New Straits Times slammed UMNO

Unbelieveable, the NST slammed UMNO for behaving badly after a bad showing in the last GE. God works mysteriously. This is what NST said, 'People are getting fed up with UMNO's moaning and groaning. The truth is that the people have long been disgusted with the kind of boorish and loutish behaviour that UMNO leaders have exemplified because of their grip on power since independence in 1957.' Finally the journalists who have their views and feelings suppressed all these years just let go their truth. To be fair, many of these journalists are just ordinary beans with family to feed and need to tow the line, cari makan. When the time comes for them to be themselves, they will write what they truly believe in. This may happen in paradise too, one day. God works mysteriously in his own way.

Walter Woon the romantic

A few months back when Chan Sek Keong spoke to the young lawyers, he raised the problem of pay and shortage of lawyers. And as expected, he in a way suggested that the solution is to pay them more, a time tested and no need to sweat the small stuff type of solution. Yesterday Walter Woon made an appeal to young lawyers to work with him in the name of altruism, to serve with a sense of public duty. He wanted 'to attract lawyers who will look beyond financial gains. For saying this, he must be totally out of synch with the great Singapore mentality. Where got smart people work not for money? And lawyers are smart people. But I like this fellow. After so many years in the establishment, he has not been seduced by greed, that money is everything in life. In a way he is a romantic inside, a little like me. It is refreshing and healthy at this point in time to still be able to find such a man in public service. I thought they were extinct. A little idealism and romanticism is good for the soul. Anyway he need not worry that no young lawyers will join him. A big pay rise is on the card and coming very soon.

The mask unveiled

As UMNO fights for its life, to remain in power, the truth of what UMNO really stands for becomes clearer. The speech by the Kelantan Crown Prince Tengku Mohammad Faris on the special privileges of Malays and UMNO's unflinching endorsement clearly defined its position. It is no longer a special right but more, Ketuanan Melayu. The criticism of Ong Ka Ting(MCA) and Karpal Singh(DAP) on the same speech tells two different stories. In the case of MCA, they have been supporting UMNO's position all these years and it sounds kind of hollow. In the case of DAP, their stand is quite understandable. The DAP stand is also about recognition of the Special Rights of the Malays but not the Ketuanan Melayu of UMNO. Acceptance of this right has not been questioned by the non Malays. What they are opposing is the extreme interpretation of this right by UMNO. Even PAS is not in agreement with UMNO on this. They are more concern with protecting the rights of the underprivileged, especially the Malays. They are not comfortable with protecting the rights of the rich UMNOs and their corrupt ways. There is a huge difference in what the two camps stood for. UMNO is now trying to sell its extremism to PAS to prevent the erosion of Malay hegemony.

Ridiculing virtues

What are we becoming when all the age old virtues are now only good to con the kids in schools? We used to teach our young about honour, respect, honesty, love, passion, loyalty, country and nation. Today these values are as good as how much one can trade them for. You want honour, honesty, loyalty, country and nation, how much are you going to pay for it? Even the position of public office is not worth anything unless it can command a lot of money. What is so great about being a minister when you end up with lesser money? It used to be a great honour, a place in history, a pride of the family to see a son becoming a govt official, and what honour will that be if that son becomes a top official, a minister? Today, it is seen as a monetary trade off, a sacrifice, a big sacrifice. Actually many would not want to be a minister. Too much of a sacrifice. For goodness sake, lets not belittle the honour of public office. Let's teach our young the right values, let's go back to some of the virtues that we cherish and can live by with pride and honour. Money is good, the more the better. But up to a point, there are things that money cannot buy. Oops, I am talking nonsense again. Anything that can be monetised can be bought. That is Uniquely Singapore. There is a paradise in heaven, there is one on earth. The one above exists without money. The one below exists because of money.

The impending reality of Malaysian politics

While UMNO top brasses are trying to outdo and kick one another out of the cabinet, Anwar is quietly building up his forces. And any time, one month or six months, the whole UMNO cabinet ministers may end up without a job and be opposition backbenchers. What are they fighting for when their days are so limited?