Have a good year ahead!
FATT...! Have a prosperous New Year ahead...
Just don't let the fats go to waist.
.
. . . Note that the letter 8 comes with two fat lumps and a slim waist at mid-riff.
« November 2007 | Main | January 2008 »
December 31, 2007
Minister of Health
The portfolio of Minister of Health is traditionally reserved for MCA.
However, past records show whoever that occupies the seat will come to the end of the road in politics.
Ng Cheng Kiat (1990), Lee Kim Sai (1995) and Chua Jui Meng (2004) are indisputable examples who are still alive. Whereas, Dr Ng Kam Poh (1969), Lee Siok Yew (1978), Chin Hon Ngian (1986), Mak Hon kam (1987) and Chan Siang Sun (1989) were older testimonies of similar fate, cast in stone.
Only Chong Hon Nyan managed to break the chain in 1984, when he retired as a short-stint Transport Minister after serving as the Minister of Health.
Let's see if Chua Soi Lek can break the curse this time.
National Stock-take Day 3... Bigger No to CORRUPTION!
From 42.5% to 54.5%, a jump of 12 percent-point in less than 48 hours!
CORRUPTION is hurting the national economy, and Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi must be held solely accountable for his pledge on fighting corruption big time.
As Day 3 closes for the borderless opinion poll running on Screenshots currently, the majority opinion seems to sustain the strongest thought that emerged among concerned Malaysians, in home country and abroad.
In less than 48 hours, the demand to have Abdullah held solely accountable for his pledge on fighting corruption big time has increased from 42.5% to 54.5% out of 2,100 votes received so far.
The remaining of the Top 3 issues have also been sustained in the last 72 hours.
1 ) From 39.2% to 41.4% -- The judiciary must prevent Syariah Law from casting legal jurisdiction over non-Muslims.2 ) From 37.2% to 36.9% -- The Internal Security Act (ISA), which mandates imprisonment without trial, should be abolished.
However, let me hasten to highlight that the trend is still in its early stage as the poll will run till January 27.
Incidentally, the three key issues -- related to the ills of corruption in the context of national economy, judiciary/religion and ISA -- all come colossally under the multi-portfolios held by Abdullah Badawi in his capacities as the Finance Minister, chief of the Prime Minister's Department and the Internal Security Minister, respectively.
CAST YOU VOTES. Though all issues are of equal importance, readers are tasked to pick their Top 3 out of the 10 major topics blogged in Screenshots throughout 2007, covering critical governance issues in judiciary, police, human rights, economy and civilians' security.
We want them to sound out, along the principle of collective intelligence, what they think should be the priority areas that say Malaysia can do -- and must do -- a lot more better, a lot more urgently in 2008.
Read this earlier blog entry and find out how you, too, can help send a resounding voice to Putrajaya on your expectation of how this country can make 2008 tick.
Herald's permit: Abdullah flip-flops again
Remember the infamous Abdullah flip-flop on policies? The time, his government flip-flops to reverse a decision to ban a Christian newspaper using the word Allah to refer to God.
The Herald, the 13-year-old weekly published by KL-based Archdiocesan Pastoral Centre for the Catholics community in Malaysia, has been promised a renewal of its publishing permit for 2008, with no conditions attached.
'Hand-delivered on Sunday'
This was confirmed by the Herald's editor, Father Andrew Lawrence, who spoke to the BBC yesterday.
Meanwhile, Augustine Julian, secretary of the Catholic Bishops' Conference, was quoted by Malaysiakini as saying that a new licence had been granted to the Herald, which would continue to use 'Allah' in referring to God in its Bahasa Malaysia section of the bulletin.
"The letter to allow the Herald to be printed was hand delivered by internal security officials on Sunday," he said.
Julian said no reasons were given for the extension but suggested the government would not want to alienate Malaysia's two million Christians ahead of general elections.
Screenshots broke the news
December 20, Screenshots was first to blog that the Herald was facing difficulty in renewing its printing and publication permit.
The Internal Security Ministry, which controls and issues printing and publication permits in the country, had demanded that its Bahasa Malaysia section must be scrapped.
The ministry is headed by Abdullah Badawi as the minister, with Johari Baharum (Umno) and Fu Ah Kiow (MCA) as his deputies.
It triggered a global outcry after the news was picked up by the international news agencies and the Catholic communities worldwide.
It was later made known that the publishers of the Herald had filed a legal suit against the government after they received repeated official warnings that the newspaper could have its licence revoked if it continued to use the word.
The Herald's law suit, filed on December 5, surfaced after the Sabah Evangelical Church of Borneo has also taken similar legal action on December 10, after the Internal Security Ministry moved to ban the import of religious children's books containing the word.
In a statement issued on December 27, the Herald said it would leave to the court to determine the suitability of using the word ‘Allah’ in Bahasa Malaysia.
The use of ‘Allah’ outside of Islam has stirred controversy in Malaysia previously.
Four years ago, the Bible in the Iban language was banned because it translated the word ‘God’ as Allah Taala, which resembles Islam’s name for God.
The ban was, however, lifted after protests from the Christian community.
However, last week, Abdullah's deputy Johari resurrected the controversy by telling Malaysiakini that the word ‘Allah’ can only be used in the context of Islam and not any other religion. Quote:
“Only Muslims can use ‘Allah’. It’s a Muslim word. It’s from (the Arabic language). We cannot let other religions use it because it will confuse people,” he said when contacted.“We cannot allow this use of ‘Allah’ in non-Muslim publications, nobody except Muslims. The word ‘Allah’ is published by the Catholics. It’s not right,” he told Malaysiakini.
The Star's Wong Chun Wai, said to be a devout born-again Christian, wrote on the issue in his column yesterday: Similarities in the faiths not unusual.
Does OKT know implications of Dec 27 verdict on Subashini?
The majority ruling by the Federal Court over the R. Subashini divorce petition against her Islam-converted husband stated that the civil court has jurisdiction to hear and decide on matrimonial disputes involving a spouse who has converted to Islam.
However, in the same verdict, the majority decision also stated that the conversion to Islam of the estranged couple's children can be done with just the consent of one parent [ SEE FULL JUDGMENT HERE ].
Non-Muslims fear this most as they see it as an erosion of their civil rights under the Federal Constitution.
It's bery strange that, according to the Pravda of the MCA, the president of the Chinese race-based political party had welcomed the court ruling, wholesale!
Does OKT understand the implications? Or he has ulterior motives?
Batu Buruk: Live bullet victims denied bail, again
Yesterday, a Kuala Terengganu Sessions Court judge denied bail for two civilians who were targets of live bullets fired by the police during the Sept 8 Batu Burok Incident.
The duo were charged with unlawful assembly and voluntarily causing hurt to a policeman.
December 14, the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) expressed its disappointment with the authorities' decision to charge the two individuals, namely Suwandi Ghani and Muhammad Azlan, on Dec 9, for allegedly causing injury to policeman Wan Abdul Aziz Wan Omar.
Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, the Suhakam Commissioner who heads the commission's open inquiry panel, said c harging the duo just four days before the probe was "very disappointing"
Section 12 (2) and (3) of the Suhakam Act 1999 states that the commission shall not inquire into any complaint relating to any allegation of the infringement of human rights which is the subject matter of any proceedings pending in any court, including appeals or has been finally determined by any court.
December 13, I spoke during a petition session at the Suhakam, chaired by Commissioner Dato' Choo Siew Kioh, that my interview by the Bukit Aman CCID in relation to my live commentaries over Al-Jazeera on Nov 10 was also skewed to the live bullets issue.
In a memorandum to Suhakam, my comrades at DAP related in details to a spate of stampeding on human rights as exemplified in various fear-inducing tactics employed by the Abdullah Administration, the Attorney-General and the Police over the last few days and months.
We are still awaiting for Suhakam's reaction.
December 29, 2007
National Stock-take Day 1... It's CORRUPTION!
UPDATED VERSION. CORRUPTION is hurting the national economy, and Abdullah Badawi must be held solely accountable for his pledge on fighting corruption big time.
That seems to be the strongest thought among concerned Malaysians, here and abroad, who are active online and converging on a borderless opinion poll run on Screenshots.
They also appear to feel strongly about the erosion of civil rights under the Federal Constitution, and the judiciary is being looked up as the bastion to prevent Syariah Law from casting legal jurisdiction over non-Muslims.
Besides, they largely think that, as an imperative from the human rights perspective, the Internal Security Act (ISA), which mandates imprisonment without trial, should be abolished.
Incidentally, the three key issues related to economy, judiciary/religion and ISA all come colossally under the multi-portfolios held by Abdullah Badawi in his capacities as the Finance Minister, chief of the Prime Minister's Department and the Internal Security Minister, respectively.
INITIAL READING... Over 1,100 readers responded within the first eighteen hours after the 2007 Year End Poll was launched on Screenshots at 3.00pm yesterday.
Though all issues are of equal importance, readers are tasked to pick their Top 3 out of the 10 major topics blogged in Screenshots throughout 2007, covering critical governance issues in judiciary, police, human rights, economy and civilians' security.
We want them to sound out, along the principle of collective intelligence, what they think should be the priority areas that say Malaysia can do -- and must do -- a lot more better, a lot more urgently in 2008.
Results after the first 18 hours with 1,156 votes returned indicate that the initial Top 3, in descending sequence of priority, are skewed towards:
The poll runs for one month till January 27. The trend may change in the next 30 days.
INTELLIGENTSIA DIASPORA? Interestingly, in-coming traffic on Day 1 of the poll indicates respondents are skewed towards intelligentsia from urban centres in Malaysia, predominantly west coast of the peninsula, and cosmopolitan overseas, predominantly from western Europe, east and west coasts of USA, and the south-eastern coast of Australia.
Are these respondents from urban Malaysia and global cosmopolitans to be taken as probable diaspora of our K-Generation who still bear high hopes for change in the country? Do their voices get a fair hearing by the Big Ears?
The geographical trends shaped by the locality of the respondents may also point to a new knowledge environment, in that the digital divide precipitated by Internet access has resulted in the polarised worlds between the info-rich and the info-poor.
We will, however, wait out the run-time for the poll and determine later if these hypotheses could be established convincingly.
Meanwhile, let's do a national stock-take over the quality of governance in this country, and stay on course as to how we, in a unity of purpose, should make 2008 more focussed in our quest for change at the right places.
Poll Mechanics. The poll is independently hosted by a San Francisco-based company, which guarantees total privacy of the respondents, including non-disclosure of their personal information.
Please note that Terms and Conditions apply for respondents' conduct and accuracy of information. Screenshots does not, and cannot, intervene to hold sway on polling trend and its outcome -- YOU stake your opinion in confidence and you take charge of the space for THINKING ALLOWED, THINKING ALOUD.
The poll is AJAX-enabled. You can get fresh results on-the-fly every time you log on to Screenshots or whenever you refresh the browser.
Fellow bloggers who would like to collaborate on this poll can copy the code and publish it on their respective blogs.
Thank you.
December 28, 2007
2007 is soon history... Please take a poll
I have listed 10 major topics that Screenshots blogged about throughout 2007.
Please take a poll to help me determine which part of Malaysia that needs to do better in 2008, and urgently too!
The poll is on the right-hand column of the frontpage. It runs for one-month from today till January 27. Thanks.
Dec 28: X-files who and what
Malaysiakini will reveal its Newsmaker of The Year today.
(UPDATES: Correct, Correct, Correct! It's out by now.)
But, year on year, my eyes are trained on the X-Files.
December 27, 2007
Can democracy thrive in Islamic state, Pakistan?
BENAZIR BHUTTO IS DEAD. Assassinated.
She died the world's first Muslim woman democratically elected (twice) to lead a Muslim country, once upon a time.
The Telegraph, India, December 28, 2007
Le Figaro, Fance, December 28, 2007
The Province, Canada, December 28, 2007
Toronto Star, Canada, December 28, 2007
Daily News, New York USA, December 28, 2007
Kompas, Indonesia, December 28, 2007
Courier-Mail, Brisbane, Australia, December 29/30, 2007
The Guardian, UK, December 29, 2007
Pakistan's real nightmare will rise after Bhutto is buried.
OKT and FAK to mediate in Sabah church lawsuit?
What has become of Bernard Dompok and Dr Maximus Ongkili, the two ministers from Sabah parked in the Prime Minister's Department and recently re-branded to take charge of Christian affairs (sic)?
The latest we heard is that Ong Ka Ting, Abdullah's minister in charge of Chinese affairs (sic), is now also doubling up to take charge of Christian affairs, with deputy minister Fu Ah Kiow assisting.
Little Birds close to churches told Screenshots that OKT and FAK have been tasked to mediate and to persuade the plaintiffs to withdraw a lawsuit against Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi, in his capacity as the Internal Security Minister, and the Malaysian government.
Last week, December 10, a Sabah church sued Abdullah and the government for banning the importation of Christian children books from Indonesia. [ SEE STATEMENT HERE ]
Sabah Sidang Injil Borneo (SIB), or the evangelical church of Borneo, is the largest Christian denomination in the state.
According to media reports, Sabah Sidang Injil Borneo Church’s lawyer Lim Heng Seng had submitted a certificate of urgency to the court to obtain the hearing today.
However, when the case was brought up for mention at the Kuala Lumpur High Court in Jalan Duta today, it was postponed to January 15 next year.
Senior federal counsel Azizah Nawawi, who is representing the government, requested for an adjournment on the ground that "several relevant parties are in the midst of discussion to resolve the issue".
The plaintiff's lawyer did not object to the defendants' application.
BACKGROUNDER, From Malaysiakini:
The suit, filed on behalf of the SIB Church by its president, Pastor Jerry Dusing, is against the government and the prime minister, who is also internal security minister, after six titles for their children’s Sunday school were confiscated by the authorities.The church is seeking to nullify the ban to import four Bahasa Indonesia titles and the withholding of two other titles under the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984.
The church is also requesting the courts to compel the minister to return the consignment of materials that were ‘unlawfully detained’ by Custom officers at the Low-Cost Carrier Terminal on Aug 15.
The ministry has replied in writing to the church in September explaining that the books were prohibited because the Bahasa Indonesia publications contained certain words that were exclusive to Islam.
The words in contention are ‘Allah’ (God), ‘Baitullah’ (House of God), ‘Solat’ (prayer) and ‘Kaabah’ (The Sacred House).
The church had emphasised that the seized publications were for educational purposes within the church and not for sale or distribution.
The church is also seeking the court to rule on the constitutional right and legitimate expectation to the use of the term 'Allah' as a translation for God in Christian publications as well the right to import such publications.
Subashini
UPDATED VERSION, 12:15hr: The Federal Court, sitting in a 3-member panel today, ruled against R Subashini on a legal technicality -- that her divorce petition in the civil court was “premature and invalid”. Quote Malaysiakini:
In a 2-1 decision, the federal court said that Subashini’s divorce petition was prematurely filed under the Law Reform (Marriage and Divorce) Act 1976 (LRA).According to the act, the wife can only file for divorce three months after the date of her husband T Saravanan’s conversion to Islam, as stipulated under Islamic law.
However, Subashini’s divorce petition was filed nine days before the three months expiration date. The divorce petition is deemed null and void.
Justices Nik Hashim Nik Ab Rahman and Azmel Ma'amor struck out Subashini’s case while justice Abdul Aziz Mohamad gave the lone dissenting view in 112 pages. [ SEE FULL JUDGMENT HERE ]
The baby step made in favour of Subashini, and probably of other non-Muslims, is that all three judges agreed that the dissolution of her marriage and child custody will continue to be under the jurisdiction of the civil court.
Fresh petition... then Syariah Court?
Subashini, 28, a Hindu, is trying to stop her husband, who has converted to Islam and assumed the name Muhammad Shafi Saravanan Abdullah, from taking matrimonial proceedings to the Syariah Court.
Today's verdict allows Subashini to file a fresh petition, but the motion to prevent taking her matrimonial proceedings to the Syariah Court may come full circle again when the case is heard in due time. [ UPDATES, 09:10hr Dec 28: Read theSun: Civil or Syariah, still unclear ]
Meanwhile, two sets of law have come in her way and yet she can be faulted for trampling on neither. Her children will grow up in uncertain parenthood as she is trying to sort out the right of custody and other related matters
Earlier, in May 2007, the Federal Court had ruled that Saravanan did not abuse the law by converting his four-year-old son to Islam without the knowledge of the mother.
It said that according to Islamic law, only one parent need to be informed in the conversion of a child.
The court also ruled that it was within the right of Saravanan as a Muslim to file the divorce proceedings in the Syariah Court.
.
ORIGINAL POSTING AT 09:39HR
First thing first. My heart goes to housewife R. Subashini.
Her hope to keep her children, and her civil rights, is hanging by the hairline.
Today, the Federal Court -- the highest court in the country -- will announce their decision whether an Indian Hindu wife can seek justice in the civil courts despite her Islam-convert husband initiating divorce proceeding in the syariah courts.
The verdict is due to be announced today, three months after lawyers from both sides of the controversial case made their final arguments.
It will be the final recourse for Subashini, and the precedent set will affect the fate of others caught in similar situation perpetually from now till kingdom comes.
It will also trigger deep thoughts over the fundamental rights of non-Muslims in this country.
March 31, I wrote that the Subashini case may trigger a constitutional crisis because of the fundamentals involved in the jurisdiction of civil law and syariah law in this country.
Demolition
By the way, mortal Abdullah Badawi has tasked equal mortal S Samy Vellu -- both are members of the government of the day -- only to protect Hindu temples from demolition. Even that is a temporal measure without constitutional grounding. It is a political manoeuvre eroding civil rights enshrined by the Federal Constitution.
From Malaysiakini
Thursday date for Subashini decision
Soon Li Tsin | Dec 26, 07 10:56am
The fate of whether an Indian Hindu wife can seek justice in the civil courts - despite her Islam-convert husband initiating divorce proceeding in the syariah courts - will be known tomorrow.
The Federal Court - the country’s highest court - will announce their decision three months after lawyers from both sides of the controversial case made their final arguments.
The three-member panel comprising justices Nik Hashim Nik Ab Rahman, Abdul Aziz Mohamad and Azmel Ma'amor will decide whether the civil or syariah court is more authoritative on the issue of divorce when one spouse converts to Islam - an issue that has been a long-standing moot point in the trial.
Subashini, 28, is trying to stop her 31-year-old husband, T Saravanan - a Hindu who has converted to Islam and assumed the name Muhammad Shafi Saravanan Abdullah - from taking their divorce and custody proceedings to the Syariah Court.
Saravanan converted in May 2006 along with their eldest son, Dharvin Joshua, 4. The husband then launched proceedings in the Islamic syariah court for divorce as well as custody of their second son, Sharvin, 2.
During her appeal to the lower Court of Appeal on March 13, justices Suriyadi Halim Omar and Hassan Lah - who made the majority 2-1 decision - told her to take her case before the Syariah Court instead, while justice Gopal Sri Ram dissented.
According to the majority decision, the injunction sought by Subashini was unnecessary because the Syariah Court is competent enough decide on the matter.
However, on March 30, Subashini was granted an interim injunction by the Court of Appeal restraining Saravanan from pursuing his claims in the Islamic court.
The injunction also effectively restrained him from converting their youngest son to Islam and from pursuing his custody claims in the Syariah Court.
It was also held in the landmark ruling that a Muslim could apply to the Islamic court to convert his or her underage children without permission from the non-Muslim spouse.
Three possible outcomes
There are three likely possible outcomes from the Federal Court tomorrow:
1. The court may decide against Subashini on technical grounds - over the date of Subashini's divorce petition which was within three months of her husband's conversion date.
According to the law, the petition should be filed three months after the conversion date. Subashini argued that she was not aware of the date of her husband’s conversion. If so, the case will be thrown out and lawyers can choose to file her divorce petition again.
2. The court may decide against Subashini on substantive grounds - that the Syariah Court has jurisdiction and orders her to take her case there. This effectively rules that civil courts have no say in conversion cases especially after syariah proceedings have commenced.
3. The court may decide for Subashini - she will get remedy in civil courts, her husband may not proceed further in syariah courts and he has to go back to civil courts because their marriage was originally solemnised under civil law.
Whatever the Federal Court decision, it will be considered a landmark judgment.
Aftershocks from Joy
This decision will be the second time the apex court is to decide on a matter involving the vexing issue of religious freedom.
Previously, the Federal Court held that the jurisdiction on issues concerning a Muslim who wants to convert to another religion lies with the Syariah Court.
In the landmark judgment by former chief justice Ahmad Fairuz Sheikh Abdul Halim, Lina Joy was held to remained a Muslim and her religious status cannot be removed from her identity card.
Born an ethnic Malay Muslim, and called Azlina Jailani, Joy was introduced to Christianity in 1990.
It has left her fighting authorities, first for her new name to be put on her identity card, then to have her former religion removed.
The controversial judgment has left the nation divided over one's freedom of religion as enshrined in Article 11 of the Federal Constitution.
Law absentee for 10 years... JC triumphs over CJ
In a 3-2 majority decision, Federal Court ruled that former law dean Dr Badariah Sahamid's appointment as a judicial commissioner (JC) is valid.
Justice Abdul Hamid bin Haji Mohamad, the Chief Judge (CJ), gave the dissenting judgment.
The CJ holds the opinion that Dr Badariah does not qualify as a JC as she has not practised law in 10 years.
Other presiding federal court judges include Haji Hashim bin Haji Yusoff, Azmel bin Haji Maamor, Nik Hashim bin Nik Ab. Rahman and Zulkefli bin Ahmad Makinudin.
At the time I blogged this entry, it was not made known who the other dissenting judge was, though Little Birds told me Justice Zulkefli was the one.
Earlier, the Bar Council had applied to declare Dr Badariah's appointment as JC null and void as it is ultra vires to Articles 112AB and 123 of the Federal Constitution.
September 26, legal fraternity in Malaysia submitted a memorandum urging the establishment of a judicial appointments commission for the appointment and promotion of judges. Hitherto, it remains no avail.
True. Blogger arrested
But where's Part II?
What Pak Ron (here and here) and Rocky's Bru blogged on Christmas Eve are true.
Today, two reporters from The Star confirmed that Pahang-based blogger Mohd Shukri Jamaluddin,who is known online as Cucu Mat Kilau, was indeed arrested by police in Kuantan on Monday.
He was, however, released two and a half hours later.
Cucu Mat Kilau has since lodged a report for wrongful detention.
He gave a first-hand account in his blog of how he was arrested, with pictures of break-in by the Police, before being taken away in handcuffs.
THERE MUST BE A PART II. Why was Cucu arrested? What's the police charge against him? Was law adhered to making his arrest? Had Cucu's personal belongings that the police confiscated on his arrest, reportedly three cellphones and a laptop, been returned unscathed? Has police initiated prompt investigation on Cucu's police report?
Is this the reason the Police didn't want IPCMC?
December 24, 2007
ho ho ho
Joy to the world, and may peace transcend...
Here's wishing you, my friends far and near, a Merry Christmas.
Rust Putin
Evidently, TIME magazine senior editors went rusty on history and cock-ed up on some chronological facts about their Person of the Year 2007, Vladimir Putin, dubbed Tsar of The New Russia.
According to Rory O'Connor of Global Vision, there was a serious discrepancy between the "FULL" and "COMPLETE" versions of the TIME transcript of its interview with Putin for "Person of the Year".
O'Connor claimed that a glaring factual error was edited out of the transcript in an attempt to spare top executives embarrassment over an exchange at the beginning of the chat between the Russian leader and Time Inc. Editor-in-Chief John Huey, managing editor Richard Stengel and deputy managing editor Adi Ignatius.
The official version of the transcript, as it appears on TIME's web site, is prominently labeled "Putin Q&A: Full Transcript". It begins like this:
TIME: Despite the cold war, Russia and the United States have found themselves aligned in many of history's big conflicts: World War I, World War II and now, thanks in large part to your response to 9/11, there seems to be some alignment in the war against Islamic fundamentalist terrorism. With that history in mind, how do you envision the relationship between Russia and the U.S. going forward?PUTIN:
Indeed, Russia and the U.S. were allies during the two tragic conflicts of the Second and the First World Wars, which allows us to think there's something objectively bringing us together in difficult times, and I think?I believe?it has to do with geopolitical interests and also has a moral component. Of course, the cold war marked a tragedy in relations between our two countries, and I wouldn't want to see the vestiges of those relations prevailing in the future?
However, an earlier and more "full and complete" transcript of the interview, posted last week on MediaChannel.org -- a part of GlobalVision -- but which originated on the New Zealand site Scoop.co.nz, has an entirely different beginning, one that may make Time's senior executives look bad and, perhaps, incredibly obsequious:
QUESTION: Mr. President! First of all, I would like to thank you on behalf of all my colleagues for your hospitality today. Second, we consider that it is a great honour for us to be able to conduct this interview. Your cooperation with Time magazine means a lot to us. Its result will be a serious material, and quite broad in nature and scope.I want to start with the first question. You were born in 1946 - I was born in 1948. We belong to the same generation. We grew up in countries that lived with the unavoidable presence of the enemy. But historically, and in most major conflicts - World War One, World War Two - Russia and the United States have been allies. And now, in large part thanks to your role, Russia is cooperating in the struggle against Islamic terrorism.
In view of our history, how would you predict the development of relations between Russia and the United States as they resolve global problems in the future? How would our generation assess their future prospects for cooperation?
VLADIMIR PUTIN:
If you will allow me, I will correct you a little bit on certain dates. I could not have been born in 1946 because at that time my father was suffering from the wartime wounds and my mother survived the Leningrad blockade. After they had lost two children and their health it was unlikely that they could have thought of having another child right away. And I think it is for that reason that I was born a little later, in 1952. But this does not change the essence of the problems and the issues you raised - this is absolutely correct.
The crux of the discrepancy, as O'Connor argued, was that TIME, 'America's leading putative newsweekly', couldn't even get the most basic fact about Putin right -- namely his date of birth -- something Mr. Google could get done in 'just 3.2 seconds' (O'Connor had timed it)!
"Admittedly, being off a mere six years about a world leader's age isn't, well, the end of the world. But Time's embarrassing inability to get even this very basic fact correct certainly leads one to question its trustworthiness in other, far larger matters of fact and substance," O'Connor said.
"Moreover, its apparent attempt to cover up the error - and to mislead the public by posting an incomplete transcript and billing it as complete - is even more egregious," he added.
We were told that O'Connor contacted TIME for an explanation, but to no avail.
"By the time I called Time for reaction, John Huey was unavailable, having already left for the holidays," he said.
"Managing Editor Richard Stengel was still around, but failed to return several phone calls seeking a "full and complete" explanation of Transcriptgate," he added.
O'Connor can be contacted at Roc @globalvision.org or Tel: 212-246-0202 Ex. 3009.
BACKGROUNDER. MediaChannel.org is a nonprofit, public interest Web site dedicated to global media issues. MediaChannel offers news, reports and commentary from its international network of media-issues organizations and publications, as well as original features from contributors and staff.
MediaChannel is concerned with the political, cultural and social impacts of the media, large and small. It exists to provide information and diverse perspectives and inspire debate, collaboration, action and citizen engagement.
Screenshots has been collaborating with MediaChannel as a monitoring post for the region.
December 23, 2007
Jeff Sparrow... Ver2.0
Jeff Sparrow no more. I was elated to find out yesterday morning that, barely five days after the surgery, vision on the right eye has improved to 6/12 without optical aids, and myopia reduced from 900 to around 100... and stablising. The microscopic stitches should be ready for removal soon.
Calculated risk considered, that prepared me in time to personally host the CY Leow Photography Seminar at the National Science Centre in the afternoon. The quality crowd kept to punctuality -- a virtue deemed lost among Malaysians -- and it enabled us to start 10 minutes ahead of scheduled time.
Moriazi-san and I... Picture courtesy Edward Chan
The sifu and I... Picture courtesy Moriazi-san
Sponsored by Viewty / LG Mobile... Picture courtesy Paul Choo
I really have to thank Dr Azhar Zainudin and his team at Tun Hussein Onn National Eye Hospital. The consultant explained and answered questions well enough to enable me make that decisive move without any hesitation .
From initial diagnosis to surgery took me only five days of waiting time. Post-op care was good and smooth, and optometrist Puan Azimah is getting the supplier to custom-make a sample contact lens -- free of charge -- for my good eye, which is ironically in high myopia.
Both the ophthalmologist and optometrist recommended contact lens for me. I was a contact lens user until 2002. Given a choice, I still prefer glasses as I can power-up from bed to office at god-speed without having to go through the rituals.
For now, long vision is good but reading capability is still impaired. I can't research for blog, and I still can't drive as contrast of dark spots is still not yet optimum. In fact, I had lost two solid weeks of productivity since the problem got on me December 10.
One good thing is that, being away from Internet for two weeks -- -- and insulated from the disgusting and depressing news about this Abdullah Administration -- the family doctor said my blood pressure had never been this beautiful in the last four years.
Vision is...
Talk of vision, as if pulling a premeditated scoop on me, CY Leow started his photo talk with a quote from Jonathan Swift, the author of Gulliver's Travels, which says: "Vision is the art of seeing what is invisible to others".
That's a lot of wisdom for me as it came in a cathartic moment of satori. Abdullah should try experience that Japanese Decisive Moment for having made us suffering fools.
But really, there's absolutely no excuse for abusing the eyes now that I am given a second chance in life, thanks to modern eye-care technology. And thanks to my loving wife, too, who helped drip the antibiotics and washed my hair the one whole week. (She must be resenting sleeping in the stench of Bronyx back-alleys ;-)
Gotta cherish all these, folks.
December 20, 2007
(Catholic) Herald's KDN under threats?
Little Birds told Screenshots that the Herald, the newsletter published by KL-based Archdiocesan Pastoral Centre for the Catholics community in Malaysia, may have difficulty in renewing its printing and publication permit unless the Bahasa Malaysia section is scrapped.
The Herald, I was told, has been publishing in four-language sections every issue in the past many years. The Bahasa Malaysia section has been an effective communication channel to reach out to the Catholics among the indigenous communities in Sabah and Sarawak.
The printing and publication permit is controlled by the Internal Security Minister, of which zzzzzzzzzzzz is the reigning minister.
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The Abdullah Administration has perpetrated a new form of governance - a “somnambulant” governance.
For those uninitiated, the Oxford Dictionary defines 'somnambulism' as 'sleepwalking'.
The last time Abdullah was caught being somnambulant was when he was featured in a stinging Malaysiakini editorial by Steven Gan, November 27: "Abdullah is arguably the most incompetent PM we ever had. He has just sleep-walked his way through his first term."
This time, the 'sleepwalker' affix was found appropriate on Abdullah by Parliamentary Opposition Leader, Lim Kit Siang.
Lim arrived at this ‘somnambulant’ possibility after reading conflicting newspaper reports on the prime minister’s reaction to the proposal to set up a Non-Muslim Affairs Department to handle sensitive issues pertaining to religion.
The proposal, for that matter, was made by a coalition of Indian non-governmental organisations who met Abdullah in the aftermath of arrests of Hindraf leaders under ISA.
Abdullah was asked by the government-controlled mainstream media to comment on the proposal. Nobody knew if the press misunderstood the PM, or the PM misunderstood the issue, or both and 4th Floor Boy Kamal didn't mind it -- nwhat resulted was news reporting, including those by the Umno mouthpieces, to be described by Lim as “utterly befuddling and confusing”.
Let's scan the contradictory headlines in the mainstream press and see if anybody knows what Abdullah was talking about:
- Berita Harian: Kerajaan tubuh Jawatankuasa Hal Ehwal Bukan Islam
(Gov’t forms non-Muslim Affairs Dept)
- New Straits Times: Government considers setting up panel for non-Muslims
- theSun: Non-Muslim affairs dept, if necessary
- The Star: Non-Muslims looked after – We already have panels to handle their affairs, Abdullah
- Bernama: Not necessary for Non-Muslim Affairs Dept now, says PM
“How can Abdullah's one response produce three different perceptions as to what he meant - from setting up the department, to studying the proposal and an outright dismissal?” asked Lim.
“I do not blame the journalists, whether reporters or sub-editors for getting three completely different versions from one response, as nobody really knows what Abdullah was talking about,” he added.
Ministers of faiths -- OKT, Samy, Dompok/Ongkili
There appears to be another cock-up in how Abdullah recognises his own XXL-sized Cabinet.
Lim said Abdullah's statement that various ministers in the cabinet have been charged with the responsibility of looking after the interests of different religious groups also come as a surprise.
He accused the prime minister of making cabinet appointments on-the-run, with the public and ministers themselves completely unaware of the existence of such portfolios and responsibilities. Quote Malaysiakini:
According to the premier, Housing and Local Government Minister Ong Ka Ting is looking after the interests of the Buddhists, Works Minister S Samy Vellu covers the Hindus and Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Bernard Dompok covers the Christians in the country.Lim said no one in the past four years of Abdullah's premiership was aware that Ong is also Minister for Buddhist Affairs, Samy Vellu, Minister for Hindu Affairs and Dompok, Minister for Christian Affairs.
“This utter ignorance that there are ministers for Buddhist, Hindu and Christian Affairs is illustrated by the fact that the New Straits Times – an Umno-owned newspaper – reported that it is another minister in the Prime Minister's Department, Dr Maximus Ongkili, who is charged with looking after Christian Affairs,” he noted.
“I do not believe that Ong, Samy Vellu, Bernard or Maximus are aware that they are also ministers for these respective religions - or can they give a report as to how they had been discharging their ministerial responsibilities over these portfolios since their appointment?” he added.
Lim also asked if MPs could direct questions falling specifically under these respective subjects to the ministers in Parliament?
“When did the prime minister make these cabinet appointments and why were they never announced to the public. Were these appointments ever gazetted?” he added.
Lim said this “disturbing episode” of Abdullah making cabinet appointments on-the-run is an antithesis of a vibrant, dynamic, far-sighted and visionary leadership and government.
Perth is summer now. Time to jean todt the boat through new year, once again?
Leave the crisis management to the anak sulung among them foxy guys, if you may. You are majority. The rakyat can pick up the bills.
Korea's Internet-elected president is gone
Former Hyundai CEO Lee Myung-bak will be the president of South Korea.
Lee has campaigned on the promise that the per capita income of South Koreans will reach $30,000 within five years and $40,000 within 10 under his administration.
Lee has proposed the so-called "MB Doctrine'' (using the initials of his name) for foreign policy that comprises seven projects to be undertaken by his administration, encompassing North Korea, unification, security and diplomacy.
Screenshots first wrote about the rising star, president-elect Lee Myung-bak, when I visited South Korea earlier this year. I recorded that Lee was extremely popular for having defied public perceptions during his tenure as the Seoul's mayor and boldly restored Cheonggye Cheon into a intra-city environmentally-friendly flood mitigation system.
I also mentioned that the success of Cheonggye Cheon Restoration, too me, was a case of solving an old problem with new ideas. The achievement, I believed then, also helped Lee consolidate his image as a serious contender for the 2008 presidency race -- which has now come to pass.
Roh blamed for over-growing bureaucracy
Incumbent Roh Moo-hyun who took office in February 2003 and dubbed Korea's first Internet-elected president, has been under criticism for increasing the size of the bureaucracy excessively.
The number of public servants increased by 65,000 since Roh commenced office, according to the Ministry of Government Administration and Home Affairs.
It marked the second largest increase after the Roh Tae-woo government, who took office in 1988, and added more than 176,000 government jobs.
Under the incumbent Roh Moo-hyun government, a total of 28 new public institutions were established and the wages of public officials also increasing by up to 50%.
According to his pledges, Lee will scale down ministries and smaller central government branches, currently totaling 56, and will reorganize 416 government-affiliated committees. In addition, a number of organizations will be merged or disbanded.
Food for thought for Abdullah who can't even recognise his own XXL-sized Cabinet.
Sacrifice
Here's wishing all Malaysians Selamat Hari Raya Aidil Adha. Aidil Adha (Arabic: عيد الأضحى ‘Īd al-’Aḍḥā) is a religious festival celebrated by Muslims worldwide as a commemoration of Nabi Ibrahim's (Abraham's) willingness to sacrifice his son Ismael for Allah.
Spare a thought for those inconvenienced by the annual floods.
December 18, 2007
Jeff Sparrow
A Bangsa Malaysia team performed the eye surgery on me at the Tun Hussein Onn National Eye Hospital yesterday.
Two hours after ops
The ophthalmologist was Dr Azhar Zainudin, who was assisted by Dr Wong the anaesthetist and two Indian staff nurses, observed by three students from SJMC.
No, it was not another project by the Barisan Nasional government as the operation was fully paid for by our insurance company.
My 10-year-old paid tribute to Jack the Caribbean Pirate and started calling me Jeff Sparrow.
I might not be able to blog for several days. I'll rest my case eyes for now.
December 17, 2007
Najib VS Badawi in floods
While Abdullah is busy messing up the floods of Hindraf aftermath, Najib is looking for alms for the real flood victims in Malay heartland.
Why are corporates standing on sideline, arms folded?
Happy?
There's a happy.com.my lurking somewhere. Go ask DiGi.
December 16, 2007
'Future bright for the Chinese'... so says OKT
Isn't this Malaysia? Why just Chinese?
And how did the OKT read the stats to justify his maths?
'Silent Majority'... YOU?
Good brains start to question when nincompoops speak.
For example, when you say you are Damai Malaysia and you are the silent majority, the nincompoops attract unnecessary questions which are, ironically, pertinent and warranted.
Who are the people who have created this new group, Damai Malaysia? Ask Liew Chin Tong, and he has an answer over Radio Singapore International. Or visit Walski's myAsylum for context.
Why did 'silent majority' get the headlines in the mainstream media. Blogger Howsy keeps a log that says: "You Want Feel Good Survey On The Front Page, Boss? We'll Give You Front Page!"
And yes, Rocky's Bru, did ask what the GEICs didn't:
Are you part of that "SILENT MAJORITY" that "Damai Malaysia" claims to speak for? If you are or if you are not or if you don't even know who the duck this Damai Malaysia are and why there are speaking on your behalf, click HERE and take part in the poll.
Rantings by MM is more direct. How Dare They Insult Us!!, she foams at the mouth, outraged.
Call the bluff, in other words. Or call it dumb eye.
Zorropedia, read to the last drop, points to the chicken-shit.
Free the 31... Getting down from high horses
It just happened over night after I blogged this.
The 31 Indian-Malaysians charged with attempted murder of one policeman allegedly told the AG that they have regretted and, sort of, bertaubat.
If so, like we have said consistently, these must be the people who were in the wrong place at the wrong time. Probably, not excluding their turn for confessions.
Who wrote the script for Gani Patail?
December 15, 2007
Attempted murder: Who are the 31?
Thirty-one persons who participated in the HINDRAF rally have been charged with attempted murder of a policeman during the debacle at the Batu Caves Temple.
The policeman survived with his wounds stitched. The 31 are still detained pending trial, bail denied.
December 7, human rights lawyer Malik Imtiaz Sarwar wrote in his blog, DISQUIET, urging the authorities to Free The 31.
What's the profile of the 31 accused of attempted murder?
Latest information revealed they are technicians, lorry drivers, students, odd-job workers, a dialysis-dependent kidney patient, and one with a hole in the heart.
Malaysiakini compiled the list of the 31 individuals - some of whom are Hindraf members while others were -- like Imtiaz said -- just at the wrong place at the wrong time.
1. SS Ganishen, 39, lorry driver.
2. K Raju, 42, driver.He is hard of hearing on one side.
3. R Sakthivel, 34, technician.
In court, he told reporters that he left his bike when he passed by the Batu Caves temple to see what was happening. When he returned to his bike, the police arrested him.
4. K Ganapathy, 38, lorry driver.
5. K Sukumaran, 24, foreman.
6. S Kumaran, 25, farmer.
7. B Varatharaju, 32, foreman.
8. M Kuna Sekaran, 24, machine operator.
9. V Ganeson, 40, lorry driver.
10. L Thiyagarajan, 31, sales executive.
11. S Gunaa, 21, is a farmer.He only gets salary when there is work.
12. K Thinagaranpillay, 23, manager.
13. N Balamohan, 23, part-time worker.
14. K Gopinath, 27, store keeper.
15. R Suresh, 24, runs his own business.
16. G Suman, 20, runs his own business.
17. M Buwenthiran, 24, technician.
18. M Pushparathan, 21, technician.
19. S Tail Arasu, 26, despatch boy.
20. N Ramasamy, 43, is a driver.He is also a kidney patient. He showed his dialysis card in court but this was dismissed by judge Azimah as it did necessarily prove his health condition.
21. S Ramash Kumar, 22, student.
22. R Pushpanathan,19, despatch boy.
23. S Mugilan Dever, 20, student.
24. G Thinesh Kumar, 19, foreman.
25. T Kunalan, 28, machine operator.
26. S Sures, 18, car-tinter.He has a hole in the heart.
27. A Vasantarao, 19, student.
28. N Markandan, 54, odd-job worker.
29. K Raghu, 39, technician.
30. A Rayar, 30, His occupation is unknown.He had an engagement ceremony planned on Dec 7 that had to be cancelled.
31. S Ravi, 33, lorry driver.
At the time I blogged this, the Court's Dec 6 decision still stands, and I was made to understand that these 31 people will remain incarcerated in Sungai Buloh prison for over a month until their trial begins on Jan 14 next year.
I say, free them. FREE THE 31.
From 'Correct! Correct! Correct!'
To 'Korek! Korek! Korek'
That's my only wish for the Royal Commission entrusted to probe the Judiciary Rot exposed by the Lingam Tape. The shame is unbearable.
Get on your four, lick deep and dig deep, you five, Lady & Gentlemen.
December 14, 2007
First World Salary... Corruption-free?
Throw peanuts and you get monkeys?
Via Bloomberg:
Dec. 14 (Bloomberg) -- Singapore will increase the salary of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and other senior Cabinet officials by as much as 21 percent from January, after an earlier adjustment in April.
Lee, 55, will be paid S$3.76 million ($2.6 million) a year, up from S$3.1 million previously, the public service division said in a statement on its Web site. Cabinet ministers will receive S$1.94 million, an increase from S$1.6 million.The pay adjustments follow other ministerial salary increases announced in April this year, the government said.
Is this the reason why Singapore ever scores higher than us in corruption index?
When can we hope to make similar bold statement to beat the Little Red Dot?
Or is it because the economic cake keeps expanding across the Causeway that ministers can be well-fed and they don't have to cheat under the watchful eyes of law?
CORRUPTION LAGI. Today, a businessman was charged with receiving bribes on behalf of a deputy minister, his senior private secretary and two others. But the deputy minister, who reports to Abdullah Badawi in the Internal Security Ministry, denies any knowledge of the matter.
Bernama traces 'History Of The Arrival Of The Indians'
Bernama, the national news agency, starts tracing the History Of The Arrival Of The Indians.
No, the job was not subbed to Mr Maidin.
The expert views were, instead, provided by Omar Hashim, who is the Executive Committee Chairman for the Malaysian History Association (PSM), who is also the PSM Fellow, and who has served with the Civil Service Commission, Education Ministry and the Election Commission.
Preamble to the interview ran like this: "... to obtain his comments on, among things, the arrival of the Indian community in Peninsular Malaysia, their life and welfare status pre and post- Merdeka, as well as the appropriate measures that should be taken against the racial issues played by Hindraf so as not to destabilise the country."
Part I is available here. I am not saying it's our version of Pravda, or Правда ('The Truth' in Russian)..