LONE

Saturday, April 29, 2006

01.02.03.04.05.06

This combination of 01.02.03.04.05.06 as a date will be coming soon on the 4th of May at 01:02:03 hours.

As bloggers, maybe you might want to BLOG on a topic of great significance to you on 01.02.03.04.05.06! This date comes once in a century. Happy blogging.

| ¶ 4/29/2006 10:16:00 AM

Friday, April 28, 2006

Veteran MGG Pillai Passes Away

Malaysiakini reports ::

The doyen of Malaysian journalism, MGG Pillai, passed away this morning at the Universiti Hospital due to heart complications.

According to his son Sreejit Pillai, the veteran newsman who pioneered Malaysia's online journalism, died at 10.40am.

May he rest in peace. He and his commentaries will be greatly missed. This blogger hopes that his web site :: MGG Pillai Journalism and Commentaries will contine to live on in cyberspace.

| ¶ 4/28/2006 01:51:00 PM

Thursday, April 20, 2006

How Will Bolehnaut Pray in Space?

At the start there were about 900 Malaysians vying to be BolehLand first astronaut. In March this year, the DPM announced the names of the four shortlisted for the final stage of training. The four are Mohammed Faiz Kamaluddin, a MAS pilot, S Vanajah Siva Subramaniam, 35, a quality engineer; Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor, 34, a medical officer; and Faiz Khaleed, 26, a dental surgeon.

As there is a 75% chance of the first Bolehnaut being a Muslim, according to a BERNAMA report, the National Space Agency (Angkasa) has decided to hold a two-day Seminar on Islam and Life in Space to answer certain questions like ::
1. How will Muslim Malaysian astronauts pray and fast in space?
2. How will they take ablution?
3. How will prayer times be determined?
4. Which will be the direction of the kiblah?
5. When to pray and fast?

To complicate matters, the International Space Station (ISS) would circle the earth 16 times in 24 hours (which means there will be 16 daylights and 16 nights within 24 hours) and under these circumstances, how would the Muslim astronauts be affected?

Despite there were being already three or four Muslim astronauts from Russia and Saudi, Angkasa is unable to come out with answers and will be depending on the 150 people comprising scientists, astronauts from Spain, religious scholars, academicians and professionals who will be attending the said seminar to come out with answers.

Now, will Angkasa be holding another seminar to find similar answers just in case the Bolehnaut who gets to step on the ISS turns out to be a non-Muslim? After all, Ms S Vanajah Siva Subramaniam has a good 25% chance of being chosen to be the first lady non-Muslim astronaut of BolehLand, even chances when compared to each of the other three shortlisted ones.

| ¶ 4/20/2006 10:44:00 PM

When the Chips are low

i can't recall the last time BERNAMA carried such a long item on DSAI, the man that the media has forgotten. But when the chips are low and the present PM needs maximum support for his wishy-washy decisions on the "crooked bridge", even DSAI's could be called upon. The BERNAMA item is entitled :: Anwar Supports Decision To Scrap Bridge Project

For a reality check read what M'kini has to say about Blunders began with Mahathir. What was conveniently left out in the BERNAMA item is DSAI saying :: Pak Lah ‘not blameless’.

Excerpts from the M'kini report ::

However, he said Abdullah was not blameless in that his decision came at a critical stage of project implementation.

“The problem is compounded because of the way this country is being managed under Abdullah. I mean you should have done your homework and should not allow for this matter to drag on so long,” he said.

Anwar also offered assistance to the government on issues involving bilateral ties, saying he could draw from his experience in the government, including as finance minister between 1993 and 1998.

“I would not discount any possible meeting with Abdullah if he were to ask my views on the issues ... like the negotiations with Singapore on the bridge and even information on the negotiations with Indonesia on border issues.”

He clarified that this does not imply a wish to rejoin Umno, saying he has already decided against this.

“I will not be serving the government. But I am a Malaysian and very loyal to the country and will do my best to serve,” he added.

| ¶ 4/20/2006 10:04:00 PM

Wednesday, April 12, 2006

The Reason for the Bridge About Turn

The cat is finally out of the bag. This is what the PM has to say regarding the about turn on the crooked bridge. The BERNAMA report says it all :: PM Says Decision On Bridge Due To Legal Implications ::

PUTRAJAYA, April 12 (Bernama) -- Malaysia decided to stop the construction of the "scenic bridge" meant to replace the Malaysian half of the Johor Causeway because of its legal implications and complications, said Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi Wednesday.

The Prime Minister said the Cabinet deliberated on the project at its weekly meeting today and felt that there would still be legal implications and complications to resolve afterward should Malaysia proceed with the project.

"Problems will arise when we have to cut the causeway, the water pipes and railway track and connected them to the new bridge. The problems will continue," he told Bernama when asked to explain why Malaysia did not just build the bridge in its own territory without negotiating with Singapore.

Will the Singapore media have a field day tomorrow trying to tell one and all that we have been found out with the proverbial tail between our walking appendages? This is what happens what one does not do his homework or leave it the others who are not conversant with it.

| ¶ 4/12/2006 10:27:00 PM

No More Scenic Bridge Talk

In another spectacular about turn, the PM now says that we are no longer interested in replacing the Johore-Singapore Causeway with a bridge, be it "crooked", "scenic", "beautiful" or otherwise. Can the good PM make up his mind! Recently it was "yes" to the IPCMC, then "no" to the IPCMC; then maybe "ombudsman". And then even more recently it was the tough stance of "Whoever stands in the way of the 9th Malaysia Plan must go", after he has failed to trim his own home turf, the cabinet that is.

After all the recent furore involving the Works Minister, the Johore state gomen an others, it appears that the "crooked" bridge has turned back on itself. Recently even he former PM came out to give his 2-sen worth.

What could be the reason for the about turn? According to the BERNAMA report it has to do with the views and sentiments of the rakyat (when did their views started to count), particularly concerning the supply of sand and allowing Singapore to use Malaysia's airspace. It is wayang kulit time again. Someone suggested that the about turn probably had to do with the threat by the Singapore gomen that it is seeking expert legal opinion and that it would bring the issue up to the ICJ and the reasons used for the settlement of the land reclamation case.

| ¶ 4/12/2006 03:49:00 PM

Sunday, April 09, 2006

The IPCMC :: Do We Want To be Taken for Another Ride

It is quite obvious that the present regime in charge of this nation is not as enthusiatic as before regarding the establishment of the IPCMC recommended by the Royal Commission it had set up to look in allege abuses and corruption in the PDRM. The aim then was to weed out and punish those few rotten apples to be found among the many boys and girls dressed in shiny blue uniforms. Whether this is because the few rotten apples have in reality turned in many gross of rotten and rotting ones, one is uncertain. But what is certain is that the one who has promised to see all 125 recommendations implemented somehow does not appear to be so interested as of late. True, he has not made pronouncements that he is no longer enthusiatic. But two of his buddies who had been enthusiatic at the start appear to have been turned over a little if not as much as those 7 who spoke against the establishment of the IPCMC in Parliament. Is the man just waiting to take us all for a ride again and is trying to find a way to run away from the establishment of the IPCMC? Even that tired component party president has been dragged out to reiterate his party's backing for the IPCMC, but is he convincing enough?

The PM's bright-eyed boy, the one who had to shout a word more than 40 times in Parliament just in case he was not heard, now says the gomen is considering an alternative to the IPCMC. BERNAMA reports that an independent body or ombudsman to address and investigate complaints against all parties, including ministers, is being drafted. Attributing this to the bright-eyed Minister in the PM's Department, Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz.

As usual the AG, who is not answerable to Parliament is busy studying the matter as it involved various aspects and laws. Earlier on the PM said that the same AG is busily studying the setting up of the IPCMC and that it would be established once the AG is through with it. In the meantime, what are we supposed to do? Wait and wait and wait again. In the meantime, citizens like Grandma Cheng is forced to do the "naked pirouette" and what else. Don't you sense that we are at the start of being taken for another ride. At the end of the day, will we be fed with the same pronouncement as in the case of the promises made in the latest BN election manifesto --- semua janji telah dipenuhi.

Of late the PM appears to be having a make-over. He looks like he is trying to shed his nice guy image but still could manage to shed a tear or two along the way. He appears to be a little bit less patient with his beloved rakyat. Noticed how he wanted demos against the fuel price hike to stop and of late, he wants the rakyat not to complain about his 9MP! Is the iron fist going to emerge soon enough.

To some like this writer, it is not possible to reform the polis if those in-charge of the polis are not changed ro reformed first. Another writer is of the view that it is just not the case of a few rotten apples in the PDRM but rather that the problem of the PDRM "has its roots in the apple tree itself and it has not grown properly with changing times".

Whatever, instead of being taken for another prolonged ride while the AG is busily studying the IPCMC and the ombudsman, civil society should be pushing for the speedy setting up of the IPCMC, an independent body which has already been conceived by the Royal Commission and is just awaiting delivery and installation. So why all the delaying tactics by suggesting now the establishment of the ombudsman?

| ¶ 4/09/2006 09:48:00 PM

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