Saturday, September 30, 2006

Reading Hugo's Lesmis in Kuala Lipis in 1930s

I had never met Kamarulzaman Teh (1920-2002) when he was alive but from his posthumous biography Gerakan dan Tokoh Kiri - Kamarulzaman Teh dalam Kancah Perjuangan Kemerdekaan (SIRD, Petaling Jaya, 2006), I now know he actually shared my liking for Victor Hugo's masterpiece Les Misérables. The timeless world literature is now back on the stage in London and New York.

According to his biographer Dr. Mohamed Salleh Lamry, a now retired former Associate Professor of UKM's Faculty Social Sciences and Humanities, who had interviewed the communist who was incarcerated for 22 years before, Pak Zaman read the book in 1930s while he was a student of Clifford School in Pahang's Kuala Lipis and he was inspired by the book's message of Liberty, Equality and Fraternity.

In memory of Pak Zaman, anti-fascist patriot

More reflections on biography of Pak Zaman

Posthumous biography of Kamarulzaman Teh

Wednesday, September 27, 2006

Posthumous biography of Kamarulzaman Teh

Communist Kamarulzaman Teh (1920 - 2002) is a little known figure among Malaysians, including Malays. However, once upon a time when this land and its people were subjugated by Japanese fascists and British colonialists, Kamarulzaman fought them without any prospect of being elected as a member of parliament or state assemblyman, or rewarded with wealth or royal decoration. On the contrary, he was jailed for 22 years.

Born in Kampung Tanjung Broga of Mukim Sanggang, near Pahang's Temerloh, he joined the Communist Party of Malaya during the Occupation in 1943 and worked with the anti-fascist underground around Temerloh in coordination with the party's guerrilla force in Western Pahang, the 6th Independent Regiment of the Malayan People's Anti-Japanese Army (MPAJA).

Like Rashid Maidin (1917-2006), Kamarulzaman Teh participated in public affairs after the war as an open representative of the Communist Party of Malaya until he was arrested on 20 June, 1948 in Temerloh for allegedly in illegal possession of firearm.

He was "convicted" and sentenced to death by hanging but he was pardoned by HRH Sultan of Pahang and the sentence changed to life imprisonment. However, he was incarcerated for the "conviction" until 1962 when he was " released conditionally". Thereupon, he was further detained without charge or trial under the Internal Security Act for another eight years.

The Inspector-General of Police (IGP) of Tunku Abdul Rahman's 'independent' Malaya from 1958 to 1966 was the London-born Tan Sri Sir Claude Fenner who served in the prewar years in Negeri Sembilan as a colonial policeman.

Kamarulzaman Teh passed away as a communist with dignity, integrity and clear conscience intact at 10.30 a.m on 5 November, 2002 in the house of his lifelong comrades Abdullah C.D. and Suriani Abdullah in southern Thailand while on a visit. He was also laid to rest there on the same day in accordance with Islamic tradition.

Thanks to UKM's retired Associate Professor Dr. Mohamed Salleh Lamry who authored the ground-breaking Gerakan Kiri Melayu Dalam Perjuangan Kemerdekaan (Penerbit UKM, Bangi, 2006), Kamarulzaman's time and life has now been written and published as Gerakan Dan Tokoh Kiri - Kamarulzaman Teh Dalam Kancah Perjuangan Kemerdekaan (SIRD, Petaling Jaya, 2006).

Malaysia's 'longest' political detainee
http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/19

Malaysia's longest political detainee, a fighter to the very end
http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/13591

Duri Dan Api
http://duridanapi.blogspot.com

History of the Malay Left
http://www.malaysiakini.com/opinionsfeatures/48827

Merdeka history in new light
http://www.malaysiakini.com/opinionsfeatures/42665

The charming 'firebrand'
http://www.malaysiakini.com/opinionsfeatures/52845

A tale of two Malay communist memoirs
http://www.malaysiakini.com/opinionsfeatures/33401

The fairer side of Malayan communism
http://www.malaysiakini.com/opinionsfeatures/29792

Opposition to Tunku’s pro-West foreign policies
http://www.malaysiakini.com/opinionsfeatures/21862

Tunku Abdul Rahman — the pro-West ‘nationalist’
http://www.malaysiakini.com/opinionsfeatures/21854

Foreign troops on our soil: the true history
http://www.malaysiakini.com/opinionsfeatures/21851

Multi-ethnic exploration of national economy

As I was told by my uncle earlier, the English-language public forum on the Malaysian economy and Budget 2007 held in Ipoh's Hotel Excelsior last Thursday was a successful event.

It featured Parti KeADILan Rakyat's new Treasurer General Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim (left) who was a former Group Chief Executive Officer of the Guthrie Group as well as Permodalan Nasional Berhad (PNB). His presentation was said to be very well received by folks in town, including many small and medium businessmen as well as professionals.

Speaking on the same panel was Tian Chua and Dr. Lee Boon Chye (left), PKR's Vice President and a UK-trained heart specialist who has been practising in Ipoh for many years, moderated the dialogue. On Friday evening, Khalid also spoke at the Kuala Lumpur-Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall with Tian Chua, MTUC's Syed Sharir and Oriental Daily's economics columnist Soon Hoh Sing.

Monday, September 25, 2006

Why Lee Kuan Yew is only partially correct

I think we Malaysians must not deny that there is indeed a large segment of our population that is marginalised politically, economically and socially, including Chinese Malaysians. Now, the world-class * questions that need to be further and critically explored are as follows: 1. Are Chinese the only category of Malaysians that is being marginalised? What about Indians, Orang Asli, Ibans, Kadazans and other ethnic minorities?

2. Umnoputras are certainly Malays by constitutional definition and their function in the Malaysian social formation (which is constituted by the juxtaposition of both the neo-feudal or rentier as well as capitalist modes of production) is parasitic, exploitative and oppressive. However, have empirical evidences not also suggested that there are always a significant segment of the Malay community that is also subject to intra-community exploitation and oppression although many of them are indoctrinated with some ideological forms of false consciousness such as xenophobic ethno-nationalism (there is also inclusive nationalism in the idea of Parti Kebangsaan Melayu Malaya or PKMM) and reactionary Islamism (there is also a fine tradition of progressive Islamism like that articulated by Dr. Burhanuddin Al-Helmy in his time) that serve to retard the growth of true awareness of their real position in the modes of production or social formation, both domestic and global.

3. Although ethnic minorities like the Chinese are generally marginalised in the patronage system of Umnoputra, are there not exceptional individuals, just like some Chinese Indonesian cukongs who thrived and prospered under the 32-year authoritatian rule of Suharto, who are 'smart' enough to cling to the system and manipulate it for personal gains by selling out the legitimate rights of their respective communities which live in marginalisation?

4. The missing methodological dimension of Lee Kuan Yew's observation on the Malaysian social formation which renders it partial or incomplete is class analysis in modern political economy and sociology.

5. While Lee Kuan Yew's observation is only partially right, the response of Umnoptras and its Chinese Hang Tuahs which denies the existence of any marginalisation of any people in the Malaysian social formation is completely wrong or utter rubbish * *.

Well, the headline of this entry can be amended to read Why is Lee Kuan Yew only partially wrong without affecting an iota of the substance of my critical observations on the constituent elements of the Malaysian social formation. It can also be changed to read Above and Beyond 'Ketuanan Melayu' and 'Malaysian Malaysia'.

* Marx the millennium's 'greatest thinker'
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/461545.stm

* Einstein's reflection on human conditions
http://www.monthlyreview.org/598einst.htm

* * M’sia has worst income disparity in SEA, gov’t flayed
http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/33335

* * ‘Worrisome’ gap between rich and poor
http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/49183

Sunday, September 24, 2006

MCA, Gerakan exhibit Stockholm Syndrome

Brother Ong, I don't want to spoon-feed you because you are physically an adult now: discover for yourself by googling out the meaning of "Stockholm Syndrome" and contextualise it in the political and psychological relations between Umno and Umnoputras on one hand and MCA, Gerakan, MIC and other non-Umno BN component parties on the other.

Umno marginalises BN partners
http://www.malaysiakini.com/letters/57182

DAP agrees with LKY, slams BN leaders
http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/57226

Anwar: BA leaders back DJZ on mother-tongue education
http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/32339

Anwar takes on BN gov’t over Chinese education
http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/34731

Scrap NEP: Anwar’s message to voters
http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/43641

Anwar: Time to suspend NEP
http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/42419

PAS: Communist party helped secure Merdeka
http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/56016

PAS' Chinese-language organ lauded
http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/52156

SEA' s largest Reclining Buddha is in Kelantan

The largest statue of Reclining Buddha is Southeast Asia is located and preserved not in Lee Kuan Yew's Chinese-predominated Singapore but Nik Aziz's Malay-majority Kelantan. Tok Guru Nik Aziz is, of course, a top leader of the multiethnic Islamic opposition party PAS. Under Tok Guru's rule, Chinese-language primary and secondary schools are treated fairly by the state government in terms of grants, including land grants.

Tok Guru, a man who leads a simple lifestyle unimaginable to Umno leaders and whose personal integrity is of high order, also makes it a point to attend to grace Chinese New Year or Wesak Day gatherings with the noble objective of promoting inter-ethnic harmony and mutual respect between followers of different faiths.

PAS: Communist party helped secure Merdeka

Saturday, September 23, 2006

Dr. Mahathir, Lee Kuan Yew and New China

According to Dr. Mahathir, Chinese in China nowadays don't listen to Lee Kuan Yew anymore. Dr. Mahathir reportedly said: “In a small group, you may look clever. (But) when he goes to China. The Chinese there don’t listen (to him). The Chinese don’t respect him because he has been marginalised by the Chinese around the world”.

I do not know to what extent what Dr. Mahathir has said about Lee vis-a-vis China is true but I am very certain that nowadays, China, with its much better educated and trained as well as more exposed leaders, is now able and willing to consult a much wider range of opinions and advices on world and regional affairs outside China, including Malay- and English-language ones.

China's younger and more broad-minded leaders can now communicate directly with George Bush, Tony Blair and John Howard without first going through Harry Lee. But it seems that if Harry wants to continue to offer his opinions to China, he is still welcome. China has always been appreciating Dr.Mahathir's strategic insights and perspectives on world affairs and international politics.

Mahathir: LKY 'arrogant and not very clever'
http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/57213

China Radio International (CRI) in Bahasa Melayu
http://my.chinabroadcast.cn

Xinhua News in Arabic
http://www.arabic.xinhuanet.com/arabic/index.htm

Chinese-language learning hot in Indonesia
http://www.edu.cn/20050617/3141153.shtml

Indonesia enhances Chinese-language education
http://www.china.org.cn/english/FR/37026.htm

M'sian economic malaise analysed by Khalid

After personally listening to Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim, the businessman- and economist-turned- oppositionist just now in the Kuala Lumpur-Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall, I have now to agree with Uncle in Ipoh that the new Treasurer-General of Parti KeADILan Rakyat is indeed very " informative and mind-opening".

Most of my friends tonight agree that Khalid has the remarkable ability or natural talent of an organic intellectual with emotive roots on the ground of presenting complex economic arguments and reasoning in laymen's language without being vulgar or populistic. I think he is also a man of high EQ.

The night before last, Khalid spoke in Ipoh together with Tian Chua at Hotel Excelsior . It was chaired by my friend Dr. Lee Boon Chye (left), a UK-trained practising heart specialist who is also an elected Vice President of PKR. Although I was unable to attend the forum in my four-generation hometown, I was told by an uncle of mine who attended it that he was very impressed by Khalid.

According to Uncle, Khalid's critical and yet intelligent analysis of the current state of the Malaysian economy and 2007 Budget as well as his exposes of how the National Front government misused - and still misuses public resources.

Chinese malaysiakini report of Khalid's presentation
http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/57221

Merdeka Review's report of Khalid's presentation
http://www.merdekareview.com/news.php?n=2612

Anwar: Time to suspend NEP
http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/42419

Abdullah: NEP still relevant
http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/43497

Friday, September 22, 2006

No judge available now for Chin Peng's cases


According to Chin Peng's lawyer Darshan Singh Khaira, the hearing of his client's homecoming and other related cases are postponed again until, at least, 30 October, because it is claimed that there is "no judge available" now as the previous one Md. Raus bin Sharif has been " promoted ". Raus had set 28 August as the date for hearing but it was later postponed to 25 September.

Mr. Darshan Singh has also told me that the four defandants named by Chin Peng, viz the Government of Malaysia, Home Affairs Minister, Inspector-General of Police and Chief of Defence Forces have still not filed their affidavits of defence yet. Mr. Darshan Singh is going to issue a public statement tomorrow.

Chin Peng’s case – defence yet to file affidavits
http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/54250

Chin Peng's homecoming suit hearing this week
http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/54050

Chin Peng homecoming case date set
http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/53840

( For the full texts of the 1989 Peace Accords officially concluded between the Government of Malaysia and the Communist Party of Malaya on 2 December 1989 in the Lee Garden Hotel in Haadyai, Thailand, please refer to the 1989 Haadyai Peace Accords Archive on the right-side column in this blog )

Ex-CEO to speak at KeADILan's Budget forum

Tonight (22 Sept), Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim (left), the ex-CEO of PNB and Guthrie Group who has recently been appointed as the Treasurer-General of the multiethnic opposition Parti KeADILan Rakyat (PKR), will speak on the Malaysian economy and the 2007 Budget at the Kuala Lumpur-Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall from 8.00 pm to 10.00 pm.

I have been told that, besides analyzing the 2007 Budget and its implications on Malaysian economy, Khalid will also offer his critiques on the New Economic Policy ( NEP) and also elaborate the concept of New Economy Agenda (NEA), as proposed by former DPM Anwar Ibrahim and endorsed by PKR last year.

The biodata of Khalid as presented in a public statement (13 July) issued by PKR's Headquaters on his appointment as the Treasurer-General, reads as follows:

Tan Sri Dato’ Abdul Khalid Ibrahim, P.S.M., D.P.M.S., D.S.A.P., was born in 1946, Malaysian, and currently serves as Chairman of Amanah Mellenia Fund Berhad, and Malaysia Discount Berhad, this in addition to serving on the Board of Directors of SIRIM Berhad, Institute of Strategic and International Studies, Malaysia (ISIS), and National Productivity Centre (NPC).

Tan Sri is an Executive Committee member of Unit Investment Fund and a member of Financial Engineering Advisory Forum of the Islamic Development Bank, Jeddah, as well as Alternate Member of the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC).

Tan Sri earned a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) Economics degree from the University of Malaya and Masters in Business Administration from the University of Queensland, Australia in 1975.

Tan Sri had also served as a teacher, lecturer, credit officer, corporate finance officer and held various managerial positions in Permodalan Nasional Berhad (PNB) including that of Group Chief Executive and until 2003 was the Group Chief Executive of Kumpulan Guthrie Berhad.. Attended the USA International Visitors Program in 1983 and the Eisenhower Exchange Fellowship Program in 1989.

On December 15th, 1998, Tan Sri was the recipient of Malaysia’s CEO of the Year Award 1997, a presentation jointly organized by Business Times Sdn. Bhd. and the American Express Corporate Services. Tan Sri was similarly honoured by the University of Queensland, the recipient of the inaugural International Alumnus of the Year Award 2001.

On July 10th, 2003, Tan Sri was awarded the “AAAB Captain of Industry Award 2002” (First Asian Academy of Applied Business”) by the Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Kota Kinabalu and recently granted Senior Visiting Fellowship with the Oxford Centre of Islamic Studies, Oxford University.

Also speaking will be Syed Shahir (President of Malaysian Trade Union Congress-cum- KeADILan Kelana Jaya Division Chairman) and Chinese-language Oriental Daily's economic columnist Soon Hoh Sing. The forum is open to public attendance and participation.

Last night, Khalid Ibrahim spoke in Ipoh together with Tian Chua at Hotel Excelsior . It was chaired by my friend Dr. Lee Boon Chye (left), a UK-trained practising heart specialist who is also an elected Vice President of PKR. Although I was unable to attend the forum in my four-generation hometown, I was told by an uncle of mine who attended it that he was very impressed by Khalid Ibrahim.

According to Uncle, Khalid's critical and yet intelligent analysis of the current state of the Malaysian economy and 2007 Budget as well as his exposes of how the National Front government misused - and still misuses - public resources, are "very informative and mind-opening".

Scrap NEP: Anwar’s message to voters
http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/43641

Anwar: Time to suspend NEP
http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/42419

Ariff: NEP revival not pragmatic
http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/39494

PM: NEP still relevant
http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/43497

Thursday, September 21, 2006

Karen Armstrong's critique of Pope's speech

Britain's ex-Catholic nun Karen Armstrong, a now widely acclaimed commentator on religions in the English-speaking world, has written to UK's Guardian newspaper recently in response to the speech delivered by Pope Benedict XVI in Germany. Ms. Armstrong's position is clearly Islam-friendly. Strangely enough, her bestsellers A History of God and The Battle for God are officially banned in Malaysia. Why?

In the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and continental Europe where Ms. Armstrong has attracted many critics among Christian and Jewish fundamentalists, her books are sold like hot cakes and consumed with intellectual passion, both hostile as well as friendly. There, her critics respond to or debate with her only after, not before, reading her books or writings. Why?

In Malaysia's own regional neighourhood, Karen Armstrong's books are publicly available for sale in Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines and even Indonesia which houses the largest number of Muslims within a single nation-state on earth. A History of God has even been translated into the Indonesian language as Sejarah Tuhan and offered for sale publicly, including online, just like any other books. Why?

Karen Armstrong on ancient prejudices against Islam

Full text of Pope's original speech delivered in Germany

Wednesday, September 20, 2006

M'sia's peacekeeping offer finally 'accepted' !

(Updated) Finally, the United Nations Organisation ' has sent Malaysia invitation' (to be more accutate, it has accepted Malaysia's repeated and tireless offer) to participate the peacekeeping force in Lebanon. However, it has not altered the fact that Malaysia, thanks to the loose mouths, is not the first choice like India, China and Turkey. It is not even a second choice like Indonesia.

Let us call a spade a spade: it is only a third choice after Malaysia itself has lobbied very hard and repeated its commitment to impartiality for its inclusion. Even then, the UN is only prepared to accept 360 Malaysian troops, not 1,000 as offered.

An interesting set of questions to ask now is: what is the new relations between Malaysia and Israel.

Has, or has not, Israel given the green light for Malaysia's final inclusion? What is the deal or quid pro quo? Is it worth more than the national indignity of being publicly delayed for so long and slashed in number?

By the way, let us wish the 360 men and women in uniform well: selamat jalan and selamat bertugas.

Pak Lah: UN invites our peacekeepers to Lebanon
http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/57035

Dr. Mahathir slams troops offer to Lebanon
http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/56614

PM Abdullah listens to Bush, not Syed Hamid

Malaysia accepts pope's apology
New Straits Times / 20 Sep 2006

NEW YORK: The Prime Minister yesterday said Malaysia accepted Pope Benedict XVI’s apology for his remarks on Islam and violence but said that the pontiff should avoid future comments that could offend Muslims.

"I think we can accept it and we hope there are no more statements that can anger the Muslims," Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said after meeting US President George W. Bush on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. Malaysia, which chairs the 57-member Organisation of the Islamic Conference, had demanded that the pope offer a full apology and retract what he said.

But Bush told Abdullah he believed the pope was sincere in apologising after the angry response of Muslims to his recent speech.

"When I touched on the matter during our discussions, I noted that it sparked intense reactions because the one who uttered it was the pope himself... The pope is not just any other person. That’s why there has been much anger," said Abdullah.

The pope has said he "sincerely regrets" offending Muslims with his reference in a speech last week in Germany to an obscure medieval text that characterises some of the teachings of Islam’s founder as "evil and inhuman".

He said last Sunday that he was "deeply sorry" over the angry reactions and the remarks came from a text that didn't reflect his own opinion.

Pope's apologies 'sincere': Bush tells PM
http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/56968

Apology from Pope inadequate: Syed Hamid
http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/56928

Tuesday, September 19, 2006

In memory of my Jewish teacher Herb Feith

Ever since I returned from my 5-year stay in Australia to Malaysia in early 1987, I have not had the opportunity to visit Down Under again so far. Despite 19 years of separation and the many changes in life, one person there I have never forgotten and to whom I am forever grateful is the late Dr. Herb Feith (1930-2001), a Jewish Australian who taught me Southeast Asian politics.

Undoubtedly, it was Feith who first drew my interest in 1985 to the studies of the political history of Indonesia, especially the dynamic of the 1955 parliamentary elections when the Parti Komunis Indonesia (PKI) gained 16.4% of the popular votes and the 1965 coup, counter-coup and the subsequent massacre of at least 500,000 members and supporters of the PKI.

One of the introductory or foundational books on Indonesia's political history Feith recommended to us novices at that time was Ailsa Zainuddin's A Short History of Indonesia (Melbourne, Cassell, 1968), a secondhand copy of which I still keep till today.

Not very long after his passing in a road accident in Melbourne in 2001, I was informed by an Australian friend in the Kuala Lumpur diplomatic community about the tragedy. Thanks to the blogosphere, a long lost course-mate, Mark, who attended Feith's lectures with me, has just located me and emailed to me Feith's photograph and the URL of Monash University's The Herb Feith Foundation.

We have not forgotten the kacang putih and the red wine brought by Feith to the weekly tutorials for sharing. I also remember Feith as a dedicated environmentalist, great cyclist and committed vegetarian.

Thank you, sir. Rest in peace.

Herb Feith: an outstanding Indonesianist and humanitarian

Indonesian president accepts papal apology

Indonesia's state news agency Antara reported yesterday that H.E. President Susilo Bambang's "disappointment at Pope's remarks is over". Earlier, two most powerful Muslim organisations in the world most populous Muslim country, Nahdlatul Ulama and Muhammadiyah had also accepted the apology made by Pope Benedict XVI over what is said to be his offensive remarks against Islam.

Meanwhile, Malaysia's Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar was quoted yesterday by Bernama as saying that his government is not satisfied with the pope's apology for his remarks on Islam and will continue to insist on a full apology. Earlier, at the height of fighting in southern Lebanon, Syed Hamid publicly called on OIC countries to consider supplying arms to Hezbollah.

President disappointment at Pope's remarks is over

Nahdlatul Ulama, Muhammadiyah accept pope's apology

Apology from Pope inadequate: Syed Hamid

Text of Pope's statement

Full text of Pope's reaction to row

Full text of Pope's original speech

Indonesian Muslims accept Pope's apology

According to a report of Indonesia's state news agency Antara, two leading Muslim organisations in the world's most populous Muslim country, Nahdlatul Ulama and Muhammadiyah have accepted the apology made by Pope Benedict XVI over what is said to be offensive remarks against Islam and Muslims in a recent speech in Germany.

Nahdlatul Ulama, Muhammadiyah accept pope's apology
http://www.antara.co.id/en/seenws/?id=20215

Text of Pope's statement
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/5353774.stm

Full text of Pope's reaction to row
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/5352188.stm

Full text of Pope's original speech
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp/hi/pdfs/15_09_06_pope.pdf

Monday, September 18, 2006

Alternative history of Merdeka for children

Malaya/Malaysia's first Inspector General of Police (IGP) who served from 1958 to 1966 was a London-born Tan Sri Sir Claude Fenner. In his memoirs, Chin Peng remembers Fenner as a prewar colonial cop in Negeri Sembilan who fled to India after the British defeat. Fenner came back to Malaya only at the very late stage of the CPM-led war of resistance.

Rashid Maidin was born in Perak's Kampung Gunung Mesah near Gopeng. When Fenner was a kakitangan kerajaan in Negeri Sembilan on bumi Malaya before the Japanese occupation , Rashid struggled to make ends meet. He stayed in the Kinta Valley throughout the Occupation and helped the Resistance. After Fenner and his blokes came back, Rashid was detained without trial.

After the outbreak of the anti-colonial war in June 1948, Rashid and his like-minded friends like Chin Peng, Shan Ruhong, Abdullah C.D., Eng Ming Ching, Abu Samah and Siti Norkiah were branded as 'bandits' and 'terrorists'. S.A. Ganapathy, P.Veerasenam, Jacko Thambo, Abdul Adnan and William Kuok were martyred. Rashid eventually died and was buried on 1 September 2006 in southern Thailand.

Merdeka history in new light
http://www.malaysiakini.com/opinionsfeatures/42665

Foreign troops on our soil: the true history
http://www.malaysiakini.com/opinionsfeatures/21851

Tunku Abdul Rahman — the pro-West 'nationalist'
http://www.malaysiakini.com/opinionsfeatures/21854

Opposition to Tunku's pro-West foreign policies
http://www.malaysiakini.com/opinionsfeatures/21862

Old friends' new blogs ...

Yale-trained social scientist, writer and a kawan lama of mine, Rustam Sani, 62, now operates his blog called Vox Populi. Rustam, a son of an icon of Malay Left Ahmad Boestaman, was on the same panel with PAS' Dr. Dzulkifri Ahmad, DAP's Ronnie Liu and me in a public forum held at the Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall last Thursday exploring other sides of the struggles for Merdeka.

Meanwhile, another friend of mine Tian Chua has also been enjoying blogging for the last two months or so. I first befriended Tian Chua as a fellow leaders of student unions in Sydney in the mid-80s of the last century. Tian later completed his MA in the Netherlands before he returned to tanahair kita to be active in NGOs and reformasi politics.

Rustam Sani's Vox Populi
http://suara-rustam.blogspot.com

Tian Chua's Econtraria
http://tian.keadilanrakyat.org/

Sunday, September 17, 2006

Pope sets great example of love to the world

His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI has praiseworthily said sorry to Muslims whose feelings have been offended by some quoted observations in his recent speech on Mohammad and his teachings. True religions and great cultures, East and West, teach their adherents to be morally able and ready to say sorry to even people in the "out-groups".

Seen in this light, the Holy Father has courageously demonstrated by personal example the maturity and greatness of the universal messages of Faith, Hope and Love of Yesus Kristus.

Full text of Pope's original speech
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp/hi/pdfs/15_09_06_pope.pdf

Full text of Pope's reaction to row
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/5352188.stm

A people's monument for Rashid Maidin in KL

Saturday morning when I walked along a street in downtown Kuala Lumpur, I saw an elegantly simple black-and-white poster printed with Pak Rashid's portrait and the Malay words: Rashid Maidin 1917-2006, Pejuang Kemerdekaan Perang Pembebasan Nasional Malaya.

A very creative mind at work on a K.L.street

On Saturday morning when I walked along the Sultan Street in Kuala Lumpur, I was attracted by what this ah por did at the kaki lima of the 7-Eleven shop: she collected many used soft drink cans and turned them into colourful and lively table decocrations in the shape of swans. The two instruments she used to do her creative work were just a pair of scissors and a very artistic brain. I am very sure she has never gone to arts schools in London, New York or Paris.

Saturday, September 16, 2006

Exploring other sides of Merdeka history ...

On Thursday night, I (right) spoke at the Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall on the alternative history of Merdeka to a multiethnic audience of about 70. On the same panel with me were veteran social scientist and well-known Malay-language writer Rustam A. Sani (left), PAS's think-tank chief Dr. Dzulkifri Ahmad (second from left) and DAP's Ronnie Liu (second from right).

The public forum, organised by NGO Youth For Change (Y4C), was inspired by a Malay-language commentary written by my kawan lama Dr. Dzulkifri recently in Harakah Online calling for recognition for hitherto non-official Merdeka struggles and fighters, including the Communist Party of Malaya (CPM) as well as Chin Peng and his comrades such as Rashid Maidin, in official history.

PAS: Communist party helped secure Merdeka
http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/56016

Said Zahari: read Chin Peng’s memoirs with open mind
http://www.malaysiakini.com/opinionsfeatures/22390

Sybil Kathigasu – new stories, same legend
http://www.malaysiakini.com/opinionsfeatures/53246

The charming 'firebrand'
http://www.malaysiakini.com/opinionsfeatures/52845

History of the Malay Left
http://www.malaysiakini.com/opinionsfeatures/48827

Merdeka history in new light
http://www.malaysiakini.com/opinionsfeatures/42665

Alternative accounts of Malaya's independence
http://www.malaysiakini.com/opinionsfeatures/40390

A tale of two Malay communist memoirs
http://www.malaysiakini.com/opinionsfeatures/33401

The fairer side of Malayan communism
http://www.malaysiakini.com/opinionsfeatures/29792

Merdeka - a multi-faceted account
http://www.malaysiakini.com/opinionsfeatures/29563

Komunis warisan Bahaman
http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/12781

Foreign troops on our soil: the true history
http://www.malaysiakini.com/opinionsfeatures/21851

Tunku Abdul Rahman — the pro-West 'nationalist'
http://www.malaysiakini.com/opinionsfeatures/21854

Opposition to Tunku's pro-West foreign policies
http://www.malaysiakini.com/opinionsfeatures/21862

Thursday, September 14, 2006

Jewish infiltration into schools, universities

If anyone sees this sign or symbol in children's science or maths textbooks, please report to Biro Tata Negara in the Prime Minister's Department to protect national security :)

MPs up in arms against BTN seminar
http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/56736

Show proof of Jewish infiltration, BTN told
http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/56698

'Jewish elements' infiltrating local campuses
http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/56633

Wednesday, September 13, 2006

Jewish element found in M'sian universities !

Albert Einstein, a German-born Jewish American, was a Nobel Prize-winning physicist whose theories have been parts of high schools' and universities' science textbooks for many years all over the world, including Malaysia where there is a Biro Tata Negara.

Albert Einstein Online
http://www.westegg.com/einstein

Albert Einstein Archives
http://www.albert-einstein.org

Albert Einstein in Marxists Internet Archive
http://www.marxists.org/reference/archive/einstein/

UNIFL already included Asian, Muslim troops

PM Abdullah Ahmad Badawi was quoted by the New Straits Times yesterday as saying: "We want Asian nations like Malaysia and Brunei to be given the chance to play their respective role in Lebanon. This must be done fast". As a matter of fact, there are already non-European troops from, for example, Asian and Muslim-majority countries that really matter such as China, India, Indonesia and Turkey in the United Nations' Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFL).

Allow non-European troops for UN force in Lebanon: PM
http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/56636

Mahathir slams troops offer to Lebanon
http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/56614

KL to send troops despite Israel's protest
http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/55501

Malaysia readies 1,000 soldiers for Lebanon
http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/54921

Syed Hamid: OIC nations should arm Hezbollah
http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/55055

Israel drops objections vs. Indonesia
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3298521,00.html

Indian Army battalion in Lebanon honoured
http://www.nerve.in/unifl/news:25350014763

China sets up peace-keeping battalion for Lebanon mission
http://www.gov.cn/misc/2006-02/28/content_213678.htm

Turkey approves Lebanon troops
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/5315712.stm

Tuesday, September 12, 2006

Tun Dr. Mahathir calls PM Abdullah " a liar " !

Acoording to a malaysiakini news report published yesterday, former Prime Minister Dr. Mahathir Mohamad publicly and effectively called Prime Minister Abdullah "a liar". From a legal point of view, if Dr. Mahathir cannot substantiate his allegation that PM Abdullah has "habit of lying", he can, prima facie, be sued by PM Abdullah for defamation or libel.

Could our Cambridge Double First graduate of law (picture above) who has many practical experiences and impressive records of success in this field kindly advice PM Abdullah as to his rights under the Common Law and the moral and political consequences of not taking legal actions to clear his name in court? Thank you in anticipation.

Pak Lah has 'habit of lying': Dr M
http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/56587