Since Mr. Barry Wain’s book “Malaysian Maverick: Mahathir Mohamad in Turbulent Times” hit the streets in Malaysia, I have been waiting patiently for Dr Mahathir’s response. So today my favourite former PM came up with a sharp retort and I think the wait was worth it.
Dr. Mahathir even took very sharp jibes at certain politicians and I suspect he meant those residing on both sides of the Johor Causeway who uses the law to silence their critics. Vintage Dr. Mahathir killing two birds with one stone, a politician extraordinaire even in semi retirement.
Read the rest of Dr. Mahathir's post:
BARRY WAIN
By
Dr. Mahathir Mohamad
on June 14, 2010 9:00 AM
1. After the forum held by the University of Malaya to discuss the book by Barry Wain entitled "Malaysian Maverick: Mahathir Mohamad in Turbulent Times", during which I was condemned for all kinds of misdeeds, many have asked me to sue the author. In fact even before the book was allowed to be sold in Malaysia, many who took exception to Barry Wain's vilification of my stint as the Prime Minister of Malaysia, many, including the Press have asked me to sue the author.
2. My view is that a politician must accept all the opinions for or against him as normal. They go with the job.
3. I am leery of politicians who sue their critics. I suspect that what they want is to make the issue sub-judice so as to prevent the critics from attacking them on the issue. This is a cowardly move and in fact proves that the criticisms are fully justified.
4. A politician who is convinced of his own integrity and innocence should be able to fend off the attacks by proving that they have no basis in fact. It is up to the people, after hearing both sides to decide on the matter. Shutting the mouth of the critics by abusing the authority of the court of law is no better than Governments which censor or shut down papers which are critical of them. Those who resort to this trick to shut the mouths of their critics are in fact showing the kind of leader they would make if they come to power.
5. Malaysians should be discerning enough to recognise such politicians who are fond of accusing others of misdeeds but who are in fact already abusing whatever little power they may have at their disposal.
6. Barry Wain and his people can say what they like. The people in this country can decide whether it is just arrogance or whether their accusations are what they say they are. I will have my say if I think it necessary.
I think Dr. Mahathir is many things to different people, for those who hates him obviously they would blame him for anything under the sun and more. For those who love him, he is God's gift to Malaysia who against high odds took this once agro based ex colony of the British Empire screaming and kicking towards becoming a modern, industrial based, multiracial and multi religious nation which has become a success story for many developing economies around the world to emulate.
For me, Dr. Mahathir is my hero and role model, I do not need a Australian Mat Salleh former editor of the now defunct Asian Wall Street Journal (which never write anything good about Malaysia anyway) now residing in Dr Mahathir's arch political nemesis Lee Kuan Yew's city state island to tell me any different.
-Recommended additional read from Blogger GRK titled Wains's book Soros's letter
Monday, 14 June 2010
Dear PAS, legalised sports betting an issue? So what about the other forms of Gambling
updated.
“PAS will mobilise Malaysians to join its “100,000 march” to the Istana Negara this July 3 in protest over the Najib administration’s legalisation of sports-betting. The party’s annual general assembly saw a motion unanimously passed in favour of PAS’ tough stance on sports-betting.
The motion was tabled by the Islamist party’s youth wing to “pressure the Malaysian government to abolish sports-betting, tighten laws against betting as well as educate Malaysians to reject betting.”
Pas Youth Chief Nasrudin also denied newspaper reports quoting the PAS Youth wing as “unwilling” to push for a full ban of all types of betting.
“To be clear what we mean is that we agree that all forms of gambling, betting should be banned but for now we will focus our efforts on sports-betting,” said Nasrudin.”
Read the rest here.
I think that PAS sudah tidak ada modal politik and playing shameless politics when it selectively choose sports betting to protest against the BN Government decision to award the license to Ascot Sports owned by Vincent Tan next July 3rd.
Among others, Vincent Tan also owns over 680 gaming outlets through out Malaysia including the Pakatan controlled state of Penang, Kedah, Selangor and Kelantan as well, via, Sports TOTO Malaysia Sdn. Bhd (Berjaya Sports Toto Berhad) where non muslims can gamble in games – digit-type games (namely, 4D, 5D and 6D) and lotto-type games (namely, Toto 6/42 Jackpot, Super Toto 6/49, Mega Toto 6/52). Why not protest against these outlets as well?
If PAS really wants to seriously send a believable and sincere political message against the “legalized” gambling industry in Malaysia, then, PAS must declare its opposition to all forms of gambling; which include the Cassino in Genting, slot machines, 4D/3D betting and all forms of lotteries and not forgetting horse race betting as well. If not, PAS, in their haste to check the UMNO led BN Government who are slowly but surely getting back Malay Muslim votes, only exposed themselves to be a cakap tak serupa bikin crowd and super hypocritical to boot.
I say the “100,000 march” is a political gimmick which will only benefit the illegal underground mega gambling industry crime lords who does not pay income tax to the Government.
One of my cyber sifus, Blogger HL has also written about PAS/Pakatan selective protest of legalised sports-betting here, interesting read as usual.
Saturday, 12 June 2010
Chip Embedded License Plate - Another people burdening monopoly in the making?
Blogger Syed Akbar Ali alert in his latest posting "New Scandal ? More Burden For Rakyat?" caught my attention.
Excerpts: Changes are being proposed to the Road Transportation Act (the Pengangkutan thingy) whereby all owners of registered motor vehicles will be required to buy new car license number plates. The new number plates will have some computer chip in it (to make the Government's job easier I suppose).
..Hmm, License Plate with embedded electronic chips? We already have chips embedded in our International passports and Identity Cards and ATM Bank cards and Credit cards and our Touch n Go cards. Do we Malaysians really need another chip embedded in our license plate and be charged for it.
Here are some news I picked up on the net about chip embedded license plate mostly concerning privacy issues:
1. From the Washington Times (via thehighroad)...excerpts: A single RFID reader can identify dozens of vehicles fitted with e-plates moving at any speed at a distance of about 100 yards. The e-plate looks just like a standard plate, but it contains an embedded chip that cannot be seen or removed. It is self-powered with a battery life of up to 10 years.
"Police will be able to track your every move when you drive," said Liz McIntyre, an RFID expert and author of the forthcoming book, "Spychips: How Major Corporations and the Government Plan to Track Your Every Move With RFID" (Nelson Current, October 2005). "What if they put these readers at a mosque? They could tell who was inside at a worship service by which cars were in the parking lot." lots of privacy issues here.
2. From Wardsautoworld..Chips Raise Privacy Concerns
Anyway beside the related privacy issues, I agree with Blogger Syed Akbar Ali that the Government should stop catering to harebrained proposal like chip embedded license plate that does not in any way help us progress to develop world status. The PDRM and the JPJ, I think, already have interlinked computer database which can be accessed online by them, so what is the point of having a high tech plate..I am totally unconvinced by its use.
What's more if the Rakyat is forced "by law" to pay for something unnecessary to a private Government appointed monopoly, I think it is just ridiculous to force us to pay to make a few rich beyond their dreams. BN can be sure it will lose votes in the next GE and this time Tun Abdullah Badawi and KJ is not a convenient excuse.
I say enough of the monopolies already. The BN Government if they really want the majority to vote for them, they will have to work very hard for it, the RMK 10 is a damned good start BUT like the wasteful New Parliament proposal the BN Government must stop pandering to useless proposals for monopolies like the embedded chips licence plate which will make the minority rich richer and the majority poor poorer.
Excerpts: Changes are being proposed to the Road Transportation Act (the Pengangkutan thingy) whereby all owners of registered motor vehicles will be required to buy new car license number plates. The new number plates will have some computer chip in it (to make the Government's job easier I suppose).
..Hmm, License Plate with embedded electronic chips? We already have chips embedded in our International passports and Identity Cards and ATM Bank cards and Credit cards and our Touch n Go cards. Do we Malaysians really need another chip embedded in our license plate and be charged for it.
Here are some news I picked up on the net about chip embedded license plate mostly concerning privacy issues:
1. From the Washington Times (via thehighroad)...excerpts: A single RFID reader can identify dozens of vehicles fitted with e-plates moving at any speed at a distance of about 100 yards. The e-plate looks just like a standard plate, but it contains an embedded chip that cannot be seen or removed. It is self-powered with a battery life of up to 10 years.
"Police will be able to track your every move when you drive," said Liz McIntyre, an RFID expert and author of the forthcoming book, "Spychips: How Major Corporations and the Government Plan to Track Your Every Move With RFID" (Nelson Current, October 2005). "What if they put these readers at a mosque? They could tell who was inside at a worship service by which cars were in the parking lot." lots of privacy issues here.
2. From Wardsautoworld..Chips Raise Privacy Concerns
Anyway beside the related privacy issues, I agree with Blogger Syed Akbar Ali that the Government should stop catering to harebrained proposal like chip embedded license plate that does not in any way help us progress to develop world status. The PDRM and the JPJ, I think, already have interlinked computer database which can be accessed online by them, so what is the point of having a high tech plate..I am totally unconvinced by its use.
What's more if the Rakyat is forced "by law" to pay for something unnecessary to a private Government appointed monopoly, I think it is just ridiculous to force us to pay to make a few rich beyond their dreams. BN can be sure it will lose votes in the next GE and this time Tun Abdullah Badawi and KJ is not a convenient excuse.
I say enough of the monopolies already. The BN Government if they really want the majority to vote for them, they will have to work very hard for it, the RMK 10 is a damned good start BUT like the wasteful New Parliament proposal the BN Government must stop pandering to useless proposals for monopolies like the embedded chips licence plate which will make the minority rich richer and the majority poor poorer.
Nazri says Gomen plans new Parliament..Rakyat says its sheer waste
Minister Nazri announced that the Government plans to build a NEW Parliament costing RM800 million in Putrajaya. The reaction from politicians to public were rightly in the negative. Why the heck do we need a new Parliament for?
Dr Chua MCA President tells the Government to "Rethink plan to build new Parliament building"..that means the MCA and BN component is dead against the idea.
Blogger Syed Akbar Ali asked this question "New RM800 Million Parliament Building?" and rightly so.
Blogger Dato' Kadir was more straight forward he said "New Parliament House: A Numskull Idea" his anger shows but not just him, any right thinking Rakyat will be angered by this preposterous idea.
It was said that the "New" parliament is essential for Cabinet Members and MPs to have easy access..I think this is the weakest excuse in the world to build any buiding which would cost RM800 million.
The Westminster where we derived our democracy from, has not changed location for hundreds of years. The Westminster is located at the heart of one of the crowdest city in the world, London and I do not think the Brit MPs there complain about access. The Parliament of other Commonwealth countries like Australia and Canada, India, Pakistan and even Singapore has not changed much as well. Our Cabinet Ministers being decision makers should act within world parliamentary normal norms lah.
The Cabinet and the MPs are chosen to serve the rakyat not look for ways to spend money to make them comfortable lah. The existing Parliament structure, with proper regular maintenance and periodic renovation is good for another 100 years at least, unless the seats in parliament are further increased which is highly unlikely.
With the upcoming subsidies cuts, imposition of GST, maybe new toll hike together with the Government insisting on honouring its contract and paying subsidies to the already profitable highway concessions etc, I believe that when you are asking the Rakyat to get ready for the cuts, increase their productivity and be thrifty, the Government should show the way and not spend money entrusted to it to do all this silly wasteful project like a New Parliament purportedly for easy access to Cabinet Ministers and MPs.
To PM DS Najib and his Cabinet, the RMK 10 is a great plan which deserve our wholehearted support, please do not spoil it with wasteful side issues which more than likely will enrich a few rent seekers whose votes are not enough for BN to win the next GE convincingly. Any Minister who even suggested such ideas should be retired and replaced as soon as possible, he/she is a liability to BN.
Dr Chua MCA President tells the Government to "Rethink plan to build new Parliament building"..that means the MCA and BN component is dead against the idea.
Blogger Syed Akbar Ali asked this question "New RM800 Million Parliament Building?" and rightly so.
Blogger Dato' Kadir was more straight forward he said "New Parliament House: A Numskull Idea" his anger shows but not just him, any right thinking Rakyat will be angered by this preposterous idea.
It was said that the "New" parliament is essential for Cabinet Members and MPs to have easy access..I think this is the weakest excuse in the world to build any buiding which would cost RM800 million.
The Westminster where we derived our democracy from, has not changed location for hundreds of years. The Westminster is located at the heart of one of the crowdest city in the world, London and I do not think the Brit MPs there complain about access. The Parliament of other Commonwealth countries like Australia and Canada, India, Pakistan and even Singapore has not changed much as well. Our Cabinet Ministers being decision makers should act within world parliamentary normal norms lah.
The Cabinet and the MPs are chosen to serve the rakyat not look for ways to spend money to make them comfortable lah. The existing Parliament structure, with proper regular maintenance and periodic renovation is good for another 100 years at least, unless the seats in parliament are further increased which is highly unlikely.
With the upcoming subsidies cuts, imposition of GST, maybe new toll hike together with the Government insisting on honouring its contract and paying subsidies to the already profitable highway concessions etc, I believe that when you are asking the Rakyat to get ready for the cuts, increase their productivity and be thrifty, the Government should show the way and not spend money entrusted to it to do all this silly wasteful project like a New Parliament purportedly for easy access to Cabinet Ministers and MPs.
To PM DS Najib and his Cabinet, the RMK 10 is a great plan which deserve our wholehearted support, please do not spoil it with wasteful side issues which more than likely will enrich a few rent seekers whose votes are not enough for BN to win the next GE convincingly. Any Minister who even suggested such ideas should be retired and replaced as soon as possible, he/she is a liability to BN.
Friday, 11 June 2010
Perils of upgrading to better operating system...
Just an e-mail I received which I like to share with visitors to this blog:
To : Tech Support,
From : desperate
Subject : Installing HUSBAND 1.0
1.Last year at the spur of the moment I upgraded from Boyfriend 5.0 to Husband 1.0 and noticed a distinct slow down in overall system performance … particularly in the flower and jewelry applications, which by the way operated flawlessly under Boyfriend 5.0.
2.In addition, Husband 1.0 uninstalled many other valuable programs, such as Romance 9.5 and Personal Attention 6.5, and then installed undesirable programs such as Real War Rogue State, NBA 7.0. And Golf Clubs 4.0, my favorite, Conversations 8.0 no longer runs, and Housecleaning 3.0 simply crashes the system. I have tried running Nagging 5.3 to fix these problems, but to no avail.
To : Tech Support,
From : desperate
Subject : Installing HUSBAND 1.0
1.Last year at the spur of the moment I upgraded from Boyfriend 5.0 to Husband 1.0 and noticed a distinct slow down in overall system performance … particularly in the flower and jewelry applications, which by the way operated flawlessly under Boyfriend 5.0.
2.In addition, Husband 1.0 uninstalled many other valuable programs, such as Romance 9.5 and Personal Attention 6.5, and then installed undesirable programs such as Real War Rogue State, NBA 7.0. And Golf Clubs 4.0, my favorite, Conversations 8.0 no longer runs, and Housecleaning 3.0 simply crashes the system. I have tried running Nagging 5.3 to fix these problems, but to no avail.
What can I do, all my applications are not working?
Regards,
Desperate
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
To : Desperate
From : Tech Support
Subject : Installing HUSBAND 1.0
1. First keep in mind, Boyfriend 5.0 is an Entertainment Package, while Husband 1.0 is an Operating System. Please enter the command; http: I Thought You Loved Me.htm and try to download Tears 6.2 and don't forget to install the Guilt 3.0 update. If that application works as designed, Husband 1.0 should then automatically run the applications Jewelry 2.0 and Flowers 3.5.
2. But remember, over usage of the above application can cause Husband1.0 to default to Grumpy Silence 2.5 or Happy Hour 6.1. Happy Hour 6.1 is a very bad program that will download the Snoring Loudly Beta.
3. Whatever you do, DO NOT and I repeat DO NOT install Mother-in-law 1.0 (it runs a virus in the background, that will eventually seize control of all your system resources).
4. Also, do not attempt to reinstall the Boyfriend 5.0 program. These are unsupported applications and will crash Husband 1.0 indefinitely.
5. In summary, Husband 1.0 is a great program, but it does have limited memory and cannot learn new applications quickly. You might consider buying additional software to improve memory and performance. We recommend Great Food 3.0 and Lingerie XXX.
Good Luck, he,he,
Tech Support
Regards,
Desperate
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
To : Desperate
From : Tech Support
Subject : Installing HUSBAND 1.0
1. First keep in mind, Boyfriend 5.0 is an Entertainment Package, while Husband 1.0 is an Operating System. Please enter the command; http: I Thought You Loved Me.htm and try to download Tears 6.2 and don't forget to install the Guilt 3.0 update. If that application works as designed, Husband 1.0 should then automatically run the applications Jewelry 2.0 and Flowers 3.5.
2. But remember, over usage of the above application can cause Husband1.0 to default to Grumpy Silence 2.5 or Happy Hour 6.1. Happy Hour 6.1 is a very bad program that will download the Snoring Loudly Beta.
3. Whatever you do, DO NOT and I repeat DO NOT install Mother-in-law 1.0 (it runs a virus in the background, that will eventually seize control of all your system resources).
4. Also, do not attempt to reinstall the Boyfriend 5.0 program. These are unsupported applications and will crash Husband 1.0 indefinitely.
5. In summary, Husband 1.0 is a great program, but it does have limited memory and cannot learn new applications quickly. You might consider buying additional software to improve memory and performance. We recommend Great Food 3.0 and Lingerie XXX.
Good Luck, he,he,
Tech Support
Sg Besi Air Force Base to be redeveloped..do not turn it into another PKFZ
Zahid Hamidi the current Minister for Defence announced officially yesterday that the RMAF Sungai Besi air base will be closed to make way for redevelopment under the RMK10 plan. I still think it is a good defence asset that should be preserved for operational use by the RMAF and other air wing of the Government Enforcement agencies due to its proximity to KL/Klang Valley just in case there are internal troubles, say like the Bangkok violent demonstration of the past previous months. The Sungai Besi Air Base have good infrastructure and makes a good staging point to respond to any security emergencies. Alas the Government have decided.
Anyway Zahid also mentioned that beside local investors there will be some middle east involvement in the redevelopment as well. Seems to me that its fashionable to announce middle east investors proposed participation in Malaysia when ever there are proposed mega developments, the last big one I heard was for the Iskandar Region a couple of years back and more recently the Aluminium smelting plant in Bintulu Sarawak but have heard little especially since the global financial crisis started coupled with the Dubai meltdown late last year.
The bernama news on Zahid's announcement can be read here.
Just hope that the Kementerian Pertahanan and LTAT will be professional and be above board when they actually carry out the redevelopment work which more often than not will at the end involve the people's money whether it fail or succeed.
Jangan jadi macam PKFZ which started with good intention to emulate the success of Jebel Ali Free Zone but unfortunately turned out to be an expensive blunder and an unforgiven mistake for the decision makers and managers involved in the fiasco...yang rugi siapa..rakyat Malaysia juga.
This is a good self explanatory timeline of the PKFZ fiasco by Price waterhouse on the PKFZ fiasco, very concised but straight to the issues.
I hope lessons learnt by the MOT/Port Klang Authority in the PKFZ are applied in the TLDM Sungai Besi airbase redevelopment by the Government and of course MOD/Lembaga Tabung Angkatan Tentera.
Anyway Zahid also mentioned that beside local investors there will be some middle east involvement in the redevelopment as well. Seems to me that its fashionable to announce middle east investors proposed participation in Malaysia when ever there are proposed mega developments, the last big one I heard was for the Iskandar Region a couple of years back and more recently the Aluminium smelting plant in Bintulu Sarawak but have heard little especially since the global financial crisis started coupled with the Dubai meltdown late last year.
The bernama news on Zahid's announcement can be read here.
Just hope that the Kementerian Pertahanan and LTAT will be professional and be above board when they actually carry out the redevelopment work which more often than not will at the end involve the people's money whether it fail or succeed.
Jangan jadi macam PKFZ which started with good intention to emulate the success of Jebel Ali Free Zone but unfortunately turned out to be an expensive blunder and an unforgiven mistake for the decision makers and managers involved in the fiasco...yang rugi siapa..rakyat Malaysia juga.
This is a good self explanatory timeline of the PKFZ fiasco by Price waterhouse on the PKFZ fiasco, very concised but straight to the issues.
I hope lessons learnt by the MOT/Port Klang Authority in the PKFZ are applied in the TLDM Sungai Besi airbase redevelopment by the Government and of course MOD/Lembaga Tabung Angkatan Tentera.
Thursday, 10 June 2010
Gaza bound aid flotilla achieved its objective; Hamas 1, Netanyahu 0
A self explanatory Haaretz Editorial dated 10 June 2010:
Hamas 1, Netanyahu 0
The Gaza-bound aid flotilla has achieved its goal, albeit at the bloody price of nine dead and dozens wounded. A week after the Israel Navy intercepted the ships, the hermetic blockade of Gaza has been ripped wide open, while Israel has been the target of massive international criticism and demands for an investigation.
The blockade dissolved with Egypt's announcement on Tuesday that the Rafah border crossing will remain permanently open. Though Palestinians still cannot traverse it freely, the sweeping exit ban that Israel and Egypt had imposed for the last few years on Gaza's 1.5 million residents has ended.
As in a commercial market, the moment Israel lost its monopoly over the gateways to Gaza, the consumers benefited from competition. Amira Hass reports in today's Haaretz that the list of goods that Israel allows into the Strip has been expanded, and from now on, Gaza residents will be able to spice their food with coriander (though only the seeds, not the leaves ), which had previously been off-limits to them. All it took was an alternative entryway, through Egypt, for the Israeli gateway to Gaza to be opened wider as well.
The Israeli blockade of Gaza and all it entailed - the goods forbidden entry, the lies about how there was no humanitarian crisis there - was a form of collective punishment against an impoverished and oppressed population that cast a moral stain on Israeli democracy. Nor did this blockade achieve its promised goals. The Hamas government did not fall, Gaza residents did not rise up against it, and Gilad Shalit is still in captivity.
But even if the blockade should have been lifted, the manner in which this happened reflects a lack of understanding and faulty judgment on the part of the government led by Benjamin Netanyahu and Ehud Barak. Instead of working to ease the blockade, limiting it to justified efforts to prevent arms smuggling, Israel tried to maintain a complete closure - and then lost control because of the botched raid. In attempting to show the whole world how "strong" he is, Netanyahu ended up handing victory to Hamas and its Turkish supporters.
It is not too late to minimize the damage. The government must remove the last remnants of the blockade and replace it with an inspection and enforcement regime governing maritime traffic to Gaza, with international participation, to prevent rockets and other arms from entering in the guise of humanitarian aid shipments.
The situation that existed before the flotilla failure does not exist any longer, and any attempt to resuscitate it will only cause Israel additional damage.
read more here.
...Our Malaysian Papers' Editorials have a thing or two to learn from Haaretz.com, direct to the point constructive criticism without fear or favour of its Government which has done wrong ..
Hamas 1, Netanyahu 0
The Gaza-bound aid flotilla has achieved its goal, albeit at the bloody price of nine dead and dozens wounded. A week after the Israel Navy intercepted the ships, the hermetic blockade of Gaza has been ripped wide open, while Israel has been the target of massive international criticism and demands for an investigation.
The blockade dissolved with Egypt's announcement on Tuesday that the Rafah border crossing will remain permanently open. Though Palestinians still cannot traverse it freely, the sweeping exit ban that Israel and Egypt had imposed for the last few years on Gaza's 1.5 million residents has ended.
As in a commercial market, the moment Israel lost its monopoly over the gateways to Gaza, the consumers benefited from competition. Amira Hass reports in today's Haaretz that the list of goods that Israel allows into the Strip has been expanded, and from now on, Gaza residents will be able to spice their food with coriander (though only the seeds, not the leaves ), which had previously been off-limits to them. All it took was an alternative entryway, through Egypt, for the Israeli gateway to Gaza to be opened wider as well.
The Israeli blockade of Gaza and all it entailed - the goods forbidden entry, the lies about how there was no humanitarian crisis there - was a form of collective punishment against an impoverished and oppressed population that cast a moral stain on Israeli democracy. Nor did this blockade achieve its promised goals. The Hamas government did not fall, Gaza residents did not rise up against it, and Gilad Shalit is still in captivity.
But even if the blockade should have been lifted, the manner in which this happened reflects a lack of understanding and faulty judgment on the part of the government led by Benjamin Netanyahu and Ehud Barak. Instead of working to ease the blockade, limiting it to justified efforts to prevent arms smuggling, Israel tried to maintain a complete closure - and then lost control because of the botched raid. In attempting to show the whole world how "strong" he is, Netanyahu ended up handing victory to Hamas and its Turkish supporters.
It is not too late to minimize the damage. The government must remove the last remnants of the blockade and replace it with an inspection and enforcement regime governing maritime traffic to Gaza, with international participation, to prevent rockets and other arms from entering in the guise of humanitarian aid shipments.
The situation that existed before the flotilla failure does not exist any longer, and any attempt to resuscitate it will only cause Israel additional damage.
read more here.
...Our Malaysian Papers' Editorials have a thing or two to learn from Haaretz.com, direct to the point constructive criticism without fear or favour of its Government which has done wrong ..
Rancangan Malaysia Ke10..unveiled
Syabas, Congratulations kepada PM kita, DS Najib and his Cabinet the RMK 10 looks like a good plan, sounds like a good plan and if implemented efficiently without fear or favour, I believed it would be a good plan that will benefit ALL of us.
Here are some of the news carrying details of the RMK 10 but not yet the analysis by the "so called experts" or comments from the ordinary folks and the Opposition Politicians.
Bernama carried the title: ..Najib Outlines Five Strategic Thrusts To Achieve 10MP Aspirations
The Malay Mail carried the title: ..PM unveils 10th Malaysia Plan
Malaysia aiming for top 5 developed nation status
The Star carried the title: ..PM tables RM230bil 10th Malaysia Plan
The NST carried the title: ..10th Malaysia Plan speech highlights
Some highlights of the RMK10 amidst all the high sounding phrases:
1. For purposes of renovating and upgrading government-aided schools, a sum of RM280mil will be allocated for 2011 and 2012. Each category of government-aided school, namely Chinese schools, Tamil schools, religious schools and mission schools will receive an allocation of RM70mil for the first two years of the Plan. In addition, assistance will be provided to pay electricity and water bills, up to RM2,000 ringgit per month per government-aided school, benefiting about 1,900 government-aided schools.
My thoughts: Though commendable in its inclusiveness to cater for all types of education system sadly it look like the Government is not yet ready to call for a "Satu Sekolah untuk Semua" single system yet. Supporters of Satu Sekolah Untuk Semua should not lose heart though, patience has its virtue. Rome was not built in one day.
2. The performance of students in critical subjects, particularly the National Language, English, Science and Mathematics, will also be improved by increasing the number of quality teachers.
-To improve the competence of graduates, their employability will be one of the KPIs of universities. Financial allocation to universities will depend on the achievement of their KPI targets. In addition, the Government will grant gradual autonomy to the universities to improve their performance.
- In order to promote and encourage R&D activities among the higher education institutions, the Government has declared UM, UKM, UPM and USM as research universities. To further enhance R&D activities and programmes under the 10MP, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) to be elevated to the status of a research university.
My Thoughts : Other than the satu Sekolah Untuk Semua idea which was not considered under the RMK 10 I think the rest of the education plan is a good investment for our young.
3.Residents in Chinese new villages will also be given assistance. They will be provided soft loans to assist them pay their land premiums and renewals of leasehold. The loan will be channelled through Bank Simpanan Nasional and an initial fund of RM100mil will be provided.
My Thoughts: Good call by the Government, as like many of us already know, in Malaysia not all Malays are poor but not all Chinese are rich either. But nothing specific for the Indians? Samy Vellu have to check this one out since he still thinks he represents them.
3. Focus will be given to increasing the coverage of basic infrastructure such as roads, electricity and water supply, and communication networks to rural areas. The government will build 6,300km of paved roads in Peninsular Malaysia, 2,500km in Sabah and 2,800km in Sarawak, which is expected to benefit 3.3 million people.
-The Government will also improve rural water supply with a target of 99% in Peninsular Malaysia, 98% in Sabah and 95% in Sarawak. This will involve the extension of water supply to 117,000 homes in Peninsular Malaysia, 112,700 in Sabah and 87,400 in Sarawak.
My Thoughts: Must be effectively implemented to ensure 100% success. All Malaysian whether in rural or urban areas must enjoy same basic amenities.
4. By 2020, it is estimated that there will be 3.4 million senior citizens. The Government realises that harnessing this pool of resource is valuable and this group should be given the opportunity to remain healthy, active and productive in their golden years. In line with this, programmes will focus on enhancing elderly-friendly infrastructure, improving access to affordable healthcare, ensuring adequate provision of homes and improving financial security as well as employment opportunities.
My Thoughts: The age of retirement by Law should be raised to match at least Singapore at 62 not 55 when people are actually at the very prime of their life, the knowledgeable and matured will be able to contribute to Malaysia better than any young guns professionals that the Malaysian Government wants to recruit from overseas where the work culture is totally different and the facilities for them to work are even more different....[RMK 10 - Talent Corporation to be set under PM's Department in 2011 to source global top talent including among Malaysian diaspora]..homegrown talent educated overseas and local, starting their job here are workers who are better suited to contribute to Malaysia's continuing development. Isn't it a waste of immense talent that high performers like Petronas's Hassan Merican retired at the productive age of 57..I am perplexed.
If foreign talents are to be recruited I strongly suggest that the Government invite R & D Scientist and Renowned Lecturers and Educationists from around the world who are experts in their field to set up second home here and teach in our Universities. One expert lecturer can produce many other local Malaysian experts. A professional overseas Malaysians only get paid a big sum of money and probably complain about the weather here but can he produce or mentor more experts for Malaysia?
5. ENHANCING BUMIPUTERA ECONOMIC PARTICIPATION
• 30% target Bumiputera corporate equity remains
• Develop a Bumiputera commercial and industrial community
• Create stronger and more competitive industry champions
• Broadening wealth ownership to ensure sustainability
• Promoting Bumiputera representation in high-paying jobs through enhanced capability building and demand-side incentives
My Thoughts: 30% target only? Could be more but the most important thing is that success is by merit, knowledge and entrepreneurial skills and not because a Malay/Bumi is an UMNO/BN, Minister, Wife of Minister crony or friends. No more rent seekers/one who takes commission and give the job to a towkay friend, he who gets the job must personally start and finish it on his own.
I did not also see anything in the RMK10 about the APs for cars, beras or whatever else that can be imported.
Also not mentioned was how the government wants to control the toll prices of the highway concessions [ada nationalisation kah?] or the Government just wants to pay millions in subsidies to the Highway concessions every year still.
Also not mentioned are the Petronas Gas subsidies for the fat and profitable IPPs and also the GST taxes.
Oh well, we Malaysians just like to complain don't we, I suppose for tonight we should rejoice and be happy in the thought that the RMK10 is a welcome goody bag to every Malaysian but not to the rent seekers and the commission agents and anybody else who do not work for their money and just want a free ride at taxpayer's expense.
Heartfelt Thank You Mr Prime Minister Sir.
Here are some of the news carrying details of the RMK 10 but not yet the analysis by the "so called experts" or comments from the ordinary folks and the Opposition Politicians.
Bernama carried the title: ..Najib Outlines Five Strategic Thrusts To Achieve 10MP Aspirations
The Malay Mail carried the title: ..PM unveils 10th Malaysia Plan
Malaysia aiming for top 5 developed nation status
The Star carried the title: ..PM tables RM230bil 10th Malaysia Plan
The NST carried the title: ..10th Malaysia Plan speech highlights
Some highlights of the RMK10 amidst all the high sounding phrases:
1. For purposes of renovating and upgrading government-aided schools, a sum of RM280mil will be allocated for 2011 and 2012. Each category of government-aided school, namely Chinese schools, Tamil schools, religious schools and mission schools will receive an allocation of RM70mil for the first two years of the Plan. In addition, assistance will be provided to pay electricity and water bills, up to RM2,000 ringgit per month per government-aided school, benefiting about 1,900 government-aided schools.
My thoughts: Though commendable in its inclusiveness to cater for all types of education system sadly it look like the Government is not yet ready to call for a "Satu Sekolah untuk Semua" single system yet. Supporters of Satu Sekolah Untuk Semua should not lose heart though, patience has its virtue. Rome was not built in one day.
2. The performance of students in critical subjects, particularly the National Language, English, Science and Mathematics, will also be improved by increasing the number of quality teachers.
-To improve the competence of graduates, their employability will be one of the KPIs of universities. Financial allocation to universities will depend on the achievement of their KPI targets. In addition, the Government will grant gradual autonomy to the universities to improve their performance.
- In order to promote and encourage R&D activities among the higher education institutions, the Government has declared UM, UKM, UPM and USM as research universities. To further enhance R&D activities and programmes under the 10MP, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) to be elevated to the status of a research university.
My Thoughts : Other than the satu Sekolah Untuk Semua idea which was not considered under the RMK 10 I think the rest of the education plan is a good investment for our young.
3.Residents in Chinese new villages will also be given assistance. They will be provided soft loans to assist them pay their land premiums and renewals of leasehold. The loan will be channelled through Bank Simpanan Nasional and an initial fund of RM100mil will be provided.
My Thoughts: Good call by the Government, as like many of us already know, in Malaysia not all Malays are poor but not all Chinese are rich either. But nothing specific for the Indians? Samy Vellu have to check this one out since he still thinks he represents them.
3. Focus will be given to increasing the coverage of basic infrastructure such as roads, electricity and water supply, and communication networks to rural areas. The government will build 6,300km of paved roads in Peninsular Malaysia, 2,500km in Sabah and 2,800km in Sarawak, which is expected to benefit 3.3 million people.
-The Government will also improve rural water supply with a target of 99% in Peninsular Malaysia, 98% in Sabah and 95% in Sarawak. This will involve the extension of water supply to 117,000 homes in Peninsular Malaysia, 112,700 in Sabah and 87,400 in Sarawak.
My Thoughts: Must be effectively implemented to ensure 100% success. All Malaysian whether in rural or urban areas must enjoy same basic amenities.
4. By 2020, it is estimated that there will be 3.4 million senior citizens. The Government realises that harnessing this pool of resource is valuable and this group should be given the opportunity to remain healthy, active and productive in their golden years. In line with this, programmes will focus on enhancing elderly-friendly infrastructure, improving access to affordable healthcare, ensuring adequate provision of homes and improving financial security as well as employment opportunities.
My Thoughts: The age of retirement by Law should be raised to match at least Singapore at 62 not 55 when people are actually at the very prime of their life, the knowledgeable and matured will be able to contribute to Malaysia better than any young guns professionals that the Malaysian Government wants to recruit from overseas where the work culture is totally different and the facilities for them to work are even more different....[RMK 10 - Talent Corporation to be set under PM's Department in 2011 to source global top talent including among Malaysian diaspora]..homegrown talent educated overseas and local, starting their job here are workers who are better suited to contribute to Malaysia's continuing development. Isn't it a waste of immense talent that high performers like Petronas's Hassan Merican retired at the productive age of 57..I am perplexed.
If foreign talents are to be recruited I strongly suggest that the Government invite R & D Scientist and Renowned Lecturers and Educationists from around the world who are experts in their field to set up second home here and teach in our Universities. One expert lecturer can produce many other local Malaysian experts. A professional overseas Malaysians only get paid a big sum of money and probably complain about the weather here but can he produce or mentor more experts for Malaysia?
5. ENHANCING BUMIPUTERA ECONOMIC PARTICIPATION
• 30% target Bumiputera corporate equity remains
• Develop a Bumiputera commercial and industrial community
• Create stronger and more competitive industry champions
• Broadening wealth ownership to ensure sustainability
• Promoting Bumiputera representation in high-paying jobs through enhanced capability building and demand-side incentives
My Thoughts: 30% target only? Could be more but the most important thing is that success is by merit, knowledge and entrepreneurial skills and not because a Malay/Bumi is an UMNO/BN, Minister, Wife of Minister crony or friends. No more rent seekers/one who takes commission and give the job to a towkay friend, he who gets the job must personally start and finish it on his own.
I did not also see anything in the RMK10 about the APs for cars, beras or whatever else that can be imported.
Also not mentioned was how the government wants to control the toll prices of the highway concessions [ada nationalisation kah?] or the Government just wants to pay millions in subsidies to the Highway concessions every year still.
Also not mentioned are the Petronas Gas subsidies for the fat and profitable IPPs and also the GST taxes.
Oh well, we Malaysians just like to complain don't we, I suppose for tonight we should rejoice and be happy in the thought that the RMK10 is a welcome goody bag to every Malaysian but not to the rent seekers and the commission agents and anybody else who do not work for their money and just want a free ride at taxpayer's expense.
Heartfelt Thank You Mr Prime Minister Sir.
Wednesday, 9 June 2010
Subsidies who is right, Idris atau Kementerian Kewangan
updated.
On 27 May 2010 Idris Jala made what could probably be the statement of the year when he said that it is an undisputed fact that Malaysia is one of the most subsidized nations in the world, with a total subsidy of RM74 billion in 2009, equivalent to RM12, 900 per household.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Senator Datuk Seri Idris Jala said this whopping bill can be split into the following subsidy components:
Social – RM42.8 billion
Fuel – RM23.5 billion
Infrastructure - RM4.6 billion
Food (flour, sugar and cooking oil) – RM3.1 billion
The ensuing hoo-hah about Idris’s public statement really fired up politicians on both sides of the political divide with DAP’s Big Chief and defacto Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang having a time of his life taking pot shots at the Government. There was even a very appetizing slogan...Vote BN, Vote for Bankruptcy. Can’t blame the Pakatan people on this one though because Idris Jala took their bait so to speak and Pakatan just have to reel the fish in to be filleted, fried and eaten for lunch.
To cut a long painful story short, the Finance Ministry said on 8 June 2010 that the country’s total subsidy was “only” RM18.6 billion or equivalent to RM3, 246 per household.
The Finance Ministry said that the subsidy components are actually:
Social welfare - RM7.8 billion
Fuel - RM7.1 billion
Infrastructure - RM0.8 billion
Food RM2.9 billion
Even a Standard Six student could see that there is a huge difference between Idris Jala RM74 Billion and The Finance Ministry’s RM18.6 Billion.
There you are friends, One Government but different Agencies coming up with two very different and divergent figures for our annual subsidies. I wonder what the heck is going on. Knock, knock is any one in there?
Well, I suppose the good news is even with the subsidies being continued it looks like we would not go the way of Greece in 2019. Yahoo, that’s a big relief. But I do hope PM Najib will come up with a statement to set the records straight once and for all on these subsidies figures.
Questions will now be asked how the subsidies were calculated and who tweaked the numbers Idris’s PEMANDU or the Finance Ministry or was it just an honest mistake of a few well intentioned number crunchers.
Questions will also be asked whether the humongous gas subsidies for the privately owned money making Independent Power Producers (IPPs) have been taken into account. I like many in Malaysia would like to see the IPP Gas subsidies taken away first before we the ordinary folks suffer the direct subsidy cuts. The IPP owners have been getting fat and rich on the people’s expense for almost 10 years now. This has to stop, the sooner the more votes BN will recover from Pakatan.
The GE13 is not very far away, kejam celik, kejam celik by 2013 a GE will have to be called and the Najib Government should really stop shooting itself in the foot on a regular basis. Ok lah maybe one or two times is acceptable, as humans we do make mistakes but too many, then, the Rakyat will start to think that this BN Government is tempting fate…
.......Here is the latest news from MI, Koh Tsu Koon defended PEMANDU's subsidies figures and he point out that the MOF figures did not for instance include PETRONAS's Petroleum subsidies amounting to RM 12 Billion. read more in MI.
On 27 May 2010 Idris Jala made what could probably be the statement of the year when he said that it is an undisputed fact that Malaysia is one of the most subsidized nations in the world, with a total subsidy of RM74 billion in 2009, equivalent to RM12, 900 per household.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Senator Datuk Seri Idris Jala said this whopping bill can be split into the following subsidy components:
Social – RM42.8 billion
Fuel – RM23.5 billion
Infrastructure - RM4.6 billion
Food (flour, sugar and cooking oil) – RM3.1 billion
The ensuing hoo-hah about Idris’s public statement really fired up politicians on both sides of the political divide with DAP’s Big Chief and defacto Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang having a time of his life taking pot shots at the Government. There was even a very appetizing slogan...Vote BN, Vote for Bankruptcy. Can’t blame the Pakatan people on this one though because Idris Jala took their bait so to speak and Pakatan just have to reel the fish in to be filleted, fried and eaten for lunch.
To cut a long painful story short, the Finance Ministry said on 8 June 2010 that the country’s total subsidy was “only” RM18.6 billion or equivalent to RM3, 246 per household.
The Finance Ministry said that the subsidy components are actually:
Social welfare - RM7.8 billion
Fuel - RM7.1 billion
Infrastructure - RM0.8 billion
Food RM2.9 billion
Even a Standard Six student could see that there is a huge difference between Idris Jala RM74 Billion and The Finance Ministry’s RM18.6 Billion.
There you are friends, One Government but different Agencies coming up with two very different and divergent figures for our annual subsidies. I wonder what the heck is going on. Knock, knock is any one in there?
Well, I suppose the good news is even with the subsidies being continued it looks like we would not go the way of Greece in 2019. Yahoo, that’s a big relief. But I do hope PM Najib will come up with a statement to set the records straight once and for all on these subsidies figures.
Questions will now be asked how the subsidies were calculated and who tweaked the numbers Idris’s PEMANDU or the Finance Ministry or was it just an honest mistake of a few well intentioned number crunchers.
Questions will also be asked whether the humongous gas subsidies for the privately owned money making Independent Power Producers (IPPs) have been taken into account. I like many in Malaysia would like to see the IPP Gas subsidies taken away first before we the ordinary folks suffer the direct subsidy cuts. The IPP owners have been getting fat and rich on the people’s expense for almost 10 years now. This has to stop, the sooner the more votes BN will recover from Pakatan.
The GE13 is not very far away, kejam celik, kejam celik by 2013 a GE will have to be called and the Najib Government should really stop shooting itself in the foot on a regular basis. Ok lah maybe one or two times is acceptable, as humans we do make mistakes but too many, then, the Rakyat will start to think that this BN Government is tempting fate…
.......Here is the latest news from MI, Koh Tsu Koon defended PEMANDU's subsidies figures and he point out that the MOF figures did not for instance include PETRONAS's Petroleum subsidies amounting to RM 12 Billion. read more in MI.
Tuesday, 8 June 2010
Aftermath of the Mavi Marmara Massacre
The aid flotilla to help relief the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the ensuing massacre of 9 peace activists on the MV Mavi Marmara by Israeli Naval Commandoes brought the world spotlight on the illegal siege of Gaza by the Israeli Government that has been going on for more than 3 years.
The siege of 1.5 million Gazans does not help Israel at all, in fact it is damaged in the eyes of the international community, even Mr Obama the US President say that it is unsustainable. There must be a way for Israel to solve its problem with Hamas and their rockets without having to use more force on top of the already violent force that it has already used.
Refer to the Goldstone Report.
Here is an Op-ed from the New York Times by Amos Oz which laments the use of force by the present Israel Government, it makes for intense reading:
Israeli Force, Adrift on the Sea
By AMOS OZ
Published: June 1, 2010
ARAD, Israel
FOR 2,000 years, the Jews knew the force of force only in the form of lashes to our own backs. For several decades now, we have been able to wield force ourselves — and this power has, again and again, intoxicated us.
In the period before Israel was founded, a large portion of the Jewish population in Palestine, especially members of the extremely nationalist Irgun group, thought that military force could be used to achieve any goal, to drive the British out of the country, and to repel the Arabs who opposed the creation of our state.
Luckily, during Israel’s early years, prime ministers like David Ben-Gurion and Levi Eshkol knew very well that force has its limits and were careful to use it only as a last resort. But ever since the Six-Day War in 1967, Israel has been fixated on military force. To a man with a big hammer, says the proverb, every problem looks like a nail.
Israel’s siege of the Gaza Strip and Monday’s violent interception of civilian vessels carrying humanitarian aid there are the rank products of this mantra that what can’t be done by force can be done with even greater force. This view originates in the mistaken assumption that Hamas’s control of Gaza can be ended by force of arms or, in more general terms, that the Palestinian problem can be crushed instead of solved.
But Hamas is not just a terrorist organization. Hamas is an idea, a desperate and fanatical idea that grew out of the deso-lation and frustration of many Palestinians. No idea has ever been defeated by force — not by siege, not by bombardment, not by being flattened with tank treads and not by marine commandos. To defeat an idea, you have to offer a better idea, a more attractive and acceptable one.
Thus, the only way for Israel to edge out Hamas would be to quickly reach an agreement with the Palestinians on the es-tablishment of an independent state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip as defined by the 1967 borders, with its capital in East Jerusalem. Israel has to sign a peace agreement with President Mahmoud Abbas and his Fatah government in the West Bank — and by doing so, reduce the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to a conflict between Israel and the Gaza Strip. That latter conflict, in turn, can be resolved only by negotiating with Hamas or, more reasonably, by the integration of Fatah with Hamas.
Even if Israel seizes 100 more ships on their way to Gaza, even if Israel sends in troops to occupy the Gaza Strip 100 more times, no matter how often Israel deploys its military, police and covert power, force cannot solve the problem that we are not alone in this land, and the Palestinians are not alone in this land. We are not alone in Jerusalem and the Palestinians are not alone in Jerusalem. Until Israelis and Palestinians recognize the logical consequences of this simple fact, we will all live in a permanent state of siege — Gaza under an Israeli siege, Israel under an international and Arab siege.
I do not discount the importance of force. Woe to the country that discounts the efficacy of force. Without it Israel would not be able to survive a single day. But we cannot allow ourselves to forget for even a moment that force is effective only as a preventative — to prevent the destruction and conquest of Israel, to protect our lives and freedom. Every attempt to use force not as a preventive measure, not in self-defense, but instead as a means of smashing problems and squashing ideas, will lead to more disasters, just like the one we brought on ourselves in international waters, opposite Gaza’s shores.
Amos Oz is the author, most recently, of the novel “Rhyming Life and Death.” This was translated from the Hebrew by Haim Watzman. read more here.
With the current Israeli cabinet led by Netanyahu, a cabinet dominated by extremist settlers supporters who are adamant to build more settlements in Jerusalem and who thinks nothing about shooting peaceful activists conveniently identifying them as “terrorrrisst”, this is a cabinet who does not aspire for peace, with this cabinet Israel’s goal of peace with its Arab neighbors will only be a mirage in the dry desert.
Israel needs to search deep within its soul to find the courage to engage with Hamas and Fatah for a lasting peace otherwise Israel will in the opinions of many, become a burden and a liability on its chief protector and benefactor the United States and shunned by the International Community.
What is more, a seemingly trigger happy nuclear bomb capable Israel which does not heed the advice of its own allies and friends is a clear and present danger to the middle east and the world.
The siege of 1.5 million Gazans does not help Israel at all, in fact it is damaged in the eyes of the international community, even Mr Obama the US President say that it is unsustainable. There must be a way for Israel to solve its problem with Hamas and their rockets without having to use more force on top of the already violent force that it has already used.
Refer to the Goldstone Report.
Here is an Op-ed from the New York Times by Amos Oz which laments the use of force by the present Israel Government, it makes for intense reading:
Israeli Force, Adrift on the Sea
By AMOS OZ
Published: June 1, 2010
ARAD, Israel
FOR 2,000 years, the Jews knew the force of force only in the form of lashes to our own backs. For several decades now, we have been able to wield force ourselves — and this power has, again and again, intoxicated us.
In the period before Israel was founded, a large portion of the Jewish population in Palestine, especially members of the extremely nationalist Irgun group, thought that military force could be used to achieve any goal, to drive the British out of the country, and to repel the Arabs who opposed the creation of our state.
Luckily, during Israel’s early years, prime ministers like David Ben-Gurion and Levi Eshkol knew very well that force has its limits and were careful to use it only as a last resort. But ever since the Six-Day War in 1967, Israel has been fixated on military force. To a man with a big hammer, says the proverb, every problem looks like a nail.
Israel’s siege of the Gaza Strip and Monday’s violent interception of civilian vessels carrying humanitarian aid there are the rank products of this mantra that what can’t be done by force can be done with even greater force. This view originates in the mistaken assumption that Hamas’s control of Gaza can be ended by force of arms or, in more general terms, that the Palestinian problem can be crushed instead of solved.
But Hamas is not just a terrorist organization. Hamas is an idea, a desperate and fanatical idea that grew out of the deso-lation and frustration of many Palestinians. No idea has ever been defeated by force — not by siege, not by bombardment, not by being flattened with tank treads and not by marine commandos. To defeat an idea, you have to offer a better idea, a more attractive and acceptable one.
Thus, the only way for Israel to edge out Hamas would be to quickly reach an agreement with the Palestinians on the es-tablishment of an independent state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip as defined by the 1967 borders, with its capital in East Jerusalem. Israel has to sign a peace agreement with President Mahmoud Abbas and his Fatah government in the West Bank — and by doing so, reduce the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to a conflict between Israel and the Gaza Strip. That latter conflict, in turn, can be resolved only by negotiating with Hamas or, more reasonably, by the integration of Fatah with Hamas.
Even if Israel seizes 100 more ships on their way to Gaza, even if Israel sends in troops to occupy the Gaza Strip 100 more times, no matter how often Israel deploys its military, police and covert power, force cannot solve the problem that we are not alone in this land, and the Palestinians are not alone in this land. We are not alone in Jerusalem and the Palestinians are not alone in Jerusalem. Until Israelis and Palestinians recognize the logical consequences of this simple fact, we will all live in a permanent state of siege — Gaza under an Israeli siege, Israel under an international and Arab siege.
I do not discount the importance of force. Woe to the country that discounts the efficacy of force. Without it Israel would not be able to survive a single day. But we cannot allow ourselves to forget for even a moment that force is effective only as a preventative — to prevent the destruction and conquest of Israel, to protect our lives and freedom. Every attempt to use force not as a preventive measure, not in self-defense, but instead as a means of smashing problems and squashing ideas, will lead to more disasters, just like the one we brought on ourselves in international waters, opposite Gaza’s shores.
Amos Oz is the author, most recently, of the novel “Rhyming Life and Death.” This was translated from the Hebrew by Haim Watzman. read more here.
With the current Israeli cabinet led by Netanyahu, a cabinet dominated by extremist settlers supporters who are adamant to build more settlements in Jerusalem and who thinks nothing about shooting peaceful activists conveniently identifying them as “terrorrrisst”, this is a cabinet who does not aspire for peace, with this cabinet Israel’s goal of peace with its Arab neighbors will only be a mirage in the dry desert.
Israel needs to search deep within its soul to find the courage to engage with Hamas and Fatah for a lasting peace otherwise Israel will in the opinions of many, become a burden and a liability on its chief protector and benefactor the United States and shunned by the International Community.
What is more, a seemingly trigger happy nuclear bomb capable Israel which does not heed the advice of its own allies and friends is a clear and present danger to the middle east and the world.
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