Tuesday, July 01, 2008

We Live In Interesting Times...

For the past year, politics in Malaysia has been turned pretty much upside down. Hollywood scriptwriters probably couldn't have penned a more incredible story. No fortnight goes by without something significantly exciting or controversial taking place. There's probably so much twists that Malaysia's founding fathers must be turning in their graves. Even those who stand neutral on Malaysian politics must be enjoying the new spectator sport.

Some of the more significant events which I can remember off my head includes the explosive Lingam video clips, the Bar Council march, the BERSIH rally, the Hindraf rally, the on-off-on-off indelible ink, Barisan Nasional's shocking loss of 4 additional states as well as losing 1/3 of the Malaysian parliament. That was of course followed up with Anwar's proclaimation that he has more than enough Members of Parliament who will "cross over" to form a new Malaysian government.

More recently we had the electricity and shocking petrol price hikes. And all this against the backdrop of the literally explosive Altantuya murder mystery (and 1001 conspiracy theories) that ebbs and flows in and out of the national consciousness.

And now, we face the shocking allegations by a 23 year old aide that he has been forcefully sodomised by his employer, who remains the man-of-the-moment, for better or worse, in Malaysian politics. Uncertainty, conspiracy theories, denials, legal suits, counter allegations and brinkmanship will be the order of the day in the next few weeks.

It's an adrenaline pumping roller-coaster ride so far. And it's certainly one hell of a time to have chosen participate intimately in Malaysian politics. I could actually deal with a slowdown in excitement. What else is in store for Malaysian politics? We are certainly in a moment of transition, but transition to what?

It might be worth noting that the KLSE Composite Index closed at 1174 points, marginally above what was recorded immediately post March 8th elections. Bumiputera Commerce Holdings Berhad (BCHB), helmed by Datuk Nazir Abdul Razak, and one of the most exciting stocks in the market for the past year, sank to its lowest levels since December 2006.

26 comments:

Anonymous said...

The current situation is simply due to absence of leadership in the country now.

Ah! Man-of-the-moment. If he can swear under Quran that he has never ever meliwat before, I would have respect for him. Otherwise, just another UMNO politician. Same wine different bottle.

Takut kerani salah, berani kena benar. What is so difficult?

God bless.

Victor said...

you're right tony..

a transition for the country..but a transition to what???

etheorist said...

I would rather think that this year, we as a country could be "living dangerously," although I understand it is a Chinese curse to be living in "interesting" times.

As the players all jump into the political fray trying to gain power, I fear that, in the end, the victim will be the economy.

The stage is already set. With inflationary pressures unleashed, the economy could go into a recession. I hope this does not happen. If it does, God help us, given the politics!

de minimis said...

Interesting times, indeed. What will be more interesting is whether the IGP and AG can refrain from interfering with the investigative process in light of Anwar's police report?

Why hasn't Pakatan been able to get your act together and start forming a "shadow cabinet"? It will certainly give a better impression that you are ready to form the next government.

Otherwise you guys will be like the tribal leaders who took over Damascus with Lawrence of Arabia and ended up with internecine infighting and lost the plt completely!

Anonymous said...

Apparently, the informed traders in Bursa Malaysia know something that we don't, no?

Or are they exhibiting the herd mentality ... following the cue from Merdeka research?

Definitely, this is more dramatic than Desperate Housewifes, no?

I suspect top tier bloggers are also witnessing a shift in clientelle(?) effect, no?

Needless to say, in this period of uncertainty, flawed information is a no no.

So stay focused and stay subzero.

aMiR

Anonymous said...

Only God knows who is speaking the truth! Hell will await the liar!He who lies will suffer till eternity!. May God and the angels cursed the liars!And may the liars rot and burn in hell forever!

Anonymous said...

First thing first. Hollywood? More like telenovelas scriptwriter could not do better.

On the market, CIMB stock is indicative of what is dragging the stock down which is politics which is obvious. But what is not obvious is that we are not seeing is that the US stocks are NOT collapsing despite their problems but we are not seeing it here. Also the benefit of rising commodity prises is being wasted away. How can they have a big petrol price rise and yet still say they have a deficit problem?

The market is in a state of confusion right now with different forces working. Malaysia should NOT be doing badly but it is thanks to UMNO/BN.

Bentoh said...

Ahhh... Like your title... ;)

Maybe... we just got to have faith... that the nation will become good... some day...

After all I'd been optimistic for the past... 5 years?

I guess I prefer seeing you, and your colleagues... continue working hard... than to see that we-have-enough-to-jump drama... Just too tired of these stupid shows... :)

Ahhh by the way... any news from the parliament? as in... interesting stories and comments... ;)

alvin lee said...

what is happening to our country? We now have our PM,DPM and wife,KJ,IGP and AG all being implicated to have committed crime.

Just wonder how our police is going to do their work. All those implicated are top guns. How do you go about investigating your boss.

Secondly, I just wonder how all these developments will affect our country's economy.

Thirdly, how will other countries look at us.

As a citizen, i feel rather ashame now to call myself a Malaysian in front of a foreigner.

Mohd Nadzri Kamsin said...

What do you think of the recent Anwar sodomy issue?

http://nadzrikamsin.blogspot.com/

Anonymous said...

The dropping of the KLSE is due to drama create by PR which cause so much uncertainty. A lot of people are suffering from this meltdown. Today mid-day break down by 19 points. The KLSE will stop declining only when the drama stop. If your are concern please do something about it.

Anonymous said...

All these problems are actually created directly or indirectly by one single person - Tun Mahathir. Don't you agree?

If not because of his greed in power, he wouldn't make so many changes to make the PM post so powerful.

If not because of him wanting to cover up his sins against Anwar, he wouldn't have destroyed our judiciary and turn our IGP and AG into criminals.

If not because of his short-sighted vision to satisfy his own pride to launch the national car maker Proton, we won't have to buy expensive cars and we will have world-class public transport systems now. We won't feel the pinch so much even if the petrol is RM6/litre.

Anyway, Malaysia Today website is under attack today - needless to say, must be another dirty job from UMNO.

There is only one solution to solve all our problems - educate all Malay voters to give up UMNO forever. Seems impossible isn't it?

amoker said...

When authority looses credibility, the nation suffers. That is why leaders are important and must discharge their power accordingly. Otherwise, chaos prospers.

I do argue that the current uncertaintly is not because of too much opposition. But that the government does not have enough quality to govern.

Unknown said...

Dear Tony,

I seriously find it hard to believe that a 60yr old with bad back can 'force' a 23 yr old on his backside inside a RM7000/mth condo supposedly belonging to that 23yr old who had to meet the DPM for a scholarship?? Go figure.

And yes, we ARE living in interesting times. I was previously very much apathetic towards politics until "Keris"mudin galvanised my sorry bum to vote for the first time in my life. I am glad I did since it's one vote among many that contributed to this 'interesting' time!.

But Tony, the reality of Malaysian politics is that we need Anwar and PKR for Pakatan Rakyat as a whole to work. It is my sincere hope that DAP can work well with the other parties in Pakatan.

Anonymous said...

I dunno if Najib is involve with c4 murder?

I dunno if Najib's wife is involce in c4 murder?

I duno if Najib *framed* DSAI?

But I know Najib declare to wash Chinese blood with Keris in 1980 and his cousin enjoy playing with krisss!

That's enough not to make him the next PM!

Badawi is a *good*man,,,

I mean GOOD mna!

Winner takes all... GOOD POSTER!!

Tony Pua the next PM!

Anonymous said...

DAP better jaga your back. Think how much debts due to the America. Your taiko seems make commitment to kow tow to US. So efficient the US Govt respond to Anwar's call.

Remember there is no free lunch in this world. US lunches dont come cheap:))

Anonymous said...

sighs... i really hope things turn out for the better.... hope and faith is all we have to cling to now... so much drama its sometimes unbelievable...

hope u have ur feet firmly on the ground tony and not get swept away with all this non-issues

Anonymous said...

Tony,

We as "Rakyat Malaysia" do not mind if the new PR govt has Zero Experience in forming & governing this country by September 16th 2008.

At least, we do not want to be "Misled" by THE MOST CORRUPTED "BN" LEADERSHIP FOR THE PAST 51 SINFUL YEARS OF CORRUPTION!!!

Therefore, please ensure PR house rules are strictly adhere & PR concerted effort & attention is immediately required to boost up the already sunken Malaysian economy, if the "Pakatan Rakyat" govt is sincere to rule Malaysia for the next 100 years!

Long Live DAP!

Jonas Lee said...

All the revelations that we see are like the soil at the bottom of a glass of water that is stirred, clouding everything. Is it still clean enough to drink and should we wait for the dust to settle? Or should we throw everything out to obtain fresh water?

Much depends on the current state of politicking among the leaders from both sides of the House. When will the politicians start to discuss and intellectually debate on real policy issues gripping the world today rather than slinging mud on each others characters and reputations?


The lack of intellectual honesty in dealing with today's problems cannot be solved by either silence, noise or dramatic acts of political change. The PM should regain the people's trust in the government by showing them the trade-off between short-term policy effects and long-term policy gains.

Datuk Anwar Ibrahim seems to have a good view of the long-term prosperity of the country with the right recipe of policies but he created some negative reactions among economists when he promised lower fuel prices. Perhaps he is right and has inside info on the manipulated global oil market. Then he should back up his view rather than just say he is a humanist/humanitarian.

But, his situation is probably better than the flip flop situation of BN leaders having to act each day to make short-term gains for the sake of their political survival.

Anonymous said...

Politics are not for the weak! Who is friends? Who is foes? only time can tell!

who is RPK working for?

Anwar... what is he up to?

The system didnt failed us, we failed to build a working system!

Sodomize cases are consider less important than a c4 murder but acted in such haste!

Drama Anwar? It seems 95% msian doesnt believe so

Sabah is so poor now, they still wanna play around with Sabahan mind! CRUEL

Most ppl believe all the bad things Madir did like judging, framing anwar & etc. but nobody cares because his contribution is much greater than his destruction.

Najib... Najib... is tasting what anwar tasted as a Deputy PM!

MCA is also politicking, should have done that long time ago!

Anonymous said...

We Sarawakans should move a referedum to get out of this abusive and greedy Malaysian Federation who takes 90% of our resources without giving us development.

Let us join Singapore instead. We joined Malaysia because Singapore joined. Singapore has been out for almost half a century. It is time we join them, and enjoy progress instead of regress with Malaysia.

Anonymous said...

Watching Malaysia go down the crapper is so not a spectator sport! I want a Malaysia we are proud of; not a cartoon (a porn one at that!) of govt!
See the latest - Najib implicated by a SD - http://jelas.info/2008/07/03/statutory-declaration-proves-najib-knew-altantuya/

Anonymous said...

I sincerely suggest DAP MPs to consider dissassociate with Anwar based on the turn of events last few days.

The diversion of his sodomy allegation, the hiding in Turkey Embassy, the intervention of USA, the flip-flop Statutory Declaration by P Bala is not the quality of PM we would want in a leader.

It is better to bit the bullet rather than sink with the Titanic. DAP has been the main pillar for the championing of better governance, NOT PKR. PKR are the sour grape of UMNO, they have nothing to loose.

DAP has been working tireslessly for decades, we dont want it effort wasted by unnecessary associate with person not credible in pursuit of noble objectives.

DAP Wake Up!!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

The current mess is partly due to Anwar I and PKR. They cakap too much about taking over the federal government by certain date and about BN MPs jumping ships, when really there are no such happenings.

So they kept creating news and uncertainties to unsettle the nation, hoping something may snap and lead to an unstable situation, which may or may not benefit them.

Human may plan, but heaven decides.

Anonymous said...

Tony,

It's about time to seriously pray for the nation and its people. The nation has suffered such political and economic uncertainty like never before.

Let us all pray.

Unknown said...

What has happened in the past month is truly embarassing. Can't the government realize that all these politicking would only make the country worst? With more politicking, there would be less time spend on actually improving the economy e.g. provide more jobs, improve the Rakyat income and attract foreign investments. In time, if this go on, forget about fuel subsidies, we may even need to start importing all our crude from overseas because our government made a blunder.

Tony, I do hope you can take this matter to parliament and influence the government that economic growth makes people richer and not the constant request for subsidies during these difficult times.