Hey Musa! Care to do some real police work?

I'm just disgusted with the sky rocketing crime rate in Malaysia. Ask the IGP and he will start producing statistics stating otherwise. For the IGP, trying to sniff out RPK's ass seems to be more of a priority job as opposed to real crime busting. IGP Musa Hassan should realize that RPK is last of any Malaysian's worries. I am very saddened and disappointed to see how the BN regime along with their lapdogs are willing to go the extra mile, using tax payers' money to go after a dissident who quite obviously is much smarter than any of them.

Boasting one of the best intelligence in the world, the Malaysian police force has let the citizens of Malaysia, especially me down as they claim to not know the whereabouts of a single individual, RPK...or do they? I am starting to do doubt Musa's capabilities as a police officer, leave alone chief police officer. Anyone can play the role of the chief police of Malaysia. What more when acting runs in the family. Hey! Give me a uniform and i'll show you what an outstanding chief of police i can be. After all, isn't my job going to be just receiving orders (from my masters) and passing them down to my subordinates to be carried out? Come to think of it, even a random postman in Malaysia would probably make a good chief of police.

Here's a letter to the editor that was published in The Star yesterday by two British tourists in Malaysia. I was surprised that The Star actually published this letter. I strongly suggest that the IGP & Police Force stop playing politics and do some real policing! Letters like this can be disastrous to country's reputation and economy. Furthermore it reflects the state of neglect we are in. Buck up Musa! Buck up PDRM!


Wednesday June 10, 2009


Britons’ holiday ruined by snatch thieves

WE are two British female tourists in our 40s who have fallen prey to snatch thieves in Kuala Lumpur.

We arrived on Saturday for a three-day stay in the city. On Sunday afternoon as we were walking back to our hotel from the KL Tower, my friend’s shoulder bag was ripped from her by two men on a motorcycle coming from behind.

It was a shocking experience and made us feel both angry and sick to the stomach at such a violation. Since then, we have not felt at all safe and have spent the last two evenings in our hotel room.

It has indeed given us a terrible impression of Malaysia and Kuala Lumpur itself and we cannot wait for our flight out.

Those of you who live here, please petition whoever you need to in order to do something about these types of crimes, especially if you want tourists to keep coming here.
Neither of us will ever come here again, nor will we advise any of our friends or family to do so.

We have been travelling for over a year now in several countries (including South Africa) and have never experienced anything like this before.

I would also like to point out that we are not rich tourists who can afford to lose their possessions.

We worked hard all our lives so that we could take a career break and fulfil an ambition to travel around the world for 18 months.

And when we return home later this year, we will be working hard again.

However, this experience has ruined what so far has been a fantastic trip. We no longer feel safe here and regret that we decided to include this part of the world in our trip.

I know there are no doubt plenty of honest Malaysians and it’s sad that these criminals are giving your country a bad reputation. That’s exactly what they have done.

Please do what you can to deal with this problem so that other innocent tourists do not suffer the same fate.


JULIE & CONNIE,

Kuala Lumpur.


Source: http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/6/10/focus/4081622&sec=focus

The eighth continent

A huh!, and you thought you knew your geography. Well, whatever you studied in school is ole skool (hip hop for old school). Here's some new school stuff: Ever wondered where all that trash and plastic that we see floating in the drains, rivers or at some corner of the beach end up? Wrong! only part of these trash get collected and find their way to landfills. The rest, sooner or later end up in the sea. For the past 60 years or so most of these trash have been gradually accumulating in the middle of the Pacific Ocean in an area known as the Plastic Vortex. The Plastic Vortex, AKA “the Asian Trash Trail”, the “Trash Vortex”, “Eastern Garbage Patch” or the "8th continent" lies in the North Pacific sub-tropical gyre, a vast area in which the water circulates clockwise in a slow spiral forcing any floating material into the low energy central area of the gyre (like a whirlpool). These floating materials got beached and started accumulating around the islands nearby and have finally formed a huge mass which some believe could be twice the size of the state of Texas.

Image taken from www.buffaloreadings.com

Watch this youtube video to know what kind of damage we have created:

A team of concerned intellectuals and professionals, with the support of the United Nations have now come together and will be going on an expedition to the North Pacific gyre to study how to capture plastic waste in the ocean, detoxify and recycle it into diesel fuel.

On our front, since the lack of political will is rather apparent, i think it's about time that we, the people, started taking some serious efforts to curb the free and wide usage of plastic products in Malaysia. We need to educate our children on the consequences of using non-biodegradable products as opposed to biodegradable ones. We need to educate them on the importance of recycling and how littering damages our environment and health.

The perception that plastic is recyclable is not exactly accurate. Plastic can be recycled, but remember that for any material that is recycled there will be a byproduct of waste that cannot be recycled. There is no way of recycling anything 100%. There will always be a byproduct and thereby always creating waste. For more misconceptions about plastic and its recycling go here.

Information on how to reduce use and recycle plastic is all over the internet. Google it!

For more info on plastic vortex, you can visit Project Kaisei, Greenpeace, Buffaloreadings.

What you need to know about Swine Influeanza (Swine Flu)

Key Facts about Swine Influenza (Swine Flu)

What is Swine Influenza?

Swine Influenza (swine flu) is a respiratory disease of pigs caused by type A influenza virus that regularly causes outbreaks of influenza in pigs. Swine flu viruses cause high levels of illness and low death rates in pigs. Swine influenza viruses may circulate among swine throughout the year, but most outbreaks occur during the late fall and winter months similar to outbreaks in humans. The classical swine flu virus (an influenza type A H1N1 virus) was first isolated from a pig in 1930.

How many swine flu viruses are there?

Like all influenza viruses, swine flu viruses change constantly. Pigs can be infected by avian influenza and human influenza viruses as well as swine influenza viruses. When influenza viruses from different species infect pigs, the viruses can reassort (i.e. swap genes) and new viruses that are a mix of swine, human and/or avian influenza viruses can emerge. Over the years, different variations of swine flu viruses have emerged. At this time, there are four main influenza type A virus subtypes that have been isolated in pigs: H1N1, H1N2, H3N2, and H3N1. However, most of the recently isolated influenza viruses from pigs have been H1N1 viruses.


Swine Flu in Humans

Can humans catch swine flu?

Swine flu viruses do not normally infect humans. However, sporadic human infections with swine flu have occurred. Most commonly, these cases occur in persons with direct exposure to pigs (e.g. children near pigs at a fair or workers in the swine industry). In addition, there have been documented cases of one person spreading swine flu to others. For example, an outbreak of apparent swine flu infection in pigs in Wisconsin in 1988 resulted in multiple human infections, and, although no community outbreak resulted, there was antibody evidence of virus transmission from the patient to health care workers who had close contact with the patient.How common is swine flu infection in humans?In the past, CDC received reports of approximately one human swine influenza virus infection every one to two years in the U.S., but from December 2005 through February 2009, 12 cases of human infection with swine influenza have been reported.

What are the symptoms of swine flu in humans?

The symptoms of swine flu in people are expected to be similar to the symptoms of regular human seasonal influenza and include fever, lethargy, lack of appetite and coughing. Some people with swine flu also have reported runny nose, sore throat, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.

Can people catch swine flu from eating pork?

No. Swine influenza viruses are not transmitted by food. You can not get swine influenza from eating pork or pork products. Eating properly handled and cooked pork and pork products is safe. Cooking pork to an internal temperature of 160°F (70°C) kills the swine flu virus as it does other bacteria and viruses.

How does swine flu spread?

Influenza viruses can be directly transmitted from pigs to people and from people to pigs. Human infection with flu viruses from pigs are most likely to occur when people are in close proximity to infected pigs, such as in pig barns and livestock exhibits housing pigs at fairs. Human-to-human transmission of swine flu can also occur. This is thought to occur in the same way as seasonal flu occurs in people, which is mainly person-to-person transmission through coughing or sneezing of people infected with the influenza virus. People may become infected by touching something with flu viruses on it and then touching their mouth or nose.

What do we know about human-to-human spread of swine flu?

In September 1988, a previously healthy 32-year-old pregnant woman was hospitalized for pneumonia and died 8 days later. A swine H1N1 flu virus was detected. Four days before getting sick, the patient visited a county fair swine exhibition where there was widespread influenza-like illness among the swine.
In follow-up studies, 76% of swine exhibitors tested had antibody evidence of swine flu infection but no serious illnesses were detected among this group. Additional studies suggest that one to three health care personnel who had contact with the patient developed mild influenza-like illnesses with antibody evidence of swine flu infection.

How can human infections with swine influenza be diagnosed?

To diagnose swine influenza A infection, a respiratory specimen would generally need to be collected within the first 4 to 5 days of illness (when an infected person is most likely to be shedding virus). However, some persons, especially children, may shed virus for 10 days or longer. Identification as a swine flu influenza A virus requires sending the specimen to CDC for laboratory testing.

What medications are available to treat swine flu infections in humans?

There are four different antiviral drugs that are licensed for use in the US for the treatment of influenza: amantadine, rimantadine, oseltamivir and zanamivir. While most swine influenza viruses have been susceptible to all four drugs, the most recent swine influenza viruses isolated from humans are resistant to amantadine and rimantadine. At this time, CDC recommends the use of oseltamivir or zanamivir for the treatment and/or prevention of infection with swine influenza viruses.

What other examples of swine flu outbreaks are there?

Probably the most well known is an outbreak of swine flu among soldiers in Fort Dix, New Jersey in 1976. The virus caused disease with x-ray evidence of pneumonia in at least 4 soldiers and 1 death; all of these patients had previously been healthy. The virus was transmitted to close contacts in a basic training environment, with limited transmission outside the basic training group. The virus is thought to have circulated for a month and disappeared. The source of the virus, the exact time of its introduction into Fort Dix, and factors limiting its spread and duration are unknown. The Fort Dix outbreak may have been caused by introduction of an animal virus into a stressed human population in close contact in crowded facilities during the winter. The swine influenza A virus collected from a Fort Dix soldier was named A/New Jersey/76 (Hsw1N1).

Is the H1N1 swine flu virus the same as human H1N1 viruses?

No. The H1N1 swine flu viruses are antigenically very different from human H1N1 viruses and, therefore, vaccines for human seasonal flu would not provide protection from H1N1 swine flu viruses.


Swine Flu in Pigs

How does swine flu spread among pigs?

Swine flu viruses are thought to be spread mostly through close contact among pigs and possibly from contaminated objects moving between infected and uninfected pigs. Herds with continuous swine flu infections and herds that are vaccinated against swine flu may have sporadic disease, or may show only mild or no symptoms of infection.

What are signs of swine flu in pigs?

Signs of swine flu in pigs can include sudden onset of fever, depression, coughing (barking), discharge from the nose or eyes, sneezing, breathing difficulties, eye redness or inflammation, and going off feed.

How common is swine flu among pigs?

H1N1 and H3N2 swine flu viruses are endemic among pig populations in the United States and something that the industry deals with routinely. Outbreaks among pigs normally occur in colder weather months (late fall and winter) and sometimes with the introduction of new pigs into susceptible herds. Studies have shown that the swine flu H1N1 is common throughout pig populations worldwide, with 25 percent of animals showing antibody evidence of infection. In the U.S. studies have shown that 30 percent of the pig population has antibody evidence of having had H1N1 infection. More specifically, 51 percent of pigs in the north-central U.S. have been shown to have antibody evidence of infection with swine H1N1. Human infections with swine flu H1N1 viruses are rare. There is currently no way to differentiate antibody produced in response to flu vaccination in pigs from antibody made in response to pig infections with swine H1N1 influenza.

While H1N1 swine viruses have been known to circulate among pig populations since at least 1930, H3N2 influenza viruses did not begin circulating among US pigs until 1998. The H3N2 viruses initially were introduced into the pig population from humans. The current swine flu H3N2 viruses are closely related to human H3N2 viruses.
Is there a vaccine for swine flu? Vaccines are available to be given to pigs to prevent swine influenza. There is no vaccine to protect humans from swine flu. The seasonal influenza vaccine will likely help provide partial protection against swine H3N2, but not swine H1N1 viruses.


Swine Influenza and You

What is swine flu?

Swine Influenza (swine flu) is a respiratory disease of pigs caused by type A influenza viruses that causes regular outbreaks in pigs. People do not normally get swine flu, but human infections can and do happen. Swine flu viruses have been reported to spread from person-to-person, but in the past, this transmission was limited and not sustained beyond three people.

Are there human infections with swine flu in the U.S.?

In late March and early April 2009, cases of human infection with swine influenza A (H1N1) viruses were first reported in Southern California and near San Antonio, Texas. Other U.S. states have reported cases of swine flu infection in humans and cases have been reported internationally as well. CDC and local and state health agencies are working together to investigate this situation.

Is this swine flu virus contagious?

CDC has determined that this swine influenza A (H1N1) virus is contagious and is spreading from human to human. However, at this time, it not known how easily the virus spreads between people.

What are the signs and symptoms of swine flu in people?

The symptoms of swine flu in people are similar to the symptoms of regular human flu and include fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. Some people have reported diarrhea and vomiting associated with swine flu. In the past, severe illness (pneumonia and respiratory failure) and deaths have been reported with swine flu infection in people. Like seasonal flu, swine flu may cause a worsening of underlying chronic medical conditions.

How does swine flu spread?

Spread of this swine influenza A (H1N1) virus is thought to be happening in the same way that seasonal flu spreads. Flu viruses are spread mainly from person to person through coughing or sneezing of people with influenza. Sometimes people may become infected by touching something with flu viruses on it and then touching their mouth or nose.

How can someone with the flu infect someone else?

Infected people may be able to infect others beginning 1 day before symptoms develop and up to 7 or more days after becoming sick. That means that you may be able to pass on the flu to someone else before you know you are sick, as well as while you are sick.

What should I do to keep from getting the flu?

First and most important: wash your hands. Try to stay in good general health. Get plenty of sleep, be physically active, manage your stress, drink plenty of fluids, and eat nutritious food. Try not touch surfaces that may be contaminated with the flu virus. Avoid close contact with people who are sick.

Are there medicines to treat swine flu?

Yes. CDC recommends the use of oseltamivir or zanamivir for the treatment and/or prevention of infection with these swine influenza viruses. Antiviral drugs are prescription medicines (pills, liquid or an inhaler) that fight against the flu by keeping flu viruses from reproducing in your body. If you get sick, antiviral drugs can make your illness milder and make you feel better faster. They may also prevent serious flu complications. For treatment, antiviral drugs work best if started soon after getting sick (within 2 days of symptoms).

How long can an infected person spread swine flu to others?

People with swine influenza virus infection should be considered potentially contagious as long as they are symptomatic and possible for up to 7 days following illness onset. Children, especially younger children, might potentially be contagious for longer periods.

What surfaces are most likely to be sources of contamination?

Germs can be spread when a person touches something that is contaminated with germs and then touches his or her eyes, nose, or mouth. Droplets from a cough or sneeze of an infected person move through the air. Germs can be spread when a person touches respiratory droplets from another person on a surface like a desk and then touches their own eyes, mouth or nose before washing their hands.

How long can viruses live outside the body?

We know that some viruses and bacteria can live 2 hours or longer on surfaces like cafeteria tables, doorknobs, and desks. Frequent handwashing will help you reduce the chance of getting contamination from these common surfaces.

What can I do to protect myself from getting sick?

There is no vaccine available right now to protect against swine flu. There are everyday actions that can help prevent the spread of germs that cause respiratory illnesses like influenza. Take these everyday steps to protect your health:

• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread this way.
• Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
• If you get sick with influenza, CDC recommends that you stay home from work or school and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them.

What is the best way to keep from spreading the virus through coughing or sneezing?

If you are sick, limit your contact with other people as much as possible. Do not go to work or school if ill. Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. It may prevent those around you from getting sick. Put your used tissue in the waste basket. Cover your cough or sneeze if you do not have a tissue. Then, clean your hands, and do so every time you cough or sneeze.

What is the best way to keep from spreading the virus through coughing or sneezing?

If you are sick, limit your contact with other people as much as possible. Do not go to work or school if ill. Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. It may prevent those around you from getting sick. Put your used tissue in the waste basket. Cover your cough or sneeze if you do not have a tissue. Then, clean your hands, and do so every time you cough or sneeze.

What is the best technique for washing my hands to avoid getting the flu?

Washing your hands often will help protect you from germs. Wash with soap and water or clean with alcohol-based hand cleaner. We recommend that when you wash your hands with soap and warm water & that you wash for 15 to 20 seconds. When soap and water are not available, alcohol-based disposable hand wipes or gel sanitizers may be used. You can find them in most supermarkets and drugstores. If using gel, rub your hands until the gel is dry. The gel doesn't need water to work; the alcohol in it kills the germs on your hands.

What should I do if I get sick?

If you live in areas where swine influenza cases have been identified and become ill with influenza-like symptoms, including fever, body aches, runny nose, sore throat, nausea, or vomiting or diarrhea, you may want to contact their health care provider, particularly if you are worried about your symptoms. Your health care provider will determine whether influenza testing or treatment is needed.

If you are sick, you should stay home and avoid contact with other people as much as possible to keep from spreading your illness to others.

If you become ill and experience any of the following warning signs, seek emergency medical care.

In children, emergency warning signs that need urgent medical attention include:

• Fast breathing or trouble breathing
• Bluish skin color
• Not drinking enough fluids
• Not waking up or not interacting
• Being so irritable that the child does not want to be held
• Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough
• Fever with a rash

In adults, emergency warning signs that need urgent medical attention include:

• Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
• Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen
• Sudden dizziness
• Confusion
• Severe or persistent vomiting

How serious is swine flu infection?

Like seasonal flu, swine flu in humans can vary in severity from mild to severe. Between 2005 until January 2009, 12 human cases of swine flu were detected in the U.S. with no deaths occurring. However, swine flu infection can be serious. In September 1988, a previously healthy 32-year-old pregnant woman in Wisconsin was hospitalized for pneumonia after being infected with swine flu and died 8 days later. A swine flu outbreak in Fort Dix, New Jersey occurred in 1976 that caused more than 200 cases with serious illness in several people and one death.

Can I get swine influenza from eating or preparing pork?

No. Swine influenza viruses are not spread by food. You cannot get swine influenza from eating pork or pork products. Eating properly handled and cooked pork products is safe.


Antiviral Drugs and Swine Influenza

Antiviral Drugs:

Antiviral drugs are prescription medicines (pills, liquid or an inhaler) with activity against influenza viruses, including swine influenza viruses. Antiviral drugs can be used to treat swine flu or to prevent infection with swine flu viruses. These medications must be prescribed by a health care professional. Influenza antiviral drugs only work against influenza viruses, they will not help treat or prevent symptoms caused by infection from other viruses that can cause symptoms similar to the flu.

There are four influenza antiviral drugs approved for use in the United States (oseltamivir, zanamivir, amantadine and rimantadine). The swine influenza A (H1N1) viruses that have been detected in humans in the United States and Mexico are resistant to amantadine and rimantadine so these drugs will not work against these swine influenza viruses. Laboratory testing on these swine influenza A (H1N1) viruses so far indicate that they are susceptible (sensitive) to oseltamivir and zanamivir.

Benefits of Antiviral Drugs:

• Treatment:
  If you get sick, antiviral drugs can make your illness milder and make you feel better faster. They may also prevent serious influenza complications. For treatment, antiviral drugs work best if started as soon after getting sick as possible, and might not work if started more than 48 hours after illness starts.
  
• Prevention:
  Influenza antiviral drugs also can be used to prevent influenza when they are given to a person who is not ill, but who has been or may be near a person with swine influenza. When used to prevent the flu, antiviral drugs are about 70% to 90% effective. When used for prevention, the number of days that they should be used will vary depending on a person’s particular situation.

CDC Recommendation:

CDC recommends the use of oseltamivir or zanamivir for the treatment and/or prevention of infection with swine influenza viruses.

Oseltamivir (brand name Tamiflu ®) is approved to both treat and prevent influenza A and B virus infection in people one year of age and older.

Zanamivir (brand name Relenza ®) is approved to treat influenza A and B virus infection in people 7 years and older and to prevent influenza A and B virus infection in people 5 years and older.

Recommendations for using antiviral drugs for treatment or prevention of swine influenza will change as we learn more about this new virus.

Clinicians should consider treating any person with confirmed or suspected swine influenza with an antiviral drug.

-Taken from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), USA.-

For more info on Swine Influenza from CDC, go here.

For updates on Swine Influenza in Malaysia, go here.

Ismail Merican and his sham gang

Ismail Merican could be portraying himself as a righteous D-G (of the Ministry of Health), but he was not speaking with hand on his heart when he declared that there was no foul play in A.Kugan's death. This unethical man who had once taken the Hippocratic Oath turns out yet again, to be a hypocrite of the highest order. He is another political carpenter who just applied another layer of veneer full of lies and deceit onto Kugan's coffin with evil intentions of covering up yet another custodial death.


Some points to ponder:


1. The Malaysian Medical Council does not have the jurisdiction to hear or conduct such independent investigations, especially on post mortem and post mortem reports. By virtue of legality, this was an illegal investigation and the findings and verdict of this investigation should by right have no legal bearing. If the A-G's chamber does acknowledge the findings of this committee, then i am keen to know on what grounds.


2. The list of doctors in this sham panel are:

• Dr. Mohd Shah Mahmood (chairman) - Senior Consultant Forensic Pathologist, HKL


• Dr. Phang Koon Seng - Consultant histopathologist (HUKM)


• Datuk Dr. Bhupinder Singh - Senior Consultant Forensic Pathologist & H.O.D (Penang Hospital)


• Datuk Jeyaindran Sinnadurai - Senior Consultant Pulmonary and Critical Care Physician, HKL


• Ass. Prof Dr.Shahrom Abdul Wahid - Senior Consultant Forensic Pathologist & H.O.D (UKM)


• Dr.Mohd Suhani Mohd Noor - Consultant Forensic Pathologist (UKM)


• Dr.Tan Chwee Choon - Senior Consultant Nephrologist & H.O.D (HTAR, Klang)


• Datuk Dr. Zaki Morad Nohd Zaher - Consultant Nephrologist, Ampang Puteri Specialist Centre (Independent observer from MMC)


• Dr.Paul Chui Peng Sun (external expert) - Director, Forensic Medicine Division, Health Science Authority, Singapore


• Prof. Om Prakash Murty (external expert) - Professor, Forensic Medicine, King Faisal University, Dammam Saudi Arabia

Out of the 10 doctors above, 7 are doctors working with the Ministry of Health & Ministry of Education Malaysia. How independent can these six doctors be? How was the selection process done? Who carried out the selection?


Then you have one doctor who is said to be an independent observer from MMC. How can you call a doctor who is representing MMC, which is directly under the wings of KKM, independent? He is definitely not an independent observer.


Then there are two external experts, the director of forensic medicine, Singapore and a university professor from Dammam University, Saudi Arabia. What were their roles in the panel?
Anyone who thinks that the Singaporean doctor is going to stick his neck out for this so called investigation is an idiot.
As for the Professor from Saudi, one must know that for a foreign medical univesity to be recognized and stay recognized in Malaysia, they need to be in the good books with MMC who is the deciding body on recognition of foreign medical universities. Furthermore, during the recognition, MOUs are almost always signed by government representatives from both sides to strengthen bilateral ties between the two countries. What more between two fellow Muslim nations. Anyone who thinks that this one professor is willing to jeopardise all that for this case is an idiot too.


3. What were the terms of reference of this committee and who decided on them?


4. Why did the police seize the toxicology samples from Dr Prashant's office if not to hide the truth from being revealed?


5. Why were there no medico legal experts in the committee?

6. The only way to compare and confirm the findings of both post mortem without bias would have been to exhume Kugan's body and do a third post mortem sampling. Otherwise it's just Ismail Merican's words against Prashant Sambekar's.

7. According to Ismail Merican, Kugan had a pre existing condition of myocarditis and the injuries on Kugan’s back were the result of repeated trauma by a blunt but flexible object, like a folded rubber hose. This blunt force trauma then led to acute renal failure, which in turn aggravated the myocarditis causing his lungs to get swollen (Pulmonary Edema), taking Kugan to his final resting place.

Let's work backwards: Kugan would not have developed pulmonary edema if his myocarditis was not exacerbated. His myocarditis would not have been exacerbated if he did not developed kidney failure. He would not have developed kidney failure if he was not inflicted with all the blunt trauma injury as mentioned by Isamil Merican. He would not have sustained blunt trauma injury if the police did not beat him up terribly.

N.B: for Kugan's to have developed renal failure in 5 days, he must have suffered some massive blows to his body that led to the breakdown of muscle tissue. This itself explains the he was indeed beaten up barbarically by the police during interrogation.

So, those who beat Kugan up should be charged with at least manslaughter if not murder. Anything less shall be deemed sub judice. But can we expect justice to be served in Malaysia?

A satus not so quo

Might i start this with a sincere laughter coming all the way from my belly?...Ha! Ha! and...Hah!

The MSMs were screaming the theme of "status quo" on their front pages today referring to the just concluded tri by-elections that witnessed BN receiving some massive kick in the butt. I don't blame the MSMs actually as they are being held by their balls by the powers-that-be.

Whether it was a referendum for Najib or otherwise, the elections saw BN losing the Bukit Gantang and Bukit Selambau constituencies with larger vote differences as compared to the previous election. It was an auspicious election for the Bukit Selambau PKR candidate S. Manikumar despite all the odds stacked against him; An unknown greenhorn who garnered 12,632 votes notwithstanding the fact that he was up against BN's powerful machinations (i.e money politics, setting all 3 by-elections on the same day and on a tuesday, etc) and competing with 14 other candidates. And let's not forget that Arumugam contested as an independent candidate in March 08 and not as a Pakatan candidate.

The results of the Bukit Selambau polls March 2008 GE & April 2009:

8 March 2008 GE:

Total turn out: 25,798
BN - 10,863 votes (42%)
Independent (later PKR): 13,225 votes (51%)
Spoilt Votes: 1,694

7 April 2009 by-election:

Total turn out: 24,687
BN - 10,229 (41%)
PKR - 12,632 (51%)
Independents - 1,326 (5%)
Spoilt votes: 415

Comparing both the election results, it seems BN's score has taken a slight dip this time. So what status quo?

In Bukit Gantang, it was sweet revenge all the way. Najib's coup d'etat with the support of Sultan has clearly sparked some vengeance among the people and they returned the favour by slapping Najib smack on the face by giving Nizar an even more victorious win. This very clearly underscores the sentiments of the people of Perak and i dare say that a fresh state election will see BN losing even more constituencies. Boy oh! boy, what mess has BN got itself into.

The results of the Bukit Gantang polls March 2008 GE & April 2009:

8 March 2008 GE:

Total turn out: 40301
BN:18449 (46%)
PAS: 20015 (50%)
Independent: 872 (2%)
Spoilt votes: 851

9 April 2009 by-election:

Total turn out: 41,626
BN: 19,071 (46%)
PAS: 21,860 (53%)
Independent: 62 (0.15%)
Spoilt votes: 456

Again, what status quo? PAS did better this by-election.

I shall not comment on how Batang Ai fared. It would be like comparing an apple to an orange.

Finally i would like to also thank the BN regime for:

1) all the false reforms, political spinning and rhetorical promises.
2) all the machinations to cheat the people whom they think are so stupid and are unable to distinguish truth from falsehood, honesty from deception and sincerity from hypocrisy.
3) upkeeping the principles of racial politics and playing the race cards in every election without fail.
4) releasing 13 ISA detainees, but holding the rest back as proof of selective persecution and as proof that BN is still arrogant
5) releasing 13 ISA detainees and holding back the rest as proof that the BN politicians are above the law, play god with the lives of Malaysians and make decisions according to their whims and fancies with no regards to the Federal Constitution of Malaysia.
6) mending ties with Mahathir and sending him over to campaign for BN. It helped us win Bukit Gantang.
7) letting Ismail Merican release the "No foul play in Kugan's death" verdict to the press just before the election day. It got the non-Malay fence sitters going.
8) using the Police force as BN's lapdogs and thugs who used excessive use force during Pakatan's ceramahs prior to the by-elections. It helped.
9) setting 7th April, Tuesday, a working day as polling day with malicious intent. It made the voters even more determined to return home to vote, vote against BN. It helped too.

Here's a more descriptive image of what happened to BN at both the Bukits:

3 cheers to BN's misgovernance of Malaysia. I'm most definitely looking forward for more. How about you?

Bukit Selambau: An Urgent Call for Calm & Understanding, and Suggestions for a Way Forward.

This was a comment made by a reader called Malaysian on my 'Come on Indians, don't lose the plot' post. I feel it deserves to be put up as a post. A very well articulated comment with an in depth analysis of the happenings in Bukit Selambau...


I’m writing this with deep concern over the Pakatan Rakyat’s prospects in the Selambau Election as well as for the future of the alternatif movement as well. Just over a month ago we were quite united, and so confident that BN could never win, even against goats & cows. Today the situation has changed dramatically, as the conflict that is apparently brewing within the AM over the choice of candidate for the Bukit Selambau by election threatens our chances there as well the achievement of our aspirations for Malaysia. I say apparently, because my only sources of information are news reports & blogs postings, some from the MSM, some from bloggers & journalists whose agendas I don’t know about. I have no way of verifying what is the real situation, & given the Standard Operating Procedures of our opponents in the past, I cannot stress enough the importance of getting to the TRUTH.

What I find especially distressing is the tone of the anger that has been directed at Hindraf & the PKR dissenters, in the comments & reports in our blogosphere. On page after page they have had so many insults, threats & stereotypes hurled at them, it is as if BN’s propaganda in the MSM & blogs designed to demonize, demoralize & discredit them has done its job. I don‘t doubt that most of our comments have been made with good intentions & end in mind, i.e. victory for PR, and were sparked by that sense of urgency & alarm that we all feel as the elections approach. Nevertheless, I cannot but feel that such a tone is unworthy of anyone who shares in the values that I believe PR stands for.

Have we forgotten the role that Hindraf played in making 8/3/08 possible? These are the people who, in their pain & desperation could do nothing else but put their bodies & their lives in the path of the FRU & their chemical cannons. True, dissatisfaction with BN had been growing for a long time, but for me, seeing the blood that they shed when they stood their ground & embraced the truncheon’s blows over & over again, deeply changed the way that I thought & felt about my country & myself. They led the way, they electrified us, even shamed us into action; but sadly, to this very day, they and their families still bleed for it. Some are locked away & forgotten; some prosecuted & persecuted. Many know now what it is to be without Father, Husband or Family. Some, ill, uncared for and forsaken, deteriorate day by day; and one, in exile, may never get to return home, not even to die. Then, there’s that deepest & most painful of wounds that they all bear: the subtle racism, overt ostracism & slur; a wound to which we can now safely say, we have rubbed in our own little “contribution” of salt. Whatever you or I may think about Hindraf or their apparent position on Bukit Selambau, let us agree that at the very least, we owe them our respect & gratitude.

I’ve organised the rest of my thoughts under 4 headings:

A. Our Current Situation
B. What’s really at stake here
C. Suggested Way Forward
D. Final Thoughts

A. Our Current Situation

On the face of it we have Hindraf & PKR grassroots leaders are unhappy with PKR leaders’ decision to nominate S. Manikumar as PKR candidate for Bukit Selambau. Both (Hindraf & PKR) had prepared shortlists of their preferred candidates but none were chosen. Their main reasons for this unhappiness seem to be:

 Disappointment at not being chosen themselves, as a “reward” for past hard work
 Manikumar’s youth, inexperience, lack of record and not being a local, being a “crony”
 Not being involved in the selection process
 Lack of transparency in the process
 Disagreement with process & selection criteria itself
 Perceived double standards in selection
 Possible issues with Manikumar’s allegedly fraudulent business dealings
 Perception of there having been backroom deals with V. Arumugam with the involvement of DSAI’s friends (one Datuk Ravi?)

Other longer standing grouses with PR may be:

 Lack of democracy in PKR & PKR Kedah, who have not held state-level elections since he joined in 2004
 Perception of having been deceived by false promises and lack of progress on various development issues e.g. land for schools, citizenship documents, social issues, business opportunities & training
 Perception of a lack of respect and appreciation

One thing I want to note here is these reasons, with the exception of the one regarding personal disappointment, are not racist (ala ketuanan UMNO/MCA/MIC) but actually speak to root issues of common concern.

As a result of this dissatisfaction:

 3 ex PKR members are standing in Bukit Selambau as independents
 Hindraf is not supporting PKR’s campaign in Bukit Selambau
 PKR’s Jerai division has disbanded itself & Kalaivanar has thrown his support for BN
 Various commentators have condemned Hindraf & the PKR Kedah dissidents, with growing perception of Hindraf as an unworthy organisation with a agenda driven by racist or personal concerns

This conflict must be seen in the context of of PR’s growing list of problems & challenges (partly self inflicted, partly BN’s doing):

 Abortive takeover of Parliament & our perceived loss of the moral high ground
 Fall of Perak and PR’s subsequent tactical errors resulting in emotionally sensitive charges of derhaka and the attendant publicity
 Perception amongst rakyat (not just Hindraf) that PR has not been effective & efficient, that PRU 12 promises have not been kept
 Various scandals (real or engineered) surrounding PR personalities, accompanied by doubt’s about integrity of PR reps
 Lack of a coherent common vision accompanied by bouts of discord between & within PR component parties

Add to all that a perceived BN “resurgence” due to Mahathir’s return to a “united” UMNO, Samy Vellu’s “new mandate” at MIC, Najib’s repressive countermeasures and we may just be seeing the beginnings of a “perfect storm”.

B. What’s really at stake here

Superficially, at stake is the victory in Bukit Selambau as well as in Bukit Gantang & Batang Ai. However we must go below the surface, and acknowledge that even if we win all three, given the current situation as outlined above, this conflict within us will slow down the momentum of our movement, perhaps even allow BN to begin rolling back the clock to pre-PRU 12. To regain forward momentum, as well as to help build a strong foundation for our struggle, a careful consideration of the deeper root issues raised by this conflict is needed within PR. What’s really at stake here is our movement’s identity, vision, direction & indeed future viability. These issues, all which overlap with real Hindraf/PKR grouses identiified above, are:

 Vision & leadership• What is our vision for all Malaysians?• Is this vision a shared one? How do we create this consensus?• What are our strategies & policies to achieve this vision?

 Values, Principles & Political Culture• What are our values & principles?• Are these values & principles practiced by our current leaders at all levels?o Do we want feudal “warlords” as leaders who know everything & cannot be questioned & seem to seek personal interests? Are there old BN habits & paradigms that still infect us?• Are we open, consultative, empowering, engaging & transparent?• Do we play the politics of race, patronage, feudalism, cronyism & nepotism, backroom dealmaking, numbers, rewards for loyalty? In other words business as usual BN style?• What is the true nature of the relationship between PR & rakyat?

 Delivery & execution• How do we select & develop a truly representative cadre of leaders in such a way that no group feels left out?• Do we select leaders by ability, or as a reward for loyalty? Do we place unfair standards of class, formal education or wealth? • Is our leader selection process transparent, fair, where all have had a say in it and agreed the rules? Are there double standards?• How have we delivered on our promises since 8/3/08? A lot was promised.• Have we been fair & equitable or have we been busy fighting fires, living from crisis to crisis (some of our own making), & neglected to lead in the truest sense of the word?• How do we work with marginalized groups who bear the brunt of BN’s failed policies? Takeovers of Parliament & long term political goals are all well & good but what do we do to ease their suffering here & now?

 Communication (most of the misunderstanding is really attributable to poor communication & engagement)• How do we inform & educate stakeholders, understand & manage expectations, & get our message across?• How do we work with multiple stakeholders, with common broad goals but diverse cultures & perspectives?• How do we raise the level of political discourse beyond race & patronage?• How do we work with the various groups who are at different levels of political maturity, thanks to our political monoculture of the last 50 years?

C. One Way Forward

The thing to do is to sit down together & share one’s thoughts & feelings openly. The main purpose of this meeting should be to find & develop a common vision, set of values, principles and goals that we truly share. When that is done, consider & address the dissatisfaction & disagreements that have been the cause.

I suggest that Tuan Guru Nik Aziz (probably the most respected leader in Malaysia) be the host or convenor. The leadership of both sides must come with open minds & most importantly open hearts. There can be no place for personal egos, posturing & rhetoric or trying to gain concessions ala BN’s old politics. All talks must be firmly based on mutual respect and objective truth that can be verified. If we only plaster over cracks by merely soothing tensions while ignoring the real issues, we are setting ourselves up for future disaster.

There will not be enough time to cover every detail, but there is enough to begin to repair the relationship. It may be too late to undo some mistakes if mistakes have been made. If both sides decide that we can work together, come out of that room together & share with all of Malaysia what you have just achieved. Make it crystal clear that no effort will be spared to achieve victory, make it plain that errors have acknowledged, bonds have been mended, wrongs have been set right and changes have been committed to. Then let us each do what we do best.

D. Final ThoughtsTo PR:

Most of Hindraf’s & PKR’s grouses seem to be real & most are based on one or more of the common issues stated above. Granted, 1 or 2 personalities seem to be pushing for personal gain & “reward”, but once the underlying grouses are addressed, those with personal interests in mind will be clearly identifiable & obvious to all. I disagree with Neil Khor & others who say that Hindraf has a “radical race based agenda” and I do not believe that there is any fundamental unbridgeable ideological difference between PR & Hindraf. With their leaders behind bars & the perception that we have forsaken them, what we are seeing is not a racial agenda ala UMNO/MCA/MIC but frustration over the issues raised, coupled with the vestiges of BN thinking & political paradigm. As I said before, old habits die hard. The right question to ask is how do we engage them? Let us start by acknowledging that some of us have been treating Hindraf as the Greeks treated Philoctetes, good enough to fight for us but not good enough to be in our company & to engage with fully. The day we start ignoring constitutents we will start becoming BN hoping to win based on a not BN USP. PR same as BN. However, under no circumstances must you compromise your non-sectarian agenda”.

To Hindraf & PKR dissidents:

I won’t pretend that I understand the depth of your pain. But I will say this: the Chinese have a saying: “tong zhou gong ji” which means “when people are in the same boat, they should help each other”. Right now, except for the BNputras & their cronies, we are all in the same boat, and our boat is now leaking. If we do not help each other now, we will all sink together. So in this emergency with 8 days left it’s time to get our boat safely across. True, your community has been marginalized by BN and I won’t try to lessen or underestimate your suffering, but you must acknowledge that you are not the only one in pain. Poor Malays & orang asli still face conditions just as bad. I’m not asking you to sacrifice your principles or tolerate unfair dealing from anyone, PR included. Ask the tough questions and hold PR accountable for whatever they have promised. But at the same time be prepared to honestly reexamine Hindraf’s struggle. Do not be chained to old BN ways of thinking, and do not be afraid to think out of the box. Please take the opportunity to make your voice heard. The overwhelming perception out there is that some amongst you are seeking personal position or that you are only fighting for a narrow racist agenda. This is a golden opportunity to set the record straight. Supporting BN now will only harden & solidify the this negative perception.

Make no mistake, a vote for any of the independents or a even spoilt vote will be a vote for BN. It would be a real loss for all if people who have the same overall goals fail to work tohgether & hand victory to those who have been oppresing all of us these many years. And while you are considering your next course of action, do be aware of those in your midst whose may not have your best interests at heart.May I also humbly remind you of Waythamoorthy’s words, that I believe ring so true today: “Many see Hindraf as an opportunity to gain leverage and dictate their own benefits. This is totally against our principles. Hindraf is you and me who are battling a war for better policies and governance for the Malaysian Indian as a society with equal and fair treatment as opposed to individual glamour and glory."

To both PR & Hindraf:

Don’t let BN exploit this division by spreading more lies & confusion. Their MSM & blogs have already begun. We only help BN more when the tone of our discourse deteriorate to the level of provocations, threats & insults. To see that happen will be BN’s ultimate victory.

Let me be very clear - I voted for PR not to see 1 BN replaced by another. I did not vote for PR for special treatment for myself, my family or my race. I did not vote for PR to be their crony. I voted for PR for an end to corruption, cronyism, imbalanced development, mismanagement of national resources, authoritarianism, intitutionalised & societal racism. But I want a government that is more than just a mere negation of BN or “the lesser of 2 evils”. I want a government that is responsive, tolerant, respects the rakyat, transparent, fair & equitable, that promotes individual freedom & human rights. I strongly believe that these are the common bonds that unite us. Let us show that we can overcome conflicts, rediscover what really holds us together & emerge victorious together.

Lest we lose hope in our struggle, let us remember that in politics, conflict among partners is common, due to the political culture that is dominant. We need a new political culture & after 50 years, old habits die hard. Ever since 8/3/08 we have had to undergo a steep learning curve, and we cannot expect too much in 1 year & must not delude ourselves that all our leaders are all angels who will know instinctively what we the rakyat want. It is up to all of us to ensure that our leaders know what we want & to keep them on the straight path.

Now, what can we do as individuals about this. Consider carefully what is right, then communicate it to your family, friends, leaders. Get involved, for our future, the future of our country is too important to be left to chance, to in the hands of politicians.

Come on Indians, don't lose the plot!

Is it ignorance? Is it greed? These are among the questions playing in the back of the minds of many Indians who are disappointed with the way the Indians, especially the sympathizers and supporters of Makkal Sakthi in Kedah, are carrying themselves. Has anyone of them taken a moment to sit back and think why is it that a new face, Manikumar, was introduced by DSAI? Loyalty is good, but blind loyalty can be very destructive. I really hope the Makkal Sakthi movement doesn't end up going down the passage of self destruction all because of blind loyalty and the lack of foresight.

I'll try to make this as simple and as objective as possible. There are many patriots, champions and heroes of sorts among the Makkal Sakthi and these group of people have sacrificed a lot by putting their own lives at stake to champion the rights of the downtrodden and marginalized Indians in Malaysia. This is a matter of fact and i would never doubt or question it. Thus, the cry for some appreciation and recognition by some for the sacrifices made is only fair. But let's just do some reality check here and analyse the happenings in the Malaysian political arena over the past 3 months. We all know that Najib is taking over and we are all bracing for another round of 'Mahathirism' that appears to have already been set into motion. We are seeing waves of undesirable changes unfolding before our very own eyes. One after another, blow after blow being thrown at the PR by the BN regime to destabilize them gradually. To mention a few:
-Gobind suspended for one year for passing a personal remark linking Najib to the Altantuya murder, witout been given a chance to defend himself.
-Karpal charged for sedition, for merely repeating what was stated in the Federal Constitution.
-The coup d'etat that unfolded in Perak where Najib in cohort with the Sultan of Perak overthrew the Pakatan state government with the help of the 3+1 unethical ADUNs.
-The unfortunate case of Elizabeth Wong and her private life and how it was used by government controlled media to blow it out of proportion all for political gains. In other words, gutter politics.

Rumor has it that Najib is now scheming to destabilize Kedah and god knows which other states. For this they will try their very best to dig up dirt against the PR representatives and utilize it to bring them down or make them jump ship and/or pressure them to vacate their position. Many speculate that this was what happened to V.Arumugam until he was forced to vacate his ADUN portfolio in Bukit Selambau. Do we want more Arumugams? Do we want more coup d'etats? Do we want to let BN snatch back all four new PR states? Do we want to let BN dig up more dirt from under the feets of the PR representatives all for the wrong reasons? Do we want to see BN retaining power for another 50 years? So, my dear Indian brothers and sisters, please ponder on what might just be unfolding if any of our high profile HINDRAF or Makkal Sakthi champions were to be elected as our next ADUN. The simple fact remains that all our heroes carry some form luggage with them that can and will only be used against them by the BN regime to bring about another downfall.

We all know some of them such as Kalaivanar and Jayagopal have pending court cases and lot's of other luggage with them. Jayagopal, to add on, has high tendencies to betray PKR for the right price because of his pre existing internal problems with PKR. Even R.S.Thanenthiran & Jayathas, the Malaysian coordinators for Policewatch Malaysia, would not be spared too if elected. They would be sitting ducks for BN. In this light, it is only fair that we go for a candidate with less publicity, less political dirt and someone that BN would find very difficult to penetrate. I stand corrected, but i think Manikumar makes a good candidate.

The 500 people who resigned from PKR en bloc with Kalaivanar should reconsider their move and i hope they don't blindly follow their 'leader' to the BN grave. They should contemplate the fact that their 'leader' is willing to abandon the struggle for a better future for the Indians and Malaysians as a whole just because he was not the chosen candidate for PKR. That makes him less selfless and more a selfish person. That makes him a dangerous candidate.

Come on Indians, let's start thinking out of the box. We have been in oblivion the past 51 years. Now we have a chance to do something to change that. Let's not blow it away for blind loyalty. Stop thinking as 'us Indians'. Start thinking as 'us Malaysians'. Why are we still sticking to the racial lines of struggle when that is exactly what we are trying to remove from the current system? The only way forward for the Indians in Malaysia is to stay united and support the PR to rid Malaysia of the BN regime once and for all. We also need to be patient with PR. They are only one year old. They didn't expect to take over five states last March. They are learning from their mistakes and we should allow them to do so.

Come on Indians, don't lose the plot!