The Internet was a major factor behind Barisan Nasional’s worst showing at the ballot box in March 2008, with even former prime minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi conceding that BN had “lost the Internet war”.Khairy 500 Sending 500boys to Raja Petra Kamarudin to train as marshals to reclaim cyberspace at rm10000 per head
Khairy and Umno may be able to use their ill gotten stolen wealth to entice 500 or more paid mercenary ‘volunteers’ to repeat their lies 100 or 1000 times. Unfortunately for them a lot of people already know about the crooked and despicable behaviour of the top Umno leaders in cases such as the Altantuya murder, the huge kick backs on the Scorpene purchases and how Khairy became one of the richest unemployed persons in the country. The credibility of such crooked people is likely to be very low and hence most thinking Malaysians will not believe anything they say against the opposition. The only good thing that would come out of this would be that 500 or so desperate people will get some income for some timeBrainwashing technique again. You can call as many paid volunteers that you want but those right-minded people knows how bad BN-UMNO is. Don't need to cover up all your corruptions. A black mark is a black mark. Internet gives us more information to make decision. You can publish your side or story but in the end, we voters will make the intelligent decision. You can't give any good answers to corruptions and scandals, so you try to cover it up with ETP mumbo-jumbo and marketing talk. May work on clueless youth who undergo BTN. For the majority of Malaysians, including all those turned up for Bersih event around the world, we all know what to do. Stop wasting taxpayers money.In other words, Umno engaging more cybertroopers to spread lies and spew venom on the innocent and truthful. Using marketing techniques to cover and spin real issues and think that by chanting it 1000 times, people will believe it is a low class strategy. The real problems are not solved but just cover up. This won't work Najib the BN Chief is a coward and remains a coward afraid to have a public debate against Anwar Ibrahim. How is the BN going to defend Najib about this? Voters are laughing at how Najib as BN leader is so scared of having the public debate against Anwar. ha ha ha malulah BN!They think voters are stupid and can be easily misled and manipulated. Voters are now more discerning and analytical and intelligent. But definitely the BN are getting more stupid. Its expected because what BN is doing is just indefensible. Eg in Sabah and Sarawak, its the BN who signed away the land os the natives away to BN cronies, the big tycoons. How is the BN going to defend this inhuman action of its leaders? No way!! A gentleman when challenged should rise to the occasion to defend himself unless he is a coward and guilty as hell. Even those caught red-handed, those in UMNO/BN except this big one, fight with their teeth and nails, to defend themselves with denials, ridiculous claims of ignorance, false evidence and so many antics. And yet this biggest one refuses to even let out a whimper? What kind of leader is this who prefer to remain silence and not fight with his foe, but loves to give hollow fiery speeches? Only shyiok sendiri. Alamak...mati lah rakyat.
Anwar is throwing the challenge at the wrong person. I bet if the debate challenge is directed towards Rosmah, she would have said 'game on' and probably give Anwar a good run for his money.
Malaysian/Malay Political Culture/Culture is really getting a flogging lately. It seems that everybody who doesn't want to something uses culture as an excuse. I guess that figures This mamak mahathir b Kutty has not many friends. if he does, he would'nt have time to comment on the internet. he would be busy jetting around the world to visiting dignitaries, all those that he had met during his rule of 25 years. Now because he has no friends, he has to spend his last years in this poor country which he had robbed during his prime years. No opportunities to enjoy the world. he missed the chance to enjoy life with the famous and rich. Why... why.... All because he is a recalcitrant of the highest order. Vulture talking about Malaysian culture. Only brave to give rhetoric speeches in comfort environments, reading and memorizing from scripted speech contents. ... a back-door Prime Minister not given mandate by rakyat. ... take the challenge from Anwar and show us you're man enough to face the opposition leader in a debate. Even with all the cheatings and gerrymandering, the opposition command slightly less than 50% of the popular votesYes, he is sad now Mubarak has passed on. Anwar is cruel to Najib. Tonight Najib cannot sleep thinking of the challenge. If really Najib has to debate his balls will disintegrate. Ah Jib 'jie', pity you la. Every where he goes, so many things come to haunt him!!! Not only no debating skills, he is not of PM materials. Upstairs kurang grey matter!!!Anwar, we know that you have the gift of gap but why insist on debating Najib? He did not directly respond which conveys it's own message to the people, he dared not, he does not have the vocabulary, the substance, all issues against him. You and PKR have made a point, leave it and let the people be judge. about Najib's reluctance to debate with you. Even in Parliament, Najib only gives written replies. When Gobind wanted to question him about a murder, the uncultured debater literally ran out of Parliament without looking back prompting the young MP to call out "murderer". And of course Pandikar was immediately set loose to bark and bite. Gobind was suspended after that. It's not a matter of political culture, but the responsibility of the political leaders to make their policies and themselves accountable to the Rakyak. In any case, engaging in public debate is an healthy culture
- "They are falling into the trap," he said. "The Islamists will soon win their election, and they will come to power. But this will be their undoing. Soon the people will see that they are no more capable of solving the country's problems than we were; before long, the public will blame the Islamists for their problems, rather than us. Then you will see what will happen: the people will turn on them, and turn again to us."
We have heard of the middle income trap; a situation where a country after attaining a certain income will get stuck at that level - unable to progress further but may gently slip backwards.
For citizens of such a nation, there will typically be a majority earning within the middle income range with a small percentage of poor, rich and the super-rich. Those in the middle income group usually slide back into the poor group as the years go by, with only a few able to join the rich and super-rich.
Like it or not, the majority will be trapped and burdened with increasing debt to make ends meet.
There is also a low income trap or the poverty trap. But the UMNO trap is the most 'unique'. It is truly a case study of how a corruption and race-based party evolves through the years it held power.
Trapped with being racist
UMNO is basically only for Malays although it later changed a bit to allow other Bumiputeras entree so as to boost its own political longevity. Perhaps, this is why UMNO doesn't know better than to play the race card all the time until eventually it becomes racist - a Malay supremacist party insensitive to the rights of others.
So far, UMNO can never give a convincing rebuttal to the other races that it is not racist. Why is it not racist when UMNO is Malay and Malay is UMNO? That is what many UMNO members including former premier Mahathir Mohamad like to declare anyway.
But still UMNO being UMNO, it will go all out to pay a Professor 'Kangkong' (academic of dubious merit) to prove that UMNO is not racist. No matter what, UMNO is trapped in its own racism.
Trapped without bright leaders
Next we recall back what Mahathir recently said about why UMNO leaders have not been able to recruit young talent. "So if somebody who is better than them comes in, then they feel their position is threatened. So they try their best not to allow better qualified people to come in," he said.
UMNO has no more bright young leaders. However it is not as simple as brain drain - it is much worse. Why? Firstly, there aren't many bright people in UMNO - so how can there be a 'brain' drain?. Secondly like Mahathir said, UMNO simply won’t allow people with bright ideas, with brains to join the party.
UMNO is trapped by its own insecurity and will stay a brainless party.
Trapped with money politics
In the earlier days, when UMNO leaders were trying to negotiate Malaya’s independence from the British, it managed to collect donations from the Malays to fund the negotiating teams. But now, the situation is reversed; wealthy UMNO hands out money to its members and leaders.
Even the party's membership fees are paid by UMNO. Everything that UMNO does depends on money. For UMNO, money is like water to the fish and oxygen to all living things.
Mahathir said, "In my time UMNO was strong. Now it is not. If you support so and so, you get contracts, you get all these perks. Whether the party is down or not, it is irrelevant to them. They must be holding their posts and getting their perks."
In the end, which is surely now, UMNO stripped to the core is nothing but money politics and more money politics. UMNO is trapped by money politics.
When money is the oxygen running through and giving life to UMNO and all its divisions and parts, politicians need not be clean. In fact, the dirtier the better.
With the meager income of being an MP or even a minister (compared to the needs of their constituencies), how can they have enough money to make their voters happy? Their voters will ask for many things such as pocket money to attend events, bus and taxi fares apart from seeking help over issues, quarrels and even contracts. It is no wonder that UMNO politicians are bogged down with ensuring they have enough money to spend and to appease their voters.
When people are fed money from UMNO politicians in return for their continuous support, you can be sure every UMNO politician will go all out to lay his hands on as much money as possible - no matter how. That's how he stays in power.
Of course, corruption being the easiest route, it becomes the most common method used by UMNO politicians. Is it any wonder that UMNO is trapped by money politics?
Trapped with cheating, lies and corruption
Despite all efforts, there are some things that money can’t buy and even if money can be used, UMNO may not have enough money or its top guns divided on whether to spend money on a particular purpose or not?
So far to resolve such 'stubborn' cases, what UMNO does is it to manipulate, flip-flop, cheat and lie. UMNO will divert the issue, point fingers and blame others. Including making empty promises. Yes, it is UMNO which always makes empty promises.
One good example is when Isa Samad promised the Bagan Pinang people that Port Dickson will be turned into a military town. Not a thing has been done so far. Isa Samad is not doing anything about it because he is busy trying to manipulate and make money from Prime Minister Najib Razak's pet project - the Felda listing.
Port Dickson is still the same mediocre tourist town catering for the poor and lower middle income people.
UMNO politicians will also create money-making schemes that lead to scandals. Everything that the BN federal government does that involves money will somehow turn out to be a money-making scheme with a trail leading to UMNO and its cronies - you name it!
There is the MAS bail-outs (note not bailout BUT bailouts) with Tajuddin Ramli owing hundreds of millions to the national carrier as well as Danaharta but miraculously settled via secret out-of-the- court settlements, Najib's own RM7.3 billion Scorpene submarines scandal, ex-Women minister Shahrizat Jalil's RM250 million NFC 'Cowgate' scandal and the jaw-dropping expenses racked up by Najib and wife Rosmah Mansor for their overseas travels. The full list must surely be a meter long.
It has also been accused of cheating in every past election. UMNO has used the Election Commission whose chairman and deputy chairman are both UMNO members to allegedly falsify the electoral roll, misuse postal votes, gerrymander as well as to impose unfair restrictions such as reducing the campaign period.
The party has used all the government machineries to its own advantage. UMNO is trapped by its own corruption.
Trapped with abusing power.
UMNO has used the law, the courts and the police to intimidate the people who support the Opposition and to defeat the Opposition. UMNO even used the country's constitutional monarchy to stay in power. It has used the draconian ISA to jail dissidents like Anwar Ibrahim, Lim Kit Siang and Karpal Singh.
UMNO has used the police, the Attorney-General, the government hospitals and even the Chemistry Department to fabricate Sodomy I and Sodomy II evidence against Anwar. Government servants who are inclined towards the Opposition have been transferred to faraway towns with very short notices. Those who don't support UMNO-BN will be left out of development and progress.
Petroleum royalties are not being given to oil-supplying states Kelantan and Terengganu, while Sabah too has been deprived of its oil wealth. It seems UMNO can never act according to the law and in adherence with good practice. UMNO, it appears, will always abuse the power it attained - illegitimately in the first place - by cheating during every election!
Trapped in time
UMNO can never change. Whenever voices call for change, they will be sacked from UMNO. Mahathir was sacked from UMNO by Tunku Abdul Rahman. Musa Hitam, Tengku Razaleigh and Anwar were all removed from power or sacked by Mahathir.
UMNO can't seem to function in a pragmatic way and change with the times. When Malaysia becomes more liberal in future as more people opt for non-race-based parties, UMNO will still be the same trapped in its own time warp. In the end UMNO won’t be able to pass the test of time. It will be irrelevant to the majority of the Malays.
Even now, the Malays have several choices; they have PAS, PKR and DAP. UMNO may say that the Malays are divided and won’t be strong but PAS, PKR and DAP are under Pakatan Rakyat. Like it or not, Malaysia has embraced a two-party system and every Malaysian can freely vote for either Pakatan or BN.
So, let us not get trapped with UMNO
Given such an ominous resume, should Malaysians get trapped forever with UMNO. UMNO is for the Malays only. But we are Malaysians and we can be truly Malaysian without UMNO and for that matter without MIC, MCA and Gerakan too.
Malaysians can live without BN in power. Indeed, they have around too long, so let's avoid falling into the UMNO trap once agai
My friend might well have been an Egyptian Army officer or a member of the ancien regime, speaking before the parliamentary elections of November 2011, in which the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party and the Salafist Al-Nour party won a majority of seats. Or he might well have been speaking just days ago, before the presidential run-off election - won by the Freedom and Justice party's Mohamed Morsi.
He might have been speaking about the Egyptian elections, but he was not. My friend, a very junior Algerian government official and a member of the National Liberation Front (FLN) that has ruled Algeria with an iron hand since independence in 1962, was speaking in the summer of 1991, as Algeria was fitfully preparing for the first truly free and fair national elections in its history.
But my friend's voice lacked the ring of true conviction. Even as he spoke, the FLN government and the Algerian Army that controlled it were working feverishly to gerrymander voting districts and to otherwise create electoral impediments to the rise of the Islamist Islamic Salvation Front (FIS), which had swept local council elections the previous year, and would again win overwhelmingly in the first round of national parliamentary elections that December.
A genuine democratic tide
We all know what happened next: Convinced that it had seen enough of democracy, and never willing to subordinate itself to an Islamist government in the first place, the Algerian army stepped in to shut down the electoral process and arrest the leadership of the FIS. The civil war that followed produced such mass ferocity, such pitiless violence, that out of decency we were forced to avert our eyes, even now.
What we now see being played out in Egypt, for all the differences, is eerily reminiscent of what I saw at close hand in Algeria just over 20 years ago. Like the Algerian army before it, the Egyptian military has never had any intention of subordinating itself or making itself accountable to a genuinely democratic government - still less one dominated by the Muslim Brothers and the Salafis. And like the FLN regime before them, the power behind Mubarak-era repression has found that subtle political manipulation and intimidation is not sufficient to control a genuine democratic tide once unleashed.
| "Charges from oppositionists that [SCAF] has launched a coup over the past weekend actually come 16 months late... Hosni Mubarak was not removed by revolutionaries; he was removed by his generals." |
By leveraging Mubarak's Constitutional Court to dissolve an elected parliament, and by issuing a decree arrogating sweeping new powers to itself and effectively neutering the presidency, while simultaneously hijacking the process to create a new constitution, the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) seized control of Egyptian political life last weekend in a manner hardly less thorough than that which we saw in Algiers in January 1992.
Charges from opposition figures that the Egyptian army launched a coup last weekend actually come 16 months late. Whatever the democratic opposition may have thought, theirs was never a genuine revolution. Hosni Mubarak was not removed by revolutionaries; he was removed by his generals. And while Field Marshal Tantawi and the rest of the Supreme Council may have exhibited some considerable ambivalence and indecision along the way in determining how to channel democratic reform to ensure it did not threaten them or their interests, the desired end, in their minds, has never been in doubt.
Ironically, having temporarily eliminated the short-term risks to their interests inherent in a genuine democratic process, they may simultaneously have multiplied the long-term risk of genuine revolution, and of their ultimate demise. The generals are counting, in effect, on Egyptians to act like Egyptians, and not like Algerians. They may be right, for now, in doing so.
An uphill climb
Notwithstanding the renewed energy of large numbers of protesters in Tahrir Square, some chanting: "If they want it to be Syria, we'll give them Libya", a majority of Egyptians seem to have opted for renewed stability and security, rather than the evanescent dream of freedom and political reform. Their renewed complacency is further encouraged by deep political divisions.
Though having taken decisive action, the generals cannot rest easily. In opting for outright confrontation over co-option and manipulation, they run a serious risk of uniting the Islamist and liberal-secularist wings of the opposition, particularly if the Muslim Brotherhood are clever enough to moderate their social agenda and provide credible assurances of significant secularist and minority representation in a reconstituted Constituent Assembly.
Although Morsi is already taking steps towards this end, he has an uphill climb. He seems to have temporarily dropped the word Islam from his political vocabulary, but he has shown in the past that, when pressed, it is impossible for him to do anything but uphold the primacy of God's law over man's. Christians and secularists will not be reassured. And few will forget that, once having opted to maximise their representation in parliament, the Islamists have used their clout to seize control of the now-moribund Constituent Assembly.
Having belatedly backed the democratic transition in Egypt, the Obama administration is mortified by the turn of events at the Constitutional Court. Cries have immediately gone up in Congress to withhold this year's allotment of $1.3bn in military aid. But their action, when it comes, will prove symbolic, and serve only to remove their fingerprints from what comes next. Faced with the choice between continued US assistance and an Islamist-dominated government, the generals will have little trouble in deciding.
Yes, we can hear the echoes of Algiers in the shouts now emanating from Tahrir Square. Political chaos and a good bit of violence are no doubt in store. But differences of time, place, circumstance and culture probably mean that the brutal repression which required eight years and the slaughter of perhaps 200,000 people on the southwest edge of the Mediterranean will be achieved at far less cost along the banks of the Nile. Democratic reform will eventually come to Egypt, but only when those who want to achieve it are prepared to act wisely, and in concert.
Robert Grenier is a retired, 27-year veteran of the CIA's Clandestine Service. He was Director of the CIA's Counter-Terrorism Center from 2004 to 2006.
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