Is Malaysia going to be another village idiot?
Everything in Malaysia seems to have two hands which work in diametrical opposites. It's like the right hand is holding the you-know-what in front and the left is shoving one huge one up the you-know-what at the back. Like that.
By Art Harun
Malaysia is truly Asia (at least in Dear Ambassador Todt, I had sought to prove that). And Malaysia is also truly oxymoron.
While the Prime Minister was going around town preaching that the media must be open and responsible, the very party that he leads banned the alternative media from covering its general assembly. Than, while the Prime Minister tirelessly went to town to promote his 1Malaysia concept – which according to the PM is all about living together harmoniously in accordance with the provisions of the Federal Constitution – mainstream media like Berita Harian, Utusan Malaysia and the NST, which the same party which he leads control, would go on a racial rampage calling Malays who promote equality as "traitors" and "cowards".
Everything in Malaysia seems to have two hands which work in diametrical opposites. It's like the right hand is holding the you-know-what in front and the left is shoving one huge one up the you-know-what at the back. Like that.
And so, now we have the "green dam" whatever. Another project by our benevolent Barisan Nasional government. And this is a complete oxymoron. The government on one hand would like to see broadband accessibility be increased to 50% (as opposed to the current 30%). It goes to town with multi billions smackeroonies broadband projects. Broadband here and broadband there. IT here and IT there.
Sometimes ago, as is usual with this land-of-songs of ours, there was even a song about it, which goes something like this, "cintailah IT"… la dee dum dum…dumb! (oh yes, have you all heard that "oh cun nya, barangan Malaysia…" yet? Cool!).
That was the right hand doing its stuff. The left hand however has invited a tender to "filter" the Internet. When pressed, Minister Rais said no, no, we are only looking at curbing pornography. Yea, rite. Like pornography had just been available on the net 4 days ago, when Paris Hilton had suddenly discovered the joy of pubic, er….sorry, public exhibitionism while being stoned on ecstasy pills.
The PM quickly came out to pour cold ice water on Minister Rais by saying, "No, we are not censoring the Internet!". He did not even refer to pornography. Than some commission or the other (sorry, I can't be precise here because Malaysia has lots and lots of commission) said that it was only planned as a study on Internet usage.
Hello…who is running this country please? Can anybody tell us what is going on? Is there or is there not going to be Internet censorship? A simple yes or no would suffice. If not, then what was the tender all about please? Thank you.
