Najib's 'Bribery is The Best Policy' Election Strategy Fails

Ban Election Bribery

So the opposition dramatically snatched a parliamentary seat in Sibu, a hitherto BN stronghold. This can be rightfully described as an 'historic' by-election, no doubt about that.

Two important conclusions that can be made from this result are 1) The influence and unlimited power of the BN and Umno is approaching its nadir. This is good for the country's future. 2) Money, even tonnes of it, can't buy everything. Najib splurged and promised millions in exchange for votes. But this sort of bribery didn't work with the Chinese. (Malays and Indians are a different kettle of fish however and we can fully expect Najib's 'development philanthropy' to target these communities more intensely in future polls).

You can bet your last election bribe ringgit that the Umno leadership especially its middle echelon will be wild at the 'ungrateful' Chinese. These leaders are so used to the 'you scratch my back, I scratch yours' practice, that any sign of independent thinking or action immediately elicits the 'you are a pengkhianat' knee jerk reaction. We can expect the Utusan Malaysia and a few intellectually challenged crony Malay 'patriots' to lead the clarion call to punish the Chinese in whichever way possible. 'Revoke the citizenship of these pendatang', 'don't test Malay patience and generosity', 'Malays are under threat by kafirs who will take over and enslave us' will be some of the more idiotic statements that will be made.

Amidst the hysteria, Tun Dr Mahathir will proclaim that this is what happens when the people continue to forget May 13 and ignore the noble intentions of 'ketuanan Melayu'. "If Umno and Najib continue to sideline Perkasa and other well meaning groups and persist in pampering the non-Malays and implementing the unfair NEM, we will become slaves and servants in our own tanah air," Mahathir will lament.

Ibrahim Ali, foaming in his mouth, may call for a Malay 'boikot' of the Chinese without giving details. He would probably conveniently omit selling all shares in and resigning from the board of directors of Chinese owned companies.

Najib however will as much as possible avoid commenting on the debacle and will instruct his henchmen to redouble efforts to create at least five more 'independent MPs' so that his 1Malaysia matlamat can take root.

All the non-Malay BN component parties will secretly curse Umno for this embarrassing loss while outwardly dismissing it as a minor setback.

All the above reactions may or may not take place but what the DAP should ensure is to NOT allow itself to gloat or appear pompous after this fine win. Modest deportment in the wake of a well deserved victory is a sure vote winner.

3 Women Caned For Syariah Offences In Malaysia. Oh How Proud We Are!!

Welcome to the club Malaysia. You have truly shown us the spirit of "Malaysia Boleh!"

According to The Star -- Three Muslim women became the first in the country to be caned for committing various syariah offences.

Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein said the sentence was carried out on Feb 9 at 10am.

Two of the women were given six strokes of the rotan while the third was whipped four times.

One of them was released on Feb 14 after spending a month in prison, Hishammuddin said.

He added one woman would be released over the next few days while the third would be released in June.

All three were found guilty for committing illicit sex.

Hishamuddin must be deliriously happy, now that he has burnished his Islamic credentials for all to view at home and abroad. A real caning bradder and three females at that! Such good news must go down well in brotherly Afghanistan and Pakistan. Not to forget our Muslim compatriots in Sudan and other such nations which are trying their level best to emulate the golden age of Islam of yore.

Congratulations Umno, congratulations Malaysia, for you have finally achieved the recognition which you have yearned all this while from your Islamic brothers and in the process created a record of sorts -- dishing out syariah prescribed caning of women in a constitutionally secular country.

The Sad State Of English In Malaysia

Please read the letter below which is self explanatory.

Subject: Letter by a director in Universiti Teknologi Mara - A Classic

4th UiTM INTERNATIONAL SPORTS FIESTA
19 – 23 November 2009 FUTSAL-RUGBY 7- TENPIN BOWLING-BADMINTON


Dear Sport Friends,

Regarding about the global issue H1N1 happens around the world, sadly to be informing that our UiTM International Sports Fiesta will be postponing to 19-23 November 2009.

For all teams which have been confirm to participate in our events, we have to say sorry for this announcements and our Ministry of Higher Education and Ministry of Health also advise to us to change the date for this current situation.

By the date have been confirm incoming this November hopefully your teams still can participate in our event and don’t hesitate to contact us for further information.

And again, we would like to say sorry about the date change for the sake of our health among us.

See you in this November at UiTM Malaysia !!

Regards,
Mr. Mustaza Ahmad
Director
Sports Centre
Universiti Teknologi MARA
Malaysia

Disclaimer: The above was received by e-mail and I cannot vouch for its authenticity.

Malaysia's First Man In Space, Dr Sheikh Muszaphar To Be Honoured With Datukship

The country's first man in space, Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor Al-Masrie will be bestowed the Darjah Setia Negeri Sembilan (DSNS) award which carries the title "Datuk" by the Yang Di-Pertuan Besar Negri Sembilan Tuanku Ja'afar in conjunction with the state ruler's 86th birthday celebration on Saturday.

Dr Sheikh Muszaphar, who made history when he blasted into space with Russian flight engineer Yuri Malenchenko and commander Peggy Wilson from the United States in the Soyuz TMA-11 spacecraft on Oct 10 last year, will receive his award from Tuanku Ja'afar at the Istana Besar, Seri Menanti, on Saturday.

The 36-year-old orthopaedic surgeon returned to Earth after spending 11 days at the International Space Station.

The Mentri Besar's office released the first list of recipients on Friday morning and the second and third instalments were expected to be out in stages. (The Star Online)

***** Our congratulations to Dr Sheikh Muszaphar on being bestowed the high award.

Election Of Perak State Assembly Speaker, Slap In The Face For Umno's Race Politics

First read this report from the NST.

It was a historic moment at the Perak assembly yesterday when an Indian state assemblyman was elected as the speaker for the first time, while a woman was chosen as deputy speaker.

DAP assemblyman for Tronoh V. Sivakumar, 37, was elected as the 12th speaker, while Hee Yit Foong, the DAP assemblywoman for Jelapang and a polio victim, was picked for the deputy speaker's post at the first sitting of the assembly.

The Pakatan Rakyat grouping of DAP, PKR and Pas won 31 seats against Barisan Nasional's 28 in the March 8 general election.

BN nominated former speaker Datuk Seri Junus Wahid to retain the position and nominated Chenderiang state assemblyman Mah Hang Soon for the deputy speaker's post.

Even before voting could take place, there were plenty of fireworks from both sides.

When Slim assemblyman Datuk Mohd Khusairi Abdul Talib proposed Junus's name, senior executive council member and Sitiawan assemblyman Datuk Ngeh Koo Ham objected as the candidate was not even present in the assembly.

"The proposed candidate must be physically present," he said.

To this, Pengkalan Hulu assemblyman Datuk Seri Mohd Tajol Rosli Ghazali stood up and said: "If his presence is needed urgently, he can be called as Junus is just around the corner. Notice should have been given for him to be present."

After assembly secretary Abdullah Antong Sabri announced that he had contacted Junus, Pantai Remis assemblyman Nga Kor Ming retorted saying the former should not have done so.

A few minutes later, a calm Junus walked into the assembly and witnessed the voting.

Although the standing orders stated the ballot papers would be marked and signed while the assembly secretary or his agent should collect the papers from the desk of the wakil rakyat, BN assemblymen had other plans in mind and asked for a secret ballot.

Pasir Pinji DAP assemblyman Thomas Su Keong Siong said the standing orders did not say anything about a secret ballot.

Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin defused the situation by saying the government agreed to a secret vote.

All assemblymen walked to the two booths to sign and mark their ballot papers before putting them in boxes.

When the results were announced, Sivakumar received 31 votes against his opponent's 28, while Hee received 30 votes against the 28 obtained by her opponent.

***** Consider this part of the above report - 'Although the standing orders stated the ballot papers would be marked and signed while the assembly secretary or his agent should collect the papers from the desk of the wakil rakyat, BN assemblymen had other plans in mind and asked for a secret ballot.'

What do you think was the logic behind the BN (read Umno) demand for a secret ballot? With the typical befuddled race-based thinking, mentality and strategy that the umnoputeras are perennially stuck with, they had hoped, nay indeed convinced that if a secret ballot was held, the Malays in the Pakatan Rakyat would vote for Umno's Malay candidate instead of Pakatan's non-Malay choice.

The Perak Menteri Besar agreed to their demand and what happened? Not even one state assemblyman from Pakatan voted for the Umno calon. Not surprising really. Umno had all along put up this act and facade that they were the sole 'champions' of Malay rights and duped the nation for decades. Now the people have seen through their duplicitous game and won't fall for their bangsa, agama dan negara 'struggle' anymore. Honest and dedicated men and women have taken over the helm of several states and the nation will heave a big sigh of relief when they gain control of the federal government as well. Then we can all look back at the time when we lived through the nightmare of Umno's despicable reign of corruption and apartheid.

Even at this crucial juncture when their racist philosophy and even their own party is in tatters they still have not been able to rid themselves off the ethnic equation in everything they do. And they never will.
Image - Source

Warren Buffet Replaces Bill Gates As World's Richest Person

US financier Warren Buffett (pic) has overtaken Bill Gates as the world's richest man, according to Forbes annual billionaire's list, which this year saw Russia, China and India making increasing inroads.

Buffett, the 77-year-old chief of the Berkshire Hathaway holding company, saw his wealth jump from 52 billion dollars last year to 62 billion, pushing Microsoft co-founder Gates into third position after 13 years at the top.

Mexico's telecom mogul Carlos Slim Helu grabbed second place with a tidy nest egg of 60 billion dollars, up from 49 billion last year.

Buffett, who announced in 2006 he was giving the majority of his fortune to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, saw his wealth spike mostly due to the rising value of his Berkshire Hathaway stock.

In total, this year's list sees 1,125 people around the world making the billionaire's list, up from 946 last year. Their total net worth stands at 4.4 trillion dollars, up from 3.5 trillion dollars in 2007.

By nationality, the United States still easily led the rankings with 469 billionaires up from 415 last year, but Russia replaced Germany as the second placed country with 87 billionaires.

Third-placed India saw the number of its super-rich jump to 53 entries on the list - four of them in the top 10 - although China and Hong Kong if taken together would overtake it, with 42 and 26 billionaires respectively.

Japan, although still the second largest economy in the world, saw its number of billionaires trailing at 24 - overtaken by Turkey, which this year saw its number of mega-tycoons on the list jump from 22 in 2007 to 35.

Chinese Hospital Transplants Heart, Liver, Kidney Into Same Patient

A Chinese hospital said on Sunday it had successfully transplanted a heart, liver and kidney into one patient, the first such operation in the country.

The transplant lasted 16 hours and ended early on Sunday morning. The 47-year-old female patient had come around and was recovering, said Dr. Dou Kefeng of the Xijing Hospital hepatobiliary surgery department.

The hospital in Xi'an, capital of the northwestern Shaanxi Province, is known for conducting the first face transplant in China, the second globally, in 2006.

The multi-transplant patient was diagnosed with uraemia and liver cancer when she came to the hospital on Jan. 8.

However, doctors found a dilated cardiomyopathy, a disorder of the heart muscle, while planning the kidney and liver transplants. This meant she required a new heart first.

Dou said the patient was in critical condition and could have died before the Spring Festival that falls on Thursday if the transplants weren't undertaken.

The hospital decided to conduct the surgery at the request of the patient and her family. It wrote off the operation cost, as the family from a small Shaanxi Province village could not afford to pay.

More than 30 experts were involved in the complicated operation. Cardiologists first spent more than three hours to transfer a healthy heart. Liver experts then operated for five hours before the kidney transplant.

Nearly 1,000 stitches were made during the surgery.