Mahathir's mirror

[jpatokal]

One of the more insightful articles from the always insightful Yawning Bread:

http://www.yawningbread.org/arch_2006/yax-635.htm

Discuss

[riversandlakes]

First off, that Crooked Bridge that was approved with much fanfare and later scrapped with as much noise was a total embarassment to Malaysians as a whole. It shows how we conduct our mutli-billion ringgit (hey, it's not USD but it's still billions) - on the whimes and fancies of the privileged and unenlightened few *sigh*

Who on EARTH ever builds a crooked bridge over water? Our fifteen minutes of fame was as a laughing stock.

On the matter of M's disappointment, I wouldn't read the lines as they were published, nor would I say with any certainty that "it is clear he is disappointed with his successor."
Was politics ever so clear cut?

Obviously the writer has grievances against the "shadow shogun". This is after all a parliamentary democratic system, where PMs reign forever - almost. Perhaps the author is into the American system, where almost everyone's term in office is restricted to certain terms?
Personally, I think that's better for the long, long run (hint: as in 230 years), but the author gave no constructive argument to this regard. It was as if he only wanted to kick off the "shadow shogun" and "to hell" with the consequences. To what end?
Generally, I think citizens here are exactly described in the Chinese proverb of "Born into aplenty, but appreciates not."
I beg them to compare themselves with ALL the other ASEAN members and to open up their minds on the happenings of their supposedly better-endowed neighbours.

"Mr Clean" - 95% of Malaysians were blatantly lied to in this case, me included. We gave him 95% control of the Parliament, just so he could build a system of patronage and cronyism of his own.

In the end, we Malaysians can only ask ourselves, time and time again, "Why are they so capable of building the system of corruption and cronyism, yet they must be total losers in building the country?"
Here is just one example of the many power-craze (hence money) that we have:

"soak it (the keris) with Chinese blood".
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Najib_Tun_Razak

[jpatokal]

I wouldn't dismiss Alex Au's argument as just personal bitching that easily. His personal bee in a bonnet is the lack of gay rights in Singapore, and obviously Malaysia isn't much better in this respect... although the next country up north, Thailand, certainly is.

So anyway, to condense what I think he's saying, the problem is that Lee Kuan Yew (eek! I named the shadow shogun!) is intent on staying in power until the bitter end. It's not a question of people wanting or planning to kick him out "and to hell with the consequences" -- it's basically not possible as long as he's alive and kicking. The question/problem is, he will be gone someday, and what happens afterwards? The very fact that this is such a touchy topic indicates that nobody really knows!

Here's an interesting, if quite badly written, piece on the GCT vs LKY dynamic:
http://singaporegovt.blogspot.com/2006/ ... ngthe.html

[riversandlakes]

Yes, my worries on that too. What happens after the shadow gun (no names from me hehe) passes on?

One year on, I think like this place more than the few dislikes - like APPLYING for a flat (?!) and "no car for you, unless you wanna pay through your nose."
I know these are due to lack of land, but still...