So, Mohamed Isa Abdul Samad has been found guilty of corruption by UMNO disciplinary committee weeks ago. He made an appeal and the committee reduces his penalty.
However, why the case hasn’t been brought up to anti-corruption agency? Am I missing something here? Is federal law inapplicable to a political party’s internal matter?
p/s – two persons won the Prize in Economics for “having enhanced our understanding of conflict and cooperation through game-theory analysis”.
Should Turkey be allowed to join the European Union?
Tony Blair believes Turkey EU’s answer for the future. Austria and a few others on the other hand don’t quite relish the prospect of Turkey as Euroland’s 26th member. I wish Turkey the best but halfway around the world, how would ASEAN member states react to East Timor as the grouping’s 11th member?
Currently, ASEAN has ten members with Papua New Guinea as an observer. In 2002, East Timor expressed its intention of gaining an observer status in ASEAN. The country proves its seriousness by informing ASEAN of its willingness to sign a non-aggression pact with the grouping.
In my opinion, the country’s greatest obstacle of gaining membership is Indonesia. Indonesia is like father of the bride. If the father hates you, you’re practically screwed. Maybe not father. Maybe just the older brother.
Reason is, the more influential ASEAN members – namely Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia and the Philippines – have traditionally stood by the Indonesian side whenever East Timor hit the headlines in the recent past. Though Indonesian atrocity was deplorable, the four nations had to refrain themselves from criticizing Indonesia in the name of solidarity.
Fortunately for East Timor, Indonesia doesn’t seem to hold any grunge against the tiny state despite the two countries’ turbulent past. Indonesia had previously annexed East Timor in 1975. East Timor later gained independence in 2002 via an United Nations-administered referendum in 1999. With Indonesia out of the way, East Timor can rest assured that the four members and the rest of ASEAN will not object save, maybe, Myanmar.
Myanmar currently disapproves the notion of East Timor as an observer – much less a membership – due to East Timor’s support for Aung San Suu Kyi. I do think however that if East Timor could somewhat water down its explicit support of Aung San Suu Kyi, then Myanmar might retract its objection.
Regardless, East Timor has a lot of catching up to do. With respect to that, I believe ASEAN has unique role to play in East Timor’s effort to build up itself. Yet, ASEAN has done little to aid East Timor. Instead, Australia is East Timor’s most active partner. ASEAN must play a greater role in East Timor if the 10-member group wishes to see a stronger ASEAN.
p/s – I saw this on BBC’s ticker last night. I thought it’s old news but heh, all hail to the greatest theocracy the world has ever known. LOL!
pp/s – cold feet?
Minnesota last defeated the Wolverines in 1986.
“You look at that whole series and it’s kind of lopsided,” Minnesota coach Glen Mason said. “If I had it my way, I wouldn’t play them anymore. Michigan has those types of series with a lot of teams.”
Let’s hope Michigan won’t do anything too interesting. Minnesota in the past few years is that kind of team which you think they gonna lose but somehow, due to final minutes miracles, we are the winner instead.
I hope Michigan will stop that trend and win outright. The best thing is, Michigan has the psychological advantage to do that.
Well, may the best team win. (BTW, the Little Brown Jug is ours).
This week, college students throughout Malaysia are polling to elect Student Representative Council members. Pro-opposition student groups allege that there are several irregularities going on however. They also claim unjust policies are being implemented by universities’ administrators to make it harder for them to participate in the election. As an act of protest, pro-opposition groups have decided to boycott the election.
A boycott could have a myriad of effects on many players. Unfortunately, the boycott is affecting the pro-opposition badly while their rivals are free and unscathed. Reason is, the boycott effectively hands over sufficient number of seats to pro-government student groups while the pro-opposition gains practically nothing.
As such, future ruling by the Student Representative Council will ignore pro-opposition’s dissenting views simply because pro-opposition won’t have noticeable voting power in the council.
If the pro-opposition groups hadn’t boycott the election, they could have a number of seats in the council. With their representatives, they could vote for an enquiry over the alleged irregularities and unfair policies. Thanks to the pro-opposition bright leadership however, such notion is harder to realize. Moreoever, their groups will become irrelevant this time around.
For the pro-opposition student groups’ leaders, c’mon, think for a sec. Do you think your opponents are losing sleep because of your boycott? Hell no! They are probably jumping joyfully while trying to lick their free fat, fat candy. Only a group of fools would disfranchise themselves and the pro-opposition groups are that fools.
As for now, I simply hope that none of the pro-opposition student groups’ leaders will lead any opposition political parties in Malaysia. If they are, then the opposition parties will have a lot of problems.
p/s – Ajax is up against Arsenal in a few hours. I hope Arsenal will get a good beating though I myself are unsure of Ajax’s recent performance.
Every city has its own charm, including Kuala Lumpur.
I have no idea whether this shot points to north, south, east or west without looking at a map. The concept of direction in this city is meaningless. But who cares when the sky is gay, true?
Yet, the photo might suck a bit since there is this big ass glass screen in between the camera and the scenery(?).
And, wow, being highlighted by Jeff Ooi bites a lot of bandwidth. Thank goodness it happened in the middle of the month.
Still, thanks! Appreciate the traffic. But most of all, I glad I see him celebrate September 16. Hail to the Federation.
Again, no, I’m not a nationalist. I just love shouting and turn everybody’s excite switch on. To me, nationalist tends to have a closed mind but their passion is something to be admired. Nationalist, especially patriot, always move me – my mind works only after my heart stops. Maybe, that’s why I think I’m a bit brash.
Ah, the curse of being a youth.
p/s РGermans, please vote for Schr̦der. Schr̦der is green, by proxy.
pp/s – on second thought, I can determine the direction by observing the shadow on the buildings. I also know that this photo was taken after noon. So, this shot probably points anywhere between north and west.
Heh, astronomy and geography are handy. I know I used the moon for direction when I was “lost” in Sierra Nevada.
ppp/s – in New Zealand, Greens will be back in power since they have assured Labour of assistance. Labour is expected to win without majority.
p4/s – Michigan 55 – 0 East Michigan. Michigan is now 2 – 1. I’m 2 – 1 too!
Four years ago, around this time, I woke up and was getting ready for chemistry class. On my way, vividly in my mind, I saw something so incredible that I was in a mode of disbelief. I saw tears falling down most strangers’ cheek in the land of the free and home of the brave. I suspect, none of them realized that they were crying – I know I didn’t. And for a tiniest moment then, I had thought I was an American.
But of course, Bush and his neo-con friends made me say much later, thank heavens I’m not an American.
Nevertheless, this post is dedicated to those of whom I saw cried on that day.
p/s – UK is overrated. Go to the US instead. (pst, Go Blue)