Tricia Yeoh

One does not know whether to laugh or to cry anymore these days.

I think the best way out for an individual is to laugh. And then put all that energy that laughter generates into some solid action, people!

Interesting views… you have Nazri saying this:

"We strongly condemn those who came out in numbers to protest against the forum. It was a legitimate forum for people to discuss their rights in this country".

You have Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang saying this:

"When the forum which had the required police permit ended prematurely after 20 minutes because of mob pressure by people operating without any police permit, it is a stark reminder of the diminishing respect for human rights and constitutional freedom after 31 months of Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad (Badawi)'s premiership."

Aliran says this:

But we strongly oppose threatening and unruly behaviour, which prevents other Malaysians from gathering and discussing issues. We will continue to organise such forums for thinking Malaysians.

And then you have our Prime Minister saying this:

"Don't make calls that can precipitate a bad situation in our country. Such matters are very sensitive and we must be careful. Action would be taken against anyone who makes seditious statements and threatens the peace. It is our practice to be cautious, moderate in whatever we do and we don't want to raise sentiments that can precipitate fights, conflicts and so forth."

We live in interesting times, don't we?

*Note: A friend long ago stated a truth, that we use the word interesting to describe something that we just cannot any longer find the words to elaborate upon. How was the food? "bad interesting". How does the dress look on me? "horrible interesting". What's the situation in Malaysia right now, with all these events taking place? " XXXX interesting". Think about the censored word.

In the ultimate display of national unity, some Indian, Chinese and Malay bystanders came together with the mission of helping a damsel in distress with her car and engine woes this bright morning.

Amidst the heat and disruption to an already busy day full of disruptions, I basked in the presence of something real. Skip the rhetoric. Get to the core. What is the heartbeat of every Malaysian? What is conceivable? What is the public space that we are all comfortable with?

No definite answers, but there is a true sense of solidarity and I wish more Malaysians would feel it. Forget about the high-levels who want to politicise every issue, and I mean every issue. What is national unity really?

Chronology of events, quickly: (more to come later… let my boiling blood simmer a little… )

1. At the Melaka Customs Office, illegal timber is seized.
2. Jasin MP asks for the Customs officer to "close one eye" because he is helping the rakyat, or actually a Bumiputera company that is in trouble.
3. Lim Kit Siang, opposition leader, calls for a motion to investigate this suspicious incident.
4. Shahrir of the Back Bencher's Club does not reject the motion and resigns.
5. The whip accepts his resignation.
6. Back Bencher's Club wants their old chairman back, and arrange a meeting to re-elect Shahrir.
7. Prime Minister Pak Lah says "Toe the Line" people! Rules are rules. You MPs are not allowed to support any motion made by the Opposition. Shahrir stays out of the Malaysian BBC. 
8. Lim Kit Siang tries to table the motion again, this time in its proper form, doing it within the House itself – but is rejected. (The previous motion was conducted outside the House, and therefore not considered to be the right procedure.)
9. Binyu Sof Enterprise is the company involved in bringing in illegal timber. the Malacca-based company this year alone breached the law 14 times by bringing in sawn timber exceeding the 60-square-inch cross-section area limit permitted by the Malaysian Timber Council.
10. This Jasin MP admits that this company is the forwarding agency for this seized consignent of illegal timber.
11. He also says that "MPs are allowed to do business!"

Now, you tell me, who is walking the talk? Certainly not our leadership. What is the real meaning of transparency and an open government? Transparent enough to show that there's dirty business to be had, and yet nothing is done about it. Great interpretation of words….

Once again I say, the government is in dire need of language education. Give them some dictionaries and encyclopaedias within the House of Parliament.

Voltaire said, I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to my death your right to say it.

It disturbs me deeply to know that in two recent cases, this principle has been gravely undermined. How can we disguise ourselves as countries that are sincere in wanting an open and transparent government? I just shake my head at the sheer preposterous magnitude of recent events.

Case 1: The forced resignation of Back-Bencher's Club chairman, Shahrir.

Opposition leader Lim Kit Siang tabled a motion in Parliament calling for a news report alleging that an unnamed MP had interfered with the work of the Malacca Customs Department to be referred to the Parliament Rights and Privileges Committee. In other words, he was highlighting a boo-boo, and was responding to the Prime Minister's call for an honest & trustworthy government. 

Backbencher's Club leader Shahrir chose not to reject the motion, and instead walked out & resigned consequently. Now this is the important part: Rules are rules. BN Members of Parliament are banned from supporting any motions tabled by the opposition. Is this not plain ridiculous? IF someone speaks forth the noble & plain truth, why can this not be supported? This ban casts a dark blanket over anything at all that the oppositionists speak up for. This essentially means that the mouths of any opposition are zipped up for good. That ears of the rest are plugged tightly even before anything is mentioned at all. 

"What it all boils down to, my friend…" is that the only reason anyone other than the main government exists in the House of Parliament is for a puppet show-and-tell. What's the point of having them there if their views and opinions are never going to be taken seriously? Where is the balance in the check-and-balance?

Case 2: The Arrest of James Gomez Down South

 I've written about it below, but this is a saddening blow to the fight for honour and truth. The principles of speaking up, defending the needy and poor are noble, Biblical (and Quranic as well I'm sure) causes that he, along with other Worker's Party candidates, campaigned long and hard for. If the man was speaking untruths about the country or its administration, then by all means reprimand the man. But if statements from anyone's mouths, whether they are in the PAP or SDP or WP, are truths, then boy will I stand up for them through and through. 

Show me what it is to stand up for what is true, just and honourable…

Because I can't see it, for the smog that layers my vision thinly…. and then some.