Revolusi Mesir: Tulang Besi Masih Di Awang-Awangan

Tulang Besi masih di awang awangan. Masih dalam keadaan percaya dan tidak. Apa benar Mubarak telah jatuh atau tidak. Macam tidak percaya Mubarak telah jatuh dari takhta. Firaun zaman moden telah ditelan laut.

Masih segar dalam ingatan Tulang Besi sewaktu bekerja di Mesir dahulu. Tulang Besi telah memberitahu beberapa kenalan Tulang Besi yang juga rakyat Mesir. Tulang Besi telah membuat tekaan bahawa dalam masa dua atau tiga tahun lagi akan berlaku revolusi di negeri Mesir.

Masih ingat dalam ingatan Tulang Besi memberitahu guru bahasa Arab Tulang Besi bahawa Mesir telah hampir dengan revolusi. Perkataan revolusi itu menjadi "zikir" Tulang Besi setiap kali berbincang dengan teman-teman Tulang Besi yang berbangsa Mesir.

Masih segar dalam ingatan Tulang Besi apabila Tulang Besi memberitahu anak buah Tulang Besi yang beragama Kristian madhzab Gereja Iskandariah (Koptik) bahawa musuh Mesir bukan orang Kristian tapi Mubarak. Maka, wajib orang Kristian dan ISlam Mesir bersatu menjatuhkan Mubarak.

Masih ingat lagi dalam ingatan Tulang Besi mengungkapkan perkataan "Laknatullah" kepada Mubarak dan keluarga nya diatas segala kezaliman yang beliau lakukan kepada rakyat Mesir dan hubungan beliau yang intim dengan Israel.

Semua berlaku semasa Tulang Besi berada di sana. Hati Tulang Besi sangat tidak tenteram sepanjang bekerja di sana. Sentiasa runsing melihat keadaan kemiskinan dan kemelaratan yang dihadapi oleh kebanyakan rakyat Mesir.

Kita dapat saksikan kemiskinan dan kemelaratan di hadapan mata kita, apabila kita berjalan, apabila kita membuka jendela dan banyak lagi.

Maka, secara kecil-kecilan Tulang Besi telah membakar semangat mana-mana raykat Mesir yang Tulang Besi jumpa untuk ber "revolusi". Pemandu-pemandu teksi pun Tulang Besi kempen untuk membuat revolusi di Mesir.

Syukur alhamdulillah. Kempen Tulang Besi telah dimakbulkan Allah SWT. Revolusi yang Tulang Besi ungkapkan itu DIMAKBULKAN Allah SWT. Benarlah kata orang-orang alim dan solih. Kalau kita ik! hlas, in shaalah, rintihan hati kita akan didengari Allah SWT.

Syukur Tulang Besi. Revolusi Mesir ini, inshaalah, bakal menyelamatkan jutaan rakyat Mesir dari kemiskinan, kepapaan dan kemelaratan.

Syukur, syukur.

Tulang Besi

ps kalau nak tengok betapa bodoh rejim Mubarak, negeri Mesir yang subur lagi luas ini pun, rakyat nya kebuluran. Padahal, semenjak dari zaman Empayar Rom lagi, Mesir ditakluk oleh Rom kerana mahukan gandum.

Di bawah Mubarak, penanaman gandum diberhentikan atau dikurangkan. Hasilnya, negeri subur untuk gandum di dunia, rakyat menderita kelaparan.

Speaking up for Arts-Ed — U-Jean

February 13, 2011

FEB 13 — If you and I are of the same generation (born in 1988), plus minus a few years, you would probably agree that our History education sucks. Mindless memorisation of useless facts, overemphasis on naming the correct years and characters, uncreative and dreadful learning experience, and the oh-so-clearly disproportionate reading of “world” history, all for the sake of getting an A for the SPM History paper.

Coming from a top school in Penang, where we were groomed for A’s by practising on revision books, trial papers, forecast papers, and past-year papers, I got my very well-deserved A.

This A, however, represents nothing but a failure in our History education.

In the Form 1 textbook that we used, it tells you why you should learn history. One of them is to “mengenal jati diri”. Till today, I still have no idea what that means. We all learned “history” because it is a compulsory subject in SPM.

In 2006, I got myself involved in a heritage project sponsored by Digi. Digi conferred the title of “Amazing Malaysians” to heritage champions in this country and these heritage champions had to carry out a heritage project with young people. I was a participant under Amazing Malaysian Janet Pillai (of Arts-Ed), and that year was the turning point of my life.

At the age of 18, I was one of the oldest participants in the project. At the end of the project, we were to stage a musical drama on the history of George Town. For three months, we spent our weekends discovering for ourselves what heritage is.

We had the privilege of being brought on historical walks around George Town, we scoured the streets to document the sight and sounds of George Town, we spoke to and interviewed people about old George Town, and we learned about performing, making music out of random objects, boria, gamelan, wayang kulit, and composing.

I came out from that project a transformed person. I found history amazing, I found Penang amazing, I learned different ways of learning history, I learned to be inclusive of people, I learned that I very much enjoy performing, I learned humility, I learned to work with people of different ages and ethnic, and most of all, I had fallen in love with Penang.

People around me see me as “the Penang girl”. Some would claim that I’m the unofficial Penang tourism rep for always being so gung-ho about Penang. I am the unpaid tour guide for my non-Penang friends because I am almost always so willing to show them around. I am so Penang that one can take me out of Penang but they can’t take the Penang out of me. Oh, do ask my friends...

Now, we have the learning of our national history in place but what I find missing is the learning of our local history. If you are from Banting, what do you know about Banting’s history? If you are from Ipoh, what do you know about Ipoh’s history? If you are from Kulim, what do you know about Kulim’s history?

This is basically what Arts-Ed, the NGO trapped in the recent Balik Pulau controversy, does.

Or at least what they have done for me. Through them, I learned the value of local history.

For people unfamiliar with the “Arts-Ed” style of executing a project, Arts-Ed works with young people in creative ways. Things one does not get do in school. We use cameras to take pictures, produce photo exhibitions, shoot and edit videos, compose lyrics from interviews, create dance moves through observation of people’s movements, perform history of the common people, produce booklets and newsletter, carry out visits and tours.

I learned that history is not limited to textbooks and history experts but what the average layperson experiences and remembers are also part of history. There are stories and legends about the place we live that we can never read from books.

Things like coolies running to the port with their handcarts to carry sacks of spices, that they were paid 50 sen for each bag they carried, the system of loading and unloading goods from the ship to the boat, the “stairway” arrangements of the sacks, and that the head of the coolies were called “tandaal”, and the division of profit between the coolies and the “tandaal”.

History books do not tell me this. Laypeople do.

Arts Ed encourages young people to leave their books and collect stories. These are called oral histories. Stories that are transmitted verbally, that some of us youngsters classify as “grandmother stories”, and will be lost when its bearer dies. And when you learn how cute, distinct, and special the place you live is, that’s when you learn to love the place you live.

This is what Arts-Ed is doing in Balik Pulau. Documenting and presenting oral history of the people of Balik Pulau, preserving them so that the younger generation would know, understand, and carry them on.

As a proud graduate of Arts-Ed’s projects, it saddens me that the only NGO who gives a voice to young people, who works in creative ways, who educate for free (almost), who believe that everyone has a right to tell their story, and runs on fewer women-power than the number of fingers on your one hand, is now accused of spreading fallacy, a scapegoat and victim of a political agenda.

How irresponsible for people ignorant about the learning of history nor care about them to put Arts-Ed in a bad light when they themselves are not clear about Arts Ed methodology of education.

Muhammad Farid Saad, here’s a lesson on history. History does not belong to experts. History does not belong to the state. History belongs to everyone and we all have a say in history (yes, that includes you).

Your recollection of history matters just as much as the laksa uncle’s and the aunty jus buah pala’s. As has been clarified, MyBalikPulau is not a textbook and is was not intended to be so, it is but a compilation of oral history.

Stories from uncles and aunties. People whose opinions and memories will never ever appear in the history books just because they are not history experts. Will you deny them a chance to share their history of Balik Pulau?

Though you may never have the chance to be in Arts-Ed’s programmes (as they usually only for young people) I hope you will make the effort to learn about Arts-Ed and their ways because they have changed my life. They have played a major role in shaping who I am today and I hope other children will have the chance to experience what I have experienced.

Someday, should I become the chief minister of Penang, I know that Arts-Ed has started this path for me.

* U-Jean reads The Malaysian Insider.

Najib should come clear on FLOM, advisers — Liew Chin Tong

FEB 12 — The recent revealing of the ridiculous “First Lady of Malaysia Division” dedicated to Rosmah Mansor is bewildering and has yet again shown the inconsistency of the Barisan Nasional government in informing the public.

In his reply to my parliamentary answer in November 2010, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said that there is no full-time staff or contract staff specially assigned to his wife, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor.

The Prime Minister is clearly contradicting himself when the official website of Prime Minister’s Department included the “First Lady of Malaysia Division” in the staff directory, under which five staffs are employed to work, suggestively for the self-proclaimed “First Lady” of Malaysia, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor.

When the information was discovered and made public by certain media and by MP Seputeh YB Teresa Kok, the related information ‘mysteriously’ disappeared from the website. The truth about the allocation remains to be told.

In fact, the ‘newly discovered’ First Lady of Malaysia division was not mentioned in the four-volume Senarai Perjawatan Persekutuan (federal staff list), which forms part of the federal budget 2011 documents. Questions remained to be answered of how and how much is the division been allocated and what is the function of the division.

In the same directory we discovered that many advisors on specific issues are also listed, whom positions are similarly not allocated in the Federal Budget 2011. This include Datuk Seri Dr. Abdullah bin Md Zin as Advisor for Islamic Affiars, Datuk Shahidan Kassim as advisor for matters on North Corridor Economic Region (NCER), Datuk Seri Jalaludin bin Bahaudin as the Media Advisor, Datauk Mohammad Kamal bin Yan Yahaya as Advisor for International Relation, and Prof Emeritus Datuk Dr Zakri bin Abd Hamid as the Science Advisor. Each of the advisors has one or more staff assisting them.

Indeed the Prime Minister’s Department is the biggest spender among the various ministries. The department receives RM15.8 billion this year (excluding the allocations for Attorney-General’s Chamber and the Public Service Department), a record setting amount compared to past years and has been more than doubled from the RM 6.87 billion allocation in 2007.

I press on the Prime Minister to present a truthful reply on this issue and remain accountable to the people. The people of Malaysia deserve to know how their money is spent.

* Liew Chin Tong is the MP for Bukit Bendera.

Mesir: Apabila Orang Lemah Mengalahkan yang Kuat

Regim Mubarak adalah rejim yang paling zalim dalam sejarah manusia. Rejim Mubarak boleh disamakan dengan pemerintahan Firaun dari segi kezalimannya.

Ribuan menjadi mangsa Polis Rahsia (aka SB Mesir). Ribuan menjadi mangsa siksaan dan pencabulan SB Mesir ini. Habis semua kekayaan Mesir diratah dan dibahagi-bahagikan kepada kroni dan anak beranak Mubarak.

Rakyat tidak berani melawan. Rakyat tidak berani menegur. Bayangkan, mereka meletak seorang perisik bagi setiap bangunan pangsapuri untuk memberi maklumat kepada polis rahsia.

Tiada bezanya Mubarak dengan rejim Shah Iran. Kalau Shah ada SAVAK, Mubarak ada "Mukhabarat". Kedua-dua nya zalim. Kedua-duanya bertugas menekan dan menindas rakyat jelata.

Akhirnya, kekuasaan Allah dipamerkan kepada kita semua. Bagaimana rakyat biasa Mesir yang lemah dan tidak berdaya, berjaya menjatuhkan regim Mubarak yang gagah perkasa serta disokong oleh Israel dan Amerika.

Bagaimana kuatnya manusia, kuat lagi Allah SWT. Mubarak yang mendapat sokongan padu dari ISrael dan Amerika dijatuhkan oleh rakyat jelata yang marhean, miskin dan papa kedana.

Revolusi Mesir adalah peringatan kepada orang-orang yang bongkak dan zalim.


Tulang Besi

Lagu yang Menitiskan Air Mata Tulang Besi

Muzik video di bawah mengandungi kelibat-kelibat rakyat Mesir yang biasa dilihat oleh Tulang Besi sewaktu TUlang Besi bekerja di Mesir tempohari. Tulang Besi masih lagi ingat bagaimana hati Tulang Besi amat sedih melihat mereka-mereka ini bertungkus lumus mencari sesuap nasi.

Sudahlah hak mereka ditekan, makanan semakin mahal, pendapatan mereka tidak pernah naik, masa depan mereka semakin pudar dan malap.

Namun, pada hari ini, kelibat-kelibat ini sudah tidak sanggup lagi diperlakukan sesuka hati oleh Mubarak dan SB beliau.

Mereka mengambil keputusan untuk MENGUBAH masa depan mereka serta masa depan anak-anak mereka.

Mereka mengambil keputusan untuk membuang unsur jahat di dalam kehidupan mereka yang selama ini menjadi batu penghalang kepada kehidupan yang lebih baik bagi mereka dan anak cucu mereka.

Mereka sudah tidak sanggup lagi melihat kekayaan Mesir dipergunakan oleh Mubarak berserta kroni-kroni mereka untuk mengkayakan diri-diri mereka. PAda waktu yang sama, mereka dan anak-anak mereka kebuluran dan ditekan kemiskinan yang sangat dahsyat.

Mereka mengambil keputusan untuk turun ke padang Tahrir yang menjatuhkan regim Mubarak serta membina sebuah kerajaan baru yang ikhlas mahu membantu rakyat. Mereka tidak sanggup lagi melihat anak-anak perempuan mereka terpaksa melacur semata-mata mahu membeli sekeping roti.

Mereka sudah tidak sanggup lagi terperangkap di dalam perangkap kemisikinan dan kefakiran.

Mereka menegaskan kekayaan Mesir adalah untuk rakyat Mesir, bukan untuk kroni.

MEREKA MEMILIH UNTUK MENUKAR CARA HIDUP MEREKA. MEREKA MEMILIH UNTUK BERUBAH. MEREKA TELAH MENGUBAH.



Air mata Tulang Besi tidak dapat ditahan apabila melihat muzik video ini.

How Hosni Mubarak Got So Filthy Rich...

There are no Mubaraks on the Forbes list of the world's richest people, but there sure ought to be.

The mounting pressure from 18 days of historic protests finally drove Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak from office, after three decades as his nation's iron-fisted ruler. But over that time, Mubarak amassed a fortune that should finance a pretty comfortable retirement. The British Guardian newspaper cites Middle Eastern sources placing the wealth of Mubarak and his family at somewhere between $40 billion and $70 billion. That's a pretty good pension for government work. The world's richest man--Mexican business magnate Carlos Slim--is worth about $54 billion, by comparison. Bill Gates is close behind, with a net worth of about $53 billion.

Mubarak, of course, was a military man, not a businessman. But running a country with a suspended constitution for 30 years generates certain perks, and Mubarak was in a position to take a slice of virtually every significant business deal in the country, from development projects throughout the Nile basin to transit projects on the Suez Canal, which is a conduit for about 4 percent of the world's oil shipments. "There was no accountability, no need for transparency," says Prof. Amaney Jamal of Princeton University. "He was able to reach into the economic sphere and benefit from monopolies, bribery fees, red-tape fees, and nepotism. It was guaranteed profit."

Estimates of Mubarak's wealth will probably be hard to verify, if not impossible (one reason dictators tend not to make it onto Forbes's annual list). His money is certainly not sitting in an Egyptian vault, waiting to be counted. And his delayed exit may have allowed Mubarak time to move mo! ney arou nd and hide significant parts of his fortune. The Swiss government has said it is temporarily freezing any assets in Swiss banks that could be linked to Mubarak, an uncharacteristically aggressive move for the secretive banking nation. But that doesn't mean the money will ever be returned to the Egyptian people, and it may even find its way to Mubarak eventually. Other Mubarak funds are reportedly sitting in British banks, and Mubarak was no doubt wily enough to squire away some cash in unlikely places. Plus, an eventual exile deal could allow Mubarak to retain some of his wealth, no questions asked, as long as he and his family leave Egypt and make no further bids for power.

Epic skimming is a common privilege of Middle Eastern despots, and Mubarak and his two sons, Gamal and Alaa, were a bit less conspicuous than some of the Saudi princes and other Middle Eastern royals seen partying from time to time on the French Riviera or other hotspots. The family does reportedly own posh estates in London, New York, and Beverly Hills, plus a number of properties around the Egyptian resort town of Sharm El Sheikh, where Mubarak reportedly went after resigning the presidency.

Mubarak also spread the wealth far and wide in Egyptian power circles--another Middle Eastern tradition--one reason he incurred the kind of loyalty that allowed him to rule for a remarkable three decades. Top Army officials were almost certainly on his payroll, which might help explain why the Army eased him out in the end--allowing a kind of in-country exile--instead of hounding him out of Egypt or imprisoning him once it was clear the tide had turned against him for good.

Even though he's out of power, Mubarak may still be able to influence the Army officials running the country, through the financial connections that made them all wealthy. And if not Mubarak, the next leader may be poised to start lining ! his pock ets the same way Mubarak did. For Egypt to have a more effective, transparent economy, all of that will have to be cleaned up. There are probably a lot of people in Cairo who have been checking their bank balances lately.- Rick Newman

source:USNews

cheers.

Taibs land grab infuriates party faithful

Keruah Usit

In an unprecedented show of dissent by members of Abdul Taib Mahmuds own party, Parti Pesaka Bumiputera (PBB), Malay and Bidayuh villagers from Sampadi, Lundu, gathered at the Kuching High Court yesterday to voice their anger.

The villagers were dismayed atthe takeover of their smallholder oil palm farms by Polar Horizon, a subsidiary of Titanium Management, a conglomerate owned mostly by Abu Bekir Taib, son of chief minister Taib Mahmud.

A large crowd of villagers from Lundu cheered when a sub-branch chairman of Taibs own party spoke out against the provisional licences to 1,500 hectares of land around their villages, awarded by Taib to Polar Horizon, benefitting his own son.

As self-appointed minister of planning and resources, Taib wields power over granting or alienating enormous parcels of land for development.

Earlier this month, the Sampadi villagers were given summary notice to vacate the land within 30 days.

They never informed us we were taken by surprise, said Jamain Mahmud. Jamain, no relation to Taib, is the former ketua kaum or village chief, and current PBB sub-branch head, in Kampung Sungai Cina in the Sampadi area.

The communities resisted the eviction notice, and Pola! r Horizo n began legal action against them. When the villagers appeared in court yesterday, theyfiled a countersuit against Polar Horizon and the state government, claiming the provisional licences had encroached onto their Native Customary Rights (NCR) land.

Were only asking for consideration for our land, which has already been settled and planted with oil palm. Weve already done all this (ourselves). What the government has been calling for, (saying that) NCR land must be developed, weve done, said Jamain.

But why did we not get (the rights to) the land? People who never opened up the land got the land.

The villagers lawyer, land rights activist See Chee How, condemned the land takeover.

This is the most blatant and outrageous land grab among all the cases we have handled, he said.

Jamain, and eight others named in the counterclaim, represent 481 other villagers from Kampung Sampadi, Kampung Sungai Cina, Kampung Setia Jaya and Kampung Kangka, just over an hours drive east from Kuching.

Najibs dilemma

The Sampadi villagers urged the state and federal governments to protect their native rights, enshrined in the constitution and Sarawaks Land Code. In their defence statement, they argued the land is fundamental to (our) social, cultural and spiritual survival as native people of Sarawak.

The pointed appeal by the grassroots to the federal government highlights Prime Minister Najib Razaks dilemma, in deciding whether to continue supporting Taib as state BN leader, or to remove him.

International publicity has swirled aroundTaibs immense wealth, and allegations of corrupt practices in land acquisition, producing multimillion ringgit windfalls for his children ! and fami ly.

We hope Pehin Sri (Taib) as Sarawaks chief minister, will take responsibility for this matter. I am a (PBB) party member from way back, I have worked in my area, but no action has been taken (on our behalf). So theres been no use in all our previouscampaigning for PBB, because we have been sidelined, Jamain said.

To put it bluntly dont rob us of our rights, our NCR land. This is the land we have survived on from our ancestors generation, he stressed. His words were echoed by cries of dont chase us out! from other villagers.

The villagers explained to the High Court that Kampung Sampadi had been established by 1902, and that they relied on their land for their livelihood: for fishing, for paddy cultivation, and for planting crops such as durian, rambutan, jackfruit and cassava. Since 2007, they had also begun oil palm cultivation, in collaboration with Rona Hijau, a company based in Sibu.

In court, the villagers presented locality plans and maps produced as a result of surveying work performed by the Land and Survey Department since 1988. Hundreds of parcels of NCR land had been surveyed and identified, they pointed out.

It is unknown why titles have yet to be issued to the native landowners, their lawyer See Chee How toldMalaysiakini, with some sarcasm.

Large scale oil palm plantations and timber concessions run by wealthy companies, closely tied to the states political elite, have caused the loss of huge tracts of NCR land.

As a result, NCR landowners have filed more than 230 lawsuits against the state government. These lawsuits are a political time bomb for Taibs party, ticking away in court, and spreading anger among rural communities throughout th! e state.

In contrast, oil palm small-holdings worked by NCR landowners themselves have lifted some communities out of poverty.

To the Land and Survey (Department), we say, come down to see us, turun padang, see for yourselves, Jamain urged. He explained the villagers had appealed repeatedly to the Land and Survey Department, as well as their elected representatives, to recognise their NCR land. But their pleas and signed petitions had bore no fruit.

When asked whether he still supported Taibs party, Jamain replied, I cant say. As PBB branch head, I have to speak up for the people standing behind me. Theres no use being branch head if I dont fulfill my mandate, and all our villagers rights are gone.

His words were greeted with applause from the other villagers present.

Filed under: corruption, Human rights, Native Customary Rights, Politics Tagged: Anak Sarawak Bangsa Malaysia, Barisan Nasional, Baru Bian, corruption, Human rights, NCR, Sarawak politics, Save Sarawak, See Chee How, Taib Mahmud

The Peoples Uprising of Egypt - Bringing it Home.

12 February, 2011 By Beatnik

Egyptians celebrate Friday in Tahrir Square following the announcement that Hosni Mubarak will step down as president. | Credit: Christian Science Monitor

Beyond the ideals surrounding the Egyptian Revolution - quo vadis, Malaysians?

A sense of revolution is in the air.

Boundless conversations have been sparked by the recent Egyptian protests against Hosni Mubaraks regime; mostly thought-provoking political analysis, not leaving behind the inspirational vibes one gets from endless accounts of solidarity and resilience in the spirit of Power To The People, uniting against an iron-fisted dictator. The topic is an inexhaustible one. For the most part, some very important lessons were learned. However, the same cannot be said for certain quarters surrounding yours truly. It is with a somewhat deep sense of regret that I feel compelled to admit that for a substantial majority of those in my extended social circle, the profound significance of the "Week of Resistance" was all but lost on them.

The reason why I find this so alarming is simple - its symptomatic of the kind of society we live in to see such historical events unfolding in the narrowest light possible, to show support and concern solely on the basis of a shared religion, or the illusion of a common fight, albeit a false one.

Its pertinent to note that the general view here on the current going-ons in Egypt is that the uprising is one of (mainly) Islamic proportions, and that sympathy is largely directed to what is deemed as a repeat of the 1979 Iranian Revolution. In fact, the Ayatollah Ali Khamenei himself has described Cairos protests as an "Islamic Awakening", designed to exterminate the States hegemony in the Middle East. Revolutionary Guard leaders have echoed the same. These statements are ridiculo! usly hyp ocritical.

Ive no problem with kicking the States out of the region - theyve done enough damage playing blind to Egypts fake democracy for the sake of having the latter maintain their alliance to the Israeli Zionist regime. Still, if a parallel must be drawn between Egypt and Iran, then the closest resemblance would be Irans own Green Movement uprising of 2009; millions of Iranians, the youth making up the bulk of the protestors, marched the streets in what was the largest, most sustained demonstrations post-1979, demanding for democracy. Of course, the current Iranian theocratic leadership neglects to mention any of this, because its never in their interest to do so. Its always politically-expedient for Iran to claim any Arab uprising as an Islamic one, rather than admit that they themselves have continuously stifled any dissent in their own backyard. Sadly, most Malaysians tend to side with this very conjecture.

Whats missing from this picture is that what culminated in Tahrir Square was in truth sparked by Tunisias Jasmine Revolution that toppled Ben Ali just over a month ago. We all know the story - a 26-year-old Tunisian computer science graduate by the name of Mohamed Bouazizi who was forced to cope with unemployment by peddling fruits and vegetables off a cart, and frustrated with the bullying authorities and corrupt government, ended his life by setting himself on fire outside the governors office. This tragic chain of events inspired mass protests calling for liberation, and the protestors prevailed. Ben Ali finally fled. This was what fueled the revolt not only in Egypt, but also the tiny ripples of rebellion in Algeria, Lebanon, Yemen, Jordan (the only other Arab nation besides Egypt to have a peace agreement with the Zionists) - the common folk and liberal intellectuals alike are beginning to stand up for themselves. The fight is one beyond any particular religious rhetoric; for a population that has long been infantilized and oppressed, staging a principled insurrection against a conn! iving, a uthoritarian government takes a whole lot of collective tenacity.

In a region where human rights abuses are the norm and leaders-dictators shamelessly hold on to power for far too long (backed by the worlds superpowers handing out military goodies), a popular revolution is a rare gem. Divisive religious and ethnic lines are blurred, solidarity is key. Despite the violent unrest, fueled by pro-Mubarak supporters for the most part, the world have seen solid displays of unity - Christians forming a human chain around Muslim protestors performing their prayers to protect them, Muslims doing the same for their Christian countrymen.

We must remember that it was only last month that Egypt was rocked by a church bombing that left 21 killed. Perhaps it can be best summed up by a statement released by the Muslim Brotherhood, which is not always known by its tolerant or progressive stand (all theories of them hijacking the revolution to further their own interests notwithstanding) - "The Muslim Brotherhood regards the revolution as the Egyptian peoples revolution, not an Islamic revolution. The Egyptian peoples revolution includes Muslims, Christians and is from all sects and political tendencies." And that, is a fact, regardless of the veiled political intention of who said it.

Christians protect Muslims as they pray in Cairo. | Credit: http://issues.indrasinha.comMalaysians had our very own protest the other day, in solidarity with the Egyptians, and nothing less than FRU trucks were expected to greet the people. There was strength in numbers in the 3000 souls with their rallying cries of support that day, but it was the snide comments by those not present that irked me. An acquaintance remarked that the assembly was highly unnecessary, that it was a waste of time, that it wasnt our fight to fight, that it was merely politicized by the local political opposition, that the best we ! should d o is to pray for our Egyptian Muslim brothers and sisters, and hope that the Malaysian students trapped there will be brought home safely.And therein lies the problem - this was not an isolated view.Lets start with highlighting Najib Razaks little warning : "Dont try Egypt style power grab in Malaysia.", because really, its alright to pray for fellow Muslims, but not to be spurred on by their courage. Its perfectly okay to wish them the best and hope they manage to chase Mubarak away someday, but not to use their story as a reminder that the Rakyat can and will react to a prolonged decay of the system when we have had enough. Regrettably, some foul-mouthed creatures have even gone so far as to suggest that "anti-government" students in Egypt shouldnt be flown back home so that they can be taught a lesson in being grateful to the government! This remark did not just come from a random cybertrooper, but Ive actually heard the same being said among my peers. Such is the unbidden ignorance apparent everywhere; all eyes avert their gaze from the real driving force behind the Egyptian struggle - gross injustice and widespread corruption, which is all but present in our own country.

One cant help but notice the similarities. Egypt has been regarded as an economic hotpot by the World Bank, thanks to its natural resources and neo-liberal policies; almost certainly, the Mubarak family has amassed a sizeable wealth worth billions all to themselves. Cronies benefit just as much. And the people? Well, suffice to say the income inequality gap is glaring, and the lack of comprehensive welfare-centric policies more than fuels their exasperation with the systemically corrupt regime. Any questions or attempts to dig deep into the aforementioned shady deals are met with instant detention without trial by the secret police, with some heinous torture thrown in for good measure.

There is no such thing as freedom of information and transparency. The mainstream media is heavily censored; utilized as the ! regimes propaganda machine. The group of young activists who started the protests (no, it really wasnt the Brotherhood) initially got together in June last year, enraged by the death of one Khalid Saeed, a young man in Alexandria beaten to death by the police - police brutality is rampant there, hiding behind the enforcement of Emergency laws in the name of national security. All of this sounds eerily familiar, no?

I had a chat recently with a group of friends who just arrived from Egypt a few days ago; all of them medical students, happy to be home away from the violence. They related that although they felt scared amidst the chaos of a foreign land, some were touched, witnessing the strong inter-religious bond, while some didnt give a hoot over what transpired around them. Most of them though, made the same remark - that its good to be back in Malaysia where such things are unheard of, and that its unfortunate how most people take the peace and harmony here for granted.

That got me thinking. The people all across the Middle East are resolute in fighting for their rights, being the unrelenting citizens they should be. They do so with a price - continuing unrest, disorder, risk of injury, even death. Genuine reforms post-Mubarak is not even a confirmed prospect. Yet the thing to grasp about revolutions is that theyre meant to be a reboot of sorts for governments that are way too high on the rotten-meter; a resuscitation, a revival, that has no guarantees. It is the risk of every revolution - one that the people must not be too afraid to take.

Similarly, our "peace" comes with a heavy penalty. A corrupt political/justice/economic system that not enough are critical of and most are oblivious to, institutionalized racism and the politicization of religion, disgusting hypocrisy, and an endemic apathy that proves to be the biggest hurdle yet in uniting the Rakyat against these damning facets of our society. Not to say we need violence to break these shackles, but hey, we need something.

Radi! cal abst ractions will most probably invite accusations of conjuring up dreams a tad too idealistic to realize, yet this writer believes that above all else, that is the kind of steadfast commitment missing from this nations young blood. Skeptics and cynics alike only have the most to lose. Fear (and our differences) shouldnt be holding us back. That is the bigger picture; that is what Egypt shouldve taught us.

Obviously, weve yet to learn our lesson.

Beatnik is a reluctant law student in a local university which arguably hosts the largest congregation of prudes in the country. She insists on not letting that define her though; ideally, shes just another beatnik. Self-explanatory.

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Tags: Alexandria, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Beatnik, Ben Ali, Cairo, Christians, Egypt, Egyptian protests, Green Movement, Hosni Mubarak, Iran, Iranian Revolution, Islamic Awakening, Israeli, Jasmine Revolution, Khalid Saeed, Malaysia, Middle East, Mohamed Bouazizi, Muslim, Muslim Brotherhood, post-Mubarak, Power To The People, pro-Mubarak, Tahrir Square, Tunisia

This entry was posted on 12 February, 2011 at 10:50 am and is filed under Express Yourself. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.

Amour sans frontiere #LoyarBerkasih

12 February, 2011

By Lim Ka Ea

Ka Ea writes about her love affair with travelling.

A primary school student in Kampong Cham, Cambodia | Credit: Ka Ea

It was quite an old-fashioned love story set in Klang many moons ago. Most of the signs were there:

I was discouraged from doing it when I was a young girl.

Father hated the "boy" (and still does).

I gave it up to be filial but as soon as I became an adult, I couldnt wait to lose my virginity.

Now, I am just promiscuous.

Let this be a cautionary tale to all: be as promiscuous as you can because the pleasure of having multiple new adventures and experiences really make it all worthwhile.

Stealing kisses in broad daylight. | Credit: Ka Ea

Before you start to get all excited or disgusted, hold your horses. I am talking about travelling and since this is a Valentine Days special edition, Ill be writing about my love affair with travelling.

My love for travelling did not start early. As a young girl, I didnt really have the privilege to travel. It wasnt because my family couldnt afford it, but my Father hates traveling more than he hates any back-stabbing-double-! face bus iness associates. Needless to say, I was discouraged from going anywhere further than Genting Highlands.

My first international "fling" was Singapore. (Yes, my standard was pretty low then. ;) ) I was 18. It didnt leave much impression on me except for the glittering lights and shopping malls at Orchard Road and the zoo. I thought the latter was the most amazing zoos I had ever seen, but then I only had the National Zoo of Malaysia as comparison.

I think the first time I ever took a flight was to London. That was the biggest journey I had to make in my life as a young adult and it ended up being my longest ever "relationship" because I stayed for 4 years.

It was also the journey that changed my life forever. If there is any way of describing it, going to the United Kingdom was like the aftermath of eating the forbidden apple in the Garden of Eden. My eyes were opened and I saw many new things which I couldnt see before. I was able to form my own opinions about them without having someone else telling me first. I became someone who responds to temptation and of course, like Eve, I ended up having to pay for it.

A dog exercising free speech at the Rally for Sanity, St. Louis City, USA. | Credit: Ka Ea

I must admit that I was a complete country bumpkin when I left home to pursue my undergraduate studies in Wales. I might as well packed my things in one of those blue-red-white checked plastic bags used by village people from China and wore my hair in two pigtails. Instead, I had packed all my belongings into one super-sized luggage that could probably fit two contortionists easily. My best friends uncle who was meeting us at t! he train station in Leeds had to lug it all the way to his house and I was rather embarrassed for imposing such a heavy burden on him.

I also didnt know how to eat with a fork and knife properly and I couldnt stand eating the food there. You can tell I was a total loser.

I was extremely homesick during the first year and I cant really pin-point what had changed but by the second year, I was feeling quite at home. I began to enjoy my life as a student and partied hard with my housemates and foreign friends. I even stayed back during the long summer holidays by working as a waitress and bar tender at the local student union cafeteria and bar.

A person with disability exercising free speech at the Rally for Sanity, St. Louis City, USA. | Credit: Ka Ea

At the end of my final year, my best friend and I rewarded ourselves by taking a bus tour around Western Europe. We travelled to the usual hot spots; Rome, Paris, Brussels, Luxembourg and Frankfurt. I did not fall in love with Paris, but I did with Rome instead. I find the latter to be one of the most elegant and romantic places I had ever been to. Italy, in general, gives me a warm, lively and happy feeling. The local language is music to the ears and the gelato is to die for. I ended up going to Italy three times and I think it is my favourite place to be in Europe.

Since then, I began to travel more and more; an average of three times a year. I suppose I was addicted to it by then. I had gone to Canada, Netherlands, Tunisia, Spain and Cyprus while I was doing my Masters in Nottingham.

I cant describe exactly what it feels like when I travel but I can say in all certai! nty that one of the best things about it is the anticipation. Very often, the moment I booked my air ticket, my mind has already begun to travel to that destination.

The breathtaking Temples of Borobudur in Yogyakarta during sunrise. | Credit: Ka Ea

Here are 10 reasons why I love travelling:

Planning a travel. Theres no doubt that half of the fun is in the planning itself and by planning, I dont mean by coming up with an itinerary of where to go and what to do. Planning a travel to me is like planning for a big date. Shopping for a dress, having a mani-padi, imagining how the night would go and what sort of interesting conversation we would talk about, wondering whether I would like him and vice versa. However, I would try my best not to find out about my date because the less I know about him, the more anticipation there is. I like to be surprised and I often get that tingling sensation of being slightly nervous because I dont know what to expect and yet excited because I know for sure that something is going to happen.

A woman selling berbere at the Fajita Market in Dire Dawa, Ethiopia. | Credit: Ka Ea

Landing on foreign soil and breathing in that first air when I step out from the airport. I can always smell a new adventure in the air. I remember once when I stepped outside the Charl! es De Ga ulle airport in Paris and felt a sudden rush of winter wind slapping against my cheeks. I immediately took in a deep breath and felt as if my lungs were being cleansed.

The painted mountains of Shatu pass in Bamyan, Afghanistan. | Credit: Ka Ea

It is one of the rare times when I dont hate people. I could be stuck in a taxi crawling through a bumper-to-bumper traffic jam in Nairobi and yet all the angry shouting and honking by ill-tempered drivers would be amusing to me.

Finding love in foreign soils. At the risk of being criticised as someone who only dates foreigners, I had only dated foreign men. I blame this on my parents strict no-dating policy when I was younger. I think it has affected me psychologically because when Im home, I feel as if I shouldnt be dating. I had my first kiss in Aberystwyth. My most romantic date was in Bruges. I met my husband in Kabul and he proposed to me when we were in Dubai.

A traditional dancer in Yogyakarta. | Credit: Ka Ea

Experiencing culture shock. Im addicted to seeing new things and be shocked or surprised by it. In Addis Ababa, I was surprised when I saw sex workers dancing seductively to themselves in front of the mirrors in nightclubs. I was surprised to see there was no woman in public places in Tunis. I was shocked when a local man came b! y my sid e and asked me whether I would like to have a man in Zanzibar. Yes, Africa scores high on the thrill card.

Experiencing the extraordinary beauty of creation. Places like Angkor Wat, Temples of Borobudur, Taj Mahal, Carthage, the Coliseum, former statues of Bamyan, Temples of Baalbek, Niagara Falls, Nakuru National Park, Jaco Island, etc. really took my breath away.

Temple of Baalbek, Lebanon. | Credit: Ka Ea

Having a once-in-a-lifetime adventure. When I am travelling, I tend to let my senses go wild. Its sort of like a reward I give myself for being a boring citizen in Malaysia. Once, I travelled on a bus from Kosovo to Turkey with a friend. He needed me to help him bring money across the border and didn?t want to get into trouble in Macedonia. We thought since I am a foreigner and a woman, it was unlikely that border officials (especially Serbians) would be suspicious of me. We did not make it to Turkey and had to unboard the bus at the border between Bulgaria and Macedonia around midnight because I didnt have a visa to transit in Bulgaria. It was a truly unforgettable chilling adventure.

This woman was selling fruits at the river crossing between Phnom Penh and Kandal province. | Credit: Ka Ea

Learning from the local people. I learn from Afghans the meani! ng of co urage and loyalty. I learn from Cambodian women the meaning of sacrifice and I learn from Ethiopians that one can still smile during times of great adversity. Above all, I learn about humility and gratefulness.

Travel inspires my writing. Writing is a grand passion but travel is first love. I wouldnt be able to write if I have not travelled.

Patriots. | Credit: Ka Ea

Inspiring me to do more for my country. When I was in the United States of America, I saw how important it was for people to be able to express their opinions freely and without fear. It inspired me to do something for Malaysians to be able to have that freedom as well.

A woman dreaming about travelling in a market in Yogyakarta. | Credit: Ka Ea

I hope to have this love affair for a long time. St. Augustine said, "The world is a book and those who do not travel read only a page."

I?m looking forward to the next chapter.

Ka Ea is the Executive Officer of the Constitutional Law and Criminal Law committees at the Bar Council. She is the only full-time, paid staff running the MyConstitution Campaign. She searches for her inner loyarburok at night. During her free time, she writes for The Malaysian Insider.

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Tags: #loyarberkasih, Aberystwyth, Addis Adaba, adversity, Afghanistan, Afghans, africa, Angkor Wat, Bamyan, Borobudur, Bruges, Brussels, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Canada, Carthage, Charles De Gaulle airport, China, Coliseum, culture shock, Cyprus, Dire Dawa, Dubai, Ethiopia, Ethiopians, Europe, Fajita Market, Frankfurt, Garden of Eden, Genting Highlands, Italy, Jaco Island, Kabul, Kandal, Kosovo, Lebabon, Leeds, Lim Ka Ea, London, love affair, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malaysia, Nairobi, Nakuru National Park, National Zoo, Netherlands, Niagara Falls, Orchard Road, Paris, passion, Phnom Penh, Planning travel, Rome, Serbians, Singapore, Spain, St. Augustine, Taj Mahal, Temple of Baalbek, Temples of Baalbek, travel, Tunis, Tunisia, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States of America, Valentine's Day, Wales, Western Europe, writing, Zanzibar

This entry was posted on 12 February, 2011 at 8:00 am and is filed under Thank God It's Friday. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.

Desparado Najib kasi warning kpd. ahli perniagaan Cina, jangan undi PR....

Komuniti perniagaan hari ini diberi amaran oleh PM Najib Tun Razak bahawa demi masa depan mereka,mereka jangan ambil kesempatan untuk menyokong pembangkang. Sungguhpun Najib tidak menyatakan secara jelas siapa pembangkang itu,namun maksudnya secara tak langsung jangan sokong Pakatan Rakyat.

Katanya,"Saya berkongsi aspirasi dan angan2 anda bagi membina negara ini dengan majunya dan saya menyeru agar tuan-tuan sertailah saya dalam misi ini. Perjalanan ini mungkin panjang,tapi marilah kita bersama-sama menempuh bersama-sama. Ini bukan masanya untuk membuat percubaan terhadap peluang2 masa depan tuan-tuan. Saya tahu pada siapa yang saya maksudkan...ahli2 perniagaan biasa teguh dan pragmatik."

Najib berkata demikian ketika dalam satu majlis rumah terbuka dan penerangan tentang Malaysian Innovation Agency di SRK(C) Sungai Way,Petaling Jaya. Najib mengaku bahawa BN mengalami kekalahan teruk pada March 8,2008,tapi kini BN telah dewasa dan mengalami banyak perubahan.

The business community was today warned by Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak that for the sake of their future, they should not take chances by supporting the opposition. Although Najib did not exactly indicate what he was referring to, it was indirectly meant that they should not support Pakatan Rakyat.

"I share your dreams and aspirations (to build the country). What I want to achieve is a tall order, and I am asking you to join me in this quest."The journey may be long, but let us take the journey together. This is not the time to experiment and take chances with your future. I am sure you know what I am referring to... business people are always pragmatic and astute," he said.

Na! jib said this in his speech at a Chinese New Year open house and briefing on the Malaysian Innovation Agency held at SJK (C) Sungai Way in Petaling Jaya. The event was organised by SMI Malaysia, an association of small and medium industries, enterprises and businesses in Malaysia.

The prime minister earlier said the government recognised that BN had suffered its biggest defeat in the March 8, 2008 general election, but that the coalition has grown, adapted and changed.

source:malaysiakini

Hellooo PM, you bercakap di hadapan ahli2 perniagaan bukan orang Melayu Felda.Najib boleh merayu,menangis,kasi duit berjuta2 ala 'gua garu belakang lu,lu garu belakang gua' pun belum tentu mereka ini akan pangkah BN. Kalu orang Melayu Felda tu lain ceritanya.

Najib pergi kat Kpg.Baru janji RM20 juta untuk baikki masjidnya dan yang akan dapat kontrak adalah kroni Najib juga. Di depan orang Melayu Felda dia janji bayar berbilion2 kenapa tidak di Kpg.Baru? Pasal orang Kpg. Baru lebih bijak,dan mereka akan tuntut sampai dapat,tapi orang Melayu Felda Najib boleh janji bulan dan bintang belum tentu orang Melayu Felda akan perolehi sepenuhnya.

53 tahun pemerintahaan BN/UMNO dah lama dah!!!!! Pemimpin2 BN/UMNO dan kroni2nya dah kenyang, buat apa dok bagi depa saja. Inilah masanya kita berubah dan berubah sekarang.....

'Najib has no right to threaten the business sector, says Pakatan'

cheers.

Egypt: Mubarak Stepped Down as President. Protesters Celebrate

Read here for more and here

Demonstrations that began with quiet determination on the Internet more than three weeks ago erupted into riotous jubilation Friday evening, moments after Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak announced he would step aside. ending his 30-year-reign.

Egyptian armed forces will take over the leadership of the country, Vice President Omar Suleiman announced today.

Crowds gathered in Cairo's Tahrir Square erupted into loud cheers, chanting "Egypt is free, Egypt is free," as the historic announcement was made.

Protesters swarmed army tanks that had been deployed to keep order, banged drums, blew whistles and frantically waved the Egyptian flag in celebration. They danced in circles and chanted.

Two men dropped to their knees and began to pray as soon as the news was announced.

"Freedom!" crowds chanted outside the white carved walls of the presidential palace.

"God is great," they shouted in Tahrir Square.

The reaction was quick to pour in across some of the same social networking sites that Egyptians used to help organize the historic protests.

"Egypt -- you are a shining light," one Twitter user posted in congratulations.

Mubarak's resignation comes 18 days since the beginning of protests that have left 300 dead, according to the United Nations, and rocked the region.

Men, women and children alike -- many with tears in their eyes -- flooded into Cairo's streets as the atmosphere turned from one of determination to pure ecstasy.

"This is the greatest day of my life," Nobel Laureate and opposition leader Mohamed ElBaradei said. "The country has been liberated."

As protesters in Cairo's streets celebrated with joy, some demanded that Mubarak be tried.

The news has significant ! implicat ions for the world and the United States. Egypt is one of the United States' closest allies in the region, a key economic partner and only one of two Arab states that recognize Israel.

Though the White House has distanced itself from Mubarak's administration over recent weeks, Mubarak was a close partner to the U.S., helping broker peace deals between Israel and Palestine and supporting the U.S. in its wars against Iraq.

President Obama was informed of Mubarak's decision to step down during a meeting in the Oval Office, and he watched TV coverage of the scene in Cairo for several minutes in the outer Oval office. He is scheduled to make a statement on camera.

Hosni Mubarak resigns...

After rambling on for a half hour last night and not saying anything, today Mubarak sent Omar Suleiman on television to say this:

In the name of God the merciful, the compassionate, citizens, during these very difficult circumstances Egypt is going through, President Hosni Mubarak has decided to step down from the office of president of the republic and has charged the high council of the armed forces to administer the affairs of the country. May God help everybody.

That's it. He's out.

source:mondoweiss



cheers.

Revolusi Mesir Sama Tarikhnya Dengan Revolusi Iran

Saya tak tau nak kata apa. Tetapi, Revolusi Iran telah berlaku 32 tahun lepas pada hari ini, 11 Febuary 1979. Pada hari ini, 11 February 2011, Revolusi Mesir pula berlaku. Pada hari jatuhnya Regim Shah Iran, pada hari yang sama juga Regim Mubarak tersungkur menyembah bumi.

Kedua-dua Shah Iran dan Mubarak adalah boneka Amerika dan boneka Yahudi Israel. KEdua-dua jatuh pada 11 February tapi berbeza 32 tahun di antara mereka.

Bezanya, demo yang menjatuhkan Shah Iran memakan masa lebih 1 tahun. Demo yang menjatuhkan Mubarak cuma 18 hari.

Syukur kepada Allah SWT.

TAKBIRR!!!!!!

Tulang Besi

Taibs Brute Land Grab BN PBB Members and Supporters not Spared

HU Editor

Filed under: corruption, Human rights, Native Customary Rights