Double Death President

United States of America will sworn in their 44th President today. Barack Hussein Obama will be the first Afican-American to claim the most powerful job not only in the USA but also the world.

During his campaign for the US presidency, Obama's clarion call for Hope and Change are heard loud and clear through out. Add-on with a back ground like his, Obama will be hard pressed to deliver whatever his promises since the Democrats primary until his election on Nov 4, 2008. His performance will be monitored not only by Americans but also leaders and people from all over the world. His actions and foreign policies are ecpected to set new direction for a ever hopeful international audiences.

People are putting high hopes on him to change the world to a better and peaceful place to live in. But then Barack Obama is just as human as anyone and on top of that he is a politician. Human values in him may want to answer calls to the needs of the crying babies at Palestine, Iraq, Afghanistan, Sudan, Ethiopia, North Korea and all places that USA has interests but the politician instinct in him will only response to matters which are of interest to himself and his own nation only.

From the moment on the first day he steps into the White House he is no more the Barack Obama that can decides everything on his own but will be surrounded by many advisers, consultants, strategists, military, lobbyist, medias and trails of other interested parties with their respective agenda, hidden or in-guise. He is no more in total control of himself. He may seems to be in charge but shows can be deceiving. It is payback time for all who had supported him to sit in the Oval Office. It will not take too long for us to see what Barack Obama really made off. Is he really what he is perceived and expected to be by people in USA and all around the world?

As mentioned many times before, we will see the true colours of a person(politician) when given powers to govern the destiny of many. And it is not necessary black as Obama might try to portray himself as a white. So, do not expect too much from this Hawaiian. He might change as he promised.

And based on Chinese numerical beliefs, as the 44th president it does not fares too good for him as the number four in Chinese is read "shi" or "sei" in Cantonese or "si" in Hokkien which means death. That is double death! He was elected on Nov 4 and he was born on August 4th too! "Shi" (four) is always stucked with him.

Hope you can Change that too, Obama! - Loka

Boycott war mongers

After the Israeli attacks on the Gaza, there were calls to boycott USA products in response to USA's continuous support of Israel.

Calls to boycott USA related products are not something new but it usually will not succeed and will die off in due time as happens in 2002 and 2006. Some people just can't let go of a hot Expresso while surfing at the Starbucks or a quick bite on the Big Mac at the McDonalds. Those calling for the boycott should first practice what they preached by throwing out all USA related designer apparels, gadgets, books and food in their own house, including the Levi's jeans on their body and the Microsoft operating system which they used to produce their press statement. Not forgetting, if they graduated from a USA university, they should burn their USA degree on a Malaysian charcoal pit.

There are even calls for the OIC to sent in a joint army to go into war with Israel in the name of protecting the Palestinians. Are these people saying Malaysia should commit our soldiers to fight the Israeli army without the sanction of the UN? If that is so, what's the difference with the action of the US which attacked Iraq without UN blessing. Will these war mongers expect all Malaysians to bear the consequences when Malaysia itself becomes the target of Israel due to OIC arbitrary military action?

Hoped these war mongers will think not only with their heart but with their head as well. Fight the Middle East conflict at the UN Assembly, not on Israelis or Palestinians soil, if they think UN is still relevant anyway.- Loka

Obama change policy on Tibet?

Can the US President-elect Barack Obama brings CHANGE to Tibet as expected by those looking forward to it? Following is the press statement of the International Campaign for Tibet as a "gentle" reminder to him for the Tibet cause. -Loka

Strong support for Tibet from next US President
ICT press release, November 5, 2008

The International Campaign for Tibet (ICT) congratulates Barack Obama on his election to be the 44th President of the United States and anticipates strong support from the Obama Administration for Tibetan issues.

"The Tibetan people will have a friend and strong supporter in President-elect Obama," said John Ackerly, President of the International Campaign for Tibet. "This is a critical time for the Tibetan issue and we are confident that the Obama Administration will continue the existing support for Tibet and provide new energy for the efforts of the Dalai Lama to engage with the Chinese government. If we build on what Senator Obama has said about Tibet in the past, then we can expect even stronger initiatives from the Untied States in the future," Ackerly concluded.

Senator Obama has a strong record of support for Tibet and has met with the Dalai Lama to discuss human rights issues. Senator Obama attended a private Senate Foreign Relations Committee briefing with the Dalai Lama in November 2005 and has featured a photograph of himself with the Dalai Lama from that briefing in the media section of his presidential campaign website. Senator Obama has personally urged Chinese President Hu Jintao to resolve the situation in Tibet through dialogue with the Dalai Lama or his representatives, and this spring, when demonstrations spread across the Tibetan plateau, Senator Obama telephoned the Dalai Lama in India to discuss the situation. The Senator subsequently called on the Chinese to show restraint in dealing with the protests. Comments by the Senator on his phone call are available on the ICT website at http://www.savetibet.org/. Senator Obama was also a Senate sponsor of the Fourteenth Dalai Lama Congressional Gold Medal Act, which awarded the nation’s highest civilian honor to the Dalai Lama in October 2007.

The Obama-Biden campaign has pledged to actively engage China on a number of issues, including human rights in Tibet and China’s crackdown on democracy and religious freedom activists. The campaign has pledged to "be frank with the Chinese about such failings and will press them to respect human rights."

Among the senior foreign policy advisors to the Obama campaign is Gregory B. Craig, the first U.S. Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues, appointed by then Secretary of State Madeleine Albright in 1996.

This press release can be found online at http://savetibet.org/news/newsitem.php?id=1379
Press contact:
Kate SaundersCommunications Director, ICT

Tel: +44 7947 138612 email: press@savetibet.org

Change is imminent

If the wave of change keeps on with the momentum, USA will be having an African descendant taking the oath as their new president on January 20 next year. As the war chant of Barack Obama campaign, CHANGE is imminent in America and every part of the world. The question is how far and how long will it takes for change to take it's effects?

I remember when I was studying in a local university years ago, some of my like-minded friends with interest on international politics took the initiative to start a discussion group on the changes happening in the international scene. We declared ourselves as the "International Politics Study Group". This is an informal group which is in no way linked to any subjects offered by the university. We are just a bunch of young student who wants to look beyond the usual papers offered by the university.

This study group organised periodic discussion on happenings in the international scene and also issues affecting world politics. We had discussion on Tian-an-men, Afghanistan and so on. We invited a representative from the local US Embassy to present their views on US interest in the Pacific. We follow up with an visit to the US embassy to further understand the making of the USA.

We are indeed blessed that the head of UKM's Political Science Department that time, Harold Crouch was very supportive of our initiative and provide the necessary departmental assistance to use university's facilities for our group activities. It is indeed a good gesture of the professor to give us a hand to further our interest for change. I am not sure how many lecturers nowadays will take the extra steps to educate their students rather than just ensuring they submit their assignments and pass their term examinations. Co-incidentally Harold's wife Khasnor Johan, was also teaching in the same university and was my final year research supervisor. Maybe due to her education and exposure in the USA, her non-patronizing and sharp approach helps me to finish my thesis with flying colours.

I also took a paper on American modern history under lecturer Pamela Sodhy. It was an interesting paper for me not only due to the subject matter but also due to the engaging approach by the lecturer. We had discussions not just for the sake of examinations but for knowlege and education. Maybe due to my consistent interest on American history, Pamela submitted my name for a Master's Program in American History in an university in the US. The offer came later which provides tuition fees and also a part-time in campus job. She was disappointed when I declined the offer. I wondered now, if I taken up the offer, what change will it be on my life destiny? Will I be a candidate in the American election too? No one will ever know.

The happenings in the USA will be constantly studied and watched all over the world as it's actions or in-actions affects and changed many in different parts of the globe. Will Barack Obama brings changes to a new world order which truly reflect it's clarion call of democracy in the US but interpreted differently when it involves countries which are not in cahoot which them? Obama might have the intention but will the American civil servant and the armed forces changed and toe the line and walk the same path? Will all Americans accept him as the president when he wins the presidential election?

We don't have to look far to realize on paper it is so but in reality it is more challenging than ever. Isn't it true that the civil servant are putting a spanner to the administration of the new state governments in Pakatan Rakyat states? These civil servants still can't accept that change is already here, whether they like it or not. If they can't take it, they should leave it. The rakyat do not owed them a living but they are responsible to the rakyat to serve them well without any sign of discrimination, lousy job attitude, witch-hunting and selective prosecution. - Loka