Thursday, March 4, 2010
When the Going gets Tough, the tough gets going
PKR has the burden of history, it’s Umno’s true nemesis and suffers for that reputation.
Despite all the desertions and dissertations, PKR is the only party due to its ideology and membership make-up — in look and feel — which has the value proposition to compete with Umno.
The other Pakatan Rakyat parties?
DAP wants to shed its Chinese-only perception, and PAS is actively on the way to becoming a fully-integrated Islamic-principled party.
They need time to force some paradigm shifts and stay intact through that process to become what they desire.
But for now, it is PKR which fills that void, due to its history and development.
You have to move back in time to retrace this story, the story of PKR and to know what it was and is, what it always promises to become — and come short — and the common malaises which haunts it.
Somewhere in the vaults of the major media companies — from a time before Internet portals — various pictures of Barisan Nasional (BN) leaders celebrating their 1995 general election landslide victory sit. They are filed and stored, but not for reproduction in the present.
You will see a nervous but relieved Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad. The substantial losses of 1990 to the trio of Semangat 46-PAS-DAP and rebelling Parti Bersatu Sabah had died down. The economy was purring.
Nothing advertised the ‘times-are–a-changing’ better than having a Malay language graduate and Islamist firebrand rebranding himself as finance minister.
Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim will be found in that picture holding up Dr M’s hands and they would be smiling from ear to ear. Not far would be Datuk Seri Najib Razak, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, and all the usual characters from the Umno family.
Umno was in its zenith, it was impregnable. The landslide victory vindicating the thinking that a race party is the answer for Malaysia. Everyone was content.
It was postulated that only Umno could end its own dream. And the script went exactly that way.
The Anwar dismissal in 1998 and subsequent protests and trials were monumental but not decisive. It was the diaspora of Umno grassroot leaders and members into what was not an Umno-clone which was.
The creation of Parti Keadilan with the intention of seeking justice for all and political change was unprecedented. A large number of Umno members rejected Umno. Their reasons, their allegiance to Anwar and even naïve think that the move would result in immediate change did not affect the cumulative effect of it.
A sea was crossed, for a population afraid of drowning in a water bucket.
The colossal loss of Malay votes in Election 1999 meant PAS was the biggest parliamentary winner after BN. It was important for the Umno strategists that Parti Keadilan ended up third behind the religionists and DAP.
Let’s get this out of the way. Keadilan as a party is not the fear for Umno. Keadilan as a concept is. There was never a practically multiracial party with a Malay spine since the days of Datuk Onn Jaafar. And that was enough to scare the pants off Umno.
Which is why Election 2004 — despite the landslide win — remained somewhat unsatisfying to Umno for it did not bury Keadilan — which was now PKR following its marriage with Parti Rakyat Malaysia (PRM).
Everywhere PKR — especially the ex-PRM candidates — was falling like bowling pins and the defeated crew quickly licked their wounds and turned their eyes to events in Permatang Pauh.
Party president Datuk Seri Wan Azizah Wan Ismail was being run very close for what was to be their single parliamentary seat.
After several recounts, Azizah kept her seat in Dewan Rakyat.
PKR was to have a heart-beat until the next election.
In the 10 years of existence leading to Election 2008 PKR was plagued by problems. Of its Malayness isolating non-Malay issues.
Of leaders — who left the lap of luxury inside Umno and expecting a short spell in the desert — growing disappointed with a leadership which was struggling with its own teething problems.
Of its inspiration — Anwar — imprisoned for most of that time.
However, the ex-Umno faction gave the party reach to places like Dengkil and Bukit Semanggol and not just in Petaling Jaya and Johor Baharu. They were more than just the sentimental choice of unionists and NGOs — which PRM was unfortunately and unfairly stereotyped before merging with the less chic Keadilan dudes.
The party despite its lack of political wins was operating nationwide.
But the active political observer has to recollect that leading up to Election 2008 PKR had only one closely-won parliamentary seat to show, and lost the assembly contest in the Ijok by-election to a newbie candidate.
That is why the critique that PKR should have recruited better candidates for Election 2008 is hubristic if you have been rooting for change in Malaysia prior to 2008.
The idea of contesting with little financial support from a party with six wins in two general elections was not enticing enough to capable candidates.
Names had to be put on the ballot for all the parliamentary and assembly seats PKR negotiated with PAS and DAP, keeping to the promise of one on one contests against BN nationwide.
And in the future there will be other surprises in the party. PKR suffers more than DAP and PAS, because the two latter parties have been in the game longer as opposition parties, lived without political pork-barrel which comes with winning and are not inundated with those previously with the enemy.
That is why it is tough for PKR, but I feel they escaped the bigger body blow in 2004.
The concept of a multiracial party with substantial Malay presence will grow as fewer and fewer leaders in it would be ex-Umno men with living memories of a better life; joined by a generation of local graduates with less caution than their parents seeking a party to back their multicultural aspirations.
The challenge for PKR is to keep its general momentum through that transition.
They can’t counter the mainstream media attacks, costly branding exercises and the financial incentives BN relies on, but they have to sustain the broad belief in a multicultural Malaysia built on effective leadership not race leadership.
If PKR passes the present low-point then all roads will lead to Putrajaya eventually as mixed race-seats in the country hits past the critical mass line.
But politics is all year round even if elections are not. And as PKR deals with adolescence, trying to balance between better candidates and realpolitik maybe a few more people have to step forward.
They say in politics, half of it is in showing up.
Above article by Praba Ganesa;
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/index.php/opinion/praba-ganesan/55180-pkr-will-go-on
Praba Ganesan is a Hulu Langat boy with a penchant for durians and debate. He is part of balairakyat, an NGO promoting ideas exchange
Despite all the desertions and dissertations, PKR is the only party due to its ideology and membership make-up — in look and feel — which has the value proposition to compete with Umno.
The other Pakatan Rakyat parties?
DAP wants to shed its Chinese-only perception, and PAS is actively on the way to becoming a fully-integrated Islamic-principled party.
They need time to force some paradigm shifts and stay intact through that process to become what they desire.
But for now, it is PKR which fills that void, due to its history and development.
You have to move back in time to retrace this story, the story of PKR and to know what it was and is, what it always promises to become — and come short — and the common malaises which haunts it.
Somewhere in the vaults of the major media companies — from a time before Internet portals — various pictures of Barisan Nasional (BN) leaders celebrating their 1995 general election landslide victory sit. They are filed and stored, but not for reproduction in the present.
You will see a nervous but relieved Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad. The substantial losses of 1990 to the trio of Semangat 46-PAS-DAP and rebelling Parti Bersatu Sabah had died down. The economy was purring.
Nothing advertised the ‘times-are–a-changing’ better than having a Malay language graduate and Islamist firebrand rebranding himself as finance minister.
Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim will be found in that picture holding up Dr M’s hands and they would be smiling from ear to ear. Not far would be Datuk Seri Najib Razak, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, and all the usual characters from the Umno family.
Umno was in its zenith, it was impregnable. The landslide victory vindicating the thinking that a race party is the answer for Malaysia. Everyone was content.
It was postulated that only Umno could end its own dream. And the script went exactly that way.
The Anwar dismissal in 1998 and subsequent protests and trials were monumental but not decisive. It was the diaspora of Umno grassroot leaders and members into what was not an Umno-clone which was.
The creation of Parti Keadilan with the intention of seeking justice for all and political change was unprecedented. A large number of Umno members rejected Umno. Their reasons, their allegiance to Anwar and even naïve think that the move would result in immediate change did not affect the cumulative effect of it.
A sea was crossed, for a population afraid of drowning in a water bucket.
The colossal loss of Malay votes in Election 1999 meant PAS was the biggest parliamentary winner after BN. It was important for the Umno strategists that Parti Keadilan ended up third behind the religionists and DAP.
Let’s get this out of the way. Keadilan as a party is not the fear for Umno. Keadilan as a concept is. There was never a practically multiracial party with a Malay spine since the days of Datuk Onn Jaafar. And that was enough to scare the pants off Umno.
Which is why Election 2004 — despite the landslide win — remained somewhat unsatisfying to Umno for it did not bury Keadilan — which was now PKR following its marriage with Parti Rakyat Malaysia (PRM).
Everywhere PKR — especially the ex-PRM candidates — was falling like bowling pins and the defeated crew quickly licked their wounds and turned their eyes to events in Permatang Pauh.
Party president Datuk Seri Wan Azizah Wan Ismail was being run very close for what was to be their single parliamentary seat.
After several recounts, Azizah kept her seat in Dewan Rakyat.
PKR was to have a heart-beat until the next election.
In the 10 years of existence leading to Election 2008 PKR was plagued by problems. Of its Malayness isolating non-Malay issues.
Of leaders — who left the lap of luxury inside Umno and expecting a short spell in the desert — growing disappointed with a leadership which was struggling with its own teething problems.
Of its inspiration — Anwar — imprisoned for most of that time.
However, the ex-Umno faction gave the party reach to places like Dengkil and Bukit Semanggol and not just in Petaling Jaya and Johor Baharu. They were more than just the sentimental choice of unionists and NGOs — which PRM was unfortunately and unfairly stereotyped before merging with the less chic Keadilan dudes.
The party despite its lack of political wins was operating nationwide.
But the active political observer has to recollect that leading up to Election 2008 PKR had only one closely-won parliamentary seat to show, and lost the assembly contest in the Ijok by-election to a newbie candidate.
That is why the critique that PKR should have recruited better candidates for Election 2008 is hubristic if you have been rooting for change in Malaysia prior to 2008.
The idea of contesting with little financial support from a party with six wins in two general elections was not enticing enough to capable candidates.
Names had to be put on the ballot for all the parliamentary and assembly seats PKR negotiated with PAS and DAP, keeping to the promise of one on one contests against BN nationwide.
And in the future there will be other surprises in the party. PKR suffers more than DAP and PAS, because the two latter parties have been in the game longer as opposition parties, lived without political pork-barrel which comes with winning and are not inundated with those previously with the enemy.
That is why it is tough for PKR, but I feel they escaped the bigger body blow in 2004.
The concept of a multiracial party with substantial Malay presence will grow as fewer and fewer leaders in it would be ex-Umno men with living memories of a better life; joined by a generation of local graduates with less caution than their parents seeking a party to back their multicultural aspirations.
The challenge for PKR is to keep its general momentum through that transition.
They can’t counter the mainstream media attacks, costly branding exercises and the financial incentives BN relies on, but they have to sustain the broad belief in a multicultural Malaysia built on effective leadership not race leadership.
If PKR passes the present low-point then all roads will lead to Putrajaya eventually as mixed race-seats in the country hits past the critical mass line.
But politics is all year round even if elections are not. And as PKR deals with adolescence, trying to balance between better candidates and realpolitik maybe a few more people have to step forward.
They say in politics, half of it is in showing up.
Above article by Praba Ganesa;
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/index.php/opinion/praba-ganesan/55180-pkr-will-go-on
Praba Ganesan is a Hulu Langat boy with a penchant for durians and debate. He is part of balairakyat, an NGO promoting ideas exchange
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Bkt Lanjan's 2nd Service Center
Pasukan Bukit Lanjan Opened their second service center at Bandar Sri Damansara......was in attendance to lend support :-)
Thursday, January 28, 2010
ALL PRAISE BE TO ALLAH
So we are now one month into 2010.
The ALLAH issue has overshadowed everything else – now everyone is talking about UNITY etc etc
However, I congratulate Bandar Utama Residents’ Association (BURA) for actually doing something instead of just talking about it. They organised the Ribbons for Peace, Unity and Love. I am proud to have been a part of that programme.
Subsequent to that, the The MP of Subang, YB SIvarasa had also organised a Unity High Tea session between leaders of the mosque community with the Parish Leaders of the Church of Divine Mercy, Shah Alam.
This was indeed a wonderful initiative welcomed by both the mosque and church sides. The informal dialogue is a prelude to an Inter Faith Round Table Dialogue to be organised at a later date. During this High Tea Session, it was also agreed that the mosque officials will host the next High Tea Session at the mosque compound for the church leaders.
Now all these are indeed a major step; real positive initiative by the people who are concerned about the burning of churches, mosques etc etc. Instead of just talking, there are doing something positive. It may be a small step but every journey begins with that one step!
Let the politicians and academicians ponder and take whatever advantage they want out of the whole issue. It is the Rakyat who will have to move and get things done…..and I am truly proud to be a part of both of the above initiatives.
I am sure many other communities are doing similar programmes elsewhere and it is all these small groups of people that will eventually bring about the big change!
May ALLAH the GOD of ALL, continue to bless this nation and guide us on the path of peace and progress………….All Praise to ALLAH!
The ALLAH issue has overshadowed everything else – now everyone is talking about UNITY etc etc
However, I congratulate Bandar Utama Residents’ Association (BURA) for actually doing something instead of just talking about it. They organised the Ribbons for Peace, Unity and Love. I am proud to have been a part of that programme.
Subsequent to that, the The MP of Subang, YB SIvarasa had also organised a Unity High Tea session between leaders of the mosque community with the Parish Leaders of the Church of Divine Mercy, Shah Alam.
This was indeed a wonderful initiative welcomed by both the mosque and church sides. The informal dialogue is a prelude to an Inter Faith Round Table Dialogue to be organised at a later date. During this High Tea Session, it was also agreed that the mosque officials will host the next High Tea Session at the mosque compound for the church leaders.
Now all these are indeed a major step; real positive initiative by the people who are concerned about the burning of churches, mosques etc etc. Instead of just talking, there are doing something positive. It may be a small step but every journey begins with that one step!
Let the politicians and academicians ponder and take whatever advantage they want out of the whole issue. It is the Rakyat who will have to move and get things done…..and I am truly proud to be a part of both of the above initiatives.
I am sure many other communities are doing similar programmes elsewhere and it is all these small groups of people that will eventually bring about the big change!
May ALLAH the GOD of ALL, continue to bless this nation and guide us on the path of peace and progress………….All Praise to ALLAH!
Saturday, December 26, 2009
post Christmas Contemplation
Sitting here on Boxing Day, relaxing and enjoying my cup of Coffee. I am thinnking back and reflecting on my day yesterday......so much to learn :-)
I woke up early (despite a late night on Christmas Eve) and attended the combined church service at River of Christ Church in Kota Damansara. Pastor Monica sent a very interesting Christmas Message to all: let us be a beacon to shine forth the Love of Jesus simply by showing forth the inner peace that we have as believers in Christ. Indeed a peace that we can only have if we truly Trust in the Lord. How many of us practicing Christians can claim to have that!
Perhaps its time to search our inner selves.
This Christmas was even more meaningful when I attended the Christmas Carnival organised by the Combined Churches in Kota Damansara. They have been doing this for many years!
Its a Carnival where the churches and the volunteers share the Joys and Spirit of Christmas with the local community. Good condition used clothes were collected from church members and were sold at the Carnival for prices as low as RM1.
Food were given FREE whilst game coupons were sold at RM1. Many members were buying Game Coupons and giving it out for FREE to the kids. This is indeed the Spirit of Giving and Sharing.
With the game coupons children and adults were playing Fun Fair Type games and winning gifts and prizes. Everyone goes away a winner - the Joys of the season were shared and experienced by all. The Love of God reaches out to all.
Although it was a a programme organised by the churches - there was no preaching but yet the Love of GOD was shared by all, experienced by all.
This is the kind of programme that communities must organise regularly where differences are set aside, unity and cooperation encouraged to grow.
This programme puts to shame all the Mesra Rakyat Programmes that the Political offices organised. We have lots to learn from this Christmas Carnival.
Well, it was indeed a Blessed Chhristmas for me........
I woke up early (despite a late night on Christmas Eve) and attended the combined church service at River of Christ Church in Kota Damansara. Pastor Monica sent a very interesting Christmas Message to all: let us be a beacon to shine forth the Love of Jesus simply by showing forth the inner peace that we have as believers in Christ. Indeed a peace that we can only have if we truly Trust in the Lord. How many of us practicing Christians can claim to have that!
Perhaps its time to search our inner selves.
This Christmas was even more meaningful when I attended the Christmas Carnival organised by the Combined Churches in Kota Damansara. They have been doing this for many years!
Its a Carnival where the churches and the volunteers share the Joys and Spirit of Christmas with the local community. Good condition used clothes were collected from church members and were sold at the Carnival for prices as low as RM1.
Food were given FREE whilst game coupons were sold at RM1. Many members were buying Game Coupons and giving it out for FREE to the kids. This is indeed the Spirit of Giving and Sharing.
With the game coupons children and adults were playing Fun Fair Type games and winning gifts and prizes. Everyone goes away a winner - the Joys of the season were shared and experienced by all. The Love of God reaches out to all.
Although it was a a programme organised by the churches - there was no preaching but yet the Love of GOD was shared by all, experienced by all.
This is the kind of programme that communities must organise regularly where differences are set aside, unity and cooperation encouraged to grow.
This programme puts to shame all the Mesra Rakyat Programmes that the Political offices organised. We have lots to learn from this Christmas Carnival.
Well, it was indeed a Blessed Chhristmas for me........
Saturday, November 21, 2009
the week that was
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.”
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.”
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
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