changeling

changeling


A movie based on a true story that happened in 1928.

In the USA. To be more precise, in Los Angeles

Directed by the creative Clint Eastwood. Starring the not-so-foxy Angelina Jolie (aged, and seriously underweight)


Catch the DVD.

You will be shocked by the clear parallels between what is Malaysia today and what was LA 80 years ago.


Shudder…

Quit Call Crap

I know he is popular.
I know he helps the PR lots.
I also know he does not want to be in politics.
And I for one believes he speaks sense, some of the time.

But has popularity gone to his head and now RPK thinks he is a kingmaker?

RPK: Anwar, Kit Siang and Hadi should quit


Sorry, fans of RPK – I can’t accept his call. These chaps have only been married less than a year. UMNO has 50 years to polish up their slimy game.

Further, there is a line between providing support or offering suggestions to these chaps, and telling them what to do.

‘After the fact’ analysis is easy – but these chaps have to live with their decisions. And not us (some of which, like me, are couch analysts) who have plenty of ‘thoughts’ for any pennies thrown our way. wakakakaka


RPK’s needs to start his own party. Then he can call the shots.

WOW

All I can say is, ‘wow’.

And I thought this was penned by a foreigner or an educated Malaysian of Chinese or Indian descent…

No. It was penned by a certain Malay by the name of AB Sulaiman.

A sample:

Our Malay soul needs to cry for doing the right thing for the wrong reason or the wrong thing for the right reason; even for the wrong thing for the wrong reason, but not for the right thing for the right reason

The future of the Malays (in the world, not merely in the small pond going by the name ‘Malaysia’) is indeed bright, if more Malays see the world as this chap sees it. We will soon see them marching as equals with the Japanese, the Koreans, the Singaporeans, and alongside them, in international markets.

Read the full article for yourself:

Cry my beloved Malay soul

The Perak Berak crap

I have resisted making a post about the crap going on in Perak.
It is always prudent to sit back and think about the issues with a cool clear head.


Subject to the authenticity of the rumours about more defections, I can only conclude that Najib has done the Rakyat a big favour by orchestrating the cross-overs:

Think about these advantages

• Anwar will be more circumspect about frogs in the future (are you, like me, tired of his 916??)
• It is clear that PKR has deadwoods in their midst, more than the other PR parties
• We now know that DAP is quite established. With only one minor unimportant member defecting
• No clear headed rakyat will trust any BN that crosses over to PR
• PAS – oh my Allah – steady as ever. Hats off to them
• Najib has just committed hara-kiri. Yes, his ears will be filled with praises from within umno. But trust me, the rakyat will wonder if he is really the son of the second PM
• To the rakyat the episode clearly unveiled the depth of corruption in the highest office
• UMNO is using the rakyat’s money to entice frogs (and appeasing the angry rakyat). Rakyat being human – will they stand for another getting enrich at their expense?

It took 50 years for the political landscape to change substantially.
Don’t expect thing to change in one year (or one GE).

GE13 will be an interesting time – assuming Najib can survive that long. Especially with the economic gloom hitting the shore. And it won’t be enough just giving contracts and keeping Umnotites happy. The rakyat will suffer and there won’t be enough to go around. That’s when the najis will hit the fan – for Najib, that is.

Najib is just a kampung boy with small world view, and short term visions. His years of playing umno brand of politics in a small pond barely prepares him for the turmoil Malaysia will be going through. Especially when the world has suddenly become so small.

But for the fact that he has his father blood in him, he would barely make good as an office boy.

ban crap

Catholic paper can’t use ‘Allah’ after all

It’s sad really.

All the huffing and puffing about the use of a word. By both sides. Wonder if they have taken the time to ask HIM what his name really is…

My first thought was: why not just use “Tuhan” instead of “Allah”.
However, it next occurred to me:

It is a matter of principle: should I let botak dictates what I can or can’t do? It is a struggle against the slow but sure whittling of the rights of the minorities in the country. You wonder – what’s next?

Therefore the ban should be resisted on the basis of principle.


Then there are those, who smell the power-shift in the air, and in their attempts to endear themselves to the power-to-be, posted irresponsible articles in their blogs, some in utter distaste, others, delusional:

A Petition to the Pope

Demi Negara, Demi Agama ..


In the first link, it is clear, the ex-editor of a major government controlled newspaper has a hidden motive. He could care less the consequences of his post.

In the second link, the author insinuates that the reason is to deceive.
And I thought: My Allah, the Muslims are so easily deceived?

He has a point though – use “Tuhan”. But because of principle, and because of the tone the author use, only the hot headed and emotional Muslim would consent an ‘amin’ to his diatribe.

By the way, according to this, the word has been in the catholic bibles for “centuries”:

Catholic paper defies ban on use of ‘Allah’

“Munshi Abdullah, the father of modern Malay literature, translated the Bible into Malay in 1852 and he also translated ‘God’ as ‘Allah’ so there is strong historical proof of what we have been using for centuries,” said Andrew.

Maybe saudara Munshi was wrong – but the fact remains.

Crap.


====UPDATE 10 Feb 09====
Here is one non-politicised, sane and balanced view:

Can Non Muslims call god ‘Allah’

All I can say is: Allah be praised.