Of Al Islam row, KJ’s ‘missed the train’ comment, rule of law and gomen’s inconsistencies.

I thought I would slow down writing on socio-political issues since I jumped on the Twitter bandwagon and spending most of my time there on such issues, but I need to pen down more than 140 characters for this particular issue.

Remember the covert mission by two Al Islam journalists who went undercover to spy on Catholic church by pretending to be Christians and taking part in its rituals – receiving and spitting out the Holy Communion wafer for photographs – believed to take place somewhere in April 2009? Malaysians were only made aware of such unethical and insensitive actions of Al Islam journalists after a police report were made in July 2009 after an article titled “Tinjauan Al Islam Dalam Gereja: Mencari Kesahihan Remaja Murtad” was published in the May 2009  issue of Al Islam magazine.

In the latest development, our very wise and forward thinking Attorney General has decided to let the two Al Islam journalists of the hook, without any reason given for such decision. So he is playing judge as well, deciding whether criminals can be let free or not, eh?

The duo were then investigated under Section 298A (1) of the Penal Code for causing disharmony, disunity or feelings of enmity, hatred or ill will, or prejudicing the maintenance of harmony or unity, on grounds of religion.

It was reported yesterday that the Dang Wangi district police headquarters, through the officer in charge of the case, had sent a letter to the complainant telling him that the AG’s office would not be pressing charges.

No reason was given for the decision.

Well, guess who came to the AG’s rescue for his decision? Khairy Jamaluddin, Umno Youth chief, who also happened to be the first Malaysian Muslim politician to condemn the action of the two irresponsible Al Islam journalists when the issue came out.

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 26 — Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin (picture) said today the Attorney General’s decision to let two Al-Islam magazine journalists off the hook for allegedly desecrating Catholic Communion hosts should not matter so long as the magazine has “learned its lesson from this episode.”

Allow me to use famous point-form blog writing style ala Che Det here.

1. Stupid reason for not prosecuting.

‘So long as the magazine has learned its lesson from this episode‘ is one of the most stupid reason for not prosecuting.

What kind of signal the government is trying to send out? That rule of law can be undermined by politics? This episode happened way before the cow-head incident (happened in September 2009),  churches arson attacks (happened early of January 2010) and pig head incident (happened end of January 2010).

When it happened, no swift and immediate action was taken, apart for the usual condemnation by politicians and promises to investigate the matter. Because of the efficiency of such inaction by the government and the authorities, it gave some sort of blessings for more untowards incidents to happen after, which we witnessed.

2. Lackadaisical action by the government and authorities in dealing with ’sensitive’ matters like this.

Lackadaisical action by the government may have led to a perception that certain groups of people with vested interests and subversive tendencies have the immunity to carry out their despicable acts to disturb the peace and harmony in the country.

When the ‘cow head incident’ took place, the government and the authorities took the ‘cow head incident’ played down the incident, taking it lightly and were even seen to show some support and sympathy for that provocative, senseless and insensitive action (Hishammuddin ‘Keris’ Hussein even went to defend cow head protester!). Malaysians couldn’t help but to think that those people had the blessings of someone or some groups with the required political clout to protect them.

Thanks to many sensible Malaysians who made it clear that such nonsense and ineptitude cannot be tolerated. Had it not been for the public outcry over that heinous behaviour, those responsible would not have been charged in court. Even that has been rather slow and lacked the urgency or importance for a highly-sensitive provocation with seemingly religious overtones.

3. Missed the train? Get on a plane, chap!

In few Twitter exchanges with Khairy Jamaluddin – @khairykj regarding his comments over AG’s decision, he explained that his comments were in the context of now, as we have missed the train.

@bongkersz Perhaps, but the train has left the station on ‘taking action’. Tensions must be eased first. 3:36 PM Feb 26th via UberTwitter in reply to bongkersz

Well, if I miss the train, I’ll be sure to take a plane to catch up, or at least give chase and not letting the train goes without me. To be honest, Malaysians are sick of inactions over matters like this, not the timing of such actions to be taken.  Also interesting to note, this argument by Khairy.

He, however, argued that the decision may have been reached to “balance out” the racial and religious tension caused by the “Allah” row in a bid to prevent further unease.

Funny, because these two journalists were investigated under Section 298A (1) of the Penal Code for causing disharmony, disunity or feelings of enmity, hatred or ill will, or prejudicing the maintenance of harmony or unity, on grounds of religion. Now, instead of using available laws provisioned to take care of offences that will jeopardise harmony or unity, we should ‘let go’ to get the same result – maintain harmony and unity? Aiseh, this is so confusing..

“I don’t want to speculate on the reason..but there are things that you can take to court and others best to leave it to other sensible ways for solution,” Khairy said.

Letting them off the hook is a sensible way of solution? This ’sensible’ solution is to please few stubborn extremists or the many good Muslims and Malaysians? Are we going to sacrifice the rule of law under the pretext of maintaining peace and harmony at the mercy of few troublemakers? What, they got the AG (government, police and KJ) by the balls now? Malaysian is held hostage by these crooks?

Many good Muslims out there would see the wrong committed by these two journalists and to press charges would bring satisfaction to many. (except for people like Ibrahim Ali) Give Malaysians more credits, they are wiser now and united to crush any element of chaos and destruction to their peaceful and harmonious living.

4. Glaring inconsistencies

Why we are letting some people off the hook for major issues, but calling heads for minor issues? Why the cow head protestors are charged but the two Al Islam journalists not? Would there be a lesser sentence meted out for the cow head protestors later if they are found guilty, because this is their first offence and they have learned their lesson well? Just recently, Malaysians were mind-fucked by this piece of news:

Man who raped minor gets sentence reduced

SEREMBAN: A 32-year-old odd-job worker had his jail sentence for raping a minor reduced by 10 years, after the High Court here took into consideration that he was a first-time offender and had cooperated with the police.

WTF is that?

Oh, I think Gunasegaran of The Star should use such argument over his caning article episode. Home Ministry is considering to take action against The Star and Gunasegaran for sedition (see what I said about inconsistencies?) so maybe Gunasegaran should say he has learned his lesson too. For greater impact, Khairy Jamaluddin can help to put out a good word for him and The Star too.

We cannot, in any way compromise the security, peace and harmonious living of the Malaysian community. We must reject those who use it to gain political superiority and power. Anything that threatens these vital requirements for a progressive and tranquil way of life should be dealt with swiftly while imparting a strong message to the perpetrators of the severe consequences of their actions.

The government has to set strong examples that Malaysians do not condone any disruption to their normal way of life, so enjoyed and valued for a nation of great hope. The right decision must be made in a swift and consistent manner.

ps: Of course, I am writing this with the assumption the rule of law still has meaning here. *chuckles*

Quoting Pete Teo in his reply to me when I tweeted that I was going to write this entry to highlight the inconsistencies of the government in dealing with Al Islam issue.

Consistency? That assumes the rule of law still has meaning here. Rule by cabalistic fiat is the new byword.

Have a great weekend peeps!

Posted in 2 cents, BN-ism, Bee End, Blogosphere, Boleh-ism, Bolehland, Current Affairs, Democracy, Idiocy, Idiots, Mainstream Media, Malaysia, Observation, People, Politicians, Politics, Quote, Rants, Thoughts, Tweets, Twitter | 3 Comments »

Huarrggghhh!

It has been a week, me here in Kuching. Some of you may already know that I have moved from Miri to Kuching in pursue of my career as a modern slave. I have been moving from one place to another place quite a number of times I think I am so used to it, it is part of my life now.

I wish..

I was born in Kuching, then grew up in Miri. Then we moved to Sarikei when I was 9. I moved to Miri on my own to study at Kolej T.D.T.H Bujang when I was 13.  The after SPM, I continued my tertiary education in UTM Skudai, Johor Bahru. After I finished my degree, I went to KL to work.

First work place was in Puchong, Selangor and I was staying at Kelana Jaya with bunch of friends. After two and a half year, I changed company and worked at Phileo Damansara. After few months in the company, I was assigned to an office in Kuching to monitor a project in Limbang. I spent few months in Kuching before I was called back to Damansara. By then I already moved out from my previous place in Kelana Jaya, so I stayed at Ampang.

Another few months passed by and I received another job offer to work in a new company.This time, I was told that I would be stationed in Miri, Sarawak. Few months after working in Miri, I was sent to Lahad Datu on a frequent basis to monitor a project there. And by end of last year, I got a new offer to work here in Kuching. From the discussion with the management, it seems like nothing is going to change (on the moving part) because I a going to make frequent trips (or probably stayed there during the project duration) to these places – Bintulu, Bakun, Tinjar, Baram, Miri.

Good things about moving from one place to another place – you get to meet new people, make new friends, exploring new places, activities.. expanding your social circle.

What am I blabbering here? Actually, I am just bored and I have no idea what to write for this blog. Friends asked me why I do not want to write about myself and my life. Well, the truth is that,  there is nothing interesting about my life. I am a boring person. The ‘interesting’, juicy stories are not meant to be shared in public. That is why I choose to write about things happening around me. I can’t wait to get my hands on the Nokia Booklet 3G so I can have something to write about.

WOMWorld Nokia is sending me a Nokia Booklet 3G ‘mini laptop’ to play with. According to the DHL shipment tracker, it has arrived today, but I have yet to receive any call from DHL to collect it. They called me on Friday asking me about the shipment to confirm that it is a laptop of  ‘Nokia’ brand. Probably afraid the customs would think it is a mobile phone, since *cough cough* some people think Nokia is all about mobile phones only. Keep you guys updated!

Posted in Kuching, Me, Rants | 1 Comment »

Giving a good fight because.. hmm I’m a big fan of Fight Club? :P

Another rambling post.

This is to answer few questions by friends especially after I posted my ordeal with the customs yesterday. Many friends commented in my Facebook Notes and asked me in Yahoo Messenger, Gtalk, MSN, Twitter these few questions:

“All these trouble for WHAT again?”

“Why do so much since its just a trial unit? Send it back la. Wasting money only.”

“Aiyoh.. is it worth all that trouble just to test the product?”

Well you get the idea. My friends were asking me why would I want to do ’so much’ and why I need to ‘trouble’ myself to such extent just to get a trial device which I need to return back later. And also, why I need to waste my money paying for this and that just to get the clearance.

Money. Well, WOMWorld Nokia has agreed to pay for all the related charges so I don’t have to pay any, but that is beside the point.

The point is, you guys are asking the wrong question. The question should be;

‘Why this particular customs officer makes it hard for me just to get a trial device?’

‘Why he created so much troubles and unnecessary problems just for ONE TRIAL device?’

My dear friends seemed to suggest that the best solution is to give in. Sorry but I have to disagree. If by giving in to such ridiculous request is a solution, then indirectly I am helping to keep this kind vicious cycle in perpetual. We always blame the system every now and then but we choose to do nothing when given the chance to do so.

And why is the tendency to blame the victim eh? Just like how some people blame rape victim for walking alone, dressing sexily or provocatively etc, snatch victims for bringing the handbag, walking on the wrong side of the road or just being ‘careless’?

Well I may not be exactly a victim here, more like a disgruntled customer/citizen wanting to be treated fairly but you get my point on ‘blaming the victim/helpless’ mentality prevalent among some Malaysians.

Allow me to sidetrack a bit and touch on a favourite topic among Malaysians. Corruption. Since I have so many comments directly or indirectly hinting the possible element of corruption in my dealing with the customs, I think it is only fair for me to write a little bit on that.

Malaysians love to paint the many enforcement units as a corrupted bunch of scums. To be fair, Malaysians also play a big part in making them as such. We are guilty if we bitch about the system and do nothing when given the chance but keep feeding the system, indirectly or directly.

The analogy is simple. If I ask and you don’t give, there is no deal, right? Morality is relative here, who is more guilty – the giver or the taker – is up for debate the point is both are guilty of the act. It is a vicious cycle and people are making their decision to keep it in existence with every actions they would take without them realising it or not.

Back to the complicated, troublesome customs procedures I need to go through to get my N900. Did I ask for, or want to have such complicated procedures, troubles and problems to go through just for a trial device? Who creates the problems and troubles in the 1st place? Did I not comply to the necessary requests and yet was given a hard time by the officer?

Of course, given choice I would just sleep at home and let it go. Hell I would not go to work if I am given the absolute freedom and liberty to choose. But, I need to. I am fighter, I would like to think as such. It is a waste of my good education *cough cough* if I don’t put it to good use. We should do our little bit of fights and not letting bullies trampling us with no resistance at all. Keeping silence, is not always the best option. It is only apt for me to share these wise words to decribe political apathy;

First they came for the communists, and I did not speak out–

because I was not a communist;

Then they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out–

because I was not a socialist;

Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out–

because I was not a trade unionist;

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out–

because I was not a Jew;

Then they came for me–

and there was no one left to speak out for me.

(A popular poem attributed to Pastor Martin Niemoller)

To be honest, it is actually not so much a trouble for me to make few calls, surfing some websites, checking up the related acts and procedures and then explaining things in a understandable language so that the relevant people can weigh in my side of the story and judge things as it is.

Thank you my good friends for the concern. I love you people and I also expect more of myself. And I think I just killed more people with the length of this post. Reading is good for you, people~!

ps: With my awesome negotiation skills *grins*, who knows I may get the device after I trial it?

Posted in 2 cents, People, Personal, Politics, Quote, Rants, Thoughts | 2 Comments »

N900, almost there!

A very long rambling post.

So if you are  following me on Twitter or reading my Facebook status updates for the past few days, you must have noticed my ramblings about getting customs clearance for my N900.

9 days have passed since I wrote my previous post and I haven’t get a chance to hold the sexy beast in my hands. When I wrote my previous post, the device was already in Singapore. It reached Kuching on the next day – 30th November 2009 which is also *cough cough* my 27th birthday. *throws confetti*

I received a call from DHL Express in the afternoon informing me that the N900 was denied clearance because of the lack of necessary documents. So for anyone out there who needs to know;

1. For any telecommunication device to be imported into Malaysia, the importer/recipient must first apply for the permit of import/license as specified in the Customs Act. This is apart from the usual customs duties, taxes etc. And for telecommunication devices, the license/permit application is made to the Statutory Body called SIRIM Berhad.

Actually it is best for you check with customs beforehand if you want to import anything from the oversea or anyone is going to send you anything from oversea on the paperwork required. I admit my mistake for not doing the necessary paperwork even though I clearly aware that WOMWorld Nokia is sending me a trial device which in this case needs a permit to bring in.

My excuse? I was not quite sure whether WOMWorld Nokia would send it for real at that time. (And also hoping for some sort divine interventions for the shipping to be smooth all the way hehehe)

Back to the story,  so I applied and paid RM100 for the permit. It was all done within one and a half day, thanks to the very efficient SIRIM Berhad officer. Originally the permit amount is RM200 but I stressed that the device is not belong to me and it is only for trial purpose so I was given the RM100 discount. SIRIM Berhad is so generous. *weak smile*

2. Now, if you bring in things (intentionally or unintentionally – ignorance is not an excuse under the law) without permit, that is considered as an offence. You’re violating the Customs Act 1967 (revised 1980) and can be penalised for that.

So I was informed beforehand by a DHL Express agent when the N900 was stuck in customs that I would need to apply for SIRIM permit and pay a certain amount of penalty, minimum RM100. Imagine my horror when I was told I need to pay RM1200 for the penalty. Niaaaaaaaamaaaaaaaaaaaah!

DHL Express asked me to liase directly with the customs officer after they failed to explain my situation to him – it’s a temporary export, trial device etc. So I called up the officer, which I shall not name for now (yet) and talked to him.

We had a very long chat and even though I explained my side of the story and everything, he refused to change his decision. When confronted with such ridiculous amount to be paid when it’s only a temporary import, he brushed it off and quoted the ‘Section 135 – Penalties for smuggling offences’ to maybe intimidate me. He said customs has the right to penalise me up to 10 times or even 20 times of the custom duties amount based on the declared package value.

The N900 package was declared at 400 GBP – roughly RM2240 and the custom duties is about 10-15% = RM224 to RM336. He told me he was being generous to compound me only about 5 times the custom duties.

I perfectly understand I have committed an offense and I should be penalised for that but RM1200 compound is just ridiculous especially when it is just a trial device, which I can only play for few weeks before sending it back to WOMWorld Nokia.

I then asked the officer to provide me the necessary ‘black and white’ for me to inform WOMWorld Nokia and ask whether the company will bear the costs on my behalf. But he told me if he issues the compound, I would need to settle it within 3 days or customs would seize the item. WTF?! He was not being helpful at all and I was quite disheartened at that time so I just thanked him for everything and I would see what I could do to solve this problem.

By then I already decided I would reject the shipment and ask it to be sent back to WOMWorld. Maybe do it properly when given another chance at it in the future. So I wrote a long letter to WOMWorld explaning the situation and thought that awas it, end of the story.

Somehow, I was really annoyed and angry being treated that way so yesterday afternoon I looked up Royal Malaysian Customs Department website and found some contact numbers and call them up. I managed to talk to a very senior customs officer in charge of the import/export department and asked for his opinions and advices. He seems to understand my predicament and ensured me this can be settled in a more pleasant way and gave me a personal number of one customs officer to call.

I asked him, “This customs officer is in charge of Kuching?” which he replied “Not only Kuching, he is in charge of Sarawak”. So I called up this high ranking officer and found out he was on vacation but still answered my call anyway and told him my story.

To cut the story short, he promised to talk to his subordinate and clear this matter for me. He even called me in the evening around 7pm to tell me he already clarified the matter with the previous ‘not-so-friendly-and-reasonable’ customs officer and said I can go and collect my package anytime.

Then this morning, I called up the ”not-so-friendly-and-reasonable’ customs officer again. He didn’t sound very happy obviously because for each questions I asked, he answered in a short one liner – Ah. Okay. Hmm. Umm. He didn’t say no to my request and only ‘aye aye’ when I told him I that DHL would go and collect on my behalf. Then I called up DHL and asked them to make the necessary arrangements for me.

So I thought, finally I can get my N900 to play with and even tweeted about it. Then I received a call from DHL saying the officer still refused to clear my package and tried to call me but couldn’t get me. I was in a meeting and I didn’t get any missed call so I told DHL to tell the officer to call me again.

The ”not-so-friendly-and-reasonable’ customs officer called me up and then said he will only release the item if I go to see him personally. This is because, the ‘instructions’ from his boss is to hand it to me personally so that he can explain to me on ‘how things work’.

So I have no choice, I have to make a quick stop at his office this Thurday on my short trip to Kuching. I hope I can get my N900 by then. N900, almost there!

Thank you for reading. I bet most of you drop dead after the 3rd or 4th paragraph

Posted in Me, People, Rants | 7 Comments »