The Flaccid Mind

Blogosphere, Politicking, Jeykll & Hyde

I mentioned in my previous post, I am tired, frustrated and lazy to write politics related posts anymore. I am taking a laksa break from it.

Politics in Malaysia has reached its most absurd, ridiculous and pathetic stage. As I reflected upon the recent events, chancing upon Malaysia-Today, The Dandelions and other social-political blogs,  that have been happening in Malaysia, I feel that nature of politics have taken a wrong turn not only in the political arena of both opposition and the ruling parties, but also in the blogosphere.

The blogosphere is now rife with Malaysian conspiracy theories and speculations yet what is the purpose that this knowledge serves? We are not even talking about policies based politics!!! The conspiracies help to increase our frustration, yet it doesn’t help to improve the welfare of the society.

How does knowing about Mumtaz Jaafar’s connection with DSAI sodomy allegations amount to social welfare? How are further revelations of Rosmah’s involvement in the C4 case amount to a better future for the country? Don’t we know enough of the hanky-pankies to convince us enough that the government is bad? Does knowing more conspiracy theories gradually give us god-blessed superpowers to create a better welfare for everyone? No……

What is important now is to seek for knowledge that can help us to tackle the root cause of social inequality. A trivial example will be my $100 question. Do we use $100 to buy 100 bottles of water for a poor family of four because they don’t have access to clean water? Does it improve social inequality? No. it is only temporary solution. If we spend $100 to build a well for them, isn’t that a better long term solution in terms of improving social inequality? We may not use this knowledge immediately, but it will be of practical use in the future, I will it useful investment of knowledge.

But I feel that people fail to see this. In fact, conspiracy based politics have overwhelmed the Malaysian world of blogosphere. Blogs are gradually becoming a part of the dirty Malaysian politics, the very thing they despise. The original intention to seek out and educate the masses is being lost. For them, blogs gradually became a quest for ratings and popularity. They deviated and they begin to dwell ever so deeply into the POLITICKING not politics. They become corrupted by the knowledge of POLITICKING, the very thing they despise when they use the knowledge of POLITICKING for their own selfish ambitions.

Conspiracy and politicking based politics make for good headlines, but this knowledge is of zero value to the society. I am sad. I know how popular blogs can churn out meanies. They should reassess their priorities of political blogs.

For the last time, I leave you all with these questions. I saw this comment at Penarik Beca’s blog.

Jeyklls and Hydes in Malaysia. Are you?

Malaysians in dilemma? So many events and news both real and unreal. Don’t know who to believe? Bombarded with too much spins. These are the quotes, we now hear.

“Give up”, “Fed up”, “Wait and See”, “Lost interest”, “Headache”, “Cannot believe anyone”, “Who to believe ah?”, “Niamah”, “Pening kepala”, “Pening otak”, “Sudah lah”, “Pi mampus”, “Insyallah (God Willing)” or raise your palm and fist and put them together on National tv or www.Youtube.com or www.malaysiakini.com or www.Malaysia-today.net or other blogs.

Why? Because it depends on what you want to perceive and your bias toward your own race, color, religion, party, groups, interests, superiority or plain dumbness.

That makes you something of a Jeykll and Hyde if you can’t differentiate between facts and fictions, good and evil, right and wrong, true or false. Too many Malaysians can’t decide now whether to become Jeykll or whether to become Hyde or when to become Jeykll or when to become Hyde.

Think hard and search your conscience from deep within and “Viola” you can differenciate between Night from Day. Throw out bias towards race, creed, superiority, affiliations, religion and beliefs, greed, power, cronyism etc and then see whether some of the things happening around is right or wrong , true or false, evil or good, facts or fiction.

1. Altantuya was killed and blown to bits. (Fact or Fiction).
2. Sodomy is as evil as murder. (True or False).
3. Anyone accused are innocent until proven guilty. (True or False).
4. Statutory Declarations and Police reports can be made to fool people. (True/False).
5. Any man or woman will swear on his religion or beliefs to save his own skin. (True/False).
6. Race superiority is needed to rule Malaysians. (Fact or Fiction).
7. Religious superiority is needed to rule Malaysians. (Fact or Fiction).
8. All poor people need to be helped by Government. (True or False).
9. Corruption is a fact of life and should be tolerated. (Fact or Fiction).
10. ISA is needed because prevention is better than cure. (Fact or Fiction).
11. Free education is a right for all Malaysian children. (True or False).
12. Free healthcare is a right of all Malaysians. (True/False).
13. Free speech is a right of all Malaysians. (True/False).
14. Freedom of religions and beliefs is a right of all Malaysians. (True/False).
15. Liberty is a right of all Malaysians. (True/False).
16. All Malaysians and the world can be converted to a single culture, religion, race in future. (Fact or Fiction).
17. The next PM of Malaysia will follow R.A.H.M.A.N theory. (Fact or Fiction).
18. All Malaysian Malays are poor and lazy. (Fact or Fiction).
19. All Malaysian Chinese are rich and gamblers. (Fact or Fiction).
20. All Malaysian Indians are drinkers and liars. (Fact or Fiction).
21. All East Malaysians are inferior to West Malaysians. (Fact or Fiction).
22. Only Barisan Nasional (BN) can govern Malaysia. (Fact or Fiction).
23. Only UMNO can take care of Malaysian Malay’s and other Bumiputeras interest. (Fact or Fiction).
24. Only MCA can take care of Malaysian Chinese’s interest. (Fact or Fiction).
25. Only MIC can take care of Malaysian Indian’s interest. (Fact or Fiction).
26. Only Gerakan can take care of Malaysian’s interest. (Fact or Fiction).
27. Only PKR can take care of Malaysian’s interest. (Fact or Fiction).
28. Only PAS can take care of Moslem’s interest. (Fact or Fiction).
29. Only Hindraf can take care of Hindu’s interest. (Fact or Fiction).
30. Only PBDS can take care of Sarawakian’s Bumi interest. (Fact or Fiction).
31. Only UMNO Sabah can take care of Sabahan’s Bumi interest. (Fact or Fiction).
32. All Jews are intelligent and corrupted. (True/False).
33. All Africans are corrupted and murderers. (True or False).
34. All Westerners are corrupted and evil. (True or False).
35. All Chinese are communists. (True or False).
36. All Indians are Hindus. (True or False).
37. All Malays are Moslems. (True or False).

To be continued……

ps: Self reassessment in progress

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Posted in 2 cents, Blogosphere, Malaysia Today, Politics, Serious | 12 Comments »

Idiots guide to the correct medical procedures to be followed in cases of sodomy

Lazy to write, but I would love to share this for read, especially with the DNA-craze in the town, everybody talking like he/she is an expert. The way they talked about DNA, it’s like a holy grail or something.. if the person’s DNA is found at the scene, in the hole, that person is guilty for sure. Bah!

Conviction cannot be based on DNA evidence ALONE if there are a host of other conflicting and non-corroborative evidence. For example, if  a victim  claimed rape in a condominium in KL whilst the accused was addressing a seminar in Singapore at the material time, no amount of DNA recovered at the crime scene  is going to make any difference.

Here I shamelessly present to you.. my another copy and paste job.

‘Idiots guide to the correct medical procedures to be followed in cases of alleged sodomy’,

The historic trial of 1998 laid bare the extreme flaws of the country’s DNA squad, by design or otherwise. The grave concern from all quarters, national and international on the conduct of the current investigation is understandable and reasonable given the experience we were subjected to the last time this play was enacted. The accused and family who endured those humiliating moments of the last sham trial must be gutted by this sequel.

We offer below a short brief on DNA as an idiots guide to the correct medical procedures to be followed in cases of alleged sodomy. It is grounded on back to basics forensic medicine, founded on evidence and not emotions.

1) If the alleged victim claimed “the latest violation” on 26th June 08, had “counsel on 27th June 08 and reported to police on 28th June 08, it is highly likely that nature’s most efficient plumbing system would have flushed out whatever foreign fluids and tissue deposited within that most currently spoken of orifice. Almost all humans need to answer the big call at least once a day!

2) Notwithstanding the above, if indeed the alleged accused’s specimen was obtained from the ‘hole’, it would be imperative to verify the authenticity of the collection to ensure no foul play was involved in collecting the specimen.

3) DNA from the sample obtained in (2) can then be readily compared with the DNA fingerprint of the accused, assuming his DNA profile from the last trial had been safely archived. That is the role of the National DNA Database. It is hence nonsensical for the incessant calls for the accused to give his fresh blood to perform a match with the sample from (2). Unless of course in typical Malaysia Bolehland fashion, the accused’s DNA fingerprint records have gone missing! This then does not speak well of the professionalism of the investigating team. But then again it is but a recurring theme in so many other investigations of late.

4) The prime minister and the deputy IGP, amongst others have insinuated that old DNA from 10 years ago is of little or no use in the current saga. Let it be known by all and sundry that there is no expiry of DNA. For purposes of DNA fingerprinting alone, even the Jurassic dinosaurs DNA can be analysed, unless of course there is a sinister intention for use of the accused’s fresh DNA that is almost unthinkable.

We offer the following solution to the current impasse for the authorities kind consideration:

If at all it is legally required for the DNA of the accused to be analysed from a fresh blood sample, the following is the recommended procedure.

There must be three specimens

1. Blood from the accused
2. Blood from the alleged victim
3. Specimen from the “hole”

There must be two aliquots (portions) of each specimen and these must be presented concurrently to prevent any tampering by either or both parties. The chain of custody of the specimens must be strictly adhered.

DNA analysis of the three specimens can then be conducted independently by a laboratory of their choice (both parties getting 1 aliquot of each specimen). A holding watch of each process can be agreed upon.

DNA matching from the above can then be used as corroborative evidence to either acquit or convict. DNA does not lie provided humans handling them don’t.

As all Malaysian citizens would have realized by now, politics and medicine is a very volatile mix. The political sodomy of medicine in the trial of 1998 should make all of us even more wary of the innuendos which the current saga brings to fore. This, despite the exclusion of the IGP and AG from the investigating and prosecuting teams and all the assurances from the powers that be.

The Malaysian public in particular and interested parties around the world awaits the truth of the matter in this episode of “Sodomy Malaysian Style”. We pray that this time around truth will not be sacrificed at the altar of political gamesmanship!

In ALLAH we trust and HE knows best.

(Source: Malaysia-Today - The Malaysian DNA conundrum)

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Posted in Articles, Current Affairs, Malaysia Today, Serious | 10 Comments »

Petronas ranked the world’s 8th most profitable company

Petroliam Nasional Bhd (Petronas) - The national oil company, which posted revenue growth of 40.9% The national oil company, which posted revenue growth of 14.9% with profits of US$18.1 billion is ranked the world’s 8th most profitable company in the recently published ranking by Fortune magazine.

Top 10 most profitable companies- 2008 ranking (click to see larger image) (source: here)

Petronas is ranked among the big guns in the world namely - Exxon Mobil, Royal Dutch Shell, BP, HSBC, J.P Morgan, General Electric and so on. As you can see, the top 10 most profitable companies are dominated by oil operators - lead by Exxon Mobil (again) in first, followed by 5 others - Royal Dutch Shell, BP, Chevron, Total and Petronas. Notice that Petronas posted the highest profit growth of 40.9% among the top ten most profitable companies.

Most profitable companies - 2007 ranking (click to see larger image) (source: here)

Petronas also moved up ten places from the previous 18th place and now is standing proud as Asia’s most profitable company. Petronas is the only Malaysian company in the list of Fortune Global 500 list. Under the petroleum refining industry, ExxonMobil took the top spot in terms of profits (US$40.6bil) followed by Royal Dutch Shell in second place (US$31.3bil) and BP (US$20.8bil) third.

Petroleum refinining industry companies ranking by revenues, profits. (Click to see larger image) source: here)

Malaysia’s Petronas is ranked 16th in terms of revenue but in terms of profits, it is ranked 5th, just behind Chevron. With the achievement, Petronas beats the likes of Toyota, Bank of America, Microsoft, Vodafone, Wal-Mart, Nokia, Barclays, Goldman Sachs and a host of other industry leaders.

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Posted in Articles, Current Affairs, Malaysia, News, Petronas, Reports, Serious, Statistics | 21 Comments »