This past week has been an interesting week for my hobby. My interest in observing social behavioral patterns has gone on overdrive.
First there was the Tanjung Road or rather in my books, the SONY Ramp closure. The closure came about because of anger and I do not at all blame the party concerned. I would have done exactly that.
The anger was triggered by the selfish act of one party and using influence and money, made use of others. Worst still, people are so easily influenced and do not behave objectively, and this included professionals!
Now it looks like two groups of residents are being made to challenge each other. SAD!
Have we forgotten what ALL RESIDENTS stood united and fought for in March 08 – Good Governance, Competency, Accountability and Transparency. I truly hope and pray that the solution for this issue will come from these fundamentals. It is all about Responsibilities and the Rule of Law: that MUST always be upheld!
To tie this to politics, to warn, to bully to pressure the elected representative is senseless. The same representative who stood on the platform of activism, on issues such as environment, who was the hero when the forests got gazette in now the villain. From hero to villain, in the eyes of the very same people because of an opinion that is not on their side: is this the change we asked for in GE11?
We voted for change and the changes may take time. In the meantime, are we prepared to change ourselves? Or are we still the same old JOE; my Wakil Rakyat is only good if he or she agrees with my view, if oppose than he or she is bad.
No! We must be willing to accept differing views and try to convince others of our views when we differ. Having tried, if we fail, we respect and accept that other person’s views. Instead of being negative, lets learn to encourage more, to learn and search for the positive instead of highlighting the bad.
Moving on from the ramp closure, the week continued with the MBSA Head of COB Dept refusing to accept a JMB that was formed. Again, I get a chance to see human weaknesses coming in to cloud their judgment.
Owners’ rights were thrown out the window because the Head of Dept was egoistic. As a result, he made decisions on baseless facts. The JMB was rejected because “the minutes were submitted by the residents instead of the developer”. Does it make a difference? So when challenged to put it in writing, of course he could not.
Meanwhile, owners are sent running here and there…..
Now when pushed, the Head of Department than puts in writing that there was no list of eligible owners and he could not confirm if the elected committee members are indeed owners. Therefore, another meeting has to be convened, this time by an appointed owner instead of the errant developer. So when the appointed owner informs that there is still no list of eligible owners, the Head of Department says he can get it.
If he can indeed get it, can he not just get it and confirm the elected committee members are eligible: why the need to waste time, money and effort for another AGM? Meanwhile, the owners are deprived of their rights and the errant developer continues to rule and bully!
Another example of human behavioral pattern: where our judgment gets clouded by our weaknesses.
The persistent bully gets away and the honest, quiet and silent Joe suffers.
Malaysia, we must change and we must be willing to stand up against the bully. We must be willing to voice out for the silent. We must be willing to reward the honest and bring to task the bully. We must let common sense rule and not be ruled by greed, selfishness and ego.
I end with a quote from an elected representative; one with guts and principles: “I had to sacrifice privacy, freedom, writing, reading – priceless. Sometimes I think of my easy wonderful life before all this crap.”
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Saturday, October 31, 2009
An Interview with Peter Chong
Watch this interview on:
www.dawningeyes.blogspot.com/?zx=c878fe20fc05e2f6
www.dawningeyes.blogspot.com/?zx=c878fe20fc05e2f6
Friday, October 16, 2009
Happy Deepavali
I would like to take this opportunity to wish all my Hindu brothers and sisters A HAPPY and BLESSED DEEPAVALI.
May this festival of light bring us good health, peace and happiness.
Whilst we celebrate this joyous occasion, let us also remember our continuing struggles in Malaysia to bring about a true democracy with justice and fairness for all. The recent “cow head” incident in Shah Alam as well as the Bagan Pinang by-election results remind us that there are still more obstacles to overcome.
It is critical for the future of Malaysia and our children and their grandchildren that the agenda for reform in Malaysia must persevere. A two party system must prevail with a genuine democracy and real freedom for its citizens. The ruling coalition’s race-based “divide and rule” politics must one day be cast into the dustbin of history and be replaced with a pluralist, multiracial politics grounded in genuine respect for one another. The wealth of this nation must be fairly used for the benefit of all our citizens and not, like now, usurped by a corrupt elite. It is truly ironic that in a country with much resources and a limited population, we display the worst distribution of wealth in SE Asia and rank amongst the worst in Asia. The new political vision we bring will ensure good clean and transparent governance and ensure that economic prosperity is open to all. At the same time, we will be vigilant to ensure distributive justice - that the needs of the poor and the marginalized will be met regardless of their race or religion and that no citizen will be denied access to decent healthcare, education and housing.
During the Deepavali celebration, let us take comfort in its meaning for Hindus. Deepavali, the festival of Light, is a celebration of the ultimate triumph of Good over Evil. As long as we stay committed to truth and justice, our struggle will prevail.
Therefore, with determination and perseverance, we can together bring change to Malaysia; to make a better Malaysia for All, Justice For All.
Once again, A HAPPY DEEPAVALI
May this festival of light bring us good health, peace and happiness.
Whilst we celebrate this joyous occasion, let us also remember our continuing struggles in Malaysia to bring about a true democracy with justice and fairness for all. The recent “cow head” incident in Shah Alam as well as the Bagan Pinang by-election results remind us that there are still more obstacles to overcome.
It is critical for the future of Malaysia and our children and their grandchildren that the agenda for reform in Malaysia must persevere. A two party system must prevail with a genuine democracy and real freedom for its citizens. The ruling coalition’s race-based “divide and rule” politics must one day be cast into the dustbin of history and be replaced with a pluralist, multiracial politics grounded in genuine respect for one another. The wealth of this nation must be fairly used for the benefit of all our citizens and not, like now, usurped by a corrupt elite. It is truly ironic that in a country with much resources and a limited population, we display the worst distribution of wealth in SE Asia and rank amongst the worst in Asia. The new political vision we bring will ensure good clean and transparent governance and ensure that economic prosperity is open to all. At the same time, we will be vigilant to ensure distributive justice - that the needs of the poor and the marginalized will be met regardless of their race or religion and that no citizen will be denied access to decent healthcare, education and housing.
During the Deepavali celebration, let us take comfort in its meaning for Hindus. Deepavali, the festival of Light, is a celebration of the ultimate triumph of Good over Evil. As long as we stay committed to truth and justice, our struggle will prevail.
Therefore, with determination and perseverance, we can together bring change to Malaysia; to make a better Malaysia for All, Justice For All.
Once again, A HAPPY DEEPAVALI
Thursday, October 8, 2009
ALL ARE WELCOME.....
You are cordially invited to attend and participate at
A TOWN - HALL MEETING
GATED AND GUARDED COMMUNITY - The Issues and The Way Forward
COME ** LISTEN ** SPEAK ** BE HEARD
Dianjurkan oleh Pejabat Ahli Parlimen Subang
YB R. SIVARASA
Dengan kerjasama Pejabat ADUN Bukit Lanjan
YB ELIZABETH WONG
Tempat: Dewan Masyarakat BU 3
Tarikh: 24hb Oktober, Sabtu
Jam: 10:00pagi - 1:00tgh
RSVP: 012 905 9948 (Peter Chong) Email: pet_luc2002@yahoo.com
The Meeting was attended by over 80 residents. Many spoke-up and raised their concerns and comments. Thank you all.....
Friday, September 18, 2009
Thursday, September 17, 2009
HAPPY MALAYSIA DAY!
I join the call to All ANAK BANGSA MALAYSIA:
Four Principles of Empowering Peace
In this regard, peace associated with fear that inhibits us from full participation in public affairs is but pseudo peace.
True peace must be empowering and inclusive to allow all Malaysians to contribute to and enjoy the national life. True peace requires rule of law and protection of human rights. It is therefore political, but in no way partisan.
We call upon every Malaysian citizen and organization, especially the politicians and political parties, to sign up to the following principles:
1. Zero tolerance for violence as a political means
Civilized life requires restrain and self-control. Conflicts should be solved through dialogues, deliberation, debates or litigation. There must be zero tolerance for the use, threat or incitement of violence as a political means, regardless of circumstances or subject matters.
In this sense, the perpetrators of the cow-head protest should be charged for incitement of violence, not sedition or illegal assembly. The thugs who threatened to rape Rodziah Ismail and to murder Khalid Samad, the elected representatives in Shah Alam, must be investigated and prosecuted for criminal intimidation. The threat of sexual violence, a common trait in many communal conflicts, is especially alarming and absolutely intolerable.
2. Fighting Hatred with Reason
Hatred exists in every society and can only be effectively eliminated by reason, not law. Given a vibrant public sphere, the flaws of hate speeches can be exposed and the perpetrators shamed. Legal suppression only weakens the society’s resistance to hatred by removing the need for intellectual rigour and moral courage to confront bigotry.
The latest harassment of Malaysiakini by the Malaysian Communication and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) for featuring video-clips of the cow-head protest and the Home Minister’s press conference justifying the act is not only violating freedom of expression, but also protecting violence from public shaming.
3. The State’s Duty to Protect Political Participation
The state which monopolizes the legitimate use of violence should exist only to protect citizens from private violence, not to inflict more violence than necessary. The state’s coercive power therefore must never be used against peaceful political activities. Instead, the state has the duty to protect political participation.
Instead of arbitrarily arresting over 160 1BLACKMalaysia protesters, lawyers on duty, 589 Anti-ISA protestors and bystanders, the anti-PPSMI, Kampung Buah Pala and Hindraf protesters, and using unnecessary violence, the police should have only controlled traffic and maintained order. After all, the validity of the protesters’ causes should be judged by the citizen, not the police or the Executive.
4. Upholding Elected Government
The threat of political violence is greatest when political elites resort to means other than elections to attain power. Democracy is the only guarantee for political stability and peace. Politicians and political parties must therefore do their best to win elections honestly, not usurping power after elections. Otherwise, democratic breakdown may lead to coups or revolutions.
The Perak coup has seen an elected government being overthrown by a host of unelected institutions including but not limited to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), the Election Commission (EC), the Judiciary, the bureaucracy and the police. The partisan investigation of MACC in Selangor amidst the Barisan Nasional’s express wish to takeover the state had led to the death of Teoh Beng Hock, the first of a state official in the custody of a federal agency. If there is no firmed commitment from both sides of the political divide to democracy, the next election may see the military being the next unelected institution dragged into political struggle.
On the auspicious birthday of Malaysia, which should have been made a national holiday 46 years ago, let us all vow to make empowering peace the basis of public life of our nation so that all of us may enjoy real freedom.
Four Principles of Empowering Peace
In this regard, peace associated with fear that inhibits us from full participation in public affairs is but pseudo peace.
True peace must be empowering and inclusive to allow all Malaysians to contribute to and enjoy the national life. True peace requires rule of law and protection of human rights. It is therefore political, but in no way partisan.
We call upon every Malaysian citizen and organization, especially the politicians and political parties, to sign up to the following principles:
1. Zero tolerance for violence as a political means
Civilized life requires restrain and self-control. Conflicts should be solved through dialogues, deliberation, debates or litigation. There must be zero tolerance for the use, threat or incitement of violence as a political means, regardless of circumstances or subject matters.
In this sense, the perpetrators of the cow-head protest should be charged for incitement of violence, not sedition or illegal assembly. The thugs who threatened to rape Rodziah Ismail and to murder Khalid Samad, the elected representatives in Shah Alam, must be investigated and prosecuted for criminal intimidation. The threat of sexual violence, a common trait in many communal conflicts, is especially alarming and absolutely intolerable.
2. Fighting Hatred with Reason
Hatred exists in every society and can only be effectively eliminated by reason, not law. Given a vibrant public sphere, the flaws of hate speeches can be exposed and the perpetrators shamed. Legal suppression only weakens the society’s resistance to hatred by removing the need for intellectual rigour and moral courage to confront bigotry.
The latest harassment of Malaysiakini by the Malaysian Communication and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) for featuring video-clips of the cow-head protest and the Home Minister’s press conference justifying the act is not only violating freedom of expression, but also protecting violence from public shaming.
3. The State’s Duty to Protect Political Participation
The state which monopolizes the legitimate use of violence should exist only to protect citizens from private violence, not to inflict more violence than necessary. The state’s coercive power therefore must never be used against peaceful political activities. Instead, the state has the duty to protect political participation.
Instead of arbitrarily arresting over 160 1BLACKMalaysia protesters, lawyers on duty, 589 Anti-ISA protestors and bystanders, the anti-PPSMI, Kampung Buah Pala and Hindraf protesters, and using unnecessary violence, the police should have only controlled traffic and maintained order. After all, the validity of the protesters’ causes should be judged by the citizen, not the police or the Executive.
4. Upholding Elected Government
The threat of political violence is greatest when political elites resort to means other than elections to attain power. Democracy is the only guarantee for political stability and peace. Politicians and political parties must therefore do their best to win elections honestly, not usurping power after elections. Otherwise, democratic breakdown may lead to coups or revolutions.
The Perak coup has seen an elected government being overthrown by a host of unelected institutions including but not limited to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), the Election Commission (EC), the Judiciary, the bureaucracy and the police. The partisan investigation of MACC in Selangor amidst the Barisan Nasional’s express wish to takeover the state had led to the death of Teoh Beng Hock, the first of a state official in the custody of a federal agency. If there is no firmed commitment from both sides of the political divide to democracy, the next election may see the military being the next unelected institution dragged into political struggle.
On the auspicious birthday of Malaysia, which should have been made a national holiday 46 years ago, let us all vow to make empowering peace the basis of public life of our nation so that all of us may enjoy real freedom.
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