Corrupt to the core

The Malaysians are at it again. Photos of a semi-naked Ms Elizabeth Wong, the Honourable opposition MP from Anwar Ibrahim's PKR party, has been circulated, leading to her resigning her Selangor state Cabinet post and assembly seat. The last time a similar thing happened was when Mr Chua Soi Lek resigned his posts because he was caught on video in a hotel room engaged in activities with a person not his wife.

Since when has the naked form of a person, man or woman, proved incompetence on the part of the person? Don't we ALL have "private parts", which, if you are not aware, play important roles in keeping use alive and propagating the human race? What is there to be ashamed of if these parts are publicly displayed, especially when it is done so without the person's consent? I would like to let Ms Wong know that there is no wrong, no shame and certainly no dishonour in it, except among those who are prudes and among people - enemies - who would want to bring a person down, politically or otherwise.

Unfortunately, in Malaysia, that's how its appears the dominant UMNO wants to play politics. Anwar is already on video accusing the UMNO party of playing dirty politics. And he would be the one who has a certain 'authority' on this because somebody did him in in dirty fashion more than 10 years ago.

If politics is going to be conducted in this fashion in Malaysia from here on in (remember, just a few weeks ago, certain MPs defected to BN in Perak state, leading to a change in government of sorts). It is difficult to imagine that some political force is not behind all of these. And these forces appear to be quite powerful, and rich too, for who would want to defect, or show 'embarassing' photos' if there is not some financial incentives to do so. And who would want to part with their money if that somebody is not enriched by somebody else in some significant way?

Is Malaysia now so corrupt to the core?

The Crocs Cometh

What is wrong with Malaysia today? All the buayas (Malay for crocodile) seem to be baring their fangs. First, Anwar Ibrahim's former aid, a very ambitious and young 23-year old - Saiful Bukhari Azlan, accused Anwar of sodomising him. That's not new. Anwar was accused of the same thing 10 years ago, for which he was convicted but which judgement was later overturned by the Supreme Court of Malaysia. I can understand why Anwar bolted to the Turkish Embassy to seek refuge the moment the accusation was made. He had to do so before the Malaysia Police could lay a hand on him. The last time, the Chief of Police (Inspector-General of Police, they call him) gave Anwar such a beating that he blackened his eye. Anwar certainly wasn't going to wait around for another black eye. But why would a young man make a false accusation, if it indeed was one? He is either a morally upright chap, or a opportunistic young man led astray, rather willingly, may I add.

A tit must be met with a tat. Anwar seems to have played a part in Mr P. Balasubramaniam, a private investigator employed by Abdul Razak Baginda who stands accused of killing Mongolian model, Altantuya Shaaribuu, 2 years ago, making a sworn statement that DPM Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak knew Ms Altantuya, and that he had had sex with her. If Anwar can be accused of being a homosexual, surely DPM Najib can be accused of being an adulterer?

'I have never met her before", claimed DPM Najib in reply. Given the circumstantial evidence, it is hard to believe that statement. This revelation is not new. 2 years ago, when this tragic crime took place, tongues were already wagging of the DPM's complicity in the case. Otherwise, why blow up the victim into smithereens? Probably to ensure that no trace is left of any other persons than those already accused was involved. But this is all speculation.

When two of the pretenders to the Malaysian political throne go at each other like this, you wonder if there is any more hope for the long-suffering people of Malaysia.

Bedroom Politics

Malaysia seem to be having a love affair with videography.

I found it odd that Dr Chua Soi Lek had admitted to being the man in the now notorious sex video showing a man and a woman having sex in a hotel. According to some people in his hometown of Batu Pahat who had seen the video (circulated by some unknown persons or parties), they couldn't even make out that the male in that video was Dr Chua! That being the case, the smart thing for Dr Chua to have done was to deny everything. But Dr Chua prefers to be honest, which is not a bad thing, though his romping in bed with a woman not his wife was a case of bad judgment, and doing so in a hotel which had such lax security was a bad choice of location to have his night of pleasure.

It would appear that there is one sure way of causing the downfall of any rival in Malaysian politics, or anywhere else for that matter. If Dr Chua, who by any measure, is a successful man - he is a medical doctor, a No. 2 man in the dominant Chinese political party, the MCA and married with 3 kids - can be brought down so easily by a moment of indiscretion, anybody is fair game. And this has been going on for some time now. The most famous of these is the former Deputy PM, Mr Anwar Ibrahim, who was convicted of sodomy with his driver, although the veracity of the Court's judgment remains suspect to this day. But it doesn't have to be true, making it look convincing is enough to push one off the edge into political oblivion. This is what people mean when they say that politics is a dirty game - for how many otherwise effective leaders have not had their nights in the bedrooms of a woman not their wives? Plenty. John F. Kennedy, Thomas Jefferson, François Mitterrand, Bill Clinton (well, sort of), Napoleon Bonaparte, etc. are some of the more famous ones. All of these, except JFK, completed their terms in office, though.

While the verdict is still out on the performance of Dr Chua as an MCA leader and Health Minister, it is unfortunate that he was honest about it - unfortunate for his political career, but it was probably a good thing for him to be honest about it.

I wonder if there is a budding film industry in the making in Malaysia.