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June 27, 2009 00:50 AM
RTM Will Call It ‘Swine Flu’ – Rais
KUALA LUMPUR, June 26 (Bernama) — Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM) will continue to use the term ’swine flu’ instead of influenza A (H1N1), said Information, Communication and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim.
Denying that the term would cause confusion, he said ’swine flu’ was easier for the people, including those in the rural areas, to digest despite the Health Ministry’s stand of using the term ‘influenza A (H1N1)’.
“The issue does not arise at all. What matter most, the people understand that it is swine flu and not elephant flu… if H1N1 is used (by the Health Ministry), RTM will use swine flu.
“We have discussed this matter and internationally it is known as H1N1 but in Malaysia we will use the term ’swine flu’. This is to ensure that the people understand the meaning,” he said after attending the full rehearsal for the launching of 1Malaysia logo and song at Dataran Merdeka here tonight.
Read the rest of the other stuff on 1malaysia here.
Meanwhile ….
Update: 2230HR 28/06/09
MOI minister, RY, now speaks through both sides of his mouth while the H1N1 casualty rises to 124. Let’s pray that RY’s information obfuscating does not ‘dumb down’ civil society further until a vaccine is found in 2010.
I have just read the Ancient Mariner’s posting (here) regarding the latest PAC proceedings on the PKFZ fiasco.
Needless to say, I am totally disappointed at the lack of urgency being adopted by the authorities in investigating this case.
Apart from Mob’s swipe, as illustrated above, at the warped humor being thrown at us, we now have quotable ’sarcasm’ by the PAC chairman, Azmi Khalid.
According to him, the MACC chairman probably has more “important things to attend to” than to be present at a PAC inquiry comprising of 13 of the 14 PAC members.
Besides Azmi, the others were deputy chairman Dr Tan Seng Giaw (Kepong-DAP), Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed (Pulai-BN), Tan Ah Eng (Gelang Patah-BN), Hamim Samuri (Ledang-BN), Datuk Seri Mojilip Bumburing@Wilfred (Tuaran-BN), Liang Teck Meng (Simpang Renggam-BN), Alexander Nanta Linggi (Kapit-BN), Abdul Rahman Dahlan (Kota Belud-BN), Kamarul Baharin Abbas (Teluk Kemang-BN), William Leong (Selayang-PKR), Kamarudin Jaafar (Tumpat-Pas) and Tony Pua (PJ Utara-DAP).
Sooo .. what actually do we have thus far since the PwC report went ‘public’ -
a) The MCA chief passed the buck to the MACC chief for a more authoritative investigation.
b) The PAC chief .. errmm .. by not ‘probing the Fab Four‘, former PKFZ general manager OC Phang, former Port Klang Authority chairperson and current Deputy Finance Minister Chor Chee Hueng and two former Transport Ministers Ling Liong Sik and Chan Kong Choy, passed the buck to the MACC chief for a .. errmm .. more authoritative investigation.
c) The PAC committee members were NOT allowed to hold on to the full PwC report including the appendices beyond the confines of the meeting room (according to LKS during further discussions with Capt after last week’s PKFZ forum).
d) 300 copies of the PwC full report, including appendices, which were meant to be distributed to MPs on Monday 15th June 2009 will now be delayed until PAC completes its inquiry on the PKFZ fiasco.
Read TMI’s report which contained the following excerpt – “The delay has further knock on effects as the full report with appendices made up of official documents into the RM12.5 billion scandal will only be distributed to parliamentarians together with the PAC’s final findings into the matter“.
e) Meanwhile, the PAC chief has more ‘quotable explanations’ –
1) “The MACC had sent its investigation director Datuk Mohd Shukri Abdull to attend the meeting but PAC cannot proceed with authority without the MACC chief present and he must appear before the PAC“.
2) “So I have decided not to withdraw based on the opinion of my colleagues [the PAC committee] and on the fact that PAC does not have executive power except to ask relevant authorities to investigate the matter“.
and
3) When asked if PAC would take action against him [MACC chief], Azmi said: “I don’t think that is necessary yet. But if he fails to attend our meetings a few more times, then we may have to decide again“.
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Do you get the feeling that the BN government does not want the public to get hold of the full PwC report, including appendices, because it may contain damning evidences of fiduciary negligence, etc, etc which will incriminate the perpetrators?
Foregone conclusion, eh folks but then, we are not allowed to ‘conclusionise’ (sic).
(Note: PDRM has a monopoly on the words “No speculation, please”).
Seriously, I really need to brush up on my silat and/or kung fu moves to address the tai chi stuff these ‘chiefs’ are dishing out.
Yer wanna know why?
Coz I heard that the next progress bailout payment due to KDSB PKFZ is scheduled for 30th June 2009!
Dang! Suddenly, my popcorn taste .. bleeaghhh!
It seems everyone’s into twittering nowadays.
That 140 character phenomena of new media is apparently the latest hip thingy to have and do by the young and not so young, and possibly some from the in-betweens.
Wanted to catch the latest ‘hot buns’ info on today’s parliamentary sitting soooo .. I read Jeff’s stuff and found some gems:
a) Abdullah Badawi just got in 10.50am. Sitting next to Ong Ka Ting, first row of the block in directly facing the Speaker. Must have dozed off on the way to .. yaaawwwnn .. work.
b) Najib answers Oral Question #5 (Stimulus Package) as if he is making a budget speech. No stats on the draw-down of the RM7b + RM60b packages. That’s what can happen when yer holding two portfolios and can’t twit concisely.
c) Speaker agrees Kit Siang motion is specific, of public interest and urgent, but it is still rejected as Transport Ministry has made remedy. Gotta be PKFZ mah. That’s the other latest crazy thing in town. OTK out of town .. nay .. country. Problem remedied!
You can get the rest here if yer interested.
And it wasn’t too long ago that ‘twit’ meant something else altogether.
Btw did you know I wrote this in May 2007. A ‘blogger in parliament’ with MP credentials certainly doesn’t need media accreditation. Hark! Do I hear someone else banging at the door saying “I am MM. Gimme your best seat in da House”.
Today, there are several with hues reflecting real life.
Oh well .. Wonders never ceases, eh folks.
Popcorn anyone?
The following comment by ‘Ruyom’ IMHO deserve a standalone posting for its pertinent message.
When I read it, several knots of emotion got churned up within.
Anger at this person who has the audacity to leave Malaysia and look for greener pastures elsewhere was my initial reaction.
Reading his/her message in the early hours of the morning upon returning home from a meeting with the usual suspects of the blogging fraternity brought conflicting thoughts on ‘discussions of hope creation’ against the stark reality of what’s happening in this country.
A little later, with sensibilities restored, Ruyom’s plea became obvious.
Our nation’s stewards, both royal and common, have failed to keep true patriots from leaving our shores.
To me, that’s the ultimate betrayal and I leave it to you to decide on who are the traitors.
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Submitted on 2009/06/11 at 3:21am
by Ruyom:
I hope everyone studies this carefully crafted article by Awang Selamat (Utusan), one of the best apologists and spin doctors Umno has to offer us, and reflect on the cynicism, hypocrisy and corruption that opportunists hope might appeal to backwards feudal mentalities so beloved of those who walk the corridors of power in Putrajaya.
Let us examine the Awang Selamat article.
When Awang Selamat writes the malays have been betrayed, then he is keeping very good company indeed. Adolf Hitler repeatedly wrote the Germans have been betrayed by the minority Jews. Karadzan Milosevic repeatedly said the Serbians have been betrayed by the minority Bosnians.
Robert Mugabe repeatedly said the Zimbabweans have been betrayed by the foreign West. The BJP regularly say that the Hindus have been betrayed by the minority Muslims.
Nevertheless I am certain that the Malays nowadays are not as uninformed as Awang Selamat and his political masters in Umno would like to believe.
The fact is, Malaysia is fast becoming another basket case country – and the most important thing if you can’t fix the problem or won’t fix the problem is that – Umno can still make sure they win the next elections by fixing the blame.
There is rampant theft by Umno elites, wholesale corruption by Umno cronies whereby the rich and connected malays are entitled to rob the poor and everybody else under the guise of social justice via the NEP, Umno nepotism in the leadership selection process, a fixed judiciary by Umno, a fixed police by Umno and a fixed electoral commissions by Umno.
Why should Umno leaders fix the problem when they are getting richer by the minute via corruption, cronyism and nepotism?
Awang Selamat like other Utusan hacks have been hired to do the job for Umno – make sure Umno can fix the blame onto the non-Malays via a good dose of racist rhetoric, scare mongering, hate mongering, bigotry and ethnic xenophobia – straight from the serious and weighty editorial section of Utusan.
They all have been victims – the minority Bosnian Muslims in the former Yugoslavia, minority Jews in Nazi Germany, minority Muslims in BJP India, minority whites in Zimbabwe and of course, the minority non-Malays in Malaysia.
There are no prizes for guessing who is being prepared for the role of the fall guy, scapegoat and bogeyman by Umno in Malaysia – it is Hindraf, the Bar Council, Bersih, DAP, PAS and PKR.
Adolf Hitler, Karadzan Milosevic, Robert Mugabe, BJP and Umno gangs all have one thing in common – they became obscenely powerful, filthy rich while their countrymen suffered, starved and died for it.
All the while their leaders shouted – traitor this and traitor that – as if the louder they shouted the more easily their lies could be believed.
Luckily there are a lot of Malay-Muslims in Malaysia who think for themselves, and not swallow everything Utusan tells them to. How stupid do Umno spin doctors think the rakyat have become?
As for rich Umno elites getting contracts and scholarships, and poor bright non-Malay students not even getting a place in our higher institutes of learning, this is Umno version of social justice – what a joke, what a travesty, what a monstrous lie.
The fact is Umno cannot make enough money to support their mansions, exotic cars, and wives without stealing from you and me – so Umno version of social justice will always be Umno steals from everybody – you should know by now Umno loves stealing from the poor because the poor are just such easy targets – Malays, Chinese, and Indians – semua di makan oleh Umno – sedapnya!
Awang Selamat appears aggrieved that today generation of Malay Muslim leaders might actually believe in freedom, equality and fraternity. He might be upset that some Malay Muslim leaders are trying to preach goodwill and compassion to everyone – regardless of race or creed.
I suppose this is a shocking betrayal of Umno apartheid policies where in Malaysia today you can be threatened, mollycoddled, scapegoat-ed or jailed strictly on the basis of your ethnic origins.
As a word of caution, I am sure the boys at Utusan will mix it up for their readers – sound conciliatory at some times and then sound racist xenophobic at other times – because even the most stupid people will be able to see through their ploy.
So recently when Muhyiddin ostensibly tells Utusan off in public for being too racist, what he actually means is this – You Utusan hacks are fooling nobody so please change tactics for now – later when the climate is more conducive, then you can try being racist again!
Whether the average Malay thinks Awang Selamat is talking sense or nonsense, it is immaterial to me as I have already emigrated to a country where they insist on equal citizenship, equal opportunity, inter racial solidarity, freedom of speech, rule of law, and freedom of religion – and they insist you get it for free.
Although I love my place of birth, and I am used to racial and religious idiocy from people like Awang Selamat, I see no good reason why my children should have to put up with the same institutionalised racism in a rapidly declining Third World basket case like Umno apartheid Malaysia.
In future, it won’t really matter if the next generation become university graduates or not because the Malaysian public universities will be so rotten that the degrees will be just worthless pieces of paper. What future will the kids have then?
The fate of Malaysia will always be in the hands of the malays. I hope they will choose wisely but then again, it is way too late for me and my family, because I am busy creating a life for myself abroad.
With people like Awang Selamat to lead the way for Umno, in spite of the pain of separation from old friends and family in Malaysia, and loneliness I feel abroad, I smile to myself every time I read Utusan, because I definitely know I made the right decision leaving for a country abroad that actually has a future.
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Difficult choices we must soon make.
Do you have the courage to persevere and prove Ruyom wrong, and yet emulate the righteousness of his/her dignity?
P.S. Ruyom forgot to link the referred Utusan articles and I choose to do likewise.
IT’S TIME TO STEP FORWARD.
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