Friendly neighbour taken for granted

In 2005 when the Malaysian Youth Council (MYC) delegation paid a courtesy visit to the Indonesian president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono at the Presidential Istana in Jakarta, the then MYC president Dr. Mohd Khir Toyo said to the Indonesian president, "We can select our friends but we cannot select our neighbours".

During that time it was at the height of the Ambalat maritime block claim dispute between Malaysia and Indonesia. The Ambalat sea block has been a point of contesting claims between these two countries due to the existence of oil and natural gas under the sea bed.

The love hate relationship  between these "sebangsa and serumpun" (same race and same roots) countries has been going on for many years. The climax of all was when the then Indonesian president Sukarno launched the Confrontation against Malaysia in early 1960s when the idea to set up Malaysia was being finalised. Sukarno battle cry "Ganyang Malaysian" (Crush Malaysia) was translated into the attack of the Tebedu police station in Sarawak on 12 April 1963 and the landing of Indonesian paratroopers in 1964 in Labis, Johore which were captured or killed the Malaysian and Commonwealth armed forces. The Confrontation with skirmishes and fire power battle between Malaysian and Commonwealth join forces against Indonesian troops and supporters especially in Sarawak lasts until mid 1966 after Sukarno was swept from power in a coup led by General Suharto in March 1966.

The Indonesian just could not leave any opportunity to pick on Malaysia based on the slightest issue - real,  perceived or self hallucination. The claims on unfair treatment of Indonesian maids, stealing of their songs and dances, export of terrorists, Malaysian companies causing the annual haze in Indonesia and the Sipidan, Ligitan and Ambalat territorial claims are some of the list of issues raised by Indonesia in their continuous and extended  "Confrontation" with Malaysia.

The Malaysian Embassy in Jakarta must be one of the most defensive embassy amongst all the Malaysia's embassies all over the world. Sited in one of the busiest area in Jakarta, the embassy will be the focus of the Indonesian students and demonstrators whenever they have any bones to pick with Kuala Lumpur. The Malaysian Ambassador to Indonesia must have lost count the number of Jalur Gemilangs already burnt in front of the embassy gate by the Indonesian demonstrators. So far there is no report mentioning any burning of Indonesian flag Sang Saka Merah Putih in front of the Indonesian embassy at Jalan Tun Razak either by any political party youth wing or any other Malaysian protestors.

Malaysians especially those in the political arena are known to protest against any other government on the slightest provocation or perceived interference in Malaysian affairs or showing disrespect to Malaysian leaders. These protesters will even demonstrate against injustice of one country on another country. At one time Umno Youth leaders even protested and gate crashed into a meeting discussing the situation of the then East Timor which was seeking separation from Indonesia. The  protestors were actually supporting the Indonesian government and the then Indonesian Ambassador openly shown his appreciation to these protestors who are said to be his serumpun and sebangsa.

When the annual haze from Indonesia began to become a regular visitor to Malaysia and causing extreme discomfort and increasing risks of sickness due to the haze, the Malaysian government spends millions in sending fire fighters and other support to put out the hazardous fire in Indonesia. What Malaysia got in return was not a big thank you but the claims that the haze were caused by Malaysian-owned plantation company in Indonesia. Indirectly Indonesia are saying they are unable to run their country well as they can't even take matters in their hands in ensuring these companies follows the law of the land. Maybe the rule of law is not so persuasive in comparison to the rule of man and money. In the end Malaysia got more than what she can bargain for when these sebangsa and serumpun firemen came back firefighting with respiratory problems and skin diseases due to over exposure to the toxic haze.

When the Indian Ocean Tsunami happens on 26 December 2004, the disaster caused hundreds of thousands of lives to perished and loss of billions of dollars. Acheh in Indonesia was greatly hit by this natural disaster and more than 130,000 lives were lost in Indonesia alone with about half a million people displaced. Even though Malaysia was also hit by the tsunami, Malaysians and the government took the necessary actions to provide assistance to the Indonesian people suffering from the disaster. Millions of dollars worth of food, drinking water, medical supplies, tents, body bags and body cloth (kain kapan) for Muslim deads, machineries, building materials and contruction of houses and schools for the displaced victims. These are the things that those from the Malaysian side of the sebangsa and serumpun did for their counterparts in Indonesia after the tsunami.

Now after the Padang earthquake recently, Malaysian reacted instantly by raising funds to help the Indonesian victims. The Malaysia government sent in their C-130 plane loaded with foodstuffs for the victims. What Malaysia got in return? Instead of open hands in praise and appreciation of their serumpun and sebangsa for helping out in times of need, the plane was pelted with stones and Indonesian immigration officers still wants to charge exit tax on Malaysia medical students in Padang who lost everything during the earthquake. On top of that, there are this so called Benteng Demokrasi Rakyat (Bendera) people who wants to "Ganyang Malaysia" with sharpen bamboo and sticks! What else can be said of these sort of ungrateful flag burning people of the so called same rumpun! What are the actions taken by the governments of both countries against these enemy of the state that create tensions and promote violence and terrorism? Just half hearted and a slap on the hand warning.

If this is the type of neighbour that we are forced to have because we have no other choice, we will be much better if they just leave us alone.

Why didn't the government review diplomatic ties with Indonesia and build perimeters all along the Kalimantan borders and provide heavy sentences on any illegal Indonesian immigrants who dares to cross the Straits of Malacca and set foot in Malaysia. Maybe placing them in a Pulau Bidong liked island just like how the Malaysian government treated the Vietnamese boat people in the 1970s can be a deterrence since other methods failed to stop these illegals from becoming a threat to national security by snooping into the country again and again. To protect the nation's security, stop the recruitment of maids and foreign workers from Indonesia whom are specially targetted by "Bendera" as their frontline in their planned "invasion" of Malaysia . There are still many foreign countries who are neither serumpun nor sebangsa who will be more than happy to sent their people to work in this country peacefully.

But then the powers-that-be in the government will never ever thought of that as these people's mentality is just like a little brother with inferiority complex who is always subservient to the big brother, even if the big brother is obnoxious, arrogant and having self pity.

We can have friends everywhere and friendly to everyone but we don't have to submit to a ridiculous and big brother attitude neighbour. - Loka

Tee Keat- fight one last round

In the event of any war, there will be those that will suffer the agony of defeat and those who basked in the glory of success. In between them there will be those who will reap the spoils of war. In the history of mankind, war always affects those who are part of it and those innocents who are sacrificed as collateral damage. Some experienced the worst of all and lost everything they had while some will grabbed the opportunity to secure the benefits that would have eluded them if there is no war.

With the widely expected resignation of Ong Tee Keat as MCA's president and the already vacant deputy president position, a floodgate is now opened for all ambitious members of MCA to grab the spoils of the recent EGM.

How wide the floodgate of opportunities will depends on the following scenario.

1. The Central Committee resigns en masse and calls for new election.

This may be the most remote of all possibilities as the risks are too high to be taken especially for those that are alligned or friendly to Ong Tee Keat. This move will be most welcome by Chua Soi Lek and his cohorts as it will be an opportunity to pave the way for him and his people to take a shot to control the party leadership. If it happens, expects an all out fight between the two feuding factions and participation of the third force which so far have not shown the hidden hand behind it. Some old faces and old horses are expected to jump into the band wagon and fight another round for political supremacy.

Who knows Chua Soi Lek might just try his luck and give a shot for the presidency since he knows very well he had at least half of the delegates firmly in his hand who don't mind his sexual indiscretion. With a little bit of manouvering, he might just convinced another 50 third force fence sitters to vote for him. If that happens, his sexual indiscretion will be Najib's problem,  not MCA's nor the Chinese community since only Najib can decide whether to accept an adulterous component leader sitting with him in the Cabinet.

2. Ong Tee Keat resigns and his appointees follow suits.

The president has the right to appoint a number of members in the central committee includes the Secretary General, Treasurer General, Organising Secretary and eight committee members. When he resigns, those appointed by him are obliged to follow suit which will create a long list of vacancies. Assuming two vice presidents, namely Kong Cho Ha and Liow Tiong Lai took over the top two posts, two vacancies will be available in the vice president position.

This situation is similiar to the situation in 2003 when Ling Liong Sik of Team A and Lim Ah Lek of Team B resigns simultaneously as president and deputy president in a peace plan between Team A and Team B. Their vacated positions were filled by then vice presidents Ong Ka Ting and Chan Kong Choy who is from Team A and Team B respectively. The two vacated vice president positions were given to Tan Chai Ho (Team A) and Fu Ah Kiow (Team B). The then Secretary General Ting Chew Peh (Team A) was retained by Ong Ka Ting as goodwill gesture until 2005 when he was replaced by Ka Ting's brother Ong Kah Chuan (Team A) after the party election.

Will Tan Chai Ho and Loh Seng Kok who were the main EGM coordinators for Chua Soi Lek's camp given any senior positions representing the reborn Team A? If the horse trading is based on the 2003 formula, Chai Ho most probably will be rewarded with a VP position while Seng Kok might be in the run for the Organising Secretary or even the Secretary General position if Kong Cho Ha is appointed president for their service to Soi Lek's block. Seng Kok was formerly the MCA Youth Joint Secretary General with Tiong Lai under Youth Chief Ong Tee Keat after the peace plan in 2003.

If Tiong Lai is appointed president, there is no way Seng Kok will be appointed Sec-Gen as trust is wanting in between them even though they were the best of pals during their early days in MCA and as student leaders in UKM. They went separate ways when battle starts between Team A and Team B which was lead by their political mentors Ling Liong Sik and Lim Ah Lek. Both were former political secretaries to their mentors.

Another Chua is expected to be appointed to the Central Committee if those appointed by Tee Keat resigns. He is non other than the son of Chua Soi Lek and MP for Labis Chua Tee Yong.

3. Only Ong Tee Keat resigns

The changes of guard will only affect any two of the four vice presidents but no one should expect the changes to be anything but smooth. Basing on the top two votes secured by Kong Cho Ha and Liow Tiong Lai, it is logical for both of them to climb the party hierachy but the political ambition of Ng Yen Yen should not be discounted. It can be observed that in the run up to the EGM, Ng Yen Yen was clearly non-committal on her support for Ong Tee Keat and also avoids from commenting on Chua Soi Lek's sex acandal even though she was one time the Minister for Family Development and MCA Wanita Chief. It won't be a surprise if efforts is under ways to appoints her as the deputy president. This is the best return from the spoils of the EGM for a politician who has been distancing herself from the decisions of the Presidential Council and also the Central Committee.

4. Ong Tee Keat stays as President

First of all, the MCA Constitution does not requires Ong Tee Keat to resign. In politics everything is possible and the unthinkable can happen. The Central Committee might be successful in convincing Ong Tee Keat to stay on at least until the end of his term and go on leave from his party duty but retain his Transport Minister position. Tee Keat still have unfinished business in sorting out the PKFZ debacle which the public have high expectation for all perpetrators to be hauled up and charged in the court of law. If this happens, either Kong Cho Ha or Liow Tiong Lai will be appointed to fill the vacant deputy president position.

Tee Keat may be a lame duck president but as a minister that starts the ball rolling in cleaning up PKFZ, he must honour his duty to the 27 million Malaysians by leaving no stones unturn in search of the truth behind the fiasco. If he can provide justice and truth to the people, not just MCA members, he will be remembered as a statesman who dares to walk the talk and the courage to face challenges from all corners for the sake of the people. As a man of principle, he may want to be responsible for his leadership in MCA by taking the no confidence vote on  the presidency personally but then he has a bigger responsibility to the people of Malaysia.

He must at least fight for the last one round. Not for him. Not for his central committee. Not for MCA and surely not for BN. But for all Malaysians who uphold the principle of good governance in their beloved nation.

Even if he is down, he can give us a favor to fight this final round as a fellow Malaysian. - Loka

Good and bad followers

After the stalemate results from the Oct 10 EGM, can MCA still able to consolidate and re-invent itself and climb back to its former self before the 308 general election last year?

With the expected departure of Ong Tee Keat from the presidency, can MCA stand up to  the continuous bullying by big brother Umno and or ends up playing just an "extra" in the BN government?

Can green horn cabinet ministers like Liow Tiong Lai and Kong Cho Ha has the capability and courage to lead MCA in the face-offs with Umno.

Not that I don't have confidence in some of the people I know in MCA but the challenge is just too great for any of them to shoulder. They may be very comfortable and capable within their own domain but when it comes to dealing with Umno, many politicians in Umno are just too good and experience for any of the current MCA leaders. Umno politicians from the top leadership to the branch level are known to be able to eat, talk and sleep over politics all the time. There will be politics in everything they do or don't do. Most of the time the observant public wonders what these Umno politicians do for a living other than seeing and breathing politics in everything they do.

But then, all the blame cannot be pushed to Umno alone if MCA leaders can't deliver. It is MCA's delegates themselves which created or to be precise, wants to continue whatever the practice for the last 52 years. Umno fellas gets the contracts from the government, MCA leaders will obtain the sub-contracts and finish the job for their Umno comrades. Both sides will be happy and laughing all the way to the bank. Once, a former political secretary of a disgraced MCA minister gladly acknowledged the need for this "cooperation". From the results of the EGM, it can be deduced that at least half of the MCA delegates is still thinking along the same line which is totally do not synched with the feelings of the people especially the Chinese community they claimed to represents.

When MCA disintegrates, it is not because of their internal squabbles but due to the failure of the MCA delegates to read and win the mind and heart of the Chinese populace in this country. Some of MCA's delegates already forgotten the psychological warfare against the communist in the yesteryears when winning the heart and mind of the people was on the top of the agenda that won the war against the communists during the Emergency years.

The direction of the MCA is not set by the elected leader alone but by the guidance and wisdom of the delegates whom elected the leader. You deserves what you asked for. In any organisation, leaders will come and go, no one is indispensable. The problem is not with Ong Tee Keat or Chua Soi Lek but the people who decides who they want to lead them. If you elect a leader expecting favours, position and awards in return for your support, what is left  of you to take care of the needs of the people that you claimed to represent.

In a democracy, there is no good or lousy leader but there are good and bad followers. A leader, whether good or bad, is elected by the followers. If the leader performs badly, it is because the followers elect him and allows it to happens. If the leader done a great job, it is due to the followers wisdom in giving the person the opportunity to lead. In this aspect, the real leader is actually the followers or delegates who makes the decision to appoints someone to represents them in fulfilling their needs.

Can the MCA delegates/central committee members sees these when they select the next leader to represent and lead them? I am doubtful. - Loka

Fighting for Political Supremacy

There are some characteristics which can be derives from the current battle of political supremacy in the MCA.

A politician worth his or her salt will strive in whatever possible ways to reach the pinnacle of political power. To reach the pinnacle of power, he need to do or undo whatever deems necessary to stay afloat in the political system. Even to the extent of making a choice against one's principle to select between two feuding groups which he does not fully subcribe to their agenda. There is no other way about it.

Firstly, when they is a feud between two conflicting groups, it does not pay if one decided to stay in the middle. Even if one decided to be independent in a feud, the aspiring independent politician will need to create a perception that he is acceptable by either one or both side of the feuding parties. A totally independent individual will be left out of the party political process when all dust settle after a long drawn battle for political supremacy.

Secondly, even if deep inside his heart he wanted to be the party supremo one day, the politician must not tell the whole world that he or she is keen and ready to take over the leadership. An open declaration of one's readiness and eagerness to assume the top political position will attract unnecessary attention and also attacks from other political rivals.

Thirdly, if a politician has the necessary clout and political influence, he or she  uses them as bargaining tools in negotiation with both feuding parties to further his ambition. If he succeeded in playing the horse trading games well, he may ends up getting the top political seat of power in a silver platter, at the expense of both the feuding parties.

Fourthly, a shrewd politician knows that in every crisis there is an opportunity. Whenever another politician more senior than him and other colleagues tumbles, there is a chance for him to climb the political ladder. Another vacancy due to the departure of a senior politician creates a domino vacancies effect all the way down the political command.

Finally, a politician who already does not knows how to do anything else but playing politics will go all the way and with all the means to ensure he or she come out triumphant in the political battle even if he or she has to sell out and betray his friends and comrades. The Machiavellian saying "the means justify the ends" will be the core principle belief of the said politician.

Basing on the current MCA battle for political supremacy, the characters and the players are unveiled before, during and after the emergency general meeting this Saturday. Some of them already shown their true face, the others just waiting for the opportune time. - Loka

Survival within the Christian-Muslim domain

Many of my home town friends studied in a La Sallian school and participated in Christian based activities during our school days but we kept our faith.

The Young Christian Societies were active in many of these schools. In my former school, the Saint Anthony School, I attended their weekly meetings held in the Convent School across the road from my school in Teluk Intan. I sang Christian hymns and listen to a Catholic nun by the name of Sister Winnie's telling stories about Jesus. Even in my school band, we used to play the tune "Amazing Grace" during the many funerals that the school band were invited to attend as lead marchers.

After all these influences, affiliation and motivation, it never managed to convince me to embrace Christianity. On the contrary, the Christian-based environment in my school and mingling around with Christian friends, singing their hymns and attending  their meetings makes me more curious to search for answers and to understand the meaning of the faith written on my birth certificate - Buddhism.

I search and managed to get hold and read the first Buddhist book after my fifth form public examination. In that sense, the Christian environment during my school days actually provokes me to search and try to understand the meaning of the Teachings of the Buddha.

Few years later I was involved actively as a Buddhist advocate in the university and the community. Some of my school-days friends too were surprised on my strong commitment towards Buddhism after we left school.

During the many years that I was involved in the national level youth movement, I was in contact with many youth leaders and government officers from the Muslim community. I attended many functions and meetings where Islamic prayers and rituals were conducted. Not forgetting those lectures or speeches by Muslim based leaders and politicians who are so used to quoting verses from the Quran when giving their speeches. I listen and learn from them but it ends there as for me it is just an opportunity to know and understand other people's religious better.

By understanding other peoples faith and practices, we learn to respect them as what they are even though we may not agree and follow what their religion teaches them. Whatever practices and teachings in their religion stays with them. We respect their right to their religion that teaches their followers to be at peace with oneself and those in their surrounding.

On the other hand, I will seek any opportunity and persevere to explain the true meaning of my religion to those who might have mis-conception regarding my religion. I let them know the religious path that I follows. The intention is never to convert but to open their eyes and heart so that they will be able to know me and my religion better. That should be the way - mutual understanding and mutual respect amongst people of different faith by learning about each other. - Loka