cakap cakap....of the late Bernard, Pak Arshad, Saudara Sopian and other friends.

I have no interest in politics. Not the slightest of inclination to dabble in politics, do politics nor do I want to have anything to do with politicians. I do know a number of politicians from both side of the political divide but if truth be told, apart from those that I have known before they became politicians, those other politicians that I do know are not the type of people I would invite into my house for a meal with my family.    

I have been blogging for over four years and in that time I have had the privilege of knowing some remarkable bloggers who should really be, like me, doing anything else but blogging. 

Zorro Unmasked....the late Bernard. If anybody is older than me...Bernard is! We have never met in person but through his Zorro Unmasked blog he reached out to me to tell me that he reads what I write. I never got to tell Bernard how that made me feel but I can tell you that Bernard had in me a friend for life. And just as he reads what I write, I too read what he writes ....and why did Bernard blog with so much vigor and intensity? Let Bernard tell you himself...for this was what he told us about why he blogs:

About Me

zorro

After doing the best I could for Patrina and Kevin I would want my grandsons Bernard, Ryan and Patrick and whoever Kevin fathers, to remember that their grandpa tried his best to make this a better world for them.

    

And then there is Pak Arshad. I first knew him from his blog mind NO EVIL ....today he is on FB and writes passionately about all the things wrong in our country....and it was later...much much later before I found out that Pak Arshad is a Dato. It is  a measure of that man that there is nothing in his blog or his FB page that even hints of his Datukship. And all you will find about his past is "Worked at Malaysian Armed Forces" ....and if you read what Pak Arshad writes you will know that this man cares about the state of our nation today....and all this at a time when he should be resting after many many years of loyal service to our nation as a soldier. Douglas MacArthur said "

 

"Old soldiers never die; they just fade away."

---

   

Well this old soldier is a pain in Najib's side and he certainly will not fade away for a long long time. Tabek Tuan!

There are many others that I keep in touch with because I read what they write and from time to time we "talk" over the net. Some have gone over to the "dark side"....and you cannot think to bad of them because we all have to earn a living somehow. And when you needs are many then you will have to find someone who can feed your needs and, sometimes, your greed. Good luck to them.

Sopian Ahmad

Recently I got to "know" Sopian Ahmad. His postings on his FB page was insightful, biting and most enjoyable reads for me and I started posting them on my blog because I thought it should be read by others. His writing were well read by those who stop to read this blog. When he told me that he used to work in Foreign Affairs I asked him if he had work under Abang Lah...and all he said was he used to be Abang Lah's PA....and we left it at that. Again like Pak Arshad, how was I to know that Sopian is also a Datuk and that his last posting in Foreign Affairs was as Malaysian's High Commissioner to New Zealand. In his retirement, he writes knowingly and with much credibility, about all things wrong with Malaysia - with emphasis on Najib for whom he has much to say....most of it not too good!

The late Bernard, Pak Arshad and Saudara Sopian...and do not forget me too....our "used by" date is way past expiry but why do we still write about how corrupt this BN government is under Najib Razak. We do this almost everyday....why?

Would we rather just spend time with loved ones...especially our grandchildren? 

Are we bothered about politics? Do we want to know about the second wife of Ministers? About the private jets put at Rosmah disposal? About 1MDB? About all that is wrong with Umno's criminal elites? 

No we are not really bothered. We would rather be left alone to spend our retirement in grace and quiet repose....but how can we do so when things are the way they are in Malaysia today.  As Bernard said ...all he wants to do is to leave for his grandchildren, a better world.

That is what all of us must do....leave a better Malaysia to those that comes after us. If you feel that that is not being done by our political leaders...by Najib Razak and his government .....then you must do what you can to get rid of these criminal political elites. 

We write....what will you do?

     

You, you and you...help us help PR!

If you think that PR is going to win the 13^th GE the way things are now…you better think again! Do not kid yourself. Do not be lull into a sense of complacency and think that all will be well….that Pakatan Rakyat will be the government of the day come the 13^th general election! I tell you friend the way things are…you will be disappointed.

Just because the chatter on the Net seems to be mostly for  PR does not mean much. If all we bloggers were to cast our votes for PR it will still be negated by just one cawangan under UMNO. Just the vote coming from one Cawangan is enough to neutralize the votes of all the bloggers now working to kick UMNO/BN out of government. Just like that!

Do not mock those UMNO cyber troopers too much. Look at the work they do to discredit PR leaders. Yes they sink to the gutter or go deeper into the sewer with the tactics they use but just compare that with what we do.

I use only words and the occasional YouTube videos and images I take from the Net to embellish steadyau47. What they have in their arsenal of smut and spin we would have difficulty in unraveling what more equal. We simply do not have the financial resources and support they have from their political masters. We can dismiss their attempts as being theatrical and political backstabbing of the lowest order but they have their audience. And with each story they hurl towards Mat Sabu and DSAI they hurt PR considerably. And more important every time they do so they gain more converts to their side.

We cannot continue to be in denial of the ability of these goons to match us word for word and story by story – but what we have working for us is a level playing field in as far as the Net is concern. The Net knows not if you are BN or PR. If you are DAP, PAS, PKR, UMNO, MCA or MIC. If you have a PC and Internet access then you have entry into cyber space….and that is where this fight is taking place now. You and me can give those goons working for UMNO as good as we get!

I can only speak for myself. I work on my blog anytime I can. Every posting I do requires time, effort and a focus on our matalamat (aim) and that is to change the political landscape in Malaysia for the better. 

From a corrupt and self serving module to that of an open, responsible and accountable one. No ifs no buts. No “trial period” for another government, no trial period for another Prime Minister. 

From day one the new government must hit the ground running and already have in place responsible leaders who will deliver what they promise us. No more no less. 

And if I doubt their ability to do so I will say so in my blog. If I doubt the ability of PR to perform as I I expect them to, I say so in my blog. No more holding back on my critique and my comments when PR does wrong. No more treating PR with kid gloves.

I do so not because I love PR less but because I love PR more. If PR is unable to, or will not live up to our aspirations then better the devil we know then the devil we do not know. UMNO is the devil we know!

I am not going to give PR a “CHANCE” to do what UMNO has done to us – rob us blind and enrich themselves at our expense. Not for five years, not for one year, not even for a month or a week. As I have said earlier if PR has not learn after these years in opposition what the people want then they will never learn once they are in government.

Right now the jury is still out if PR is ready to take over government from BN. Just the mere mention of Hudud has got PR going for each other throat while UMNO sits back and enjoys their latest act of throwing a big juicy bone amongst the uneasy pack that makes up PR. What would PR do when UMNO takes out DSAI? If the best that PR can do is Mat Sabu then I suggest PR should go back to the drawing board and think of something else more potent, more decent and more able to stand against the riff raffs that UMNO throws at us – and mind you, UMNO does have a good number of riff raffs to throw at PR.

I think we bloggers must not be too “shok sendiri”. We are messengers of stories. We should not become the story ourselves. There is why there is much work to be done. Let us concentrate on getting the story out there into the minds  of people that matter. That critical mass that will decide who will govern our country.

If you agree with the message we are trying to get out there for a positive change to the political landscape of our country then please take our message to at least one other person - play it forward – not just click out and leave that message dead where you found it. Move the message around. Cut and paste it onto your blog or email it to a friend. Only then can our posting begin to have a life of its own. Once you give it life then it can start to do its work of making people become aware of the need for change. Why we need change, how we can change and what the change should be. 

We write…you breath life into it and help us move it around…then it will be able to have a life of its own and hopefully make a difference to the way people think and do things. We want PR activists to be found where ever we find Malaysians.Help us do this.

Only when we have the numbers will we be able to make a difference to the wretched state our nation is now in. Then this BN government will have to think twice before they do anything that we do not agree to. No more verdicts of death by misadventure when someone is found dead while under MACC custody. No more announcements of the repeal of the ISA or PPPA – not unless it is really so. No more empty promises through “transformation programs” for every community, no more lies , no more arrogance and certainly no more side trips for your children’s engagement while on Official Trips to a foreign country.

So let us focus on building up that critical mass. Each and everyone of you can help us in this effort. You are one. With me we are two.  

Cakap cakap...bloggers steady lah!!!...a bit more lah!

“Some of you are beginning to mutter aloud that maybe it is better that we stick to the devil that we know then the devil that we don’t. After all these politicians are all alike"

In my posting ‘Bloggers …steady lah’ I need to clarify the above statement. That is a quote from one of the blogs that I read. It is not a statement from me – so I should have made that clear. Politicians are NOT all alike. Let me repeat that.

POLTICIANS ARE NOT ALL ALIKE.

Why would anyone want to be a politician? They are required to work 24/7. No holidays. The responsibilities is immense. Your exposure on a personal and public level is relentless. What satisfaction you get from your work is just for the moment – fleeting – because there are always people to meet, problems to be solved. The pressure on your family is cruel…and if you do it the right way your pay is nothing much to write home about! Unless you are a Politician in Singapore where they are better paid.

And all these sacrifices for what? It is because there are men who are determined to make a difference – to try and improve the Rakyats quality of life and to make our country a better place to live in. For that they are prepared to risk their reputation, their family’s happiness, their personal health – everything – because they believe that their work can make a difference to our lives. I think that is why Kit Siang, Tok Guru and Anwar are Politicians. So brothers and sisters cut them some slack

cakap cakap...bloggers steady lah!!!

I see in the chatter of the various blogs and facebook that questions are being asked if Anwar has got the balls to keep PAS in line?  Or more specifically the loose cannons within PAS in line? You have started to question Anwar’s resolve to make Pakatan Rakyat  ‘fighting fit’ for what is to come in the next General Elections. Some of you are beginning to mutter aloud that maybe it is better that we stick to the devil that we know then the devil that we don’t. After all these Politicians are all-alike!

And who are these people that say these things? I do not know them but I am sure they do so because they want Anwar to do the right thing – to lead Pakatan Rakyat to victory at the next GE. Let us get one thing out of the way. Anwar is not alone.

There is Lim Kit Siang. What has that old man not gone through…..and yet there are still some amongst you that dare to infer that he has something to do with putting Guan Eng as CM of Penang. And even if he did – he chose the right CM.  The last Transparency International statement praised his work against corruption in Penang. That is a good enough endorsement for me that Guan Eng is doing a good job in Penang.  Kit Siang is there shoulder to shoulder with Anwar -at par.

There is Zaid. There is Karpal. Jui Meng.  Even that other old man Tok Guru to guide and offer advice to PR  when required. They are a formidable lot . All tried and tested and they with Anwar will lead Pakatan Rakyat. Not Anwar by himself.

Now back to Anwar. It has taken him eleven years to get to where he is now. Let us not forget the Black Eye, time in Prison and the physical and mental pressure of someone over 60 years old doing what he is doing now – going against UMNO. Yes I know that all UMNO has is money – but with money in their pocket whatever foolish things they say can pass for wise ones!

So in himself Anwar must surely think everyday that he must not make one wrong move if he is to take PR to victory. And then there is always the formidable team within PR that will NOT allow him to do the wrong thing. Look at the Team we have and then look at UMNO – it is like comparing a langsat to a mango. And not just any mango – we are the mango from Pakistan !

But we are all human -and we make mistake. But I think within every PR leaders, in the center of their body, there is an absolute solid will that is resolve to do everything they can to change things for the better.

As for us – we must be resolute in our commitment to ourselves – not to others – but to ourselves. That we will do what is right for our country and for ourselves. The jury might still be out on whether PR is ready – whether they have the resolve to win – whether they deserve our support. That decision is for you and you alone to make. But keep your council to yourself. Speak with those that will hear you out and give you their honest opinion. Then you make your own decision.

But do not question the resolve of PR leaders to win the next election. People like you and me, like Pak Lah and  Ku Li can put in our two cents worth from our safe and comfortable living room sitting in front of our PC – but those guys work 24/7 – day in day out without respite. Go to Anwar’s house and see the people waiting to see him. Follow Kit Siang around and see what the Old man is up too in any single day. These people are out there walking their talk.  So before you pronounce your judgment on them, - think.