Hot air rises, so we need some tit-bits to enlight each and everyone of us, with no less than jokes of the month, from Finance Ministry parliamentary secretary Dr. Hilmi Yahya.

Via Malaysiakini:

The Customs Department is using luxurious cars like BMW in order to make their operations efficient, Finance Ministry parliamentary secretary Dr. Hilmi Yahya told the Dewan Rakyat today.

The usage of these cars is not to upgrade the image of customs officers but for operations, especially in curbing the smuggling of drugs.

"It’s not for style but because BMW can be driven fast and it is stable. It is used for prevention activities. So it is necessary, if we use Kancil, we cannot chase bigger cars," he said.

My suggestion is, next time, if you want to quit your job, join The Customs Department.

Once in a lifetime opportunity, click here to apply for the job.

Isn’t there a Malay proverb which says, "Biar mati anak, jangan mati adat"? In other words, culture is so important that they would sacrifice their child as long as the culture is protected.

But no, minister Nazri Aziz wanted to act gung-ho, asking Tun M to show his manhood. Then, he spoke arrogantly!

Asked if he would meet with Mahathir, he said it was up to his ex-boss to contact him.

Being a small fry he is, shameless is the best word to describe him.

This evening, I received an email from a concerned PTPTN loan defaulter, sharing his experience over the online statement facility provided.

He was first impressed by the service before the security issue reduced him into cautious mode. Excerpt:

I was shocked to find out that, after providing the PTPTN staff with my IC number, the staff was able to provide me my PIN number on the spot, through the phone!

Read the rest of this entry »

Today, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Nazri Aziz, who was inherited from former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad’s old cupboard, came out to the defence of Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, in a way you-like-it-or-not, remain elegantly silent.

"Be a jantan, leave UMNO", he said.

Via Malaysiakini:

Are you saying that Umno will not sack Tun but is inviting him to leave the party himself?

We don’t even talk about sacking him, he is the one who picks this idea from the air. Dia makan chili rasa pedas. He knows this is a big sin. If he wants to leave, then leave, I don’t think Umno members will cry and ask him to stay, because now he is already behaving like that, so better be opposition and fight us openly. But I disagree on sacking him because we are now more democratic than him.

What about the senior minister offer?

We talked about it in the cabinet because some ministers felt that we still need him to be around, but he said he don’t want it.

I think he has done so much damages to us. I don’t think he loves Umno, I don’t think he loves the country. He went back on all his words.

I was shocked how he could share a platform with those who try to destroy Umno. I saw the picture (of Mahathir) with (PAS leaders) Husam Musa, Nasharuddin Mat Isa, Kamaruddin Jaffar and Mahfuz Omar - those who called him ‘firaun’ (pharaoh) previously. He sat in one group with them. He has stooped so low to be with those people who called him firaun. He had said that Malays easily forget, but who is forgetting now? Malays or him? […]

Calling upon Mahathir to act like a jantan? Calling Mahathir to sack himself out of UMNO? Calling Mahathir cheapskate by stooping so slow to be with PAS leaders?

The one that should have spoken remain elegantly silent, while the small fry that shouldn’t have responded, put his head into the mud and burned the bridge behind him.

Gung ho? He didn’t realise he just helps to puch the dagger by one inch deeper.

Via Rocky Bru:

So, why did the Malaysian Government allow the USS Ronald Reagan, the world’s largest aircraft carrier, to dock at Port Klang early this month?

USS Ronald Reagan, was alleged as on its "goodwill visit" to Malaysia.

But little among us who might realise that, "the ship was on its way to the Gulf to participate in outright aggression of war crimes either against Iraq or Iran or both," said Prof. Francis A. Boyle.

Do I hear it wrongly?

Via Malaysiakini:

Youth and Sports Minister Azalina Othman, 43, has chalked up 28 summonses for traffic violations in the past four years - all but two were for  speeding. According to Rilek, Azalina has outstanding fines of RM8,400, but with the generous police discount, it adds up to only RM3,850. […]

Meanwhile, International Trade and Industry Minister Rafidah Aziz romped home in second spot with 10 summonses - seven for speeding and three for parking violations - dating back to 2003.

Her outstanding fines totaled RM3,000, but she only has to pay RM1,180 after the police discount. […]

What about Abdullah’s ex-boss-turned-critic, Dr Mahathir Mohamad?

According to Rilek, he has three summonses - all for speeding. His fines work out to RM900, but he got a 50 percent discount.

Johor crown prince Tunku Ibrahim Ismail Sultan Iskandar, has notched up a whopping 89 traffic summonses - with fines amounting to RM26,700 - over the past six years.

Well, you may conclude that Malaysiakini was trying to be funny with those dirt-cheap shots, indirectly criticizing the Cabinet for breaking the law.

It doesn’t matter whether you’re the Prime Minister, the Minister, the Sultan’s son or even the ex-Ministers, why the police never pay a visit to those VIPs, even though we’re ALREADY at the era of ‘Ops Warta IV’?

Why the double standard? Cheap civilians we’re.

First, we’ve fuel increment. Then, electricity tariff. Now, sugar. However, Deputy Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak is unperturbed. "Two ways to tackle sugar shortage", he said.

He said if smuggling persisted, the authorities would have to increase the price of sugar, but the people would not favour this move. 

"The rakyat will feel that this is not appropriate. Or, we can choose to take less sugar," he told reporters after chairing the Barisan Nasional management meeting yesterday. 

Najib said the price of the commodity here was the second lowest in the world. 

On claims there were outlets selling sugar higher than the permissible price, Najib said it would be up to the authorities to carry out enforcement.

You know, we Malaysians are a bunch of lucky chaps. We tend to overjoy with cheap petrol (second lowest among the region after Brunei) and now, we’re consuming the second cheapest sugar in this world!

What’s next? Second cheapest rice in this world too?

Thanks reader Julian for the headsup.

Yesterday, Malaysiakini reported as saying that PAS vice-president Husam Musa claimed to have received information that Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi in his capacity as UMNO president, will propose a motion to expel former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad at the supreme council meeting on Monday.

"I am exposing this information because I do not want Mahathir to be sacked. Imagine if a person like Mahathir can face such action, what more ordinary citizens?"

Husam added he is concerned about the developments in UMNO as he does not want to see the outspoken Mahathir being "killed" by the Government.

Mahathir was once sacked by the party after he severely criticised then prime minister Tunku Abdul Rahman in the wake of the 1969 racial riots.

"Wind" or "unwind", this can’t be real. Although Mahathir alleged Pak Lah as one "ungrateful figure" and as much as he hates Mahathir’s interference too, it’s very unlikely that the former premier will be expelled, moreover at the height of Tun’s criticism towards the current administration?

Most likely, "wrong wind" it is.

Via Agenda Daily:

(SOURCE: Agenda Daily, 12 June 2006)

Kisah ‘permusuhan’ Kalimullah dengan Dr Mahathir nampaknya bukan menjadi rahsia lagi.

Tauke ECM Libra itu sendiri mengesahkan gelaran the Hindu god and Muslim priest yang disebut oleh Dr Mahathir semasa menjawab soalan wartawan selepas satu acara di IKIM,Kuala Lumpur baru-baru ini ditujukan kepadanya.
Ini dicatatkannya dalam ruanganya Ahad.

Dr Mahathir mungkin mempunyai sebab tersendiri untuk mengelar Kalimullah begitu manakala Kalimullah pula mempunyai argument untuk merasa bekas Perdana Menteri itu tak betul menuduhnya begitu, menyekat penyiaran berita dan sebagainya.

Siapa tahu mungkin dari rentetan apa yang dilihat sebagai kesilapan-kesilapan NST kebelakangan ini termasuk penyiaran iklan bir yang dianggap menghina pemimpin ,cara tindak tanduknya mempertahankan diri dalam kes penyiaran kartun menghina Nabi Muhammad SAW,penyiaran pasal apa yang berlaku dalam mesyuarat Biro Penerangan UMNO Malaysia yang sepatutnya sulit,pendedahan pasal perbualan telefon dengan Pak Lah dan sebagainya dengan sendiri boleh mendorong ada yang berkata…. jeng…jeng…jeng..

Oppsss, he did it again.

I’m speechless.

First of all, Brendan Pereira failed to lift up the image of the Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. His boss, Hishamuddin Aun seems like can’t write in English. So, back to square, the Deputy Chairman of the NST Group Kalimullah Hassan has to come out and do the saint job.

Several times since the crooked bridge was called off, Dr Mahathir has accused me of masterminding what he perceives as a "blackout" of him in the Press, not only in the New Straits Times group of which I am deputy chairman, but also in other mainstream media.

At a couple of Press conferences, he joked about my name, saying that the media was controlled by a Hindu God (Kali) and a Muslim priest (Mullah).

Some guys thought it was witty and laughed with him.

Go do a Google search, type: "Meaning of Kalimullah".

The answer you get is: Musa is the Arabic name of the Prophet Moses. He is also referred to by the title Kalimullah meaning "He who spoke with Allah". Musa is one of the prophets of Islam.

Doesn’t sound so funny or witty now, does it? Making fun of the prophets never is.

Is Kali saying that former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad is making fun of the prophets?

So to speak, the ball is in Tun Mahathir’s court to decide whether to respond to this one angry man.

But, don’t you think that, Kali should have tried a little bit harder?