Can the people of M’sia ever forgive Mahathir?

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WRITTEN BY HUSSEIN HAMID

MONDAY, 21 JUNE 2010 14:35

“[Mahathir Mohamad has] ... created a legacy so monumental that no one could have presumed his mantle.” That was what Abdullah Ahmad gushingly said of Mahathir when the ‘great man’ announced his resignation as prime minister. Tan Sri Abdullah was group editor-in-chief of the New Straits Times when he wrote the above on June 26, 2002 following news of Mahathir’s intention. I believe that that came from Abdullah’s heart for you cannot write anything so ‘moving’ if it does not come from the heart. Now let me tell you what comes from my heart when I read that. Who would be foolhardy enough to presume Mahathir mantle? This man used money and power like no other PM of Malaysia has ever done! Like no other leader in most parts of the civilized world has ever done, save for some parts of Africa and some parts of our world where accountability for one’s action is easily dismissed through the barrel of the gun!  Who would dare to presume the monumental mantle of this Mahathir who was instrumental in bringing into our way of life such concepts as Operasi Lalang (ISA and the ends justify the means of preventive detention), nepotism, money politics, greed, privatization, IPPs, and Perwaja; the monumental mantle of this Mahathir that displayed such utter vindictiveness to those who simply do not agree with his point of view? It is a monumental mantle to have left as his legacy – negotiated tenders, a tainted judiciary, Bakun, Renong and its horrendous debts, Khir Toyo, Daim Zainuddin, and the list is endless. The monumental man almost left us a crooked bridge as well. Every government machinery, every high public office appointment, every political decision made during Mahathir’s time was at his pleasure and made to do your biddings. Not Dollah, not anyone …. nobody would be foolhardy enough to try and assume that mantle. All the personal excesses that we now talk about had its beginnings, development and reached its zenith during Mahathir’s time. Samy Velu, Rafidah, VK Lingam, Augustine Paul, Liong Sik, Daim, Vincent Tan, Abdullah Ang, Eric Cheah…the mind boggles at the billions these people made at the expense of the nation! Sir, you need to take responsibility What defines greatness in a man? “It’s not what you take but what you leave behind that defines greatness.” – Edward Gardner.  Mahathir left us with debts measured in billions, not millions!  This man left us with monuments of First World stature but failed miserably to prepare our then third-world mentality to be ready for these iconic structures. If you bring a nation into an era that it is not ready for, you are being irresponsible! If you cut corners and award projects to people who YOU think can do the job and they fail to do that job – you take responsibility!  If you do nothing about a leader that robs his own people blind – like Samy Velu did to the Indians – then you take responsibility. If you take power away from the Sultans and empower Umno with the same power and Umno abuses that power – you take responsibility!  When you remove two of your deputies and in so doing caused: 1) Within Umno, a factionalism that forever weakened the party; 2) and had one of these removed deputies, Anwar, come back 10 years later and inflict upon Umno its biggest defeat, you take responsibility.  When you take a dentist and make him Menteri Besar of Selangor – and this MB then proceeds to enrich himself so excessively that it finally culminated in the loss of Selangor to the opposition – then you take responsibility.  When you take oil royalties away from Terengganu and Kelantan because the people voted for the opposition, you take responsibility for the suffering of the people within that state who are now without the funds for development.  When you use Petronas money to bail out your son’s shipping company to the tune of hundreds of millions, then you take responsibility for abusing the trust the people placed in you as the guardian of public money.  Can he walk down a street unmolested? That a man of your previous stature would require me, a 62-year-old man living in Adelaide, Australia to write this biting and hurtful article about you simply indicates the depth you have allowed yourself to sink to.  Once you told us to look East. We looked East. You told us to buy British last. We bought British last. You told us to buy Proton, we bought Proton – albeit with a little arm-twisting. Possibly all those were relevant at that point in time. So Tun, using that analogy, let me respectfully tell you this: “Tun, you are no longer relevant”. You are no longer relevant in Umno except to serve the selfish purpose of certain factions. “Hear! Hear!” or as (the blogger) Antares said for the benefit of Ibrahim Ali, “Dengar, Dengar!” You are no longer relevant to the Malays. You have done enough damage to us and we see thorough your deceptions. You are no longer relevant to the people in this country. We have all moved on and demand a more open and responsible government. We see through your duplicity and untruths. Tun, you are only relevant to those that still love you for what you are – a grandfather, a father and a husband. Is it not time that you return their love and their need to have you back in their fold? And that you return the love and respect that they give to you for what you are today? An 84-year-old grandfather, father and husband. Sir, you would need all the goodness that is in Mecca, all the forgiveness that Mandela has shown to the very people that imprisoned him, and all the love that the families of Teoh Beng Hock, Kugan and Aminulrasyid have for their loved ones if you are ever to be forgiven by the people of Malaysia.  And I know that even with all that, you would still have a hard time walking down the streets of KL without worrying that someone might spit on you…and that Sir is the whole truth and nothing but the truth…so help me God!  This article was first published as ‘Sir, you need to take responsibility!’ in Hussein Hamid’s blog on June 21 and reproduced here with minor editing by CPI.

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A typical News on Flotilla in Isreal...

Naval Raid 'Heroic fighting.' Ya'alon  Photo: Herzl Yosef   Itzik. 'Ya'alon preparing alibi' Photo: Gil Yohanan     Minister Ya'alon says Navy raid a failure Strategic affairs minister, who served as acting PM during deadly takeover of Gaza-bound vessel, praises commandos, but says 'someone failed to prepare a standard operating procedure.' Senior state official: Ya'alon preparing alibi ahead of investigation. Kadima: Soldiers' senders have no shame Attila Somfalvi Latest Update:  06.09.10, 00:56 / Israel News Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Strategic Affairs Moshe Ya'alon admitted on Tuesday that last week's deadly commandoraid on a Gaza-bound flotilla was a failure, saying that "in a place where citations should have been given, someone failed to prepare a standard operating procedure." Speaking during a meeting with council heads from the Likud party, Ya'alon said that "the decision was right, but there is room for improvement –and I am not going to elaborate." World Criticism Putin condemns Israeli raid on Gaza ship / Associated Press At news conference with Turkish counterpart, Russian PM says deadly incident which took place in international waters 'unacceptable' Full story Ya'alon, who served as acting prime minister at the time of the operation due to the fact that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was on an official visit to Canada, praised the commandos who took over the Gaza-bound flotilla. "The fighting on the deck was heroic and took place under impossible conditions," he said, while adding that "there were some malfunctions during the planning and operational stages." "I warned of this before the incident," the minister said. Operational failures? Soldier beaten during raid (Photo: AFP) 'Ya'alon responsible for SOP' A senior IDF official said in response to the remarks that "since Ya'alon was the acting prime minister at the time of the incident, he is responsible. "If there wasn't a standard operating procedure, why didn't he make sure there was one? Why didn't he hold a consultation several hours after the flotilla incident and send the ministers to give interviews to the press? He was the acting prime minister and it was his responsibility. The official added, "Ya'alon could have ensured what the army had and what it didn't have before the operation, and his remarks are an attempt to shirk responsibility ahead of the commission of inquiry. A senior state official was unsatisfied with the remarks as well, saying that "Ya'alon must have forgotten who was the acting prime minister at the time and who should have dealt with all the details of the operation. He is beginning to prepare the ground for the commission of inquiry and is preparing an alibi for himself ahead of the investigation." During Tuesday's meeting with Ya'alon, Ma'aleh Adumim Mayor Benny Kashriel complained that council heads were not being utilized in Israel's PR efforts. "We are in contact with Jewish organizations all over the world, and we have all the necessary documentation. It's a shame were are not being put to work," he said.    Kadima MK: PM should fire Ya'alon The Kadima opposition party interpreted Ya'alon's remarks as holding the IDF accountable, although others saw them as an attack on Defense Minister Ehud Barak. Knesset Member Yoel Hasson, chairman of the State Control Committee, said in response: "It appears that someone has not been acting according to a standing operating procedure, because those who sent the IDF's soldiers on a mission which was doomed to fail, without any proper decision making procedure, are not ashamed to hold the Navy heroes responsible." Kadima Faction Chairwoman Dalia Itzik said she was considering submitting a no-confidence motion against the government following the minister's remarks. Itzik told Ynet that Ya'alon was "preparing an alibi for the commission of inquiry." MK Ze'ev Boim said, "We would expect Minister Ya'alon, a former chief of staff, to be a bit more modest – especially in light of the IDF's problematic performance in the Second Lebanon war, which illustrated the army's faulty preparedness during his term. Ya'alon should wait patiently for the professional investigations to be completed." MK Majalli Whbee joined the criticism, saying that "Bogie Ya'alon is just the symptom of an arrogant government, which will never admit a mistake and is a champion in rolling the responsibility to its subordinates. "Those who are to blame for the failures are Ya'alon and the members of the seven dwarves' forum, who didn't ask questions, and today are trying to shirk responsibility and accuse the Navy fighters, who did all they could to emerge from the jam Ya'alon and his friends put them in." MK Shlomo Molla said Ya'alon should be dismissed over his remarks. "Minister Ya'alon is trying to avoid a commission of inquiry, and instead of taking responsibility is trying to hold the IDF's soldiers accountable. "The IDF does not outline a policy – it follows orders, and the political echelon must face the accusations and explain without throwing mud at the IDF. I call on the prime minister to fire Minister Ya'alon in order to save the IDF." On Monday IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi ordered a formal, external inquiry into the naval raid. The probe, meant to derive operational conclusions from the deadly events which took place aboard the Marmara – the sail's lead vessel – will be conducted by a panel of experts headed by Maj-Gen (ret.) Giora Eiland. Joining Eiland will be Brigadier-General Aviv Kohavi, who once headed the Operations Directorate, former Chief Intelligence Officer Brig.-Gen. (res.) Yuval Halamish and Colonel (res.) Ben Zion Da'abul, who held senior posts in the Navy and the defense establishment. The panel is expected to submit its findings by July.

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Israeli "Defense" Forces attack on #flotilla

The Isreali Govt might want to change the name of their Armed Forces from "ISRAELI DEFENSE FORCES (IDF)"  to maybe "ISRAELI ATTACK FORCES (IAF)"  because defending is a thing that I haven't heard them doing for a long time...

1. The government of Israel initiated an attack on a Turkish-flagged vessel in international waters.

2. Turkey and Israel were not at war at the time of the attack.

3. The Turkish vessel was not armed. Note: the kitchen utensils and (gasp) slingshots that the Israeli military trotted out for the photo-op can hardly be considered "arms" in a modern military engagement. Doubt that? Ok, picture yourself "armed" with said implements facing an enemy with automatic weapons, heavy ordinance, and air support. Still happy with your "arms"?

Taken together, Israel's attack on this humanitarian aid ship was not only a bone-headed diplomatic blunder and inexcusable waste of life, but also an act of war.

The Israeli's could easily have waited for the ship to reach its own territorial waters where Israeli law applies. In that instance the Turkish vessel would have been a blockade runner and the Israeli's would have had a legal leg to stand on. However, since the blockade itself is illegal the aid activists still would have been in the right. But at least it would have been a local problem. By "flexing their muscles" and totally blowing it again, (remember Lebanon?) the Israelis have shown themselves to be not only bullies, but incompetent bullies.

Worse, the Israeli's have committed an act of war on a NATO ally of the United States of America. When private citizens capture ships at sea it is piracy. When nations do it we call it war. At least United States did in 1812.

Now, picture a U.S. aid flotilla heading for Somalia with medicine and building materials. Imagine that the local warlords, bent on crushing the local population, don't want that aid to arrive. Or substitute Afghan drug lords. After they fire on American-flagged vessels and kill several U.S. citizens should we respect their sovereignty?

I understand that many Americans don't like Hamas. Tough. Many Palestinians do. They were democratically elected in very open and fair elections monitored by the Carter Institute. Hamas is vilified in the west because they are effective at providing basic services for their people, unlike the thoroughly corrupt Fatah. No they are not a pacifist group in any way and many of their acts have been deplorable. So deplorable that they can be accurately compared to the IRA. Would Hamas be easier to accept if they were Irish Catholics?

While many Palestinians have called for a single, secular state a minority of Israeli citizens cling to the racist ideal of a pure "jewish state." This minority has hijacked the Israeli government and enacted policies and actions that are anathema to any western understanding of equality and basic human rights. They have also now committed an act of war on a NATO ally. Sadly, the choice between formal military ally and campaign contributor will go to the latter. So much for credibility.

 

 

American Onboard Attacked Flotilla Describes Chaos

June 01, 2010 2:07 PM

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ABC's Lisa Chinn reports:

Ambassador Edward Peck, 80 years old, and the former Chief of Mission in Baghdad decided to take the trip to Gaza because they were trying to get materials to “Gazans need and are denied.”  Peck, who returned from his mission by way of Israel – who ‘deported’  him remains “disappointed that Israel” chose to respond the way it has to what he calls a humanitarian mission.

Peck, a retired career diplomat and no stranger to controversy these past few years – he was a bold and loud opponent to Bush Administration’s decision to invade Iraq in 2003, maintains that the bulk of material that was being brought to Gaza was “hospital equipment, building materials, and prefabricated housing.” 

Peck saw no serious violence when the Israelis boarded the ship, and in fact, slept through most of it, saying it occurred in the early morning hours, around 4 a.m, and that by the time he got above board, the siege, which was peaceful, was over. 

“I jumped out of bed fully clothed because there are no facilities on the ship. No shower, no wash, no nothin’  and went upstairs and there I encountered a group of Israeli commandos who said, ‘sit down,’   we heard that a lot, ‘sit down.’  They were by that time in control of the ship and fine.  You know, they didn’t harm anybody after that.  They harmed some folks in getting on board as people tried to block them from taking over. “

The ship he was on was far from the main, larger ship that may have seen the most violent action.  Peck said they had been told Israelis might attempt to block the flotilla, and that those aboard his smaller ship had discussed in advance how they would handle such an event.  After being taken, they were “incommunicado” in the words of Peck, and were unaware of what had happened to others in the flotilla.  Peck said he had “concern that it  might have been much rougher on some of the other ships.  It was.  People were tasered. People were shot.  You know, people died on some of the other ships because they resisted.  We didn’t . We had already talked amongst ourselves as to what we were going to do. I got there too late to lock arms around the wheelhouse because it was all over by that time.”

Ambassador Peck, who was deported from Israel and flown into the U.S. this morning, returning to his Chevy Chase, MD home the way so many Washingtonians do after a long flight – by Metro.  Peck returned with only the clothes on his back and the hat on his head, and his take on being ‘deported’ from Israel  is bit humorous, given the difficulties he experienced, telling ABC NEWS that the Israelis told him, “You’ve broken Israeli law,  I said ‘which one?’  They said you have entered the country illegally.  I said I’m sorry.  But if I’m brought into the country under armed escort that is not entering the country illegally.  Forcibly.  We’ll they don’t agree with that.   I was deported so I suppose that goes on my record. “

For his part, Peck believes this will be a “major political flap” for Israel and that “bad things have happened, are happening and will happen as long as what’s going on in Palestine and what isn’t going on in Palestine continues, that’s a dead end street, as several of Israel’s leaders have said.” 

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