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.)

Tuesday, November 13, 2007

Essential reading for our 'Macho' Nazri

notwithstanding he does not read blogs but I am sure all Ministers secretly read Malaysiakini and Malaysia Today. I am reproducing selected letters for the benefit of some of my friends who are even afraid to log onto the two sites for fear of attracting cyber troopers who are trained and paid to hack and introduce viruses and trojan horses. It is very disappointing to know there are many who did not know the truth about the November 10, such is the effectiveness of control over the mainstream media.

From Malaysiakini's letter section:

Malaysia’s Goebbels at work

Dr Lim Teck Ghee Nov 13, 07 5:05pm

Hitler’s notorious minister of propaganda would have been proud of the way the editors of our English and some vernacular national media covered what is probably the most important event the country has seen in relation to public outrage over the way the ruling party has rigged the elections. The two English papers focused almost entirely on the massive traffic jams and the government’s version of the historic gathering held to present public concerns on election rigging to the palace.

Such incredibly biased spin by our mainstream media of the Istana Negara march on Nov 10 and further efforts by the government to discredit the organisers and opposition parties is an attempt to conceal what almost two generations of Malaysians and international political and social scientists have written numerous books and research papers on: the systematic debasement of the credibility and legitimacy of the electoral process over the last 50 years.

Dishonest electoral conduct by the ruling party includes:

The manipulation of electoral boundaries
The vast disparity of voter numbers among the constituencies
The grossly unfair use of the governmental machinery in support of ruling party candidates
The growing incidence of phantom, postal and absentee voters
Various other irregularities and unethical practices

In addition, there is a denial of legitimate media space to the opposition parties; silencing of issues they have raised and minimal, if any, coverage of their proposals for change. It is no wonder that the leaders of the ruling party are confident the Barisan Nasional can be in power for the next 50 years.

Readers interested in how the ruling party has manipulated the electoral process to its advantage are spoilt for choice. Reference to any of the following scholars: Sothi Rachagan, Mavis Puthucheary, Noraini Othman, Lim Hong Hai, Wong Chin Huat, Harold Crouch, James Jesudason, John Funston, Rainer Heufers, Bridget Welsh, Ong Kian Meng, Mustafa Anuar, James Chin, William Case, Francis Loh Kok Wah, Andrew Aeria and others.

These will provide important facts and figures on the truth behind the facade of ‘free and fair’ elections in the country. Unfortunately such analysis and data have been deliberately obliterated Goebbels-style from the national media coverage so far.

Finally, the Malaysian public will be interested to know some of the important ideas that have emerged from the independent scholarship on the reform needed to ensure a free and fair political process. These include:

A reintroduction of local elections.

Upholding the principle of ‘One person one vote’ by restricting the disparity in constituency sizes and prohibiting gerrymandering; or introducing the elements of proportional representation into the electoral system.

Adherence to the principle of administrative neutrality by barring ruling parties from buying votes through development pledges and misusing public service facilities and apparatus for electioneering purposes.

Ensuring free and fair access to mass media by all parties.

The elimination of polling irregularities by cleaning up the electoral roll, abolishing domestic postal voting and employing indelible ink.

Repeal of the1962 amendment to the Constitution which abrogated the Electoral Commission’s right to enforce fair delineation of constituencies

Guarantees to ensure that the Electoral Commission is free from any form of political pressure or influence.

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