The most pressing need before the country is to ensure Letting Parliament function is the responsibility that comes with all the rights that our MPs
In a democracy should the Speaker sit in give judgment Does the government not have faith in the ability of our Parliamentarians to examine an issue and make realistic and appropriate recommendations? Isn’t the Parliament the appropriate forum to discuss and decide on their recommendations? If we as a country do not have faith in the Parliament and its members, why stick around with parliamentary democracy?As expected,Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia’ the of the Parliamentary route to stall and subsequently divert the issue Letting Parliament function is the responsibility that comes with all the rights that our MPs enjoy. Disrupting and art of hijacking Parliament is murder of democracy Parliament Speaker’s should be treated as criminal offence. Virtues of Malaysian democracy and the power of the voter. Where are the voter now? What power does VOTERS have? their representatives, the MPs now have to await orders from the speaker. If they say no, then Emergency motion are doomed. In our system, the voters vanishes the moment their casts his votes. That is the reality. This is democracy in Malaysia
The murder of democracy is now taking place with increasing regularity. Its not being done by just one or two parties; all of them stand a ccused. Murdering democracy does not even take too many members. Essentially, the approach of these parties is that if something is not done as per their liking, will disallow the House from functioning. The rest can do nothing even if they want to continue working. Basically, the whole House (and indeed the country itself) is taken hostage by Its important we remove this scourge or we will find ourselves in a situation where the frustrated and angry people of the country throw out democracy itself.
The people do not really give a fig whether Parliament discusses price rise through an adjournment motion or a simple resolution. Indeed, they do not care whether the Parliament discusses the issue at all. It is the most dangerous thing to have happened to our polity. Here is the institution that the people should be looking up to. It is supposed to set the agenda and the tone of public discourse in the country. This is where we send our representatives to carry out our common will. They are supposed to legislate and oversee the functioning of the government of the day.Instead, thanks to outdated practices and absence of fresh thinking, the Parliament is managing to push itself more and more into irrelevance. It is tough to recall a time when any significant number of people tuned in to live broadcasts of Parliament to enlighten themselves on any matter, much less to know the outcome of goings on in its haloed portals. It is difficult to name a member of Parliament who has distinguished himself or herself through scholarship on any issue. It is nearly impossible to refer to debate on any law to learn the legislative philosophy that informed its enactment.These days it is difficult to listen to even budget speeches as honourable MPs do not restrain themselves until it is time to discuss the budget. What does this augur for our democracy? Nothing very good. Already the Parliament is less a forum of free expression of views and more an arena for political machinations by partisans. Thanks to stranglehold parties have on their MPs through provisions of anti-defection law, it is more of government running the Parliament than the other way around.
The irrelevance of Parliament has beginning to reflect on our faith in the democratic system. Few believe that their vote makes a difference. We know from experience that no matter who has his way in Parliament, our life will go on pretty much the same way. We can feel the dishonesty that underlines the proceedings. It makes us laugh when we see tainted leaders whose own wealth has gone on multiplying over the years voice concern over plight of the poor.As these worthies of opposition and government meet for the second week of the session today, the big challenge before them is not the technicalities of discussion on price rise. Instead, they should be worried about how to make themselves matter to the public on whose behalf they claim to speak
To sir Najib, with love from Rosmah
Rosmah case has hit national headlines. woman of integrity, woman for the masses, woman who has fought all odds to speak up for rights of the oppressed, and against those who are corrupt and misuse their power is now being probed and damned for doing exactly OUR MPs ‘thank’ Rosmah for ‘fruitful’ trip “Conditions apply”Rosmah is an unusual politician. Perhaps even her worst critics might grant her that her speech to business leaders to deliver a keynote address at the 4th Qatar International Business Women Forum in Doha
Controversial Muslim group Ikatan Muslimin Malaysia or ISMA has trained its guns on Prime Minister Najib Razak, giving voice to the words on the lips of millions of Malaysians – reckless spending of public money too is also akin to TREASON!He also called on government leaders to “fear God” when doing their duty by the people.
Isma president Abdullah Zaik Abd Rahman said “Do not betray the trust of the people who have voted for BN and Umno. Use your wisdom to manage the funds properly,”
He also called on government leaders to “fear God” when doing their duty by the people.”Remember that wisdom does not merely involve the technicalities of management, but also ethics and compassion.”
Abdullah’s comment followed a call made by Najib a day ago to Malaysians to accept the unpopular and much-resisted new tax GST.The PM minister also warned that all those who resisted GST were unpatriotic while those who evaded taxes were traitors.Najib’s remarks sparked a furore of public indignation, as just last week he and wife Rosmah Mansor were the objects of dissatisfaction following revelations they had chalked up multi-million ringgit electricity bills at the PM’s official residence and always used the government’s private jet to travel although it was much cheaper by commercial flights.
Isma itself has come under public fire for its extreme statements that grossly disrespected the rights of non-Malays and non-Muslims.Marina Mahathir, the daughter of former premier, has threatened to sue Isma should it fail to apologize and retract its statement that she was actively involved in Comango, a coalition of NGOs that recently wrote an open letter to the United Nations to complain about Najib’s political insincerity, the worsening racism and religious bigotry in the country and Najib’s clear backtracking on promised reform we need more intellectuals, less politicians in Parliament…There have been many incidents recently when the intelligentsia in the country has stood against the mood of the common people. Since we are a democracy, the mood and opinion of the common person usually trounces the views of the intelligentsia. One of the great joys of living in a democracy is the freedom of thought and expression we enjoy. But one of the ills of democracy is that decision making is driven by the opinions of the majority – those who may not be well equipped in the art of running the government. If we could overcome this, we could enjoy all the joys of democracy and avoid all the downsides. One of the ways to do this is to have more intellectuals in Parliament…..and fewer politicians.
In a democracy, we elect our leaders to Parliament. Each person above 18 has the right to vote – irrespective of whether he/she is literate or illiterate. Since we the people elect the politicians, it is but natural that they the politicans represent the “average” level of thinking in society – its average level of intellect, orthodoxy and economic thinking. Now this is dangerous. If the quality of our politicians is the average of that of our society – rather than being miles ahead – then we are doomed. A leader must be intellectually far superior to the mass he/she leads. This is what happens in the corporate sector. The leader is the unquestioned thought leader of the team. Many times, younger people are preferred over older people since thought leadership (and not age) is of paramount importance. In the army, it is not the average subedar who is the Chief of staff, but the savviest General. In the cricket team, its not the average guy on the street who is the captain, but the most competent player. It should be the same with the government as well. In a country full of people who have been deprived of education, of social progress and of equality for so long, we cannot let the average become the bar for our leaders. But how do we make sure the most intelligent, the most visionary becomes our leader? The bureaucracy is supposed to be the institution that provides the intellectual horse power to the government. At one time, the IAS had some of the most brilliant people working in it. Today, the best prefer to go to the corporate sector. After all, who wants to spend his entire life earning less than what a person with 5 years experience can earn in the corporate sector? Who wants to operate under the constant glare of those who believe that every bureaucrat is corrupt? Further, by making bureaucrats subservient to politicians, we have made them totally impotent. The only success stories of visionary bureaucrats making bold moves come when they have been taken out from under the politicians and given independent roles.
Sharizat was found guilty in the cowgate incident, is Rosmah’s abuse of power any different? Now Najib must explain his role in this incident.This DPM spends the rakyats’ money like his own. No accountability and integrity. He does not know simple arithmetic; value of money. Remember, he allocated RM1m for a school with only 15 students. This incident is so apparent, that he used rakyats’ money to polish his BOSS’s apple. Maybe he could not get near to his BOSS, so he thought this would be an easier way. If this is the caliber of DPM, what caliber are the rest of the cabinet members, who sat in the meeting and allowed it to be approved? They too are parties to the approval and polishing their BOSSES’ apples. This is the type of leaders we are going to have G14. Don’t blame ROSMAH but the person who approved it..If she was invited in her personal capacity, why should the rakyat bear the burden of expenses for the trip. In what capacity or under what category does this expense come under for the cabinet under DPM Muhyiddin to authorise use of public money for an unelected person? If PM had gone along on the same trip, then it will be considered ok. but what is the rationale when Rosmah had gone alone. Minutes of meeting can be rewritten with DPM as chairing the meeting since no requirement to file such minutes with a third party.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim (pic, right) has once again come to the aid of the Prime Minister’s wife, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, saying miracles do happen. And I am not talking of those that ‘God moves in mysterious ways…to perform’ because those do not need vouching for, they are truths which brook no argument. What I am saying is that WE—mere mortals—also work miracles! Yes we do, (or at least we can and definitely should)—without even realizing it! Wow, that is a momentous thought! We can all be conscientious miracle-worker like Rosmah Mansor , and it doesn’t take much effort either. Are you game?Each one of us has a self-image, flattering or otherwise; and we also have a degree of self-worth which is either reinforced, boosted or battered in our interactions with others. Agreed?
Do you realise that almost everything we do is a form of creative expression of our inner self? Each of us has aspirations, dreams and desires, not all of which have found their way into reality. And yet this inner self peeps out, it paces around within us, chaffing against the confines – seeking an outlet, a creative expression.
People express themselves through creative forms such as writing, music, theatre, painting and dance. Almost everything we do, say or think is a form of self-expression that reveals a lot about us.
Our imagination and the flights of fancy it takes in the form of fantasies is also a creative form of our self-expression, known to us alone, unless we choose to share it. Fantasies play an important role in revealing to us our innermost desires and also help us visualise goals and aspirations. These then, when tempered with reality, become the goalposts we strive towards. The ability to use imagination and suspend reality also helps us enjoy fiction, movies and theatre with keenness.
Even as a man watches cricket, it is a form of selfexpression as he aligns himself with one team and totally identifies with them in his desire to compete and win. The vicarious victory is an important element of his self-expression and a balm to his ego. Another person may express himself through the food he cooks or a dress he designs. A poet, in his poetry; a singer in his song.
As desires and aspirations grow, fed upon an explosion of available choices and exposure to success stories, the average middle-class finds itself able to think and fantasise about much bigger things. The 70-inch wall mounted TV no longer seems that distant a possibility, nor does ownership of a dream house, a luxury car or a world cruise. All this helps give expression to our desire for material acquisitions and expansion. Along with this, the fantasies embrace other modes of happiness, such as romance, love and relationships.
Says Dr Deepak Raheja, psychiatrist and director, Hope Foundation, “When we talk of expressing ourselves, we are referring to our ability to sublimate the libidinal energy, which as Sigmund Freud says, is the basis of all biological fuels that drive us. For a long time, we have forgotten to sublimate this energy into creative expression. Today, we find more and more people able to do so. If the gap between the real and the fantasized self increases, it increases frustration in life. Self-expression helps us feel more complete and helps bridge the gap between the real and the imagined self. This brings us to a more philosophical and spiritual fulfillment.”
How does expressing yourself help you? Expressing your inner self through various means gives you an opportunity to sublimate your impulses into identifying with something that gives you catharsis. Expression gets us into a consistent tranquillity, explains Dr Raheja. If we are good at expressing ourselves outwardly, thus allowing bits of our inner self to find real expression, this helps bring us to a state of what Dr Raheja calls “consistent bliss and tranquillity”. This naturally then helps us in real life as well. Because now the state from which you will approach all your mundane tasks and even your critical business decisions, is a more consolidated, tranquil one. The big difference is that now, apart from giving importance to material acquisitions, you have also simultaneously learnt to be happy. And in that state of tranquility, you are able to see your circumstances more realistically since you are better able to connect to the here and now.
Creative expression brings about changes in the brain. Research has quantified those changes. It helps the brain move to a meditative state from where we are able to act in a state of calm that helps us synchronise our actions better; what occurs is a convergence of energy . This convergence leads us to a state of consistent bliss and this bliss eventually begins to make the difference in our everyday living and is what eludes us, almost like a butterfly we are chasing, which at will may come and perch on our shoulder, suggests Dr Raheja poetically.
Self-expression is a way of beating stress, detaching yourself from the burnouts of day-to-day reality. It is a self-defence mechanism where we let ourselves go into a state of meditation and return healed.
So then, what is your favourite mode of self-expression? Is it to talk aloud, listen to music, garden, play tennis, indulge in charity, paint or to write? Or, is fantasy your favourite way to express your innermost being? Someone should ask in Parliament the total travelling costs taxpayers have to foot for Rosmah and her star-studded entourage that includes a galore of wives of ministers and PM special advisers and members of parliament.The costs should run easily over a million, as apart from the government jet, bills covering air tickets, luxury hotels … Read more
