How should we judge a government?

In Malaysia, if you don't watch television or read newspapers, you are uninformed; but if you do, you are misinformed!

"If you're not careful, the newspapers will have you hating the people who are being oppressed, and loving the people who are doing the oppressing." - Malcolm X

Never argue with stupid people, they will drag you down to their level and then beat you with experience - Mark Twain

Why we should be against censorship in a court of law: Publicity is the very soul of justice … it keeps the judge himself, while trying, under trial. - Jeremy Bentham

"Our government is like a baby's alimentary canal, with a happy appetite at one end and no
responsibility at the other. " - Ronald Reagan

Government fed by the people

Government fed by the people

Career options

Career options
I suggest government... because nobody has ever been caught.

Corruption so prevalent it affects English language?

Corruption so prevalent it affects English language?
Corruption is so prevalent it affects English language?

When there's too much dirt...

When there's too much dirt...
We need better tools... to cover up mega corruptions.

Prevent bullying now!

Prevent bullying now!
If you're not going to speak up, how is the world supposed to know you exist? “Orang boleh pandai setinggi langit, tapi selama ia tidak menulis, ia akan hilang di dalam masyarakat dan dari sejarah.” - Ananta Prameodya Toer (Your intellect may soar to the sky but if you do not write, you will be lost from society and to history.)

Sunday, July 03, 2011

Overkill of Bersih and Ambiga

The way our PM, Home Minister and the Police handled the proposed Bersih march on July 9 so far, reminds me of this management lesson...

Management Lesson:

'Be sure there is a problem in the first place before working hard to solve one.'

One fine day, a bus driver went to the bus garage, started his bus, and drove off along the route. No problems for the first few stops - a few people got on, a few got off, and things went generally well.

At the next stop, however, a big hulk of a guy got on. Six feet eight,built like a wrestler, arms hanging down to the ground. He glared at the driver and said, 'Big John doesn't pay!' and sat down at the back.

Did I mention that the driver was five feet three, thin, and basically meek? Well, he was. Naturally, he didn't argue with Big John, but he wasn't happy about it. The next day the same thing happened - Big John got on again, made a show of refusing to pay, and sat down. And the next day, and the next.

This grated on the bus driver, who started losing sleep over the way Big John was taking advantage of him. Finally he could stand it no longer. He signed up for body building courses, karate, judo, and all that good stuff.

By the end of the summer, he had become quite strong; what's more, he felt really good about himself. So on the next Monday, when Big John once again got on the bus and said, 'Big John doesn't pay!'

The driver stood up, glared back at the passenger, and screamed, 'And why not?'

With a surprised look on his face, Big John replied, 'Big John has a bus pass.'

After all the posturings by the Home Minister and the Police, what is clear can be summed up by the following comment...

One comment in Malaysiakini:

"Quigonbond: Who is threatening bloodshed? Not Bersih, but Perkasa and Pemuda Umno. For us to get from peaceful assembly (Bersih's stated aim since more than a month ago) to Ambiga being accused of potentially causing loss of life, is simply mind boggling.

BN is effectively saying - you are causing us unease, we will react violently, and it will be your fault, even if you're peaceful. If one takes that further and ask - why are you uneasy, Ali Rustam will answer - because only BN has the right to run this country.

BN has not said it, but it is implied in their action to demonise a movement calling for free and fair elections, because they are like school bully who can't stand being defeated on a level-playing field."

Other selected comments in Malaysiakini:


After what happened, can we still believe PM when he said government will use powers wisely in dealing with illegal assemblies?


Why make them the proposed march and Bersih illegal in the first place?

'Najib also reiterated that elections in the country were clean and that if this was not the case, the opposition could not have won 82 seats in Parliament and deny the Barisan Nasional two-thirds majority, besides winning five states.

"If we had been manipulating elections, this could not have happened and obviously Kelantan would not have been in PAS' hands for 21 years," he added.'

What Najib said can be turned around by this comment:

"DannyLoHH: If the election is free and fair then how could Najib explain the overwhelming number of seats won by BN with just a little over 50% of popular votes?

It is already an established fact that the elections are not fair and heavily in favour of BN due to gerrymandering, abuse of state and federal machinery, tainted electoral roll, rigged postal votes and a bias Election Commission."
Link

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