drcheah.com

Nothing adds up

2008-08-07T21:47:00.006+08:00

The plot thickens as Malaysians are coyed into believing that Anwar is indeed a homosexual maniac. The story being presented to the public is filled with absurdities and one wonders why the Solicitor General even bothered to proceed with prosecution.

Now it appears that Anwar is charged under Section 377B which does not elaborate on whether the offence was consented or otherwise, all this when there is a provision under Section 377C to charge Anwar for committing carnal intercourse against the course of nature without consent. So if this act was consented, what was the motive of Saiful's accusation?

Saiful's trips to the DPM's office before the allegations surfaced for allegedly requesting for a scholarship is ludicrious. For someone with such poor university scores, going to the DPM's office for a scholarship is hardly a sound move. Rather than throwing out such an inappropriate request, the staff had the audacity to pose for photographs with this individual. Who is Saiful, a poor student, that he dares to circumvent normal procedures for requesting for a government scholarship?

The first medical report showed no evidence of sodomy. As a medical doctor, if an object has been forcibly inserted against one's will, damage to the anal canal will be apparent with tears and abrasions. Even consented anal intercourse will reveal such tears or at least previous scars. It does not take a gastroenterologist to recognise these damages and with 30 years of experience, Dr Osman is certainly competent enough to recognise them. So why was there a huge discrepancy between the medical report at Pusrawi and HKL? Who were the doctors that assessed Saiful at HKL and what are their credentials?

Saiful's demeanor during the initial press conferences to announce this sexual allegation was inconsistent with someone who was severely traumatised by such an act. He was confident and appeared proudly elated that he had gathered the courage to report on Anwar. Victims of sexual crimes are usually reclusive and the feelings of being violated is severely depressing.

The sodomy allegation should remain between Saiful and Anwar. Unfortunately the amount of press commentaries especially from Badawi and his government, who appear to have detailed knowledge of police investigations, is enough evidence of the presence of political interferences. The Attorney General or Solicitor General, despite being elected by the Executive, represents the people of Malaysia and not the PM. Unfortunately, the impression from press statements is that the AG or SG is actually answerable directly to the PM.

Any sane individual will attest to this shambolic court drama. It will be a fatal error to undermine the intelligence of the Malaysian public.

Guilty as charged

2008-08-03T14:57:00.001+08:00

The Anwar saga never fail to facinate me. Current sodomy charges against him by Saiful, a former aide is fraught with gross inconsistencies.

Forced sodomy between Anwar and Saiful is almost physically impossible. With Saiful being physically stronger than Anwar, who happens to suffer from a troublesome back, the act of unconsented sodomy is clearly not doable. Even the act of sodomy requires co-operation from two consenting adults. This allegation is thus flawed.

Saiful who was purportedly a student leader, scoring poorly in a university exam is enough motive to frame a prominent figure for political mileage . Moreover running to the DPM for a scholarship with such poor scores makes the story suspicious. He has everything to gain with this saga.

Even the press statements from BN politicians, confirms our fears that this allegation is politically motivated. Their access to the police files indicate possible interference. The police chief too is hardly neutral.

Anwar will be guilty . Few will bet against it. BN cannot risk having Anwar back in Parliament. Unlimited access to MPs risk the much hyped crossovers. BN cannot allow that to happen, not after so much has been lost. a PR federal government will certainly expose more than just incompetencies.

Movie Marathon

2008-07-05T10:44:00.001+08:00

Malaysians have just been witnessing a soap-like political scenario. Statutory declaration has also been the most misused word during this fiasco. One starts to wonder if indeed they are professional actors in this ridiculous drama.

Enough is enough. The future of a country is at stake. PI Bala should be charged with committing treason. Is he for real? Or can someone really make an about U turn within 24 hours?

Perhaps the only winner here is PaK Lah. At last, the pressure on his leadership is reducing. All of a sudden, heir apparent Najib does not look too credible for the Prime Ministership. Could KJ have a role here?

With Najib being more tainted and Anwar ineligible to contest with an impending court case, it appears Pak Lah has survived
. I suspect more juicy news will surface in weeks to come. We will all surely be in for a treat.

Get comfortable with enough supply of popcorn. This is going to be a long ride.

Sodomy again? Any better ideas?

2008-06-29T15:50:00.001+08:00

Another sodomy charge against Anwar but one starts to wonder about the authenticity of those charges. It does not take a CSI agent to know that glaring loopholes are already apparent in those claims lending credence to Anwar's claims of fabrication.

The sodomy allegedly took place after the March 8 election triumph for PKR making such a move by Anwar uncharacteristically foolish. It was moreover a close aide for Anwar at that time.

The natural anatomy makes sodomy a difficult practice and this requires a lot of co-operation from both sides. To allege that Anwar forced himself on him makes little sense for a man who can obviously fight back.

It's sad that once again Malaysian politics have become a circus for the international press, feeding on the naiveity of the population, government and police. The priority now is to authenticate the claims beyond any reasonable doubt and prosecute those who harbour malice. Any repeat of the 1998 farce will only derail any attempted recovery of the BN government.

Testing

2008-06-29T11:45:00.001+08:00

Testing.. Cellspin

.. what next?...

2008-05-19T15:08:00.003+08:00

It has been a month since I last wrote on this blog. Paucity of topics is certainly not the reason for such silence but the dearth of ideas has led to some re-evaluation of the intended direction.

Much of this blog has been a culmination of frustration with the intention of allowing a vent to release this much needed pressure. It has led to a small 'following' of online comrades. Their commentaries are appreciated although rarely reciprocated as the last thing I need is an unnecessary debate.

Since I started blogging, the explosion of blogs is phenomenal. The recent spectacular fall of BN has led to the realisation of an alternative media that appears to gather steam with each passing year. More political figures, who previously chastised bloggers, have 'relegated' themselves to blog. The latest addition is none other than our former premier, Dr M. (http://www.chedet.com)

There is little need to have a spokesperson in future as much of what that is needed to be said, can be said through blogs. Future elections will no doubt be fought in cyberspace. The US elections is a prime example of campaigning online with each candidate having a website that allows speeches be highlighted and replayed. Even campaign donations can be done online.

Some find it exciting while others shudder at the thought of an electronic device. It may also be inevitable that the internet will soon be the site of a future metropolis. Alright, perhaps that is still light years away.

Soon blogs may be an obsolete past as websites become more interactive. Heck, even the idea of Iron Man may not be too far fetched where electronic access to the web can be continuously accessed in flight!

How I wish I could live to see that era! For now, I'll just have to stick with notebooks and PDAs.

Stuck in the past

2008-04-13T20:27:00.002+08:00

Tengku Faris' recent pronouncement that non-Malays should never seek equality in return for citizenship smacks of arrogance and naivety of the Kelantanese Sultanate. Holding the non-Malays to ransom with regards to citizenship highlights his regressive nature and only aims to cement his future position at the helm of Kelantan and of one day, Malaysia.

Malaysia attributes its current position to all hardworking Malaysians regardless of race or religion. Ignoring this fact and derecognising the role of non-Malays in building Malaysia is tantamount to treason. The races of Malaysia is so amalgamated that the absence of one will surely weaken this mould. Therefore, threatening the non-Malays with the issue of citizenship serves to be self destructive.

Our Kelantan Crown Prince has also resurrected the issue of whether Malaysia is a secular or an Islamic country boldly declaring that Malaysia is an Islamic nation. Surely he was only playing to the sentiments of the crowd which where entirely Muslims. Being an Islamic state means that the civil courts are no longer in authority and only the Syariah Courts are recognised. This of course is not true. Such arguments are not new. An article by Dr Chandra Muzzafar highlights this problem and its arguments. Read it here.

These belligerent utterances only serves to sow uneasiness among the non-Malays driving precious human resource out of the country.

Reproduced from Malaysiakini.com

Tengku Faris: Non-Malays should not seek equality
Andrew Ong | Apr 12, 08 2:10pm
Kelantan Crown Prince Tengku Faris Petra said today that Malays had given into granting non-Malays citizenship and the latter should therefore not seek equality or special treatment.

He said this during his keynote speech at a forum titled “Malay unity is the core of national unity” organised by the newly formed Barisan Bertindak Perpaduan Melayu in Kuala Lumpur today.

Speaking to a crowd of about 1,000 people, Tengku Faris said the Malay rulers would be an umbrella to foster unity among all Malaysians, based on the Federal Constitution and the Rukun Negara.

bbpm tengku faris 120408 tengku faris“Therefore, the rakyat must unite and never raise issues regarding Malay rights and special privileges because it is a quid pro quo in gratitude for the giving in of citizenship (beri-paksa kerakyatan) to 2.7 million non-Malays into the Tanah Melayu federation.

“Thus, it is not appropriate for these other ethnic groups to have citizenship, only (later) to seek equality and privileges,” said Tengku Faris, who read from a 11-page prepared text.

However, the crown prince stressed that in an effort to unite the Malays, non-Malays also have rights that must be protected, such as in areas of religion.

As an example, Tengku Faris said non-Malays are allowed to practice their respective religions in peace. They must however do so in accordance with the law and “not be provocative towards Islam”.

“The Malay rulers are the head of the Islamic religion and Malaysia is a Islamic country (negara Islam), not secular. We have our own formula (as a country) which is different from others,” he added, drawing thunderous applause from the crowd.

‘Dominance’

He added that the effort to instil Malay unity and defend Malay special rights does not mean that other races would be ignored.

“In fact, if Malay rights and special privileges are taken care of and is not disturbed, it would ensure national harmony. It does not just benefit the Malays but all ethnic groups,” he said.

bbpm tengku faris 120408 crowdIn his speech, Tengku Faris said the 12th General Election results have shown that the Malays are being “challenged” and thus Malays unity is of the outmost priority.

“The election results have shown that the Malays are disunited and facing other ethnic groups who are more dominant politically and economically,” he said.

As the constitution provides that the Malays are the natives (penduduk asal) of Malaysia, Tengku Faris said every Malay must defend the constitution and Islam and this can only be achieved through Malay unity.

“We have to make an effort to unite. Don’t spilt up. Avoid polemics that can distance us. Ideology (and) having different interpretations does not contribute to Malay unity.

“Discussing about polemics such as Islamic state, secular state, welfare state... confuses the people... Resulting from this confusion, Malays are becoming more disillusioned,” he added.

Trapped

2008-04-05T17:55:00.002+08:00

Toiling for hours at a stretch, executing commands leveled from all angles and wishing one could miraculously split into two, as work appear as endless heaps. Any mistakes could attract condescending remarks. This may be a familiar scene for many of our house officers on duty.

So young in their careers, yet disillusioned at such important formative years. Shaping a skewed and hardened mentality, that medicine is a cruel game. Many mature into their senior years bent on ensuring that their experiences should not be carried into future generations of doctors. Nevertheless, when the times do come, their earlier noble pledges evaporate, only to condensate as a mould of their much feared tormenters.

Are doctors a bunch of savagers waiting to devour their younglings? Has the profession not thought them about humulity and inevitable mortality for Man? Or has the elevated sense of pride and achievement gone to their heads?

It is only my hope that I, myself, should never spiral into this rapacious trap. But somehow, I fear that at times, it may just be too tempting to bark at a mistake that we may have made many times over in the past.

Perhaps we are all trapped in a cruel world after all.

A bitter divorce

2008-04-01T10:47:00.002+08:00

A recent frontpage announcement of the separation of duties between prescribing and dispensing has caused much furore especially among doctors. There is little doubt that the most affected group will be the private practitioners, who will stand to lose if they are to be denied dispensing rights.

Prescribing remains the sole domain of doctors although some pharmacists have been known to encroach onto this area, where they are certainly not trained for. Dispensing medications, however, is a battleground where each would like control of an abundant piece of real estate.

A doctor's training encompasses not only about diagnosis and treatment but certainly an allocation of hours for pharmacology in the early years. Prescribing medications without knowledge of the drugs that are being prescribed is certainly grounds for negligence. So despite the fact that the pharmacists may perhaps have a more indepth knowledge of the pharmacokinetics or pharmacodynamics of the drug, a doctor possesses the ability to correlate drug treatments with the clinical scenarios.

Uncoupling prescribing and dispensing is not about competence but rather about improving the efficiency of healthcare delivery. In a busy practice where a doctor may not have sufficient time to explain about the spectrum of side effects, a pharmacists may be of importance. A pharmacists should play a role of assisting doctors in delivering an exemplary standard of healthcare.

It is my personal opinion that doctors should be allowed to continue dispensing medications. There is no compromise in patient care by doing so. However, in areas where doctors may be overburdened, for example in tertiary care centers, uncoupling prescribing and dispensing is certainly of benefit.

Pharmacies plays in a role in allowing patients a more varied selection. Patients can be given a choice of getting the medications from the doctor or a nearby pharmacy. Such a choice should be left to the patient concerned and not muscled through via legislations.

Pharmacies remain poorly regulated where the standard of practice is suspect. Many are driven solely by profit margins, making temptations of unorthodox practices too juicy to resist. Some venture into a lucrative tradisional medical practice for which they are certainly not trained for. Even providing blood pressure and sugar checks without proper counselling may only distress patients unnecessarily. Allowing pharmacies to promote alternative healthcare or products apart from those specifically prescribed, may only confuse patients.

If dispensing rights are to be solely given to the pharmacists, then a level of service commitment needs to be in place. For example, a 24 hour service or being on call duties may be necessary in tandem with that in the medical field.

A divorce of duties now will surely be bitter. Although it appears inevitable at this time, careful thought needs to be invested and loose ends tightened up. Anything less and only patients will stand to lose.

New Frontier

2008-03-24T14:16:00.002+08:00

The newly appointed Law Minister, Zaid Ibrahim's intention to issue apologies to those involved in the 1988 judicial crisis is lauded. At last, the Government is willing to take responsibilities for the cowardly acts of the then Prime Minister, Mahathir. Since that day, the judiciary has slipped into a twilight zone where the executive under the PM maintains its iron grip on the judiciary.

Why did it take so long? Did the election results finally jolt our political administrators into reality? Does this mean that finally the Government is taking the blame on behalf of Mahathir? What does Mahathir himself have to say?

Certainly more questions than answers. But the bottomline is that finally the Federal Government has realised that the integrity of the judiciary has been called into question by the meddling from the Executive arm. Removing the Judiciary from the Executive is of paramount importance if the people are expected to once again respect our judicial system.

This move will certainly earn the ruling Barisan government some brownie points. However, following up these statements with concrete measures at restructuring the judiciary will surely be the true test. Their fate in the next general election may well rest on the outcome of this apology.

Perhaps the next target should be the Anti-Corruption Agency which is currently under the purview of the Prime Minister's Department. I feel the ACA should report either to the Parliament or directly to the King. In this way, their independence can be further guaranteed and investigations can be carried out without fear or favour.

Are we finally seeing a changed Barisan Government?

ps Zaid Ibrahim has rightfully quit his law firm, Zaid Ibrahim & Co, today. See report here.
Website of Zaid Ibrahim & Co

Barisan's poor track record

2008-03-22T16:50:00.003+08:00

Barisan candidates are used to the rhetoric "proven track record". Unfortunately, their track record has been severely tainted by the manner in which they left office. With the exception of an exemplary Koh Tsu Koon, other Barisan exco members have given us enough circumstantial evidence to suspect a previously corrupt government with much to hide. Elizabeth Wong, our new Keadilan representative, has given us some clear pictures as to what has been going on behind the scenes.

Such unhonourable acts are despicable and speaks volumes on the integrity of our Barisan politicians. Why would they want to shred documents or remove important papers pertaining to the running of the state? The answer is fairly obvious to us all. The unforseen results of the latest general election has caused panic among the Barisan candidates resulting in such haste in removing possible evidences to their crimes.

For a state that has never fallen to the opposition, Selangor was among those states where the offices were devoid of important documents. The unprecedented fall of Selangor caught much of the former Barisan government off guard leaving them scrambling to wipe out their tracks almost overnight.

Sadly, our PM has remained silent. His reluctance to chastise his party members probably stems from the fact that he is all too aware of the possible repercussions if such documents were to be left to the scrutiny of "cleaner" opposition representatives. Unfortunately, by allowing such acts to take place, strips the PM of his clean image, that was heavily promoted when he took over from Dr M.

I fail to see how the PM can reverse the dismal performance of BN when he and many BN stalwarts refuse to step down despite their smeared reputations. Somehow they need a new direction, a new face that people could once again relate to. The image of Badawi and Khairy is certainly not what BN or UMNO in particular needs at the moment.

Blogger friendly cabinet? A new era

2008-03-21T21:58:00.002+08:00

The new Information Minister has called for a more friendly approach to bloggers paving the way for a greater recognition and role for bloggers. It can no longer be denied that this new form of reporting has revolutionised reporting worldwide. Perhaps this is how mainstream media will look like in this new century.Even in the US, bloggers are invited to report on political conventions.

It is addictive to read blogs as they give a perspective that is not intertwined with hidden agendas, more so in our Malaysian media where biasness has become an unashamed practice. Unedited reports portray the situation as seen from the blogger's perspective, unpolluted by propagandas.

The role of blogging in the past election is undeniably a favourable factor for the opposition parties. It gives me a feeling of closeness as I read accounts of their struggles, giving a humane face to a usually melodramatic political scene. People could identify and relate with them. Immediate feedbacks through the commenting system also gives a certain level of control to the reader where his/her views on the matter can be aired rather expeditiously. This is way better than the letters section of our local dailies where only a select few with favourable comments would pass the editorial snipers. At last, we could "communicate" with our political leaders. Even Pak Lah tried in vain to jump onto the bandwagon by encouraging internet users to write to our PM via the Warkah untuk PM website. It was however, too little too late.

Ignoring the blogging phenomenon is foolish. Perhaps the first step at reconciling with the blogging world has taken place. The stinging comments of condemnation that were echoing before the election has now melted away. This is a new force to be reckoned with. As the saying goes, when you can't beat them, join them. I would certainly look forward to more MPs blogging especially those from Barisan.

New Health Minister

2008-03-18T23:25:00.003+08:00

Datuk Liow Tiong Lai is our new Health Minister.

Find out more about him from his website here.

Immediate goodies for Penang

2008-03-11T14:15:00.002+08:00

From The Star

Penang CM announces waivers, new policies (2nd update)

PENANG: Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said Tuesday that the Penang Municipal Council and Seberang Perai Municipal Council will waive all summonses involving hawker licences and parking offences issued before March 11.

Lim made the announcement just hours after being sworn in as Chief Minister.

The government could not estimate how much this involved, but Lim said that the waiver would not affect the councils' operations as it was monies not collected yet.

The announcements are part of the new government's "agenda for change to re-establish rule by the people,'' he said in a statement.

He said it will also review the policy of political appointments in the councils, and would look towards restoring local government elections.

Lim also promised that open tenders will be held for all state government procurement and contracts, adding that an online portal will be set up where information on tender bids would be posted for all to see.

All state government members and civil servants will also be required to publicly declare their assets.

"This is a government that is based on democracy. This is also a government that believes in equal opportunity and social economic justice. We are here to build a dynamic Penang for all,'' he said in the statement.

After sweeping to power in Penang, the DAP-led government is quick to ensure that all its election promises are kept. This is indeed a good start to better governance and perhaps a shining example to other states and also the federal government on how things should be done in a democratic Malaysia. I am encouraged to know that DAP is out to ensure that all Malaysians benefit from economic successes, be it Malay, Chinese or Indians. The time to segregate us by race is over.

DAP, we'll be watching you. This is the best opportunity to help all Malaysians grow and offer help where it is truly needed. At least in the next general election, you can finally use the rhetoric "good track record", something only BN candidates would utter prior.

Who will be the next Health Minister?

2008-03-11T10:52:00.002+08:00

Despite the losses of the non-Malay component parties, the PM is bound to continue with the current balance of power within the Cabinet. This means that the Health Minister portfolio will go to the MCA. If the trend of putting medical doctors in this position is continued, then Ng Yen Yen will certainly fit this bill. If it happens, it will be a promotion to a full Ministerial position for her.

Apart from the perpetual problem of funding in healthcare, there are a few administrative problems that needs sorting out. The placement of doctors for one needs to be more transparent and decided upon more humanely. All doctors should be if possible, given the opportunity to serve in a community setting on a rotation basis. At the same time, doctors should be given equal opportunity at post graduate training and career advancement.

All doctors should be subjected to the same rules and regulations. Fast tracking into the local Masters programme will only produce immature and inexperienced doctors. Just recently, a junior Orthopedic surgery lecturer asked if steroids could be stopped for a week for a rheumatoid arthritis patient with cervical subluxation, for surgery. This patient was of course on steroids for a prolonged period in our attempts at controlling disease activity. Stopping steroids cold could prove disastrous for this patient. One would have thought that this should be basic medical knowledge, certainly not something that only a physician should know. Certainly four years of Orthopedic training after housemanship was insufficient to produce a specialist of acceptable calibre.

I am sure there are many more issues at hand that need to be addressed. The incoming Health Minister will certainly inherit a substantial responsibility and workload. Will he/she be up to the task?

12th General Election Aftershocks

2008-03-09T20:18:00.003+08:00

Malaysia awoke today with news of a surprising showing from the Oppposition parties forming the People's Front, handing humiliating defeats to ruling National Front candidates. Despite garnering a simple majority in Parliament and thus the right to form the next Federal Government of Malaysia, losing control of key states in Peninsular Malaysia is surely a fatal blow to many political careers.

Two component parties of the National Front have already been devastated, namely Gerakan and MIC. Acting Gerakan President, Dato Dr Koh Tsu Koon has already stated his intention to take full responsibility for the loss and graciously step aside for a new leadership. Such admirable act is still missing from the MIC president, Dato Seri Samy Vellu, as he remains silent. The utter annihilation of MIC candidates have meant that MIC no longer holds any clout when it comes to the Indian community in Malaysia and may potentially lose representation in the new Federal Government.

In addition, the loss of two thirds majority in Parliament means that the Federal Government can no longer implement policies to its fancy but instead needing the approval of the Parliament. Breaking the two thirds majority in Parliament has always been the target of opposition parties to enable a better check and balance mechanism and thus ensuring that unnecessary policies are not bulldozed through Parliament.

E-campaigning and blogs are the way of the future. This modality of disseminating information can no longer be ignored. It has rivaled the effectiveness and popularity of the mainstream press and is expected to replace the more traditional print media in future. If the print media is to make itself relevant again, it must revert to unbiased reporting and remove itself from the grips of political parties. Blogs have also enabled many politicians to communicate with voters and thus making them more accessible. BN's failure to embrace this technology has stunted its influence on the growing cyber population.

With BN no longer controlling key states, it will be interesting to see how the Federal administration will interact with their State counterparts. Will much needed assistance be made less accessible in its efforts to demean their rival parties capacity in administering a State Government? However, isolating five key states will almost be close to impossible.

The opposition coalition or now known as the People's Front, may be a tricky one as well especially when it comes to the DAP and PAS. Bitter memories of the 1999 elections will surely be remembered by DAP when the Chinese voters deserted them when they hastily agreed to form a coalition with Islamist PAS. Penang and Selangor may not be such a big problem, however Perak will surely be highly controversial. With DAP winning the largest amount of seats among the People's Front, they should rightly be given the Chief Ministership in this predominantly Malay state. Thus, a Malay candidate is thought more suitable but the candidate currently in favour is from PAS. Will DAP endorse this candidate? Or will a PKR candidate be more appropriate with the condition that PAS agrees to secede control?

The People's Front has much to prove. This is their best chance at proving that they can run a Government more efficiently and transparently than their predecessors. How they fare in the next General Election may well be decided by their performances in these newly acquired states. A good showing may convince even more voters that the People's Front is ready to form the next Federal Government.

It is a bright day for Malaysia where the power of its people has prevailed. There is no politician that is invincible, be it the ruling party or the opposition. Any dictatorial mentality will no longer be tolerated by an increasingly discerning electorate.

Cat fight

2008-03-03T16:10:00.003+08:00

Related article here

I watch with interest the fight between Teresa Kok and Carol Chew. I agree with Teresa that there is little need for a young politician like Carol Chew to resort to such lowly acts to garner votes. Carol should in return, concentrate on developing her character and work ethics, similar to that achieved by prominent women politicians like Chew Mei Fun and Teresa herself.

Teresa's decision to fight for the Kinrara state seat and the Seputeh parliamentary seat should be fought on more solid concerns like the ability to handle the workload and Teresa's track record as an MP for Seputeh. Cheap derogatory advertisements only denigrade Carol herself.

Despite Teresa being the hot favourite, many are looking at Carol as a possible alternative to Teresa. However, Carol has to work hard to ensure that she is seen as on the same platform with Teresa.

Certainly those billboards will not help her cause.

A Malaysian Wish

2008-03-03T13:30:00.002+08:00

When an election period beckons, it presents us with a time to reflect on how we can change the country for a better future for all concerned. This time around the reflection remains as gloomy as in previous years.

Malaysia remains a country divided along racial lines. The Government's wish to promote a supposedly underpriviledged race has been hijacked by a greedy lot, who happens to also wield the authority in deciding the continuation of this skewed plan. There is no end in sight and hardly a long term plan has been drawn to remove many policies that remain racially charged and highly biased.

As much as the people love Malaysia, such blatant discrimination has erased much affection leading to significant emigration out of this country taking valuable human resources with it. Unfortunately, the government does not seem too bothered so long as the bellies of those concerned are well fed.

A wish that Malaysia will one day be equal for all Malaysians remain a distant dream and I fear that this will not become a reality for many generations to come, if ever. Is there hope for our future generations? Or should we be looking elsewhere to call home?

Election takes

2008-02-26T11:00:00.005+08:00

Since the dissolution of the Parliament, the country is supposedly managed by a caretaker government. Since the Government has been dissolved and the powers to be has yet to be elected, who is actually running the country for this 13 day period of campaigning before the elections?

Neither BN nor the Opposition has the power to decide on matters pertaining to the country as strictly speaking, neither has been elected into office as yet. The Government service should neither pledge their support to any political party as their allegiance is to the winner of the next general election. BN should also not act like de facto winners of the election.

This thought came about after Carol Chew was invited by the DBKL to officiate the opening of a flyover bridge snubbing the DAP candidate, Teresa Kok, which happens to be the favourite to win and the incumbent, in the Seputeh parliamentary contituency. At a time when there is no elected political representative as yet, both parties should be respected and represented.

Similarly, the press should be fairer in its reporting, be it the mainstream press or news portals like malaysiakini. Political parties should never interfere with the independence of the press and therefore should relinguish their control of local dailies. Their attempts at controlling the press is blatantly clear despite their foolish attempts at hoodwinking the Malaysian public into believing otherwise.

A 13 day political campaign is surely insufficient for anyone to advance their political agendas, especially for the Opposition which gets little air or press time. Should the election date not be fixed rather than being dependant on the fancies of the ruling coalition party? Are 13 days truly sufficient for the public to assess the candidates thoroughly? I feel campaigning should be allowed way before parliament is dissolved and the election date transparently chosen.

There are many deficiencies of our current system and much improvements can be made. However, the Malaysian public has to awaken from decades of subtle brainwashing to realise the extent of trickery in our local political arena. Similarly, the press has to practice basic ethics of journalism to enable fair and just reporting as they wield great influences on the general public.

A BN victory is certain with their massive headstart and advantages, the question is how will the Opposition fare with its extremely limited resources?

Doctor-Patient relationships : When it gets too good..

2008-02-13T21:09:00.002+08:00

Related article in The Star here.

Relationships between doctors and patients remain an important element in diagnosing and treating diseases. Unfortunately, the boundaries of acceptability can sometimes be contentious and blurred. When is a good doctor-patient relationship, just becoming too good?

Can a doctor be attracted to a patient he/she treats? Of course it can happen but both parties must understand that they can no longer be professionally linked. Once a professional relationship between a doctor and patient is breached, then such a relationship should cease and the doctor can no longer treat that particular patient.

So what happens when a doctor becomes attracted to a family member of a patient he/she treats? Is it still ethically wrong? Can he/she date a family member while still treating the patient? As of now to my knowledge, this is still deemed unethical.

Matters of the heart can sometimes be difficult to predict and might afflict any of us in the medical profession. It is important to understand that doctors are subjected to all the laws of nature and should never be viewed as super beings. Doctors themselves must be aware of their actions and its inevitable consequences. Seeking help when necessary is important even for doctors especially when love or lust may have blurred their normal thought processes.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Chinese New Year thoughts

2008-02-06T14:51:00.000+08:00

The air of celebration is apparent, anticipating the clanging of cymbals in tandem with ever enthralling lion dances. Nevertheless, my attention is diverted thousands of kilometers away by another engrossing affair, the US presidential nomination race. Many of their arguments about the US economy may have little bearings at least for me, however, I am intrigued by the transparency of debates and press coverage.

Flipping through our local dailies tells a tale of media suppression with little space allocated to the opposition parties. Despite the Government being adamant that press freedom is guaranteed, many influential editors remain handpicked by the Government. Why not? After all, the press is literally under the control of ruling political parties with Berita Harian, Utusan, Sin Chew Jit Poh and the NST being owned by them. A beacon of light is seen in The Sun where stinging articles do surface putting much needed pressure on politicians to perform.

Why can't Malaysia have a fairer press coverage for the opposition? Afterall, they do represent certain sections of the population. Should they not also be heard? Voters should be given the freedom to choose based on unbiased information.

Therefore, watching the primaries of a nation other than ours, gives me added invigoration. I think that democracy is democracy. There is no such thing as a Malaysian brand of democracy. Look at the US where multicultural and multiethnic practices are abundant, yet are about to hold fair and unbiased elections.

The Government has always mentioned that our elections are fair. However, how are we to believe such when unethical practices of nepotism and cronyism remain a common scenario. Take for example Khairy. In fact, if Badawi is politically and ethically correct, his son-in-law should not be allowed in politics, no matter how qualified he is. There is bound to be political nepotism here as Khairy himself so readily has admitted.

The advent of the internet has revolutionised the dissemination and gathering of information. Such an open and public domain has tempted many opposition parties to focus on this medium to spread their ideologies. Now, at least for those with internet access, information is free flowing where ideas of both parties can be weighed before the vote is cast.

Indeed, the political landscape is changing. Will BN win this time? Sure they will. But how long can they hold their fort? They are fortunate that the opposition parties remain in disarray preventing them from making any serious challenges to the throne. But their voices are more clearly heard now than ever before.

Happy Chinese New Year everyone.

Help to find missing girl

2008-01-13T18:12:00.000+08:00

The reward is now $100,000. As time passes, hopes are turning to a painful reality that Sharlinie will likely suffer the same fate as those before her like Nurin.

Health Minister is screwed

2008-01-01T19:07:00.000+08:00

The recent admission of Dato Chua Soi Lek as the person featured in a DVD sexual clip is surely to cause a scandal within the ranks of the Barisan Nasional and in particular the MCA. It has come at a critical time when elections are round the corner.

With Chua Soi Lek's reputation now tainted, his meteoric rise up the political ranks will surely be stalled or perhaps career ending. Such a lapse in judgement of a senior political figure should never be condoned lest it sets an unhealthy precedent.

He should have the basic ethical responsibility to resign especially as the Health Minister. Putting the onus on the Prime Minister to remove him only robs him of a dignified demise from the political scene. The Prime Minister has little choice in this scenario. I fail to see how he can defend a man who has admitted guilt in a sexual scandal. Any attempt to do so will only be juicy exploits for the Opposition in the coming elections.

Our Health Minister's tenure in the Cabinet appears now short lived. Who should then best replace him? Would the PM or the MCA upper echelons recall Chua Jui Meng, who appears more experienced in the Health Ministry portfolio?

Bird flu: Impending crisis

2007-12-18T13:23:00.000+08:00

The bird flu scourge continues, terrorizing new nations and making its intent that it is here to stay, known. Despite well concerted efforts of nations in quelling its spread, it remains free to roam the surface of Earth. Are we at the brink of a deadly influenza pandemic similar to the 1918 Spanish flu crisis that wiped out 50-100 million people worldwide?

If the influenza virus that causes bird flu successfully mutates to enable human to human transmission, I fear the crisis this time will be magnified. With air travel being so common, there is hardly much physical barriers to stop its spread. It could potentially wipe out generations of Mankind spelling the end of Man’s dominion over Earth as we lay defenseless and completely at the mercy of these tiny assassins. There is no escape.

The only strategy now is to stop the jump from poultry to Mankind. However, a tiny Earth segregated by imaginary physical borders, inept Governments, unnecessary wars and a lack of urgency appear to doom Mankind to a losing battle. As our tiny adversaries develop its venomous fangs, Mankind remain toothless. Is Mankind’s reign as the superior being on Earth about to end? The clock is indeed ticking.

Idiots can kill

2007-12-11T17:07:00.000+08:00

I received this as an email.