Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak today promised to increase federal allocations to the Kerdau constituency if residents here voted for the Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate.
He said he could resolve “small” local issues by approving RM400,000 for a hall in Kampung Seri Kerdau but did not want to promise more for fear of dredging up vote-buying allegations.
“I don’t want people to accuse me of buying votes if I approve anything bigger,” he told Chinese, Indian and Orang Asli voters in Kerdau Town here.
“We don’t buy votes, but if you support us we can increase the allocation tomorrow or later. But show support for Barisan Nasional first.”
Najib came under fire during the Sibu by-election last May for offering RM5 million for flood control projects in a DAP stronghold there in exchange for votes.
“If Robert Lau becomes the MP on Sunday, on Monday I will ask the cheque to be prepared. Do we have a deal or not? We do! You want the RM5 million, I want Robert Lau to win,” Najib had told the crowd there.
DAP Wong Ho Leng managed to pull off a surprise win in Sibu by a slim 398 votes after a hard-fought race, defeating Lau from BN’s SUPP.
Najib also flogged the benefits of stability and continuity to voters here today, reminding them to stick with BN and not “gamble” with the welfare of future generations.
“Our future rests with Barisan Nasional only,” he said.
Voter intimidation, threats and blackmail
Malaysia will suffer the same fate as Egypt which recently faced a revolt if PAS were to rule the country, said Malacca Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Mohd Rustam.
He said PAS’s brand of democracy was destructive, adding that the existing system in the country was a proven one.
“The people can have their say at the ballot box... that is why PAS got to govern Kelantan and Kedah, DAP Penang and PKR Selangor.
“Protest demonstrations are counter-productive... we have elections which are the best platform to make a stand,” he told reporters after performing the ground-breaking ceremony at Air Merbau here today.
Mohd Ali, who is also Malacca Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman and its election director for the Merlimau by-election, advised voters to reject PAS’s candidate Yuhaizat Abdullah as the latter would not be able to do anything for the state constituency unlike the BN which, under its 1 Malaysia concept, put the people first.
Asked about the PAS allegation that the BN’s candidate Roslan Ahmad was picked because of family ties, he said: “PAS has run out of issues, opposition parties are also no different.
“His (Roslan’s) father (a former Umno stalwart) died 32 years ago. Roslan was picked because he is the right person to be the candidate.”
The seat fell vacant following the death of its incumbent, Datuk Mohamad Hidhir Abu Hassan, of the BN, on January 20.
Might we finally be able to dispel the myth of clashing civilizations to make room for new understandings of cultures of democracy? After the collapse of the Soviet Union and sudden vacuum of a political and ideological rival for 'the west,' some theorists predicted the end of history, or at least, of ideology. According to Francis Fukuyama, the triumph of liberal capitalism over communist authoritarianism concluded that the principles of human rights, liberal democracy and free markets would shape the destiny of the entire world. Others, however, argued otherwise. Samuel Huntington soon offered an alternative theory in the 'Clash of civilizations'.
He argued that although the age of grand ideological struggles ended with the collapse of Soviet communism, the world had in fact regressed to a prior stage of development, which was based on the "normal" clashes that he said resulted from incommensurable forms of cultural difference. His cultural mapping of the world identified eight major civilizations. He argued that the west was naive to presume that democratic values and human rights were universal, and that attempts to impose these values in other cultures would lead to resentment and backlash. In effect, he argued that freedom and democratic principles are inherent only to western cultures, while being alien to others such as Chinese -- and primarily Islamic. This ultimate conclusion, and specifically Huntington's approach to Islam, is what made his theory so controversial, and what provided right-wingers in the west with a much-needed ideological enemy. Huntington perceived Islamic culture as inherently non-democratic, and thus that attempts to impose democratic values within it would anger the increasingly popular fundamentalist players within the Islamic world. "Islam," he said, "has bloody borders." In fact, he predicted that future wars would take erupt on fault lines primarily between Islamic and western civilizations: "the clash of civilizations will dominate global politics. The fault lines between civilizations will be the battle lines of the future." To support his argument, he noted major upheavals within Islamic world, and particularly the 1979 Iranian revolution.
The theory, however, not only turned cultures into closed, timeless and space-less entities; it also disregarded obvious factors in the politics of these civilizations. For example, in the 1979 Iranian revolution, democracy was the dominant cultural currency. The revolution aimed to establish a political system that would honor democracy and human rights. Religious fundamentalist forces in the revolution were in such a minority that their candidate could not muster even 5% of the vote in the country's first presidential election, while Abolhassan Banisadr, representing the democratic front, secures more than 76%.
The eventual victory of the fundamentalist faction came about through a conjunction of factors, including unfavourable international conditions. The prolonging of the Iran-Iraq war through Ronald Reagan's covert relationship with the Iranian fundamentalists (later exposed as the "October Surprise" and Iran-Gate scandal) played a major role. There was nothing inevitable about the dominance of fundamentalist forces over state and society. And while there was widespread resentment against western (mainly US) policies towards Iran, these were not rooted in a cultural belief that American civilization was democratic and Iranian civilization was not. They were grounded in an understanding that US policies towards Iran were antidemocratic. The 1953 American-British coup against the democratic prime minister Mohammad Mussadegh, and twenty-five years of support for the brutal dictatorship of the Shah, were the most obvious example of this. The US was resented not because it was culturally incommensurable or advocated human rights, but because it supported a despot who made it possible for the US to dominate oil interests in the Iranian economy. The "clash of civilizations" thesis was hollow, but powerful nevertheless.
Interestingly enough, fundamentalist forces within Islamic countries also tried to use this theory to justify their own anti-western geopolitics. Hizb-al-Tahrir, for example, argued that the "clash of civilizations" was inevitable. Right-wing forces in the west found their counterparts within the Islamic world, and were soon provided "proof" of their thesis in the attacks of September 11, 2001. In the years that followed, a bold new narrative of the "clash of civilizations" was crafted. It had become so embedded in international relations, popular culture and public consciousnesses that it was difficult to imagine what might be able to unravel it.
Democratic movements in Islamic societies might. The sudden explosion of popular revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt, and just prior to it the Green Movement in Iran, have begun to more seriously expose the shallowness of the "clash of civilizations" theory. These movements all share characteristics in the non-violence of revolutionary methods, the insignificance of fundamentalist elements, and democratic goals. The early victories of democratic forces in Tunisia and Egypt and the total isolation of fundamentalist sections of society in these countries, as well as the fragile situation of fundamentalism in Iran, demonstrate that democracy is not the monopoly of the west. Nor can it be a reason for some epic "clash of civilizations." The multiple roots of democratic governance can be traced back not only to the ancient Greeks, but over a thousand years before, also to Sumaria. This history challenges the long-held belief rarely now spoken aloud, but undoubtedly still working in silence, that as Orientalist scholars like Vatikiotis argued, "Islam does not develop, and neither do Muslims; they are merely are." We see in front of our eyes: Islam does develop, and enters into dialogue within itself and other belief systems. It is not hard to think that demands for the separation of religion and state in Egypt and Tunisia have partly developed through observing the disastrous consequences of conflating state with religion in Iran.
Now, these two ongoing revolutions and the spread of revolutionary energies to other Islamic countries are providing evidence that discredits the basic principles of the theory of the "clash of civilizations." As one Egyptian explained, the reason for his participation in the revolution was, "I want to be counted." If there is anything essential in human beings, surely, it is this need to be counted, to count. The counting of the unaccountable is not the monopoly of certain cultures; it is what makes us human -- and it is what Jacques Rancière says is the foundation of all politics. Or in other words, as Martin Luther King, Jr. once said, "there is something in the soul that cries out for freedom". That something is deeply rooted in our humanity; it is what makes us universal. The bloody fault lines of conflict today are mapped out not between democratic and undemocratic civilizations, but between global forces of antidemocratic power and human struggles for freedom in every culture.
A member of Chicago Mayor-elect Rahm Emanuel's newly appointed transition team has resigned over an ethics violation at her previous job.
Judy Erwin, the former executive director of the Illinois Board of Higher Education, allegedly worked on Barack Obama's 2008 presidential campaign using her state-issued cell phone and e-mail account, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. An investigation found that she violated the state ban on political activity repeatedly between July 2008 and February 2009.
Emanuel spokesman Ben LaBolt confirmed to the Associated Press Saturday that Erwin had stepped down, and that the Emanuel campaign was not aware of the violation when she was chosen for the transition team. She reportedly wanted to avoid any "distractions" for Emanuel.
Erwin also served as a co-chair of Emanuel's mayoral and congressional campaigns.
In a decision filed by the Illinois Executive Ethics Commission in February, Erwin reportedly stated that she "was not careful enough in separating her political work from her state responsibilities ... and also that she had become accustomed to using administrative assistants in the private sector in a way that is not permitted in the public sector."
She cooperated in the investigation, paid a fine of $4,000, reimbursed the state and promised to never work for state government again. She resigned in August.Erwin told the Chicago Tribune that she was busy at work and got careless. She also told the paper that she hoped her 30 years of work in state government would outweigh the commission's ruling. Before her position on the Board of Higher Education, Erwin represented Chicago's 11th District in the Illinois General Assembly from 1992 to 2003."Judy Erwin is a friend of Rahm's with a wealth of experience and he'll continue to consult her public policy knowledge," LaBolt said, according to the Associated Press.
'The Malacca CM is holding voters to ransom. EC chief, you may not know election laws too well, but this is an obvious crime being committed.'
Malacca CM: Help will come only if BN winsMulti Racial: Malacca Chief Minister Ali Rustam was found guilty by his own party and as a result of that he was disqualify from contesting in the deputy president position.In spite of that, Najib and his party retain him as chief minister. This speaks for itself what kind of person and party Ali Rustam and Umno is. As for MCA, MIC and the other BN components, they are merely 'yes, yes, yes, master' parties.Dood: This is a shameless, blatant act of bribery and a subtle threat. Yet, in 1Malaysia, semuanya (all) OK.
What can we expect too when the people who are supposed to investigate things like this say that they are no experts? One wonders too if Umno/BN thinks government funds are synonymous with Umno/BN money. Our tax money can't even be used to better the constituency we live in.: This is outright voter intimidation from the highest level. This is blackmail. The Malacca CM is holding voters to ransom. Election Commission (EC) chief, you may not know election laws too well, but this is an obvious crime being committed.
Voters, please take action and vote these corrupt pirates and thieves out of power and throw them in jail.: "We pave the roads every year in the beginning of the year if they don't want to use the roads, they can go through the bushes," he added.This is an arrogant remark by an incumbent chief minister. When they had held power for a long period of time this is how they will retort to the masses.l: Our leaders are merely public servants to the rakyat and they are to serve us in the best of manner for a salary.A government is elected by the people to run their country and manage its resources, and it is for this sole reason that we pay taxes to serve as government's revenue which is to be utilised to develop and administrate our nation for the betterment of its people.The resources at the government's disposal are therefore held in trust for a specific purpose, not to be abused by those entrusted to manage them and certainly not to be used as ransom against those who oppose their appointment as government.The simple analogy to this idiosyncracy is a case where your own Indonesian maid tells you that she will open the gate to allow you to enter your own house and permit you to take food from your own fridge only if you agree to continue to employ her for another five years.Such is the level of arrogance of a government who has been consumed by corruption for far too long because the gullible rakyat allow them to be. If this is not clear intimidation and bribery coming from the CM, what is? Do MACC (Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission) and the EC need reports before taking action? The CM was as reported speaking to a mainly Chinese group. Are the Chinese going to sell their votes and their dignity to Umno? Or as has been alleged, are they going to sell their daughters much like their votes as recorded in 'Interlok'?Meanwhile what are the 'pariah' Indians going to do? Are the Malays and Muslims who talk so much about justice and compassion stand by and continue to allow Umno to mislead and abuse them and others?
Is it not time - overdue if you ask me - for the three communities to come together and teach Umno a lesson starting now before it is too late for Malaysia's redemption?
MCA denies helping mysterious 1M'sia NGO : It looks like the Chinese can be bought after all. Some with RM100. Others with a 'cub-chai' or TV set.MCA must think the rakyat are stupid to believe this 1Malaysia NGO has nothing to do with them. All this confirms is that the war chest for BN come GE13 will definitely have to be very huge, greater than ever before at the rate they are throwing money.BN will be totally mistaken if they think all these efforts to buy support now will negate any need later to repeat it at GE 13. The people are wiser now and the price will be higher for GE13.And we shall see if the rakyat are still as willing to sell their children's future.
: As a Chinese, I'm so ashamed that it only cost RM100 and some goodies to sell their votes. It may be very lucrative deal to get laptops, LCD TVs, motorcycles and promises, but blame yourself when your next generation suffer.
You get what you deserve when the next generation piss and curse on your grave.
Compass: The BN government thrives on corruption. Don't expect it to curb it.
Dr M, the master revisionist
: Anyone who had follow Dr Mahathir Mohamad political career would know deep down he is a coward.The reason he has been propping up fundamentalism Islam and racism is he fear the day Pakatan Rakyat walked into Putrajaya. He'll be charged together with his cronies and family members for all the corrupted misdeeds
By harping on to his two rhetorical slogans he hopes to perpetuate Umno rule where his stakes will be safe. His fear is so real he had to rewrite history to ensure his corrupt policies lives : Just ignore him. I don't even bother to listen to what he says. I don't understand why people keep on listening to him. If this goes on, then the problem is not him, it's all the people who keep listening to the rubbish that comes from his mouthSwipenter: If my memory is not failing me, I remember him saying that how history judge him is immaterial to him. But we all know that he is infamous for doublespeak.Docs: For some reason, reading this article on Dr M reminds me of a quote from the movie Forrest Gump which I must say describes Dr M rather well at this part of his political career. "Stupid is as stupid does".This statement makes no sense but I guess Dr M makes no sense
No comments:
Post a Comment