Author: Hafiz Noor Shams

For more about me, please read this.

Categories
Politics & government

[1946] Of is the Mahathir effect a myth?

Within UMNO circle, there is a belief that UMNO lost Kedah in the last general election because of the Mahathir effect. They are convinced that this is proven by the fact that his son Mukhriz won in the most unlikely location while the whole state went to the other side; Dr. Mahathir is a Kedah native.

At that time, Dr. Mahathir had serious disagreement with UMNO and the people of Kedah — or at least UMNO Kedah — were with him and not with an Abdullah-led UMNO. They voted accordingly on March 8 2008. Hence, UMNO lost.

Today, even with the Mahathir cavalry came marching in, UMNO could not overturn the underlying trend that is moving against UMNO. What today brings is a conclusion unfavorable to the hypothesis of the Mahathir effect. Perhaps, an even more ominous conclusion for Dr. Mahathir: he was irrelevant in that election in Kedah.

A simply eyeballing on Bukit Selambau’s numbers can easily statistically dismiss the Mahathir effect.

Thus, the end of Dr. Mahathir’s influence among Malaysians.

Categories
Politics & government

[1945] Of that channel called TV3

In the aftermath of March 8 2008, TV3 kept repeating general election results from Sabah and Sarawak, seemingly in denial that something big happened in the Peninsula. They preferred to transmit limited happy news amid a torrent of bad news.

The same trend is being repeated again today. In Buletin Utama produced by TV3, possibly the foremost evening news program albeit suffering from declining popularity, the ticker kept repeating news in what might be an endless loop: BN won Batang Ai in Sarawak. BN won Batang Ai. BN won Batang Ai…

No mention of the current trend in Perak and Kedah. We of course know that BN is losing big time there, just like on March 8.

Categories
Humor Liberty

[1944] Of Cao Ni Ma!

Though old, I cannot get the rhythm out of my mind.

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Context is of course important:

The Grass Mud Horse — Cao Ni Ma — is a Chinese Internet meme widely used as symbolic defiance of the widespread Internet censorship in China. It is one of the 10 mythical creatures, and since an article about it was created on Baidu Baike, it has become a cult phenomenon on the internet in China through chat, forums. Videos, cartoons and merchandise of this animal, which apparently resembles the alpaca, and has since received world-wide press attention. [Grass Mud Horse. Wikipedia. Assessed April 6 2009]

Categories
Books, essays and others

[1943] Of try guessing what is on the shelf of a bookstore

Mein Kampf.

No, I am not kidding.

You can find it at Kinokuniya at Suria KLCC.

It is the book with ominously pitch black cover, on the bestseller/highlight shelf.

Sitting close to it when I spotted it was Ayn Rand’s Fountainhead.

Categories
Politics & government Society

[1942] Of Zahid Hamidi’s faux pas

Hat tip to Nat.

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Heh!

In his eagerness to attract young Chinese voters, he may have attracted the ire of other Chinese by stating that that dancing is part of Chinese culture. It could be taken as an insult.

This is not to mention the ire of conservative Malays (likely the majority!) in Bukit Gantang who are uncomfortable with too much bare skin.

Him being a former ABIM head and the minister in charge of religious affairs in this country, finding himself in such event truly adds confidence

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

p/s — I make no value judgment here.