Janganlah jaga tepi kain orang....

Did you hear that two Malaysians are held in Guantanamo Bay on suspicions of being involved in Al Qaeda and Jemaah Islamiah? Our Government has through the embassy in Washington requested the US Government to ensure that the Malaysian duo received fair and just trial under the Armed Forces Commission which is established to adjudicate detainees who are suspected to be terrorists.

Isnt that funny? Not funny ha-ha but funny in an ironic kinda way. Funny because the Government is so concerned with Malaysians detained overseas having a fair and just trial, but ignorant about Malaysians having a fair and just trial right here on our own shores. Of course by now everyone would have heard about the infamous Non-Muslims can be subjected to the Syariah Court and its rules. So essentially the Judges are saying, "Constitution? What Constitution? Oh right, the one that says Non Muslims should not be subjected to Islamic laws? Sorry, never heard of it. "

Of course all Syariah lawyers have jumped up(excitedly heaving a sigh of "FINALLY!) exclaiming the correctness of the decision and the fact that Syariah Laws emanate from the Quran and is therefore the supreme law of the Land. And then MPs jump into the fray and say, yes, yes, it is a correct decision. Its not surprising that Gopal Sri Ram dissented in his judgment, the Christian, Buddishm and Hinduism society (I do not know the exact name of the society but its along those lines) as well as Non- Muslim rakyats have disagreed with the decision which is blatantly ignoring the Constitution and of course the rights of Non-Muslims NOT to be subjected to Syariah Laws. And its of course not surprising at all that ALL Muslims have said its right right right and if you do not think so, you just have to "accept it". Credit has to be given to Datuk Zaid Ibrahim who has his head screwed on right when he said that the decision is plain wrong in the eyes of the Constituion. He didnt allow his emotions or his religion blind him in reading the true meaning of the law as enacted by our Forefathers. Syariah Laws are meant to be followed by Muslims and Muslims only. Its as simple as that. Just as Non Muslims do not insist Muslims subject themselves to a say a Hindu Court or a Christian Court, Muslims should not ask us to "accept it" if we are to appear before a Syariah Judge who has no authority over us because we do not practise the religion!
Who cares if Ms. Subashini might win in the Syariah Court (yeah, sure. We believe that!) because the Court is fair and etc etc? Its still wrong from the word GO. We dont want to go to the finishing line and cross our fingers hoping that it will end right. (And if it doesnt end right the Syariah Courts are going to say the same "accept it" line isnt it?)

All calls to the Parliament to settle the issue once and for all have met with a deafening silence. (Like what is new with silence from the Government? Maybe when they said "transparency" they meant being invisible when it comes to resolving issues. So we go, "hey, where the heck did the Government go??")

Just and fair trial? Constitution? Rights?
Pooh.

Innocent until......

So the ACA chief has had some rumours of misusing government vehicles, owning several business interests and property brewing around him. Of course the police have been investigating and they will "reveal the findings of the investigation in due time."

While all these are ongoing, Zukipli's term in office expires this Saturday. So its up to the PM whether to extend it (as he has for the past three times) or say, " Zulkipli, as head of ACA, these allegations are really serious and its damaging to the ACA. Sorry, I think have to have new blood in there. I have to replace you."
However, please people, dont hold you breath for the latter because I am not surprised if his tenure as ACA chief is extended again. After all its suppose to be innocent until proven guilty right?

In theory that is true. However in Malaysia, its more like this, innocent until (if anything is done at all to investigate or follow up on the matter) proven guilty.(p/s: even if found guilty, there will not be punishment, merely a transfer to another department ala Malaysian civil servant style. Unless he pissed someone off and then he will be made a kambing korban for the sake of "transparency and integrity" of the Government)

Of course it is not surprising that Zulkipli has not been called before the Parliamentary committee to explain himself. Why is there a need to? The PM already told him to "explain himself". And he sure did explain himself. It went along these lines, "People like to spread rumours about me. I did not do it. I believe in Allah and as long as I believe in Him, I will be ok."

I guess that was enough for the Government. Of course we the rakyat can see how this has damaged the credibility of the ACA in prosecuting and stomping out corruption. If the chief allegedly did it, how can the whole agency be trusted? And who are the kambing korbans from the Government who were prosecuted? (Those poor people. They must have pissed off someone big time) But of course nobody sees it as a big issue. The Government and the ACA especially are keeping their fingers crossed and hoping this will blow over. Hoping it will go right above our heads into infinity and beyond never to be heard again.

Remember Zakaria Deros? You dont? Well, most of us dont. Cos eventhough he did a lot of things illegally, he was never punished or prosecuted. What about those illegal UMNO "trailer parks" on those land? Oh, nothing was done about them either. Tear them down? How ridiculous, it would make more sense to make something illegal into something legal by issuing TOL. *phew* Catastrophe avoided.

What? A opposition leader rammed his car into a construction site worker (he was actually aiming for the door but that man happened to be in the way) who refused to let him into the construction site everyone is opposing because its bad for the environment? PROSECUTE! ATTEMPTED MURDER!

Which minister accepted bribes to allow the people detained to be released? Please, it was a police CLERICAL error. And by next month, we wont even remember this anymore. Non-issue. Moving on.

So you see, this is how Malaysia works. You just have to know which side you are on. If you were born into the wrong side, well, tough luck.

Kebab Stupidity

Two days ago, I almost cried.

Now, I am not the "Oh, what a sad romantic story " *cue the waterworks*
or,
Johnny Cash proposed to June Carter *cue the waterworks*
or,
Mickey Mouse on parade in Disneyland *cue waterworks* [this is only applicable to my sister, who is quite weird because cartoon characters on parade can reduce her to tears. Then again, she cries at everything, even movies which she happens to flip through and watched a snippet of. She still cries if its a sad scene. She is destined to be an actress in Taiwan. But I love her so.]

Ok, moving on.

What almost reduced me to tears was a newspaper article about this man who is paralysed and how his whole family have to suffer because the breadwinner of the family could not longer provide for them. Then there was an article about the poor boy who survived on RM1 a day.
And then on the next page was an article with an accompanying picture of UKM students making the longest kebab in the world (or was it in Malaysia?same difference) and the cost of making the Guiness Book of records worthy kebab? RM24,000.

Now, this was when *cue waterworks* came into picture.

Why would anybody spend that amount on money on something as useless as making the longest kebab? WTF would you need the longest kebab for?! In the first place, kebabs are not even Malaysia's signature dish! And RM24,000? For a kebab? Seriously?

Would it not make more sense to use that money and donate to the poor paralysed man?Or the poor Indian boy? Or to those who have lost their homes in Johore? Or orphaned children? or even the boy with a hole in his heart?

A kebab? Really?? So what, the rest of the studend body will eat kebabs for the next two weeks? Or are they going to donate the kebabs to poor hungry children? Or homeless people?

You'd think that these children whose parents have spent money sending them to University would put the grey thing between their ears to better use. And UKM is supposed to be the top University in Malaysia. Doesnt it send shivers down your spine that the top University would use their student body to make kebabs? Instead of asking them to perhaps volunteer at the flood relief centres in Johore? Or start a fundraising thing to help the orphaned children or the disabled? Or participate in the Big Walk and contributing the RM24,000 to children who need prosthethic limbs?

Its very typical Malaysian isnt it?

We usually spend money on useless things when we have more pressing issues to settle with the cash. Such as maintaining the roads in Ampang. But what does the MPAJ use whatever money they have for? Building a big mosque. (ok, this is nothing to do with Islam, so nobody should take offence). Does it matter that Ampang is chock full of mosques? Bukit Indah, Kosas, Ukay Heights,...the list goes on. Instead, the money which could be put to maintain the roads is used for building a big (and I mean BIG) mosque. Whatever for?

If only some of us use our brains once in a while. Then at least good things get done the right way.