Author: Hafiz Noor Shams

For more about me, please read this.

Categories
Politics & government

[2197] Of Zaid Ibrahim for Hulu Selangor

There will be a big parliamentary by-election today in Hulu Selangor. By-elections have always been big in Malaysia but the fact that Pakatan Rakyat is fielding a giant makes this edition important by its own right. Zaid Ibrahim is not an obscure name.

Important or not, I do not feel the excitement of by-elections anymore. Part of the reason is that I am away in Australia. Another part is caused by election fatigue. Yet another part is because I have grown skeptical of Pakatan Rakyat due to policy issues.

The biggest of all issue is likely related to the goods and services tax debate. Effort to nationalize highways is another issue I deeply disagree with Pakatan Rakyat. Never mind issue of subsidy of various kinds. Some individuals who I thought would defend liberal economic policies within Pakatan Rakyat turn out to be cafeteria liberals. In short, I am no longer impressed with Pakatan Rakyat’s politics.

That in no way means that I am all set to lend my support to Barisan Nasional. I simply do not trust Barisan Nasional although I am willing to give thumbs up for several initiatives that fit my economic worldview. Their racial policy is a huge turn off for me, even if the current Prime Minister is pushing for liberalization of the economy.

Liberalization, of course, does not necessarily mean economic liberal. It could mean superlatively liberal. What else do I make when the federal government is pushing for liberalization of the economy while appearing to support minimum wage or creation of more government enterprises?

I was ready to largely ignore the election until Barisan Nasional raised the issue of alcohol and how Zaid Ibrahim drinks. I frown at the personal attack because I always expect people to debate on issues. Barisan Nasional failed on that front.

Moreover, the issue of alcohol comes close to the idea of choice, or anti-choice to be more accurate.

While I do appreciate that the norm in Malaysia is for Muslims to refrain from drinking as well as the fact that Muslims do have strong opinion on the matter and thus, Muslims voters who make up the majority in Hulu Selangor may vote based on personal lifestyle, for Barisan Nasional to raise the issue and use it as its election campaign material simply assaults my principle. The fake photographs of Zaid Ibrahim drinking distributed by those close to Barisan Nasional just adds up to the mounting anger I feel with respect to the way Barisan Nasional is campaigning.

That is not the only assault on freedom that is happening as far as the by-election is concerned. A former producer at NTV7 resigned because the Prime Minister’s Department, really, to make it all the more outrageous, the Prime Minister’s wife, demanded that the channel practice censorship to the benefit of Barisan Nasional.

Barisan Nasional has made freedom as an issue for me.

For that, I am stating that, for whatever it is worth and I know that it is not much, I am endorsing Zaid Ibrahim.

Categories
Liberty Society

[2196] Of discrimination and safety helmet

Please do not get me wrong. Being a generally risk-adverse person, I will wear a safety helmet if I ride a motorcycle.

This however is quite different from objecting to government mandating the wearing of safety helmet for motorcyclists, or cyclists. The fact that that mandate coincides with my preferred action of wearing safety helmet does not legitimize the mandate. This is one of those little things that a typical libertarian holds. Libertarianism can be axiomatic at times and the demand for logical consistency demands embrace of such opposition to government mandate.

While I do hold this ideal, I do think those who refuse to wear helmet are stupid, given the risk associated with riding a motorcycle. I in fact rarely argue for it because it is trivial and can be silly at times. It is clear that the convenience of coincidence erodes my temptation to argue against the mandate. Yes, in that sense, I am a cafeteria libertarian.

Why am I talking about safety helmet?

Well, this report reminds me of an old case about safety helmet:

TUMPAT, April 22 — The magistrate’s court here today acquitted five students of a religious school for riding motorcycles without wearing crash helmets, but turbans, two years ago.

Magistrate Raja Norshuzianna Shakila Raja Mamat ordered the students to be released after finding that the defence had cast a doubt on the case.

The students, Adli Abd Halim, 22, Ahmad Hafiz Shaari, 24, Mohd Hafizul Mohamad, 22, Mohd Azam Mohd Arifin, 24, and Che Mohd Noor Che Soh, 28, of the Pondok Al-Madrasah Ad-Diniah Al-Yusufiah, an Islamic religious schools in Gelang Mas here, were caught riding motorcycles without wearing crash helmets about 12.30am at Neting, here, on April 28, 2008 after performing funeral prayers at a mosque nearby. [Turban-clad Religious Students Freed For Riding Motorcycles Without Crash Helmets. Bernama. April 22 2010]

When it first appeared, I secretly sided with them (five motorcyclists) due to my libertarian stance. Still, I thought they were stupid.

What surprised me is that these guys won the case. Won!

The libertarian in me laughs in delight.

The libertarian in me is also shocked by its possible implication to rule of law.

Now, I do not know the case went. I am unsure how the defense “cast doubt on the the case.” Incompetent prosecutors, maybe? I do not know. My only piece of information is that Bernama article. I am going to be lazy and not do any more research on the matter, just to fit the bill of a responsible blogger.

Still, I hope they won they case not because they wore turbans.  If it that is the case, then my question will be what is so special about turban-wearers?

If turban wearers could get away with this, this would discriminate against those who refuse to wear safety helmet and turban.

I, as a non-turban wearer, demand equality before the law!

Okay, that was me tongue-in-cheek.

Or was I?

Categories
Photography

[2195] Of more of Glebe

I have been busy. The only thing I can afford to spend on is to post a picture.

Some rights reserved. By Mohd Hafiz Noor Shams.

This is Glebe Point Road in the evening. I had dinner with some friends at a balcony of an Italian restaurant. That was one of those less busy periods.

Categories
Photography

[2194] Of Sydney Law School

I have this weird relationship between law schools and richly-decorated old buildings stuck in my head.

Some rights reserved. By Mohd Hafiz Noor Shams.

The Law School at the University of Sydney definitely does not fit that bill. In fact, the building with the most modern design belongs to the Law School.

This building is probably the most prominent building here, next to the Latin Quad. (No, the Latin Quad is not the Harry Potter Building.) It is hard to miss a building which you can see through it.

Categories
Conflict & disaster Politics & government

[2193] Of choosing between Iran and the US

The Nuclear Security Summit in Washington D.C. suggests that Malaysia is siding with the United States with respect to the issue of Iran and nuclear proliferation. Apparently, even before the meeting between Prime Minister Najib Razak and President Barack Obama, Petronas, the state petroleum enterprise of Malaysia, has ceased shipping of gasoline to Iran in early March, anticipating an international, or at least a US-led trade sanction on Iran.[1] I say apparent because the Prime Minister claims the report is incorrect, stating it is only a spot sale instead of a stop of some long term contract.[1a] I am unsure what is the truth at the moment.

Notwithstanding the accuracy of the report, I seriously doubt the effectiveness of economic sanctions. I am not a fan of wide-ranging sanction and it is easy for me to rationalize this position.

I am also not a fan of the Iranian government for far too many reasons but if the proposed sanction is as wide ranging as I think it will be — adding gasoline into the list is a big thing — it is likely to hurt ordinary Iranians in Iran more than hurting Ahmadinejad government.

While the possible hardship may provoke popular Iranian sentiment against the Iranian government, such tactic appears too pragmatic — too realpolitik? — for my liking. Furthermore, the large protest immediately after the election in Iran demonstrates how hard it is for such sentiment to prevail.

This thinking of mine is a product of observing both Myanmar and North Korea. What exactly has trade sanction achieved there? Both regimes are still in power. In fact, their policies have hardly changed.

Sanctioning Iran may potentially further isolate Iran like how Myanmar and North Korea have been isolated without any real success in achieving the expressed goal of the sanction.

This has not even considered the fact that for the sanction to work — work in the sense that Iran will not be able to get its supplies from alternative source — the whole world must work together. A sanction by only the US and its allies will benefit others who refuse to participate, at the expense of countries like Malaysia. China for instance is dragging its feet in joining such sanction. If it refuses, the US-led sanction will be worthless.[3]

Despite this, I do appreciate Malaysia’s position and the reality on the ground. Malaysia has a lot more to gain by cooperating with the US than with Iran. Total trade between Malaysia and the US far exceeds that between Malaysia and Iran. Thus, I personally rather have Malaysia be diplomatically closer to the US than with Iran. I for one support better relationship with the US although, I can agree with Tunku Aziz that it should not be done “at any cost”.[4]

Still, ideally, I would prefer to have Malaysia to work with both the US and Iran. To have to choose between the two is an unfortunate choice to have.

Mohd Hafiz Noor Shams. Some rights reserved Mohd Hafiz Noor Shams. Some rights reserved Mohd Hafiz Noor Shams. Some rights reserved

[1] — Petronas, the Malaysian state oil company, said on Thursday it had stopped selling petrol to Iran. The move follows growing pressure from the US to shut off Tehran’s access to refined oil products.

The company, which is a long-term supplier of Iran, said it had not shipped petrol to Iranian ports since the middle of March. Petronas refused to give any further details on its decision to put an end to sales. [Petronas halts petrol sale to Iran. Kevin Brown. Financial Times. April 15 2010]

[1a] — NEW YORK, April 17 — Foreign news reports quoting Datuk Seri Najib Razak as saying that Malaysia had cut off gasoline supplies to Iran are incorrect, the prime minister said.

The prime minister said Petronas was involved in a spot sale to Iran in mid-March under a third party deal but since then there had been no requests. [Report On Gasoline Cut To Iran Incorrect, Says Najib. Tham Choy Lin. Bernama. April 17 2010]

[2] — Petronas gave no reason for the pullout but an industry source in Dubai said the company wanted to safeguard its business exposure in the United States.

On Monday, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib and US President Barack Obama agreed on the importance of Iran strictly abiding by its obligation under international nuclear non-proliferation pacts. [Petronas halts fuel sales to Iran as sanctions loom. Reuters via The Malaysian Insider. April 15 2010]

[3] — Companies around the globe have been reducing ties with Iran ahead of possible new U.N. sanctions against Tehran’s controversial nuclear program. But a Chinese-owned company is taking a different approach on trade with Iran.

Traders from Singapore say China’s Sinopec oil company is sending more than 200,000 barrels of gasoline to Iran. The move comes as more and more Western nations have cut or reduced business with the Islamic Republic fearing international sanctions. [Chinese Companies Pursue ‘Talk Now, Invest Later’ With Iran. Carla Babb. Voice of America. April 16 2010]

[4] — [The cost of Malaysia-US relations. Tunku Abdul Aziz Ibrahim. The Malaysian Insider. April 17 2010]