Friday, 14 December 2012

It’s not titles that honour men, but man that honour titles

With Thanks to FMT

December 14, 2012

FMT LETTER: From Mentaloon, via e-mail

Six-hundered years of recorded history reminds us that the Malay Sultanates are nothing to be proud of. It’s undignified and humiliating past continue to influence negatively the society that we live in, a strong, modern Malay society and Malaysians in general. It inspires mediocrity and cowardice. Those who do not acknowledge these facts are living in denial.

An institution that was founded not based on bravery, military might or intelligence, but on stumbled chance and rule over the timid and meek – an establishment riddled with treachery and mismanagement.

Any success achieved were either mere coincidence or that had been hard fought by loyal and brave subjects, only to be squandered away by incompetence and greed among the so called Royals, a short-lived intermittent legacy at best.

Those who vowed to protect the land were betrayed by the very same institution that they swore to defend. Brave warriors and generals such as Tun Perak , Abdul Rahman Imam Nuh, Mohammad Hassan Munas, Abdul Said and many more were all sacrificed to protect a family legacy that cares only of their own survival and prosperity.

A monarchy that is embarrassingly subservient to regional or colonial powers at one time or the other, it had never recovered, until the “ people” took over and chose to retain its heritage as one of the pre-conditions of independence. It was better off left to rot.

These facts are not hard to come by, in effect, it had been indoctrinated in our education system and made to be painstakingly memorised for school examinations. I can’t possibly be the only one to recognise these degrading facts. Are we that insecure to submit to puppets, that bow to greater power?

I will not submit to lineage of cowardice. Any self-respecting man would not do so. You do not deserve my patronage. You do not deserve any respect. I say this in full view of the public.

As painful as it is, the truth remains the truth. Problems exists that need to be diagnosed and rectified, these are not mere inconveniences and wastages, these are matters of honour to one’s society. I offer no apologies, I have no remorse and I will not repent.

It is not titles that honour men, but man that honour titles - Niccolo Machiavelli

JFK Jr's and Caroline Bessette.

'I should have kept my mouth shut': JFK Jr's assistant reveals her torment over urging Carolyn Bessette to board that ill-fated flight

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

UPDATED: 13:51 GMT, 19 January 2012

Almost 12 years after JFK Jr and his wife Carolynn Bessette's untimely deaths, his assistant has revealed how she talked his wife into taking the flight the couple perished on.

RoseMarie Terenzio, 44, was John F Kennedy Jr's personal assistant, publicist and one of his closest confidantes during the last five years of his life.

In her book, 'Fairy Tale Interrupted', she reveals that the couple were having serious troubles in their marriage and Carolyn had initially refused to join John on that ill-fated flight on July 16, 1999.

Tragic: John F. Kennedy Jr and wife Carolyn Bessette are pictured here outside their New York City apartment soon after they wedded in secret in 1996

Untold story: JFK Jr's personal assistant RoseMarie Terenzio, right, said now after 12 years she is able to tell the story of her employer's final few years in her new book Fairy Tale Interrupted, pictured left

With their marriage under intense strain, Carolyn, a Calvin Klein executive, who struggled with the constant media attention her husband attracted, had said she was not going to join him at his cousin Rory's wedding on July 17.

More...

New York's JFK ranked the worst airport in the world over 'immigration lines, dank basement, and vomiting travellers'

John,39, who ran George magazine, had told RoseMarie that Carolyn was determined to stay at home and that he was not 'going to fight with her about it', she recalls in People Magazine.

But RoseMarie tried to change her mind.

'I'm not a priority,' she said. It's always something else. George. Somebody getting fired. A trip to meet advertisers. I just want some normal married time. I'm exhausted' RoseMarie remembers Carolyn telling her.

The couple, pictured here in October 1998 on their way to attend the reopening of Grand Central Station, were said to be experiencing troubles in their marriage

Strained: The couple, pictured here in October 1998 on their way to attend the reopening of Grand Central Station, were said to be experiencing troubles in their marriage

But RoseMarie said she urged Carolyn to take the flight and go to the wedding in Massachusetts.

'I know. But now's not the time to take a stand. His whole family's going to be at this wedding. Listen. You don't want to put yourself in a position of being judged, you get enough of that.

'Go get a dress and I'll get you a car to the airport.' RoseMarie told her, according to People.

As he left, John had thanked RoseMarie was talking Carolyn around.

'He turned to me and said, 'Rose you're the best. Thanks for smoothing things over.'

Hours later, John's plane crashed in the Atlantic Ocean near Martha's Vinyard, Massachusetts killing him, Carolyn and her sister Lauren.

After the tragic, untimely deaths, RoseMarie said her whole world came crashing down around her, along with her hopes for the future.

Reluctant: Carolyn, pictured here sharing a conversation with her husband John had apparently initially refused to join him on the ill-fated flight

'I don't feel responsible for what happened, but I will certainly always have the feeling that I should have kept my mouth shut and not told Carolyn to get on the plane,' said RoseMarie reports People magazine.

Only now as the head of her own public relations company, is RoseMarie finally ready to tell her story, giving a very real insight into the lives of the tragic couple.

'John was more than a mannequin of good looks and privilege; Carolyn was not this uptight, cold and guarded person,' RoseMarie told People magazine.

Newlyweds: Pictured here just two months after they got married, the couple were said to have a loving, playful relationship before the strains of the media spotlight started taking its toll on Carolyn

Writing the book 'felt like paying tribute to them. It felt really good.'

In her book, RoseMarie reveals John and Carolyn's sometimes tumultuous relationship and the strain Carolyn felt from the constant media attention after their secret wedding in September 1996.

'Whenever she went out - to get coffee, walk the dog, or meet a friend - they were there, pushing in close and shouting things like wh*re and b**ch. If they could break her perfect exterior, it would be an instant story,' RoseMarie says in the report by People.

Destroyed: The remains of the cockpit controls of John F. Kennedy Jr's. Piper Saratoga II are seen in this photograph released after the crash that killed him, his wife Carolyn and her sister, Lauren Bessette

Fatal flight: John was flying a 1999 model Piper Sratoga II similar to the plane pictured which was also used in a desperate search for John, his wife and her sister, after their plane first vanished

'Carolyn retreated into herself. Unfortunately John didn't understand. 'Just don't pay attention to it. I don't,' he said

'I knew that John's dismissive attitude was due to his frustration. He couldn't protect his wife. He should have told her as much - I know she really wanted to hear it,' she added.

The book also gives an insight into the couple's more loving relationship and how John proposed to Carolyn on a fishing trip.

RoseMarie revealed to People; 'The couple teased each other a lot, one Valentine's Day there was some tabloid story about him cheating, so she sent him flowers from all these famous models and actresses, like Pamela Anderson. He thought it was hilarious.'

She added that she felt the marriage became strained because they struggled to find 'peaceful marriage time' amongst the media frenzy and the magazine struggling.

RoseMarie also delves into how she planned the couple's secret wedding on Georgia's Cumberland Island as well as their tragic funeral and how she struggled to cope with their deaths.

A Singaporean laments....One moment like brothers, can give and take. Next moment we kena kicked out by the leg.

Under the 'ang mo' we all live happily together, no complain.

Malaysia & Singapore is one big family in our brains.

One day we both like 2 durians cannot get along.

Got sharp thorns, poke each other, until 'buay song.'

One moment like brothers, can give and take.

Next moment we kena kicked out by the leg.

Wah! Our towkay also cry like mad,

we all also feel very very sad.

Our neigbours all say, 'Wah they all sure to die!

They got nothing, how to get next bowl of rice?'

So 'boh pian,' we all work day and night.

We also join the army so that we can fight.

We don't care others 'see us no up'.

But actually inside we very pain in the heart.

Then slowly hor we grow rich and a bit fat.

Now others talk about us also got some respect.

They scratch their heads and say

'Very funny! Got nothing how come they can still make money?'

Last time also got no money to buy ice-cream cone.

Nowadays even small kids can also afford hand phone.

Sea port, airport also can become Number One.

He! He! Sometimes think about it also very fun.

But some people look at us also not happy.

Actually they jealous don't want to say only.

So every time their country got something wrong.

They all say Singapore's behind it all along.

Everybody know we water no enough.

They turn off tap only we all cannot last.

They threaten us with water supply and shout 'Cut! Cut! Cut!'

Aiyoh! They all think the water is one big ketupat.

We all hear already also 'buay tahan'

Wah liao, they think we small can makan!

But now they 'cow pay cow bu' we all not very scared.

We want to build water desalination plant already so not so bad.

But their own economy now all go bust.

Got to sell water otherwise money no enough.

Then another neighbor say Singapore no friend friend,

Got so much money, a bit more also donno how to lend.

They say we all only one small red dot,

like the center of a big dartboard.

Maybe they think we mouse and they cat,

that's why they suka suka anyhow talk like that.

But we all still send them a lot of rice.

Show the world we actually very very nice.

Sometimes we 'cho ho sim' also kena whack.

But we all gentleman wan, don't want to fight back.

I think hor maybe they don't understand us very well.

That's why relationship sometimes like heaven sometimes like hell

Some say aiyah our prosperity is all due to luck,

that's why we all siao siao' can still win the Tiger Cup

I think hor, Singapore is like chilli padi in a pot -

Size small small but still very very hot.

There is growing uncertainty about the whereabouts of ailing former South African president Nelson Mandela.

Questions raised over Mandela's whereabouts

By Africa correspondent Ginny Stein and staff

Updated 2 hours 47 minutes ago

Former South African President Nelson Mandela leaves a memorial service

PHOTO: Where exactly is he?: Former South African president Nelson Mandela (Siphiwe Sibeko/Pool, file photo: AFP)

MAP: South Africa

There is growing uncertainty about the whereabouts of ailing former South African president Nelson Mandela.

South African government officials say Mr Mandela, 94, has suffered a recurrence of a lung infection, but is responding to treatment.

But while it has generally been accepted that he was being treated at a military hospital in Pretoria, it has now emerged that that may not be the case.

Reporters and media crews have been camped outside the hospital in the belief the icon of the struggle against apartheid was inside.

AUDIO: Listen to Ginny Stein's report (AM)

But official statements from the government have not used the words "military hospital", and some in South Africa are questioning whether Mr Mandela is really inside.

"The inference has been all along that he is at the military hospital," the ABC's Africa correspondent Ginny Stein told AM.

"We have seen the defence minister walk out of the military hospital and address the media and give an update on the former president's health - and at no point did they let on that in fact he probably wasn't there at all."

Stein said she had spoken to president Jacob Zuma's spokesman Mac Maharaj, who "pleaded with me as he said he has done with all other media not to say which hospital Nelson Mandela is actually in for his own sake, for his own health, for his recovery".

"But," she added, "I asked, 'Is he in the military hospital,' and he said, 'Well I'm not going to say. I won't confirm one way or the other but I'm asking you please not to say what hospital he is in'."

Mr Mandela has a long history of lung problems. He was diagnosed with tuberculosis while a prisoner on Robben Island.

He became South Africa's first black president in 1994 after 27 years of incarceration.

He left office more than a decade ago and has since retired to his rural childhood village of Qunu in the south-east of the country, but he retains a prominent place in the national psyche.

He retired from public life in 2004 famously saying, "Don't call me, I'll call you".

The revered statesman has not appeared in public since South Africa hosted the FIFA World Cup final in 2010.

ABC/wires

We are our only hope.

Unlike our brothers and sisters in some parts of our world there is not much hunger, not much poverty, no wars or much civil unrests, no religious schism that warrants our immediate attention, no racial Armageddon that is about to burst onto our midst, no clamour for same sex marriage that could lead to a lapse of all moral values that we have hold in reverence (ahem…..so they say!) and certainly there is an abundance of goodwill and tolerance that has allowed our people to lived together since time immemorial (with some minor hiccup here and there!) in Malaysia.

All that we have to endure is corruption, avarice and the arrogance of our political leaders! Surely we should be grateful for so little of life’s misfortunes?

You may think so. Barisan Nasional may think so. Pakatan Rakyat grudgingly can be taken to the water of such misfortunes but will not drink from it! In truth our people may by now even become immune to the culture of corruption, avarice and corruption that our politicians are mired in - so much so that these politicians have now adopted this is their ‘new normal’!

Imagine a politician who is not corrupt or arrogant! Surely you jest! Think of it…would you want your daughter to marry a politician? These politicians they are so deep in the abyss of politics that they are unable to discern the need to adhere to a level of decency and honesty that we mortals try to emulate – though never too successfully!

My own level of what is right and wrong is conveniently tacked to what is important and what is relevant to me. There is no consideration of race, religion or national needs in what I do - only self and my family. And I am sure for many of you that would also be the case.

And yet we do not measure our leader by the same standards. We want them to be better than us.

If we want arrogance and avarice there are plenty of that amongst us. I do not want that in my leader.

If I want liars – there are plenty of them amongst us- they too I do not want as my leader.

Those without family values will certainly be dismissed by any of us – even those of us who partake in carnal pleasure outside marriage!

Neither do I want back stabbers and those who profess to want to tell us the truth about those that have come after them when in fact what they are doing is merely to serve their own selfish interest and agenda.

We are wise to all this. We will no longer put up with these charades.

That is why I say that our hope is in ourselves. While we know our failings we also know that our leaders must be better than us. So all you leaders that have been lying, fornicating, slandering, stealing, cheating…..do come down to the padang and join us. We know enough about human weaknesses in ourselves and in others to not want the same of our leaders.

And if you seek to lead us then you will certainly need our consent to do so. And that consent will be given only because you are a better person that us!

No man is good enough to govern another man without that other's consent. 

Abraham Lincoln

What hope is there then for our nation and its future? The hope I see comes not from our leaders but from its people. We are rational enough to not want leaders who are no better than us! It is time that these leaders understand that to govern they must be better than the governed. We insist that only the best amongst us shall lead us!

That is why I say that we are our only hope!

There are rare exceptions to this ‘new normal’ amongst politicians. And I know that for some of us that exception is Nurrul Izzah..for some Ku Li and I am sure that there will be others who will, through their deeds and vision, cause us to have faith and belief again in the goodness of our fellow human beings. For now these exceptions are rare but we live in hope.

I wish I could say that the goings on in KL no longer fazes me but I cannot. As has been said before genius has it limits but stupidity does not! The roll call of these stupid ‘celebrities junkies’ (for want of a better term!) continues to meander leisurely through the ranks of Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat – more of the former than the latter but it is still to close to call. But the wonder of it all is why do they insists on doing these stupid things too themselves again and again?

"The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results."

Surely our leaders are sane?

Am I the insane one unable to understand this ‘new normal’ where cheating, corruption and arrogance are the norm? Maybe I am and maybe I am not. All that I know is that I am insulated from all this ‘new normal’ by the tyranny of distance – and thank God for that! And if you ask me what I think of most of our politicians today who think they are better than us because like PDRM there have the authority to tell us what to do? Look below!

Maaf....

Isabel and Sofie

I am 65 years old. In most things that concern me I am set in my ways. I will not tolerate fools that seek to take advantage of my good nature. I will not put myself at the beck and call of anyone for financial gain (unless they are being very, very generous!) because what I have today, little as it may be, is enough for my needs. Though blogging is ‘work’ to me it is work I willingly do because it is a labour of love. Without conditions my family comes first.

And yet on things Malaysian I find myself on shifting sands of uncertainties questioning and second guessing the possible permutations of why decisions were made by our politician and more worrying, when these decisions will be changed to suit prevailing circumstances. There are no more constant in our politics.

Consider the present lineout within Pakatan Rakyat and Barisan Nasional. Frogs everywhere! Turncoats abounds. Traitors in every nook and cranny! Enemies are now friends and friends are now enemies! The whole political scenarios is a mass of contradictions, changing alliances and endless possibilities that will enable anyone to justify his or her support for or against any political convictions if he or she so chooses.

For us bloggers we are like children in a candy shop. What shall we do today? So many things to write about and so little time to do so and yet we must write about something!

For now I can only write about myself and what I do.

For the past few months I have made the conscious decisions to do not much work on my blog – in fact no work at all if I am to be honest with myself.

I do so because I choose to adjust to the changing fortunes of the life I have with my wife. As some of you know she was diagnosed with dementia in the first quarter of this year and since than, for my son, and me it has been a matter of managing that change. Thankfully we are now settled in our ways and all is well. For those of you who know dementia you will appreciate the reality that all life now revolves around the one with dementia. If he or she has loved ones that cares enough to make the necessary adjustments than he or she is blessed. If not he or she will not know any better. With pride and love I will tell you all that my wife is blessed…..in parts because of me but in reality because our son puts his mother before all else. In that not only is my wife blessed…so am I.

And now to matters more mundane.

I have my IBook working again. I have organized my niche in my bedroom where I can do work on my blog uninterrupted by the hum and din of life when I chose to do so. To all intent and purposes, by your leave and indulgence, I want to address myself to the task of getting this blog of mine - steadyaku47 – living again. Despite being 64 and set in my ways these few lines that my daughter posted on her Facebook recently have given me the ‘kick’ I needed to restart my ‘writer’s block!’…so for that Terrina, I am thankful.

“The illiterate amongst us of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn.” #Toffler