinese and indians are pendatang and to have equal rights, with the natives are not well taken care of. well, another fellow mocking the federal constitution. Another angry product from the chinese school system that the dong whatever must be really proud of. What are they teaching at those schools?
-M
Apocryphalist,
Thanks for your comment.
I enjoy reading your meticulously penned writings in the blogosphere.
I know that you're one of the pioneers in seeing the true Rabid Racist colours of Malaysia Today behind their phony facade of political change, human rights, free speech, etc. And yes, I often wondered myself about some Malays who ended up there as collaborators in MT's war against the Malays and Islam. I would think that as "intellectuals," they would the first ones to realise the scam behind MT. But thats not to be. Perhaps it boils down to their pathetic inferiority complex, where their self-worth is dependent on the "validation" of the non-Malays, although this would entail their "collaboration" in the anti-Malay agenda of the MT junkies.
I quote your piece here from the JMD blog:-
"Little do the malays who join in foray of these name calling realize that these putrid profanities are not really directed to the two leaders in question but quiescently and inherently to his own race; cleverly camouflaged in some amorphous shibboleth of Justice, Freedom and Equality."
I couldn't put it any better.
You also made a key point:-
"In Petra’s like-minded mindspace, supporting contributors and visitors deliriously have a false sense of Ultimate Right, calling themselves “the Rakyat” when, of course, we all know better, don’t we?"
Bingo. You hit the nail squarely on the head. The MT Spinmeisters and the MT junkies hijacked the term "Rakyat" to legitimise their narrow anti-Malay agenda. This is part of their template to cloud the perception of the real rakyat and foreign observers.
But Demi Negara and fellow nationalist blogs will lead the charge to unravel this fallacy, to expose their charade.
I hope you drop by often and contribute to the effort to reclaim our nation, our Tanah Air Tercinta from these treacherous hordes.
I love it! A mlelayuy who have balls! Say like it is.
In Tengannung speak:
Ambe tima kasih ade jugok Orang Melayu berani kate balik pada orang Cina dang Keling: "Mung cakap molek sikit nih, Berayok mok mung!".
Its a breath of fresh air amongst plenty of Malays apoloigist in the blogosphere.
MRSM Kalae Chepo 66/73
deminegara,
you are nothing but a cheapskate UMNO cybertrooper trying to discredit RPK. What have you got to say about all the dirty 10000001things about your UMNO masters who are the most notorious racists and corrupt bastards? What you spew out here is nothing but UMNO pigshit fit for a pig sty like PWTC. Convey this feedback back to your UMNO masters, esp. that lesbian azalina and norza zakaria who hired you...out of taxpayers' money. UMNO scumbags like you deserved to be shot upside down by their balls
Dear Demi Negara,
I cannot describe what a pleasure in reading your article. I have the same feeling as yours with regard to MT, but unfortunately is not able to put those feeling into words. You have done in on my behalf and put it into one nice piece of work.
The overwhelming responses and praises that you received shows that there are many who share the same frustration with MT.
Keep up the good work and thank you for letting out the voice of many silent majority against few hypocritical bigots who infest MT as though the represent the voice of Malaysia.
See Anonymous above (October 13, 2008 5:04 AM) for a reaction by a certified malignant toxic MT Junkie. This is actually a relatively mild sample.
Do you think these psychopaths and weirdos think about the much-talked about quest for Fairness, Equality and Justice in their twisted minds? Just marvel at their reaction to the TRUTH and COLD HARD FACTS. Do you think these people will respond to reason? Will be amenable to a dialogue? No. What do you do when you see a cockroach? Hug it? You know what you'll do. Same here with these Rabid Racist Junkies.
Is this MT Junkie a representation of the new Bangsa Malaysia empowered by Ketuanan Rakyat that will drive our beloved Motherland forward in these challenging times?
Think about it.
These are Rabid Racists to the core and we patriotic Malaysians of all races and creeds will weed out these filth from our midst, once and for all.
As an Anak Malaysia, I will not allow these poor excuses for humanity to languish on my Tanah Tumpah Darah; to pollute the minds of our fellow Rakyat with their philosophy of hate and vengeance; to sow the seeds of disunity, indeed, to oppose the very foundation of our nationhood.
As the saying goes: Jangan jolok Harimau tidur. But 5 yrs of persistent joloking has finally awaken the Harimau. Now the Harimau Sudah Bangkit Dari Tidur. And Harimaus do not undur.
For scums like this, I hope they have a hole to crawl into soon.
Quote:-
“… scumbags like you deserved to be shot upside down by their balls.”
This is what the Communist Terrorists did to our gallant servicemen during the Emergency. Saya harap sikap begini tidak berleluasa di kalangan kaum asing.
It makes my blood boil!
Si Bangsat anti-Melayu nih harus di ajar.
Ya Kijangmas, Harimau Perkasa sudah bangkit!
Dino
17 RAMD Para
I’m your ardent fan but I’m also a firm fan of chedet and jebatmustdie. These three blogs are a must-read for me. That’s where I get my education on SoPo issues. It’s heartening to know that there are citizens out there who can articulate their thoughts so well and are able to give meaningful, factual and compelling analysis of their subject matters. You all write with so much passion it’s inspiring.
Even the comments here are well-written such as Apocryphalist’s (tongue- twister name!). I’m happy to see that all of you are using your gift of writing and high intellect for the good of this nation. Keep on blogging. We want to hear your views.
Pink Shades
Pink Shades
Thanks for your support.
You are one of my earliest "junkie" (no, lets call it "fan"). You sent a comment on the very first day of this blog. That was the day I said to myself enough is enough and decided to do my little infinitessimal part in this battle for Malaysia's future.
Thanks also for putting a link at chedet.com (one of my favourites as well).
You know, 6-7 yrs ago I somehow found myself in Che Det's office (when he was still THE head honcho of Malaysia) to explain to him the gist of a paper that I wrote on Corporate Governance. Supersmart guy. Very attentive. Never interject. Sharp, incisive questions.
I guess he took some of my advise (on compelling Entrepreneurs to hire Professional Mgrs) and taught me a thing or two. Also got invited to his trade trips to the U.S. and Japan. Those were fantastic days, so full of hope and ambition. But that's another story for another day (blog?).
KijangMas
Hi Kijangmas,
I am kinda your “junkie” but yeah “fan” is much better. I’m actually surprised you noticed my comment in chedet because I didn’t. I thought it got lost in that avalanche of comments.
I’m guessing you’re from the corporate sector (please correct me if I’m wrong). If you do decide to create another blog, let us fans know. I’m sure it will provoke thought and inspire discussion. I like blogs like that. They are meaningful.
By the way, nice photo of the tiger. How about a more menacing-looking one? The video clip of the 10th Paratroop Brigade, Malay Regimen, is a nice touch too. These visuals drive home some powerful points.
Pink Shades
Major question:
Which groupie gang do you fall into, pray tell?
"Dato'"
Read the posts lah!
"Groupie Gangs" are reserved for followers of RPK/MT.
How could kijangmas be a member of any Groupie Gang?
Like this also a "Dato'" ka? Must be a gift from Ali Rustam.
MPAMTJA
Good thing you put up that Tiger photo in here, Kijangmas.
I just hope that it's one of our own, the Malayan Tiger species, as seen proudly flanking our National Crest (Jata Negara). Hard to tell to the naked eyes, when they all looked so alike. This one appears more like a Bengal Tiger (together with the Siberian ones are bigger than other species), but I stand corrected.
HawkEye,
Bingo.
I think you're correct. This is probably of the Bengal sub-species.
Will search for a true blue Harimau Malaya.
KijangMas
Dear Deminegara:
Undoubtedly, deme have excellent linguistic/writing skills, bravo! Thanks to ur prolonged exposure overseas. Wonder whether you 'went West' as a beneficiary of the NEP(or DEB), a by-product of the May 13...or on FAMA (I mean, father-Mother) scholarship? In any case, I am looking for you 'beef.'
Yes, you can be critical of RPK (am not his loyalist though), or others but he former did unravel 'what's cookin' in the UMNO/BN political melting pot - those sizzling anecdotes ... (the truth yet to be ascertained, by the courts).
Please reveal more of your aspirations, your dream, etc etc., for a developed Malaysia ...
Last, but not least, your Kelatenese mindset (tak hile di dunia..) still deeply embeded in your mind. What is this? Parachiolism? (ooops, my spelling?) Open up ur mind, my fren. Ignore them should ur fellow Kelatenese folks labelled you as "aghah Mu...!'
Just Malaysian (tho Pahang-born)
benj,
Thanks for dropping by.
Let me extinguish some of the fallacies troubling analysts of KijangMas (Demi Negara is the name of the Blog).
- Excellent linguistic/writing skills due to prolonged exposure overseas.
No. I've always spoke and write well, even in my Sekolah Rendah. If your theory works, every single Malaysian “exposed” overseas would be eloguent linguists and literary connoisseurs. Are they? Most just get by with rudimentary talking/writing skills even after years of kena celup overseas.
I’m fortunate to have a father who was very well-educated (Queen's Scholar, sent to London in the late 1950s) and who encouraged me to read at a very young age and who developed a sense of inquisitiveness in his children. Yes, with mum’s support as well. So parenting is key. Not geographical location. I’ve seen very smart people in Rantau Panjang and many stupid people in Mont Kiara and Bandar Utama. Even in the U.S., there are millions of functional illiterates and millions of ignorant people, from the dysfunctional blacks in the ghettos to the White Trash country bumpkins. So lets not generalise here.
- 'Went West' as a beneficiary of the NEP(or DEB), a by-product of the May 13...or on FAMA scholarship?
Why I sense a perversion to any of these possibilities? Is scholarship a bad thing? Heck even Lee Kuan Yew went to Cambridge on scholarship. Nobody’s complaining. Don’t be influenced by the Rabid Anti-Malay Racists who have spun the NEP into a dirty three-letter word. I will post my thoughts on the NEP soon. So no need to elaborate here.
Oh, actually I “went West” on a one-way ticket at the age of 18. My late dad gave me some “start-up” money, a plane ticket, and arranged for an F-1 Student Visa for me to enter the U.S. That’s it. With a cheap suitcase and some clothes, off I went. This was part of my dad’s toughening up regime instilled in all 8 of us. He gave us two options: Go overseas and survive and thrive OR come back and survive and thrive. That’s it. I was not a product of a govt. MRSM or SM Sains or any of those. I went to a normal Sekolah Menengah in PJ where, between gang fights and sports, I managed to ace the system. As Dr. M said, choose your parents (genes) wisely.
In California, I saw the demotivated MARA and JPA “scholars” fooling around while I had to work my butt off to find the money, to makan, to buy books, to exist. But I don’t complain. We are ALL part of the system. You win some; you lose some. I don’t think like a non-Malay Malaysian who’s life is crippled by a hatred of the system, living a wretched life of vengeance.
Anyway, I was later given a scholarship by invitation of the Malaysian Embassy in DC after I trounced every student in the university (and this is not your typical Boondocks U.) with 4.0 GPAs for 3 semesters and 3 of my professors actually wrote to the M'sian Students Dept in DC recommending a scholarship lest I will be "acquired" by the American defense dept or something.
Sure they gave me money to pay fees up until my MBA at a Top 10 US Biz School (where I was the first Malaysian, not Malay, but first Malaysian to be accepted). So what? I've paid back many times more in M'sian income taxes compared to the funds used fo my education. There were many, many non-Malays on the list of M'sian govt. scholars in my peer group across the world, inc. doctors and engineers. Of course Malays get the bulk of the funds because Malays and other Bumis form a 68% majority in Malaysia.
- Kelatenese mindset (tak hile di dunia..) still deeply embeded … in your mind. What is this? Parachiolism?
No. Its called having an anchor. Having a point of reference. Having a distinct Marker amidst life’s complexities. The difference between an Oghé Kelaté and other Malays of this country is that the Oghé Kelaté do not see their race, their identity, their pride as a detriment to progress. We know who we are, and we are proud of it. With our identity firmly in place, we can partake in the business of self-development, of progressing, of fighting it out in the marketplace. There are hundreds of Oghé Kelaté in Southern California. Many are multi-millionaires – making their big bucks in the food and logistics business. A couple even became Hollywood extras. Many have American/Mexican wives. No big deal, The wives will be fully conversant in Kelantanese in no time. My former gorgeous Californian gal could eat nasi kerabu and budu with her hands while sitting cross-legged on the carpet and became a great fan of everything Kelantanese. Ended up marrying another Kelantanese (a Husam Musa lookalike)! She's hooked. That’s the essence of being an Oghé Kelaté. We are not weak and easily swayed by mannerisms of others.
In Kelantan, the non-Malays speak perfect Kelantanese. But in other parts of Malaysia, the Malays are the ones who must adjust to the Bahasa Longkang of these people, hence you speak like an Ah Pek to a Chinese and like a mamak roti to an Indian. Why is that? I know why. Because you are shy of your identity. You are all “reluctant Malays.” That’s why minority races can treat you with contempt. You go to a two-bit coffeehouse and start to utter “Can I have Fresh Orange please” to a fellow Malay. Why? Because your language is not suited to that environment. Sad indeed. But not in KB, from the gardener to the hotel GM to the CEO to the royalties, everybody kécé Kelaté with gusto, with pride, with confidence. That is called IDENTITY. A race with no identity cannot progress. Of course, when the time comes to communicate in English, you will never know I’m a Malay or Malaysian over the phone. That’s the beauty of it. Pure beautiful Kelantanese in Kota Bharu; pure beautiful correct American English in the U.S. No half way, no Manglish here.
Take pride in your Pahang roots. Learn Pahang history. Find out where your ancestors came from. Speak your Bahasa Melayu Pahang aloud, with pride and passion. Be your true self. Only then can you succeed in life’s journey.
Dear Kijang Mas:
Very nice of you for the expeditous response, to share with readers more about yourself, your not-so-easy and the blood-sweat-tears days in going West - in the pursuits of enlightenment and excellence - unlike some, if not, many of those fully-sponsored govt 'scholars' who did not make full use of their grey matter. Am not boasting but just to take some pride, as you did, that I'd gotten almost all As (cd have been CGPA 4 Flat if not of the Jewish Prof.) when I had that opportunity in California. May be, my MU lecturers then were too stingy with marks...Could still recalled that the MU Geography Dept was dubbed as 'The Slaughter House' - simply cos many graduated without 'Honours.'
You're an exception, for sure - inheriting the God-given genes/DNA of a Queen Scholar!. Theoretically, whatever you touch, you can make 'gold'. You could be the first Malaysian-born astronaut at NASA, had you chosen a different path! Am sure you are now doing your share, as a responsible corporate citizen, in your own ways, to the betterment of, not only the Kelatenese folks but Malaysia as a whole.
Touching on this dicey (Kelate) issue, I recalled an instance, during my undergrad days, of one housemate who had no qualms of deserting fellow (non-Kelatenese) housemates merely to join fellow 'countrymen' (statemates rather) - even though he had to commute longer distances to the campus...I presume you dont belong to that cattle of fish. In his defense - he said he would be dubbed as 'unKelatenese' and 'aghah' if he didn't. Hope this mindset/stereotypes are extinct. I am not less-Pahang either - no doubt about it. Thanks for your sincere advise, anyway.
On scholarships - those who had shown merits truly deserve it, as you did. So was your Dad, LKY, Tun Razak, Tan Sri Tajuddin (ex-TNB Chairman, a 1st Class brain) and so forth. No qualms whatever... Again, with deep humility, I was fortunate to be one of the two chosen by the govt. to take up a particular course. However, room shd also be given to the above-average but not-so-financially sound parents so their sons/daughters can break and get out from the poverty-cycle.
Back to RPK - what interest the readers (I dont read them all) are the revelations ... absent in the MSM. Are they totally false and unsubstantiated? I am more interested in 'the beef' - not so much the 'toppings.' Could you imagine what would happen to us, our country in the future? We need good governance and leaders with good morality, as opposed to the 'private- vs public-morality' types. Aint sure if true 'maturity' in democracy means either Party A or Party B could rule, there is a choice.
Of course, I too derived great joy in scanning those beautiful literary pieces, esp penned by Bumis, like your goodself...I take pride in that too.
My God, wish I have more time to write...
In his final paragraphs, I think benj here has voiced the thoughts of a subclass of beings within the silent majority (of whom I am a prime example) who are dissenting within a dissent, rebelling within a rebellion and perhaps pointing to the pointer of the clotheless emperor:-
“ what interest the readers (I dont read them all) are the revelations ... absent in the MSM. Are they totally false and unsubstantiated? I am more interested in 'the beef' - not so much the 'toppings.' Could you imagine what would happen to us, our country in the future? We need good governance and leaders with good morality, as opposed to the 'private- vs public-morality' types. Aint sure if true 'maturity' in democracy means either Party A or Party B could rule, there is a choice.”
Let me surmise what a LOT of like-minded people like us have as their mode of thinking, in the briefest of words:-
1. We don’t like RPK/PKR/DAP/MalaysiaToday/MalaysiaKini etc. If they are going to attack the muslims, belittle Islam or threaten the malays by whatever means, then we are going to retaliate in ways that will make them wish their mothers had never given birth to them.
2. Well we don’t like the ruling government either. Or, more succinctly, large aspects of it, the primeval one being CORRUPTION and DESPICABLE BEHAVIOUR of SOME politicians making up the government. At the same time, we are NOT going to let the country go down the drains just because an alternative ruling body is not available and thus handing the rein to the more spiteful pembangkang (who, of course, have their own agendas).
3. Commensurate with (2) above, we are NOT the ungrateful ones (unlike some segments of society) who never at all recognize the efforts and policies of the government in dealing with poverty, education, fairness, economies etc etc, to THE BEST OF THEIR ABILITIES.
4. We HATE racism, even if it comes from of our own people, the malays. Denying the rights of the non-bumis as guaranteed by the constitution, calling them with derogatory names or saying how one would like to bathe some curved blades with other people’s blood, are not something we are condoning, irrespective of how rhetorical or symbolic that statement can be. However, this should not be misconstrued by others that we are letting YOU to pijak our kepala instead. If sensible people react in the same way as insensible people do, then how can we be WITH you? Remember: an ultra-bigoted chinese will beget an ultra-bigoted malay and vice versa. For the malays, your best recourse is to go back to the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad who had never condoned anything ultra in any of his teachings.
5. We are NOT going to let this country be headed by contesting politicians who are morally bankrupt. Or to be more specific: morally, sexually tainted. And that goes BOTH for those who think sodomization is ok and we just want his “economic expertise” and “social fairness” (read: yang nak hapuskan hak melayu) AND those who have affinities for multi-lingual foreign Central-Asian lasses who are “susceptible for anal intercourse” but now resting in peace in the bosom of the Lord.
6. While government contracts and businesses should be done always in lieu of the NEP in mind, we HATE that all transparencies disappear. We HATE multi-million ringgit kickbacks, multi-billion purchases with dubious contracts etc. We HATE that the result of the NEP should be to enrich one or two friends of the government and making untold number of malays still in the red as far as the social economics is concerned.
7. Between a chauffeur-driven, bimmered Ujang and an Ah Chong or Velloo on motorbike with his wife and two children at the back going to the pasar malam to setup their livelihood for the week, we HATE that the government should still continue awarding contracts to this Ujang while having a blind-eye policy to the plight of Ah Chong or Velloo and not giving their sons scholarships or bantuan. If this is NEP, then NEP is a bad word. (I am not sure whether such a thing or policy exists but that was based on a real scenery I witnessed when I was stopping at the red light in front of Eastin Hotel one day: on my left was this true-to-life Ah Chong with THREE small children clinging to him on his dilapidated honda cup, and on the right was this sardonically grinning MatSom-whose-father-was-a-hospital-dresser-but-now-he-is-a-CFO-,-lunches-at-the-Legend-and-rebukes-kids-from-the-anak-yatim-society-asking-for-donations. I nearly puked on the floor of my car.) Malay muslims would be better off learning how caliph Omar Khattab, Omar Abdul Aziz and the other righteous caliphs handled non-muslims and preserving their rights and taken over their welfares to be responsibilties of the state.
Lets look again at what benj wrote: “…the revelations ... absent in the MSM. Are they totally false and unsubstantiated?”
Well that’s the whole point, you see. Here’s the statement of the problem, in Reader’s Digest version:
BN is good. Opposition is bad.
BN (or members) does unhloy act “A”.
Opposition Media (OM) highlights A.
The MSM hides A.
OM raises a call on eradicating anything corruptive like A
BN says this is all Tuduh-tuduh and Fitnah-fitnah.
OM gives proofs of A. In form of Statutory Declarations, Photocopies of Dubious Letters, Voice recordings, Video Tapes, Leaked reports, Private conversations etc.
MSM hides them while BN invokes OSA on OM.
Now what we, the people simply want to know is this: Are those allegations true? If they are, aren’t we really having extremely BAD people heading the country here? And if they aren’t, ho ho wah lau! We have an extremely air-tight reason for clamping and dismantling opposition voices once and for all under the pretext of creating fitnah to disrupt the peace of society and making the masses at logger-heads with leaders to create instability now, don’t we?
I implore that you, Kijang Mas, to be very Objective, Precise, Factual and Neutral in your postings. So far, your postings are one of the very few who have not shown any …. err... love towards things obnoxious in your bid to defend the malay psyche. Many a blog post have been set up to counter-act some of the very ultra-anti-malay voices in the blogosphere but in so doing, most have been slowly swept by emotionalities: it is as though in order to refute the ultra-bigots of the other side, we ourselves have to be ultra bigots of this side. By that I mean, justifying all the wrong doings of some parties in the ruling government. I mean can you imagine how pathetic that can be? Menteri UMNO kalah 7 juta gambling kat Casino nak defend jugak ker? Ketua Menteri UMNO pegi taji budak pompuan bawah umur pun nak defend jugak ker? BN minister “saya lah orang itu” caught in camera doing some gymnastics without clothes with girl in hotel room nak defend gak ker? In short, does being UMNO, BN, give a free rein to be obnoxious in behaviour because you KNOW that there are people who will defend you? Let us not be like the Malays of the time Sultan Mahmud Mangkat di Julang. Even when they knew their raja was in the wrong, they still continued menyembah, and in so doing gives an assurance to the king (read: leaders) to continue doing wrong.
And thuswith do we find the conundrum of the century: The obnoxious behaviour of those we hate to love in the ruling goverment are exposed by RPK, LKS, TK, AI, KS, and others whom we love to hate.
If some people face an uphill battle in defending the malay’s insight to his viewpoints, it could probably not only because they have been mentioned in the same breath as the corrupt leadership, but they continue to defend them. Let us build a true circle of voices fighting bigotry but at the same time hating injustices as well.
Apocryphalist (Like macam bagusss…)
Hey
This ia a GREAT piece.
amazingly shrewd, well supported with facts and figures
Yeah, pity RPK, in jail for some people who were just spewing toxic
he's a victim of some political agenda
he's gutsy and that is THE ingredient that these people wanted
enlightening reading
Hi Apocryphalist (Ghosh...):
On the 'love-to-hate' and 'hate-to-love' affair, you hit it right on the nail, my dear friend. It's a kind of Malay/Muslim dilemma, I guess.
Very well crafted passages, and I am proud of you too.
Wish our leaders or aspiring leaders knew what are they upto when they vie (or plainly put, elbowed each other) in their quest for leadership. Not for personal glory, wealth creation, etc., etc. - but think of the trials in HIS Court of Justice. Shd take the cue from Abu Bakar when he albeit reluctantly assumed the Caliphate...
Meanwhile bloggers and commentators shd remain apolitical and objective in their opinions/assessments as well as offer constructive criticisms and also solutions in their endeavours towards a better Malaysia...for all, especially to the under-privileged and needy.
God Bless Malaysia!
cayalah, antares, anak aku dapat A untuk tugasan, kau bagi C untuk final gred; kau sorang aje ke yang pandai?
Sang Kijangmas:
It gave great pleasure in scanning thru your well-written postings, within the constraints of my daily chores...
Mind if you reveal to fellow readers just how many years of your prime life were you abroad? Which college were you educated?
Keep writing...perhaps on history of Kelantan, The Pattani Diaspora, etc., etc. or even The UMNO Warlords!
benj,
If you're interested in the Patani story, click on the Patani Book icon on this blog, go through the website and buy the e-Book via paypal.
I finished writing that book earlier this year, culminating over 20 years of data gathering, primary research, deciphering of ancient Malay manuscripts and field study.
Tell the publisher (patanibook(at)gmail.com)that you came from the Demi Negara Blog and you'll get a US$5.00 discount.
KijangMas
Sang Kijangmas:
Tq 4 d immediate response.
Congrats on the Pattani book, I sincerely salute you since this kind of literature is scarce - especially authored by a non-Western. Godwilling, I will try to grab it soonest, and hopefully you are kind enough to autograph it...I did it once with Pierre Trudeau when he was Premier then.
Hey...how about some response to my earlier para?
Kijangmas,
You are truly one in a million. Your blog has opened my eyes to a viewpoint that has so far eluded me. I confess to being an ex-MT junkie, probably Groupie I, but a very naive one at that. Only lately have I discovered Jebat and your goodself, and as a Malay (non-Kelate)I am very proud that there are people like you who also call themselves Malays.
Keep up the good work, and you guys will be able to turn back the tide of the March 8 tsunami. I consider myself in touch with popular feeling, and I think the turnaround back to BN will happen sooner than later.
Anyway your blog is now a must visit for me, and I am recommending it to my friends and family.
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