Permatang Pauh By-Election Will Be 'Costly', Says Syed Hamid. Not If Govt Stops Giving Mega Bribes

The by-election in Permatang Pauh, which will see PKR adviser Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim contesting, will be a "costly affair".

Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar said there were both "direct and indirect" costs involved in ensuring that the whole democratic process was run efficiently and peacefully.

"The by-election is too soon after the general election in March. If (former MP) Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail had said earlier that she was giving way to Anwar, then the voters may have decided differently then.

"People don't usually see the indirect costs. More policemen will need to be deployed to Permatang Pauh to ensure that the whole process is conducted smoothly and peacefully, and to ensure there is no untoward incident.

"This whole operation costs extra money," he told reporters Tuesday after the ministry's monthly assembly here.

He however declined to give the number of personnel expected to be deployed for the by-election or the cost involved. "The size of the force will depend on the excitement and emotion on the ground," he said.

On suggestions by various Umno members and PAS for Barisan Nasional not to run against Anwar, Syed Hamid said this was for the coalition leadership to decide. (You can read the full story HERE)

***** What is Syed Hamid whining about? So Dr Wan Azizah resigned. If some MP had died, a by-election would have to be held too. It is the right of a Member of Parliament to resign whenever he or she wishes to.

What has got good old Syed Hamid's goat is that Umno has diddly squat of a chance of triumphing over DSAI. That's all. All that talk about 'costs' is merely window dressing and a sandiwara ala Umno.

But do you think that while appearing sooo concerned about the costs, Syed Hamid will at least urge the ruling party to stop giving bribes? For all you know he might be right there in the front of the queue distributing largesse and overseeing the handling and distribution of 'development projects'.

"ISA Will Not Be Abolished," Says Syed Hamid

Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar in no uncertain terms today declared that 'preventive laws' such as the Internal Security Act will not be abolished because they 'help to maintain' public order!

The much hated and dreaded law has been severely criticised and condemned over the years but the government has held steadfastly to its unconvincing mantra of maintaining public order.

The 'Abolish the Internal Security Act (ISA) in Malaysia' Petition to The Prime Minister and Government of Malaysia, had this to say about the draconian act -

"No law in Malaysia shames the country or undermines its democratic system of government more than the Internal Security Act (ISA), which allows indefinite, arbitrary detention without trial.

The ISA stands out as a barbaric law that goes against all our notions of what law and justice should mean. The ISA is an evil, anti-democratic law that can have no place in a country that upholds the Rule of Law.

The ISA subverts natural justice. Natural justice demands that any person accused of a crime should have the right to due process and to be presumed innocent unless and until he or she is convicted in an independent, open court of law.

Without due process and legal checks and balances, ISA detainees are left at the mercy of their captors. In the past, detainees have complained of cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment while under detention."

Yet Syed Hamid still persists in protecting, supporting and retaining the ISA as part of the government's armoury of dirty tricks, citing public order. Whom do you want to believe? The sceptical, worried and concerned public or your Home Minister?

Malaysian Bloggers Warned They Are Being Monitored

A Malaysian government minister has accused bloggers, who have been writing avidly on upcoming elections, of being cowards and warned they are being monitored, a report said Friday.

Youth and Sports Minister Azalina Othman said opposition parties were using blogs to get their message out because they believed the Home Affairs Ministry was busy monitoring reports in the mainstream media, the Star daily said.

"They think they can get away with it but it is not the case as they too are being monitored," she reportedly said, adding that bloggers were cowards and a nuisance to the ruling party.

Opposition parties have resorted to blogs, SMS messaging and YouTube in their campaign for the March 8 polls, to dodge a virtual blackout on mainstream media.

Major newspapers and television stations -- many partly owned by parties in the ruling coalition -- have given blanket coverage to the government and its achievements since the election was called.

The opposition parties rate barely a mention, but thanks to the Internet they have begun campaigning feverishly in cyberspace with the aim of reaching young, urban, educated voters.

Media watchdog Reporters Without Borders ranks Malaysia 124 out of 169 on its worldwide press freedom index, and says the main media are "often compelled to ignore or to play down the many events organised by the opposition".

The government has previously threatened that bloggers could be punished under draconian internal security laws which provide for detention without trial.

***** She's pissed off probably because of insinuations about her sexual 'leanings' highlighted in several blogs. The considerable political coverage given to the opposition by blogs doesn't really affect or bother her.

Malaysia: Simply Asia?

The country’s affirmative action has become cronyism by another name. It needs reform.


Malaysia's programme of affirmative action came under wider scrutiny this week, with the ethnic Indian minority sustaining protests in a country mostly unused to disruptive agitation. Ethnic Indians, mostly of Tamil origin, say that current policies withhold from them economic opportunities available to Malays. In a curious overlap, they have also agitated outside the British High Commission in Kuala Lumpur seeking reparation from London for taking their forefathers to Southeast Asia as indentured labourers a century ago. For Malaysia, which has always been keenly alert to the destablising possibilities of its ethnic and regional diversity, these protests would certainly ring alarm bells. About four decades after Malaysia embarked on a unique affirmative action programme to bring the majority Malays into the economic mainstream, these protests should underline the need to refine that plan. After all, with social unrest already wracking their neighbourhood in Thailand and Indonesia, Malaysia’s leaders must be keen to avoid similar political and economic destabilisation.

In zeroing in on the British mission, the protesters are, perhaps inadvertently, showing that for all their problems they cannot hold the majority Malay responsible. In different ways and degrees, colonialism took a toll on all settled and migrant subjects. Soon after Malaysia gained independence, an ambitious programme was launched to pull native Malays out of widespread poverty. This was done, for instance, by hugely subsiding their education in the best universities around the world and by financially assisting their entrepreneurial plans. By one estimate, in 1970, Malaysia’s natives owned only 2.4 per cent of its wealth. In the past decade, however, this affirmative action has been increasingly attacked by wide sections of the population for becoming cronyism by another name. One of the allegations has been that instead of helping certain sections of society in entering the entrepreneurial mainstream, it is now just a way of bailing out favourites and thereby denying others a level playing field.

The current protests would be most constructively seen in this context instead as a sign of outright ethnic discord. Malaysia is in urgent need to reform its affirmative action programme, for the good of all its people. (Editorial - The Indian Express)
Image - Source

ACA Closes Probe Into Ex-CM Osu Sukam’s RM28 Million Debts. Why Am I Not Surprised?

The Anti-Corruption Agency has closed investigations into former Sabah chief minister Tan Sri Osu Sukam’s gambling debts amounting to RM28mil as there was insufficient evidence.

Movement for Democracy and Anti-Corruption (Gerak) chairman Ezam Mohd Nor said the ACA had informed him that it could not trace the source of the money Osu used during his gambling spree in various overseas casinos.

“When I told them that such a high debt was enough to prosecute, I was told that it was difficult to verify the source of the money,” he said.

Ezam, who went to see ACA investigations director Mohd Shukri Abdull yesterday for updates on several cases that Gerak had reported over the years, was briefing pressmen on the outcome of the meeting.

Osu allegedly accumulated the huge debt with a casino in Britain between February and November 2002, but according to a report had somehow succeeded in repaying some RM21mil of the RM28mil debt. (The Star)

***** Bloody hell! The same old 'insufficient evidence' bullshit by the ACA. Yet these very buggers in the ACA, out on a witch hunt, could easily trace that the former Sabah police commissioner Datuk Ramli Yusoff had diverted a police aircraft for his personal use.

Osu Sukam's reputation and misdeeds precede him and by right there should have been no problem at all in nailing this corrupt bastard. Why should it have been so difficult to find out where he got the millions to feed his addiction for gambling?

This surrender by the ACA to the Umno leadership will only encourage our Hadhari practising pemimpin to make hundreds of millions more secara haram and use it for non-halal purposes. That big buaya sitting pretty in Kota Kinabalu must be smiling happily. If an idiot like Osu can get away with it, then there is no problem for the wily fox.
Image - Source

Employers Hiring Foreign Workers: Local Employees Unhappy

The Malaysia Airline System Empolyees Union (MASEU) received numerous phone calls from locals who are jobless, voicing out their concern on the latest development and practice by some employers in hiring foreign workers.

MASEU executive secretary, Mustafar Maarof said the union was told by these people that they had applied to work as ground staff at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) and Bayan Lepas International Airport, Penang but were unsuccessful.

"This action taken by the employers in hiring foreign workers has deprived our local workers of job opportunities while some of these foreign workers have contributed social problems in this country," he said in a statement here Friday.

He said the recruitment was carried out by private companies appointed by Malaysia Airlines (MAS) while no such notice of vacancies was circulated or published in any local newspapers, except vacancies for managerial and administrative positions.

He said MASEU would like to urge the government, MAS and Malaysia Airports Holding Berhad (MAB) to look into this matter urgently.

Mustafar said currently there were almost 1,000 foreign workers engaged directly under MAS operation who were employed by the private companies or vendors appointed by MAS and these foreign workers worked at the conveyor baggage section, delivery of baggage to the aircraft, MAS Cargo and some of them were employed as Forklift Drivers.

Yesterday, MASEU urged the government to reduce the number of foreign workers that were brought in by private companies appointed by MAS at the KLIA, especially at the high-risk areas. (Bernama)

***** It's not without solid reasons that bosses prefer foreign workers. Apart from the fact that they are easier to 'handle' and can be overworked and underpaid by unscrupulous employers without much repercussion, the clinching factor remains the attitude of the average Malaysian worker - fundamentally lazy, expects something for nothing (to borrow a line from the 'Yes Prime Minister' series) While there are many industrious and conscientious Malaysians at all grades of employment, it is some of the indolent blue collar employees who bring disrepute and disgrace to the rest.

The rate of absenteeism and production levels leave much to be desired. Give them a little extra work and these fragile specimens must take a day-and-a-half of rest to get over the fatigue. "Tak larat lah" is their perennial excuse. They are a nuisance at government and private clinics where they display their best histrionic skills which would put Oscar performers to shame, all for that much sought after commodity, the medical certificate.

They are the Human Resource Department's biggest headache and if they don't get their way, a popular modus operandi is to sabotage production, threaten officials and destroy company property.

We have read about how terribly inefficient, our workers have fared in MAS and how they've brought a bad name to the airline and the airports as well. Our local workers were instrumental in so many cases of pilfering and theft of baggages and other stuff. Now when foreign workers are brought in to remedy the mess, our pekerja tempatan scream 'unfair' and 'social problems.' Rubbish.

The government should not give into lazy, tidak apa mentality-ridden xenophobic half wits who when given the chance, screwed everything up. Allow foreigners to clear up the mess created by Malaysian workers. What other credible alternative is there?
Image - Source

Rais Yatim Withdraws From Commonwealth Sec-Gen Race. I Wonder Why

Culture, Arts and Heritage Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim today announced that he is withdrawing from the contest for the Commonwealth secretary-general's post. He said this was due to his duties and commitments as the chairman of the Main Committee of the Merdeka Celebrations, which limited him from going abroad to lobby for it.

"The responsibilities for this year's Merdeka celebrations being the 50th year of independence are far too heavy and as such does not give me the opportunity to make personal visits abroad to do any lobbying... it is one of the problems I am facing and as such it is not fair for me to say that I want to contest but am unable to campaign like the other candidates," he told Bernama.

"My responsibilities (for the Merdeka celebrations) are far more important and furthermore it is already too late (to campaign)... so it's better that I withdraw," he said. Malaysia had nominated Rais to be a candidate for the post last month. Rais said he had informed Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak that he was withdrawing from the race and also Wisma Putra (Foreign Ministry). He added that Wisma Putra had acknowledged that it understood his predicament.

The election for the post will be held at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Kampala, Uganda, in November. Two other candidates in the fray are India's High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Kamalesh Sharma and Malta's Foreign Minister, Michael Frendo. The election is being held as the term of office of the current secretary-general, Don McKinnon of New Zealand, ends on March 31, 2008.

***** Flimsy excuse this. Either Rais was forced to stand for the post by the leadership, did not foresee that he would have to be lobbying during the preparation period of the Merdeka celebrations or an honest assessment gave him a rat's ass of a chance of being elected. The latter seems more plausible.

Of late the nation's stock in the international arena has plunged. From an all-time high during the Mahathir years when such a spectacle would have been inconceivable, we have now resorted to sheepishly withdrawing from contests which only a decade ago would have been considered a shoo-in for our candidate. Now we can daresay that even if the candidate from India withdraws and tiny Malta were to be sole challenger, we would still lose.

Who is to take the blame for this debacle? The internet media which has exposed the 'excesses' of the government or those who have committed and are continuing to indulge in such excesses? The blogs for speaking out against injustice or the authorities who have given ample cause for these allegations? How many, apart from Bangladesh and a few genuine Islamic states, would vote for us when we are seen as inching down the Taliban path? Would squeaky clean Singapore say 'aye' to a country perceived as being increasingly corrupt and unfriendly? Would any white member of the Commonwealth vote for a candidate whose country is intolerant of free speech and attempts to muzzle comment and criticism by using outdated and suppressive laws against its own citizens?

In short does Malaysia have the requisite qualifications at this point in time to be an acknowledged leader of the Commonwealth of Nations? You decide.
Image - Source
Update: No Replacement Candidate For Commonwealth Sec-Gen Post - Syed Hamid.

Harry Potter And The Welcome Price War

Four major bookstore chains in Malaysia have vowed not to sell the novel, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows to protest against hypermarkets, Tesco and Carrefour's move in selling the novel at a much cheaper price of RM69.90. The retail price of the book is RM109.90. That's forty bucks cheaper!

Yup. This is one price war that I welcome with open arms. For too long have these bookstore chains gotten away with charging sky high prices and reaping huge profits. Of course their excuses are always at the ready in case one questions them occasionally.

So the retail price of this novel is determined by Penguin Books, the distributor. Is there a law which states that one cannot sell below the recommended price? Why are some of these people condemning the hypermarkets? If you're that bloody rich, great. Buy a hundred copies and give it out gratis to some poor Harry Potter fans. Or should only the moneyed folks be privileged to read the book?

Read what Patricia Chen, MPH chief operating officer had to angrily say: “It's not fair to allow hypermarkets to sell such a popular book when they are not in the book business." Huh? It's not fair for the purchaser to pay RM40 less? If hypermarkets or anyone else is willing to sell not only this but other books as well at less expensive prices, it should be welcomed by all. What is the use of paying lip service to encouraging the reading habit, while at the same time these greedsters sitting in bookstore cartel offices rant and rave and openly lament their 'losses' while crying out to maintain cutthroat prices?

If someone tells you as did this clown, Penguin Singapore and Malaysia managing director Eddy Teo, "avid fans are looking for a magical atmosphere rather than just cheap price," tell that person to shove it.

Read the entire report from TheStar, HERE.
Image - Source
A 'colourful' rant on the above topic, HERE.

Malacca State Government's Worthless Junket

Our state governments must be the most inexperienced in the world. They are led by very slow learners who have to make several trips a year to faraway, exotic locations in order to study 'close up' the different models of managing the state machinery. But despite their lack of intelligence and slow grasping power, one must appreciate their undiminished enthusiasm. You see, despite not having made any significant and meaningful change thus far to the way the kerajaan is run, they keep going again and again to more and more foreign destinations, determined to study and learn as much as they can. Such unwavering resoluteness must be applauded by all loyal citizens. So what if it costs a fortune? It is after all a sacrifice by our pemimpin for good, efficient government.

Bernama mentions one such 'working visit' by the Malacca state government bigwigs, including both the aging Governor and the wily Chief Minister whose only claim to fame thus far has been the awarding of nearly ninety datukships at one go. It is indeed a hectic trip. Ten days in Latin America followed by an arduous trans-Atlantic journey for another two more gruelling days of learning in Paris. And we had always thought that running a state government was easy. Nothing can be further from the truth. Our Malacca pemimpin for example must have spent many late hours poring over details, facts and raw data on what it takes to manage a state. OK, so some low level staff may have taken advantage and gone sightseeing, shopping, a little tequila on the side or even a spot of khalwat with a pretty señorita. Hey, after all it's kuffar country mate! (Perhaps this could be one reason why state Muftis are excluded from these 'study' trips and are sent on separate delegations to Saudi Arabia.)

You can read about the Malacca junket HERE.
Image - Moulin Rouge
Image - Tequila

Human Rights Groups Slam Police Abuse And Corruption

Malaysian human rights groups said Friday that police abuse and corruption in the country have not stopped despite an independent commission's recommendations for sweeping changes, Channel Newsasia reports.

"Human rights continue to deteriorate," Yap Swee Seng, executive director of local organization Suaram, said at a meeting of human rights groups. "The culture of impunity is growing."

National police chief Inspector General Musa Hassan could not be immediately reached for comment. His mobile phone was switched off.

A royal commission, set up in 2004, made 125 recommendations for changes in the police force to reduce crime, stop corruption and observe human rights.

Last year, Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi announced that 81 recommendations had been implemented, 19 more would be implemented and 25 were still being studied. But Suaram and Amnesty International Malaysia said few of the recommendations on human rights have been implemented. The implementation of the others has been unsatisfactory, they said.

"Unfortunately, until today no details of what has been implemented has been made public," said Josef Roy Benedict, executive director of Amnesty International Malaysia.

The groups said changes, if any, had been superficial and cosmetic, and an independent commission to investigate alleged police misconduct — one of the most important recommendations — had still not been set up.

Yap said recommendations pertaining to freedom of assembly had also not been carried out, citing cases of police brutality during peaceful demonstrations as an example.

He said people were still detained without trial under the country's Internal Security Act, Dangerous Drugs Act and Emergency Ordinance. Once released, many were re-arrested.

No inquests at all have been made in six of nine cases where people died in police custody last year, Yap said, disregarding the recommendations, which call for an inquest into every case within one month.

Opposition leader Lim Kit Siang, who also joined the panel discussion, said politicians pointed fingers at each other instead of cracking down on police abuse and corruption.
"There is no political will. There is no responsibility. Our prime minister is on a perpetual, eternal honeymoon," Lim said, referring to Abdullah's recent remarriage.

But Denison Jayasooria of the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia expressed cautious optimism. "The progress has been slow and in some cases extremely slow ... (But) The police tone has changed... There are changes. There is light, even if it's just twinkles."

****** Perhaps by the year 2057 our caring government would have implemented all the recommendations made in 2004. If we are lucky.

Slow Motion Reaction To Parliament's 'Bocor' Issue Exposes Sharizat's Lack Of Commitment

Today's Bernama headline: Shahrizat Demands Action Against Statements That Demean Women.

That is the belated call from the Women, Family and Community Development Minister! After everyone else had had their say and much curses and swear words directed at two apes passing off as MPs, Sharizat, as if not to be left behind or as an afterthought wishing to place her lame objections on record said that her ministry will 'take action' to ensure that statements that insult or belittle women will not be repeated in parliament.

"I feel 'hurt' at what happened and I want concrete steps taken to ensure that similar incidents do not recur. I will raise the matter at the Cabinet meeting on Wednesday to 'discuss' the steps to be taken," she added for dramatic effect. But this ultra-slow response (a full 5 days after the incident) proves that self-preservation comes first and then only the duties of her allocated portfolio. To add to the hogwash she further added that she "will seek the opinions of Cabinet ministers to review and amend the rules on use of proper language in parliament. This has been happening many times and must not be taken lightly. More importantly, we want action."

(Last Wednesday, Datuk Bung Moktar Radin (BN-Kinabatangan) and Datuk Mohd Said Yusuf (BN-Jasin) were reported to have made uncalled for remarks by linking the leak in the ceiling at the parliament building to Fong Po Kuan (DAP-Batu Gajah). Bung Moktar was reported to have said: "Where is the leak... even in Batu Gajah there is a leak every month," as Fong was protesting the decision of Deputy Speaker of Parliament Datuk Lim Si Cheng not to discuss the leak at the parliament building. Bung Moktar's statement was taken to refer to women's monthly menstruation.)

It is logical to ask that since the vulgar comments by these crass, ill-bred, foulmouthed plebeians have been going on for so long, what the devil has Sharizat done about it thus far? Making pious statements like "I will seek the opinion of cabinet ministers to review and amend the rules on use of proper language in parliament," or "it will be honourable if an apology is made," is well and good, but as the minister holding the women's portfolio, she should have been the first to have condemned the vulgar cretins of the Dewan Rakyat. However it looks as if playing partisan politics is more important to her than standing up for the dignity of women.
Image - Source

Sabah Minister Masidi Lies Through His Teeth To Protect CM Musa(ng) Aman

You must have heard of the idiom "to sing for one's supper". Here we have a straight-faced liar named Masidi who has to bluff for his supper, breakfast, lunch and dinner. You see, he owes his appointment as minister and his continued political wellbeing to the man who placed him there; a man with a shady and questionable reputation, Sabah CM Musang Aman. Therefore Masidi without qualms is prepared to throw circumspection and common sense to the four winds and engage in deceiving and misleading the public. Read about the dupemaster's story here in this Bernama report.

Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun said Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman never authorised a RM5 million allocation to build a tourism facility in Pulau Sipadan.

He said Sabah Parks' building consultants who visited the island estimated RM5 million to build the facility which was endorsed by Sabah Parks, a body in charge of conservation under Masidi's ministry.

"I have gone through the whole file, and all the proposals came through Sabah Parks, it has got nothing to do with the CM. It is wrong to assume that he was responsible for authorising the RM5 million.

"CM says there is RM1.3 million for this year. Just use it, that's what he's saying. But after approving (the amount), he referred to Sabah Parks and its consultants, and they said it wasn't enough," Masidi told reporters after witnessing the signing of a memorandum of understanding between Telekom Malaysia Berhad and Sri Pelancongan Sabah Sdn Bhd for the sponsorship of the 21st Mount Kinabalu International Climbathon 2007, here today.

According to Masidi, the amount increased to RM5 million after considering the building of houses for more than 20 security personnel and park rangers who have to live in the area. "We needed to take into consideration the personnel living there who have to ensure the security of the divers. I think that was the reason why the amount went up," he said.

Masidi said the controversy came about because the public did not get the whole picture. He said the giant barge bringing materials to build the tourism facility on the island did not beach on the pristine corals. "Apparently, on the night of the incident, there was a storm when the barge was dragged to the corals and scraped off about one per cent of the corals," he added.

Masidi, who took over the ministry after Tan Sri Chong Kah Kiat resigned from the state Cabinet last month, said his ministry would now resort to using lighter and environmental-friendly means of transport to the island to ensure such an incident would not recur. "What happened had already happened. I'm not going to pinpoint fingers for whatever problems faced by the ministry. I'm only looking into rectifying the problems, that's all," he said.

Asked whether the building of basic infrastructure for divers and tourists on the island was on, Masidi said it was and the project was expected to be completed before the end of the year.

***** It is ironic that this report should be published on the same day and just an hour before an article about the PM's caution People Can No Longer Be Fooled, was released by Bernama! Of course in his speech the PM was referring to the opposition, but it is now crystal clear that it is equally applicable to the crooks, liars and opportunists in Barisan as well.
Image - Source
Earlier Related Post: Musa Aman gives Sipadan Go-Ahead. What's His Game Now?

This Information Ministry Explanation Doesn't Make Sense.

The following is a report in the NST regarding why foreign dramas on TV are more popular than local ones.

Foreign telenovelas such as the recently concluded Indonesian drama “Bawang Putih, Bawang Merah” are more popular than local ones because they based their theme on the supernatural, the Dewan Rakyat was told today.

Information Ministry Parliamentary Secretary Noriah Kasnon said as an official media, Radio Televesion Malaysia (RTM) did not resort to airing such telenovelas because it had a social responsibility of developing the people’s mindset and nurturing good values.

“RTM is more inclined to show dramas that educate the public, instill a positive spirit and high moral values to motivate society to do better,” she said when responding to a question from Datuk Ismail Abdul Mutalib (BN-Maran) who wanted to know why foreign soap operas were more popular than local ones.

The 108-episode “Bawang Putih, Bawang Merah” is an adaptation of a folklore in the present day revolving around two teenage girls where evil at first overcomes good until a fairy godmother intervenes.

***** Pardon me if I sound a little silly. If the Information Ministry as it claims, has a "social responsibility of developing the people’s mindset and nurturing good values" by discouraging local dramas with a supernatural theme, then why the devil (pun intended) is it allowing foreign 'telenovelas' of the very same genre to be telecast here? Does the ministry honestly feel that just because the Indons produce a drama that highlights the supernatural or glorifies a toyol and it is shown on channels other than RTM then it is OK? That only our own productions have an effect on our simple-minded people who watch these shows?

Apart from the high sounding 'educate, instill and motivate' hype by RTM, the main reason why the foreign shows are popular is because they are at least a little interesting while in comparison our mostly low quality dramas are simply too boring, repetitive, devoid of ideas, have not really changed or improved in the last four decades and the acting leaves much to be desired. Sorry, but that's the way I see it.

The monopoly enjoyed by certain production houses also adds to the less than impressive standard of the local dramas. Some time ago the Information Minister said that he would end the monopoly but whether he has succeeded or not I don't know. Another drawback is of course that national malady of ours, race politics. And the less said about that the better.
Image - Source