My Appeal , this 13th Malaysian General Elections / Rayuan Saya untuk Pilihanraya Umum Ke-13 Malaysia (Part 2 / 5)

[English version after Malay version]

Warga Malaysia yang dikasihi, 5 Mei 2013, hari di mana semua pengundi Malaysia akan menentukan pimpinan negara yang seterusnya. Terdapatnya 5 perkara yang kita semua patut teliti dengan sepenuh minda dan hati yang murni apabila kita mengundi pada 5 Mei (505).

Bahagian 2: Menjunjung semangat demokrasi

Index Demokrasi  2011 dilaporkan oleh Unit  “The Economist”  dalam 167 negara, Malaysia berada di tangga 71, sama dengan Zambia dan di dalam index ini, Malaysia berada dalam kategori “Demokrasi cacat”. Walaupun Malaysia mengadakan pilihanraya pada setiap 5 tahun, pilihanraya Malaysia masih tidak cukup bersih dan adil.

Gabungan Piliharan Raya yang Bersih dan adil atau gabungan BERSIH merupakan satu respon kepada “Demokrasi Cacat” Malaysia. Gabungan BERSIH telah mengadakan himpunan besar sehingga ratusan ribu orang di seluruh dunia terutamanya pada Julai 2011 dan April 2012 minta pilihanraya yang bersih dan adil.

Walaupun Suruhanjaya Pilihanraya berjanji untuk memperbaiki system pilihanraya di Malaysia, pilihanraya masih mengalami kontroversi seperti senarai pengundi yang dipertikaikan, pengundi hantu, pemberian IC untuk undi seperti yang dibincangkan pada Suruhanjaya Siasatan Diraja di Sabah kebelakangan ni dan masalah dakwat kekal terkini.

Adakah kamu ingat Auntie Bersih? Kenapa Makcik ini keluar untuk disembur air pemedih mata?

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My fellow Malaysian brothers and sisters,  5th May 2013, a day when all Malaysian voters determine the next leadership of our nation. There are 5 issues that we can all ponder on with our mind, heart and conscience when casting our votes this 5th May (505).

Part 2: Preservation and respect for democracy

The Economist Intelligence Unit’s Democracy Index 2011 ranking of 167 countries, Malaysia was ranked 71, tied with Zambia and under this index, Malaysia is also categorized as a “Flawed Democracy”. Despite holding elections at a regular interval, Malaysian elections are still far from clean and fair. 

This “Flawed Democracy” has prompted the BERSIH coalition- a coalition for clean and fair elections in Malaysia. The BERSIH Coalition has held mass rallies of tens of thousands to hundred of thousands across the world in the past, notably in July 2011 and April 2012 demanding for clean and fair elections. 

Despite some reforms pledged by the Election Commission, the elections are still marred by several contentious issues such as fraudulent electoral roll, phantom voters, ICs for vote in Sabah as revealed by the recent Royal Commission of Inquiry and latest the indelible ink fiasco (happened with the advanced voters- mainly involving security forces and their spouse voted on 30th April).

Remember those times? Remember “Auntie Bersih”…why would she choose to be sprayed with chemical-laced water?

Vote for democracy

Vote for leaders that uphold the sanctity of democracy

Vote to “Ubah”

Joshua

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8th March: Women's Day & 5th Anniversary of 308 Malaysian Political Tsunami

DS Dr. Wan Azizah
(Wife of Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim)

DS Rosmah Mansor
(Wife of Prime Minister Najib Razak)

8th March 2013 bears two significances for Malaysia. Today is celebrated as  International Women Day in Malaysia and also is remembered as the 5th Anniversary of the "308 Political Tsunami" during Malaysia's 12th Generel Elections on 8th March 2008 which saw the opposition party (Pakatan Rakyat comprised of PKR, PAS and DAP) denied the ruling party a two-third parliamentary seats for the first time in history and also swept to power in five state governments of Kelantan, Kedah, Penang, Perak and Selangor.

Despite winning another 5-year federal government term, then Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi is held responsible for the worse election results for the ruling coalition of Barisan Nasional (BN). PM Abdullah Badawi was literally pressured to transfer his prime ministership to Najib Razak in April 2009.

Najib Razak has since become the 6th Prime Minister of Malaysia till now which today 8th March 2013 marked the end of the "natural" parliamentary 5 year term since 8th March 2008. Many expect that Najib will be facing the toughest election yet with a more organised opposition parties under Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim. The 13th General Elections must be held latest by June 2013 but analysts and general public believe that it will happen in April or May.

Since it is also International Women Day, I would like present two very famous Malaysian women in their very own ways. Both also played very important roles in shaping Malaysia's political landscape and also social policies. 

13th General Elections will be the contest between Barisan Nasional (BN) and Pakatan Rakyat (PR).

So which one of these two women would you choose to be Malaysia's next most prominent woman role model? (After the 13th General Elections)

YAB DS Rosmah Mansor or YB DS Dr. Wan Azizah?



 

Rosmah is known by the main-stream media as an strong advocate for early childhood education and care and she also heads a variety of government linked charitable organisations.

While Dr. Wan Azizah's significance lies in her person, she symbolizes inner strength, resilience in a gentle soul and embodies moral etiquette and values in her humility and smile.



Casual smile look

Friendly look

Waving

 

 

....and you can decide who will be the next Malaysia's most beloved woman role model in the up-coming 13th General Elections!

 





Sleepless villagers long to return to bombed homes

By Boo Su-Lyn

March 07, 2013

Media are barred from entering Embara Budi community hall. — Pictures by Saw Siow Feng

LAHAD DATU, March 7 — Tired of being squeezed with some 650 people into a community hall here with only four toilets, some villagers want to return to their flattened homes in Kampung Tanduo, which was taken over by Sulu gunmen last month.

The Kampung Tanduo residents said that they fled their village on February 12 to Kampung Tanjung Labian with just the clothes on their backs after some 200 Sulu gunmen arrived, but were forced to flee again to the Embara Budi community hall here last Monday as they feared the intrusion of the southern Filipino militants.

“We sleep on the cement floor; no blankets, mattresses or pillows,” Ben Harun told The Malaysian Insider yesterday.

“It is uncomfortable. I can’t sleep well. There are too many people,” added the fisherman who was born in Kampung Tanduo, which is a seaside village in eastern Sabah.

People waiting for rations at the Embara Budi community hall.

 

Erlinda Hamid says no sanitary pads are provided.

Ben, 48, said that most of the villagers staying in the Embara Budi community hall are women and children, who are not placed separately from the men. Families sleep together in the blue-roofed hall.

Despite losing all his property and livestock — including 100 goats, 38 cows and 100 chickens — after Kampung Tanduo was pounded by air strikes last Tuesday, Ben longed to go home.

"I hope to return to Tanduo... we are suffering here,” said Ben, who was wearing a black T-shirt and checked trousers.

He pointed out that he has been wearing the same clothes for days and that he would just don a sarong after he washes those clothes.

The villagers at the hall yesterday received family rations including two bags of rice, two packs of chocolate biscuits, 10 tines of sardines, two tins of condensed milk, one bag of oil, one pack of fine salt and one bag of sugar.

“We cook food once or twice a day. We must save, if not it’ll be difficult,” said Ben.

The Embara Budi hall that houses 650.

Ben Harun says that people sleep on the cement floor without mattresses, pillows or blankets.

Children ran about outside the hall and in a nearby playground with rusty swings as The Malaysian Insider interviewed Ben through the fence. The police prohibited media from entering the hall that was mostly filled with villagers from Kampung Tanjung Labian.

It is understood that several hundred villagers have also been placed at a small town called Fajar Harapan, which is similarly off-limits to the press.

Clothes were hung to dry on the barbed fence surrounding the Embara Budi hall, and even on bushes outside the building.

I hope to return to Tanduo... we are suffering here. — Ben

The hall, which is located at a Felda Sahabat plantation, is surrounded by oil palm trees. Felda Sahabat has 57 plantations and is twice the size of Singapore. It is spread out across a hilly terrain with straight, narrow roads that the occasional egret crosses.

Embara Budi is located some 5km from Kampung Tanjung Labian. Gunfire could be heard yesterday afternoon from a checkpoint near the village.

Several military and police vehicles zoomed past the hall yesterday, even as the authorities announced that the search operations have been expanded from Kampung Tanduo to Kampung Tanjung Batu.

Armed Forces chief Gen Tan Sri Zulkifeli Mohd Zin admitted yesterday that the nine bodies found were of Filipino militants killed during last Friday’s shootout. Three more bodies have yet to be discovered. One Sulu militant was shot dead yesterday morning, bringing the total Sulu casualties here to 13.

Self-proclaimed princess Jacel Kiram reportedly said yesterday that Sulu militant leader Agbimuddin Kiram and his group of Sulu sultanate followers survived last Tuesday’s aerial assault since invading Kampung Tanduo on February 9.

Kampung Tanduo resident Erlinda Hamid, 22, said sanitary pads were not provided at the hall.

“I really wish to go home,” she said, as she breastfed her one-year-old daughter at a nearby cousin’s house that was filled with flies.

Kampung Tanjung Labian community leader Assaffal Alian, who is a Dusun, said that the rations were supplied by the National Security Council.

“Of course we want to go back as soon as possible. Life is not as normal as it’s supposed to be,” said Assaffal, 48, adding that he arrived at the Embara Budi hall last Monday.

Many southern Filipinos fled to Sabah in the 1970s to escape the civil war in Mindanao.

The sultanate of Sulu, which is a province in the southern Philippines, claims Sabah as its ancestral land and insists that it has done no wrong in intruding into the Borneo state.

Factory worker Farizan Bayah, 23, said that people have stopped harvesting palm oil, pointing to the dense oil palm plantations along the way to the Embara Budi hall.

“People are scared of getting kidnapped,” he said.

Sharifah Zohra Jabeen- "Listen, listen, listen" woman

The infamous speaker panelist in a student's forum at Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) has sparked an internet phenomenon in Malaysia. The panelist Sharifah got her infamous nickname: "Listen, listen, listen woman" derived her name when she berated second year law student Bawani KS with a staggering 11 times of "Listen" [she then pulled the microphone away from the student] and followed by a 7 times of "Let me speak". The speaker Sharifah is an NGO activist (President of Suara Wanita 1Malaysia) aligned with the ruling coalition of Barisan Nasional government's tagline of 1Malaysia.

I also couldn't agree more with a comment [scarecrow2] on The Malaysian Insider's news

Excerpts:

"4. For that little napoleon [Sharifah Zohra] to berate Mdm Ambiga [Sreenevasan] as an anarchist was most unbecoming and uncalled-for in a forum such as this, or any other fora for that matter. She is NOTHING compared to the Bersih Co-chairman - in character, education, standard, standing, achievement and integrity. Who is she to question and belittle the student who stood up to share her thoughts? " [ Malaysian High Court ruled that BERSIH- Coalition for clean and fair elections chaired by Ambiga is a legal coalition/ entity. In addition, Ambiga and her committee for the coalition were also granted an audience with the previous DYMM His Majesty YDP King Sultan Mizan]

Here's the embedded video for those who yet watch the entire video:

Here's is another video of a dance remix of the "listen, listen, listen" viral video [something light]:

Here's are some links to latest news and comments about the overnight sensation Bawani KS and overnight disgraced Sharifah Zohra.

Disgusted by the conduct of Sharifah Zohra Jabeen

An undergraduate student, Bawani from Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) asked in the student forum:
"Why Malaysia can't have free education from pre-school to university first degree?" (She provided example with countries like Argentina and Cuba).

The speaker at the forum, Sharifah Zohra Jabeen answered:
"Don't equate Malaysia with other countries, if you equate Malaysia to other countries, what are you doing in Malaysia? Go to Cuba, go to Argentina, go to Libya, go everywhere." 

in which the speaker Sharifah added a statement refering to Bawani:
"Every human in here has had education, and today I am very sorry that somehow you have proven that you the very least of pendidikan [education]..."

Sharifah then gave a vast examples of problems faced the animal kingdom, cattle, goats slaughtered, sharks killed for their fins and asked Bawani:
 "Have you ever fought for animal rights?"

Sharifah add on:
"If you are not happy, you are very much suitable to go to another university!"

People's Uprising Rally- The winners and losers in KL112

The winners and losers in KL 112- People's Uprising Rally "Himpunan Kebangkitan Rakyat"

-Malaysiakini

The winners and losers in KL112

7:13PM Jan 13, 2013

For the past few decades, the authorities had placed numerous obstacles for opposition parties to gather en masse, citing security concerns and traffic as the usual reasons.

The People's Uprising Rally (KL112), in keeping with its revolutionary theme, saw the authorities essentially giving opposition parties free passage to do almost whatever they wanted.

Obviously, there was a political gamble at play in view that the 13th general election is around the corner. Malaysiakini examines who had most to gain from this high stakes gamble.

WINNERS

Pakatan Rakyat

Even before the rally was concluded, photographs of an overflowing Stadium Merdeka had gone viral over the Internet, proving to undecided voters that the coalition does enjoy mass public support and is a legitimate candidate for Putrajaya.

What Pakatan needs to do now is to take advantage of momentum and spread the central message of the rally - the ten point declaration - throughout the country.

Civil society

Several key civil society movements, especially for environmental causes, have grown exponentially in strength over the past years and command a sizeable following, which was displayed during KL112.

Evolving from the initial not-in-my-backyard (Nimby) philosophy, Malaysia's various green movements have now gone national as people begin to recognise the importance of civil society in shaping the nation.

Ismail Omar

In the run up to KL112, the police released several statements in an accommodating tone, to the extent of promising that they had set a ‘zero casualty' target.

The whole time, inspector-general of police Ismail Omar didn't say a single word, leaving the talking to his subordinates.

Had things turned sour, Ismail would have taken the rap as usual. But now, he will be remembered for the fact that his men stayed true to their word.

Traders near Stadium Merdeka

Save for one stall owner selling gas masks, traders who set up shop around Stadium Merdeka were all smiles because they were enjoying brisk sale of T-shirts, drinks and food.

Previously, one group of traders claimed Bersih 3.0 had cost them great losses. Perhaps they should sharpen their eye for opportunities.

LOSERS

Najib Abdul Razak

In the past, Pakatan wasn't able to fill half of the 25,000 capacity MBPJ Stadium in Kelana Jaya. Was the prime minister hoping for the same this time round, so he could ridicule them later?

Internally, Umno die-hards are probably curious to know why their president allowed the event to proceed when it could have been dealt with, by many old and proven methods.

More importantly, the public will also be questioning Najib and his party on whether they can pull off a similar spectacle without paying the participants.

Umno and BN

From sodomy to a Christian conspiracy to eroding Malay rights, Umno and BN component parties have slung mud in every shape and size at Pakatan since 2008.

If the turnout was an indicator of reputation, nothing appears to be sticking.

Mainstream media organisations

Save for Sinar Harian and all the Chinese media organisations, the focus was not on turnout nor the message of the rally but the various infractions chalked up by the rally organisers.

Unfortunately for them, videoclips and photographs - in particularly an aerial shot by AFP capturing the scene in and around Stadium Merdeka - are being widely circulated online, helping the public to have a clearer understanding of what transpired.

- adapted from Malaysiakini news portal at www.malaysiakini.com

Public execution of a woman in Afghanistan

News and video of a woman being publicly executed for alleged adultery in Afghanistan went viral for the past few days. Leaders, activists and the public all cried outrage towards the appaling act of violence. No one has the right to condemn, especially outside the court of law, what more the right to execute. Whether or not if the woman did commit adultery or not is not for debate here, but the way she was treated, executed demands conscience and mercy of all right-thinking people who all us are created in the image of God to condemn this violent act!

Justification for the execution?

Whether Islamic or the Law of Moses found in the Bible, both faiths have strict laws against adultery. Adultery is a sin, no more or less than the sin of deceit/ lies, greed...etc. The Law of Moses which both Islam and Christian faiths subscribe to requires the accused woman's partner in crime to appear and to be punished as well. What the executors done certainly weren't following the Law of Moses, so the execution has no justification at all as it is definitely un-islamic and un-christian! It is barbaric, inhumane, unmerciful!

Christian approach?

There is no better example and explaination than the Lord Jesus himself to deal with the issue of adultery. The Gospel of John in the Bible (NIV Version), Chapter 8:

" But went Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. At dawn, he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery. In the law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?" They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him.

But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground  with his finger. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, "if any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her."  Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground. At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. Jesus straightened up and asked her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?''. "No one, sir," she said. "Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin".

~ Chapter 8, Gospel of John, Holy Bible

Therefore to all right-thinking people, it is not right to commit adultery (I'm not even sure if the poor woman who was executed was guilty of adultery or not), but whether she was guilty or not, we must all have a merciful heart like Jesus, what more we are all sinners and fall short the Glory of God. If Jesus did not condemn the adulterous woman in the Bible, what more are we as sinners to condemn others at present time?

Shame on those executors! May God have mercy on the woman's soul and may God have mercy on all us, who we should forgive and love each other just as Christ forgave and loves us dearly.

"Lord, teach us to be humble, teach us to merciful like you are and teach us to love one and another as you commanded us to. In the most precious, loving and almighty name Jesus, we pray. Amen"

Joshua

MYLAUNCHPAD NEWS | Suu Kyi set to make history as Myanmar votes

MYLAUNCHPAD NEWS | Suu Kyi set to make history as Myanmar votes

by Hla Hla Htay

YANGON, (AFP) - Voters in Myanmar flocked to the polls on Sunday for elections expected to sweep opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi into parliament for the first time as part of dramatic political reforms.

A victory for Suu Kyi would cap a remarkable transformation for the 66-year-old icon of the pro-democracy movement, who spent most of the past 22 years locked up by the junta as a prisoner in her own home.

A crowd of supporters and journalists mobbed Suu Kyi as she visited a polling station in the rural constituency of Kawhmu where she is standing in the by-elections, as voters queued outside, some in traditional dress.

"I'll vote for Mother Suu because I love and cherish her," said 43-year-old labourer San San Win.

"We don't expect anything from her. We're really glad she came to our village," she added.

Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) party swept to a landslide election victory in 1990 but the generals who ruled the country for decades until last year never recognised the result.

The NLD leader, who won the Nobel Peace Prize the following year, was not a candidate herself on that occasion because she was under house arrest.

Her party is contesting 44 of the 45 seats at stake in Sunday's vote -- not enough to threaten the ruling party's majority, but a seat in parliament would give the opposition leader a chance to shape legislation for the first time.

Observers say the new quasi-civilian government wants the pro-democracy leader to win a place in parliament this time to burnish its reform credentials and smooth the way for an easing of Western sanctions.

Polling stations opened at 6:00 am (2330 GMT Saturday) and were due to close at 4:00 pm, with more than six million people eligible to vote. Official results are expected within about a week, according to the election commission.

A 2010 general election, won by the military's political proxies, was marred by widespread complaints of cheating and the exclusion of Suu Kyi, who was released from seven straight years of house arrest shortly afterwards.

In the run-up to this Sunday's by-elections, the NLD complained about irregularities, including alleged intimidation of candidates and the appearance of the names of some dead people on the electoral roll.

"I don't think we can consider it a genuinely free and fair election," Suu Kyi told a news conference on Friday.

She said the irregularities were "really beyond what is acceptable for a democratic election" but stopped short of announcing a boycott.

"We are determined to go forward because we think that this is what our people want," Suu Kyi said.

A gruelling schedule of rallies and speeches has taken its toll on the health of the opposition leader, who cancelled campaigning in the week before the vote after she fell ill and was put on a drip during a visit to the south.

NLD spokesman Nyan Win Saturday said that Suu Kyi was "fine" as she travelled to Kawhmu, about two hours' drive from Yangon, where small groups of jubilant supporters gathered to cheer her arrival.

"She is weak, but we do not need to worry," he said.

Unlike in 2010, the government has invited foreign observers and journalists to witness a vote seen as a major test of its reform credentials.

"This is a crucial moment in Myanmar's history," UN human rights envoy Tomas Ojea Quintana said in a statement ahead of the vote.

"The flawed electoral process of the 2010 national elections, which failed to meet international standards, was a missed opportunity for Myanmar to address its challenges in democratisation. It should not be repeated as Myanmar enters a new and more open era," he added.

After almost half a century of iron-fisted military rule, the junta in March last year handed power to a new government led by President Thein Sein, one of a clutch of former generals who shed their uniforms to contest the 2010 election.

Since then, the reform-minded regime has surprised even its critics with a string of moves such as releasing hundreds of political prisoners and welcoming the NLD back into mainstream politics.

But the continued existence of political detainees, ongoing fighting between government troops and ethnic rebels and alleged human rights abuses remain major concerns for Western nations which have imposed sanctions on the regime.

Whitney Houston passes away...

Today, the world mourns its lost of another person blessed with a gift of powerful and angelic voice, Whitney Houston. We do not know how or why she dies yet, but one can only hope that it is not substance/ drug abuse related or it will be a very very very sad ending. It doesn't really matter how she dies now, but what is more important that we must not lose faith, continue to believe in hope in the world despite despair, knowing that God Almighty still loves you and me dearly.

While radio stations and news pay tribute to Whitney Houston by her famous song "I'll always love you". I personally pay tribute to her through another song which it "When You Believe" featuring Mariah Carey as well.

The song sung by two gifted beautiful person reminds us of a miracle of epic proportion, when God led Israelites out of the land of slavery, Egypt (>2000 B.C) in the movie "THE PRINCE OF EGYPT". Remember, the God today is the SAME God that led the Israelites out of Egypt, so my friends, BELIEVE.

Rest in Peace, Whitney.

God bless us all.

Joshua

Nobel Peace Laureate Suu Kyi goes to election...

Myanmar's Aung Sang Suu Kyi calls for changes to constituition

Aung Sang Suu Kyi, the Nobel Peace Prize laureate who is released from house-arrest in November 2010 after spending 15 of her last 23 years in her house. She is now contesting in a by-election for her National League for Democracy (NLD) on 1st April in a rural township Kawmuh in Burma to seek a place in the Military-ruled Parliament house of Burma/Myanmar.

The world, particularly the Burmese people will look at the election contested by Suu Kyi this April 2012, hoping to see the democratic icon blooming back into the political scene of Myanmar.

We will be watching.

In the mean time, for the younger generation who does not know how important and passionate the icon is, probably you can spare an hour or two to watch the movie "The Lady" based on the true story of Aung Sang Suu Kyi who had to choose between the love for her family and the love for her country.

People of Myanmar, Vote Suu Kyi in and Vote oppression out!

God bless us all.

Joshua

‘Aunty Bersih’ promises to show polls reform panel how to fix system

By Debra Chong November 11, 2011

File photo of Ooi during the Bersih rally in Kuala Lumpur on July 9, 2011.

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 11 — Annie Ooi Siew Lan, the retired teacher dubbed “Aunty Bersih”, challenged today the polls review panel’s sincerity to electoral reform and vowed to show it her list of how to fix the system in the next seven days.

The slight, skinny 65-year-old became an accidental icon when she was pictured battling chemical-laced water cannons and tear gas shot by the police into the locked-down capital city to join in the Bersih 2.0 march on July 9 for cleaner elections.

She stunned the parliamentary select committee (PSC) today with her forthright manner from the start when she demanded the “vote to be given to everyone 21 years old and above.”

To this, she cited as examples nurses, doctors, soldiers and policemen on duty on polling day.

“We don’t want any more corruption,” said the short-haired woman dressed in a pale yellow top reminiscent of the Bersih T-shirt she wore on July 9. The coalition of 62 civil societies has adopted yellow as its colour.

The nine-man PSC appeared perplexed by Ooi’s statement.

Its chair, Kota Marudu MP Datuk Seri Maximus Ongkili, explained that it was the panel’s aim and asked her for suggestions, which appeared to vex Ooi.

“There are eight demands out there. Loud and clear. I’ve no need to repeat them,” she said, referring to Bersih 2.0’s list of demands.

“Cakap pun tak dengar, ada yang dengar pun tak bertindak, apa lagi? Susahkah ini keadilan? [What’s the point of speaking further, those who hear don’t act, what else is there? Is justice so difficult?]” she asked.

When Kangar MP Datuk Seri Mohd Radzi Sheikh Ahmad ventured to reply that it was because those who qualified to vote did not do so, Ooi shot back: “Why is it so hard? Why so long and hard [to register voters]?”

“You want solutions? Solutions to what?” she pushed the panel to answer before promising to return in seven days with her list of practical solutions to carry out electoral reform.

“If the sick can’t go to the voting stations, can’t you do something about it?” she asked, her voice rising as with her temper.

“I speak for the voiceless. What you’re asking from me is solutions. I’m just a simple, simple, simple person,” she cried out, prompting Ongkili to plead with her to calm down.

Bersih 2.0 has been pushing the Election Commission to carry out eight steps they claim can be carried out immediately and will improve the electoral system before the next national polls are held, widely expected to be called early next year.

They are:

1. To update and remove dead voters from the electoral roll and in the long term, allow automatic voter registration at 21 years old.

2. To reform the postal ballot and open up voting for Malaysians overseas and not just limit it to those in the armed forces and public service.

3. To use indelible ink to prevent voter fraud.

4. To extend the campaign period to a minimum of 21 days.

5. Free and fair access to media.

6. To strengthen public institutions and uphold the rule of law.

7. To stop corruption by taking serious action on all allegations of corruption, including vote buying.

8. To stop dirty politics.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Article adapted from http://www.themalaysianinsider.com

As simple as "Aunty Bersih" puts it to the Parliamentary Select Committee. The recommendation to the Government is "Change or be changed!"

Joshua

Aung San Suu Kyi

Aung San Suu Kyi (ASSK) -A world symbol of struggle against oppression, has recently been released from house arrest. Democracy in Myanmar (Burma) is reignited with the release of the much beloved and honoured 1991 Nobel Peace Prize winner from an unjust, oppressive detention.

The military-ruled Myanmar government must take concrete step in providing utmost security to the ASSK. In addition, restoration of a democratic process, returning the right of the people to decide who governs them. It's a long overdue time that the Burmese people should enjoy their country rich and abundant resources.

The government must initiate talks with ASSK and recognised her contribution to the country and restore democracy without any further delay.

The world rejoices with such an icon against oppression! Bravo! Aung San Suu Kyi! You're a gift from heaven!

Joshua

The predicament unwanted pregnancies

This recent article posted online "The trials of teen mothers" has bring a rather different perspective for reasons leading to child/baby dumping. The mistake might be the same elsewhere but the journey is still much different from the western societies. Traditional asian values still hold unmarried pregnant ladies as disgraced group.

However, the family must realize the universal value of support and love for any family member that has made a mistake, in the case an unwanted pregnancy.

Western values might differ with Eastern values of treating unmarried pregnant family members but it is time for the families in the East to adopt a culture of receptivity and forgiveness and support for a member that fell into the mistake of unwanted pregnancies.

Parents who were too busy in building material wealth have forgone the importance of building a relationship with their children.

Education policies and educators continue to shun the importance sex education.

Society's continue emphasis of the "feel good" factor rather than the "do good" factor is mainly be blamed. Profit-minded culture in business rather than charitable-minded culture. The ever greed for more money and physical pleasure has brought cast a shadow over the good spirit of human nature.

In the end of the day, the ever increasing cases of baby dumping holds everyone in the society accountable that includes myself. Let us all change our heart and minds for society that is caring, loving and charitable.

Joshua

Genocide in Nigeria

The recent killings of christian villagers in Joss, Nigeria is strongly condemned in all possible terms. All peace loving people of faith must exercise their belief. Killing others in the name of God is an act of the demon. All quarters must exercise restraint, to the victims - rest in peace. To their family, my deepest and sorrowful condolences. Some very graphic images are popping out on the internet but I have not posted them on here.

Who would ever have a heart to burn and slash harmless, innocent children and women???

This must be stop, all peace loving people and Christians must come together in prayer and peaceful-activism to end this violence. Love your enemies, the LORD said...it is certainly almost impossible but let us remember the that vengeance belongs to the LORD.

LORD, hear the cries and sufferings of the little ones.

Joshua

Aung San Suu Kyi's extended house arrest

Today 11th of August 2009, a Myanmar court in Yangon sentences Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi to an (another extension) 18-months house arrest due to an alleged "violation" of her house arrest order in May 2009 which has been extended unlawfully and immorally multiple times since 2000. The alleged "crimes" that put her under such extensive unjust series of continous house arrests are controversial, or simply because she is elected democratically as the Prime Minister of Myanmar in 1990.

An oppressive junta-military controlled government has refuse to allow the living symbol of democracy walk as a free woman again. Simply because of the fear of democracy, the fear of what is right and good.

The 64 year old world icon for democracy and freedom ; victim of ultimate oppression and tyranny has spent 14 years for the last two decades mainly under house arrest.

As the world outcrys the lastest unlawful and immoral verdict of an partial / biased Myanmar court (none to the suprise of many in the world) delivered on 11th August 2009. It is another wake-up call that oppression, dictatorship, tyranny, draconian, ruthless, merciless and harsh leadership cannot be allowed to govern in any organisation, council, state and nation!

This latest round of oppression must be condemned absolutely without reserves!

Free Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi and return democracy and rule of law and mercy to the people of Burma!

All unjust and merciless actions will not be left unnoticed and ignored as long as God- the Guardian of all that is good lives.

Joshua

Explaning Alopecia areata & Autoimmune disease.

I would like to begin my first official blog by posting a subject that is not life-threatening but life-altering. The subject is Alopecia Areata (Widely believed to be an autoimmune disease).

As an Alopecia areata patient, I have been laughed, stared, commented rudely and even be labelled as a member of the skinhead gang in the public multiple times. I've even heard from the public calling women with alopecia totalis, alopecia universalis, crazy womens, Alopecia universalis patients as freaks who shaved their eyebrows and pulled off their eyelashes.

Children are being laughed and jeered as baldy, alien or even hairless monsters! Enough is enough! If we are not bound by the Rule of Law but rather the Law of the jungle, I would have given a smack or two slaps on the faces on people who laughed at children with Alopecia areata.

• So, to whoever (on condition that you're civilized, with brains in the body, I don't care where your brains is, as long as you have one in your body) want or have showed rudeness, ignorance to children and women with alopecia especially and also to my fellow brothers. You are welcome to read my blog.

To those who live with Alopecia areata or live with/know someone you loved with Alopecia areata, you are most welcome to read my blog.

• First of all, Immune system and Autoimmune system does not exist separately. The term "Autoimmune System" does not even exist whether in scientific or medical definition. There is only Immune system and Autoimmune disease/condition (One of many ways the immune system can breakdown).

• However, "Autoimmune disorder, Autoimmune conditions, Autoimmune diseases" are often used interchangeably and Autoimmune disorder/conditions/diseases is merely the failure of the body Immune system to recognize one own self (cells and tissues) and therefore "attack" (produce an immune response against) the host's (e.g human) own cells and tissues that makes up the normal structure of the physical body.

• Let us not discuss in depth into scientific terms but rather an explanation based on basic science.

The immune system in general, works in two general pathways:

1. Non-specific immunity (innate pathway)- eg. the physical barrier of skin, acid in the stomach, phagocytics cells in blood that eats up bacteria in general...etc
2. Specific immunity (pathway)

Alopecia areata falls into the minor malfunction of the Specific immunity (pathway).Under Specific Immunity, it further subdivides into two components:

1. Passive immunity- (e.g transfer of antibodies from mother's milk to baby)
   and Alopecia Areata (Autoimmnue condition) is narrowed down to the minor malfunction of the Active immunity.
2. Active immunity- response upon stimulation (e.g vaccination, exposure of disease, infection)

Under Active immunity, it further divides into two categories:

1. Humoral immunity ( produced by B-lymphocytes)- e.g production of antibodies like Immunoglobulins, IgM, IgG, IgE...etc.
2. Cell-mediated immunity (T-lymphocytes)

* Another type of lymphocytes besides B and T-lymphocytes is Natural Killer Cells (NK) which is part of the Non-specific (Innate pathway) immune system.

and the identified culprit (agreed by most) for Alopecia areata is the T-lymphocyte cells (T-Cytotoxic cells which destroys cells) and (T-Helper cell which tells the other white blood cells to destroy cells and enhance the B-lymphocytes to produce antibodies specifically)

Under the microscope: a skin biopsy of a patient with Alopecia Areata shows

• Extensive T-Cytotoxic and T-Helper cells are present surrounding the hair follicles, "attacking" them, so in laymen term the hair follicle is "under siege". Hence, the hair follicle cannot produce any hair, and the nutrients supplied for hair growth is BLOCKED by these T-lymphocytes cells and their allies.

So, above the surface of the skin, no hair is present (Alopecia= a clinical symptom of absence of hair on skin where they normally are/ should be).

Why is Alopecia Areata often starts as circular patches extending outwardly? What's wrong with the presence lymphocytes around the hair follicle and why Autoimmune disease?

I will discuss that in my next blog. Thank you for reading.

Joshua

p/s: You may want to visit Alopecia Areata Support Community or read about Alopecia Areata at AASC-i if you find my blog interesting.