BUM 2011

BUM 2011 Luncheon Forum ended at around 3pm today.

It was a success and the crowd were there.

A group picture of the BUM Organizing Committee

The man in the centre of the picture is the Prince from Africa. He came, he saw and he went back to Africa. He says he will be back. I asked him if the £3 Billion Yacht was his; he didn't answer. Maybe he will give us the answer in the next forum.

MB Tan Sri Abdul Khalid & YB Tian Chua were the guest of honour. Tony Pua was also there. YB Niz Nazmi could not attend as he was away.

AB Sulaiman, Tian Chua, Maria Chin Abdullah & Maverick were the panel speakers.

En. Wan Shariman greeting MB

Helen Hoh presenting the Commemorative Plaque to the MB.

Maverick & Desi presenting the BUM t-shirt to MB. It is just a coincidence that it is yellow. BUM is not Bersih, but Bersih members may be bloggers.

Wan Shariman receiving a copy of Zunar's book

The special guests of honour - Ismawati, Christine, Shariman, Amro & Mave.

The youngsters wanted to have a picture with MB & YB. They are Facebook addicts.

Oh, I'm tired!!! Got to take a rest and prepare for tomorrow's mission. Bye!

Dr. Ambiga Bersih

University of Exeter
Honorary graduands 2011-12
Ambiga Sreenevasan (LLD)
Thursday 21 July 11:30am

Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan will receive her honorary doctorate in law today from the University of Exeter,UK.



Congratulation, Datuk Dr. Ambiga!

Have a nice holiday at Exeter, Dr.

BUM2011 LUNCHEON FORUM (UPDATES)

I wish to thank many of my friends for their moral and financial support of the BUM event. To-date I have received confirmation for bookings from my friends and colleagues of about 60 pax, i.e. 6 tables. I hope to get at least 20-30pax more.

For those who read this blog I hope you will join us at the luncheon forum. It is on a Sunday (24th July) and the event starts at 10.30am and should end by 2.30pm. We can have lunch together and have fun.

Please note that BUM is not affiliated to any political party. It is basically intended for bloggers and blog-enthusiast. The BUM organizing committee had invited BN and PR members and VIPs. We are not Bersih 2.0 nor NGO. We are bloggers and we invite bloggers and non-bloggers as a way to create interest in the blogosphere. Previous BUM meets, we had Mahathir and Khalid Ibrahim as guest of honours. At BUM 2009 we had Nuraina A. Samad, Haris Ibrahim, Ahirudin Atan aka Rocky Bru, Malik Imtiaz, Bernard Khoo, Salah aka AVoice, Howsy, Helen, Big Dog, eWoon, Raja Petra and his wife and many others who are now YBs, ADUNs & MPs. I think in 2008 we had Marina Mahathir too. However, after 2008 GE, the bloggers become Pro-BN or Pro-PR, Dato', YBs or paid-bloggers and we saw the rising of cliques and sectionalism and profiling amongst the Big guys or Super-bloggers.

However, BUM stays neutral as a group while individuals have their own political ideology and affiliations. BUM organizing committee are unknown individuals and non are superstar bloggers and non are active politicians. We are ordinary bloggers who just wanted to have fun and would love to listen to political views and opinions regarding issues of national and domestic interests. We are a social groupings and we will stay at such.

BUM2011 LUNCHEON FORUM

B.U.M. 2011 LUNCHEON FORUM
Theme: Nation Building Across The Political Divide

Date: Sunday, 24 July 2011
Time: 10.30am to 2.30pm
Venue: Maju Palace Restaurant, Maju Junction, Kuala Lumpur

ADMISSION: Open to the Public, Fee Payable at RM50 per pax with Table booking at RM500 per table for 10. Everyone are most welcome!

Programme Outline:

10.00AM: Registration of Guests starts
10.45AM: Welcoming Speech by BUM 2011 Organising Committee Chairman, YL Chong, Desi
11.00AM: Keynote Address by YB Menteri Besar of Selangor Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim

BUFFET LUNCH TO BE SERVED 12.15PM to 1.15PM

1.15PM to 2.30PM Forum on Topic “Transformation & Reform: Sloganeering, Lip Service and Performance” featuring:

1. MP for Batu YB Tian Chua
2. Kim Quek (Author of “March to Putrajaya”)
3. Dr SM Yeoh, Maverick, Blogger-lawyer-management guru who gives free advice with a wit’ and a dosage of Malaysian profanities
4. AB Sulaiman, malaysiakini.com columnist

Please come and join us.

To all my readers and friends, please come!

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NIK NAZMI: LEGISLATING FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT IN PARLIAMENT

KEYNOTE SPEECH BY KEADILAN COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR AND SELANGOR STATE ASSEMBLYMAN NIK NAZMI NIK AHMAD AT BLOGGERS UNIVERSE MALAYSIA 2011 FORUM: BLOGGERS SOLIDARITY WITH THE PRESS

11 JUNE 2011, KUALA LUMPUR SELANGOR CHINESE ASSEMBLY HALL

INTRODUCTION

I am honoured to be asked to deliver the keynote speech at BUM 2011.

I attended the first one – BUM 2007 and have spoken at one or two other BUM events. I was asked to arrange for Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim to speak at the BUM event last year.

Some of us have reverted to the mainstream press that we criticised so strongly as bloggers. Some become politicians and consequently caught in the political intrigues. Being a blogger first before a politician, I am pleased to be among familiar faces and friends and hope to never join the first two categories!

On 1 April 2011, the Selangor State Assembly created history after passing the Freedom of Information Enactment.

This was the third and final reading before the Enactment was sent to the Sultan to be signed as law.

It was a long three years from 9 March 2008, when Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim announced that a citizen’s right to information would be among the agendas pursued by the new state Government in Selangor to April 2011.

I believe that the experience in Selangor is useful for the next step – to push for a repeal of the Official Secrets Act 1972, the Internal Security Act 1960, the Sedition Act 1949 and the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984 while introducing a Freedom of Information Act at the Federal level.

Except for Selangor, Malaysia is truly lagging behind.

Other than the Western democracies, countries such as India, Bangladesh, Albania and Uganda have some form of Freedom of Information legislation. Recently, Nigeria passed its Freedom of Information Act.

This is one case that Malaysia tak or belum boleh.

EMPOWERMENT

Freedom of Information is a key institutional reform to keep up with the times – about what the rakyat demands from the government but also about what the rakyat can do in spite of government with all the technology available.

Since 2008, Malaysians have become more interested not only in politics, but most importantly in how the government conducts its business. Malaysians demand more transparency and accountability, particularly in how their hard-earned tax money is spent.

Opening the government up is key towards empowering the rakyat, and ultimately strengthening our democracy. Democracy flourishes with well-informed citizens.

Yes, there will always be the need for official secrets but under our current framework even a tissue paper at a government meeting are theoretically deemed as an Official Secret!

Last year, the Kuala Lumpur High Court made a landmark ruling ordering the Syabas concession agreement and audit report to be released based on an application by the Coalition against Water Privatisation.

Judicial commissioner Hadhariah Syed Ismail had stated in her 19-page judgement that she was not convinced such a disclosure would be harmful to national security or public interest, as claimed by Syabas and the Government.

However the Energy, Water and Green Technology Ministry and the Federal Government requested a stay order and filed an appeal, claiming that disclosure would “upset the administration of government.”

Institutional reforms are important to ensure that the emerging two-party (or coalition) system that we have today actually have lasting benefit for the rakyat.

There is no use for a two-party system if it means more of the same old policies.

MORALITY

Ultimately a democratic government rests on a government by the people, for the people. Thus the rakyat have a right to know about what their government does, how their government spends their hard-earned tax money.

We have seen how tens of billions of ringgit are lost each year through wastage, leakages and corruption. These cases flourish simply because the rakyat has very little oversight over government.

Legislating Freedom of Information is the first step towards empowering the rakyat to stand up for their rights.

EFFICIENCY

By preventing wastage, leakages and corruption, Freedom of Information legislation can actually make government more efficient. More money would be spent for the direct benefit of the rakyat, not for cronies or contractors. Not for holidays abroad or to privately pursue a daughter’s wedding.

TECHNOLOGY

Then we had the Wikileaks incident. I actually mentioned Wikileaks in my July 2010 speech at the State Assembly when the Freedom of Information Enactment was first introduced. But then the United States diplomatic cable incident grabbed the world’s attention.

This I believe illustrates how fast technology is moving – and how far behind we are when we are still dictated by an ancient OSA.

Remember – the entire diplomatic cable incident over Wikileak that not merely brought blushes on Hillary Clinton’s cheeks but actually strained diplomatic relations between the United States and many key allies across the globe was caused by 23-year old Bradley Manning.

The intelligence analyst merely brought a Lady Gaga CD and then copied all the data into the CD while singing to Lady Gaga tunes.

Keeping secrets from the rakyat is getting more difficult these days.

TRUST

Ultimately, Freedom of Information legislation is key towards restoring the rakyat’s trust with politicians. The tendency to govern by secrecy makes many politicians treat the rakyat as fools. Governing must cease to be a mystery for the rakyat.

Thus, it should come to no surprise that politicians tend to rank low in the trust scale for the public – along with lawyers and salesmen. Datuk Ambiga – being a law graduate, I empathise with you!

Rumours and gossip are treated seriously in Malaysian politics because of the lack of information. In the absence of reliable and credible sources of information, any piece of information is valuable, no matter how sensational and ludicrous it may seem.

But when the rakyat knows more about what the government is doing, what the civil servants are doing, what the politicians are doing – this will definitely build their trust towards the many unsung heroes who plough on berkhidmat untuk rakyat but who get painted in the same brush as the rotten durians because of the lack of information.

THE SELANGOR EXPERIENCE

As mentioned above, Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim actually mentioned on 9 March 2008 that one of his first acts as Selangor Menteri Besar would be to “ask the Legal Adviser to enact a law that will enable the state to give the public the right to information”.

On that same day, Tan Sri Khalid asked me to join his office to assist him in the task of governing, which ended me in holding the position of his political secretary for over two years until July last year.

Thus I was privy to the discussions that took place not long after that involving Khalid and Elizabeth Wong, along with various NGOs, most prominently the Coalition for Good Governance in drafting the Freedom of Information Enactment.

The first hurdle we faced were those from within Pakatan Rakyat who felt that Freedom of Information should not be a priority. Of course, we demanded for it when we were the Opposition but now that we’re in a position of power, they felt this would only hurt us.

But believers of Freedom of Information such as Khalid, Elizabeth and I argued that this is exactly the task before us.The test is not about demanding it while we had no power but to actually implement it when we have power.

This is not unique to Malaysia.

Tony Blair, in his memoirs actually expressed one of his regrets is introducing the Freedom of Information Act that would later be a tool used by the media against his government towards the end of his tenure.

The State Government actually almost adopted wholesale the draft from civil society.

But when the Bill was presented to the State Assembly in July 2010, it was a much watered down version thanks to some members of the civil service that are under Federal control. At times, it read almost like an Unfreedom of Information Enactment.

The Pakatan backbenchers, including myself, supported for the Bill to be approved but with amendments to restore the original intent and spirit of the law.

BN on the other hand took two contradictory approaches.

One was that the Freedom of Information Bill did not go far enough to ensure the right to know for the rakyat. Two was that it was in contradiction to the Federal Constitution. Maybe one was advised by Khir Toyo and the other, APCO.

The Bill was passed at the first and second readings.

It was then decided that for the first time in Selangor’s legislative history, a Select Committee would be formed to engage in a public consultation with stakeholders and find ways to improve the Bill before being presented to the Assembly again for the third and final reading.

Saari Sungib (PAS-Hulu Klang) was selected as chair while I, Hannah Yeoh (DAP-Subang Jaya), Dr. Ahmad Yunus Hairi (PAS-Sijangkang), Amirudin Shari (KEADILAN-Batu Caves), Datuk Dr. Karim Mansor (BN-Tanjung Sepat) and Abdul Shukor Idris (BN-Kuang) were the members.

Sadly both the BN reps did not attend a single Select Committee meeting as we sat from July 2010 to March 2011. They had a golden opportunity to present their objections about the Bill, even call their own academics and NGOs, yet they ignored the process altogether!

The consultation was extensive – not only with CGG members but also religious NGOs, government departments, GLCs, academics, think tanks and lawyers.

The result was a substantially improved Bill. Among other things, the revised Bill is better than the previous version by:

1) allowing local councils and government-owned entities to be covered under the Enactment;
2) changing the Appeals Board into the State Information Board; and
3) adding the penalties to include obstruction to access to information.

CONCLUSION

The Selangor experience provides a useful template for any efforts to introduce Freedom of Information legislation at the Federal Parliament.

Personally for me the process educated me on the various vested interests against Freedom of Information and how this can be circumvented through an extensive consultation process with all the stakeholders.

The expertise and passion of NGOs such as the Centre for Independent Journalism and the Coalition for Good Governance have been very useful in building the framework for Freedom of Information legislation.

At the same time, we need to take into account the practical views of those who will be at the frontline of implementation, namely civil servants and GLC employees who frequently end up as scapegoats in the battle between the rakyat and politicians.

While the Selangor Freedom of Information Enactment may not entirely please everyone – which I have learnt is part and parcel of governing – it takes into account the point of view from every stakeholder across the spectrum, except BN of course who chose not to participate.

However, as the experience in other countries has taught us, the real battle is not between political parties but in reality those who are for Freedom of Information and those who are against Freedom of Information (and those who pretend to be for FOI).

Ladies and gentlemen,

Malaysia is at a crossroads.

While many Malaysians on both sides of the fence are excited about the coming years, a great many more are apathetic or disillusioned. The brain drain and capital outflows, as well as our weakened education system are a sign that something is dreadfully wrong about our country.

Much of Malaysia’s problems emerge because our people feel hopeless and disempowered. They feel like pawns of the elite, jerked around by a wealthy and unaccountable few who care nothing about their needs.

But without the support of these Forgotten Malaysians, all the bold plans for transformation, whether the Vision 2020, the ETP/GTP/NEM or Buku Jingga will fail because a country’s strength is in its people and not the plans of its leaders.

Freedom of Informationis the first step to reversing this dangerous trend because it will restore the confidence and faith of Malaysians.

It will draw them back into a sense of national mission and make them feel part of a coherent whole again.

Thank you.

Awang & his Utusan's hypocrisy

Utusan says Bersih dirty, calls for boycott
By Shannon Teoh
The Malaysian Insider
June 12, 2011

Umno-owned Utusan Malaysia has called on Malaysians not just to boycott next month’s Bersih rally, but also to gather against the movement that calls for free and fair elections.

The paper’s Mingguan Malaysia weekend edition also told Malaysians “who love peace and reject hypocrisy” to gather on the streets of Kuala Lumpur on July 9 “with banners of the opposition leader’s scandals” in reference to sodomy and sex video allegations against Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

Display also newspaper cuttings of the sodomy victims. They are the ones that should be defended if we support a clean culture. Awang believes the gathering will be a senjata makan tuan (backfiring weapon) for the opposition.

“This gathering is dirty,” it said in its Awang Selamat — the nom de plume of the newspaper’s editors — column today.

Read the full report at The Malaysian Insider

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What has "Free and Fair Election" got to do with Sex Video and Sodomy trial?

Those who love peace must reject hypocrisy - YES!!! I am sure we know what is loving peace and who is hypocritical.

Senjata makan tuan, Awang, pasti makan tuan! This is getting dirty, oh ya! It is and will be with your type of hypocrisy.

We sure know the factual hypocrite.

Definition of HYPOCRITE
1: a person who puts on a false appearance of virtue or religion
2: a person who acts in contradiction to his or her stated beliefs or feelings
3: a person who pretends to have virtues, moral or religious beliefs, principles, etc., that he or she does not actually possess, especially a person whose actions belie stated beliefs.
4: a person who feigns some desirable or publicly approved attitude, especially one whose private life, opinions, or statements belie his or her public statements.

Nothing is more unjust, however common, than to charge with hypocrisy him that expresses zeal for those virtues which he neglects to practice; since he may be sincerely convinced of the advantages of conquering his passions, without having yet obtained the victory, as a man may be confident of the advantages of a voyage, or a journey, without having courage or industry to undertake it, and may honestly recommend to others, those attempts which he neglects himself.

-- Samuel Johnson


Hypocrisy has been called "the tribute that vice pays to virtue" and it will corrode the well-being of those people who continually make use of it.

As Boris Pasternak has Yurii say in Doctor Zhivago, "Your health is bound to be affected if, day after day, you say the opposite of what you feel, if you grovel before what you dislike... Our nervous system isn't just fiction, it's part of our physical body, and it can't be forever violated with impunity."

The over-attribution of hypocrisy, however, could lead to excessive tolerance of deceit and destructive behavior.

"Every individual needs revolution, inner division, overthrow of the existing order, and renewal, but not by forcing them upon his neighbors under the hypocritical cloak of love or the sense of social responsibility or any of the other beautiful euphemisms for unconscious urges to personal power" (Jung, 1966:5).

"It is under all circumstances an advantage to be in full possession of one's personality, otherwise the repressed elements will only crop up as a hindrance elsewhere, not just at some unimportant point, but at the very spot where we are most sensitive. If people can be educated to see the shadow-side of their nature clearly, it may be hoped that they will also learn to understand and love their fellow men better. A little less hypocrisy and a little more self-knowledge can only have good results in respect for our neighbor; for we are all too prone to transfer to our fellows the injustice and violence we inflict upon our own natures" (Jung, 1966:par. 28).

SOURCE: Wikipedia

This is what Todd Strandberg has to say: "A hypocrite is someone who "pretends to be better than he really is or to be pious, virtuous without really being so. A hypocrite is someone who says one thing and does the opposite. The people committing hypocritical acts normally try to use some form of rationalization to justify their actions. The grievous nature of some people's moral blunders proves that no one is immune from stumbling from a lofty perch." (SOURCE: www.raptureready.com )

Awang spend far too much time assessing the sins of other people. The fact that people are unable to live perfect lives is not really breaking news.

Why Blog? To Change the World — and Blow Off Steam

Why do bloggers blog? It sounds like a trick question, but a study of top political bloggers finds their motivations evolve over time.

By Tom Jacobs

Blogging has its burdens. If you doubt it, try coming up with an interesting thought every hour or so, shaping it into a coherent, compelling and carefully worded item and then sending it out into the world for potential ridicule by everyone with a laptop and a point of view.

For the few bloggers who manage to draw a large readership, the financial rewards can be significant. But the hours are ridiculous, and the pressure to produce enormous. So why do it?

Newly published research suggests people are motivated to start a blog by one set of reasons and motivated to continue by quite different considerations.

In the journal New Media and Society, a research team led by Brian Ekdale of the School of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Wisconsin-Madison reports on a survey of 66 top American political bloggers. They were selected from 2006 rankings of most-popular blogs and represent points of view across the political spectrum. Web sites they blog for include Daily Kos, Hullabaloo, Right Wing News and Pajamas Media.

The bloggers were presented with a list of 13 motivations for starting a blog and ranked the personal relevance of each on an 11-point scale. Reasons included, “to provide an alternative perspective to the mainstream media” and “to help your political party or cause” and “to let off steam.” They then went through the list again and recorded how well each reason reflected their current motivation to continue blogging.

The researchers found the three strongest initial motivations for blogging — “to let off steam,” “to keep track of your thoughts” and “to formulate new ideas” — were all based on the bloggers’ personal emotional or intellectual needs. Blogging, at the outset, was an outlet to clarify the person’s thoughts and/or express feelings such as frustration or anger.

But when asked why they’re blogging today, those three foundational motivations either decreased in importance or increased very slightly. In contrast, the extrinsic motivations — notions such as “to serve as a political watchdog” and “to influence public opinion” — saw “significant and sizable increases.” (The one exception was “to critique your political opponent,” which only increased marginally.)

“As they continued to blog, and their blog posts reached wider audiences, they realized they could extend influence out to their audience, the media and political parties,” the researchers write. While their initial motivations did not fade away, this newfound influence provided additional motivation, leading these bloggers to be even more enthusiastic about what they do.

In a particularly interesting aside, the researchers report the respondents who rated the extrinsic motivations most highly “were more likely to post both favorable and unfavorable information about candidates they support. They were also more likely to participate in political activities such as signing petitions, contributing money to campaigns and attending protests or rallies.”

In other words, if you feel your job is to inform the public, fact-check the mainstream media or simply help society, you’re more likely to present a fuller picture of the politicians you report on, even if you have a specific point of view. On the other hand, if you’re basically using the blog as an outlet to channel your anger or hone your already-solidified positions, you’re less likely to admit the other side may have a point.

That’s a distinction worth pondering for both bloggers and their readers.

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SOURCE: www.miller-mccune.com

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Can bloggers be in solidarity with the media?

Speech by Dr. Lim Teck Ghee
Director of CPI
Delivered at the B.U.M. Forum
11 June 2011

In Malaysia, bloggers have been engaged in a battle to correct the spinning and political bias which has become part of the normal business and deep culture of the media. Since Independence, the majority of the media has been a willing partner in the Barisan Nasional’s one overriding pursuit: that of self-promotion, self aggrandizement and opportunism. In the process, the old media has contributed to the corruption, injustice and bad governance that are the hallmarks of BN rule, especially during Dr Mahathir’s administration and continuing today.

The reason why journalistic ethics and principles of truthfulness, accuracy, objectivity, impartiality, fairness and public accountability are in short supply is not difficult to fathom. When these qualities do exist especially amongst younger and idealistic media practitioners, the calls from the Home Affairs Ministry, Special Branch, and the political bosses are quickly there to remind them of the Printing Presses and Publications Act; the ISA; the Sedition Act; and the major roadblocks to career advancement should they offend the authorities with their writing.

We salute the journalists and media practitioners who have retained their integrity and want to get the truth out to the public. We salute Saudara Hata Wahari for his stand on not just mouthing the rhetoric of compliance with journalistic ethics and good practice but on practicing them and in pushing his colleagues to higher standards. Shortly after being elected NUJ president last September, Saudara Hata called on “all mainstream journalists, especially of Utusan Malaysia, the New Straits Times, Berita Harian and The Star to return to their true function as deliverers of objective information to the public, and not as tools of propaganda for the government, or any political party or individual, for their personal gain.” He has paid the price for standing up for his principles but let not his sacking be in vain.

On the possibility of not being used as tools of propaganda for the government, I have little faith that the old media is capable of the change to an honest and truthful profession on their own volition. Too many have “been kissing up to the regime” – and have been too well paid off for them to be able to make that change. With the death signs of the old regime increasingly visible, the mainstream media are acting as the cheerleaders and fear leaders of the government with an increasing vengeance – hence the frenzied playing of the racial and religious card by certain papers.

Change will eventually come but it will not happen on its own accord. It will happen though if we have a more conscientized and engaged public joining in the fight for media freedom. Bloggers have a key role to play in this ‘reclaiming the media’ and ‘restoring dignity and respect’ exercise.

Today, we see a superheated and hotly contested political environment which needs truthful reporting and analysis more than ever. Bloggers can provide that fair and objective analysis because they are generally their own masters. The great majority of activist bloggers have taken to blogging not because they are paid to do it but because of disenchantment with the system and the desire to share with fellow Malaysians their ideas on how to bring change to the country.

How long can this idealism last? A recent study of motivations for blogging in the United States provides guidance. The researchers found the three strongest initial motivations for blogging — “to let off steam,” “to keep track of your thoughts” and “to formulate new ideas” — were all based on the bloggers’ personal emotional or intellectual needs. In our case in Malaysia, it has been mainly a response to perceived injustices and the bad governance of the establishment that have pushed bloggers to put aside their time and resources to write. For most, it is a solitary undertaking with few rewards except the emotional and intellectual satisfaction that comes with exposing abuses.

But when asked why they’re blogging today, those three foundational motivations either decreased in importance or increased very slightly. In contrast, the extrinsic motivations — notions such as “to serve as a political watchdog” and “to influence public opinion” — saw significant and sizable increases.

“As they continued to blog, and their blog posts reached wider audiences, they realized they could extend influence out to their audience, the media and political parties,” the researchers write (see www.miller-mccune.com). While their initial motivations did not fade away, this new found influence provided additional motivation, leading these bloggers to be even more enthusiastic about what they do.

What has been noted in the US is also happening in Malaysia. Reaching out to the larger public and acting as a political watchdog are natural developments. In the process, bloggers have also built a community of bloggers and supporters who share similar values and ideologies – at least in terms of the need to protect and widen the space for democratic values and expression. This community is a precious seedling in Malaysia. It needs nurturing and patience especially since there will be strenuous efforts to divide and destroy the community. Make no mistake about it – winning the internet war has been the priority of the BN since March 2008 – and they will engage in whatever trickery necessary.

For the internet to be free and for the community of activist bloggers to continue as leaders against spinning, fear mongering and outright lies, the community will have to close ranks. Sometimes though, bloggers are their worst enemies in their rush to quick judgment especially in relation to those within the community.

With regard to this negative tendency of turning against their fellow activist bloggers, I have full confidence that Raja Petra Kamarudin has not cut a deal with the government on coming back to Malaysia and nor has he sold out on his principles. Knowing this man personally – more important – going by his record of standing in the frontline in fighting for truth, justice and good governance, it is a sorry reflection of the state of our bloggers’ community and mindset that so many have jumped onto the bandwagon of criticism against RPK for giving the interview to TV3.

We can fault him on the timing of the interview; we can contest him on what he disclosed or failed to disclose; we can reject his critical views on the opposition but let’s not question his integrity and his commitment to a just and better Malaysia. In his campaign for transparency, accountability and justice, and his whistle-blowing on corruption, racism and money politics, RPK exemplifies the best of blogging activism: independent, idealistic, unwavering and telling it as it is. RPK literally puts his life on the line with every major column he writes exposing what no one else dares to put out in print. Let’s recognize and appreciate his service to the nation.

Know your friends from your foes; close ranks and go back to the basics which are to focus on the priority problems and issues in the country, and expose and bring down bad governance, wherever that may emanate. This should be the bloggers’ creed for our tumultuous times.

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The above is a summary of Dr Lim’s speech to the Bloggers’ Universe Malaysia (BUM) forum, delivered on June 11, 2011.
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Tonight's BUM 2011 Forum News

The BUM 2011 Forum ended at 11pm.

We started at 8pm and we had Dr. Lim Teck Ghee of CPI (Centre for Policy Initiatives) to deliver the welcoming address. After Dr. Lim we had Desiderata YL Chong, the BUM 2011 organizing committee chairman to give his speech.

The first session, we had YB Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, State Assemblyman for Seri Setia, Selangor and former political secretary to MB Selangor Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim to deliver his views on "Legislating Freedom of Information Act in Parliament".

At Right is Dr. TG Lim, Centre is YB Nik Nazmi & Left is Maverick the MC

Desiderata YL Chong is the Organizing Committee Chairman of BUM 2011

In the second session of the night we had Mr. Cheam Toon Lee, the ex-chief editor of East Malaysian newspaper, En. Zunar, Malaysiakini Cartoonist (who just won a pseudo "Nobel prize" for his courage in Cartooning the establishment), En. Hata Wahari, the ex-NUJ President & ex-Utusan Malaysia senior journalist.

The last speaker and the rose of the night, Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan.

Datuk Ambiga is the immediate Past President of Malaysian Bar Council and currently the Chairperson of BERSIH 2.0.

Datuk Ambiga won the “International Women of Courage Award” in 2009 which was presented to her by US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton in Washington. Datuk Ambiga was chosen for the prestigious award, established by the US Department of State, for being a forerunner in advancing human rights, the status of women and religious tolerance in Malaysia.

From Left to Right: Zunar, Hata Wahari and Datuk Ambiga

From Left to Right: Moderator Mr. Shanker of Donplaypuks, Mr. Cheam Toon Lee & Zunar

This year's Forum was attended by about 30 people. Many could not come (such as Mob & Helen & AVoice) and many won't come, such as Rocky's Bru who cannot attend now probably because he is now Datuk Ahirudin Attan; Haris Ibrahim of The People's Parliament, Raja Petra from Malaysia-today (he is in London), Art Harun of ARTiculations, Zorro-Unmasked Bernard Khoo, Eric Woon of iammalaysian, Nuraina Samad of 3540 Jalan Sudin, Marina Mahathir of Ranting by MM (I think she is overseas), Fahri Azzat who blogs at LoyarBurok, Zainol Abideen of Mahaguru58, Zakhir, AVoice Salah of Another Brick in Wall (absence conveyed to Desi), Jeff Ooi who blogs at Screenshots but he is now a YB and so had no time for blogging) William Leong, Elizabeth Wong and many others who are also YBs of Selangor.

Well, Zunar said we should not be discouraged but to carry on blogging as he will start blogging soon. Hata Wahari has to blog soon as he can't write for Utusan anymore. Datuk Ambiga may also have to start blogging soon.

Anyway, it was a fantastic night and we did have a good time. I hope YL Chong will start organizing the second forum soon which will include some good food and maybe, Anwar Ibrahim or Ibrahim Ali should be invited to speak. Maybe, we should also invite Najib or Rosmah to grace the occasion.

I will let Shanker and YL Chong write about the subject matters of tonight's topic.

Good night!!!

Bloggers Universe Malaysia (BUM) 2011 Forum to Feature Star-Studded Speakers

PRESS RELEASE

KUALA LUMPUR: A field of star-studded speakers has been lined up for the BUM2011 Forum to be held at the KLSCAH Auditorium on Saturday, June 11, 2011.

Themed “Bloggers’ Solidarity with the Press?”, the forum which is being held to mark “World Press Freedom Day” (which fell on May 3, 2011), will start at 7.45PM with a Keynote Address by Selangor’s Seri Setia State Assemblyman YB Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad on “Legislating Freedom of Information Act in Parliament”.

The forum that follows will feature Mr Cheam Toon Lee, a veteran journalist who had served as a former editor-in-chief in Sabah/Sarawak, Zulkiflee Anwar Ulhaque, popularly known as Zunar, Malaysiakini cartoonist, Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan, former Bar Council president and current Bersih 2.0 chairperson, and Mr Hata Wahari, former senior journalist at Utusan Malaysia who was also serving as President of the National Union of Journalists when his employer sacked him from his job recently.

CPI director Dr Lim Teck Ghee said that with the political environment becoming more hotly contested and the mainstream media working overtime as cheerleader and fear leader for the establishment, it is vital that bloggers and those with integrity in the mass media quickly close ranks and provide Malaysians with truthful, fair and objective news and analysis.

“I hope this forum will serve to galvanise media practitioners and bloggers to reassert their adherence to the norms of journalistic ethics and independent reporting,” Lim added.

BUM2011 Organising Committee chairman YL Chong aka Desiderata said this year’s event almost never got off the ground as the Sarawak State elections came in April and interrupted the preparations as the previous BUM gatherings were all held in the month of May.

“Nevertheless, I was motivated to press ahead after learning about Hata Wahari’s plight of his sacking by his employer and that explains the theme for our fifth BUM outing,” he added.

Admission to the forum -- being co-organised by a group of bloggers in their individual capacities, the Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall (KLSCAH), and the Centre for Policy Initiatives (CPI Malaysia) -- is free and open to the public.

More background and updates on the event are posted at our dedicated website www.bum4msia.wordpress.com

KUALA LUMPUR
June 7, 2011

Contact person: YL Chong at 012-9702285

B.U.M. 2011: Bloggers’ Solidarity with the Press?

BUM 2011 Is Now at the Starting Blocks!

An exciting panel of speakers has been lined up for the BUM2011 Forum on June 11, 2011 to mark World Press Freedom Day. The evening forum is co-organised by a group of bloggers in their individual capacities (who call themselves BUMmers) together with the support of he Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall and the Centre for Policy Initiatives headed by Dr. Lim Teck Gee..

The central theme of the Foreum is: Bloggers’ Solidarity with the Press?

Date: Saturday, 11 June 2011

Time: 7.45pm to 10.15pm

Venue: Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall Auditorium (KLSCAH)

Admission: Free and Open to the Public

Zuhar, our cartoonist will be there; Hata Wahari, ex-Utusan Malaysia journalist and ex-NUJ president will also be there; YB Nik Nazmi will be there too. I'll be there too!

It's Free!!! Lets go!!!

Happy Deepavali

To all my Hindu friends & enemies,

"Happy Deepavali"

&

May God bless you and all of your family members.


To my Muslim & Chinese friends,

Let's go celebrate and rejoice together.


To myself,

Shit, I still got to work today!

Woman's power over man

This woman was seen standing outside her car, hitting her boyfriend in the groin repeatedly with her shoe, squeezing his balls; and he just took the hits without retaliating nor show any anger.




See! What a man! This is what we call a "Real Man with Balls".

Psychologist research study described such man as big, strong and friendly, and most of all, able to withstand punishments and are very forgiving. He still loves her, after all that.

Studies indicate men can withstand all kind of abuses from women, as long as he stills can ... (I forgot what's it ...)

BTW, that car driven by the lady is a Lexus. Is it okay to be punished by a Lexus girl? Tell me.

***

You can watch the video here:

singaporeseen.stomp.com.sg

Also read Angela K's piece here: Hell Hath No Fury

Travelling back for Hari Raya? Message for you

Meriahkan sambutan Hari Raya Aidilfitri bersama yang tersayang.

This is the message from New Straits Times.

Nuraina A. Samad has this to remind travellers:

"Keep to the right lane. If you're going slow keep left."



Dear Muslim brothers and sisters,

Drive carefully when you are on the road.

Non-Muslim brothers and sisters,

Drive carefully too!

Those not driving, walk carefully too.

Let's all celebrate Hari Raya - meriahkan sambutan Hari Raya Aidilfitri!

The journey of Life - fleeting moments of truth

Life's journey is as much of a paradoxical passages.

Human existence is an infinitesimal moment between two eternities, the past and the future, says Arthur Schopenhauer.

The journey of Life is filled with the pursuit of shadows, where everything is relative, phenomenal, illusory, and man is bound in the servitude of ignorance, struggle and need, in the endless round of effort and failure.

Life may indeed appear to be a comedy, because of the one or two bright spots of happy circumstance to be found in it here and there.

Every man’s natural desire is to preserve his existence; so that life is a blind, unreasoning force, hurrying us we know not whither.

Nothing really matters more to a man than his liberty and freedom, I presumed.

There are many things in life which give a short satisfaction and blind us for the moment to the realities of existence. Pleasures as they may be called, in so far as they are a mode of relief; but that pleasure is not positive in its nature nor anything more than the negation of suffering. This is proved by the fact that, if pleasures come in abundance, pain soon returns in the form of satiety; so that the sense of illusion is all that has been gained. Hence, the most a man can achieve is a measure of relief from this suffering.

It is a trite saying that happiness is a delusion, a chimera, the fata morgana of the heart. There is nothing that is not substantially akin to theories of life which, in different forms, the greater part of mankind is presumed to hold in reverence.

Thus, whatever happiness a man can attain is negative only. Some temporary relief may be obtained through the medium of Art. The supreme endeavor after happiness is to withdraw from the struggle of life, and so obtain release from the misery which that struggle imposes upon all, even upon those who are for the moment successful.

Wisdom, the ordinary art of living has to be a compromise. We are here not by any choice of our own; and while we strive to make the best of it, often we do let ourselves be deceived while we cherished illusion.

Happiness consists for the most part in what a man is in himself, and that the pleasure he derives from these blessings will depend entirely upon the extent to which his personality really allows him to appreciate them. Thus, happiness depends much more on what is within than without us; for what we see without us is often an art of self deceit.

Life itself reveals our destiny. It is not the struggle which produces misery; it is the mistaken aims - the aim to be free.

Gunong Ledang, Johor

Me and my buddy Pak Adib had a chance to visit Gunong Ledang.

This is my first trip to Gunong Ledang. I have heard of Puteri Gunong Ledang but I had never known that there is a resort at Gunong Ledang.

Two days ago, Pak Adib and me traveled by car to Gunong Ledang. We stayed at the resort for 2 days; not for holidays but to conduct a seminar.

From Kuala Lumpur we traveled by the North-South highway and exit at Tangkak toll and then passed Tangkak town before arriving at Gunong Ledang.

This is the place:





This is our room:





This is the cupboard and dressing table cum reading table:





Here are the beds:






Fortunately the bath tub was quite nice:





Hehehehe ... the above is a wrong picture. It is this one below:






Gunong Ledang is more than 4,000 ft high. We didn't climb the mountain. We just walk around the foothill and there was a small waterfall for tourists to take a cold bath.




I am back in KL. I am tired and need to take a rest as tomorrow I had many meetings to attend. Good night!

Bayi's Gift

My good buddy BayiSingh is now back to South Africa. Before he boarded the flight he told me he had a surprise for me. wow .... this is the surprise ...

dang-dang-dang-dang ...

It's a ...





It's a nice gift!!!

Thank you, my dear brother. Thank you so much.

I decide to give this to my godson Ramon, but I will use it first for some days ... ok Ramon?

***

Back from Kota Kinabalu

Just returned from a tiring trip to Kota Kinabalu for a meeting.

Some readers here told me that they had become bored with my postings of late. I am sorry about that for various reasons.

Firstly, politics in Malaysia had become stale and predictably patterned and you can predict almost accurately what is going to happen and what is expected. Secondly, Najib is the new PM and it is not fair to judge him at this moment. Added to that, we must give 1Malaysia a chance as it is good and fair. And Pakatan Rakyat had barely anything to be credited with; Penang may have a perceived cleaner government but the economic news of Penang isn't encouraging. Selangor is struggling with Khalid's style of corporate management in the political context and the Alam Flora contract apportionment is a guessing game.

Secondly, the bloggers' have divided and split - one group with Rocky Bru and the other associated with RPK-Haris-Zorro. Another group of bloggers have become MPs and ADUNs and there writings are now blinkered.

Thirdly, the economy is not good and the signs of a recession is intact. We must brace ourselves for the bad times and start to collect woods.

Lastly, but not the least, my workload had expended so much that I hardly had time to rest. And I forgot that Father's Day had just passed.

Happy Father's Day Message

"Dear God, this year please send clothes for all those poor ladies in Daddy's computer, Amen."

From: Stanley's daughter.

B.U.M. 2009: NST Report

NST: Dr. M urges bloggers to tell the truth

I was there at the B.U.M. 2009 meet where Tun Dr Mahathir spoke for more than half-an-hour and answered questions posed by the floor for another half-hour.

That was not the essence of Tun's speech. The key points of Tun Mahathir's speech is the paradigm shift from Fourth Estate to Fifth Estate - the coming of Internet revolution and the impact of blogging. Of course Tun did make a point that bloggers must write based on facts, and not fictions. Tun highlighted that the fact that the newspapers are losing out to the internet news and that the newspapers must now evolve.

If you read the news at NST there was nothing that was written except the emphasis on the captioned title. I intentionally stood near the main stream reporters when Tun spoke to see what they scribbled and I observed that they wrote very little on their small note pad. I wanted to observe what these reporters would write in their notepad and it amazed me that they have so little to write when Tun spoke so much. And, the ultimate news that appeared in the newspaper were the part that is so insignificant.

After reading the NST I went online to read Malaysiakini. That was exactly what Tun Mahathir spoke. I culled it here for those who do not have Malaysiakini accounts to read the exact words from Mahathir:

[Quote]

Dr M 'blames' editors for self-censorship
Rahmah Ghazali | May 16, 09 9:37pm

Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad has denied that during his long tenure as prime minister, he had imposed censorship on the mainstream media.

In his 30-minute speech at the Bloggers United Malaysia (BUM) dialogue in Subang Jaya this evening, Mahathir said the media self-censored itself because it tried to 'second guess' what government leaders want.

According to the 84-year-old politician turned blogger, there were a lot of praises made during his time as prime minister “except for vernacular papers or party organ papers which were quite criticial” of him.

“But mainstream media such as New Straits Times or Utusan Malaysia sort of second guessed what kind of things they want to print (about the leaders). Sometimes they were wrong,” he said.

He claimed that the situation became worse after he stepped down when the press practised self-censorship more extensively.

He blamed this on former New Straits Times group editor-in-chief Kalimullah Hassan, a known loyalist of Mahathir's successor, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. (Note: Mahathir did not say the name Kalimullah; he said the man whose name is an Indian God and a Muslim Mullah)

“He would do this (self-censorship) in whatever you report and it went on very quietly. The press never complained and gave the impression that there was no interference, but there was,” argued Mahathir.

According to him, blogging could get around media censorship because “government control (of the Internet) is just impossible”.

Although the Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC) promised not to censor the Internet, Mahathir said a simple code of ethics should be agreed by the bloggers in “sticking to the facts”. (Note: This is exactly what Mahathir said pertaining to the ethics of bloggers)

The former premier argued that blogging could eventually displace the traditional media and other electronic media completely. (Note: This is the key point of Mahathir's speech)

With the number of bloggers growing everyday, Mahathir noted that it would be very frustrating for the government of the day to “play hide and seek” with them when it comes to censorship.

“Because there is nothing to stop him (the blogger) from setting up another blog... the only thing I’m glad is that I’m no longer the PM (to take care of this) so to the government of the day, I wish them luck,” he quipped. (Note: Yes, this is what Mahathir said)

Mahathir had been accused of imposing self-censorship on the media in his two decades as prime minister, especially during the infamous Operasi Lalang in 1987 when the police cracked down on opposition leaders and social activists.

The operation saw the arrest of 106 persons under the Internal Security Act (ISA) and the revocation of the publishing licences of three dailies - The Star, Sin Chew Jit Poh and Watan.

However, said Mahathir, he had nothing to do with it as they never stopped the papers from saying "nasty things" about him.

“There were accusations thrown at me, saying that I was worse during my time. But I would like to say that newspaper editors are very sensitive people especially those in mainstream media.

“They self-censor because they believed I would not like (what they report) and that I would object - that was all. Other papers said nasty things about me but I never stopped them,” said Mahathir.

He further justified the ISA crackdown because "the situation was moving towards (racial riots of May 13) 1969".

“It was increasing to a point that Umno wanted to have 500,000 people to show their strength and I thought it would escalate, that was why we had to take action,” he said. (Note: Yes, this is what Mahathir said)

Moreover, Mahathir apparently laid the blame on those in charge of security - the police.

“If I had told them not to, they would soon feel that I was not very supportive. The police have the guns and the power, and we don’t. When managing people with guns, you have to be very careful,” he said. (Note: Yes, this is exactly what Mahathir said)

At a press conference later, Mahathir also expressed his disappointment towards the mainstream papers and that he himself has “stopped reading the New Straits Times”. (Note: I am not sure he said this. It could be, but I have to listen to the speech that was taped by my friend)

To back his claims that the media have been practising self-censorship, he said he was “gagged by the media completely during his successor’s tenure, that of Abdullah Ahmad Badawi”. (Note: Yes, this is what he said)

The owner of a million-hit blog called Chedet, Mahathir said that he was “treated something like a pariah” as he was cut off completely by members of government even though some of them were appointed by him. (Note: Yes, he said it - he was made a Pariah)

In his speech earlier, Mahathir recollected the events which led him to take up blogging exactly a year ago.

“I had at least 14 invitations from Umno members to give a talk but these people were later told to withdraw their invitations, which they did.

"So I was cut off from being able to give my views even to members of my own party,” he said.

Mahathir also put the blame on Abdullah for “erasing the existence of the previous PM who had appointed him” instead of being “slightly grateful to his predecessor”.

“But strangely, the moment the new PM took over, he seemed to think that he needed to erase the existence of the previous PM.

“Soon after that, I was cut off from the press... reporters were not allowed to interview me... and they were not allowed to print anything I said,” said Mahathir.

Gagging a politician from talking is not a good idea, added Mahathir, because “we politicians like to talk”.

“You can kill a politician by preventing him from talking... I have a big mouth so I use it quite often,” said Mahathir to the laughter from the 200-strong crowd.

He said it was not until 2008 - four years after he stepped down - that he had to resort to blogging.

Mahathir revealed he had trepiditon taking up blogging as he thought he might not be able to handle criticism.

“I was afraid that I couldn’t handle some nasty comments thrown at me and scared that I could not reply to all of them... it is a torture. I hesitated for quite a long time until I (started to) blog,” said Mahathir.

[unquote]
*********************************************************************

I can attest that what was published at Malaysiakini.com was 99% correct and factual.

***************

Source: Malaysiakini.com

****************

B.U.M. 2009: The Stars & Celebs

Yesterday was a fantastic day at B.U.M. 2009.

B.U.M. organizing committee headed by Desiderata and guided and assisted by Dr Lim Teck Ghee and Ahiruddin Attan (Rocky's Bru) made the occasion a memorable event and something we bloggers would cherish.

We have plenty of great speakers and VVIPs. Tun Mahathir was the star of the night. We had Datuk Syed Adli who spent a few hours with us. We had YB Jeff Ooi, YB Nik Nazmi, A Kadir Jasin and such Mavericks including: Nadeswaran, Art Harun, Fathi Azzat, Phillip Koh, Steven Gan, Faisal Mustaffa and Dr KJ John.

And of course, Maverick SM, Nuraina, Shanghai Fish, Sallehuddin and EWoon were there too.

We also have those beauties including Primrose, the Helens, and many whose names are to remain anonymous.

Missing YB stars are: Elizabeth Wong, Tony Pua, William Lim and Tian Chua.

Also missing from actions were celebrity bloggers that include: Zorro, Haris Ibrahim, Malik Imtiaz, Howsy, Lucia, etc.

Anyway, there were quite a good followings and all of us have great fun.



Steven Gan, the boss of Malaysiakini sharing his thoughts.



Dr Lim Teck Ghee, the Director of CPI with two special branches from the tree of democracy.



YB Jeff Ooi, Citizen Nades, and the special branch lady and man.



Rocky meets his buddy Jeff - meeting of the twin cities from NST profile.



Jeff Ooi finally meets Princess Nuraina after thousands of days absence.



Jeff vs Jeff - the current YB and the future YB.



Fathi Aris Omar - the future CEO of Malaysiakini???




Loyar Fahri Azzat - the man who will become the potential candidate to succeed Gani Patail as the AG.



Dr KJ John - he proclaimed that he is the original KJ and his car registration is proof.




Desiderata, Shankar and Helen Ang - the three who made B.U.M. possible (I have to leave out another Helen's photo as instructed by her).



Art Harun, the new Maverick Loyar and the man who paid for the lunch of minister.



A Kadir Jasin, the everlasting journalist philosopher.

*******************************************

P/S: It too me 3 hours to upload these pictures.

****