Malaysia's prime minister, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, said Wednesday that frayed relations between the country's religious and racial groups had reached a "worrying" level and warned that the government would not hesitate to crack down to preserve peace between them. "Freedom has its limits," Abdullah said in a nationally televised speech to his party that serves as an annual state of the union address for the country. "I would like to warn those who abuse this freedom that I will not for a moment hesitate to use the law against them." Abdullah's threats were a marked shift in tone for a prime minister who previously portrayed himself as more conciliatory and compassionate than his predecessor, Mahathir bin Mohamad.However, according to Bernama here, quoting the same Dollah Badawi, race and religious tensions have not reached worrying level.
Racial and religious tensions in Malaysia have not reached worrying level, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said Thursday.According to the Bernama article, in his keynote address when opening the 57th assembly Wednesday, what the PM actually said was:
"Not worrying level as far as I am concerned but it is time to remind the people and to lay down the ground rule and that is exactly I have said (yesterday)," he said.
"But of late, we see increased polemics on issues related to race and religion. And it has reached a level where it is now worrying."Don't you get it? Jakarta-based blogger Unspun seems to get it and sounds pretty worried.
Update 17 Nov 3pm: Delegates at the Umno general assembly agreed this morning that IHT should carry a correction on its front page article. They probably were not informed that The Al-Jazeera also has a similar story, "Racial Tensions on Rise in Malaysia".
[Here for the Bernama story on delegates demanding a correction by IHT; here for Al-Jazeera's]
Rocks...
ReplyDeleteA confused man confuses other men, doth he not?
I laugh a lot these days at what is said by UMNO. Today, Hishamuddin said criticism of other races will not affect racial harmony. Really? Ask any man out there you'd egt a different picture.
Then Pak Lah says that criticism between friends are healthy, being frank is good, saying one's opinion is good.
But the moment Mukhriz criticises his speech, UMNO retorts...
Laughter I suppose, is healthy anyway kan...
I wonder how AAB would categorise the Perak mufti's disclosure of an unverified SMS which caused religious and racial tensions to rise a notch up the 'Worry-O-meter'.
ReplyDeleteAAB is obfuscation personified when making contradictory statements. Is this guy suffering from a multiple identity crisis causing a massive brain overload? Or is he just plain stupid?
As a malay/muslim, I'm really ashamed of the things that are going on right now.
ReplyDeleteWe blame others for our shortcomings but we fail to ask whether the weaknesses are of our own doing.
We warn others not to say or do things to 'raise our blood' and yet we do things to them that surely have raised theirs.
And through all this, our country continues her fall through the abyss.
*TypicalProgrammer*
ReplyDeleteHe is just afraid to lost support from every quarter which is happening now. He gives different views to different sector. He is what he is, a hypocrite. The fifth Malaysia will go down as Bapa Hypocrite.
Mixed signal yes but that is only because the problem is a contradiction that UMNO has no answer for. The contradiction is that UMNO main policy has reached its original stated measures (30% equity, Islamization, Malay hegemony) and yet the ideal of those measures racial harmony, unity etc. is not further away than ever.
ReplyDeleteIt goes to show, the ends does not justify the means. It began with riot of May 13, then the NEP, the change in constitution and judicial system. UMNO never really had a solution all along, just excuses.
I think Nancy Pelosi was describing Dollah when she commented about Bush on CNN:
ReplyDelete"Incompetent, in-denial, and dangerous"
I agree with bahaman - we are indeed a confused lot by now. We are fed with contradicting spin all the time.
ReplyDeleteJust an example, the leader warns parties from raising sensitive issues, the next moment the followers hantam others like crazy - and get away with it!
Talk about funny stuff - I really laughed aloud when jamaludin jarjis said delegates had no time talking about corruption as they spend time talking about "developing the nation"!Ha ha ha
Laughter is indeed a good medicine (courtesy of Readers Digest).
By the way i wonder if any of the delegates read michael backman's "when malaysia fiddles"
Bro,
ReplyDeleteU remember the group Culture Club in the mid 80s? Karma Chameleon?
Desert loving in your eyes all the way
If I listen to your lies would you say
I’m a man without conviction
I’m a man who doesn’t know
How to sell a contradiction
You come and go
You come and go
Karma karma karma karma karma chameleon
Look at these 3 events
(1) Speech on 15 Nov 2006 – PM Speech at UMNO General Assembly
“..Nevertheless, a study that concluded 45% of equity in companies is Bumiputera owned is grossly incorrect. Questioning the methodology used by the Economic Planning Unit is the same as accusing the government of lying….”
(2) Wednesday November 1, 2006
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2006/11/1/nation/15876980&sec=nation
PM keynote address at the Third China-Asean Business and Investment Summit in Nanning , China
Open scrutiny of government plans will encourage investment, says PM
NANNING: Malaysia has recommended its policy of transparency and open scrutiny of government plans and policies to China and other Asean countries as a means to increase investment in their countries.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said greater information flow and transparency, especially on economic and industrial development, was vital.
“Information of this nature, especially when they pertain to new opportunities and changes to rules and regulations, must be shared with and disseminated to the private sector in a systematic and effective manner,” he said.
In Malaysia, he said, it was a practice that government plans, such as the Third Industrial Master Plan and Ninth Malaysia Plan, were open to public scrutiny.
“I recommend this Malaysian example to China and to other Asean countries,”
(3)16 October 2006
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2006/10/16/nation/20061016231653&sec=nation
PM replies to Gerakan's call to disclose EPU's methodology
PETALING JAYA: The following are Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s response to the call by Gerakan to the Economic Planning Unit to disclose the methodology used to show that the bumiputeras’ share in the country’s economic pie was only 18.9%.
“……Q: Gerakan wants the Government to disclose how it came to the Asli figures.
A: Oh, so he is questioning methodology. We have no problem. No problem to explain any methodologies we have used. …..”
What will people think of the above mixed signal?
Of course PM can say, someone typed his speech wrongly. or "Misquoted" Or "I am not aware" or "I don't know". [Cause I didn't prepare those speeches]
Why are they sending the mixed signals? What are their motives?
ReplyDeleteWhat are they whacking it own BN component parties - MCA, MIC, Gerakan? What is brewing?
I stumble on this blog asking the same.
http://xpyred.textfiend.net/index.php/2006/11/15/holy-shit-khairy-were-screwed/
Top Ten Announcements That Would Cause Panic At The UMNO Convention
ReplyDelete10. "Stop by the concession area and pick up the latest Puteri’s swimsuit calendar"
9. "At the conclusion of his speech, KJ will incinerate Muhkriz”
8. "Run for your lives! Rafidah gonna cry again!"
7. "Mawi joining PAS! Mawi joining PAS!"
6. "Please welcome a completely naked Zakaria Deros"
5. "And now to sing our UMNO anthem, Lina Joy"
4. "KJ, your father-in-law's head is stuck in the podium again"
3. "Mahathir is out in the lobby and he's pissed"
2. "In anyone finds an appointment book filled with names of prominent UMNO members, please return it to the hooker in the lobby"
1. "No money for Class F contractors!"
Bro Rocky
ReplyDeleteMixed signals absolutely correct. Why? Because we have a mixed-up PM, who has not got a clue in what he is doing.
Race relation at a worrying level. Absolutely right!! Becasue you have a PM who calls the non-muslim Kafir in his speech. Do you expect to have good race relation in a nation when the PM and politicians suing kafir to describe another race.
ABB please stop joking, please be a bit serious in your speech. ABB you look like an idiot when you say things like "I am in control. I am here to stay. My son, Son in law and other next of kin need not declare their assets."
ABB you should now be saying " I AM A GUEST THAT OVER STAYED."
Sudahlah!! we are sick and tired of you. If you insist on holding on to power then we will get you out in the next General ELections. Unfoirtunatley, other component parties of BN will suffer as a result.
Bro Rocky
ReplyDeleteReligious and racial problems reached a worrying level: siad the confused PM.
Who has caused the racial problems? Of course, the politicla leaders like the confuse PM, his racist son-in-law and some UMNO leaders. one neeed not go furhter, just follow the speeches at the Umno Assembly, the non-muslim has been used a punching bag.
I know that the confused PM needs to divert and distract attention of the UMNO delegates from his incompetent as a PM and the excesses of Kalimulah and Khairy.
Mr confused PM, for the sake of the future of the country, please do not use the non-muslims as the puching bag for your frustrations and fear that the Rakyat know too much about the excesses of your family members.
hahhahahaha
ReplyDeletekarma chameleon...hahhahahahahahahah
that will stick for some time
When the reporter replied, Mazlinda, also a lawyer, lost her cool, asking why the Press was reporting "all this".
ReplyDelete"He is not out to become the prime minister. Why are they doing this to him?" she cried.
Mazlinda repeatedly said her husband had not killed Altantuya and that others had done it. "Why put it on my husband?(reported by NSTP)
ANYONE CARE TO READ BETWEEN THE LINES..."He is not out to become the prime minister. Why are they doing this to him?" she cried.
Even speech cannot be criticised nowadays? Come on lah UMNO! Janganlah jadi bodoh!
ReplyDeleteHantu Gigi Jarang
Mixed signals...mixed up policies.
ReplyDeleteApproximate budget for NS each year is 500 Million.
Noble aim of NS is to foster UNITY
among Malaysians.
After observing what transpired at the UMNO AGM does anyone still feel such expensive programme still needed?
Imagine NS trainees watching the annual drama of UMNO.Wont't they get confused?
Water does not cost much in Malaysia.But some people prefer to bath in blood of 'kafirs'meaning non-muslim blood is cheaper than water.
GOD please save this land!
Water does not cost much in Malaysia.But some people prefer to bath in blood of 'kafirs'meaning non-muslim blood is cheaper than water.
ReplyDeleteGOD please save this land!
Migrate perhaps?
Hello anon(6.25pm)
ReplyDeleteYou're so clever...so orkid-lah asking people to migrate.Being so used to bathing in blood where are going to get your supply if all the NONS migrate.YOUR women folks perhaps.
mixed signals indeed. but wat would u have him say?
ReplyDelete"yes we're fcuked cos everyone's gone racists and became religious zealots"?
maybe we shud tell him how to say it right esp what we want to hear.
"Yes we have problems but I am going to do everything in my power to put these troublemakers in their place, eventhough they are umno members"
Thats what i like to hear. waht wud u like to hear?