Best Political Quotation For 1st Quarter 2008, (January-March)

Everywhere in the world, in principle, a silent politician is no politician
- Chua Jui Meng, Former Health Minister, Malaysia

Even though I am just a Gerakan ordinary member, nearly everyday this quote ECHOES in my ears.

I am a very forgetful and absent-minded person, yet when Chua Jui Meng utter it on national TV, I could remember it word by word.

I wonder whether the Gerakan top leaders if they have heard these words will experience a more intense ECHOES???

ReInventing - Sdra Koh Tsu Koon

I believe that as a member of Gerakan, I should observe some basis discipline and not discuss internal party matter on public domain. Yet, I felt I need to share my thought on Tsu Koon especially with the different political scenario of today.

In the early 90s, I met KTK the first time when I was a member of a local youth leadership NGO. He came about as a nice, humble person and a man of integrity. But, even though he was already the Chief Minister, he didn't impress me as a great leader. He was more like a scholar.

I felt thru his words and deeds that he lack the capability and the vision to further transform Penang into an examplery state. I always felt KTK leadership will eventually failed Gerakan.

My wife use to ask me why you are always grumble about KTK. My standard reply was that he is a nice man but an unsuitable political leader. His leadership style will only manage to sustain and maintain Penang development or at best improve it slightly.

She couldn't understand/visualize this. Two years ago, she was transfer to a new position in her company. My wife started to travel oversea especially to Singapore and China. Now, she understand my feeling about KTK. Her exposure to the development in the other countries startled her. She was amaze at the development of those countries especially Singapore that she visited while young and recall at that time Singapore & Penang were at par. Now, it is like comparing Heaven & Earth.

The March 8 “Tsunami” seem to confirm what I had always felt.

In the aftermath of PRU12, Gerakan is in the midst of reconsolidating and soon will chart its future direction. It seem that the general opinion of members after numerous briefings and meetings is to allow KTK to spearhead the changes, at least for the interim period before the next presidential election.

The question that bother me the most is whether KTK can "reinvent" himself to lead us during this difficult period?

There are those who believe great leaders are born, I am one of them. I doubt KTK will be able to change his leadership style to suit this "War" time, but yet I sincerely hope Tsu Koon will prove me and those who share my opinion wrong!!!

Prove us wrong!!!

Why The Subways Flood

LGE is proposing to change the mass rapid transit to a subway instead of an elevated monorail. Do you think the ELEVATED monorail will flood or the subway will flood?

Please go to the New York Times below and read the article - http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/08/08/why-do-the-subways-flood/

The Star,Thursday March 27, 2008

..... Lim also said the state government was proposing a subway to help improve the state’s public transportation system.

However, he said, it would cost three or four times more than the Federal Government’s elevated monorail project.

“If we have a subway instead, it will also help improve the drainage system to solve flood woes. This way, we can kill two birds with one stone,” he said....

Lim Guan Eng, please don't take Penang to Holland.

Order for new cars cancelled

Lies! Lies! Lies !
Tipu! Tipu! Tipu!

Lim Guan Eng is full of "s%#&" and lies. There were only planned provision for the replacement of the cars, there were no orders made. How can you cancel orders that was never made - that is why there is not cancellation charges.

LGE must be a Tiga Suku trained accountant, he should know that well run governments/ companies/businesses makes necessary provision for depreciation, etc.

But, credit must be given where it is due - he is a FIRST CLASS Con-Man, he manage to get first page coverage on national newspaper. Hopefully, the people and the press will eventually see him for what he really is.


The Star, Thursday March 27, 2008

Orders for new cars cancelled

PENANG: The Penang Government has cancelled an order for five new Perdana V-6 cars worth RM623,000 which were ordered by the previous administration for its exco members.

Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng commended all the new exco members for agreeing to continue using the existing cars to save the rakyat’s money.

“The cars have not been delivered yet. So, we have managed to cancel the orders without incurring any losses for the state.

“Currently, the government has 43 official cars for its senior officers,” he told newsmen after a state exco meeting yesterday.

Putih, Hitam, Kelabu

While surfing found a blogger's penning his thought on Putih Hitam Kelabu, the exact title of my blog. Below is his writing:

"Ramai yang tahu putih, ramai yang tahu hitam, tapi jarang yang nampak kelabu. Di antara yang melampau dengan yang terkurang, yang sering terpinggir ialah yang sedang-sedang. Hanya ada antara dua hala. Kiri atau kanan. Atas atau bawah. Depan atau belakang. Syurga atau neraka. Lalu dilaung-laungkan oleh mereka, jangan disempitkan perspektifmu sambil hanya saling memandang ke arah dua sudut sedang di antara syurga dan neraka, ada dunia. Lalu yang putih apabila melihat warna yang berbeza dari mereka, itulah hitam kata mereka. Lalu yang hitam apabila melihat warna yang berbeza dari mereka, itulah putih kata mereka. Lalu mereka kecam-mengecam kerana merasakan mereka adalah sangat berbeza di antara satu sama lain. Padamkan putih. Padamkan hitam. Tinggallah dua pihak yang saling menyimpan pandangan sempit tentang sesuatu yang di luar kebiasaan mereka dan kedengaran lagi dilaung-laung, jangan disempitkan perspektifmu."

catatan broken_nigina pada 2/25/2008 12:20:00 AM

(http://dariluardunia.blogspot.com/2008/02/putih-hitam-kelabu.html).

Leaking Roof

Lim Guan Eng really know how to play the publicity game. Using the issue of the leaking Rumah Tetamu, he portray himself like a saint.

Dear Mr Chief Minister, if your own house roof leak, aren't you going to repair it? Are you going to let you house rot? At least get the roof fix. Come on, Rumah Tetamu is the Official Residence For The Chief Minister, get more quotations and arrange to fix up the roof. If you can't, like me help get the quotes for you.

Please don't use this for your publicity gimmick.

I hope it is not the basic and rundown condition of the Rumah Tetamu that you do not want to stay there. I was there recently, my god, the TV there is just 14 in, the kitchen is hopeless, other that the hall - the rooms and stairs are dusty. Better stay with daddy.

One room enough for Guan Eng

by Regina William, sun2surf, Mar 21.

He could have lived comfortably and with maximum security at Rumah Tetamu on Macalister Road, the official residence of the chief minister.

However, told it would cost the state government at least RM300,000 to repair it and make it fit for a VIP, Lim Guan Eng decided to forgo the idea, bearing in mind that he had asked Penangites to join him in an austerity drive, which is the hallmark of the DAP-PKR state government.

He told the Sun in a phone interview he would rather spend the money for a better cause.

“I found out that if I were to move into Rumah Tetamu, the leaking roof problem will have to be repaired at a cost of at least RM300,000, or even more for other works. The police also wanted me to move in for security reasons, so that I will be safe.

“We have a RM35.6 million deficit budget for this year, and this administration does not intend to spend money unnecessarily. Just for me, one man, spending that much money (the repair cost) is not worth it.”

Lim is content staying at his father Kit Siang’s corner-lot house at Island Park. “One room is enough for me, I don’t want to waste funds unnecessarily,” he said.

The austerity drive is evident in this new administration. Gone are the days when press conferences and meetings would see free-flowing coffee and tea, including at least two pieces of kuih for each attendee. Now, mineral water in cups are passed around, with no food in sight. Even the monthly civil servants gathering on Monday saw a drastic change. The 2,500-odd civil servants were surprised there was no makan on the table.

On Wednesday, after his first executive council meeting, Lim appealed to Penangites to help the state in its drive to minimise and reduce unnecessary expenditure, so the money could be used to help the less fortunate.

He also urged the people to tighten their belts, especially after the new state exco reviewed the state’s financial status with the deficit budget.

He said savings from these efforts can be channelled back to the state government for other much needy causes.

Information, Misinformation & Disinformation

With the constant bombardment of cyber information and print information. Much need to be said about the quality of these information. How are we to discern what are the truth, half-truth or mere lies. Are these really information, misinformation or disinformation.

More 2500 years ago, the Buddha gave a useful discourse called the Kalama Sutta. It is also called The Charter of Free Inquiry.

In this discourse, the wise teacher, Gautama Buddha passes through the village of Kesaputta and is greeted by the people who live there: the Kalamas. The Kalamas ask for advice.

According to the Kalamas, many holy men expounding their teachings and criticizing others. The Kalamas ask whose teachings they should follow. In response, he delivered this discourse.

Briefly, he advise the following:-

Ma anussavena.
Do not believe something just because it has been passed along and retold for many generations. [Simpler: Do not be led by what you are told.]

Ma paramparaya.
Do not believe something merely because it has become a traditional practice. [Do not be led by whatever has been handed down from past generations.]

Ma itikiraya.
Do not believe something simply because it is well-known everywhere. [Do not be led by hearsay, rumor or common opinion.]

Ma Pitakasampadanena.
Do not believe something just because it is cited in a text. [Do not be led by what the scriptures, print media, cyber info say]

Ma takkahetu.
Do not believe something solely on the grounds of logical reasoning. [Do not be led by mere logic or what seem to be logical.]

Ma nayahetu.
Do not believe something merely because it accords with your philosophy. [Do not be led by mere deduction or inference.]

Ma akaraparivitakkena.
Do not believe something because it appeals to "common sense". [Do not be led by considering only outward appearance.]

Ma ditthinijjhanakkhantiya.
Do not believe something just because you like the idea.

Ma bhabbarupataya.
Do not believe something because the speaker seems trustworthy/capable/expert.

Ma samano no garu ti.
Do not believe something thinking, "This is what our teacher says".

* When you yourselves know: "These things are good; these things are not blamable; these things are praised by the wise; undertaken and observed, these things lead to benefit and happiness," enter on and abide in them.'

Traffic & Hawker Summon

Since day 1 of his chief ministership, LGE have been making decisions to generate popular support for his new coalition government. Unfortunately many of his decisions are flaws.

He started by canceling traffic & hawker summon notices under the previous government. On one hand he is saying that he need to be austere due to the budget deficit but by canceling the summons the LGE is throwing away million of ringgit. What a mockery is is making of himself.

By doing that, LGE is also encouraging Penangnites not to paid their local government summons. Keep your summons and wait for the next general election, most probably the new government then will also cancel it to thank the voters.

The law does not allow the CM to arbitrarily cancel those summons, there are due process that need to be followed in order to that. he must understand that government should be of laws rather than of men. He has actually broken the law.

But, I suspect the main reason he cancel the summons is because the DAP led government have only skeleton/basis service capability, not because he care for the people. It is common practice in Penang to see the local councilors for reduction in summons amount. LGE knows many people will be angry soon if DAP can't get it done.

Jeff Ooi The Opportunist

Jeff Ooi the ever opportunist is really good at make cheap pot shots, even before the Cabinet newbies have started doing their job, he is attacking them.

"...... three Malay names who made it to the Cabinet via back door listing, namely lawyer Zaid Ibrahim, banker Amirsham A. Aziz and RPK's favourite Mohamad, Muhammad Muhammad Taib. Thery didn't contest in GE2008 but were anointed ministers after being appointed Senators. That's back-door democracy ala Malaysia for you....

Devastatingly, there's serious mismatch of new ministers' known competency and previous track records against the challenges in their respective portfolios. Imagine Muhyiddin for MITI, Shahrir Samad for domestic trade, Khaled Nordin for higher education, and a penembak curi (blog-snipper) for Energy, Water and Communication? ...." Quoted from Jeff Ooi's blog

Give them a break, be a gentlemen like Tsu Koon. Tsu Koon have no qualm in assisting DAP Penang to form their new coalition government that also consist of mostly first timer and inexperience YBs.