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Australian children drugged To keep them calm The Southeast Asian Times, Friday 3 September 2010

I am amazed after talking to a schoolteacher who said children at her school are lining up daily to take Ritalin to calm them down.
I am now in my eighties and can clearly remember the cure for over active children when I went to school.
Discipline, both in the home and at the school.
At the school I can still remember my class teacher, who all had respect for, dressed in a well cared for suite with polished leather souse’s and sitting on his desk a cane the lasting cure for unreasonable behavior.
If a pupil got the cane, it was possible more punishment could be carried out in the home by parents.
That type of punishment has unfortunately been outlawed and parents and teachers have been prevented from disciplining their children in that way hence the problems we are experiencing.
During my conversation with the teacher she told me off a classroom experience, she experienced.
A boy sitting behind another boy drew in tetra color on the boys shirt then proceeded to pour a carton of yogurt over the boys head.
My teacher friend raised her voice to the culprit.
Next morning my teacher friend was summoned to the Headmistress’s office and was told a complaint had been made by the mother of the culprit that her son could not sleep last night because the teacher had raised her voice to him.
Yes of course have laws about cruelty but please return normal discipline that used to work and keep children in a placid behavior manner.

Frank Crichlow,
Cronulla,
Queensland,
Australia

Indonesian protest at Malaysian embassy Should be ignored The Southeast Asian Times, Thursday 2 September 2010 First published in The Star Sunday 29 August 2010

The hostility and attacks on our embassy and threats against our citizens in Indonesia are timely reminders that while we squabble among ourselves over petty matters, an outside enemy is targeting all of us without making distinction of race.
They are treating us as just Malaysians, and rightfully so.
Does it take an outside party, a hostile party at that, to remind us that we are all in this together?
While legitimate political differences and opinions should be expected, vile and needless antagonistic rhetoric coupled with numerous police reports against one another should be stopped at once.
Having different opinions does not make us enemies.
Neither is anyone a traitor for pointing out the shortcomings in our system.
The country and resources belong to all of us.
We should just ignore the Indonesian Bendera group, which is basically a one-man set-up.
I am sure the police are having it all under control.
There is no need for us to over-react and get annoyed with the Indonesian government.
The government and majority of Indonesians are not involved in this.

RKV,
Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia

Malaysian taxpayer wants The death penalty upheld The Southeast East Asian Times, Wednesday 1 September 2010 First published in The Star, Monday 30 August 2010

I would like to protest in the strongest terms the proposal to abolish the death penalty, “Abolish death penalty” and “Weighing the death penalty” in Sunday Star, August 29.
As a lawyer, I feel that capital punishment should be maintained.
Although human rights advocates have consistently shown statistics to prove that there is little deterrence when applying the death penalty, the same can be said of crimes punishable by imprisonment as well.
For example, theft and robbery are on the increase and these crimes are punishable by imprisonment.
Does this mean we should do away with imprisonment?
Besides, every judge knows that deterrence is not the only factor involved in sentencing.
Other considerations are retribution - in the sense that the accused must pay a price that is commensurate with the crime committed - and prevention, in the sense that an accused no longer has any opportunity to commit his crime.
Also as a taxpayer, I reject any notion that the state should pay for the welfare and upkeep in our prisons of those convicted of heinous crimes.
As a human being, I believe that the victim’s rights are paramount, more so than the rights of the accused, because it is the victim who suffers from the wrongful act.
I cannot fathom how liberals such as Nora Murat of Amnesty International Malaysia and Edmund Bon of the Bar Council can just gloss over the rights of the victim while upholding the right of the accused to life even though he has committed a heinous act.
It is all very well to make statements such as “human beings are emotional.”
If their child or friend were accused of such a crime they wouldn’t be saying such a thing.
They would be fighting hard to release their family member. But what if such a child or friend were the victim of such a crime?
Minister in the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Nazri Abdul Aziz’s position that most countries are doing away with the death penalty is irrelevant for two reasons.
First, the majority of the general public in countries where it has been abolished are still in favour of the death penalty.
This holds true even several decades after its abolition.
Secondly, because Malaysia is a sovereign nation it has the right to make its own policies on issues such as these.
I call upon the Government to listen to the voices of most ordinary Malaysians who are in favour of the death penalty and also support and desire its extension towards those convicted of other heinous acts such as child rape.

A lawyer,
Shah Alam,
Malaysia

Submarine used to transport Illegal goods to the Philippines The Southeast Asian Times, Tuesday 31 August 2010 First published in The Philippine Inquirer, Monday 30 August 2010

I am wondering if it's worth taxpayers’ money to send a congressman from Marikina and a lawyer just to monitor the arraignment before a Hong Kong judge of Ilocos Sur Representative, Ronald Singson, who had been arrested on drug-related charges.
What is the Philippine consulate there for?
Also, the claim of the father, self-confessed jueteng lord Luis "Chavit" Singson, that his son was "set up" is just ridiculous.
There was a news report that a submarine is being used to transport illegal drugs into the country.
Singson is said to own a submarine and his province has been known to be the "port of entry" of smuggled motorcycles and appliances. Maybe the Philippine Drugs Enforcement Agency can look into the possibility that illegal drugs may also be involved in the smuggling.

Nariciso Ner,
Manila,
Philippines

What to do about the disposal Of horror waste products The Southeast Asian Times, Monday 30 August 2010 First published in The Vietnam News, Friday 27 August 2010

For thousands of years, mankind has moved around the planet leaving behind little more than the culture and rubble of old civil-isations for archaeologists and others to ponder.
The rubbish created by millions of families in their daily lives quickly rotted down, providing fertiliser for gardens,
The bricks, timber and mortar of old buildings was recycled, providing infill or structural materials for reshaping.
The iron and bronze of the two historical ages named after these basic metals was endlessly remoulded through the years.
The little that has remained behind in its original form has mostly been dug up and placed in museums.
Then the 20th century hit with an explosion of technology that enabled people to extract new minerals, strange chemicals, toxins and plastics from the earth and the oil beneath the surface.
The natural balance between people and the planet came to an end.
The new waste did not rot - or it took so long to do so that it became impractical to dispose of.
Horror waste products began to filter into streams, poisoning, killing and stinking out the environment.
Industry and nations profited, but often at the expense of the countryside.
Even the fertile farms that have nurtured civilisations for thousands of years are under threat.
What to do?
So far no one has the answer.
There has been talk of firing radio-active waste in rockets to the moon or outer space, turning the heavens into a garbage dump.
Others have suggested burying it and other highly toxic industrial waste in solid concrete and burying it kilometres beneath the earth.
Then someone pointed out that the movements of the earth could easily rupture the nasty bundles, sending toxic filth spewing into underground artesian basins and eventually poisoning entire eco-systems above ground.
Some rich, developed countries have found it convenient to ship - at a price - their pustulous filth to poor undeveloped countries, including Africa. Viet Nam is high on the list of countries they are eyeing.
Factories have been established in one or two nations, factories that generate such extreme heat that it almost completely destroys the poisons in the waste. But much more needs to be done. Hazardous waste is becoming as big a problem as climate change.

John Ball,
Ha Noi,
Vietnam

War torn Afghanistan joins global chorus To discourage its citizens from travelling to the Philippines The Southeast Asian Times, Sunday 29 August 2010 First Published in The Philippine Inquirer, Saturday 29 Aug 2010

The Luneta hostage carnage was the breaking point for a former officer of the Philippine National Police.
After exposing the incompetence and insensitivity of Philippine authorities for all the
world to see, it may also pull down the high trust ratings of President Aquino as it lays waste Philippine tourism.
Rolando Mendoza was a decorated police officer, and he and his family were proud to be policemen, as witness his brother and son following him into the PNP ranks. Severed from his career and stripped of his self-esteem by the Ombudsman, he snapped.
Last August 24, he put on his fatigue uniform and carried his Armalite one last
time, then he hijacked a tourist bus and took hostage the 26 people inside that bus, in a doomed mission to clear his name and take back his job.
He paid for this folly with his life, but he took with him eight hostages and gave his country the blackest of black eyes.
It’s the first time I hear of the “black” alert.
Issued by an understandably irate Hong Kong officialdom, it advises Hong Kong
residents not to visit the Philippines; worse, it directs those already in the Philippines to return to Hong Kong immediately.
When one hears of a war-torn country like Afghanistan joining the global
chorus discouraging its citizens from travelling to the Philippines, it’s clear that our country has reached yet another low in how we are viewed by the world.
What is painfully clear is that no one cared to take charge during the 11-hour standoff.
More than any reason except Mendoza’s own frail frame of mind, and whether this was due to insensitivity or incompetence or both, the absence of an effective commander on the ground was what led to the tragic ending of the hostage drama. Sure, the Philippine National Police was deficient.
Yes, the media committed some lapses.
But it was the absence of a take-charge guy that magnified the blunders of
the day.
Had any senior official bothered to care, this could have been resolved way before nightfall and the heavy rainfall that further complicated the sticky situation.
As we reflect on that painful incident, it may be appropriate to ask ourselves how close each of us is reaching our respective breaking points.
If we do this, it may become clear to us that there could be many more Mendozas in the PNP and in the Armed Forces of the Philippines, and that the insensitivity and incompetence of our officials could hasten our country’s impulsion toward its own breaking point.
Before we reach that point, let’s study how we might enable Filipinos to install true leaders who will effect real reforms.

Jose Osias,
Manila,
Philippines

Condolences to those who lost their loved ones Including Police Senior Inspecter, Rolando Mendoza The Southeast Asian Times, Friday 28 August 2010 First published in The Philippine Inquirer, Thursday 27 August 2010

There's a tragedy that has been masked by the more apparent one: We
may have lost one of Manila’s finest to Manila’s worst.
And when I say Manila’s worst, I don’t just mean the police, for the media and
the people who had no business being in the scene are partly to be blamed for the tragedy as well.
We lost a man who seemed to have dedicated his life to upholding justice to an Ombudsman who took too long to decide on his case and to a police force and media groups that practically made him lose his mind.
A man denied justice or due process, through delay or otherwise, will at one point lose it.
Police Senior Insp. Rolando Mendoza lost it.
Justice delayed is justice denied, indeed.
Don’t get me wrong, though.
His act was still reprehensible.
My sincerest condolences to those who lost their loved ones.

Ruel H. Espaldon,
Manila,
Philippines

Malaysia to make health tourism A money-spinner The Southeast Asian Times, Friday 26 August 2010 First published in The New Straits Times, Thursday 25 August 2010

Intubation is a procedure where a flexible plastic catheter is inserted into the trachea to provide a means of mechanical ventilation.
Malaysia is trying to project itself as a developed country with a comprehensive
healthcare system.
We are trying to make healthcare tourism a money-spinner.
We have also been emphasising the need to care for senior citizens, whom we call
warga emas.
But do we really cherish and value them?
Do we really have what it takes to be a caring society?
A look at how patients, especially senior citizens, are treated at hospitals may
shed some light.
I wish to recount what happened to my father.
He passed away on Aug 5 in ward D4 of Taiping Hospital, aged 94.
He was taken to the hospital on Aug 4 after complaining of weakness and
unsteadiness.
He was examined by a doctor at the accident and emergency bay before an ECG and chest X-ray were done.
Blood samples were taken.
Subsequent to this, the doctor told my uncle that my father's "heart was weak"
and that he had to be admitted.
Blood investigations revealed elevated cardiac enzymes and a positive troponin
T test; he was diagnosed as having acute coronary syndrome.
A patient aged 94, with evidence of chest infection, elevated cardiac enzymes
and a positive troponin T, needs to be in the cardiac care unit or the intensive
care unit.
If the blood pressure shows a falling trend, he probably needs to be on some kind of ionotrope.
Why was he put in a normal ward and why was he on normal diet when rightfully he should have been on soft diet?
It would seem that the patient would need to throw a massive myocardial
infarction and cardiogenic shock before warranting admission into the ICU or
CCU.
At the time my father was admitted to the hospital, I was in Kuala Lumpur.
I tried to contact the hospital from Kuala Lumpur on August 5 from 2pm, but it was virtually impossible to get the operator on the line.
This is a serious problem, for if there is anybody out there trying to call
Taiping Hospital for an ambulance or an emergency, there would be no assistance
rendered to them at all.
I finally managed to get the operator at 2.45pm and spoke to a doctor who
informed me they had diagnosed my father as having acute coronary syndrome.
When I arrived in Taiping, I went to see my father at 6.30pm.
He was in the ordinary ward. I was concerned that he was not even on a drip or hooked up to a monitor and appeared to be tachypnoeic, with oxygen prongs in his nostrils.
I did notice venofix in his elbow.
At 7.25pm, my father became more tachypnoeic and I could hear him wheezing.
I realised he was in respiratory distress and immediately called for a nurse to
get the doctor in charge, while trying to get things for a cardiopulmonary
resuscitation.
The nurses appeared to be at a loss and never had the foresight to even bring the emergency trolley.
I asked them for a cardiac-board. I told them to fix the pulse-oxymeter and the
monitor.
But by then, my father was already showing signs of cardiogenic shock.
His limbs and chest became cold and sweaty.
The pulse-oxymeter was not displaying anything and there was not even an
ambu-bag available then.
Still, there was no sign of the doctor.
To my utter dismay and shock, while trying to open my father's mouth, which was closed, I saw that his dentures were still there.
I removed the dentures and kept telling the nurses to get the doctor in charge,
only to be told that he was on the way.
Finally, after 10 to 15 minutes, a houseman showed-up and only then were electrodes placed on my father's chest; the monitor showed marked ST elevations.
The houseman told me to stay "outside" and I was informed that the oxygen
saturation was 85 per cent. It is absolutely essential with such an oxygen-saturation that intubation be done.
I walked up to the doctor and told him that my father needed to be intubated and
offered to do it myself.
My request was denied.
I am a qualified doctor, so why couldn't I be allowed to do it?
All the way, it was only the houseman who was trying to "resuscitate" my father.
As a doctor who had gone through the mill for 30 years, I could only stand by
and watch helplessly.
I am left to wonder if the treatment given would have been different had my father been younger.
In any resuscitative effort, time is of the essence and there should be a sense
of urgency, speed and aptitude combined with a whole lot of competence;
otherwise, what is undertaken is just perfunctory and the result will surely be
a failure.
My father is no more.
The happiness and strength you draw and the light moments you share with an ageing father - more so if he is good-natured, hale and hearty for his age and with a saintly demeanour - is just colossal and inestimable.
If the father of a doctor can go through this ordeal, I fear to think what would
happen to others, especially the poor who do not have an iota of inclination as
to what is happening to their loved ones.
The saying, "something is rotten in the state of Denmark" can now be rephrased as "something is seriously not right in the house of Hippocrates".
What we need is a service-oriented society filled with passion for the work they
do and to treat every individual as their own blood.
Doctors, for instance, should act in line with the nobleness of the medical profession.
That alone is enough for the country to prosper.

A.M.,
Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia

Wanted: Australian political party That thinks like Andrew Wilkie The Southeast Asian Times, Thursday 26 August 2010

Former Iraq whistleblower, Andrew Wilkie, what a pity we do not have a political party in power that thinks like him.
Another one of our troops tragically killed in Afghanistan and unfortunately, both major parties in our parliament want to stay there.
I have only heard one person I talk to on the matter that agrees with our participation in the war and that person was an American friend.
Surely, in cases like wars we should have a referendum on such matters.
Particularly when people like Andrew Wilkie who was in a position to judge the rights and wrongs was able to prove that our participation in Iraq is based on lies and that Afghanistan is not much better.
How many more of our brave service members are to be killed before we bring them home?

Frank Crichlow,
Cronulla,
Queensland,
Australia

 

Australia risks being reduced To a disfranchised Pacific satelite colony The Southeast Asian Times, Wednesday 25 August 2010

In Australia voting is compulsory; despite this, 600,000 (over 5 percent) voted informally.
The most likely result is that Australia will end up with a hung parliament.
The stark choice was between Julia Gillard, ‘member’ for Tel Aviv North and Tony Abbott, ‘member’ Tel Aviv South.
I think this result showed that the electorate sent a very clear message to both parties that this is Australia not Israel.
The Jewish Chronicle 29 June 2010:: A former leader of an Australian Jewish group, Isi Leibler, praised Ms Gillard’s election as “outstanding” for Israel and said she is “one of Israel’s closest friends.”
Dan Goldberg, in The Jewish Chronicle 10 Secember 2009: As one Jewish leader put it, “She (Gillard) wants to be Australia’s first female prime minister and she knows that means currying favour with the Jews.”
The election came about largely because of ‘The Night of the Long Knives’ i.e. the political lynching of P.M. Kevin ‘Support for Israel is in my DNA’ Rudd who was democratically elected but turned out to be a little tin-pot dictator.
P.M. Julia ‘I love Israel to Death’ Gillard had her ‘lynch-mob in waiting’ in the shape of Union boss Paul ‘Mr. Everywhere’ Howes, ex-union leader Bill Shorten and Mark Arbib: “The hit squad behind Julia Gillard's leadership push”
The Australian 24 June 2010.
It is alleged that Rudd passed his ‘use-by date’ when, quote, “Australia abstained from a key UN vote supporting a war crimes investigation of Israel's military assault on Gaza last year” The Australian 1 March 2010.
It was rumoured that Paul Howes had aspired to become Prime Minister which would be practically impossible without the backing of Australian Jews, so how better to ingratiate himself with ‘The Brotherhood’ than an appalling bootlicking speech to the Australia-Israel Chamber of Commerce in Sydney on the 6 August 2010.
Howes reminded his enthralled audience, “Way back in time, in the 1930s, the Kimberley region was for a short period conceived of as a possible Jewish state, in the Australian desert.”… “All done by 75,000 Jewish settlers.”… “This vision had the enthusiastic support of the ACTU, the NSW Labor Council and rank-and-file members of Perth unions and the Labor Party.” This continued ad nauseam.
On ABC radio 5 November 2009 Rabbi Jeffrey B Kamins, Emanuel Synagogue, Sydney, was very critical of Australia’s treatment of illegal immigrants.
I have not heard any criticism from the Rabbi of Israeli terror squads assassinating nine unarmed Turkish civilians on board a ship in international waters which was bringing essential supplies to the Zionist Concentration Camp in Gaza.
The Zionists tell Australia it should accept illegal immigrants, yet Israel considers it is immune from war crimes charges, ignores every UN resolution, uses phosphorus bombs on women and children and not only practices ethnic cleansing in Palestine, it now carries it out in Israel. Quote; “Israel will expel 400 native-born children of non-Jewish foreign workers to help safeguard the country's Jewish identity.” The Age 3 August 2010.
Hitler was supposed to have done this to the Jews!
The Australian 21 August 2010 “Israeli police arrested a Rabbi in the West Bank on suspicion of inciting racism by endorsing The King's Torah, a book describing when it is permitted for Jews to kill non-Jews, including children.”
It continues Eden Abergil declared: "I hate Arabs and wish them all the worst. I would gladly kill them and even butcher them; one cannot forget their actions."
Australian MPs must be reminded that their backing of Israel in the UN resulted in the deaths of 88 innocent Australians in Bali.
Australian soldiers who have been sent to fight a war by our political puppets on behalf of the Zionist cause are being brought home in body bags whilst illegal immigrants who broke into our country are being housed in first class motel accommodation in Brisbane; Australian politicians who allowed this to happen should be voted out of office.
Until Israel stops acting like a pariah state our politicians should be banned from all Zionist funded ‘brain washing’ trips to Israel.
Australia, a 'democratic' country that tolerates the subversive activities of this insidious 'enemy within', inherently imperils its national prosperity and independence and risks being reduced to that of a disfranchised Pacific satellite colony with administrative headquarters in Tel Aviv.

Maurice Horsburgh,
Palm Beach,
Queensland,
Australia

The Association of Southeast Asian member countries Engratiate themselves with Obama The Southeast Asian Times, Tuesday 24 August 2010 First published in the Jakarta Post Monday, 23 August 2010

I refer to Agus Wandi’s article “Can ASEAN be a peace mediator” that appeared in the August 13 edition of The Jakarta Post.
I would like to share a number of problems faced by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
First is the continuing dispute between Cambodia and Thailand over a temple and
its surrounding land on the border.
The Thais are spoiling for a fight and Hun Sen reacted in the worst possible
manner by appointing the fugitive as his economic adviser.
Second is the persistent problem in Papua and the question of human rights.
Indonesia prides itself as the only true democracy in Southeast Asia.
But would it allow a team to monitor?
Third is continuing violence in South Philippines and South Thailand.
Aquino has pledged to continue negotiations but I bet the powerful church and Christian landowners will scuttle every agreement reached and no less with the help of the great Supreme Court.
Thai Prime Minister Abhisit on the other hand has used the issue to prove his
nationalist credentials and brooks no third party involvement he had warned the
Malaysian PM to keep his advice to himself.
Even after the World Court ruled in favor of Malaysia over Sipadan and Ligitan,
now emerges a great deal of hatred or antipathy for Malaysia as in the Sukarno
days.
There are now calls from House members and the press to go to war over
the overlapping claims in waters off Sabah.
Myanmar is a sordid case.
The generals would rather quit ASEAN before they relent to any pressure after all they are just following the great Indonesian helmsman Sukarno.
There is too much gold to make and damn the Rohingyas!
The spirit of ASEAN among its members is waning.
In fact each of its members is positioning itself to get the best deal from the outside world economically and politically.
You see leaders falling over one another to ingratiate themselves with Obama.

Khamis,
Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia

Wanted: A decree for compensation fund For medical malpractice in Thailand The Southeast Asian Times, Monday 23 August 2010 First published in The Bangkok Post, Thursday 19 August 2010

In the report ''Malpractice bill debate set to come to a head'' in the Bangkok Post, August 16, the Medical Council tries to convince Bangkok Post readers that the current conflict over the controversial draft could be solved by scrapping the bill altogether, while proposing an amendment to Article 41 of the National Health Security Act, whose contents concern compensation for medical malpractice, as the answer.
This is not the right solution to this conflict.
Instead of making the rounds of media visits, the Medical Council should return to the tripartite meeting and sit down with the other parties to iron out the differences article by article, passage by passage, word by word.
Eking out from lessons learnt from Article 41, this draft bill has been delineated to be more effective and fairer to all parties involved.
The Compensation Fund for medical malpractice for 65 million people deserves a decree to support it.
It should earn an independent status with an independent administrative body, instead of being under the umbrella of the National Health Security Office, as it currently is under Article 41.
Worse still, amending a law is as time-consuming as writing a new one, which takes about two years before its draft amendment is ready to be submitted to Parliament. This draft bill has already gone through that gruelling process and is now scheduled to be deliberated by Parliament within this month.
Besides, it's not possible for any lawmaker to amend a single article of Article 41 and still maintain the ultimate goals of the current draft bill.
If the Medical Council sincerely wishes to realise an ideal health care system with an effective legal mechanism, it should support the draft bill and help tailor it to suit the needs of the public and medical professionals alike.

Nimitr Tienudom,
Director,
Aids Access Foundation,
Bangkok,
Thailand

Lest we forget Borneo's resistance fighters The Southeast Asian Times, Sunday 22 August 2010 First published The Star Tuesday 17 August 2010

I refer to your report “Tribute to WWII heroes” in The Star, August 16.
It is about time that Malaysians recognise the role played by the people of Sabah then known as North Borneo in the anti-Japanese resistance during World War II. The release of Lynette Silver’s new book, Blood Brothers, is most timely.
I read with dismay that North Borneo Resistance fighters like Chin Chee Kong and Joseph Wong were ignored when the Sandakan Memorial Park was opened in 1999.
Besides the living, we should also remember the dead, including those who took part in the ill-fated Jesselton as Kota Kinabalu was then called Uprising against the Japanese on Oct 9, 1943.
These were the heroes and they included the leader of the Jesselton Uprising, Kuching-born Albert Kwok, his deputy Lim Teng Fatt together with Charles Peter, CPO of the North Borneo Armed Constabulary, Lt Li Tet Phui, Sergeant Jules Stephens father of the late Tun Fuad Stephens, Sergeant Budh Singh and Corporal Sohan Singh of the North Borneo Volunteer Force, deputy assistant district officer Tsen Tsau Kong and Kong Tze Phui.
Let us also not forget the brave Suluk warriors who fought with them.
They gave their lives so that Sabahans could be free.
On the east coast of Sabah around Sandakan, another group of heroes went into action helping Allied POWs.
The bravery of the Funk brothers is still remembered – Alexander, Johnny and Paddy who were cousins of the late Tun Fuad Stephens and members of the North Borneo Volunteer Force.
Tragically, Alexander together with Jemedar Ujagah Singh, Sergeant Abin, detective Ernesto Lagan, Heng Ju Ming, Wong Mu Sing and Filipino guerilla Lt Felix Azcona were executed by the Japanese for their role in helping the POWs. Many others were tortured and imprisoned until the end of the war.
Johnny and Paddy survived torture and imprisonment.
The Australian Government offered them A$92 (RM260) each for their wartime services, which they declined.
It is estimated that some 2,400 Sabahans took part in the North Borneo Resistance.

Andrew Hwang,
Malaysian volunteers group,
Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia

Australia sends troops To fight a lost cause The Southeast Asian Times, Saturday 21 August 2010

The majority of people in Iraq must be wondering how well off they were under Sudam Hussein.
Now nearly all out of jobs, civilian deaths still on a regular basis, a Kangaroo court that ended in the conviction and murder of Hussein leaving a gap to keep the trouble makers in check and a now ruling government including the people that spread the false weapons of mass destruction reports.
Our political leaders of both persuasions in favour of sending our brave service men and women to risk their lives on a lost cause.

Frank Crichlow,
Cronulla,
Queensland

Sex education rather than inoculation Against the human papilloma virus The Southeast Asian Times, Saturday 21 August 2010

The Consumer’s Association of Penang (CAP) has repeatedly objected to the proposal to vaccinate all 13-year-old girls from the human papillomavirus (HPV) virus, a sexually transmitted virus because it is unnecessary, unscientific and unsafe.
Despite numerous objections by many quarters, a sum of RM150mil is to be spent annually by the Government beginning this year on HPV vaccinations for an estimated 300,000 girls in the country as protection from only two of the 40 different cervical cancers causing HPV.
HPV is contracted through sexual contact; instead of inoculating our young against a sexually transmitted disease (STD), the Government should focus on prevention by educating them on religious and moral values.
As recipients of a vaccine against STD, ill-informed young girls could be lulled into a false sense of security that the HPV vaccine would protect them against other sexually transmitted diseases.
The risk of cervical cancers itself has been blown out of proportion.
It is a known fact that about 90 percent of all HPV infections are removed by the immune system within two years.
This in itself makes the vaccine irrelevant and redundant.
The vaccine itself is highly controversial with an unusually high incidence of adverse reactions and 53 reported deaths in the US alone.
This completely unnecessary and dangerous vaccine’s safety and efficacy have never been established in Malaysia.
We urge the Health Ministry to revoke its ill-conceived plan to subject our children to the vaccine.
The rakyat would be better off if the money were used to educate our children against early sexual activity as a deterrent to HPV infection.
With this allocation, campaigns for HPV testing and pap smears as proven early detection procedures can be re-invented and enhanced instead of resorting to the simplistic solution of vaccines.
Since these vaccines only cover some high-risk types of HPV, experts still recommend regular pap smear screening even after vaccination.
This only goes to show that screening remains relevant and is undeniably a better method of prevention than vaccination.

S.M. Mohd Idris,
President,
Consumer Association of Penang,
Malaysia

 

Fathers of dumped babies Go scot-free in Malaysia The Southeast Asian Times, Friday 20 Aug 2010 First published The Star Wednesday 18 August 2010

My heart goes out to all those innocent babies abandoned by their young mothers out of desperation.
Society is ever so ready to point fingers at the hapless young mother guilty of baby dumping.
I do not believe she would have resorted to such a desperate act if her partner was there for her, if her parents forgave her, and if her community showed some sympathy for her and her unborn child.
It takes two people to produce a baby.
But in almost every news article about teenage pregnancies and baby dumping, there is hardly any mention of the baby’s father.
Why is there this reluctance to involve the man responsible?
And when it comes to offering solutions, again the same refrain.
We talk about setting up a school for pregnant teenagers, a shelter for pregnant unmarried mothers, and hotlines for pregnant girls to call for counselling.
What about counselling for teenage fathers?
What about teaching them to be responsible and accountable?
Now the Cabinet has come up with the decision to classify baby dumping as murder.
And who would the “murderer” be?
The unwed teen mother, of course, because she is the one left holding the baby.
The baby’s father goes scot-free; his girlfriend takes the entire rap for him – nine months of child-bearing plus a jail sentence.

Lily Fu,
Ampang,
Malaysia

Philippines meteorology head Replaced by an volcanologist The Southeast Asian Times, Thursday 19 August 2010 First published in The Philippine Inquirer, Tuesday 17 August 2010

It was very unprofessional for President Aquino to sack Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services (PAGASA) head Dr. Prisco Nilo whose professional integrity and competence are beyond question.
Is making a “mistake” in weather forecasting an act of corruption or a violation of the public trust?
Will he remove his environment secretary if it turns out that illegal logging is going on inside a forest reserve, such as the La Mesa Dam Watershed or Mount Sto.
Tomas in Baguio City?
Nilo, who has a doctorate in meteorology, unselfishly served Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services (PAGASA) to the best of his ability without any extra remuneration.
P-Noy can count on the fingers of one hand the Filipinos in the Philippines who have a doctorate in meteorology or physics.
The study of meteorology requires a highly advanced knowledge of mathematics and physics.
Only two holders of PhD in Physics headed our weather bureau: The late Casimiro del Rosario and Roman Kintanar.
Kintanar twice became the president of the United Nations’ World Meteorology Organization (WMO), showing that the international physics and meteorology society recognizes the capabilities of Filipino scientists.
My son, among the top 10 in the 1985 UPCAT, was urged to take Intarmed in UP (a crash course in Medicine). Instead he chose to take BS in Physics.
His reason: we have produced hundreds of Filipino doctors but only a handful of physicists since UP was established about a century ago.
No president of this country, from the time of Emilio Aguinaldo, has made a serious effort to improve the weather forecasting capabilities of Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).
Its name doesn’t even dovetail anymore with its existing services.
The geophysical aspect has been absorbed by the Philippine Volcanology Commission; the astronomical is almost nil for lack of equipment.
No politician is interested in making Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) a first-class scientific agency; the effort would not make for resounding propaganda. Building roads and bridges would be more profitable.
In 1955, the late Prof. Ricardo C. Cruz, from actual observation, made remarkable “manual” calculations of the solar eclipse, with an error of 0.25 seconds.
We have contributed astronomical observations to the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory.
Unfortunately, to date, Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) lacks the personnel and equipment to participate internationally in this field.
When I was the head of the Astronomical Observatory (1965-1975), we tried to upgrade our instruments, especially the time service; we had, daily, a hundreds call asking for the precise time.
We proposed a cesium clock (almost similar to an atomic clock) so we could give
the precise time to 0.1 of a second.
Time is an integral part of business activities, more so with the current developments in computer technology.
The service has been scrapped.
P-Noy should familiarize himself with the history of Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) and find out for himself where our government fails in this respect.
It is one of the most neglected agencies.
Replacing Nilo with someone whose knowledge is volcanology is very professionally insulting.

Dante B. Yglopaz,
Astronomer-geodetic engineer,
Manila
Philippines,

 

American Reserve Bank prints money To lend to the US government The Southeast Asian Times, Wednesday 18 August 2010

If I have ever seen a set of rubbery figures, it was yesterday in the Sydney morning herald.
The figures I refer to are the ones the US puts out on their economy.
Number one in the world, that is laughable.
They claim this by the privately owned American reserve.
Printing money to loan to the US government.
It takes security by way of government bonds which it receives interest on as well as interest on the loan itself.
This situation means the US government can really never clear its debt to the Reserve Bank.
As far as China is concerned if it took back, the money it is owed by the US, the printing presses in the reserve would be running hot.
The Australian dollar should be worth more than the US dollar but the Wall Street crowd controls the rate.

Frank Crichlow,
Cronulla,
Queensland,
Australia

Thank you US For Foreign Corrupt Practices Act The Southeast Asian Times, Tuesday 17 August, 2010 First published in the Bangkok, Post Monday 16 August, 2010

Your headline story in the Bangkok Post of August 15, ''Tobacco Road - how alleged graft took root'', reveals for the second time how wonderful and effective the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and its Securities Exchange Commission could be to make the world fairer.
Its effectiveness is rested with the requirement for any US individual or company to make known the irregularities to the regulatory body or otherwise be penalised for the silence.
This requirement prompted full revelation which gives one a dry mouth when reading of the greed.
Both practices at the tobacco and tourism organisations cause one to wonder whether there are more to be revealed.
With detailed revelations, any Thai delegation travelling abroad not paid by the government could be viewed as precursors to these corrupt practices.
Similarly, officials in possession of brand-name watches, cameras and laptops could also be viewed with suspicion.
The beauty of this article is to read the last paragraph that after the TTM's introduction of the blind electronic auction in 2005, the culprit company has not sold any tobacco to Thailand.
The beauty of the auction seems effective and yet criticised by many officials as ineffective.
I wonder why?
Without any doubt, I thank the US for the existence of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and for the effective arms of the Securities Exchange Commission to cause these two revelations to come to light and hope that there will be more to come.

Songdej Praditsmanont,
Bangkok,
Thailand

An Australian head of PNG Correctional Services Is not the answer The Southeast Asian Times, Monday 16 August 2010 First published in The National Wednesday 11 Aug 2010

I refer to your report in The National on August 4 about the possible appointment of an Australian to head the Correctional Services.
Let me put the facts straight as far as Correctional Services administration is concerned in relation to appointment of an Australian.
Aren’t there any other Papua New Guinean who can run this organisation?
Why can’t the minister source from within or outside Correctional Services for a suitable candidate?
When Richard Sikani was sidelined, the Correctional Services lost drive, momentum and leadership.
Base on the National Security Advisory Council recommendations on the William
Kapris escape, Sikani’s good work has been tarnished by the amateur executives
during his suspension.
Correctional Servicesw has seen many tangible developments during Sikani’s tenure in terms of infrastructure, human resource development and detainee programmes.
Correctional Services had Australian advisers through the law and justice sector but all their programmes are unsustainable, even under the government programme.
Therefore, it is amazing to note the minister is trying to source for an Australian.
The Correctional Services has ailing problems for a long time and the minister is well aware of these problems.
In my opinion, appointing an expatriate will not solve these problems.
Staff are still living in Haus Kunais where the living conditions are bad.
Look at the terms and conditions of the officers, deal with them and the officers will deliver.
The current executives have not signed their contracts which have been on the
table for almost two years as their problems have yet to be looked into.

Silent observer,
Port Moresby,
Papua New Guinea

High hopes for president Yudhoyono When he was elected The Southeast Asian Times, Sunday 15 August 2010 First published in The Jakarta Post Saturday 14 August 2010

I refer to an article titled “The President hears you”, in The Jakarta Post August 12 written by presidential spokesman Julian Aldrin Pasha.
The President may hear us this time.
But is it because the victim of the attack is Huria Kristen Batak Protestan (HKBP), a gregarious ethnic-religious group that may retaliate and that there is the potential for tit-for-tat escalating violence.
So the President chooses to hear this time?
Where was the President when the Front Pembela Islam (FPI) attacked other minor religious groups, suburban business owners, and other ethnic groups for years?
The President did not hear because these people can be ignored politically.
They have been doing this kind of outlaw activities for a long time.
Even the police stand aside because they are afraid of retaliation or have the same view of how “disturbances” to Muslim prayer should be handled.
There is no rule of law, even among the police, only the law of the jungle.
Perhaps the President should also think of potential insubordination among his
senior police officers.
The President was recently sidestepped when the police presented him with a list of candidates for National Police chief.
There are a large number of fat police bank accounts which are still unexplained.
The police force is totally unreformed.
These are fundamental problems that our executive arm needs to address, if it wants to be effective, rather than just rhetoric and gaining the support of the majority.
You may have heard us this time, but you should have heard all of us long time
ago.
We need to see results.
We had high hopes for you when we voted for you.
This is your final term in office.
You don’t need vote, but Indonesia, as a multi ethnic-religious country, needs to be better.

Mahendra Saputra,
Jakarta

What miners leave behind in Papua New Guinea Is unforgivable. The Southeast Asian Times, Saturday 14 August 2010 First published in The National, Thursday 12 August 2010

It strikes me as incongruous, the companies that claim to hold such high value
in the environment and human rights, are the same companies that do so much
damage to both.
As Bougainville Copper ramps up plans to reopen Panguna, let us not forget that
its parent company, Rio Tinto, is still fighting against Bougainville landowners
in the courts in the United States, effectively denying them the right to have a
voice outside of Papua New Guinea.
The case is set for hearing on Sept 20, some 10 years after the people first
took legal action.
Rio Tinto is represented in this action against the people of Bougainville by
Australian law firm, Allens Arthur Robinson.
Allens Arthur Robinson is representing the Mineral Resources Authority in its
legal fight with the landowners of the Rai Coast against Ramu nickel mine, the
joint venture between Chinese-owned MCC and Australian miner, Highlands Pacific Ltd.
The chairman of Highlands Pacific is an ex-partner and still an active consultant to Allens Arthur Robinson.
The law firm has wonderful credentials serving the mining industry in Papua New Guinea.
Allens Arthur Robinson describes its resources expertise on its website as thus:
“Our strong relationships with governments and regulators mean we can help
clients obtain important regulatory approval and, in some cases, even challenge
and change legislation to benefit their interests.”
Indeed, they do.
In April, Highlands Pacific managing director John Gooding told miningnews.net
that submarine tailings disposal (STD) or deep sea tailings placement (DSTP)
disposal was the only viable solution for Ramu, and if it were forced to move to
another tailings option, it would “probably break the project”.
STD/DSTP is banned in the United States and Canada, and the Australian
government has stated it would never be approved for use here, so how on earth
do these poor miners ever get a project off the ground without it?
But they do, don’t they?
Mining is one of the strongest sectors of the Australian economy, despite our
stringent environmental protections.
Papua New Guinea is in a unique position of strength to call the shots – to hold the miners to at least as high a standard with which they must and do comply in Australia - at the very least.
Mines come and go.
Their fortunes wax and wane with the commodity cycles.
They might have a life of 15 to 20 years and then, having taken everything they
can from under the surface, they go.
What they leave behind in Papua New Guinea is unforgivable.
The miners may huff and puff about pulling out, about their projects not being
viable if they cannot do it on the cheap, inflicting the damage that will inevitably ensue to generations of indigenous landowners.
But they would not.
The value of the resources over the life of a mine is worth hundreds of millions
of dollars, and in some cases billions.
Asking for them to invest a few million dollars in proper facilities to house and treat the waste is surely not so great an ask.
We expect nothing less in Australia.
Why not in Papua New Guinea?

Alex Harris.
Port Moresby,
Papua New Guinea

Australia's Commonwealth Bank Foolishly sold by the politicians The Southeast Asian Times, Friday 13 August 2010

The History of the Commonwealth Bank.
First formed just prior to world war on a suggestion of King O’Malley an American settler in Australia who convinced the Labor party that a peoples Bank was necessary to save us from borrowing from the Wall Street financiers.
Mr Millner was appointed as manager and was given full authority and did not answer to a board.
Our peoples Bank under Millner was able amongst many other projects able to finance our participation in world war one at an interest rate of five eighth of one percent.
This enabled Australia to come out of the war with no debt.
The UK. is still paying interest on their loans to the US for the conflict.
Some of the many other projects our bank financed, each state government was able to source their borrowings from our Bank instead of Wall Street and at a much lower interest rate.
Finance for the building of the Trans Continental Railway to the west and much, more.
Australia is now back borrowing from Wall Street as our Bank was foolishly sold by our politicians.
Every Australian was a shareholder but not one person was asked about the sale.
The Commonwealth Bank has just announced a profit of over six billion dollars further proof of the folly of selling our peoples Bank.

Frank Crichlow,
Cronulla,
Queensland

Squatters litter Pulau Gaya Island The Southeast Asian Times, Thursday 12 August 2010 First published in The Star, Tuesday 10 August 2010

Malaysia is truly blessed with many resources, the greatest of which is our natural habitat, pristine beaches and natural forests.
However, due to greed and short-sightedness, we have cut down our forests and
polluted our beaches.
Tourists want to see natural things nowadays, not concrete jungle.
With these natural assets we do not even need to invest any money to generate
good income as people from around the world will come and pay to see them.
I was at Kota Kinabalu recently and went to the nearby islands on a sightseeing
tour.
I was horrified to see that there were loads of rubbish in the water near and
around the islands.
Even though we are charged a fee to visit the marine parks, the authorities seem
to have done nothing about the large amount of rubbish strewn about.
Apparently, a lot of the rubbish was discarded by the illegal immigrants who
squat in Pulau Gaya.
They are progressively destroying our beautiful natural assets.
So, I just don’t understand why no effort is being made to send these people
back to the Philippines as their country is more stable now and they should go
back and help develop their nation.
Else, we should just give them permanent residents status and move them from the
island to the mainland.

Stephen Yeo,
Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia

Privatisation of Philippine National Power Corp An act of treason The Southeast Asian Times, Wednesday 11 August 2010 First published in The Philippine Inquirer, Monday 9 August 2010

The Aquino administration, it is now clear after the State of the Nation Address, really believes its central campaign slogan no corruption, no poverty and is prepared to pursue it.
But former President Erap Estrada has a point: there were graver corruption cases during the Arroyo regime than what President Aquino’s SONA exposed.
Former President Fidel V. Ramos’ observation is also relevant: the SONA did not define a road map out of poverty.
However, P-Noy, like Ramos and Estrada and past Philippine presidents except Elpidio Quirino, Ramon Magsaysay and Carlos Garcia failed to focus on the strategic cause of mass poverty in the Philippines: treason-based corruption, specifically the blind acceptance of the debt conditions imposed by the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund on the Philippine economy.
Basically these conditions have been and still are liberalization, deregulation, privatization and level playing field.
Trapped in this economic paradigm, no Third World country can make a breakthrough without resorting to extraordinary measures.
It is like pitting a mouse against a tiger.
Presidents Quirino, Magsaysay and Garcia are excluded because during their time, the decade of the 1950s, they adopted and pursued an import-substitution strategy of development which, especially during the Garcia regime and under the influence of the nationalist Sen.
Claro M. Recto, became the “Filipino First” industrialization policy.
This policy developed in our country what the World Bank then rated as the second most dynamic economy in Asia, next only to Japan’s.
Under the protection of import and exchange controls, hundreds of Filipino-owned factories, led by Iligan Integrated Steel Mill and FilOil, emerged all over the country.
That economy, which could have started industrialization in the country, was torpedoed by President Diosdado Macapagal who, upon the advice of the WB-IMF, instituted decontrol and devaluation in 1962.
Among the countries which have effected a breakthrough are South Korea, Taiwan, Malaysia, Thailand, Brazil and Argentina.
Will the Philippines during P-Noy’s anti-corruption regime make it?
It will, if, in its fight against graft and corruption, it includes treason-driven acts of corruption like the privatization of the National Power Corp. and the deregulation of the oil industry.

Amado Gat Inciong,
Quezon City,
Philippines

 

Former Australian PM John Howard Costs Tony Abbott votes The Southeast Asian Times, Tuesday 10 August 2010

Australian Liberal Party leader, Tony Abbott, embracing former Australian prime minister John Howard would have cost him more votes than he gained particularly voters of other political persuasions.
I for one can’t even stand to look at John even though I once voted for him.
My reason being his relationship with George Bush that made Australia many enemies after John went along with the attack on Iraq based on lies fed to him by Bush.
Even when told it was an unjust war John persisted in sending our brave service men and women to risk their lives in the un-winnable conflict which is still going even though Bush announced those famous words many years ago, “Mission accomplished”

Frank Crichlow,
Cronulla,
Queensland,
Australia

Faulty gas cylinders Latent bombs in Indonesian kitchens The Southeast Asian Times, Monday 9 August 2010 First published in The Jakarta Post Friday 6 August 2010

I myself and countless other people in my neighborhood, are the fortunate users of city gas and have enjoyed safe cooking for decades.
What I am now becoming increasingly apprehensive about is what might happen in millions of moderate- and low-income households in the coming Ramadan fasting month and also during the Idul Fitri holidays.
Picture the following scene: It is the fasting month, and millions of fasting
families still have some trouble getting used to the changed schedules of having
meals and sleeping.
A mother, already lacking adequate sleep and rest, gets up at 2:00 a.m. in the morning to prepare the Sahur pre-dawn meal for her husband and children.
Uh-oh…the 3 kilogram gas canister she uses for cooking is empty.
Still fuzzy with sleep, and mindful of the fact that she must make haste in
preparing the meal, she gets a new gas canister and rather hurriedly connects
the regulator to it.
If she hasn’t done this properly, the erstwhile peaceful neighborhood will be
suddenly startled by a deafening explosion renting the air.
Several people are severely wounded, some of the victims die on the spot, a conflagration may occur, or the house the accident occurred in collapses.
And if this calamity is the only one happening in that deeply disturbed neighborhood on that particular morning, it might be considered fortunate.
Really, it doesn’t take a psychic to predict the not-so-small probability that
many people from low-income families will have the misfortune of not being able
to properly celebrate Idul-Fitri, due to the accidents and even deaths caused by
these latent bombs in their kitchens.
Bapak Jusuf Kalla, you were deeply involved in the energy conversion policy
during your tenure as vice president, and therefore you should also shoulder a
large part of the responsibility for the calamitous results of this policy.
Please show your responsibility by courageously stating that you also shoulder
the blame, and by concrete action.
Simply offering advice on dealing with accidents related to gas cylinders is not enough, and is even insulting to your fellow Indonesians.

Tami Koestomo
Bogor,
Indonesia

Justice Not barbarism The Southeast Asian Times, Sunday 8 August 2010 First Published in The Star, Tuesday 3 August 2010

The recent rape of a 10 year-old child in a school bus was a terrible crime and
the young victim and her family may be scarred for life as a result.
The perpetrator, if convicted, deserves a heavy prison sentence.
However, we deplore the violent and rash proposals coming from various quarters
in a typical knee-jerk reaction to this very disturbing crime.
We are particularly appalled by the suggestion that child rapists be put to
death.
An immediate practical consequence of such a law is that child rapists might be
encouraged to murder their victims in order to escape detection and avoid the
gallows.
Also, it has never been proven that capital punishment deters serious crimes.
In fact, many countries have recorded a decline in serious crime over a period
of time after abolishing capital punishment.
To extend capital punishment in Malaysia to more crimes instead of moving
towards total abolition is a step backwards.
To make matters worse, capital punishment is final and irreversible.
It cannot be remedied if errors are later found in the legal process leading to
conviction.
We strongly oppose any move to implement capital punishment for child rapists.
Justice must be done, but we must not descend into barbarism.

Lawyers for liberty,
Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia

Pestered by banks Offering easy loans The Southeast Asian Times, Saturday 7 August 2010 First published The Jakarta Post, Friday 6 August 2010

In the Sunday edition of July 22, someone lamented the pains of being hunted by bank loan salesmen.
I stand in alliance with the writer in the case and come forward as a willing
witness to testify against the unwelcomed advances of the men and women of the
banking sector who force themselves upon you with unwanted services.
Even since I started receiving calls from insistent and annoying sales people
from various banks over the past couple of years, I’ve developed a paranoia.
Whenever my cell phone rings and I find an unfamiliar number on the screen, I
stare at the number and freeze trying to decide whether to answer or ignore it
at the prospect of ending up talking to a bank salesperson.
Just imagine, any given day, you have a better chance of receiving text messages
(sms) or calls from them than from your own family members or friends.
They ceaselessly pester you rain or shine offering products ranging from credit cards to credit shields to loans and insurance.
The following are the typical conversations with them:
“Good morning, I’m from a bank and according to our data, you are the holder of
a credit card from our bank and in appreciation of your loyalty we are offering
you an easy loan: So easy that you don’t have to provide anything.
“You only have to pay a ridiculous amount of interest” (This could be qualified
as the shortest shortcut to be a multi-millionaire).
“No thanks. I’m not in the mood to owe money yet. But, do call me when you have
interest free loans.” I can recount so many not-so-funny conversations such as
these until I fall asleep.
I’m by nature a considerate person fully understanding that these people are
trying to earn some honest money.
But privacy is violated and worse peace of mind and mood disturbed when they continuously assault you on a daily or even hourly basis on some days.
So I devised a strategy to counter their ambush.
First, I let someone else answer the phone to tell them that I am already indebted big time to various parties.
Second I saved their numbers under variables of a “don’t answer” name.
Seemingly by grace of all the gods in the world, these people are multiplying and some seem to be mutating to a more aggressive strain not taking a simple “no” for an answer.
They insist that I do need to owe money suggesting all the possible needs I might have, from house renovations to getting a new spouse.
So, finally I decided not to answer calls from unknown numbers. Until one day a
jaded friend sent an email and complained how I never picked up his calls.
I earned his half-hearted forgiveness after I told him what happened but I came to
realize how these people are ruining my social life.
So, as a last resort, I am now looking to the banks (you know who you are) with
this question, “Isn’t there any way to stop this misery that you are inflicting
upon innocent citizens like us?”
Do some screening before contacting prospective clients.
Or stop bugging once they say no (On some days I have more than three calls
representing the same bank only though different voices).
Or think of some decent non-invasive marketing strategies.
Other banks use them and they are thriving.

Bijou Duowe,
Jakarta,
Indonesia

 

Street lighting Disneyfies Manila's historic streets The Southeast Asian Times, Thusday 5 August 2010 First published in the Philippine Inquirer, Wednesday 4 August 2010

First of all, I would like to express my thanks for the article, titled “Tacky, plastic lampposts defile heritage, glorify thievery” and written by Constantino Tejero in The Philippine Inquirer 25 July, 2010 which brought to national attention the LGUs current practice of installing “tacky, plastic lampposts that defile heritage.”
I agree with Paulo Alcazaren that the present wave of street-lighting projects we are seeing has “Disneyfied” Manila’s historic streets.
However, I would like to clarify some of the other points raised in the article.
I was one of those who personally saw Manila when Mayor Lito Atienza took over in 1998.
The city’s streets were all dark, and criminality was so rampant that Manila ranked first in crimes among Metro cities.
Mayor Atienza had a city street-lighting master plan that took into consideration Manila’s character and rich history and culture and, as a matter of policy, the usefulness and low price of the lampposts.
He implemented this in almost all of Manila’s streets and the crime rate went down drastically, and people were no longer afraid to stay out at night.
This, in turn, resulted in a boom in business and provided more jobs for our fellow Manileños.
Most, if not all cities in Metro Manila, and others throughout the country followed suit.
It is the present administration of Mayor Alfredo Lim, Manila’s mayor since 2007, that has “Disneyfied” Manila’s streets - as shown in the photos accompanying the article.
To my personal knowledge, lampposts during Mayor Atienza’s time cost only between P28,000 and P40,000 each.
So if some local executives today have been using this type of project to enrich themselves through overpricing and the so-called “kurakot,” as Alcazaren seems
to know, then I urge him to ask for an investigation so that these people will be made to answer for their misdeeds.
Throughout his nine-year term, Mayor Atienza always ensured that the city’s urban development program, Buhayin ang Maynila, which he implemented, was in keeping with Manila’s glorious history and rich cultural heritage, and aboveboard prices and costs were always primary considerations.
I hope that this letter will clarify some of the points raised in the article, and that the people of Manila and the rest of the country will be properly informed of the truth.

Eric Cham,
Public information officer of former Manila Mayor Lito Atienza,
Manila,
Philippines

West Papua distrust of Jakarta Goes back half a century The Southeast Asian Times, Thursday 5 August 2010 First published The Jakarta Post, Monday 2 August 2010

The final result of the research from the Indonesian Institute of Science or Lembaga llmu Pengetahuan Indonesia (LIPI) in The Jakarta Post, July 29 clearly shows there is distrust between West Papuans and Jakarta.
If this was a husband-wife relation problem they should end up in a court in order to split and share their responsibilities if they had kids.
West Papuans did not trust the Indonesia government during and after the Act of
Free Choice in 1969.
That’s the reality on the ground that has been covered tightly for almost 5 decades now.
Now West Papuans thank Muridan and his team for such a scientific result that
has brought up to the surface “the truth” that has been buried for so long.
Muridan said “so far all attempts to meet the President or his officials have
failed” meaning that West Papuans hope for dialogue remains uncertain and far
away.
A third party is compulsory to break through this limbo.
May the truth prevail.

Izak Morin,
Jayapura,
West Papua

Judges should not be told to practice Judicial restraint The Southeast Asian Times, Wednesday 4 August 2010 First published in The News Straits Times, Tuesday 3 August 2010

I refer to the report "Practise judicial restraint, judges told" in The New Straits Times, July 31, in which Chief Justice Tun Zaki Azmi called on judges to practise judicial restraint.
I disagree with him.
Judges are supposed to think independently.
In Malaysia, we have three branches of government - executive, judiciary and legislative - which are supposed to work on their own without one influencing the other.
However, the chief justice's call seems to create a new meaning.
He does not want judges to be "extreme judicial activists".
I'm appalled by his statement.
Judges should be free in their decision making and they should be allowed to
suggest new laws.
They should not be subservient to Parliament, even though the latter enacts
laws, and be confined to interpreting these laws.
Give them room to suggest new laws that could complement existing parliamentary laws.
Members of parliament do not comprise judges.
Even though all parliamentary bills are scrutinised at length by the Attorney-General's Chambers and officers of the relevant ministries, one should not forget that judges are well-learned in the law and judicial process.
As such, they would be able to read the law enacted thoroughly from all angles.
By doing this, they would be able to improve and perfect any shortcomings.
The report quoted Zaki as saying: "Who are we (the courts) to give a different
interpretation if the words and intentions are obviously clear?"
I disagree.
The courts are the best place and the judges the best people to not only interpret the laws but also perfect them.
Judges are supposed to give passing statements known universally as obiter dicta.
One should not tell them to practise judicial restraint.
Zaki's statement that he wants his judges to practise judicial restraint sounds
more like a directive from a superior.
This is totally against the code of conduct for judges. A chief justice should not interfere in any decision making by his judges.
Judges should have the freedom to interpret and perfect laws independently.
I also disagree with Zaki that judges should be particularly cautious in being
too eager to follow precedence from other Commonwealth countries.
For years now, Malaysia has been dependent on precedence set in England, India, Australia, New Zealand and other Commonwealth nations.
To me, any renowned and good precedence should be used as a guide in decision
making.
It does not matter if the precedence comes from Commonwealth countries
or other countries.
What is important is a fair trial and a sound judgment.
I sincerely hope that Zaki will be more careful when making statements of such
importance.

Vijay Shanmugan,
Taiping,
Perak

Bakrie has more than enough money To pay the victims of Lapindo The Southeast Asian Times, Tuesday 3 August 2010 First published in The Jakarta Post, Monday 2 August 2010

This is a comment on article “Again, high profile figures turn down Bakrie Award,” in The Jakarta Post, July 29..
At the time when W.S. Rendra received the Bakrie Award he was bombarded by
people all over Indonesia to refuse the award due to Bakrie’s business record
and not least the Lapindo disaster.
Rendra came up with a public appeal during the award ceremony to Aburizal Bakrie personally and the Bakrie family in general to take up their responsibility for
the victims of the Lapindo disaster.
Immediately after Rendra’s speech, red-faced Aburizal Bakrie dashed to the
podium and proclaimed publicly to the audience and personally to Rendra (since
he addressed Rendra personally in his address) that he personally and the Bakrie
family would not run from their responsibility and take care of Lapindo victims.
Years have gone since that public proclamation by Rendra: the victims are still
waiting for Aburizal Bakrie and the Bakrie family to fulfill their promise.
I believe the Bakries have more than enough money to pay the compensation for
the victims, which in their business might be peanuts.
The hard-heartedness has made them callous to the Lapindo victims. Rendra has
done his bit for the Lapindo victims by dragging Aburizal to make that public
promise.
What Rendra has not counted was that he was not dealing with someone who will do what he has promised.

J. Handojo,
Belgium

Profits made From the sale of faulty gas cylinders The Southeast Asian Times, Monday 2 August 2010 First published in The Jakarta Post, Friday 30 July 2010

The media has covered the spate of explosions caused by the 3-kilogram gas cylinders over the past two years.
Unreported cases of household gas explosions are thought to be much higher than
those that have been documented.
The government has said that faulty rubber gas tubes have caused the explosions.
If so, why didn’t the authorities halt the sale of these items if they knew they
were flawed?
This pretext is no longer acceptable.
It was initially a good idea for the government to replace consumer reliance on
kerosene with a retail gas alternative.
Gas is relatively cost-competitive and more environmentally friendly.
But to knowingly unload dangerous gas cylinders into the unsuspecting consumer market is criminal.
Despite that many people have already died, the government still has not taken firm steps to ban these faulty canisters.
Several people have profited by selling these hazardous gas cylinders, without
regard for the victims.
The media has reported more than 100 fatalities, while other victims have
survived with scars, lost limbs and disabilities.
Many other victims need expensive reconstructive plastic surgery, which most cannot afford.
Pertamina has committed to paying for hospitalization costs.
However, the public has accused the central government of insensitivity, and “turning a blind eye” towards its citizens.
The Health Ministry in particular, responsible for the peoples’ welfare, has been criticized for perceived inactivity.
The public is outraged, and is demanding that dangerous gas cylinders be recalled and withdrawn from the Indonesian market.
The companies that produce these faulty gas cylinders should be held fully
responsible, and should bear the costs of reconstructive surgery.
The government should stop acting like a paralyzed spectator.
We call on all government institutions to support prohibition of these gas
cylinders as the only way to avoid more unnecessary casualties and deaths.

Lynna van der Zee-Oehmke
Bogor,
West Jawa

 

A comment upon a possible future relationship Between Kopassus and the United States The Southeast Asian Times, Sunday 1 August 2010

One reads claims that the United States will soon be ‘training’ Kopassus, the Indonesian special commando combat force, with the full consent of the Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.
One wonders why the Americans are interested in undertaking such an involvement.
One theory is that the Indonesian government has been ‘threatening’ to consolidate Indonesia’s defence by approaching China for military assistance, and it is that which has spurred the United States into action.
Perhaps the intention is to gain intelligence about Indonesia’s armed forces.
It is difficult to understand what contribution the United States, even with their military prowess, can make in training Kopassus, as they are already one of the most intensively trained military groups in the world in jungle warfare.
A concern is that the American ‘training’ will involve attempts to redirect the allegiance of the commando force. Kopassus originated in about 1956 as one of the diverse military groups used by ex-President Suharto to enforce his grip on the country when confronting left-wing, but democratic, Muslim groups that threatened his dictatorship.
The impressive commando unit of about 6500 highly-trained men has been variously accused of human right abuses, but many of the accusations were suspect, and, for example, human rights abuses in Irian in the 1990s were largely committed by the separatists there.
In the Maluku province in 2002 Kopassus replaced the notorious ‘Yon Gab’ during the unrest accompanying separatist attempts by the Christian minority; unrest that appeared to escalate during the period of ‘reformasi’ with possible weakness in government.
During 2001 Laskar Jihad, a now suppressed Muslim group originating from Java, had drawn to the attention of the secular Indonesian government the atrocities enacted by Christian separatists against the Muslim population.
It is noted that, as a result of this and at about that time, the Laskar Jihad website was closed through pressure asserted by the American Bush administration which claimed that Laskar Jihad was ‘a terrorist organisation’.
It seems more likely that Cheyney was annoyed because Laskar Jihad had laid bare outside attempts to fragment Indonesia – an expressed policy of the Bush administration.
Until it was closed down, the Laskar Jihad website never expressed subversion such as might support the claim by the Bush administration that they were terrorists. Contrarily the site did present much evidence of atrocities by separatists and by the apparently Christian-orientated Yon Gab.
Also there, was copoious evidence there that the Laskar Jihad had followed correct legal channels in trying to bring these matters to the attention of Indonesia’s central government.
As he was once an army General, I am sure that President Yudhoyono understands his armed forces and one hopes that he will closely monitor any relationship that develops between Kopassus and United States in any of its guises.

Raymond Groves,
Hastings,
UK

Australians would vote For the party that ends the war The Southeast Asian Times, Saturday 31 July 2010

Every war that the US enters as an aggressor seems to become a disaster, Iraq, Afghanistan, Vietnam and there are more.
The tragedy is that Australia goes along with them irrespective of the majority wishes and places the lives of our brave forces in danger.
I am convinced the political party that took steps to end the situation would get elected, by a landslide.

Frank Crichlow,
Carrara,
Queensland,
Australia

Japans territorial claim on the Kuril Islands Of no benefit to Russia-Japanese peace treaty The Southeast Asian Times, Satueday 31 July 2010 First published in The Jakarta Post, Monday 26 July 2010

Among the articles which appeared on Wednesday, July 21, in the Opinion section
of The Jakarta Post there was one that drew our Embassy’s particular attention.
That article was entitled “China’s Ambitions in Asia and Russia’s lost opportunity with Japan” by Yuriko Koike, a former Japanese defense minister.
Bearing in mind that the article describes the author’s personal views, we would
like to set forth the Russian perspectives on the issues highlighted in the
article.
First of all, it is necessary to stress that the Southern Kuril Islands are an
integral territory of the Russian Federation.
This is an objective reality that took shape as an outcome of the Second World War and it has a solid international legal foundation.
In particular it is based on the legally binding agreements with Japan and arrangements between the Allied Powers back in 1945, and the United Nations Charter, which was ratified by Japan.
Accordingly, any “return” of those territories has never been, is not, and
cannot be considered.
Therefore any attempts to cast doubt on this reality, and whatever reservations
they may be accompanied by, are unacceptable, especially amid the repeatedly
stated intentions of the Japanese leadership to develop relations with Russia as
an important partner in the Asia Pacific region, and the efforts being
undertaken by both sides to realize the accords reached by the leaders of Russia
and Japan during their meetings in recent years to promote mutually advantageous
cooperation in the trade, economic development and other fields.
The ambiguous remarks contained in the article concerning sovereignty over
Southern Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands, including the references to the said
territories as “illegally occupied by Russia” look all the more strange as this
Russian territory has already become one of the key areas of close Russian-Japanese cooperation, particularly in such a strategically important sphere such as energy.
The successful realization of the Sakhalin oil and gas projects, including the
recent unveiling of a liquefied natural gas plant in Sakhalin, is evidence of this.
It is well known that the Japanese prime minister at that time, Taro Aso,
attended the opening ceremony, having arrived in Sakhalin at the invitation of
President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Medvedev, and a very substantive and
productive Russian-Japanese meeting at the highest level took place in
Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk.
It is abundantly clear that the statements do not contribute to joint constructive work on the development of Russian-Japanese cooperation, but rather inflict substantial harm upon the overall positive atmosphere of bilateral relations between good neighbors,without which any solution of complicated issues, including the problem of a peace treaty, is unlikely.
Obviously, the repetition of unfounded territorial claims against Russia may not
benefit the dialogue on the conclusion of a Russian-Japanese peace treaty, as
well as the entire atmosphere surrounding the contacts between the people of the
two countries.
The Russian side has repeatedly warned that such allegations are
counterproductive to a bilateral dialogue on a peace treaty.
We believe that the primary task is to create a normal, mutually respectful atmosphere that would facilitate the bilateral cooperation between the two countries, including dialogue on the sensitive issues.

Sergey G. Tolchenov
Russian Embassy,
Jakarta,
Indonesia

Malaysian soldier shot dead On illegal hunting trip The Southeast Asian Times, Friday 30 July 2010 First published in The Star Thursday 29 July 2010

Traffic South-East Asia would like to refer to the death of an army corporal who
was accidentally shot by his colleague while hunting in Temengor last week,
“Shot soldier was on hunting trip” in The Star, July 21.
We regret this tragic incident and sympathise with the soldier’s family for their loss. Unfortunately, we feel that this case raises some very serious issues for Malaysia.
The first issue is illegal hunting in a permanent forest reserve by persons in positions of authority.
We look to the Army to ensure security, so it is profoundly disappointing to see this trust abused.
It is also disturbing that the two soldiers were reported hunting for wild animals in an area already under tremendous pressure from wildlife poachers and smugglers.
That army personnel responsible for enforcing the law were involved in the destruction of Malaysia’s natural heritage is a slap in the face to other government agencies and organisations working hard to address wildlife crime.
The fact that they were also using an illegal home-made shotgun only makes
matters worse.
One can only speculate on how willing the public will be to report legal
violations after this event, knowing now that armed members of the military are
out hunting in protected areas.
Are such private hunting parties by soldiers in the Belum-Temengor forest complex a common practice?
Traffic calls on the Armed Forces and the Defence Ministry to investigate this
matter and to work with the other enforcement agencies in Hulu Perak to
crackdown on the use of unlicensed firearms for hunting.
What happened in Temengor this week might seem like a minor issue on a busy news day but it is one that will have wider repercussions, especially for the forest
certification process.
Certification tells the world that Malaysia’s timber comes from well managed
forests where wildlife and conservation concerns are addressed.
Incidents like these will cast doubt on forest management in Perak.
The Belum-Temengor forest remains one of our best hopes for saving Malaysia’s
rich natural heritage.
It is a site like no other in the world, but this also implies a special responsibility for those in positions of public trust.

Dr William Schaedla,
Regional Director,
Traffic South-East Asia

Ombudsman accused of violating Philippine constitution on public accountability The Southeast Asian Times. Thursday 29 July 2010 First published in the Phiippine Inquirer, Wednesday 28 July 2010

With the Aquino administration starting to fulfill its campaign promise to eradicate corruption and send corrupt public officials to prison, it may be most fitting to take a closer look at the Ombudsman. For this, we thank Prof. Randy David for his July 11 column “Suddenly, the Ombudsman” which raised the same concerns we, in the Campaign for Public Accountability (CPA) raised years ago.
As a private organization with goals of achieving transparency, public accountability and good governance, CPA filed cases of corruption against local and national officials, including Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) commissioners and Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) president Winston Garcia.
Since the time of Ombudsman Aniano Desierto, the Office of the
Ombudsman has been conducting interminable preliminary investigations.
This, despite the specific provision in Sec. 12, Article XI of our Constitution mandating the Ombudsman and his deputies, as protectors of the people, to “act promptly on complaints . . .”
The term “promptly” among prosecutors in the Department of Justice means resolving a complaint in 90 days, within which a case may be filed in court or dismissed for lack of merit or probable cause.
Based on our experience, the Ombudsman takes three to seven years of
preliminary investigation.
After seven or eight years, most likely a case is dismissed despite supporting evidence from Commission of Audit (COA)
In some instances, cases are filed before the Sandiganbayan after seven years, then (without a benefit of a trial), a motion for reinvestigation by a defendant is entertained.
The same prosecutors who filed the case, notwithstanding the same incontrovertible
evidence, would then recommend to the anti-graft court to dismiss the case and exonerate the accused.
CPA also continues to receive information that the resolution of graft cases is deliberately delayed to accommodate accused prominent politicians who allegedly pay “tuition fees” for the delay.
When the prying eyes of the media relax, they go for the dismissal of the case(s).
Judging from our experience, Desierto, Simeon Marcelo and Merceditas
Gutierrez violated provisions of our Constitution on public accountability.
Desierto and Marcelo should have been impeached, and Gutierrez should be impeached if she refuses to resign.
We, therefore, recommend that President Aquino order an inventory of cases pending before the Ombudsman’s office and make a public disclosure as to the nature of alleged crimes, amount of public funds involved, status of the cases as of date and the estimated time/target date of resolution.
We, the taxpayers need to know how the Ombudsman performs as protector of the people and how it resolves cases.
It is our basic right to be informed.
We have faith in the sincerity of President Aquino and we have so much hope that he will uphold transparency and accountability in government.
But with the same Ombudsman, we doubt that his administration can put the grafters in prison. Something, therefore, must be done.

Bobby Brillante,
Convenor, Campaign for Public Accountability (CPA),
Makati City,
Philippines

Rape of the Camerons Development out of sheer greed The Southeast Asian Times, Wednesday 28 July 2010 First published in The Star, Thursday 22 July 2010

I was a resident of Cameron Highlands for almost 10 years and returned recently
after a short break of three years.
I am shocked at what I see today.
There appears to have been no control over land clearing, building development
or river preservation.
Hotels, housing schemes, farms and small industries have emerged indiscriminately all over the highlands, especially in the larger towns of Ringlet, Tanah Rata, Brinchang, Kea Farm and Bertam Valley.
There has been a complete desecration and disregard for this beautiful highland
and its pristine rivers.
What saddens me the most is that these developments are not out of necessity but
out of sheer greed.
Local residents are heartbroken at what can justly be describes as the “rape of
Camerons”.
They are powerless over what is happening around them.
Numerous complaints to the relevant government agencies and departments have fallen on deaf ears.
The infrastructure of Cameron Highlands cannot support the current rate of
development.
A relatively short distance of 3km can take one or more hours of travelling time on weekends and public holidays!
In addition, water supply, parking space and proper sewage treatment facilities
are sorely lacking.
The Tourism Ministry, in its “1Malaysia Green and Clean Campaign” in The Star, July 19, hopes to attract 36 million foreign tourists to Malaysia, making it a
top world tourist destination.
Unfortunately, with what is happening in Cameron Highlands today, highland tourism will eventually decrease, if not altogether cease in the future.
I urge those who have the ultimate power to enforce preservation and curtail the
current desecration of Cameron Highlands to act as soon as possible before it is
too late.

Rev Dr Vijendra Daniel,
Petaling Jaya,
Malaysia

Bali A tourist destination in decline The Southeast Asian Times, Tuesday 27 July 2010 First Published in The Jakarta Post, Thursday 22 July 2010

International tourists and visitors to Bali are faced with long queues when passing through immigration.
Hoteliers are hearing daily horror stories from their guests, in some cases
waiting up to 3 hours in hot, stifling conditions to have the pleasure of facing
unfriendly immigration officials.
The Ngurah Rai International Airport car park is full, packed with unproductive
hotel vehicles, and patient yet unproductive hotel staff, waiting for hours to
greet their guests.
Jumbo jets arrive in sequence, disgorging their tired passengers after 14 hour flights. Only three or four immigration officers man the booths.
Welcome to Paradise!
The Bali Hotel Association (BHA) has made representations to the relevant
authorities, promises have been made to recruit more immigration officers.
The queues continue.
Bali’s traffic is becoming increasingly and seriously congested.
Today it is much worse than it was three months ago, a reasonable assumption is that it will become still more congested three months from now.
Some serious planning is required. Jack Daniels succinctly summarizes in his
widely-read Bali Update that there is a critical need for a coordinated approach
in solving the problems of the airport and traffic congestion.
Capital cities such as Jakarta and Bangkok suffer traffic problems and residents are forced to endure the inconvenience.
Tourists have a choice, but a lack of will on the part of the authorities to
provide solutions may force visitors to abandon these destinations.
While serious infrastructure planning and investment is required, the present
rapidly deteriorating road congestion can indeed be improved.
That is, if someone senior in authority is concerned.
An immediate part solution is at hand.
Traffic lights!
Bangkok learned from international (foreign) advice: Manage the traffic lights efficiently.
Study traffic flows.
Reduce the number of U-turns on two-lane highways.
Major roads in Bangkok have traffic lights set on green for up to 3 minutes.
In Jakarta up to 2 minutes.
In Bali, lights remain on green from 25 to a maximum 50 seconds.
Far too short a time!
The main principle is traffic flow.
The stop-go-stop-go of Bali’s traffic lights never allows the traffic to flow.
Drivers watch the lights change two or three times and never move.
A long traffic jam builds up behind the traffic lights while the road ahead is
empty for the next 500 meters.
Some serious study of traffic flows is required in Bali, followed by a proper system of traffic management.
Otherwise we may be witnessing the first stages of a “Destination in Decline”.

Douglas R. P. Wallace
Jimbaran,
Bali

 

Tourists pay eight times more Than Indonesians The Southeast Asian Times, Monday 26 July 2010 First published The Jakarta Post Wednesday 14 July 2010

During the last school-holidays I took my Balinese in-laws to Java.
We had great fun passing Indonesia’s longest bridge, spanning over 5 kilometer from Surabaya to Madura Island.
I wanted to show them the Indonesian “BP” disaster, Lapindo.
Did I miss something or is it true that people still have not been fully compensated by the company responsible for this environment scandal?
If you want to see it you have to pay - you even can buy DVDs!
It is very well, as long as the money goes to the village people who lost their
homes and fields.
But it seems not the case, if we believe The Jakarta Post 9 July.
Our beloved president should follow his US-colleague’s example who squeezed billions of dollars out off BP’s pockets.
I learned that Borobudur Temple was restored between 1973-1983 with
international aid - meaning the world citizens’ money, US$25 million.
I was disgusted and ashamed when I became aware that there are two classes of
tourists: one, who pays Rp 17.500, includes Indonesian citizens and KITAS-holders and the other so-called “International Visitors” from their
countries the $25 million originally came who must pay US$15 (approx. Rp
150.000)!
Is this the way how Indonesia is treating its guests?
Is this the idea of hospitality you have in mind when you say Selamat datang di Indonesia?
Even my eight-year-old niece asked me: “Why must tourists pay eight times more then us?”
How would Indonesian tourists feel if they were charged more then locals when
visiting the Vatican, the Empire State Building, Louvre, the Vienna Opera House
or the ancient Greek temples?
The architects of these holy sites certainly are turning in their graves watching this scene.
Last, but not least, why in Prambanan Temple, as well as in Borobudur, are first
class and second class visitors forced to walk by hundreds of souvenir stalls
before they can finally leave?

Michael Beer
Amlapura,
Bali

Thousands of Indonesia's prosecutors and police Yet to show assetts The Southeast Asian Times, Sunday 25 July 2010 First Published in The Jakarta Post, Thursday 22 July 2010

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has urged police officers and prosecutors to submit their wealth reports to the commission.
KPK deputy chairman Haryono Umar said only 8,000 prosecutors and 7,000 police officers were obliged to submit their wealth reports, but the commission had just received 4,500 reports from the prosecutor offices and 5,100 from police offices.
The reason why there is a reluctance on the part of these people is simply that they do have things to hide.
They have got away with their criminal activities for so long and with such ease, that they are confident about simply ignoring these requirements, they are after all the untouchables.
The police and prosecutors probably have so much information up their sleeves that most in power are terrified of them.
There is only one way that Indonesia will finally get rid of these corrupt and
criminal elements and that is a clean government.
What these people fear the most are people who do not have anything to hide, people who are not corrupt.
I fear under the current administration of the old ruling elite, there is little hope.
Indonesia needs new, fresh, clean blood at the top and in the government, not
any of the current bunch or their children.
We did have one ray of hope, but she finally went and is now in America:
This we should all be ashamed of and saddened by.

Didi Karjadi,
Bandung,
Indonesia

Israeli ships in Malaysia Despite decree against trade The Southeast Asian Times, Saturday 24 July 2010 First published in The New Straits Times, Thursday 22 July 2010

Recent news reports of cargo ships flying flags of third countries but beneficially owned by Israeli companies calling at a port terminal in Port Klang may have attracted attention even though it has been common knowledge in the local shipping industry that these ships have been calling at our ports for more than a decade or two.
Why these ships were allowed in the first place despite a government decree
against trade with Israel remains a mystery.
In fact, the relevant parties may even defend themselves by saying these ships
did not fly the Israeli flag but flags of registries in which the ships were
registered and hence there is no basis for stopping these ships from calling at
our ports as long as relevant shipping documents are in order.
It is common knowledge that merchant ships have been or are still being operated
under similar veils of secrecy (which unfortunately is quite rampant in shipping) by groups such as al-Qaeda.
It is possible that these may also have visited local ports without our knowledge of the status of their beneficial ownership.
But that is for the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) to check.
I am more concerned over what the national benefit is in subsidising foreign ships
calling at our ports?
Yes, we have actually been providing cash rebates and discounts to these ships to call at our ports.
This clearly demonstrates the extent of our obsession with, and unrestrained or
misguided pursuit of, attracting foreign shipping lines to call at our ports,
ostensibly to encourage economic growth and development.
I use "obsession", "unrestrained pursuit", "misguided" and "ostensibly" intentionally because we do not seem to have a policy of who should be encouraged and who should not.
Besides, there is no cost-benefit analysis done either by the Transport Ministry, the relevant port authorities or the private port terminal operators on what the gains are to the national economy.
Just some visually effective Powerpoint presentations to the Economic Planning
Unit or whispering along the corridors of power seem adequate to convince the
government to dish out grants, loans and sovereign guarantees to these port
operators, at the expense of taxpayers.
We have been providing such cash rebates and discounts to ships owned and/or
operated by the Taiwanese, Japanese, Koreans, Danish, Singaporeans, Thais,
Germans and others.
Probably the least who have gained or benefitted from such cash rebates and discounts are Malaysian ships flying our own Malaysian flag.
In addition, the benefits have also gone to shippers (importers/exporters) in
Third World countries like Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, India, Sri Lanka,
Bangladesh, China and a host of other countries who transship their cargo via
local ports.
Should we (taxpayers) be subsidising foreign shipping lines and shippers in
other countries with port facilities and services built with government grants,
interest-free or preferential-interest loans, sovereign guarantees and/or direct
cash subsidies?
What is comical about the whole scenario is that the local beneficiaries of all
this are masquerading as hypocritical defenders of national interest and
promoters of national policy.
I urge the government to take a close look at the existing rivalry among our
ports: whether it is a good thing or not, and good for whom if they just give
out discounts and cash to foreign shipping lines?
Do we need such competition among port operators or should they direct their
energies towards others outside the country?
This, however, is not to deny that local competition among our ports has been responsible for driving up port productivity in recent years.
There is some mention of a national port development plan in the just-issued
10th Malaysia Plan. This is an opportunity to revisit our priorities.
I hope the National Port Commission, which will soon be commissioned, will
ensure that rebates are not used by ports to woo the shipping lines operating at
Malaysian ports.
Rebates should only be used as a catalyst to attract shipping lines which are in
foreign land ports, such as Singapore.

C.M.P.,
Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia

We, the Indonesian people Are weary of empty promises The Southeast Asian Times, Thursday 22 July 2010 First published in The Jakarta Post. Tuesday 20 July 2010

On July 15, The Jakarta Post reported in its main headline that National Police chief Gen. Bambang Hendarso Danuri held a meeting with non-violence activist groups that was attended by Usman Hamid, chief of the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras).
After that meeting, it was reported that the police chief actually promised to punish municipality police chiefs who ignored violence in their districts.
I don’t hesitate at all to say that I am extremely skeptical about this promise from Bambang.
For, aside from being characteristically vague and spineless-sounding as it targets only municipality police chiefs, this promise from the chief of the National Police does not include what we, the Indonesian people that are not members of vigilante or hard-line groups, would so very much like to hear.
And this is what we would like to hear, Pak Bambang: That you promise to harshly
and thoroughly punish all vigilante groups, who have already, for several years
in succession, committed atrocious, brutal crimes against minority groups,
sexual minorities, the urban poor and human rights activists including those
from the National Commission for Human Rights and lawmakers - and follow up that promise by actual, stern action that all of us Indonesians can see.
For we, the common Indonesian people, are becoming increasingly weary of empty
promises, and have developed an increasingly low opinion of government officials
who try to pull the wool over our eyes with fancy words with no real meaning.
For several years, the Police have persistently turned a blind eye toward the
lawless actions of mobs and have unreservedly and openly allowed them to
terrorize innocent citizens who lack the power to fight back.
This clearly shows that the police are not on the side of everyday Indonesian citizens, and are not actually here to protect us.

Tami Koestomo,
Jakarta,
Indonesia

Australian prime minister Julia Gillard Not born in Australia The Southeast Asian Times, Wednesday 21 July 2010

Australian prime minister, Julia Gillard, born in Wales.
Tony Abbot born in the UK.
Both members of the Australian Government.
Question, Heather Hill who won a Senate Seat for One Nation was prevented from entering our parliament because she was born in a foreign country even though she had lived in Australia from a child.
Strange thing several members of both major parties were born outside Australia.
So it seems as though it’s ok for any member as long as they vote Liberal or Labor.
Tony Abbott started a slush fund to try and eliminate Pauline Hanson, the leader of One Nation from our Parliament and was no doubt delighted when Pauline was jailed.

Frank Crichlow,
Queensland,
Australia

Dams cause salinity In Mekong Delta The Southeast Asian Times, Tuesday 20 July 2010

Arabica coffee Not grown to replace tobacco The Southeast Asian Times, Monday 19 July 2010 First published in The Jakarta Post Sunday 18 July 2010

With reference to the report entitled “Myths about farmers and tobacco busted” in The Jakarta Post, July 6 the Indonesian Tobacco Farmers Association (APTI), Central Java, and three farmers from Temanggung involved in a workshop on “Facts behind the myth of tobacco industry”, affirm that some statements made in the story are not true.
In the workshop, organized by the Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI),
Ignatius Haryanto from the Institute for Press Development and Studies (LSPP)
said tobacco growers had diversified their agricultural products and started
cultivating Arabica coffee.
This is incorrect.
In fact, coffee is only planted as an intercrop on the fringes of tobacco
plantations to strengthen the soil and prevent erosion.
It does yield extra income before the tobacco harvest season.
It is not grown to replace tobacco, which is a far more profitable commodity.
The recent protests against government plans to tighten rules on the tobacco
industry were lodged by thousands of farmers and middlemen brokers.
We are sure that extreme rules will threaten the livelihood of at least 2
million tobacco farmers in Indonesia.
Tobacco farmers are not against the rules as long as they are fair and take into account the complexity of the tobacco issue.

N. Wisnu Brata,
Chairman of Indonesian Tobacco Farmers Association (APTI),
Central Java,
Indonesia

Austerity for Malaysia government Should start at the top The Southeast Asian Times, Sunday 18 July 2010 First published The Star, Saturday 17 July 2010

The Government has taken a bold and appropriate decision to reduce fiscal
deficit by introducing a gradual subsidy rationalisation programme which will
see a re-duction of government expenditure by more than RM750 million this year.
Beginning from July 16, subsidies have been reduced for fuel, especially petrol,
diesel and LPG as well as sugar resulting in higher prices for these items.
While the introduction of the gradual subsidy rationalisation programme has its
merits, the Government has to ensure that it will not burden the lower-income
group who will have to cope with the higher costs of living after the subsidy cut.
As such the Government should find better ways to help those in the lower-income
group, for example, in the area of housing, reliable and affordable public
transport and food.
Food prices must be closely monitored and kept in check to protect the interest
of the lower and middle-income group.
Whether the subsidy rationalisation plan will achieve its objective or not still
remains to be seen but it is something the Govern­ment should be mindful of.
The most important steps that need to be taken to reduce public expenditure is
by ensuring that on the part of the Government there is no wastage, leakage
mismanagement, inefficiency and corruption.
Greater efforts must be made to address these issues effectively so that the
interests of our taxpayers are protected.
The Government should practise prudent financial management, and all unnecessary
projects should be put off.
The Government should also consider some form of austerity drive starting from
the top through leadership by example.

Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye
Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia

Death knell of Komodo Island If declared one of the seven natural wonders of the world The Southeast Asian Times, Saturday 17 July 2010 First published in The Jakarta Post, Friday 16 July 2010

What do people think of when they hear the phrase "Komodo Island"?
Usually people think of spectacular scenery, crystal clear waters - and komodo
dragons, one of Indonesia's prides and treasures.
Komodo Island is part of East Nusa Tenggara province and is recognized by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) as a global conservation area.
Tourists are offered a lot on Komodo Island and much of the place has remained
the same for many years due to slow population growth and infrequent tourist
visits.
We all want to see Komodo Island stay magnificent and to avoid the cranes and buildings that come with development.
If that happens, the magic of Komodo Island will disappear and it will change from a getaway island to just another Indonesian tourist spot.
Quite recently, several of my friends were excited to hear that Komodo Island
might be named one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World.
I was not as excited.
In fact, I was actually worried about the survival of Komodo Island.
If Komodo Island is named a natural wonder, it will give all of Indonesia pride in
the islands and territories that we have.
However, we have to realize that Indonesia is not a country that preserves its
treasures, especially its flora and fauna.
Indonesia is a developing country and we succumb easily to the pressure to build skyscrapers, hotels and malls everywhere just to attract tourists and we are willing to sacrifice the natural beauty of our archipelago.
Even though Indonesia consists of more than 17,000 islands, many of them are unprotected and are sold illegally without government consent.
Komodo National Park is a conservation area is essential for the survival of the
country's many endangered species.
Yet I read a Kompas article in June that said that city officials intended to build hotels and malls . in a conservation park!
It was appalling to read that news bulletin because it showed that Indonesians
still cannot understand how precious our forests and untouched land are.
It is more saddening that city officials would dare create change in an area that is
preserved solely for flora and fauna.
I had to write something about naming Komodo Island a natural wonder and to make people rethink whether or not they want it to happen.
Personally, I do not support naming Komodo Island a natural wonder because the risks are far greater than the benefits that we can reap.
I don't think pride is more important than endangering our very own flora and
fauna, which are already unprotected by our government and people.

Paramitha R ,
Bandung,
Indonesia

Call for sex education In Malaysian schools The Southeast Asian Times, Friday 16 July 2010 First published The New Straits Times Tuesday 13 July 2010

The rise in teenage pregnancies is becoming a disturbing trend.
From January to April this year, 111 such cases were reported to the Welfare
Department, compared with 131 cases last year and 107 cases in 2008.
According to MCA Public Services and Complaints Department head Datuk Michael Chong, the statistics provided by the Welfare Department may only be the tip of the iceberg.
The Women, Family and Community Development Ministry's decision to set up baby hatches for abandoned children is a good move as it will save innocent children from callous cruelty.
A baby, conceived legitimately or illegitimately, is a gift from God and should
be cherished.
Many have expressed their reservations about this baby hatch plan, claiming it
will lead to promiscuity. I disagree. A solution must be reached on this crucial
issue.
Counselling sessions should be organised by the ministry for both the mothers
and fathers-to-be, as many would not be in a position to deal with parenthood at
an early age.
Compounding this problem for the parents-to-be would be the additional financial
expenditure for the newborn.
Perhaps, more preventive measures should be introduced to avert unintentional
pregnancies.
These could include introducing a subject on sex education at the upper secondary level.
Of course, the beacons of morality will be the first to object to the teaching of such a subject.
Don't they realise that with the advent of information and communications
technology (ICT) and the Internet, a plethora of material on subjects related to
sex are available?
And let us not forget, the younger generation is more computer-savvy than those much older than them.
In fact, many of them are masters of ICT.
Parents should also be candid when speaking to their children on the adverse
consequences of unplanned pregnancies.
As the maxim goes, prevention is better than cure. After all, children are able
to read what is happening in newspapers and news blogs.
The print and electronic media, when highlighting cases of unintended
pregnancies, can, also as a social service, add their views on the consequences
of such unplanned pregnancies.
This would caution couples engaging in pre-marital sex.
It is surprising that our politicians, who bicker on so many issues, cannot even
cross the political divide and deliberate on crucial social issues and work together to reach feasible solutions.
They seem to be concerned only about issues such as corruption, cronyism,
nepotism or wasteful expenditure.
Could it be because there is no political mileage in such issues as abandoned
babies?
We need to nip this problem in the bud.

James Gonzales,
Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia

Call for referendum on Australia's participation In war on Afghanistan The Southeast Asian Times, Thursday 15 July 2010

Advice to either major Australian Federal political party on how to win the next election in a landslide.
Promise to hold a referendum on our participation in the un-winnable and immoral war in Afghanistan and to act quickly on the result so as to stop the loss of lives by the brave Australian troops serving there.
Surely the Government is there to carry out the wishes of the majority of Australians.

Frank Crichlow,
Queensland,
Australia

Arroyo appointee to investigate Alledged corruption in Arroyo administration The Southeast Asian Times, Wednesday 13 July 2010 First published The Philippine Inquirer, Tuesday 12 July 2010

One wonders about the rationale of President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino’s designation of former Chief Justice Hilario Davide Jr. as chairman of the Truth Commission that will investigate the corruption scandals involving the Arroyo administration and gather evidence thereof.
It is public knowledge that Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Davide had the most “cordial” relationship from the day in January 2001 he inducted her as president through the months the Supreme Court dilly-dallied in resolving the issue of executive privilege at the height of the “Hello Garci” Senate investigations, till his
retirement and designation as permanent representative to the United
Nations sans Commission on Appointments approval and at the expense of longtime career diplomat, Ambassador Lauro Baja, who was eased out of the post to accommodate Davide.
President Aquino may have appointed the former chief justice to head his Truth Commission to reassure the Arroyo camp that there will be no witch hunt; after all, their former favored ally is at its helm.
Or P-Noy may be hoping that Davide may be privy to some of Arroyo’s shenanigans not generally known to the public and he could guide the commission in unearthing some valuable pieces of evidence.
Unfortunately for the former chief justice, any move he makes that will put Arroyo in a favorable light will be viewed by groups critical of Arroyo with unkind speculations.
On the other hand, for any move seen to be unfavorable to Arroyo, he will be pilloried by Arroyo’s circle of loyalists as a contemptible ingrate.
Therefore, of what value is the Truth Commission now?

E.P.Dakanay Jr.,
Manila,
Philippines

Socialist party for Thailand To represent the working class The Southeast Asian Times, Tuesday 13 July 2010 First published The Bangkok Post Monday 12 July 2010

The prime minister is asking for contributions to the reconciliation process.
Let us consider this one.
The present situation is the consequence of a ''movement''.
It is very difficult to talk to a ''movement'' while the ''movement'' has barely
any other way to express itself than by demonstrations.
That irritates the government.
Since the government has almost inexhaustible resources, most of them well armed, a confrontation between the ''movement'' and the government is unavoidable.
To keep the democratic process going one needs a political party that expresses
the aspirations of the people behind it.
The present parties and party structures hardly respond to those aspirations.
No need to dissect the different political parties and factions.
A possible answer to the present stalemate could be that the leaders of the
''movement'' dissociate themselves from Puea Thai, their leaders, present and
past, and create a socialist party that will represent the working class people.
Unlike any political party before, they can come up with a programme for the
majority of Thais.
There is not much time to prepare this, although for the first time one could
guarantee the PM his full tenure.
There are socialist political parties all over Europe, in republics and
kingdoms.
The Socialist Party in France may not be the ideal example at present
but there is no doubt that the German, English and Nordic socialist parties will
only be too glad to help the Thai movement develop into a broad political party.

Hopeful in Klong Toey,
Thailand

 

Malacca Turning into a Disneyland The Southeast Asian Times, Monday 12 July 2010 First published The Star, Thursday 8 July 2010

I am dismayed to learn that the monorail project of Malacca, which costs
RM15.9mil, covers only 1.6km and can carry only 24 passengers per trip when
completed.
I have watched the project unfold so far and, truth be told, it resembles a toy
train.
The project will hardly enhance Malacca’s Heritage Status nor assuage the
horrendous traffic problems that have become the bane of the locals as well as
visitors to our city. RM15.9mil could have vastly improved the quality of public
transportation for the entire city.
I am horrified to learn also that a mini roller-coaster ride is to be developed
at the Hang Tuah Station.
Indeed, this will turn Malacca into a Disneyland of dubious sorts.
This will complement the Water Wheel (RM2mil) and the Eye-on-Malacca (final cost not available due to ongoing legal dispute).
The Malacca river has been turned into a land-locked waterway for cruise boats,
causing floods and the relocation of fishing boats and barter trading ships.
We celebrate the third anniversary of being a World Heritage Site today.
It is a crying shame that as each anniversary passes, more and more of our heritage is going down the drain.

Vermeer's Hat,
Malacca,
Malaysia

 

Malaysia's Wildlife Protection Act of 1972 Is riddled with loopholes and deficiencies The Southeast Asian Times, Sunday 11 July 2010 First published in The Star Friday 9 July 2010

As a concerned citizen, I urge our elected representatives to vote for the
Wildlife Conservation Act 2010, which is currently being debated in Parliament,
to be passed without delay.
The replacement of the outdated Wildlife Protection Act 1972 with the Wildlife
Conservation Act 2010 would be a timely move.
Giving the new Act statutory footing would mean stiffer penalties for poaching
and other wildlife crimes. In addition, the new Act would give enforcement
agencies the power to monitor wildlife displays and wildlife in captivity.
Cruelty to wildlife would also be recognised as a criminal offence. The new Act
further extends protection to more species, including arachnids, amphibians and
gastropods, which are also vulnerable to exploitation and trafficking.
Malaysia currently has the insalubrious reputation as a hub for illegal wildlife
trade. The outdated 1972 Act is riddled with loopholes and deficiencies and it
does not do enough to halt or deter the rampant poaching and smuggling of
wildlife in Malaysia, as its penalties are derisory. Enforcement agencies find
themselves handicapped due to a lack of manpower and resources and the absence
of political will of those in power.
Legislators must take immediate steps to safeguard our fast-vanishing natural
heritage. The enactment, implementation and enforcement of the Wildlife
Conservation Act 2010 would increase the ability and authority of enforcement
agencies to apprehend and prosecute wildlife offenders and offer a better
measure of protection for Malaysia’s wildlife than the existing laws.
Malaysia’s commitments towards protecting endangered species and achieving
biodiversity targets are guided by the National Policy on Biological Diversity
launched in 1998.
Enacting the Wildlife Conservation Act would be a critical step towards reducing
species loss and managing and improving biodiversity in Malaysia.

Wong EE Lynn,
Petaling Jaya,
Malaysia

The MoU betwen Indonesia and Aceh Is a framework for Aceh to organise its own government The Southeast Asian Times, Saturday 10 July 2010 First published in The Jakarta Post, Thursday 8 July 2010

The history of contemporary Aceh is very much linked to Hasan Tiro.
If classical Aceh in the 17th century goes to the Great Sultan Iskandar Muda,
the 20th century and Aceh-Dutch war goes to Teuku Umar and Cut Nyak Dien,
the independence and post-independence era of 1960’s goes to Tgk. Mohd.
Daud Beureueh, then Aceh over the past 30 years goes to none other than Hasan
Tiro.
Hasan Tiro has shaped Acehnese consciousness and characters, and laid the
foundations for Aceh for the next 30 years, which we have yet to discover
belongs to whom.
When Hasan Tiro initiated the movement in 1976, he was 51 years old.
Aceh at that time was 1136 years old (considering the kingdom of Peureulak
established in 840 as the root of Aceh as a regio-political entity).
Despite the 10-century gap, Hasan Tiro was able to capture the Acehnese spirit.
This was a spirit that was not lost over the passage of time.
He also managed to properly elaborate that spirit and transform it into a manifesto of struggle for modern Aceh.
The Free Aceh Movement was thus declared as the continuation of an unending
struggle to achieve the ideals.
This movement soon received massive attention.
Old and young, men and women, signed commitments to struggle with him to achieve these ideals.
Nevertheless, Hasan Tiro’s declaration also triggered Jakarta to respond in a
military approach.
The war that ensued lasted for more than 30 years, before an MoU was signed on Aug. 15, 2005 with both sides agreeing to stop fighting.
The Aceh war was the second-longest war experienced by Aceh, after its war with the Dutch.
This war not only claimed thousands of lives but once again put Aceh’s
civilization on hold.
Aceh has had to pay an expensive price for its commitment to achieving its ideals. Not only is Aceh a less developed region, it is also the most isolated and closed region in Indonesia’s modern history.
The MoU opened a new chapter in the contemporary history of Aceh.
However, with the death of Hasan Tiro, many people have asked whether peace will remain?
Is there any potentiality that conflict will re-emerge in a new form?
Just like what happened after the death of Tgk. Mohd. Daud Beureueh, Hasan Tiro declared a new form of movement.
The answer very much depends on the key that Aceh and Indonesia have achieved so far, namely the MoU.
How will this be implemented, how much room will Jakarta allow Aceh to govern himself, and to what extent will the Acehnese be satisfied with the progress.
The MoU is a win-win for bargaining to what extent Jakarta has authority over Aceh, and to what extent Aceh can enjoy its freedom in the framework of self-government.
The MoU therefore should not be understood as a check to reintegrate the “region” of Aceh into Indonesia.
Nor is the MoU a Daerah Istimewa agreement, post DI/TII conflict, nor a Syari’at Islam status.
The MoU is a comprehensive framework for Aceh to structure and organize its own government.
With this perspective in mind, Jakarta will not lose anything. Its authority
over Aceh, income generated from Aceh, and right to defend Aceh from external
attack is well maintained.
The MoU in fact is the key to winning the “hearts” of the Acehnese people, so that they will willingly and consciously integrate themselves into Indonesia.
Such a perspective is important because Aceh, throughout the history of
Indonesia, has never shown territorial commitment.
Aceh has never been forced to submit to any idea of region.
If Indonesia wins the hearts of the Acehnese people, not only will they be willing to share the region (territory), the Acehnese will also give their heart and soul.
Since this is the key to peace in Aceh, a whole-hearted commitment to the MoU should be given by the elites both in Jakarta and Aceh.
The Jakarta elites (House of Representatives, the president and all the higher
government institutions) should make the MoU above any laws, rules and
regulations they establish for Aceh.
Jakarta also should be sensitive to the privileges Aceh deserves as a result of
the MoU.
The history of how the MoU was achieved should always be remembered
when they want to make a new policy for Aceh.

Hafas Furqani,
Jakarta,
Indonesia

Public participation wanted In research and development projects The Southeast Asian Times, Friday 9 July 2010 The Jakarta Post, Thursday 8 July 2010

I refer to an article titled “US and RI to collaborate on technology development,” in The Jakarta Post, May 14.
I think before any kind of funding is poured into R&D in Indonesia, we should
talk about how to make the projects and its realization more accountable and
accessible to public involvement.
We just can’t afford to let the funding access be monopolized by a few people in
government just like what has happened before.
That is what literally paralyzed Research and Development (R&D) in Indonesia in the last few decades.
What the government should do is setup a system where the public who have
knowledge, skill, and certain capabilities, can submit its ideas and research.
While at the same time, the system act as an intellectual copyright protector
for the researcher.
Then the public can also monitor and communicate with the researcher to some
extent on the progress of every Research and Development (R&D) project, through a website.
And when a project is realized into real market and industry, the jobs and needs
that it creates can be seen on the website too.
Therefore, people who have an interest to work on specific project can plan in
advance on how they will contribute to a specific project.
And they can prepare themselves should any need for jobs be available based on
their project interest.
No more favoritism, cronyism, and other misuse of such project funding.

Raiyan Laksamana,
Jakarta,
Indonesia

 

Call for Philippine government To promote and distribute condoms The Southeast Asian Times, Thursday 8 July 2010 The Philippine Inquirer, Monday 5 July 2010

Women workers support Robin Padilla in the case filed against him for promoting the use of condoms through advertisements.
" Pro-lifers join complaint vs Robin for condom ads,” The Philippine Inquirer, 18 June 2010.
Robin is a good boy for endorsing the use of condoms which is traditionally shunned in the macho culture of Filipino males.
Condoms are a reproductive health concern, not a moral issue.
We challenge pro-lifers such as Ang Kapatiran Party and Buhay, who all stand against the Reproductive Health (RH) bill, to a public forum to discuss the merits of the issue.
Women workers ask Robin not to retreat in his endorsement of condom use.
While we know Robin is not a saint, he is a positive role model for Muslim-Christian dialogue through his various projects and advocacies.
We however call on the government to assume the responsibility for distributing and promoting condoms.
It should not be principally the business of the private sector but the task of the State to provide access to reproductive health services.
We ask the new government of Noynoy Aquino to certify as urgent and priority legislation the Reproductive Health (RH) bill.
It is the right of women to control their bodies and it is the responsibility of the State to defend the freedom of women to choose.
The research “The Incidence of Induced Abortion in the Philippines:
Current Level and Recent Trends” by Fatima Juarez, Josefina Cabigon,
Susheeia Singh and Rubina Hussain published by Guttmacher
Institute, New York, 2005, concluded that “one of every two married
women did not want a child soon or wanted no more children, but were
not using a contraceptive method.”
Families desire to lessen the number of children but do not have the provisions
for it.
Just as an example, the cost of one condom is equivalent to a pack of noodles. Basic survival would definitely come first over safe sex for millions of starving poor. Thus the Reproductive Health (RH) bill provides that government must step in by providing access to reproductive health services.

Judy Ann Miranda,
Secretary general,
Partido ng Manggagawa,
Manila,
Philippines

Eat less rice Minister tells Indonesians including the poor The Southeast Asian Times, Wednesday 7 July 2010 First published in The Jakarta Post Tuesday 6 July 2010

Referring to an article titled “Minister suggests Indonesians eat less rice,” in
The Jakarta Post, June 30, many have very little to eat to start with; leave alone reduce their intake of rice by 1.5 percent.
Every year the same issue comes up.
Why does the government not tackle the under-staffed and under-funded agriculture extension service so that farmers may be taught to improve their practices and intensify their production.
Most regencies, under which extension services fall since devolution/decentralization of government services, do not rate agriculture
extension as a priority for the simple reason that there is no money to be made
in KKN.
Perhaps, extension services should be provincialized so that quality can be
better controlled.
It is also worthy noting that in the past week or so we have been told by
government officials to eat more fish, consume more fruit and reduce our rice
intake.
All good suggestions as it should improve our health.
However, where are the programs and program budgets that underpin such noble advice?

Henry Manoe,
Kupang,
Indonesia

Droughts in thailand Caused by low rainfall The Southeast Asian Times, Monday 5 July 2010

Although deforestation may worsen the effects droughts, it does not cause droughts as claimed in a Bangkok Post editorial July 3, 2010.
In fact, the causality may actually work the other way around because prolonged droughts may cause high tree mortality and forest fires; and in Thailand, droughts drive farmers to seek sustenance from the forest and so forest degradation tends to go up during drought years.
Droughts are caused by lower than normal rainfall.
The periodic occurrence of low rainfall in northeast Thailand is an El Nino phenomenon.
It is not caused by forest dwellers cutting down trees.

Cha-am Jamal
Thailand

Management of Indonesia's forests In the hands of forestry graduates The Southeast Asian Times, Sunday 4 July 2010 First pulished in The Jakarta Post, Thursday 1 July 2010

This is a comment on an article titled, “Forestry education is out of fashion,”
in The Jakarta Post, June 26.
Congratulations on such a sound article.
I do hope that people in high places get to read it and are influenced by it.
My perception is that the average Indonesian forestry professional is not adequately trained to deal with the future.
In 2006, I convened a small forum of final year forestry students from a
small provincial university and was shocked to discover that only one had even
heard of climate change and none had heard of the then recently released Stern
report on climate change.
Almost all indicated their belief that the only job option on graduation was to
apply to the Forestry Ministry and the main reason given was that they would
receive a pension on retirement.
How could people with such a narrow education and outlook make a difference to the Indonesian forestry that is desperately needed.
Further, it is one thing to be academically equipped with knowledge on the
theory of forest management but unless that education embraces how to stop the
gross corruption in the industry and the apparent inability to achieve
sustainable forest management, then all will be wasted just like the forests.
Unless forestry graduates collectively and individually are dedicated to making
the difference so desperately needed, Indonesia’s forests will continue to be
degraded and destroyed.
No amount of Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD) money will be able to put the forests back together again.

Nairdah,
Sydney,
New South Wales,
Australia

Electricity Vietnam invests In real estate instead of power The Southeast Asian Times, Saturday 3 July 2010 First published in Thanh Nien, Friday 25 June 2010

My problem as a foreigner is with Electricity Vietnam (EVN) which is owned by
the government.
Yes we have had a hot dry summer, but where was the EVN contingency plan?
I have lived in Vietnam for four years and I can remember three years ago,
before the global financial crisis, the government was criticizing EVN for
investing in the real estate business in HCMCity and Hanoi instead of sticking to
their core business of building power plants.
This to me is the main reason why we haven’t got power every second day.
You want foreign investment in Vietnam, the government wants to approve more industrial parks, but why when they can’t supply basic needs to business, tourism, and the local people now?
Why create an even bigger problem?
Why put the cart before the horse, if you haven’t enough power now, why approve more resorts and industrial parks when you haven’t got the capacity of electricity to bring them on board?

Duncan Mckenzie,
Hanoi,
Vietnam

Whaling is not as profitable As it used to be The Southeast Asian Times, Friday 2 July 2010 First published in The Japan Times, Thursday 1 July 2010

In her June 25 review of "The Cove," in The Japan Times, Kaori Shoji brilliantly points out that the film "raises a giant mirror" . . . and "exposes the Japanese
mind-set in relation to the sea; a mind-set that has everything to do with
profit and economy."
Alas, it is profit and economy that cause most of the world's ills.
If whaling was still as profitable for Westerners as it used to be, it would be hard to stop Westerners, too, from killing too many whales.
Pots should not call kettles black!
Strident, Western anti-whaling advocates should give up their self-righteous, hypocritical berating of Japan.
Have we Westerners forgotten that Commodore Perry's prime object in opening up Japan in the 1850s was to obtain stations for America's whaling ships?
As a child I was horrified at the cruel killing of whales glorified in
many British and American documentary films.
As we have done plenty of it, too, instead of violent confrontation, why can't we present-day Western anti-whalers work together in a spirit of humble cooperation with the Japanese toward ocean conservation that is so necessary now?

Dorothy Britton,
Hayama,
Kanagawa,
Japan

When in China Do as the Chinese do The Southeast Asian Times, Thursday 1 July 2010 First published in The Star Wednesday 30 June 2010

A recent visit to Shanghai has left me and my daughter in awe and taught me a
thing or two about manners and ethics of a different society, besides being able
to experience the differences between our culture and the local one.
If the traffic and driving in Malaysia are considered bad, Shanghai’s drivers
are even worse as everybody seemed to be in a rush to get to their destinations.
If we hadn’t stayed with my niece, we would have paid a lot more than the usual
for hotel and transportation because of Expo 2010.
Never have I experienced being in a huge crowd of rowdy and aggressive people
before.
Despite the queue, visitors to the Expo kept pushing and shoving to get into the pavilions.
My main aim was of course to visit the Malaysian Pavilion, and I could already
see the Minangkabau-style roof from afar.
Not to blow our own trumpet, but I think ours was a huge hit with visitors.
It had the longest queue, and we had to wait compared to the other pavilions that we visited.
The concept of 1Malaysia was well-presented, and the dance performances
reflected the multi-cultural society that we live in.
However, I did find the “Rainforest” a bit messy and unkempt, and a lot more could be have been done on showcasing our Unesco World Heritage sites of Malacca and George Town.
Although we couldn’t get into all of the pavilions, the ones that we went into
left us in awe as the construction and design of both the exterior and interior
were unique and magnificent, to say the least.
It was a shame though that some visitors didn’t care about keeping the pavilions
sites clean and tidy as they would just discard their rubbish while waiting in
the queue.
My niece and her little girl took us around the city, strolling along the Bund,
shopping in the Yu Yuan Garden, Nanjing Road and so on.
My niece was fluent in Mandarin, and was able to do all the bargaining for us.
The shopkeepers were really aggressive in selling their products, pulling us inside their shops and forcing us to buy their goods.
The trick is, when one is in China, one must do like the Chinese do.
And I learned that it’s extremely useful to know a few phrases in Mandarin, as a
lot of the locals would just speak to you in their language.
Forget about translations unless you want to risk being misunderstood.

Bibi,
Rembau,
Malaysia

People should be wary Of mandatory government imposed morals The Southeast Asian Times, Wednesday 30 June 2010 First published in the Jakarta Post Tuesday 29 June 2010

This is a comment on the outcry over the sex tape controversy alleged involving noted celebrities.
I am an Indonesian living in the Netherlands.
I am always wary when so-called holy men and politicians define what are good and bad morals - especially when they are corrupt politicians.
The history books are full of destruction and genocide when supposedly “holy” men and elitist “wise” men impose on the people what is good and bad morals: WWII, Pol Pot, Mao, Rwanda, Yugoslavia, Sudan etc.
Especially in a country such as Indonesia, with hundreds of ethnic and linguistic groups, people should be wary of mandatory, government-imposed morals.
For example, it’s still debatable whether dangdut can be classified as pornography - obviously some groups classify it as such.
Another example, the Balinese people are against the pornography bill as they think that their culture and income - tourism can be threatened by this bill Balinese dances, sculptures, tourists in bikinis etc.,
What about the artistic expression - dances, ceremonies - of the hundreds of other
ethnic groups?
Who is to decide what is sexual and what is not, what is culture and what is not?
And can we really classify, assumingly a private homemade video of adults that
was again assumingly never meant to be shown to the public, as porn?
If there are any culprits, it’s those who deliberately disseminated the video to
the public.
Apart from the above, don’t the government and the bureaucracy have anything
better to do?
It’s funny that people in the corrupt apparatus are now using this scandal for a
new bill to block parts of the internet.
That bill has more potential to threaten Indonesian society than thousands of Ariel videos.

Jokom,
Amsterdam

Malaysia's economic growth Fueled by slave labour The Southeast Asian Times, Tuesday 29 June 2010 First published in The Star Monday 28 June 2010

Reading the front page news in Sunday Star concerning foreign workers, “Cry for
help”, and also reports in the inside pages about foreigners forced to work
illegally, “Eight Filipinas rescued from night club”, it is not surprising at
all that Malaysia has big problems trying to live down its image of a country
that is becoming the hub of illegal human trafficking and worse, is “encouraging” slave labour.
If in the construction of even the Istana Negera we seem to ignore basic human
rights, what will the global community think of us?
On the other hand, the police are having their hands full in the almost daily raids at entertainment outlets all over the country, where inevitably, female foreign workers are found, most working against their will.
How can such a large number of “human traffic” pass through our country each
day, apparently undetected?
Sadly, such cases are just the tip of the iceberg of a situation that is happening all over the country with the Government seemingly helpless to stem the tidSe.
Admittedly, it is very difficult for the Government to stamp out human
trafficking and slave labour in our country if big businesses, as well as rich
individuals, think that treating a fellow human badly in the name of profit and
expedience is a natural thing to do, and too bad for those who are deprived.
Under such circumstances, only punitive laws will stop such selfish and barbaric
acts, along with swift and incorruptible enforcement.
It is a sad day indeed for Malaysia if we allow our efforts to move our country
forward to be driven by the continuous infusion of such exploitative labour, and
our “entertainment” industry to be fuelled by “slaves” imported by heartless
traders.

Tam Yeng Siang,
Petaling Jaya,
Malaysia

Vatican's army of pedophiles Ensconced in world parishes The Southeast Asian Times, Monday 28 June 2010

The entrenched superstitious fear and religious ideologies inculcated in the naive minds of Christian adherents, ultimately conditions them to readily accept the dictates of hypothetical dogmas - as fact.
To pursue this pertinent agenda, surely it could be rationally argued that, as far as the Catholic church is concerned, its' hierarchy and priesthood have betrayed the alleged sacred elements of its' self-promoted, self-indulged and self-deluded spiritual elevation as " God's vicars on Earth"?
To charge the Curia, in its' acquiescence towards the acceptance of a pastoral pandemic of horrific sexual and emotional child abuse (while under its' compassionate' care) is to suggest that it should be condemned as a font of faithless fallibility;of 'fatherly' fornication and fundamental fictional fraud.
In a recent instance in Belgium, police have raided the home and office of a senior Prelate of the Catholic Church, Cardinal Godfried Danneels, ( one of hundreds) searching for evidence of identified sexual abuse; after years of shameful inaction by The Vatican in 'shuffling' its' army of priestly pedophiles around its' parishes; cosseting clerical criminal offenders from any prospect of civil/moral judicial process.
Apparently, it is the activated public conscience that has finally prevailed; to motivate authority to protect childish innocence from these macquerading marauding malicious monsters.
The usual platitudes, rhetorical denials and undertakings, have been voiced.
But how often, over the decades, have we heard these repetitive theocratic themes - without any tangible corrective action ensuing?
Observed as a failed instrument of peace and compassion, surely, one can be left with only one conclusion i.e. Hypocrisy is alive and well, flourishing from within the grand papal palaces and parish pulpits?
In closing, it can be said that this exposed stereotyped predatory sexual conduct, entrenched within " The House of God", (arguably, an edifice conceived and constructed by 'mere man' for his personal profit and aggrandisement) represents a sanctimonious disgrace of epidemic proportions.
Following the devious activities of the upper echelons of the banking fraternity of Wall Street who were declared " too big to fail " - and obviously too big to jail - are the autocratic church assemblies also considered to be in that category?
If, indeed, this is to be so then I'm afraid that our future prospects look very bleak.

Harry A Boniface
Queensland
Australia

 

American Zionists defend Israeli atrocities regardless The Southeast Asian Times, Monday 28 June 2010 First published in the Bangkok Post, Sunday 27 June 2010

I could really relate to Imtiaz Muqbil's SoulSearching column of June 20 in the Bangkok Post about American Jews who are now speaking up against Israel.
As an American Jew who has frequently been critical of Israel I believe Jews
everywhere should have learned from the Nazis that it's evil to put loyalty
above moral principles.
I have come to the conclusion that there is absolutely no atrocity that Israel
could commit that American Zionists would not find some way to defend.
Sadly this might even include the hypothetical extermination of the Palestinian
people
Many years ago I saw the famous rocket scientist Werner Von Braun being asked on television if it bothered his conscience that he had worked for Hitler.
Von Braun's response to the question was simply: ''My country right or wrong.''
How is that any different from the Zionist saying in effect: ''My Israel right
or wrong.''
But most people don't know that phrase is taken out of context.
The full phrase is actually: ''My country right or wrong - if it's right keep it
that way, and if it's wrong change it to make it right again.''
I wonder how much war and oppression could be avoided if people saw the phrase in its entire context.

Eric Bahrt,
Pattaya,
Thailand

The shariaization of Indonesia Threatens hard won freedoms The Southeast Asian Times, Sunday 27 June 2010 First published in the Jakarta Post Saturday 26 June 2010

On June 20, there was a rally in London opposing the increasing use of sharia law in the UK.
Sharia law poses a grave threat to all the freedoms that have been won through a long and hard struggle for democracy, social justice and equality.
In Indonesia, the abdication of civilian rule and constitutional rights in Aceh
and the growing sharia-ization through bylaws in various regencies and
municipalities in the rest of the country threatens all we have won through our
freedom struggle, through revolution and through the democratic reformation
post-Soeharto with a new Dark Age of bigotry and tyranny with men usurping the
supposed authority of God.
The nightmare of Pakistan with its mass murder of "deviants" and the hangings in
Iran for "crimes against chastity" should be warning enough for us to stop this
slide into barbarity.

Rafiq Mahmood
Bogor,
West Java,
Indonesia

 

Budget flyers pay premium prices For taxi's at Kuala Lumpur International Airport The Southeast Asian Times, Saturday 26 June 2010 First published The Star Friday 25 June 2010

I’m writing in support of Gerry whose letter “Taken for a ride at LCCT taxi
stand” appeared in The Star on June 23.
My experience was not the taxi stand at the Low Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT) but at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA).
I’m a frequent traveller and due to the perpetual problems in getting taxis there, I would ask my regular taxi to pick me up whenever possible.
For those occasions when I couldn’t get him, I had to resort to the taxis at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA).
And almost every time I’m at the taxi counter, I could hear the lady behind the
counter trying to “cheat” customers, especially foreigners with excuses like “We
don’t have enough budget taxis'' (so you’ll have to take the premier ones), or “Your luggage is too big'' (when it wasn’t) and “You have too many people'' (when they don’t).
I feel so ashamed that visitors to our country encounter such people who give a
bad image of our country.
MAS does an excellent job on the plane in welcoming visitors to our country in their video on the airport layout and facilities and then it is all spoilt by the people managing the taxi counters.
We don’t need such people and neither do we need to have one company
monopolising the service especially when they are out to fleece people.
We should learn from Singapore.
It is always a breeze to get a taxi at Changi Airport even at the busiest of times.
As for me, I’ll stay away from the taxis at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) until they improve and as for my foreign friends or colleagues, I’ll ask them to take the train or I’ll pick
them up.

M.C. Wong,
Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia

Killing 500,000 Indonesians Is nothing to be proud of The Southeast Asian Times, Friday 25 June 2010 The Jakarta Post, Wednesday 23 June 2010

On June 19, The Jakarta Post newspaper published a letter signed by Firdaus Alma titled “Kopassus and US Aid” stating the following: “We have long known that Kopassus - the Indonesian Army´s elite force - is one of the most reliable special forces that Indonesia has. We still have fresh in our mind how they play a big role in eliminating the communists”.
The intention of my comment is not to judge the role of Kopassus in some of the
key events in Indonesian history, but to remind that praising this military
elite force for the “elimination of communists” - to be more precise, the mass
killing of more than 500,000 Indonesian citizens, on the grounds of their real
or suspected political affiliation - is not something any person or institution
should be proud of.
It is easy to criticize the Americans for their human right records, but more
difficult is to follow in the footsteps of our beloved and missed Abdurrahman
Wahid, who publicly apologized for the role played by his own organization, the
Nahdlatul Ulama, in the mass killings of communists and suspected communists in
the mid 1960s.
The countries that do not learn from their previous mistakes are condemned to repeat them.

A. Immanuel,
Jakarta,
Indonesia

Soot with global warming As opposed to ice with global cooling The Southeast Asian Times, Thursday 24 June 2010

This note adds to the letter about Global Warming, posted on 22nd June.
It aims to more sharply articulate two secondary factors now affecting earth temperatures.
Through their involvement of opposing attributes of natural materials, the two factors seem contradictory; but ultimately each is detrimental.
Being black, soot particles absorb solar-energy, and when deposited on ice they transfer solar-energy they absorb – as heat - into melting the underlying ice.
Probably most of the offending “soot” particles are carbon fall-out from both coal-fuelled power-stations and sources of oil consumption - such as motor vehicles.
In addition, sometimes ash, as natural, finely-divided pumice from volcanoes, is conveyed through the atmosphere to come to rest on polar and glacial ice surfaces. There, the black ash melts ice in the same physical way as happens after deposition there of pollutant, carbon particles.
With seasonal fluctuations accounted for, satellite observations show that Arctic sea-ice is significantly losing mass, and that is usually attributed to Global Warming. Independent observations demonstrate that ice-cover is becoming thinner.
In addition; here most pertinently and again independently; it has been specifically recorded that the extent (being highly-reflective surface area), of oceanic-ice exposed to incident solar-radiation is shrinking.
That shrinkage of ice-cover exacts a ‘knock-on’ effect on Global Warming.
Thus, the brilliant-white ice-floes of the polar sea surfaces cool the oceans.
They do this by reflecting; as opposed to absorbing; incident solar energy, and any loss of the extent of that ice through excessive melting increases oceanic temperatures.
Despite searches, I have not yet found a paper that examines the relative quantities and relevant properties of each kind of “soot” particle that has been deposited on world-wide ice-surfaces.
Gaining de novo data would demand costly sampling of particles - to be ‘won’ from previously undisturbed polar ice-surfaces and cores.
That would be followed by; time-consuming; laborious; careful; detailed; chemical/physical examination - using sopisticated, expensive equipment.
It must be irksome and discouraging for scientists with little time to rebut; and some even would say it is laughable; when their results from painstaking, objective work are dismissed as mere “left-wing propaganda”.
Perhaps it might be more accurate to judge that such dismissal is from “right-wing ignorance”.
It is more generally irksome to others when they find that vast sums of money are still being invested in the oil industry; – into exploration; into sometimes incompetently-executed drilling operations; into dirty oil-cracking; and into distribution - sometimes in oil-spilling tankers.
People also witness the huge profits and bonuses that oil generates, which set a trend by enabling possession of fleets of gas-guzzling, over-used, Global-Warming limousines.
That ire is neither from “envy”, nor from “left-wing ideology”. It is generated by straightforward common-sense, which hopefully increasingly denies any contemporary acceptability; or even respectability; of corporate irresponsibility and greed.

Raymond Groves,
Hastings,
UK

Call for banks to watch for deposits From Arroyo, her officials and generals The Southeast Asian Times, Wednesday 23 June 2010 First published in The Philippine Inquirer, Monday 21 June 2010

We have received information that Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and all her top officials are already halfway through shredding and destroying government records and documents in their respective offices to remove any and all pieces of evidence of graft and corruption.
For our sake and the future of our children, let us organize ourselves - from the janitors and utility men to secretaries and clerks who have access to the records - to safeguard these documents and, if possible, make copies of them and secure them in safe places so that when the new government takes over, we can hold Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and her allies to account, charge them and jail them.
Filipinos must care for fellow Filipinos and now is the time for this.
We also call on the banks and other financial institutions, both domestic and international, to watch the movement of Ms Arroyo, her family and all their officials, generals included, who may now be preparing to transfer their loot.

Antonio Tetangco,
Pasay City,
Philippines

Ice is in retreat In the Arctic, Antarctic, and in glaciers worldwide The Southeast Asian Times, Tuesday 22 June 2010

I need to reply to a letter here (of 19th June), about “Global Warmists being desperate to keep their theory alive in the media”.
I believe the earth is quickly warming up; mainly from the natural solar cycle but exacerbated by fossil fuel fall-out.
I think people should be aware of that, but I would not claim to be “desperate” about it, and need prodding by letters from sceptics.
If people are aware, then they can take timely steps to lessen impact of effects, but if they refuse to believe facts there is little I can do about it.
Any claim that the Himalayan glaciers are NOT retreating is even more mistaken than a claim, in an ill-researched paper a few years ago, that they will disappear by 2035.
That mistake in one hyped, rogue paper has been thoroughly explained in terms of wrong, second-hand interpretation of information; but thousands of other papers unmentioned by sceptics, which accurately define retreats of glaciers on all continents, cannot be challenged.
At least 90 percent of Himalayan glaciers are steadily decreasing - both in extent and mass, and the same is true for glaciers all over the world; bar a few exceptional cases where local climate and topography dictate to the contrary.
To me it is strange how sceptics seize upon one scientific error against a thousand truths – so they can project their distorted pictures of reality.
More importantly than glaciers, the Arctic ice-cap is retreating at a rate far in excess of any past predictions; and arctic ice-floe cover, which has an important cooling effect on global climate, is shrinking.
There is some doubt about the situation in the Antarctic, which carries 70 percent of terrestrial frozen fresh water.
However it is clear that land-located ice on the western side of Antarctic is dangerously depleting and is elevating sea-levels.
If that trend continues to completion, average sea-levels will rise by about 6 meters. A relative compensatory increase in the thickness of ice on the eastern side of Antarctica is explicable in terms of increasing precipitation resulting from effects of global warming on weather patterns and ocean currents.
The reductions in the global ice-banks of fresh water have, for certain, been abnormal during the past 20 years (solar-effect?), but some people hold a well-evidenced belief that the trend started in about 1850 (greenhouse gas effect?). Comparison of records over 160 years is difficult, because different techniques have been employed to estimate changes at different times, and it is widely felt that the records during the past 20 years are more refined.
I have examined a number of papers about possible effects from melting Himalayan glaciers on food production on the Indian sub-continent.
I have not found a single paper stating that this is having an effect here-and-now; however, almost all commentaries spell out that there will be serious consequences if, and as soon as, those glaciers completely disappear.
Whilst that will NOT happen by 2035 as has, only once, been mistakenly claimed, it may well occur sometime during the next 200 years.
By the way “soot” is a product of burning fossil fuels and is one way, but not the only way, in which that consumption is contributing to ice-melt.
I believe the next 20 years will be critical as we closely approach a 934 year solar-flare peak.
Recently, there was a very unusual 11-year peak with almost zero solar-flares; and, following a lag, that strange event appeared to slow the warming trend - but only slightly and temporarily.
It is possible that this observed event will prove to be a prelude to a very powerful 11-year peak within the next two decades; so, the low solar-flare peak might prove to have been - “the calm before the (solar) storm”, or “the recession of the solar sea immediately before its tsunami”.
The US and UK militaries so believe in global warming that they are re-organising their navies so as to be able to “better defend their oil interests in the High Arctic”.
I find it enigmatic that governments can use the thawing of the Arctic ice – arguably caused by burning fossil fuels – to enable their yet greater consumption of those very fossil fuels.

Raymond Groves,
Hastings,
UK

British government appoints envoy To maintain support for Israel The Southeast Asian Times, Tuesday 22 June 2010

When senior Roman Catholic priest Bishop Richard Williamson, of the Society of St Pius (SSPX), made his charge that certain pertinent aspects of the "holocaust history" needed clarification viz -
"Evidence supports scientific opinion that no Jews were killed in concentration camp 'gas' chambers".
It was then that all Hell broke loose in the Zionist camp.
He also said - in part - "There were no gas chambers per se, only the traditional crematoria to process victims of illness and/or starvation".
Now, by the very public reportage of this man's considered statement, he has more to lose than an argument - surely, his ecclesiastical credibility is at stake?
The endless promotion of "the holocaust story" would appear an effective tactic to keep the suppurative sore of gentile guilt open; and to suppress public research and/or criticism under the restrictive boot of the Zionist controlled Anti Discrimination League (ADL).
So, is it as a consequence of world wide scepticism regarding aspects of this promotion that it is now considered timely to 'drum up' a fresh strategy to enlist and maintain international sympathy and support for the 'embattled State of Israel'?
The quasi British/Israeli government Foreign Minister, William Hague, obviously acting on instructions from his 'superiors', has this week appointed Sir Andrew Burns as the first ever Envoy to deal with post holocaust issues.
Sixty plus years after the event, something quite extraordinary - and threatening - must have occurred for this urgent need to reinforce and defend the misleading concept of the original story.

Harry A. Boniface,
Queensland,
Australia

China rules by committee Obama rules America The Southeast Asian Times, Monday 21 June 2010 First published in The Bangkok Post, Sunday 20 June 2010

It has been two months now since a BP deep-sea oil well exploded off the coast
of Louisiana and Americans now sit with disbelieving, vacant stares while
watching daily newscasts on TV about the efforts to do something, anything, to
contain the catastrophe.
Americans begin sentences concerning the catastrophe with the phrase: ''President Obama should ...''
This is where America has gone wrong.
Americans no longer acknowledge they are the government and that they are responsible for what the government does or does not do.
In other words, the government only exists with their approval and compliance; otherwise, the government is merely an illusion.
Also about 18 years ago Americans began equating ''the government'' with the top executive in that government, now Mr Obama.
Americans have been gravitating steadily toward the ''cult of the personality''.
Ironically, the one society that has in recent history successfully avoided that
trap to the greatest degree has been in China.
The Chinese government routinely changes top leadership in a systematic way to ensure that no one individual is personified as the government.
China does things by committee and apparently does them quite successfully, carefully presenting any top leader as a representative of the people and one of the decision-makers, rather than the sole decision-maker or authority.
America will only begin to change for the better when it goes back to true
American values and when all Americans once again proclaim: ''We are the
government, we take responsibility for this mess and we are going to do something about it.''

Guy Baker,
Bangkok,
Thailand

Don’t the people of Manado Have the right to enjoy the seabreeze? The Southeast Asian Times, Sunday 20 June 2010 First published The Jakarta Post, Wednesday 16 June 2010

The Teluk Manado beachfront near Bahu Mall was such a nice place about two years ago when I last visited Manado.
Although the seafront was littered with too many seafood restaurants that had no
business (I often wondered how they survived), there was a long stretch topped
with grass with clean steps where one could sit and enjoy the still waters of
the Manado Sea.
I was dismayed to find now the almost-one-kilometer stretch has suffered further encroachment by restaurants.
Now the grassy area is so tiny, hardly a few meters long and littered with
garbage.
I found one young woman sitting there, a student studying nursing nearby, who seemed blissfully unaware of the filth around her.
I had planned to eat some food I had brought, but had to do it standing up, as
the parapet wall was so dirty and full of cockroaches from the adjacent
restaurant.
Don’t the people of Manado have any right to enjoy a nice seafront? Previously,
I had seen many families come and enjoy the beach, just sitting on the
waterfront and watching the sea. The place was full on weekends.
Many young couples on motorcycles used to come and park their vehicles and relax on the waterfront.
I think public places need to be protected by the government for the enjoyment
of the public.
In fact, the entire stretch is potentially a lovely site for visitors, if only it were cleared of all the restaurants that block the entire promenade.

M. Seethara,
Manado,
Indonesia

Global warmists are desperate To keep their theory alive in the media The Southeast Asian Times, Saturday 19 June 2010

It is reported that global warming is melting the glaciers in the Tibetan plateau and that this process will cause one third of these glaciers to disappear in 10 years (Global warming spells doom for Asia's rivers, Agence France Presse, June 16, 2010).
The news release claims that declining water flow in the Yellow and Yangtze rivers, and in particular, the severe decline in Mekong waters in Southeast Asia downstream of China, are due to the loss of glacial mass caused by global warming and that these changes have doomed 1.3 billion people in Asia to death by global warming.
No explanation is offered for why an increase in the melt rate of source glaciers decreases water flow in the rivers they feed instead of increasing it.
This story first surfaced in mid 2004 with a warning of “ecological catastrophe” from Tibet's glaciers that have been melting for the last 40 years as a consequence of climate change and that would continue to melt at a rate of 7 percent per year and reduce water flow in the rivers fed by the glaciers.
As to why an increase in the melt rate does not increase the flow rate in the rivers, it was proposed that global warming was again to blame because it was causing all that excess melt water to evaporate.
All of these conclusions were derived from the discovery of a number of ice islands that were assumed to have separated from their glaciers.
It was predicted that without human intervention in the form of emission reductions 64 percent of the Tibetan glaciers would be gone by the year 2050 and all of it would vanish by the year 2100.
The year 2100 plays a magical role in global warming theory as some kind of end time when the full wrath of every aspect of climate change doom will be realized.
Later the same year in 2004, a different story was floated.
It said that a visit to the Zepu glacier in Tibet at an elevation of 11,500 feet showed a torrent of melt water gushing out at an alarming rate and all that excess water was forming the headwaters of a river downstream at a much higher elevation due to global warming.
Their data showed that 30 years prior to that date, Zepu was 100 yards thicker. They concluded that what is happening to Zepu is happening to all the glaciers in Tibet and what is happening in Tibet is happening globally.
Glaciers are melting all over the world due to global warming with the possible exception of Scandinavia.
The story changed again in 2006 when it was announced with a great sense of alarm that global warming was causing sandstorms in Beijing by way of melting glaciers and drought.
This version of the story came in the aftermath of the unusually large sandstorm event in Beijing in April 2006 that captivated TV audiences and made headlines around the world; but the effort to sell global warming on the back of this tragedy was ineffective as the expansion of the Gobi desert is historical and a well understood phenomenon linked to over-grazing and other land use issues and not due to melting glaciers.
However, the story that the Tibetan glaciers were melting and threatening water supplies to a billion people continued to re-appear in 2007 and 2008 but went on a hiatus in 2009 when excessive amounts of black soot deposits were found in core samples of Tibetan glaciers implying that accelerated melting if any was more likely due to soot and not global warming.
Yet another deterrent to hyping global warming with Tibetan glaciers came in early 2010 when it was found that the Tibetan glaciers were unique in that they never got very big but varied in size within a range that was not very large with their temperature sensitivity not very significant even going as far back as the last ice
age.
Also of note is that there is no evidence that water flow in the Yellow, the Yangtze, or the Mekong is declining in the river as a whole.
The only evidence presented is that water flow in the Mekong in Laos and Thailand – downstream of China – has declined. In fact it has, but that could not have been caused by a decline in the flow of its headwaters for that would have affected flow in the entire length of the river and not just in a section hundreds of miles downstream.
The loss of water in the lower Mekong has received a lot of attention in Southeast Asia and it has been a contentious water sharing issue with China which has built a number of dams upstream but it is not a glacial headwaters issue, nor a global warming issue.
No one here would take it seriously that the water problem in the Southeast Asian section of the Mekong would be alleviated by lowering carbon dioxide emissions.
Consider also that the Mekong is fed mostly by monsoon rains with a water flow that is highly seasonal.
Its flow during the Monsoon is 30 times its flow during the dry season.
Therefore if there were a climate related decrease in the total amount of water it carries it would have to do with the monsoons and not with glacial melt rate or glacial size.
Incidentally, climate scientists had made the same error in 2007 when they had said that the Ganges river - which receives less than 10 percent of its water from glacial melt - would dry up because of melting glaciers.
So it is curious to find them attempting to revive the Tibetan glacier story yet again in the light of these data and in the heels of their humiliating retraction of similar false alarms about Himalayan glaciers.
It is likely that real evidence of global warming catastrophe is hard to come by these days and there is a certain degree of desperation in the global warming camp to keep the issue alive in the media.

Cha-am Jamal,
Thailand

Presidential Commission on Good Government Does not own Imelda's jewels The Southeast Asian Times, Friday 18 June 2010 First published The Philippine Inquire,r Saturday 12 June 2010

It is good that the proposed sale or auction of Imelda Marcos’ sequestered fabulous gems or jewels was cancelled.
Aside from the fact that the sale could have been one of the midnight deals of the
outgoing Arroyo administration, without a court order authorizing it, it would have been saddled with a legal infirmity.
To be sure, the gems are under sequestration and under the pertinent rules and
regulations implementing Executive Order 1 and 2, sequestration means “taking into custody or placing under the Commission’s [Presidential Commission on Good Government] control or possession any asset find or property, as well as relevant records, papers and documents, in order to prevent their concealment, destruction or dissipation pending determination of the question whether said asset, fund or property is ill-gotten wealth.”
Under the same rules, the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) shall determine whether there is reasonable ground to believe that the asset, property or business enterprise in question
constitutes ill-gotten wealth and in the event of an affirmative finding, the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) shall certify the case to the solicitor general for appropriate action in accordance with the law.
It was held by the Supreme Court in Baseco vs PCGG (150 SCRA 181) that the act of sequestration does not make the PCGG the owner thereof.
The PCGG is only a conservator, not an owner and, therefore, it cannot perform
acts of strict ownership. It may only exercise powers of administration similar to a court-appointed receiver.
Consequently, the PCGG is bereft of the power or authority to sell or dispose, on its own, property or assets, sequestered, frozen or provisionally taken over by it. The appropriate action referred to when it certifies the case to the solicitor general means that the latter shall file an appropriate action in court which shall be the
final arbiter of determining whether the sequestered assets are
ill-gotten.
Therefore, absent any court order or authorization, the PCGG by itself cannot sell or dispose the disputed “Imelda gems or jewels,” much less hold an auction for bidders to bid.
It has to go to court - not the Regional Trial Court, but the Sandiganbayan which
has exclusive jurisdiction over the matter as held in the case of PCGG vs Peña. (159 SCRA 556)

Raul I. Goco,
Former solicitor general,
Manila,
Philippines

Presidential candidate Erap Estrada Is yesterday's man The Southeast Asian Times, Thursday 17 June 2010 First published in The Philippine Inquirer, Saturday 12 June 2010

Like many other Filipinos, I am one of those who eagerly awaited the proclamation of the next president.
Everywhere, there was much talk as to how Noynoy Aquino won and how Erap Estrada impressed many with his placing second.
I have noticed that much analysis has been made as to the first loss of Erap in an election.
Some say it was simply destiny for Noynoy, that if Cory did not pass away a year prior to the elections, Erap would have won.
Some say it was the Iglesia ni Cristo vote.
But I write this because I am urging analysts to please give the Filipino voters some credit and say that the reason Erap lost is that Filipinos have learned their lesson.
Erap today is no longer the Erap of yesterday, that is, whereas he was once the man who would be Robin Hood - get from the rich and give to the poor - this image has long been tarnished.
Even if he insists that he lived up to his promise of “walang kaibi-kaibigan” and even giving him the benefit of the doubt that he lived up to the promise of “walang kama-kamag-anak,” he did not say “walang queri-querida.”
Sadly, that was what caused his downfall: tolerance for disgraceful opulence by which the mistress of the Boracay Mansion operated and the imprudent entertainment of the crooks - the Mark Jimenezes, the Atong Angs of Erap’s parallel life - who would not be welcome in the legitimate world.
So Erap’s misfortune must not be blamed on Cory or the Iglesia; but on this mistress and the crooks who came with her (as documented by the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism, among others) and caused Erap’s downfall.
It was Erap’s tolerance for the illegitimate and imprudent behavior of those around him - in Filipino culture it is called their “kapal ng mukha” - that led to this broken
trust with the people, in spite of Erap’s real love for the poor.
Finally, it was this breach of trust that made Erap lose the elections this time around.
I don’t know what finally reminded the people of Erap’s misgivings (encapsulized in two words: Boracay Mansion), but it is a relief to see that while the Filipino people
have forgiven him, they did not forget.

Dr Martin Agbunag,
Manila
Philippines

Israel, a great danger to world peace Needs to have its wings clipped The Southeast Asian Times, Wednesday 16 June 2010

I entirely agree with the analysis presented by letter here on 13th June 2010.
I believe Israel is a terrorist state and the greatest danger to world peace ever.
It is even a threat to the very continuation of human life on earth; and I am quite sure that my view is shared by many thinking people across the globe.
The daunting weaponry of the United States is steadily and increasingly directed by Zionist members of the US administration, whose allegiance is closer to Israel than it is to their ‘home country’.
Unconditionally and with no qualms, they co-operate with Israel in its selfish and nepotistic ambition to dominate the world, both economically, and militarily by proxy. That ambition can only fail, as it is obvious that the Zionists have no clue whatsoever as to how to win hearts and influence people in positive ways – but, continuing to allow their ambitions would result in a fearsome long-term penalty.
In the UK, a Zionist drive to control British politics and economy gathers new momentum, which is illustrated by the contest for the leadership of the labour party following the resignation of Gordon Brown.
In the UK, the Zionist-influenced media generally avoid mentioning the ethnic origin of public figures.
However, that appears to be a principle that is selectively applied to block public knowledge about Jewish politicians; whose allegiance is thus never questioned - as it should be.
Thus by contrast, Islamic MPs are almost invariably 'tagged' as Moslems by the media - in the same breaths that state their names - and they are then exposed to the persistent stigmatization of their religion by that same media - as calculated supression.
As a result of this double standard, the British electorate remains unaware of the fact that such as the Miliband brothers (both now vying for labour party leadership; Baron Mandelson; Jack Straw (Blair’s past foreign secretary); and John Bercow
( the newly elected speaker of the House of Commons; are all Jewish; and neither do the electorate realise that most of them demonstrably pursue policies that ultimately most favour their own ethnic group.
For example - their investing of British tax-payers’ money in Zionist ventures in the “free” Russian states and in Eastern Europe, and by encouraging British involvement in the pro-Israeli 'oil-crusades' in Iraq and in Afghanistan.
I applaud the blockade of Israeli ships by Malaysia as a fitting response to Israel continuing to ill-treat Palestinians in the Gaza strip; and injustice which contravenes the dictates of the United Nations and is against International Law.
It is a tragedy that so many countries feel threatened and are so prevented from co-operating in such demonstrations because of the extent of the Zionists' financial control of their economies.
I believe that new, draconian, economic strategies are urgently needed to alleviate the ways in which ‘national debts’ are used to inhibit fair moral grounding of governmental policy.
Thus, the present situation is one where western countries are being blackmailed (normally a criminal activity), and inhibited from properly contesting bad political influence from money-lenders.
One strategy might be to generally lessen the role of monetarism in world trade. However, it might be more effective to - directly block lenders of doubtful motivation – especially Zionist bankers and despite objection from the holocaust industry; to fix demanded interest rates; to better control over-consumption and greed; to reverse the current artificial target of “the expanding economy”; and to completely ban more sophisticated and devious forms of investment - those which most often lead to economic problems; even collapse; or which encourage fiscal abuse.
In other words; to save the world from Zionist tyranny there is a need for a complete revision of the economic system so it becomes democratically controlled and protected, rather than being at the mercy of corrupt Zionist banks and then used to finance Israeli aggression.

Raymond Groves,
Hastings,
UK

Protective feelings towards the mother country Is in the Japanese DNA The Southeast Asian Times, Tuesday 15 June 2010 First published in The Japan Times, 13 June 2010

The June 5 article in The Japan Times "More cinemas cancel plans to screen 'Cove' " reports on the Japanese extreme right's attempts to disrupt screenings of the film.
The majority of the public must find rightwing harassment disturbing, believing it should be left to individuals to decide whether they want to see the film or not.
However, after a series of failures in what appears to be an attempt to destroy the economic lifeline for Taiji (Wakayama Prefecture), activists may want to reconsider their aggressive and self-righteous tactics, which have hurt Japanese feelings nationwide to the extent that even those who might normally react with disgust to the annual dolphin kill are put off from rationally looking into the issue.
Anybody would be repulsed by what is thought to be unfair insults to one's
family.
Very few would embrace strangers who call their hardworking dad a monster, or their sweet granny a witch.
Protective feelings toward the mother country is in our DNA.
This feeling is under-recognized.
Distasteful and brutal name-calling is disturbing.
It offends even the least patriotic of us, triggering a defense mechanism - especially when activists are ignorant of hardships and struggles in Japan's history.
By using the influential and manipulative power of Hollywood, the only success the activists can claim is to have help forged a racist consensus in the international community: The Japanese are a cruel race.
Activists' lack of diplomacy and demonizing strategies raise questions about their
integrity, and make us wonder what ulterior motive lurks behind all the rovocations.
The activists may want to take a more compassionate approach to reach Japanese people.
They should try constructive dialogue if they sincerely want to save dolphins' lives.

Atsuko Ishizuka,
Kawasaki,
Kanagawa,
Japan

Separation of company and government mining reports Prevents collusion The SoutheastAsian Times, Monday 14 June 2010 First published in The Jakarta Post, 13 June 2010

I was pleased to read, in The Jakarta Post, June 24, 2010 article, “RI may join transparency scheme in oil, mining sector,” some very impressive statements by the director general for oil and gas, Dr. Evita Legowo.
She said unequivocally that Indonesia will implement the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI), and conveyed her view that this initiative would improve Indonesia’s oil and gas investment climate.
Director general Evita’s comments show that she has a firm understanding of what
EITI implementation in Indonesia will entail.
We are all lucky to have such a forward-thinking figure in such an important role in our government.
I did happen to notice, however, one small comment by Dr. Evita that does appear
to be slightly at odds with a provision in the newly issued EITI Presidential
Regulation No. 26/2010.
Director general Evita stated her view that, under the EITI in Indonesia, companies will submit their reports through BPMigas.
In fact, according to Article 14 of the EITI presidential regulation, companies
will report directly to the multi-stakeholder implementation team, and not through any government agency.
I realize that the EITI is new in Indonesia, and that all of us are still finding our way, including me.
Having said that, EITI is an international standard and it does have standards.
One of these standards is that company and government reports are conveyed
separately.
The separate reporting standard exists to help prevent collusion
between companies and government.
This same standard is also enshrined in Presidential Regulation 26/2010.
I have the highest confidence that all of us want to see EITI implemented in
Indonesia in a way that is not only consistent with international best practices, but also in a way that conforms to our national regulations.

Frenky Simanjuntak
Head of Economic Governance Transparency International,
Jakarta,
Indonesia

The Israel lobby has effectively Clipped the wings of the American eagle The Southest Asian Times, Sunday 13 June 2010

There would appear to be a common denominator in directing the strategies of both the foreign and domestic policies of the Zionist State of Israel.
Many unaligned observers would readily identify it to be that of ‘blatant political arrogance’; of assessing that the life of a gentile, of whatever origin, to be inferior and casually expendable.
Such a cold blooded insensitive attitude, particularly when directed towards vulnerable non-combatants is incomprehensible- considering the annals of history recording the suffering that the Jewish race/religion itself endured during former pogroms.
The nuclear armed Zionist state is now transformed from an image of submissive ' suppression' to one of ruthless 'aggression'.
And while Israel solicits world wide sympathy through its promotion of the WW11 holocaust industry, it should not be forgotten that Israel has (subsequently) ignored 70+ United Nation’s resolutions condemning its unlawful activities and it must concentrate many enquiring minds as to why this undemocratic state-of-affairs has been allowed to continue without effective sanctions being implemented.
To answer that question, we must accept the fact that the Israel Lobby has effectively ‘clipped the wings of the American eagle’ to such an extent that it now initiates and manipulates US foreign and domestic policy, entrenches and defends the practices of unscrupulous banking cabals (i.e. US Reserve System, Goldman Sachs et al), commands US military strategies and prostitutes religious institutions to such ends, ( to make a canine analogy) that it is now the case of
‘the-Israeli-tail-wagging-the-American-dog’.
Restrained by a firm leash within the United Nations, the American poodle has been trained to jump-through-the-Zionist-hoop - quite pointlessly, so it would seem, as it has no teeth...
It might be considered at this time somewhat passé to resurrect the recorded facts relating to the blatant Israeli attack in1967 on the unarmed, clearly identified, USS Liberty with the subsequent loss of 34 American lives.
This hostile act against its greatest supporter and ally was, and remains, withheld from the US public by the Zionist controlled American press.
These are virtually the same circumstances now prevailing in the case of the humanitarian supply ship Mavi Marmera (under way carrying aid to the world's largest -and oldest- Israeli controlled concentration camp of Gaza) which was boarded in an act of blatant piracy, in international waters, and unarmed personnel callously killed.
The Turkish Prime Minister has subsequently galvanized international hopes in his stated intention to accompany the next flotilla sailing directly to Gaza.
If Israel should decide to confront a Turkish ship in a hostile manner (as has been their modus operandi in the past), I believe they will have taken a formerly reticent-tiger-by-the-tail’.
Should the Turkish PM be successful in this worthy endeavour and finally break this inhuman blockade and endless suffering, I could not think of a more worthy nominee for the Nobel Peace Prize.
Surely, a refreshing departure from some of the former ‘questionably aligned’ recipients?
See: http://www.biblebelievers.org.au/przion1.htm

Harry A. Boniface,
Queensland,
Australia

Dutch law used to justify Indonesian palm oil plantation The Southeast Asian Times, Saturday 11 June 2010 First published in The Jakarta Post, 8 June 2010

Reference to the article titled: “Green Watch: Greenpeace victory is a good
lesson for oil palm sector and govt” in The Jakarta Post on May 25 quoted “more than 15 million hectares of degraded land ....”
Much of the territory making up modern Indonesia was a Dutch colony for over 350 years, until it became independent in 1945.
As a small country, the Netherlands could only send out a relatively small Dutch contingent to its colonial administration service.
In order to manage the huge territory the Dutch empire relied instead on a
system of alliances with local political entities, usually governed by customs.
Pragmatism therefore compelled the Dutch empire to partially acknowledge
customary law for political convenience.
However, during the 19th century Dutch planters began to establish large
plantations (tobacco and other crops) on fertile Sumatran soils.
To facilitate plantation expansion the colonial government passed the 1870
Agrarian Law which allowed the colonial government to provide planters with land
leases for up to 75 years.
The law included a Domain Declaration (Domeinverklaring), which stated that all
land not under clear ownership was considered State land.
Communities’ rights over land were not recognized as these were based on customary law which was not recognized as proof of ownership under Dutch law.
Under the customary system of land ownership, rights to fallow land and secondary forests were retained by whoever had first cleared the land.
The Domain Declaration led to the establishment of 2.5 million hectares of
plantations in the Dutch East Indies by 1938, and resulted in farmers who had
owned land becoming landless laborers akin to serfs.
Plantation contracts issued under the 1870 law authorized planters to clear
“empty land” in order to set up plantations.
Contracts established in 1877 and 1878 stated that concessionaires should be granted a specified amount of “wasteland” (woeste grond).
The terms “empty land” and “wasteland” referred to those areas which communities considered to be their uncultivated common lands.
In this manner, the 1870 law led to fallow and common land being considered
state land.
After gaining independence, Indonesia inherited the doctrine of state control over “wasteland” from its former colonial rulers.
To this day, the concepts of “wasteland”, “degraded land” and “empty land” are used to justify plantation expansion.
For example, the Dutch Federation of Oils, Fats and Margarines stated in 2004 that “in Indonesia over 10 million ha of land is lying waste, much of which is suitable for palm oil expansion. Hence there is no need to convert forest”.
The operations manager of a major plantation company told a Friends of the Earth
campaigner in 2006 that their interest was only in converting “degraded land”.
In short, the term “degraded” is synonymous with idle, marginal, unproductive,
empty or wasted, and is derived from the similar colonial concept and model.

Norman Jiwan,
Bogor,
West Java,
Indonesia

 

Norway's US$1billion grant to Indonesia Is a 'no-free-lunch' grant The Jakarta Post, Friday 10 June 2010

According to the joint commitment between the government of Indonesia and the Kingdom of Norway, published in The Jakarta Post, May 27, 2010, to reduce global emissions, in compliance with the President’s commitment to reduce emissions by 26 percent unilaterally by 2020, it will make Indonesia establish a new policy framework for climate change, such as a moratorium on new permits on forest and peatland usage for two years.
Economically, this policy will impact the investment climate related to the forestry sector and palm oil plantations.
So, the government should consider other options to anticipate further negative effects because of the policy.
An alternative policy is swapping the investment allocation on forest and agricultural businesses into degraded land.
This policy needs strong government commitment to support investment as a “vehicle” for economic growth.
With relation to the Oslo meeting that discussed reducing emissions from
deforestation, we need to examine the content of the Letter of Intent (LoI)
between Indonesia and Norway.
This LoI must be clear whether the disbursement fund is pre-financing (on
project-based performance) or supporting demonstrations of Reducing Emissions
from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD) Plus.
The pre-financing approach means that Indonesia has to implement REDD Plus in
advance with its own budget and then the project will be monitored, verified and
reported (MRV) by an independent auditor.
If the project is matched with the criteria, Norway will change the funds that
were spent by Indonesia.
This mechanism is not suitable for Indonesia as a non-annex I country.
On the other hand, the second approach, that is implementing demonstrations of
REDD Plus activity, is easier to implement and brings mutual benefits.
This is important because both Indonesia and Norway will learn about developing
the REDD Plus mechanism.
Furthermore, with this mechanism will involve the participation of community from the beginning of implementation REDD Plus, which was not stated in the LoI.
The other important issue is the perspective that Norway will give a US$1
billion grant to Indonesia freely.
There is a nomenclature “no-free-lunch” grant in which Indonesia should perceive that government-to-government cooperation must be clear in its disbursement and conditionality.

Pungky Widiaryanto,
Jakarta,
Indonesia

Investers invest anywhere in Asean But Penang The Star, Thursday 10 June 2010

I am one of the hundreds of Penangites who work as engineering professionals in
Singapore.
Many of us left Penang for various reasons like better career prospects, higher
salaries, opportunity to work in a more challenging and technologically advanced
environment and promotions.
However, many of us still maintain strong links with our beloved state and
harbour the hope that one day we can return home to be close to our families.
To many of us, the Democratic Action Party's (DAP) victory in the last general election and the appointment of Lim Guan Eng as chief minister brought a new ray of hope.
His promise of meritocracy and introduction of new strategies to put Penang on
par with Singapore filled us with hope.
This could be seen from the overwhelming response to the dinner hosted by the
Old Frees’ Association in Singapore for the chief minister in the middle of last
year.
In his speech, Lim outlined his vision for Penang, which was warmly and
enthusiastically welcomed.
The Penang expatriate community in Singapore have been closely following the
developments in our beloved state.
Perhaps many of us expected too much from the Chief Minister's (CM) promises as a year on from the dinner, the initial euphoria among the Penang community here has clearly
waned.
The reasons are many but in a nutshell, we have not seen Penang progressing at
all in the last two years.
Worse still, other Malaysian states seemed to have overtaken Penang in luring
high-tech investments.
Even in Singapore, where some foreign Mobile Network Code's (MNC) have their regional Headquarters (HQ), some of us have heard stories about the weak efforts by Penang in investment promotion programmes and investor relations.
Apparently, some investors, frustrated or unhappy with InvestPenang and state
officials, decided to invest in Singapore, other Malaysian states or elsewhere
in Asean instead.
All these stories, if true, are heart-breaking news for loyal Penangites.
Lim’s recent decision to set up the state’s first Investment Office, People of Indian Origin. (PIO) is an unwise and wasteful effort.
It is a decision that does not make business sense.
It is common knowledge that there are no Singaporean companies that can provide
the kind of high-tech and high-value investment that Penang aspires to lure.
If Lim is targeting property investors in Singapore, it should be the property
developers who must do the promotion, and not the state government using public
funds.
If tourism is the target, then we feel there is little justification for the
state to open a separate office since Tourism Malaysia already has an office in
the island state and is doing a very fine job for Penang.
In the past we have seen how some local government officials used public funds
for junkets and overseas offices for personal and family use.
Lim and his fellow leaders in the DAP used to be vociferous in condemning and
exposing such illegal and unethical practices.
Already there is talk among Malaysians working in Singapore that the real
purpose of this office is political.
I urge Lim to prove these accusations wrong and show full transparency in this
matter.

Gavin W.S. Tay,
Singapore

Philippine President for Christian majority As well as President for Muslim Mindanao Mindanews, Wednesday 9 June 2010

After the historic first automated elections last May 10, Senator Benigno Aquino
III is poised to take the presidency as the 15th President of the Republic of
the Philippines.
The Philippine Council for Islam and Democracy (www.pcid.org.ph) congratulates
Senator “Noynoy” on his resounding landslide victory.
While the race for the vice presidential post and some senatorial slots have yet to be settled, PCID offers its congratulations to all newly-elected officials of the Republic.
The voice of the Filipino has been heard.
We are not sure though if the voice of the Muslims in this country were heard.
While some attempted to inject a genuine discourse on the important issues, the
issues of Muslim Mindanao (surprise, surprise) were largely relegated to the
margins.
We hope that the electoral victors will not ignore the issues of our Muslim
brothers and sisters that were basically ignored during the campaign.
We hope that President Noynoy becomes, not just a President of the Christian majority, but also a President for Muslim Mindanao.
During the campaign PCID issued a Bangsamoro/Muslim Mindanao Agenda for the next President of the Republic.
We sent this document to all the presidentiables.
Sadly, when we organized a presidential forum to discuss this agenda only Sen.
Loren Legarda, Sen. Richard Gordon and Engr. Bayani Fernando attended.
Which is why we are re-issuing the agenda for the benefit of President-in-waiting Noynoy Aquino.
The agenda, summarized below, is divided into short and medium to long-term:
Short-Term
Demilitarize ARMM and strengthen the National Police Force.
Review cases of Muslims arrested under the Human Security Act and free the
innocents.
Give the Muslims significant representation and participation in government,
per the 1996 Final Peace Agreement.
Create the Shari’ah Appellate Court.
Immediately put into place a catch-up budget for conflict-affected areas in
Mindanao.
Provide reconstruction and rehabilitation assistance to the IDPs.
Approve the executive order setting up the Funds for Assistance to Madrasah
Education (F.A.M.E.) to strengthen Madrasah education.
Support Islamic Studies Institutes.
Ensure autonomy for institutions of higher learning.
Medium-Term to Long-Term
Put in place a holistic and inclusive peace process.
Rethink government strategy in relation to the peace talks.
Uphold the primacy of peace, not military objectives.
Ensure the full implementation of the 1996 Final Peace Agreement.
Strengthen the rule of law.
Reform the electoral process.
Ensure genuine fiscal autonomy for ARMM.
Capacitate the ARMM-Regional Government.
Pass legislations pertaining to anti-discrimination against any cultural,
religious or other groups; equality of opportunities in education, economic
pursuits, and employment; certification of Halal food and other products.
Should there be constitutional change, support amendments to the charter
that would be beneficial to Muslims and that would address issues on ancestral
domains.
Despite many problems in the automated elections, we also congratulate the
teachers and election workers who persevered to ensure that the first automated
national elections of the nation are “fairly successful.”
While PCID agrees that it is important to make accountable those responsible for
the glitches that caused the nation undue anxiety, we are more interested in
learning the lessons of this automated election in preparation for the 2011 ARMM
regional elections.
We hope that the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) will provide ample time for preparation to avoid the problems encountered in this national election.
We likewise commend Senator Manny Villar for his act of statesmanship in
conceding the electoral contest a day after the elections.
We urge all candidates, national or local, to do the same to ensure peaceful transitions in our government.
Finally, PCID lauds Muslim teachers, volunteers, civil society members, the
Ulama and the Aleemat for their active participation in ensuring the success of
this election.

Philiippine Council for Islam and Democracy,
San Juan City,
Philippines

 

Who dares to evict illegal farmers From Bandung mountains ? Jakarta Post, Tuesday 8 June 2010

I love hiking and seeing beautiful scenery.
I often go walking in the hills and mountains around Bandung, among others, Putri Gunung in the Lembang area. I wonder why this previously beautiful place, full of trees and wild flowers, has now has been changed into vegetable-growing area from the lower slopes until the top of the hill.
I tried to find information about the hills and mountains around Bandung and I
found out that some areas are in very poor condition.
The green areas and water catchment areas have been turned into either villas, housing complexes or plantations.
Bandung is an old city erected during the Dutch colonial era.
Bandung during the Dutch period was well known as the Paris of Java because of its beauty and the warm, welcoming character of its people.
There was no recorded human-induced flooding during that time.
The Dutch maintained Bandung very well by designing and protecting forests areas around Bandung, as well as developing local wisdom and creating “hunting and fishing rights for families of the nobility” and “leuweng larangan” (protected forests) around Bandung (Dr. Sobana Hajasaputra )
Bandung, especially during the rainy season, is now affected by so many sad
stories of flooding and landslides.
Thousands are evicted from their homes in and around Baleendah and Dayeuhkolot.
For example the hamlets of Leuwi Bandung, Bojong Citepus, Bojong Asih, Citepus, Cienteung and part of the Andir area, during the rains, are inundated by floodwaters up to 2 meters deep.
I have friends living in those areas.
They feel angry, sad and grief-stricken all at once, but to no avail.
The downpours in the hills and mountains around Bandung raise the alert, causing alarming situation.
Within hours, muddy water besiege houses, gardens, infiltrating rooms, it destroy properties, rice fields, ponds and roads.
They are stranded in their own homes.
They can do nothing but cry for help for someone to help evacuate them from second-floor roofs, for those who dare enough to stay to keep their property safe.
We are mankind, given rights from God Almighty to use, explore and benefit from
Mother Nature, but we also have obligations to keep a harmony and balance among living things and their ecosystems.
We human beings tend to only remember our rights but forget our obligations.
The government has now set up a sustainable development program to manage water from the Citarum River, as mentioned in the Integrated Citarum Water Resources Management Investment Program (ICWRMIP) aka the Citarum Road Map.
It is a very advanced idea to integrate water management from the upstream area until the lower course.
This expensive program allocated US$3.5 billion for 15 years and consists of 80
programs in all sectors.
The approach should be comprehensive, multi-sectoral and integrated.
The program looks futuristic and comprehensive.
I am not the pessimistic type but if the approach only dares to address the
effects not the causes, I will be.
Do we dare to evict illegal farmers on the mountains and the hill slopes around
Bandung?
Do we care about the victims of the floods in Baleendah and Dayeuhkolot
and surrounding areas?
Rapid action is needed and only brave leaders know how to do the right thing and the thing right.
The future of Bandung and West Java lies on your shoulders, brave leaders.
The old maxim says he who sows shall harvest, but it is not too late to say, “Wake
up, leaders”.

Sulistyo Pudjo H,
Bandung,
Indonesia

Pertamina blames gas bottle explosions On the consumer The Jakarta Post, Monday 7 June 2010

Recently, there has been a spate of exploding domestic liquid petroleum gas
(LPG) cylinders, some of them resulting in the deaths of people and causing
injuries to several others, not to mention destruction of their homes.
On one of the TV channels, there was a discussion recently on the possible
causes of the cylinder explosion in Riverside Apartments.
The panel of so-called experts was wondering whether the person or persons in the kitchen smelled the gas leaking or not, or perhaps the gas was leaking but the persons ignored the smell and so forth.
A representative of the state oil company, Pertamina, was called for a
teleconference and he could shed no light on the situation.
Unfortunately, due to the irritatingly frequent and long commercial breaks everyone, including me, seemed to lose track of what the whole discussion was about.
Invariably, and as expected, the blame was put on the consumers or users for not
using Indonesian-standard regulators, not changing the rubber rings etc.
The argument particularly was that LPG users did not change the rubber rings so the regulators did not seal properly, causing gas leakage.
The solution put forth was that consumers had to change the rubber rings regularly and be careful when they smelled gas leaking from cylinders.
However, these so-called experts forget that it is not the duty of LPG users to
change the rubber rings in new cylinders.
The cylinders do not come with instructions on when and how to change the rubber rings.
Spare rings are not supplied with the LPG cylinders, so where does one get them?
As the suppliers of domestic LPG cylinders, it is the responsibility of ertamina to have quality control measures to ensure that the rubber rings are hanged at the time of refilling the cylinders.
It is also the duty of Pertamina to sell approved regulators which fit onto
these cylinders rather than blaming consumers for using substandard regulators.
The refilled cylinders now come with a so-called tamperproof seal, so before
fitting the seal Pertamina’s quality control people should check that the rubber
ring is new.
Pertamina has to accept the full blame for these accidents.
It is imperative that the design of the cylinders should be looked into urgently and Pertamina should take up the responsibility of supplying regulators approved by them.
Pertamina cannot shift the blame on to the consumers.
The response from Pertamina so far has been muted, to say the least.
Maybe the Indonesian criminal law has a subclause somewhere for cases of
“murder through negligence” so that those responsible in Pertamina can be put away for at least half a decade for causing the deaths of people by supplying defective products.

Rajasa,
Jakarta,
Indonesia

There is widespread cheating By private hospitals in Malaysia The Star, Sunday 6 June 2010

With the proposed withdrawal of subsidies, one of the areas affected is
healthcare.
With more people being concerned about their health, the number of
those taking up medical insurance is rising.
But sadly, the premiums are going up.
The medical insurance companies have to make a profit to stay in business.
If the private hospitals and specialists keep charging more, and more, the premiums will keep going up.
For the public to take responsibility for their health, the premiums have to be affordable.
Then only should government subsidies be withdrawn.
For that, medical insurance companies and the government have to take control,
and private hospitals and specialists that who cheat or overcharge should be punished.
There is widespread cheating by private hospitals.
One of the private hospitals modus operandi is to charge patients for items or drugs not used by patients.
They target patients with medical insurance, as their bills are paid by the
medical insurance companies.
Since both the patients and insurance companies do not know about this, no one complains.
Sadly, there is no association of medical insurance companies whom one can turn
to to complain.
Incredible but true, there is no association, body or agency that has the power to blacklist or drop the hospital from the panel list.
The accreditation or licensing criteria of and the Malaysian Society for of
Quality Health in Hospitals only take into account the facilities, equipment and
services provided by the hospitals but not the over charging by hospitals and
specialists, or cheating by the hospitals.
Due to this, private hospitals have become bolder and more cheating has
occurred.
Even with itemised billing, patients will not be able to detect the
items for which they were overcharged. extra.
The government and medical insurance companies have to be serious about protecting patients interests.

T.S.K.
Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia

Israel government Is on the wrong track The Star, Saturday 5 June 2010

The tragedy of the Palestinian people is that they lead a life of emptiness: their land stolen without compensation; oppression of its labour, and its children doomed to mindless hatred.
The inhumanity is sickening.
Enter the Israeli commandos.
They boarded vessels in international waters and killed several unarmed people.
The Israeli government has for years terrorised and brought to near starvation close to a million Palestinians.
And now this wanton violence.
Are we that naive to believe that well-trained, heavily armed Israeli commandos
were so threatened by unarmed civilians that they were compelled to use lethal
force?
The trouble with Israel is that it is paranoid of its own “righteousness” and
proceeds with gay abandon to rationalise all its activities in its favour no matter how absurd they may be.
The Netanyahu government is on the wrong track.
The more it seeks a military solution to its problems with the Palestinian people, the more the problems will escalate and the less secure Israel will become.
The US supports the blockade of Gaza by Israel and by Egypt, who say that this
blockade is not intended to punish the Gazans, but to damage Hamas.
They don’t seem to realise that while the attack on the flotilla by Israel’s
navy commandos may have deprived the Gazans of basic daily needs, it has served
as a backlash to expand support for Hamas, not only within Gaza but throughout
the Middle East.
Israel must be told in no uncertain terms that its actions are totally unacceptable to the international community and that it has no place in a civilised world.
It is hoped that among the Israelis there is someone who can rise to be their
leader one day who can lift the nation from the deep abyss into which it has so
terribly sunk.

Dr A. Soorian,
Seremban,
Malaysia

More international anger Over Israel’s mistreatment of the Palestinians The Southeast Asian Times, Friday 4 June 2010

In case you did not know, a flotilla of relief vessels has just been attacked by state-sponsored israeli terrorists.
The unarmed Turkish craft were in International waters, while attempting to deliver basic commodities to the beleaguered people living in the Gaza ghetto, who, under the heel of their nazi neighbours, are locked in desperate poverty and isolation in their own country.
A number of the Aid workers; referred to by the israelis, and constantly by the British media, as “activists”; were murdered by these pirates.
Apparently the phrase ‘aid worker’ is not within nice, happy-family packs of cards, so, to these mealy-mouthed commentators, ‘aid-workers are merely a kind of “activist”; I suppose in this case intent on preventing the people of Gaza from starving to death, which might thwart an israeli objective and then cause further collapses of zionist-controlled western banks.
American spokespersons have declared that it is clear that these “activists”, some of whom were German politicians, were not organised and had not foreseen there would be any problem.
Clearly in these days of state-sponsored terrorism, it is necessary to take draconian precautions before going about ones legal business in International waters – perhaps one ought to take such measures as carrying missile delivering systems with tactical atomic warheads – just in case there are state-sponsored pirates around.
The British foreign minister, when confronted by his seemingly blackmailed ineffectiveness, replied by telling his critics that, whilst the incident was regrettable, it was necessary for him, as British foreign minister, to take the whole context of the Middle East into consideration.
I have done that, and I find that the israelis have around 70 (going up), unfulfilled United Nations resolutions condemning their activities, which they have ignored – whereas the Palestinians have NO such resolutions against them at all.
The Liberal component of the British coalition government is not reported to have commented on the situation.
The israelis and their media-sheep often claim that Hamas “seized control” of the Gaza strip – yet, in fact Hamas are the democratically-elected government there.
In their aggression, the israeli terrorists were heavily armed with modern weapons, yet reciprocally claim to have confiscated weapons from the unarmed flotilla.
Their photographs of the ‘arms’ in question mainly show kitchen cutlery - required to prepare meals aboard - along with a safety razor once belonging to; now stolen from; a German politician.
Clearly, when sailing International waters, one must be careful to organize ones beard not to grow so there is no need to carry shaving equipment; and one must fillet ones fish by fingers.
Under the scrutiny of the state-sponsored terrorists, what percentage of the aid to Gaza actually reaches its destination?
I understand that usually only a small portion is handed on by these thieves. Israel have unilaterally banned delivery of; and confiscated; tinned foods and fresh vegetables bound for Gaza.
After all, tins of baked beans can be thrown at israeli tanks, and tomatoes may be hurled at the border guards, causing firearms to discharge; and that could provoke a massacre; or even mobilise a war.
As for bricks and mortar – think what could be done with those in the wrong hands. Bricks, especially new ones, are hard, and the cement might be used to block the loo of israeli’s prime-minister and make a nasty smell in his (?) home.
A proper Western response to this incident would be to airdrop essential supplies to Gaza with ultimate protection against aggression in the form of well-equipped aircraft carriers; but all we have is mealy-mouthed excuses and promises of yet more unproductive ‘discussion’ and ‘negotiation’.
Most people round here are asking – “Exactly what is there to be negotiated?”
The state culprit is obvious – over and over and over again.
The BBC describes the Israeli prime-minster’s response as “spirited”.
I would more accurately describe it as “demonic”.

Raymond Groves,
Hastings,
UK

.

Thai government used military not police To disperse red shirt demonstrators Bangkok Post, Thursday 3 June 2010

Re: The Bangkok Post editorial of May 31: ''Who'll police the police?''

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva must be aware of the fact that, in dispersing
the red-shirt demonstrations at Ratchaprasong business centre last month, the
government had to use the military instead of the police, which is an unusual
practice in any civilised country - since military use is for fending off
external threats and police are for keeping the rule of law within the country.
The Royal Thai Police have long become an ineffectual peace-keeping force.
The bureau is politicised to the point that it has become the most despised
government agency.
PM Abhisit should seize this opportunity to quickly re-organise, decentralise and modernise the police force so that if something similar to the Ratchaprasong dilemma occurs, the police can be ready if called for.
Our prime minister must make sure the military shall not be called out again next time.

Chavalit Van,
Bangkok,
Thailand

Dear Noynoy Go on with the Reproductive Health Bill The Philippine Inquirer, Wednesday 2 June 2010

Congratulations and lots of luck.
First of all, address ASAP what’s about to cripple your administration: the oppressive cost of electricity.
Work only with honest and highly competent people including kamag-anak, and please don’t die in six years, whether from smoking or an assassin’s bullet.
Do what your father didn’t do: become president.
Do what your mother didn’t do: restore totally the two-party system (Nacionalista and Liberal) and get rid of the parties of Marcos, Ramos, Erap, Gloria or their combinations (whatever they’re called) so they all vanish permanently from the face of the earth.
Do not trust the person who will suggest to you to form your own party. Bring together the Senate and House in one building.
Abolish the “adopt a politician or businessman” practice of the PMA batches.
Take good care of the needs of the foot soldier and the public school teacher.
Hold a genuine Constitutional Convention.
Do a Kris and be transparent but with timing and without being tactless.
Go on with the RH Bill and emphasize you are an anti-abortionist and damn the bigots in my Church.
P.S. I will judge your administration on the number of potholes and
unpainted white lanes in our streets and highways.

Rock Drilon,
Manila,
Philippines

Open letter to Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs From Australian West Papua Association Sydney The Southeast Asian Times, Tuesday 1 June 2010 The Hon Stephen Smith MP Minister for Foreign Affairs Parliament House Canberra ACT 2600 30 May 2010 Dear Mr Smith, I am writing to you concerning the deteriorating situation in the Puncak Jaya region of West Papua. Recently there have been a number of clashes between the Indonesian security forces and an unknown group of armed men in the region. The ANTARA News agency reported that two military officers were wounded when their military post in Yambi which is 80 km from Mulia, the district capital of Puncak Jaya was attacked by an unknown group of armed people on Friday the 21 May. In another incident a member of the OPM was killed in a clash with security forces in Kampung District Goburuk Yamo on the 17 May. The military have been conducting an operation in the area to pursue members of the Free Papua Movement (OPM) who they claim have stolen a number of weapons. AWPA is greatly concerned for the civilian population in the area. The local government in the Puncak Jaya region has called on the TPN / OPM operating in the Tingginambut district to surrender, threating that the TNI and police will undertake operations to pursue, capture and crush them. A deadline of the 28 June has been given to the OPM, otherwise an operation would be undertaken. (Members of the Papuan People's Representative Council (DPRP) have asked the Puncak Jaya regency government to review the June 28 deadline giving time to the TPN/ OPM to surrender and hand over captured weapons to avoid bloodshed). Many reports have pointed out the the security forces have great difficulty distinguishing between what they term separatists and the general public". Clashes between the OPM and the security forces have been ongoing in the region for years. The military have conducted regular operations in the area, leaving the local people traumatized and in fear. The community increasingly feels threatened by the possibility of a larger military operation taking place after the 28th June. Such an operation can only lead to further casualties . In Amnesty’s International Report for 2010, it states in relation to Papua “Violence increased sharply around the time of parliamentary and presidential elections, creating a climate of fear and intimidation. There were reports that security forces used unnecessary or excessive force during demonstrations and tortured and ill treated people during arrest, questioning and detention. Security forces also reportedly committed unlawful killings. Severe restrictions were imposed on the right to peaceful assembly and expression”. Amnesty’s report also points out that “At least 114 people were detained for peacefully expressing their views. The overwhelming majority were peaceful political activists who were sentenced to terms of imprisonment for raising prohibited pro independence flags in Maluku or Papua”. AWPA urges you to use your good offices with the Indonesian Government, asking that it halt any planned security operations in the Puncak Jaya region to avoid further escalation of the situation and to avoid further bloodshed. It was reported in the Jakarta Post that the Indonesian Human Rights Minister Patrialis Akbar, planned to release a number of Papuan political activists jailed for campaigning for separation from Indonesia. This is welcome and we urge the Australian Government to encourage the Indonesian Government to release all West Papuan political prisoners as a preliminary sign of good faith to the West Papuan people. We also call on the Australian Government to urge the Indonesian Government to dialogue with genuine representatives of the West Papuan people. The problems in West Papua won't be solved by deploying more troops to the region or conducting more military operations. What is needed is dialogue between Jakarta and West Papuan representatives” Yours sincerely, Joe Collins Australia West Papua Association (AWPA) Sydney PO Box 28, Spit Junction, Sydney, Australia 2088 Ph/fax 61.2.99601698 email: bunyip@bigpond.net.au CC. Various human rights organisations

 

Freedom of speech Is not free The Nation, Monday 31 May 2010

It might not be too late to respond to a group of academics from Thailand's Chulalongkorn University who demanded the release of one of their peers.
History lecturer Suthachai Yimprasert was detained after reporting to the police on allegations that the Centre for Resolution of the Emergency Situation (CRES) declared he had incited people to topple the monarchy.
I don't know this lecturer, but have watched him a few times on TV talking about
the red shirts.
On one occasion he admitted that he had posted bail for a woman who was jailed for lèse majesté.
Suthachai said he did not know this woman, but he was a strong advocate of freedom of speech.
Citing the history of the monarchy of Thailand and elsewhere, he was on the brink of implicating himself in the same crime.
In addition to Suthachai's freedom of speech, his Chulalongkorn colleagues
argued for his academic freedom.
As a part-time academic, I also advocate freedom of speech.
But freedom of any form comes with due respect of law, the rights of others, and the responsibility of a good member of a civilised society.
Academic freedom should be confined to the classroom, and when outside, be ready to face the consequences.
No immunity or privilege should be sought.
And there should not be any double standards!

Chamnong Watanagase,
Bangkok,
Thailand

Oil monopolies and government Disenfranchise the public The Southeast Asian Times, Sunday 30 May 2010

More devious and muted, international commercial monopolies are invariably recorded as adopting the same cold blooded, inflexible, attitudes as that of political dictators.
None more obvious than that of the oil cartels and Wall Street bankers i.e. those assessed as being "too big to fail" and - where applicable - too big to jail.
The enduring reliance on fossil fuels could be seen to dwell upon a political/private enterprise plane; an obsolete technology bogged in a quagmire of collusive corporate greed.
It is a well documented understanding that proven alternative research capable of delivering sustainable, environmentally friendly, energy systems, has been deliberately stifled by these relevant monopolists simply to maintain their dated and destructive marketing methodologies.
In this strata of privileged private enterprise " the ends will always justify the means"- with no apparent threat of proactive official sanctions.
Obviously, these festering cabals operate beyond a sense of propriety, beyond conscience, beyond moral values and, one could reasonably argue ( in the light of the recent disastrous oil spillage in the Gulf of Mexico , and elsewhere), beyond competence.
The incestuous associations that must flourish within the 'ivory towers' of legislators and oil entrepreneurs alike tends to suggest that prospective wells are casually and readily approved and the political accomplices subsequently assured of re-election funds.
Sadly, under this regime of double dealing, the taxpaying public becomes, virtually, disenfranchised.
And this is democracy as we, and our descendants, must suffer it - unless we, throughout the western world, effectively demonstrate our determination to demand a rigid standard of ethical political practice.

Harry A. Boniface
Currumbin.
Queensland
Australia.

UN Declaration for the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Includes land rights The Star, Saturday 29 May 2010

As a researcher on Orang Asli land rights, I was initially thrilled when I saw
the article titled “Empowering the Orang Asli” written by the secretary-general
of the Rural and Regional Development Ministry in The Star on May 26.
The title led me to believe that the article would be addressing the issue of
their customary land.
The orang asli customary land rights issue remains unresolved and it is common
knowledge that over 10,000 orang asli demanded recognition and protection of
their customary lands via a memorandum submitted to the Government during a
demonstration in Putrajaya on March 17.
This demand is neither unrealistic nor idealistic.
After all, land is a key component of the orang asli community’s livelihood and identity.
Without customary land, they would cease to be the distinct community that has
thus far enriched the fabric of our society.
Malaysian courts have also acknowledged the special relationship between orang
asli and their lands and recognised their rights to their customary land.
Internationally, the United Nations Declaration for the Rights of Indigenous
Peoples calls for the recognition of Indigenous customary lands and territories.
Our country unreservedly voted in favour of this declaration twice, both at Human Rights Council and General Assembly levels.
Unfortunately, the lengthy article conveniently avoids the issue of orang asli
customary lands. It also fails to address the fact that 35.2% of orang asli are
classified as hardcore poor when the national average has dropped to well below
5 percent.
The article also highlights the fact that the orang asli community has a professor, a senator and a circle of 171 businessmen.
Given that the orang asli population is in the region of 147,000, do these
figures even suggest an iota of successful government stewardship?
After 53 years of government-sponsored welfare, we must all accept that this
performance is abysmal and there is need for a paradigm shift in the management
of orang asli affairs.
Empowerment starts at home and in the case of the orang asli, having power over
their customary lands.
Development is all well and good but not at the cost of sacrificing one’s identity. This offends the 1Malaysia concept.
It is high time the Government considers alternative models for the development
of orang asli that are harmonious with their continued existence as a distinct
community and first peoples of Peninsular Malaysia.

Yogeswaran Subramaniam,
Petaling Jaya,
Malaysia

The sinking of the Cheonan Was probably the result of War games The Southeat Asian Times, Friday 28 May 2010

The sinking of the South Korean warship, ‘Cheonan’, has reached a sharp media focus with Hilary Clinton’s recent rattling of the American saber over this ‘dastardly act of aggression’.
Immediately after the 1200-ton ROK navy corvette sank on 26th March there was no mention of any possibility of North Korea having been involved, in what those close to the scene then regarded as “an accident”.
Even after the UK, USA, Australian, Swedish International team, which was called in to investigate the event, quickly declared that the damage had been caused by something from outside the ship, it was suggested that it might have impacted one of the more than a hundred mines past-laid by South Korea and still floating around near Baengnyeong Island very close to the disputed Northern Limit line as the sea boundary between North and South Korea.
But then, suddenly, everything was made clear – (or was it?) - when the South Korean/American appointed investigators ‘came up’ with ‘irrefutable’ evidence that the warship was sunk by a North Korean torpedo, because they claimed to find remnants of a torpedo propeller within the deep.
Not only did they uncover that needle in a haystack, but, by some even greater miracle, the bits of the torpedo propeller, even after the torpedo had exploded, bore Korean script of a style used only in North Korea.
We are led to believe that the writing must of course have got there from the ‘pen’ of a North Korean submarine, despite that North Korea, always keen to wave their flag at America over any ‘success’, categorically deny any responsibility for the destruction of the vessel.
In the first case this has the smell of the intact terrorist passport that was found among the rubble of the twin towers after 911.
However, even more curious is that, at around the same time as the well-advertised tragedy of the Cheonan, something else happened, which has, somehow and or for some reason, been totally overlooked by western news media.
Perhaps it is not to be regarded as having been an event that would be of any interest to anyone at all, but I doubt it.
Therefore, there was no fuss over a report that a United States submarine was reported to have sunk at about the same time as, and within 6 kilometres of, the wrecked Cheonan.
The few, better-informed interpreters of the cause of the “accident” sensibly suggest that that the sinkings of the RK-navy corvette and of the US submarine are related events and work from there.
This revelation can be examined in greater detail at –
Japan Focus: Did US friendly fire during war games sink the S. Korean ship? Is this Asia's 9/ll --Will S. Korea/US declare war?,
Perhaps you need to read this quickly because the above article could undemocratically suddenly disappear and become unobtainable. So - be sure to copy it to make sure it is not lost to history.

Raymond Groves,
Hastings,
UK

Oil leak, possible nuclear war and economic big bang Make for interesting times The Southeast Asian Times, Thursday 27 May 2010

On May 22 FOX News carried an item headed “At West Point, Obama Presses for New World Order to Defeat Al Qaeda.”
At the moment America can’t even fix an oil leak.
Instead of treating the symptoms of terrorism the President should start treating the root cause, i.e. Israel’s outrageous atrocities and continuing land grab in Palestine. Until the West wakes up to the fact that it is suffering from a form of self inflicted asymmetric warfare it will only exacerbate the problem.
The World Zionist Mafia obviously holds western governments by the short and curlies and they are so brain-washed by the “politically correct thought police” they are afraid to mutter one word against Israel.
The latest ‘sick joke’ to be played on the Palestinians is the proposal to send a NATO force there.
PressTV reported May 23 ‘NATO in Palestine’. “It is highly likely that the NATO troops would not respond in the case of an Israeli advance. Therefore, the NATO forces would be based in the West Bank to guard Israel's security and not the security of the Palestinian people.”
I have always had the greatest respect for the people of Egypt but that respect does not extend to the present Egyptian government whose behaviour towards the people of Palestine makes it look like a tool of the Zionists.
If the United Nations were a truly unbiased organisation and not a 'poodle of the Zionist new world order it would send in 100,000 troops and bulldoze all the illegal Israeli settlements and restore some semblance of normal life for the Palestinians. What is happening in Palestine is a disgrace to the human race.
These ‘crimes’ are funded by the USA and condoned, tacitly or otherwise, by British, Australian and other western political ‘quislings' who will earn their thirty pieces of silver.
If these crimes were committed by a Muslim country it would have been bombed into the Stone Age long ago.
America has about as much control over the banks as it has over the Middle East peace process; zilch.
It is becoming increasingly obvious that the President of the USA is only a figurehead and that the real string-pullers are the Zionist bankers such as Goldman Sachs, aptly described by Rolling Stone’s Matt Taibbi as “a great vampire squid wrapped around the face of humanity, relentlessly jamming its blood funnel into anything that smells like money.”
McClatchy Newspapers 21 April reported, “While Goldman Sachs' lawyers negotiated with the Securities and Exchange Commission over potentially explosive civil fraud charges, Goldman's chief executive visited the White House at least four times.”
Is it any wonder that despite a litany of financial disasters - for investors - Goldman Sachs’ CEO Lloyd 'doing God's work' Blankfein always comes up smelling of roses?
Maureen Dowd writing in The Times fired off a parting shot at Blankfein's assertion that bankers are 'doing God's work', "As far as doing God’s work," Dowd wrote, "I think the bankers who took government money and then gave out obscene bonuses are the same self-interested sorts Jesus threw out of the temple."
The oil leak is a Frankenstein scenario of monumental proportions but pales into insignificance when compared with the possibility of a nuclear war over Israel’s threats to Iran.
Add to this the possibility of an economic 'Big Bang' caused by the machinations of Goldman Sachs and its ‘branch office’ i.e. the Federal Reserve and I think interesting times lie ahead!

Maurice Horsburgh,
Palm Beach
Queensland,
Australia

Muslim woman risks her life To defend voting machine Philippine Inquirer, Wednesday 26 May 2010

Something significant emerged out of the chaos and jubilation of the just-concluded elections.
We saw the heroism of a Muslim woman, a member of a board of election inspectors, protecting the Precinct Count Optical Scan (PCOS) machine with her very life when armed men stormed into her polling precinct to disrupt the election.
But even better than the video clippings and the news stories that narrated this act of heroism was the overwhelming sight of our Muslim brothers participating in the elections.
The enthusiasm of Muslim Mindanao constituents in getting to the polls and electing
their local and national candidates eloquently argues against the claims of secessionist fronts that our Muslim brothers demand a separate and independent state.
If only the armed groups did not intimidate and harass voters as happened in many parts of Maguindanao, the Lanao provinces and Basilan, nearly every registered voter in these places could have cast their ballots.
Be that as it may, democracy has triumphed and we have seen Filipino Muslims participating in elections despite threats to their lives.
This argues against the call of the secessionist fronts not to participate in the exercise of suffrage.
Before our eyes we saw how the electorate defied this, not only by casting their votes but, as members of BEIs, guarding the ballots and the PCOS machines with their lives.
Some foreign observers may have been shocked by incidents of harassment but they too must have appreciated that despite threats and intimidation, people bravely faced these to assert their right to choose the next leader they wanted.
The heroism of the Muslim woman teacher is a lesson for us to open our eyes to the realization that, despite the conflict in Muslim Mindanao, we have witnessed how Filipinos of various faiths and cultures safeguarded and valued their rights as citizens of the Republic.
We may have differences, but given the time and all the initiatives to achieve peace, the wounds will heal and ultimately bring us all together in one indivisible nation.

Rina De Jesus,
Manila,
Philippines

Red shirts used Thaksin To air their grievances The Nation, Tuesday 25 May 2010

In science fiction we have a construct called the Parallel Universe where our
world is replicated but in a significantly different way?
I would like Early Worm in Letters to the Editor, May 22 to consider such a universe. (See letter below, Thailand's feudal class threatened by middle class urbanites)
In this universe the red shirts have an idealism.
They are not all poor ignorant peasants at the beck and call of Thaksin and his money.
They are actually better described as middle class.
Certainly more middle class than poor.
The same middle class that Early Worm waxed so eloquently about in his letter.
And they are not rural unless you describe being rural as not coming from Bangkok.
No, they are better described as urbanites.
Above all, these red shirts make use of Thaksin and his money.
They actually use Thaksin as a vehicle to highlight grievances that are independent of Thaksin's woes.
And no, they are not violent.
They just want their voices heard and to be treated like human beings.
They want their one vote to be treated as equal to everybody else's one vote.
They want the simple dignity of being counted as equal in this world.
Contrary to what Early Worm said, they are not a dying breed but their ranks
will grow and grow, with or without Thaksin.

Kemadist Chiaracharuwat,
Bangkok,
Thailand

Thailand's feudal class Threatened by middle class urbanites The Nation, Tuesday 25 May 2010

Chang Noi's article in Monday The Nation was good.
These uprisings all around the world are indeed related to globalisation, and as Ian Buruma puts it in his excellent article on Saturday, "Elites are under siege in every corner of the world".
However neither of these commentators go far enough with their analyses. Buruma's Thai elites - "the ruling class, backed by big business
and the Army" - are clearly a dying breed and sound strangely at odds with their
counterparts - the "New York liberals" in America or "multiculturalists" in
Europe.
Chang Noi is closer to the truth in calling them "middle class urbanites".
What Chang Noi only hints at, however, is the massive growth of this vast new
middle class - people who were once poor during the last century, but who now
have access to more money, consumer goods, education, healthcare, mobility and
entertainment than they have ever had anytime in their history.
As GDP surges, so too does the number of people gaining access to the middle
class.
All across Asia the growth of this demographic is radically changing the
political structure and threatening the old feudal societies, which had always
depended on "patronage" and corruption for their power.
Thailand's rural population, like the Philippines, is and has been ruled by
locally powerful families, mafia thugs, police chiefs and village heads at least
since 1938 when the government first became a military dictatorship under
Marshal Phibul.
Such people are terrified of progressive democratic changes in society, social welfare, strong tax policies and tough legal constraints on what they consider traditionally legitimate, but illegal, behaviour.
Such changes, however, are inevitable as more and more people join the expanding
middle classes and demand the same as their counterparts across the globalised
world.
The current revolt has been precipitated and supported by these corrupt feudal
families.
Thaksin is their hero - and because each fiefdom controls its own group of rural people they have been able to make it look like - to the naive foreign press - that a large crowd is clamouring for democracy.
But it is their intense focus on violence that gives them away entirely.
They have a powerful military wing that has no qualms about killing their own protesters in order to lay blame on the government.
They have been clamouring for bloodletting since the beginning of this protest. There is no idealism here, unlike the student-led uprisings of the past.
Instead they are fighting back tooth and nail against democracy, education, the welfare state - attacks on hospitals - and in particular the legal system.
They are, in the end, the dying breed.

Early Worm,
Bangkok,
Thailand

Thaksin Accused of hiring militia The Nation, Monday 24 May 2010

Thaksin is the mastermind behind the crisis in Thailand.
He has said all along that if he lost, everyone would go down with him.
He is the kind of person who loves you if you're on his side, and does everything to destroy you if you're not.
He once said any provinces that didn't vote for him would get no special
treatment.
He always remembers and holds grudges.
He takes advantage of other people.
He talks from both sides of his mouth, with no feelings of shame or guilt whatsoever.
There is much evidence that he hired an armed militia to be part of the
red-shirt protesters.
The government should target the former and current Army generals who planned and executed the street battles.
It should announce that these people are the rebels who want to make Thailand a failed state.
They know that the government is weak and is too gentlemanly in its conduct.
At the same time they are asking for the UN to intervene.
They know that a government that shoots at people has no legitimacy.
It's difficult to explain and justify the government's conduct to the international audience with the pictures on TV, unless you know and can prove how cruel the red-shirt masterminds are.
How they are willing to sacrifice the country and well-being of their countrymen for their personal goals.
It is sad how ineffective most organisations in the country have become.
Most of them only complain about the situation, avoid responsibility and bicker among themselves.

Choopong A
Bangkok
Thailand

Red shirt leader Is no Mahatma Gandhi The Bangkok Post, Sunday 23 May 2010

While watching the news on TV barely days ago, I was deeply disturbed to see red
shirt leader Jatuporn Prompan sporting a T-shirt with Mahatma Gandhi's picture
on it.
Mahatma Gandhi's whole life was devoted to giving human dignity for the poorest
of the poor through non-violent protests.
If any of his protests gave cause for violence, he would fast unto death until the violence and bloodshed stopped and non-violence prevailed.
Truth, non-violence (ahimsa) were not just words for him.
They were his life.
He lived by them every single moment of his adult life.
What's more, he was not afraid of death.
And you should have seen the sudden fright on the faces of the red shirt
leaders, including Jatuporn's, as they ducked on the stage when shots were heard
shortly before their surrender to the police.
By wearing that T-shirt, Jatuporn has desecrated a globally respected icon of truth and non-violence.

Distressed by deceit,
Bangkok,
Thailand

Thailand's special investigators reminded Of proposal to abolish death penalty Bangkok Post, Saturday 22 May 2010

The threat by the Department of Special Investigations (DSI) that people convicted of terrorist charges in the current
situation in Thailand could face a possible death penalty is ill-advised and
ill-timed.
It reveals the mentality of government agencies within hours of the largest massacre of civilians in recent Thai history, that they are ready to threaten further death.
It is ill-advised to invoke a penalty which is against the most fundamental of human rights and which is rejected by the large majority of the nations on Earth. Moreover, there is strong evidence that a threat of capital punishment is not an effective deterrent against any crime.
It is ill-timed to invoke the charge of terrorism which the government has used
as justification throughout the present crisis, before such a charge has been
explained or proved by evidence, at a time when government responsibility for
the deaths of unarmed civilians is in question.
It can only add fuel to the fire of resentment that is spreading throughout the country.
The most urgent need now is for under standing, reconciliation and mediation.
While justice is required for acts which are illegal, this justice must not be
burdened with the threat of a punishment which is no longer acceptable in
international law, and which would prolong the contempt of the right to life we
have witnessed in recent days..
Finally, one may recall to the DSI that the second five-year plan on human
rights passed by the government in 2009 and acknowledged by all government
ministries, includes the proposal to abolish the death penalty.

Danthong Breen,
Chairman,
Union for Civil Liberty,
Bangkok,
Thailand

The United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship Is not a Robin Hood struggle Bangkok Post, Friday 21 May 2010

The current government in Thailand is a coalition of the Democrat Party and smaller parties such as the Chart Thai and Bum jai thai parties.
All the MPs of these parties have been elected by their constituents.
The elected opposition party is the Puea Thai Party.
The current uprising by the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (the red shirts) has been incited and financed by former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was convicted of corruption and sentenced to two years’ incarceration.
He amassed a fortune of some 746 billion baht (US$23 billion) while in power and is currently a fugitive hiding in Montenegro.
He had over 2,000 people killed earlier this decade in a clamp down on drugs.
He has been banned from the UK and other countries.
His support comes from both rural people and big business.
He promises to pay all the debts incurred by the poorer farmers.
Large businesses would lose their cheap, obedient labour force were the present government to introduce true democracy and a comprehensive education system.
Thaksin is skilled in influencing the poorer with small monetary offerings whilst keeping them uneducated.
The current rote education system teaches them to remember but not to think.
Thailand operates on a patronage system, rather like “the old school tie” system in the UK, resulting in his many ”friendships” in both the military and the police where he was a senior officer.
Currently the government is asking all women, children and the elderly in the rioter’s enclave to leave, offering them free transport to their homes in the North and Northeast.
These people are the human shield for the red shirts, who are preventing them from leaving. Failure to overthrow the government would result in serious consequences for the red shirt leaders.
They would lose their benefactor and hence their money and the protection of the mob. They could face life sentences.
They stand to lose all while Thaksin lives in extreme comfort abroad.
The Puea Thai have boycotted Parliament to deny parliamentary democracy to which they, Thaksin and the UDD are clearly opposed.
This riot is not a “Robin Hood” struggle as seems to be the opinion in the West.
It is simply about a vengeful, corrupt, extremely wealthy megalomaniac seeking his selfish objective.

J.C.Wilcox,
Bangkok,
Thailand

Red Shirt leaders Should have told protestors to go home The Nation, Thursday 20 May 2010

Natthawut Saikua told a press conference that the red-shirt leaders were willing
to hold talks but the government must call an immediate cease-fire and pull
troops out from around Rajprasong.
He said the government must also stop calling protesters 'terrorists', and the talks must be mediated by the UN.
It is so simple for the red-shirt leaders to demand and demand, but it's even simpler for them to just tell the protesters to go home and end all the chaos.
You had your chance and walked away from the road map.
Remember that the UN is not your father!
The world saw your protesters infiltrated by terrorists who used weapons to kill indiscriminately.
You know who they are, but it is easier to blame the government.
I hope that you, the red leaders, enjoy your hundreds of millions of baht in jail for the rest of your lives, because all the people killed because of your greed and selfishness.
Thailand is not ready for democracy like the West, because most people are
easily swayed by money.
Good education and human capital are the most important pillars for our society, otherwise history will keep repeating itself.

Surasak Piputtana,
Bangkok,
Thailand

British Broadcasting Corporation Takes Thaksin out of the story Bangkok Post, Wednesday 19 May 2010

I am so ashamed to admit that the people I once held in high esteem for straight
reporting - the British Broadcasting Corporation - have let me down badly.
To hear stories of red shirts ''fighting with passion'', ''people who only want a
change from being poor'', ''Bangkok in flames'' and the ''Thai army trashing
houses'' is a total misrepresentation of the news.
I have recently visited parts of Bangkok with my kids and have seen nothing of
these troubles at all.
The problem is restricted to a very small area of Bangkok, and is even
attracting ''sightseers''!
BBC reporter Rachael Harvey appears to be on a sensationalistic mission.
I will not listen to her pap any more.
Why has the BBC failed to mention that the red shirts are ''well-armed, well-paid and recruited to cause havoc''?
Why has the BBC failed to include in its reports ''the big money crook who is pulling all the strings''?
Look at different news clips and you can clearly see the mob at work - burning,
wrecking and shooting.
Hasn't the BBC seen the gangs of ''black shirts''?
It's anarchy at work, BBC!
Shape up and tell it right, or slip further behind in the competition for honesty.

Sir Lance,
Rayong,
Thailand

Why should Australians pay tax When foreign companies don't The Southeast Asian Times, Tuesday 18 May 2010

Former Australian Prime Minister Menzies had legislation passed that foreign companies that pay tax in their own country pay none in Australia.
In those days the majority of companies in Australia were Australian owned. However now the majority of our companies including mining are ninety percent or in many cases one hundred percent foreign owned.
The tax system here may seem fair to many but many of these foreign companies are registered in tax havens so therefore possibly pay no taxes.
The outcry about the government possible raising of royalties to mining companies operating in Australia is justified in many ways, after all why should all Australian companies or what is left of them be expected together with all other Australian workers be expected to pay the taxes necessary to run this country.

Frank Crichlow,
Carrara,
Queensland

Best if governors are elected Not appointed by president The Jakarta Post, Monday 17 May 2010

West Sumatra will organize simultaneous elections for governors, regents and mayors June 30 with 68 total pairs.
There, elections will elect one governor and 13 regents and mayors.
I strongly agree with the way West Sumatra organizes the regional elections
because it will be much more efficient in terms of financial cost, time and
energy in the region.
If regional elections are carried out at different times, it will cost about Rp
196 billion (US$20 million).
But with simultaneous elections, it will only cost Rp 62 billion.
It saves Rp 124 billion – large a mount of money.
I think West Sumatra’s system should be applied in other provinces, as it will
save a large amount of money across the country that could be used for people’s
welfare.
Meanwhile, the thought that provincial governors might be selected by the
president got reactions from analysts.
In line with this, the Home Ministry is now revising the the 2004 Regional Government Law.
The revised law is expected to give mandate to the president to directly appoint
governors.
I think it is better if governor will be elected by Regional Legislative Council.

Abdul Rahim,
Tangeran,
Indonesia

Philippine president Arroyo's last days Likened to those of Caligula Phuilippine Inquirer, Sunday 16 May 2010

The acerbic criticisms against President Macapagal-Arroyo’s appointment of her manicurist as a member of the board of directors of the Pag-Ibig Fund were described by a Palace spokesperson as most unfair because he claimed the manicurist met the qualification requirements for the position.
I agree with the spokesman.
It could have been far worse if the President had appointed horses as Philippine ambassadors in the manner that Caligula, emperor of the Roman Empire, appointed a horse as his ambassador to a foreign country.
History tells us that during the last years of his term, Caligula squandered vast sums of money and tortured his political enemies.
Let us hope that the history of the Roman Empire of old will not repeat itself in our beloved Philippines.

Z.C.Beltran Jr.,
Quezon City,
Philippines

Carbon credits On banned palm oil The Southeast Asian Times, Saturday 15 May 2010

Airlines are rushing to switch from time tested kerosene-based jet fuel to biofuels at great cost and risk.
They are lured by the riches of the carbon credits they can sell in the emissions trading market.
Biofuels have value in the emissions trading market because global warming scientists were pushing biofuels as an antidote for climate change.
When their call was heeded by Asian palm oil growers and they began to plant new palm oil plantations to supply the new biodiesel market thus created, climate scientists made a u-turn on the biofuels idea.
Headlines in 2008 proclaimed palm oil as a disaster saying things like “Asia’s growing palm oil farms seen as climate change threat”, “Biofuels are harming developing countries” and “Palm oil may be an ecological disaster”.
So now, since this onslaught on biofuels by climate scientists in 2008, biofuels have lost their previously advertised value as renewable energy that can save the planet. Yet, it still carries billions of Euros in carbon credit value in the emissions trading market set up to save the planet.
As things stand today, in 2010, climate science rewards biofuels consumption while at the same time calling for a ban on its production.
It is one of many contradictions that have confused, befuddled, and discredited climate scientists and their half baked campaign against carbon dioxide.

Cha-am Jamal,
Thailand

Turnkey projects for China In Indonesia The Jakarta Post, Friday 14 May 2010

This is in response to Gita Wirjawan’s May 7 article in The Jakarta Post regarding China as a catalyst for infrastructure.
I have lived and worked in China, Indonesia with a major mining conglomerate,
and India so may offer some perspective on this issue.
While the raw numbers, capital investments, and visits by state leaders are impressive in helping Indonesia’s path to development, it should be noted that the real key to China’s success is through foreign skills transfer high speed rail, Yangtze river dam, GM, Airbus, etc.,
They have done this successfully by mandating that foreign companies provide
measureable training and technology via the mode of “joint venture” for several
years since 1984.
Also, skilled Chinese engineers and managers who studied abroad i.e. the US
have now returned to join in on the boom.
Nonetheless, when Chinese invest in projects of other countries, especially in South Asia, they themselves do not use the vehicle of joint venture, but insist on “turnkey” projects.
Meaning they provide most of their own content, standards, and employees for the
project and most “value added” activities.
Local skills development is never mentioned.
After seeing Chinese strip mine iron ore in South Kalimantan, with no value
added activity for Indonesia, I surmise future development projects will be the
same modus operandi.
Local people primarily will be left to low skills work such as cooks, drivers, and
floor sweepers.
Chinese standards will be used and since Indonesian engineers will not know these standards, Chinese engineers and foreigners will perpetually be called upon to maintain them, at high expatriate costs.
My point is, Chinese investment without a mandated knowledge transfer initiative
as China does, is a Faustian bargain of money today, with dependency tomorrow.
This shortchanges poorer locals while enriching established elites.
It will handicap economic activity.
It may be added that some countries such as Sri Lanka are now beginning to regret their initial eagerness for Chinese largess when most of their people stay unemployed in and around these infrastructure projects dams, ports, power plants.
The true key to Indonesia’s success and long term development is by insisting
and mandating that any foreign investment has a dedicated timeline of skills and
knowledge transfer using the appropriate technology.
Investments need skills transfer to be truly workable for Indonesian development.

Will Hickey
US Fulbright professor,
South Asia
Colombo

US meeting with Red shirts Not a good idea The Nation, Thursday 13 May 2010

I was surprised and disappointed that US Assistant Secretary of State for East
Asian and Pacific Affairs, Kurt Campbell, met with politicians associated with
the red-shirts.
He has shown no knowledge of the April 10 incident in which black-clad men armed with war weapons mingled among red-shirts.
The incident took many lives including those of soldiers and protesters.
These men are terrorists who don't care who they kill.
It is the job of Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya to point out that the meeting was not appropriate for US policy.
The US never negotiates with terrorists.
I am not saying all red-shirt protesters are terrorists, but their men in black are.
Chaturon Chaisang, former acting leader of Thaksin's now defunct Thai Rak Thai
Party, and former foreign minister Noppadol Pattama are both strong supporters
of Thaksin.
They oppose the current administration no matter what.
The only reasonable person from this group is Khunying Sudarat Keyuraphan. She showed her skills and accountability while working under ex-prime minister Thaksin.
She also supports PM Abhisit's peace plan.
Campbell's meeting only with the opposition group was a bad idea, although he invited both sides to attend.

Surasak Piputtana,
Bangkok

Match-making agency Illegal in Vietnam The Star, Wednesday 12 May 2010

I refer to the report “Manager finds that his beautiful Vietnamese bride is
already married” in The Star, May 7.
Working and living here in Vietnam for the last seven years, I have never heard
of any match-making agency in the country that is first of all legal and the
RM17,000 paid to an agency for the bride is not the lowest.
I’ve heard of a whopping price tag of RM35,000.
I was previously working in a 5-star hotel here and I’ve met hundreds of
Malaysians who visited Ho Chi Minh City.
A handful of them would arrive as single and depart with married status – all within four to five days.
Another handful would visit the city again searching for their missing wives and
trying to call the inactive mobile number of the agent they used before or revisit the karaoke, pub or bar where they first met their wives.
There are syndicates going around a couple of years ago where some women
actually do this for a living; marrying no fewer than two to three times a year.
The government have busted a number of such syndicates and those who managed to escape have gone underground.
Obviously, they have resurfaced now.
The common price tag is about US$5,000 (RM16,000), excluding travelling expenses and accommodation, if any.
Only 10 percent of that fee actually goes to the girl or her family while the agent takes the lion’s share.
To the girl, US$500 (RM1,600) equates to a little over four months’ minimum wage as well as an opportunity for a better life.
This explains why these wives would make their “disappearance” within four months, especially when the “better life” did not match that of their expectations. What are their expectations?
Simple, more money and the control of money.
Having said that, it does not mean that all Vietnamese women are
runaway-brides-to-be.
Some do marry till death sets them apart.
Some marry because they believe they’d be able to send some US$100 (RM320) every month to their poor families in rural Vietnam.
True, such marriage is not based on love but in the eyes of many in Vietnam, it
is not cheating either.
Many see such action as self-sacrifice for the family.
Gestures of filial piety to the family offset any guilt.
Adding salt to injury, there are still provincial parents who “sell” their
daughters.
Not many of them have ever seen the local currency equivalent to US$500.
Back to my earlier point, there is no such thing as legal match-making agents in
Vietnam.
There can’t be any truth to match-making agents in Malaysia who claim to have “reliable source” in Vietnam either.

Zosimo Jimeno,
Ho Chi Minh City
Vietnam

Philippines The worst governed and most corrupt nation Philippine Inquirer, Tuesday 11 May 2010

Religious groups dabbling in politics and government matters have been a bane in our development as a viable democratic society.
Worse still is when they dangle numbers that could be useful to one seeking a high elective office.
In the Spanish colonial era, the Catholic Church was a partner of the crown in subjugating the native population by combining the power of the sword and the mystic of the Cross, enhancing the local culture in the Christian tradition even as the natives were abused and deprived of their lands.
Upon takeover of the country by the Americans, the adoption of the democratic electoral process diminished the Church’s accustomed direct influence on government affairs.
It was after our independence in 1946 that Bishop Felix Manalo of the Iglesia Ni Cristo conceived the idea of enhancing an otherwise meager influence on government by directing the group’s clout on officials in elective positions whom they helped with the vaunted solid vote of their obedient flock.
Brother Mike Velarde of the Catholic Church’s charismatic worship group adopted the same technique and became a most sought-after religious leader who could get candidates to sing and dance in participation in his worship services during election season, hoping the good brother would get divine guidance to exhort his flock to support their bid to high office.
A favorite spiritual adviser of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Brother Mike ran social welfare-related undertakings that received generous government support.
Catholic bishops and priests are conspicuous in their spiritual support for GMA when they concelebrate Masses by the dozens on occasions of special significance to her, like birthdays and anniversaries.
“Love gifts” from the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office come handy for their multifarious charitable projects.
They must no doubt be praying for her spiritual direction, although most Filipinos do not discern divine guidance in her behavior.
Unfortunately, the special links developed in the last six decades between religious groups and “their” politicians have merely brought us to the top of the heap of the worst governed and most corrupt nations on the planet.
Come now Jesus Is Lord Movement’s Brother Eddie Villanueva who is taking matters squarely into his hands.
With over five million followers in tow, he is making a bid for the presidency with the promise that the country will have a six-year respite from the curse of corruption during his incumbency.
To ensure success, he sought the blessing of the rising star among the divine endorsers in Philippine politics, the “Appointed Son of God” no less, Pastor
Apollo C. Quiboloy, whose anointment was sought by all the other presidential aspirants (except JC de los Reyes).
The latest among the “heaven-sent” messengers, Pastor Quiboloy is here not only to lift the Filipinos out of their misery.

E.P.Dakanay Jr.,
Manila,
Philippines

Turkey's envoy rejects accusations Of flour dumping in Indonesia, Philippines The Jakarta Post, Monday 10 May 2010

In your Jakarta Post newspaper’s issue dated March 29, 2010, an article entitled “Failure of elections and cancer causing flour” was published referring to the Philippine Daily Inquirer published in Manila about Turkish wheat flour export to Philippine.
I regretfully inform you that that article has contained completely baseless,
incorrect and unfair claims with regard to Turkey and Turkish wheat flour
disinforming Indonesian public, too.
In this article it is claimed that Turkish wheat flour exported to Philippine is
contaminated with toxins that cause cancer.
As it is known, wheat flour production in Turkey as well as the products exported from or imported to Turkey are strictly controlled by Ministry of Agriculture in Turkey.
No evidence threatens human health is observed during health controls until now. Turkey has exported wheat flour to 110 countries and its exports amounted to 1.8 million tons in 2009 and there has not been any single notification from these countries regarding ochratoxin problem on Turkish wheat flour exports.
Turkey produces between 18 million and 20 million tons wheat every year and all
of its production is used for domestic consumption.
Therefore, the ridiculous claim that Turkey imports flour from other countries for its own people’s consumption and dumps the flour produced from local wheat to other countries like the Philippines and Indonesia is completely not true.
On the other hand, 80 percent of Turkish wheat flour exports are based on the wheat imported under the Inward Processing Regime which allows Turkish manufacturer to obtain raw material, to be used in the production of the exported product, without paying custom duties and totally consistent with the WTO legislation.
The claim related to Turkish wheat flour imports which are undervalued is not
also correct.
According to data of Ministry of Trade and Industry, average
import price to Philippines is US$283/ton contrary to the claimed $96 per ton.
The analysis of the Turkish wheat flour carried out by the Philippine Food and
Drug Administration from the samples collected from various retailers also
proved that Turkish wheat flour does not contain any toxins and Turkish wheat
flour is safe for human consumption.
These findings of the Philippine Food and Drug Administration has already shared with Philippine public.
Upon this baseless article the necessary legal action has also been taken in the
Philippines.Turkish wheat flour export to Indonesia is fully compatible with SNI (Standar Nasional Indonesia) required by the Ministry of Industry of Indonesia on
imports.
Turkish producers exporting to Indonesia have SNI certificate given by the Ministry of Industry after the surveillance and control carried out on production site by the experts of the Ministry mentioned.
We find that article which is fully baseless and slanderous is written as a part
of disinformation campaign serving to the small interests of the local wheat
flour monopoly who are disturbed by the import of the high quality and fairly
priced Turkish wheat flour.

Aydin Evirgen,
Ambassador of Turkey,
Jakarta,
Indonesia

Thai reconciliation wish list Take it or leave it Bangkok Post, Sunday 9 May 2010

Many have been shooting at the five-point reconciliation road map from the hip.
They might have less scepticism if the map, as stated on the Center for the Resolution of the Emergency Situation (CRES) website could be summarised more to the point, as follows:
First, we will defend and uphold our monarchy.
Second, social justice and fair distribution of wealth shall be our supreme goals by action rather than words.
Third, freedom of expression in the media is encouraged, with only one constraint: no hate-mongering or incitement to commit illegalities.
An independent agency will ensure the media's compliance.
Fourth, the recent loss of lives and damage to property shall be subject to
investigation by an independent committee, to ferret out the truth.
Fifth, all the feelings of injustice resulting from the constitution, laws and regulations shall be openly discussed and the laws rectified accordingly.
So there will be accountability and no double standards.
The founding of a fair society is the aim for our future.
With the above purposeful objectives - and if the Ratchaprasong demonstration is
disbanded - an election can be expected by November 14, 2010.
If the disturbance persists, the election date shall be left at the prime minister's discretion, while the road map is still to be followed.
No negotiations with the leaders of the demonstration are called for - take it
or leave it!

Songdej Praditsmanont,
Bangkok,
Thailand

Private armies accused of harassment Days before Philippine election The Philippine Inquirer, Saturday 8 May 2010

As a retired undersecretary of the Office of the President and, more importantly, as a concerned citizen of Himamaylan City in the province of Negros Occidental, may I bring to the attention of the Independent Commission Against Private Armies the presence of a suspected private army operating in an upland barangay of this city.
I have received information from the barangay captain of Barangay Carabalan, about a group, headed by a certain “Moni,” allegedly harassing the people in that barangay to vote for the group affiliated with my rival candidate for mayor.
This group has been reportedly operating in the different sitios of Barangay Carabalan, fully armed and brandishing identification cards similar to that of
the Philippine National Police.
According to the barangay chair, she had expressed her concerns to the city’s chief of police, Philippine National Police (PNP) Superintendent.
Antonieto Y. Cañete who denied any connection with the group - however, his name and signature appear on the back of the card, alongside that of my rival candidate as the group’s “chief adviser.”
I would not want to make unnecessary and baseless accusations against any person.
I am only asking for an impartial investigation into the situation here in Himamaylan, which has been designated as an election “hot spot” by the Commission on Elections.

Antonio M. Gatuslao,
Mayoralty candidate,
Himamaylan City,
Negros Occidental,
Philippines

Voters are stakeholders In national resources The Star, Friday 7 May 2010

All of us, if we meet the necessary threshold, have to pay taxes, irrespective of which political party we support.
We cannot say that because the political party we support is not ruling our area, we can choose not to pay taxes.
Our taxes and rates are collected and centrally channelled and citizens of all
differing political allegiance enjoy that collective tax paid as it is redistributed via operating or capital expenditure in government spending.
Therefore, Wong Chun Wai is spot on in his focus piece “No reason to tick off
voters”, Sunday Star, May 2, in which he states that voters are not duty-bound
to vote for any party and the sharing of national resources is not and should not be based on political allegiance.
We must defend the other person’s right to disagree with us in a civilised manner.
Those who have different political leanings are not traitors or disloyal to the country.
Being loyal to the nation and being loyal to the government is not the same.
Those who espouse the politics of hate and exclusion should be ignored.
Our constitution guarantees equal rights to all, bar some special privileges that
was designed to originally bring those who are under privileged to equal footing
with the rest.
Our constitution does not say your rights are dependent on which political party
you support.
The Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) president is indeed wise to ignore the rantings of those who don’t really understand the concept of parliamentary demo­cracy and freedom of choice in electing our representative to look after our interest.
Company directors are required to undergo constant training to better understand
their duties and responsibilities.
I suggest that elected representatives be compelled to attend courses on
parliamentary procedures, voters’ rights to choose and the spirit and philosophy
of parliamentary demo­cracy as soon as they win an election so that they don’t
misunderstand our extremely good parliamentary democratic process.

Don't be confused,
Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia

Thai Politics Alongside memories of the past The Southeast Asian Times, Wednesday 6 May 2010

I hesitate to claim that I know Thailand intimately, although I have visited the country on a number of occasions during a span of 40 years.
I have no head for foreign languages, and early on I simply accepted the mystery of Thai culture and the obvious fact that Thai society was then happy, unique, complex, libertine and sophisticated – and I wanted it to stay that way. Unfortunately through subsequent visits I have witnessed a steady detrimental change in society there, with an erosion of its deeply ingrained culture, and can confidently suggest that the greatest factor in that deterioration has been influence from the wrong kinds of foreign visitors - and I do not include myself among them. The first crusaders invading this country; not theirs and a country they did not understand; went to ‘clean up socially-integrated sexual-libertinism’.
They appeared to be of a ‘sour-grapes’ mentality; shocked to discover that people could enjoy life as they would like to enjoy it – but couldn’t.
Those ‘wowsers’ were closely followed by various other crusaders, such as - proselytizing, self-opinionated, so-called Christian missionaries hell-bent on destroying guilt-free happiness – Thailand was too much of a good example to others for them; actively militant female liberators on a mission to destroy traditional, well-oiled family mores; and, most recently, political evangelists who believe that any bad democracy, with misinformed voters, is preferable to a long-established benign dictatorship.
All this was for the Thai's good, and to the point now that the longsuffering Thais endure the remnants of Bogside Rioters through displaced IRA sympathizers; religious activism and harassment; along with hypercritically applied encouragement from outside – encouragement of such as terrorism/counter-terrorism, blatant prostitution and drug dealing I still retain confidence and hope that the Thias will somehow ride this storm of interference and retain their difference; just as they have survived many other storms in their long history.
Counting against that hope is the grinding and relentless progression of the wrong kind of globalization; a kind of ‘materialistic communism’ that seeks financial egalitarianism on the world stage (not a bad ambition in itself), but which, unfortunately, at the same time irons out the heart of culture by destroying excellence.
So Thailand seems to be losing heart; and who better to convert Thailand into a maze of boring shopping-malls designed for the brain-dead than a man who walks away from an accusation - that he embezzled from the State by misappropriating millions for himself - yet claims he works to help the poor.
He appears to believe that the elegant subtlety of Thai diplomacy can easily be misguided; manipulated: and corrupted - and the red-shirts evidence that his belief might become true.

Raymond Groves,
Hastings,
Britain

Malaysia catches sand smugglers On way to Singapore The Star, Wednesday 5 May 2010

Congratulations to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) for its nationwide hunt for sand thieves who have not only raked in billions of ringgit but also caused extensive damage to the environment.
MACC officers who went undercover have so far nabbed 43 suspects and several
more are on their radar.
The special task force has unearthed the activities of several syndicates that exported sand under the guise of silica to a neighbouring country.
It was reported that 19 have been charged in court and more will have to face
the law.
The success of the operation can be attributed to public tip-offs and the willingness of the MACC to take effective action.
It is estimated that the revenue lost is in excess of half a billion yearly for sand transported via lorries.
This figure does not include sand smuggled by sea - something that has been going on for years.
This is the direct loss.
The indirect one - damage to the environment, flora and fauna, as well as
causing erosions - is far more. It was disclosed that bribes paid out to those
in authority ranged from RM500 and RM88,000, with sexual favours thrown in.
The damage to the environment is irreversible.
Thus it is important for the judiciary to pass deterrent sentences that should be a minimum jail term of 20 years coupled with hefty fines.
The appeal to the public to contact the authorities of such illegal activities
would only be successful if deterrent action is taken.
Otherwise, the whole operation will be perceived as a sendiwara.
Should this happen, the public will consider it a waste of time and not bother
anymore.
Punishing the culprits accordingly will also show the seriousness and commitment
of political leaders, enforcement agencies, judiciary and the civil servants in
combating corruption, which causes the nation annual losses in the billions.
Can we hope for a status report from MACC on the final outcome of their hard
work?
Will the media monitor and report the progress until the case reaches its end?

Gursharan Singh,
Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia

Philippine presidential candidate, Noynoy Aquino, Expected to perpetuate the status quo The Philippine Inquirer, Tuesday 4 May 2010

Many of us are now convinced that Noynoy Aquino is a righteous person; that he will govern this country toward a moral path.
But there is a caveat: While Noynoy possesses the character of a moral leader it does not follow that those down the line - from the mayors to barangay officials
will be inspired by him.
He needs to tell us why he admits those from the old regime into his party.
The future of this country cannot be put in a test tube.
Science performs experiments on the basis of a hypothesis.
The same can’t be said of people’s lives.
But all the same, this coming May, millions of Filipinos will be making an experiment.
The hypothesis is Noynoy Aquino.
My biggest fear is that an Aquino presidency will perpetuate the status quo.
I have observed SUVs (four-wheel drive) and gated mansions with yellow ribbons.
The same cannot be found in the abode of my friend who has four children, earns less than a hundred pesos a day and does not own a house.
To have more of the same economic and fiscal policies that allow only those who are in the know to thrive is missing the point.
The point is the poor, more than the rich, are the ones who need good governance.
While it is true that corruption has caused misery in the lives of most Filipinos, it is not the root of all evil; it is our lack of moral concern for our fellowmen.
Those who have studied in universities and have become professionals are all aware of their moral duties to society.
But do they have the desire to help the poor?
The fact is, our society remains such a bastion of uneventful and meaningless human lives because to us owning a Blackberry is a sign of a life well lived, whereas assisting charitable institutions is like throwing money into a bottomless pit.
There is nothing objectionable to the claim that a righteous leader will choose the path of moral goodness.
But Hacienda Luisita haunts Noynoy because he has not done anything about it to show he means business when the lives of the vulnerable are at stake.
His contention that the decision regarding this land dispute belongs not to him is bereft of any moral force.
If he feels that he is powerless in resolving that conflict, should I have a reason to
believe he will be able to slay the monster of political and corporate opportunism in our fragile democracy?
Will he be able to lead us across miles and miles of doubts and hopelessness so we can believe again that all men and women are created equal?
A single man cannot bring people together to fight, live or die for something. Rather, it has to be a moral ideal that all of us Filipinos can believe in.
The reason why May 2010 matters to each one of us is that as a people, we should be one in saying that a poor infant dying of hunger and a young child accompanying a blind begging are morally unacceptable.
But the landed families do not believe this.
The taipans do not believe this.
The political dynasties do not believe this.
Or simply put, the status quo does not believe this.
Will Noynoy be the “change we can believe in”?

Christopher Ryan B. Mabolic,
Philosophy faculty,
Ateneo de Davao University,
Philippines

Yellow shirt propaganda Effective against red shirts The Nation, Monday 3 May 2010

I enjoyed every word of Khun Prathoomporn's article 'One fine day' in The Nation 23 April 2010 about her visit to the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) red-shirt rally.
Imagine that had she visited the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) yellow shirts rally (she probably did), the scene would have been like this.
I asked a young woman who was eating som tum and pla ra (fermented fish), "Young lady, ka, why are you here?"
With her mouth full, she said, "I'm here to help get rid of Thaksin".
"Why?"
"Thaksin wants to eliminate the monarchy and appoint himself president for life." "Who told you this?"
"Sonthi Limthongkul."
Sonthi Limthongkul is the leader of he People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) yellow shirts.
I was disturbed.
I spotted a middle-aged man who was rolling what appeared to be a cigarette, and asked him, "Khun ka, why are you here?"
He lit the smoke, which smelled kind of funny to me, and said "To protest against Thaksin".
"Why?"
He inhaled heavily and said
"Do you know the date the Thai Rak Thai Party was set up?"
"No, I don't".
"It was July 14."
"So?"
"That date marked the beginning of the French Revolution in 1789, in which the French monarchy was removed.
Now, do you think it was a coincidence that Thaksin set up his party on July 14?" "Who told you this?"
"Sonthi Limthongkul."
I was appalled.
Coming across an old man who'd apparently just finished relieving himself on a lamp post, I asked him, "Khun loong ka, you hate Thaksin, don't you?"
"Very much," he said while pulling up his zipper.
"Why?"
"You know, Thaksin once conducted a religious rite inside the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, which is reserved exclusively for the King. Worse, he arranged his seat the same way it is for the King."
"Sonthi told you?"
"Yes."
I was furious.
Next thing I knew I found myself clad in a yellow shirt and yellow headband, waving a yellow flag, and chanting "Hey! Hey! Ho! Ho! Thaksin's got to go".

Somsak Pola,
Samut Prakarn,
Thailand

The Japanese have been eating whales For more than a 1000 years The Japan Times, Sunday 2 May 2010

Regarding the The Japan Times April 25 article "Whaling whoppers debunked": I was disappointed to read Jeff Kingston's review of Jun Morikawa's book "Whaling in Japan: Power, Politics and Diplomacy."
Although I am not familiar with Morikawa's work and am only vaguely familiar with Kingston's writing in The Japan Times I am quite familiar with false or misleading antiwhaling propaganda, and this article has plenty.
I question whether Kingston did any fact-checking before reprinting Morikawa's statements.
Morikawa claims that Japan has "bought" the votes of landlocked member-countries of the International Whaling Commission.
Yet, of the eight landlocked member nations, six of them vote with antiwhaling countries.
Who does he suppose "bought" their votes?
Kingston quotes Morikawa's assertion that Japan's whale-eating culture is
"an invented tradition, lasting only 20 years from the end of World War II to the early 1960s."
This ignores the fact that whales have been hunted and eaten in parts of Japan for more than 1,000 years.
The idea that whale meat is not being sold is also false.
It is stockpiled due to the seasonal nature of the hunt, but even at the annual high point the whale stock still represents only a tiny fraction of all the marine food products stored in Japan.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries publishes monthly reports with all the statistics.
Morikawa and Kingston seem to have reprinted standard antiwhaling propaganda that has been published for decades by groups like Sea Shepherd, Greenpeace,
the Humane Society and others.
I sincerely hope that more people will take the time to do a little research themselves rather than blindly believing anything that antiwhaling nongovernment
organizations say in their quest for donations.

Peter Testa,
Tokyo,
Japan

 

Everyone in Thailand including foreign diplomats ask When will it end? The Bangkok Post, Saturday 1 May 2010

Our Foreign Minister's secretary is out of touch in slamming the visit by diplomats to the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) or Red Shirts.
There is nothing wrong in having foreign diplomats in Thailand calling on the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) leaders at Ratchaprasong to gauge ways to help to resolve the conflict, after many fumbling efforts from the government.
Everybody in Thailand has been asking one crucial question: when will it end?
It was mighty kind of those diplomats to try to help, without taking sides.
It is not unusual for diplomats to pay courtesy calls on members of an opposition
party in any country.
The painful part is that the secretary calls the diplomats' visit as ''endorsing
the UDD leaders who have violated Thai laws''.
That is like the pot calling the kettle black.
Do remember that his boss remains under a legal cloud for his participation in the The People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) or Yellow Shirts closure of Suvarnabhumi airport.
Our Foreign Minister even had the audacity to announce subsequently at a gathering of diplomats that the ''party'' at the airport was ''fun with good music and good food''.
He will have to live down that remark for the rest of his life.

Songdej Praditsmanont,
Bangkok,
Thailand



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Sport distracts Australians From socioeconomic reality The Southeast Asian Times, Friday 30 April 2010

" Oh! no! not another 'conspiracy theory"?
How often I have had that response from Australians when raising a subject involving rapacious Zionist bankers.
Inherently sports oriented; parochial by nature; and 'responsibly escapist' by choice, the majority of Australians remain cosseted within a false euphoria, a repressed motivation; a failure to explore the intrinsic factors contributing towards the world's debilitating, social and economic, state of despair.
The current US Senate Inquiry into the (alleged) 'quasi-criminal' Ponzi schemes (that have bankrupted and dispossessed millions of families) orchestrated and manipulated by the board of Zionist bankers, Goldman Sachs et al, must prepare to defend itself against a formidable foe.
Armed with a moral conviction - indeed a self induced entitlement - to perform in such a scurrillous manner - "Let the ends justify the means"- i.e. to deceive, to survive, the Inquiry must not compromise its intended unswerving pursuit of direct and revealing answers to pertinent/revelant questions.
The western world has reached a strategic 'moment-of-truth; a moral and economic 'fork-in-the-road.'
Indeed, the road to 'deliverance'!
The Inquiry must now set in motion a legal mechanism to redress past wrongs; to dismiss from public utilities those proven guilty of deliberately contributing directly or indirectly towards international financial 'melt-downs; wars; recessions and depressions and should offer them, in relative fairness, accommodation at a reportedly under-utilised Guantanimo Bay.
Anything less will further undermine faith in the 'democratic system and ensure that the present, ruthless, regime will prevail to 'pick-our-pockets another day'.
I invite those who yearn for a peaceful and fulfilling life to visit the cause of their world now in turmoil:- http://www.biblebelievers.org.au/przion1.htm

Harry A Boniface
Queensland
Australia

Malaysian private hospital Loads patients' bills The Star, Thursday 28 April 2010

I want to highlight the unethical and criminal practice of a private hospital in
cheating patients and insurance companies.
The modus operandi is to add articles or drugs into patients’ bills which are
being paid by medical insurance companies even though the patients do not use
them.
The patients do not check the items in the bills or even if they check them, they do not know whether they used them or not, so they do not complain.
They also do not complain because the bills are paid by insurance companies.
The insurance companies do not complain because they do not know about it and
that is why they target patients whose bills are settled by medical insurance
companies.
Is there anyone out there who knows whether there is an association of medical
insurance companies we can complain to in order to strike out this particular
hospital from the panel of hospitals on their list?
Are there also government agencies we can complain to?
Is there a board of accreditation or something like Malaysian Society for Quality in Hospitals?
How do we contact them?

Consumer,
Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia

Independent Commission Against Private Armies Ready to report findings The Philippine Inquirer, Wednesday 28 April 2010

This refers to the editorial titled “Campaign violence.” in Philippine Inquirer, 13 April 2010.
Since day one, we have been focused on fulfilling our mandate.
We also have been closely coordinating with the Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines for an intensified campaign against private armed groups (PAGs).
Now on its fourth month, the commission is consolidating its findings after going
around the “election hot spots” to conduct field investigations and consult with politicians, political leaders and other stakeholders.
In due time, the commission will submit to President Macapagal-Arroyo its recommendations, including short- and medium-term solutions as well as long-term remedial measures to tackle the problem of private armies in the country.
If we had been quiet, it was because we have been earnestly attending to our tasks.
We are aware of the multi-dimensional nature of PAGs and of some skepticism on the sincerity of the government to address the issue.
Despite these concerns, we have accomplished the following, among others:
As an investigative body: collated/evaluated results of consultative meetings, conducted field investigations of so-called “hot spots,” researched exhaustively on the deficiencies of the firearms control program, vulnerabilities in the creation and
monitoring of Cafgus and CVOs and in the use of the Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA), and reviewed existing laws and administrative regulations.
As the government’s partner in the campaign against private armies: issued resolutions to the PNP and AFP for compliance, as part of immediate solutions.
Meanwhile, the Independent Commission Against Private Armies (Icapa)
recommends the aggressive implementation of certain laws on election offenses and the prosecution of the offenders.
Several solutions have been proposed in the form of legislative amendments; the
details will be made public in due time.
The medium-term solutions involve the expansion, suspension, institutionalization or actual repeal of certain executive and administrative orders that deal with the operation of community defense forces; command responsibility in the PNP, AFP and other law enforcement agencies; issuance and licensing of firearms; the imposition of penalty provisions for firearms loss; and alternative methods of conflict resolution.
Our comprehensive report will be submitted to the President within the month.
Incidentally, the commission is composed of Mahmod Mala Adilao, Herman Basbaño, Dante Jimenez, Virtus Gil, Bishop Juan de Dios Pueblos and Edilberto P. Adan (who was appointed after the death of Jaime Echeverria) as members; and retired Court of Appeals Justice Monina Arevalo-Zenarosa as chair.
We hope that this letter will enlighten the public on the progress of the commission’s work.
Rest assured that the commission is doing its best to be worthy of the public’s trust.

Herman Z Basbano,
Commissioner,
Independent Commission Against Private Armies (Icapa),
Manila,
Philippines

US army, air force, marine corps and coast guard For rent at US$1 billion a day The Jakarta Post, Tuesday 27 April 2010

The US aided its allies, as well as non-ally’s, without objection.
But all that has changed now, the US is saying no more to its allies, from now on the US Armed Forces are for rent only.
It sounds strange, but as a result of the economic crisis, the US is making plans to rent its Armed Forces to all interested parties.
President Obama’s Nuclear Security Summit was the first phase in preparations: “eliminate all nuclear threats for more efficient and secure warfare”.
Today, the US is confronted with the greatest recession in its history.
The US public debt is in excess of US$12.6 trillion and continues to grow at a rate of about $4.03 billion each day.
The US entered year 2008 during a housing market correction, a subprime mortgage crisis and a declining dollar value.
On December 1, 2008 the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) declared that the US entered a recession in December 2007, citing employment and production figures as well as the third quarter decline in GDP (3.9 percent). Confronted with the largest depression in modern history, the US Government led by President Obama and small group of trustworthy individuals restarted the idea from the 70s - to rent US Armed Forces to all interested parties.
Invasion of foreign land and ongoing wars became very expensive, therefore the
only way to maintain big military was to rent or reduce it, and reduction is out
of the question.
The date from which the Armed Forces will be available, as well as terms and
conditions concerning rent are not presented yet; however we can assume that the
rent fee will be set for about $1 billion per day and will include all branches
of the US military: Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and US Coast Guard. The Armed Forces will be under direct command of the US and will only execute plans and directives by the lessee-government.
The US Armed Forces will only provide services to lessee, and will not be held
responsible for damage or loss of lives in any circumstance.
The lessee may not use the Armed Forces to attack the US or its territories, and the US’ first neighboring countries. Countries that will not be able to rent the US Armed Forces are: China, Germany, Iran, India, the United Kingdom, North Korea and Russia (except in terms when the country which needs to be invaded is considered hostile by the US Government).
The US military is the second largest in the world after the People’s Liberation
Army of China, and has troops deployed around the globe. Is this story a
fiction, or a reality, you decide.

Ivan Simic
Belgrade,
Serbia

Malaysia should make a stand Against former British PM Tony Blair The Star, Monday 26 April 2010

I write in reply to the column by Shad Saleem Faruqi, “Tony Blair Stands
Accused” in The Star, April 21.
I am a proud British citizen who has been working in Malaysia for four years and
thank you for your hospitality.
I have to say that I fully support the sentiment of his article and his call to refuse Blair’s entry to Malaysia, and for the appropriate international authorities to pursue him and George W. Bush for their sickening disregard for international law, human rights and pursuit of hidden agendas disguised as “for the greater good of the world” policies.
To invite him and have him speak gives him credence and credibility that he does
not deserve.
If Malaysia lets him in, shame; if people pander to his status as a past leader, shame; if people show their peaceful distaste at his presence and invitation, good.
Malaysia should make a stand.
It will be applauded by many around the world.

Jay Smith,
Damansara Heights.
Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia

If the Ampatuans go down President Macapagal-Arroyo goes down with them The Philippine Inquirer, Sunday 25 April 2010

Justice secretary Alberto Agra spits on the graves of the Maguindanao massacre victims.
His resolution absolving two Ampatuans from involvement in the massacre is a clear act of injustice, conspiracy and evil!
It is now clear why President Macapagal-Arroyo appointed Agra as justice secretary.
His main task is to set the Ampatuans free before her term ends.
The Ampatuans are opportunists spoiled by past governments - going back to Cory Aquino’s presidency.
Their actions reek of opportunism.
They are ready to drop the Arroyos like hot potatoes to the point of revealing the latter’s election fraud and manipulations.
When the Nacionalista Party (NP) presidential candidate Manny Villar was closing in on the lead of Liberal Party's (LP) Noynoy Aquino in surveys, the Ampatuans declared support for the former’s presidency.
A few days ago, Andal Ampatuan Jr. wore a yellow shirt to show his support for Aquino.
This is a strong message for the Arroyos - if the Ampatuans go down, the Arroyos will go down with them.
Agra’s actions are obvious.
He railroaded the speedy release of the Ampatuans.
No alibi can conceal Ms Arroyo’s part in the circus; Agra only serves and acts for the satisfaction of his boss.
Gabriela Women’s Party in Southern Tagalog condemns in the strongest
possible words this act of injustice perpetrated by the Department of Justice.
We support the public prosecutors’ action against Agra’s evil decision.
If the government has the gall to do this to a much celebrated case such as the Maguindanao Massacre, a sorrowful fate awaits the cases of other human rights violations.
They will surely go down the drain in the hands of the DOJ.
But Ms Arroyo and her lapdogs will not be able to escape the hands of justice even after her term.

Leona Entena,
Southern Tagalog regional coordinator,
Gabriela Women’s Party,
Philippines

 

Malaysia's 'lebih kurang' attitude To be imbued with Japans sence of urgency The Star, Saturday 24 April 2010

I refer to your report, “Najib invites Japanese to invest and reinvest in
Malaysia” in The Star, April 21 in which our Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak in his acceptance speech on being conferred an honorary doctorate by the University of Meiji was reported as saying that Malaysians must give up their
“lebih kurang” attitude and adopt “precision” to be a competitive nation.
Japan is a highly precise nation and this quality has helped them in their
development of science and technology.
Besides their penchant for precision, there is also in them a firm commitment to excellence – to be “dai ichhi” in whatever they do, a passion to be the very best.
There is a sense of urgency in whatever they do.
Despite the fact that commuter trains leave their stations every minute, you see Japanese commuters half running in order to catch the earlier train.
This may appear odd to Malay­sians going to Japan for the first time because we
think that if we miss the earlier train, there will always be many more coming
after that.
The Malaysians there too will soon emulate the Japanese as they will feel odd
walking leisurely while others are half running.
Such an attitude of urgency will soon permeate our work and will be reflected in the sense of urgency in all that we do.
However, when these Malay­sians return to Malaysia, they will feel odd and
conspicuous half running to catch a train while all others are walking
leisurely.
When I was attached to a research institute in Tokyo in the 1970s, I was
impressed by their work ethic, punctuality, focus and commitment to work, their
spirit of teamwork and co-operation and a readiness to share knowledge, skills
and expertise among the staff.
During working hours, it is strictly work and any conversation during working
hours (including telephone conversations) is strictly work-related and to the
point.
All social conversations and small talk were strictly confined to tea and
lunch breaks.
Malaysians who have the opportunity to study and work in Japan as part of their
training should, besides bringing back knowledge and skills, also bring back the
work ethic and attitude and implement this at their workplaces here.
They should not allow such practices to backslide and deteriorate, especially when newcomers are joining their organisation with the “lebih kurang” attitude.

M. Ganeshadeva,
Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia

British colonisation of Malaysia A blessing in disguise The Star, Friday 23 April 2010

I believe that it is a blessing in disguise for being colonised by the British.
Our colonial master did us a service by developing this country in the early
days.
They laid the infrastructure to bring about economic development.
They established the administrative system which along with the army, navy and police curtailed threats from within and outside.
And thus, we inherited a system which evolved to what it is today.
Truth is the foundation of all virtues; failing to recognise and accepting history is doing a disservice to the development of this nation.
Politicians may play up patriotic sentiments for a different agenda but a
level-headed mind will understand the blessings we have.
Now, we must be aware that in a globalised world, there is opportunity for
strong nations to colonise others without physically taking over the government.
It can be economic or social colonisation, which creeps in without us
knowing it.

K.T. Maran,
Seremban,
Malaysia

More than half of Philippine taxes Pay for foreign debt Philippine Inquirer, Thursday 22 April 2010

This has reference to the news story titled “Next president will inherit near-empty gov’t coffers.” in Philippine Inquirer, 15 April 2010.
Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and their families will surely be battered all the more as “the country’s next president will face the daunting task of running an economy with near-empty government coffers while pushing for crucial and unpopular reform programs.”
We warn the next administration against imposing any more additional tax burdens on the Filipino people.
Through the years, excessive taxes and government corruption have robbed OFWs and all of the country’s poor of their hard-earned incomes.
We are outraged over the fact that taxpayers’ money has been wasted due to government corruption and that for every P10 collected in taxes, P6 goes to the
payment of onerous foreign debts.
In the first place, the fiscal crisis is the result of decades of government corruption and adherence to the neo-liberal policies of deregulation, privatization and liberalization imposed by the IMF-World Bank.
These policies resulted in chronic trade and budget deficits and even more foreign debt.
Desperate for dollars to pay these biggest foreign loan sharks, the Philippine government turned Filipinos into the country’s No. 1 export.
The bigger challenge for the country’s next president is to do what President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and her predecessors failed to do – make way for fundamental economic and political reforms that will break the Philippines’ bondage to immoral foreign debts and policies that perpetually favor foreign interests and the local elite.
Recently, a minister in New Zealand publicly apologized and resigned from office after he was heavily criticized for inappropriately spending taxpayers’ money, including NZ$70 for two bottles of wine.
When news of that minister’s resignation broke out, Filipinos instantly recalled the lavish dinners and travels of Ms Arroyo and her entourage abroad. How we wish that the Arroyo family and their allies would have the delicadeza to resign and pay back the Filipino people whom they have cheated and robbed many times over.
But unlike the NZ minister who was forced to resign and pay back what he spent inappropriately, the Arroyo dynasty is shamelessly clinging on to power.
Instead of more taxes, we dare the next president to scrap the expanded value added tax, especially on oil and power, and junk the policies of all-out trade liberalization, deregulation and privatization that have condemned Filipinos to a vicious cycle of poverty and joblessness.
To stop the phenomenon of forced migration, the next president must decisively take steps to place the common good above the interests of the country’s elite, especially on the issues of land reform and exploitative working conditions that drive Filipinos to seek jobs abroad.

Dennis Maga,
National coordinator,
Migrante Aotearoa,
Migrante New Zealand

Scientists livelihood dependant on Climate change armageddon The Southeast Asian Times, Wednesday 21 April 2010

Changing wind patterns in the Arctic Oscillation cycle - not temperature - had caused an extensive summer melt of Arctic sea ice in 2007 and a low Arctic ice extent in October of that year.
Nevertheless, global warming activists seized on this melt data as the leading indicator of climate change Armageddon with headlines saying that the Arctic "is screaming", that it is the "canary in the coal mine", and that polar bears and other creatures in the Arctic are dying off and facing imminent extinction.
They said that melting sea ice had set up a positive feedback system that would cause the summer melts in subsequent years to be greater and greater until the Arctic became ice free in the summer of 2012 unless we acted immediately to
cut carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels.
Press releases and "research papers" in this vein continue to this day even though the trend in the summer melt extent has been going in exactly the opposite direction and even though Arctic ice has made a complete recovery from its 2007 melt and even though no actual empirical study of animal populations has shown that their numbers are diminishing.
The 2007 ice data have given such momentum to global warming advocacy that even now, in 2010, in the face of overwhelming data to the contrary, we find two articles in the Bangkok Post still screaming about Arctic creatures endangered by global warming.
Clearly, there are still too many scientists out there whose livelihood depends on publishing papers that support the war against carbon dioxide.

Cha-am Jamal
Thailand

Washington Nuclear summit Turns into Iran bashing conference The Southeast Asian Times, Saturday 17 April 2010

Wrapping up a two-day nuclear security summit in Washington, US President Obama said that he will push hard for "strong sanctions" against Iran for its continued development of a nuclear program, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) News 13 April 2010 reports.
A more appropriate title would have been The Iran Bashing Conference.
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is to be congratulated for his decision to oppose sanctions against Iran.
He told US President Barack Obama that "India does not favour Iran’s nuclear weapons ambitions but sanctions were not an answer to it as poor people get affected more than the ruling establishment." in The Hindu 14 April 2010.
As usual, afraid of not getting his own way, the 'untouchable' Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu played the spoilt schoolboy, he took his bat and ball and refused to attend the conference.
In other words, he refuses point blank to be held responsible for ignoring UN resolutions and his continued ethnic cleansing of Palestine.
Iran in not illegally occupying land, confiscating property, bulldozing houses, using phosphorus bombs on innocent women and children but then, unlike Netanyahu, President Mahmoud Ahmaddinejad is not the "blue-eyed boy" of the US Israel Lobby.
They control the US administration with an iron fist and God help anyone who dares to cross their path; a visit from 'gentlemen' with fake passports and carrying tennis rackets perhaps!

Maurice Horsburgh,
Palm Beach,
Queensland,
Australia

Wanted: Pronunciation of proper English For Australian curriculum The Southeast Asian Times, Wednesday 14 April 2010

I am a first generation, 'mature aged', Australian born caucasian of British parentage.
I fully support the sentiments expressed in the letter submitted by Jaydee, Ipoh Malasia in The Southeast Asian Times, 4 April "Malasia does not want to learn English from Australians".
I have witnessed the decline in the standard of English expression in this country, over a period of many years, much to my sorrow.
But, at time of writing, the Australian government is struggling, against an opinionated (entrenched) education hieararchy, to implement an improved national curriculum.
One can only live in hope that, if successful, it includes instruction in the pronunciation of English in a superior form.
But, quality teachers 'do not grow on trees'.
It will probably take a generation to re-educate ( or remove) a teaching incumbency comfortable within a climate of institutionalised mediocrity.
"As the bough is bent, so inclines the tree"

Harry A. Boniface
Queensland
Australia

Thai PM Abhisit Told not to quit The Bangkok Post, Tuesday 13 April 2010

PM Abhisit, I know you must be mourning the loss of 21 lives on Saturday night as a result of the clashes between government security forces and the red shirt protesters.
But please don't let that be the cause for you to quit the premiership just because some people say so - especially the red shirts and their boss, Thaksin.
Please be assured that much more severe incidents than this happen in every corner of the world.
PM Abhisit, you and I both have our families living and staying in the country.
That says so much about our love for the country, and our determination to make it a better place for posterity.
The fact that Thaksin has called all his children out of the country already says so much, whether he expects the ongoing demonstrations to be peaceful or bloody and violent.
Don't let Thaksin have the satisfaction of having torn this country apart and devour it in a gulp.
Thaksin is not a champion of democracy as he claims; he is a mere despot and a kleptomaniac.

Chavalit Van,
Chiang Mai,
Thailand

No more colour-coded Divide-and-rule politics for Thailand Bangkok Post, Monday 12 April 2010

Voranai's commentary last week "The middle class really should know better" has raised some important issues.
The real question is whether the Thai middle class is uniquely different.
In some ways, it is.
It largely consists of urban people who were educated in local universities where they did not learn how to ask hard questions.
They are part of a top-down system that only produces devoted followers, not much else.
In the land of Buddha they are asked to wear a Western-style gown and receive a degree in a grand style.
Another strange twist is that the professors and all other government officials in Thailand call themselves civil servants, not public servants.
The Thai intelligentsia takes great pride in being a class in itself.
The reason is simple.
Like everything else, they were also nurtured by the top-down system, where success came with how low they could bow to authority and respect the traditional forces.
It is strange that the privileged urban class sometimes thinks that poor people in Thailand are reaping the fruits of their karma that it has nothing to do with social injustice, corruption and exploitation perpetuated by the university degree holders or the rich.
The fact is that the poor and uneducated in any country are the result of an inadequate political system rooted in its history.
In Thailand, for a very long time the system has been held hostage by the degree holders and the urban elite, who have created a kind of political culture where corruption, conformity and loyalty turn into a glow of false pride and patriotism.
A divided society is not the result of some unfortunate historical accident.
In the history of mankind, social changes have always been initiated by the down-trodden, the oppressed and the disenfranchised. Drastic social change sometimes requires drastic action.
A nation can reconcile differences only when it perceives there is a crisis and fears that social uprising will turn the nation upside down.
To make a start on uniting the Thai people, the prime minister could set two conditions for dissolving parliament.
First, there will be no more of this colour-coded politics, and second, we will have to think and work as one people, from one country.
Thaksin should also be called on to be part of the solution.

Kuldeep Nagi
Assumption University
Thailand

How much of US$17 billion investment in LNG Will remain in Papua New Guinea The National, Sunday 11 April 2010

I refer to Southern Highlands Province Governor Anderson Agiru’s letter in The National, March 26 alluding to my letter of March 23.
Mr Agiru and others believed they got the best deal out of this project and people like me should not be making unjustified statements criticising their good work.
With due respect to the governor, whether he and the so-called State negotiating team had done a good job or not will only be proven in due time.
In fact, I would say the results are already being felt by the people.
Hardly a day pass without our newspapers carrying a story or two about the unjust treatment by the project developer, the State giving in to landowners, missing Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) funds or unfulfilled MoA promises, etc.
Was there a win-win situation for all the stakeholders?
I don’t need some myopic analyst from Kokopo or Melbourne to prove me
otherwise.
The governor’s claims that he did his best for Papua New Guinea remain to be seen, which he rightfully said were kept confidential and locked away in Waigani.
While only the privileged few are privy to the contents of the negotiations, the majority of us who are dwelling on the fringes will only speculate and deduce what they are based on the results we observed everyday in the newspapers and from grapevine sources.
How can the negotiators call it the best deal when the landowners were given an additional 5 percent equity from the State’s equity of 19.6 percent and not
from the developer’s 81.4 percent equity?
Mind you, the extra 5 percent to the landowners did not increase the original
equity of the State. The 19.6 percent of the State’s equity also included the
landowners’ equity of 2 percent .
I am of the view that Papua New Guinea negotiators did not have the guts to demand from the developer who had 81.4 percent to give 5 percent or more to the landowners.
And that was an exceptional negotiation feat?
How can it be the best deal when the developer is exempted from paying
import duty taxes, income tax, GST and a delayed but usual corporate income tax of 30 percent ?
The corporate income tax will come into effect in 2018 or thereabouts when the developer makes a profit.
The inclusion of the additional profit tax (APT) is a bonus but in reality, APT will only work in exceptional cases after the developer records abnormal profits.
I believe our first APT will be due in about 20 or 30 years’ time but the State said that was fine. In reality, the Government is not going to collect any form of taxes at least for the next 10 years and that, also goes for the return on equities because dividends and royalties are only paid when the company makes a profit.
The only immediate benefit to the country is tax revenue and a substantial amount will come from import duty and personal income tax but our negotiators have, in their wisdom, exempted that.
How can the negotiators call it the best deal:
When the ownership of the extensive pipeline corridor area on the land
and under the sea on both sides of the pipeline is owned by the
developer and any resource discovered along the corridor area belongs to the developer?;
When only K10,000 will be paid to landowners of affected area for relocation?;
When landowners are given simple subcontract jobs to cook, clean and provide security for expatriates but the real meat is given to Electrical Power Contractor EPC contractors?
While Mr Agiru did not want to enlighten us about the nitty-gritty of their negotiations, it was pathetic he did not know how much of the US$17 billion LNG investment would remain in PNG; and when a thorough independent impact study of the LNG project was not done to show the real impact of the project on the socio-economic, cultural and environmental landscape?
I think we are blinded by the illusory goodies that the LNG will generate and did not consider the negative impacts whose magnitude has the potential to surpass that of the positive flows from the project.
They think the LNG project is the economic saviour for the development and future of our country, therefore, we can concede much.
But I want to say that while Australia and the United States have more petroleum resources than Papua New Guinea, they do not allow such developments to
undermine their agriculture sector because they know that the agriculture sector is the real backbone of their economy, and not petroleum.
So we should think twice.

Wotekep Kangtekep,
Port Moresby,
Papua New Guinea

Malaysia does not want to learn English from Australians The Star, Saturday 10 April 2010

I refer to Hussaini Abdul Karim’s letter “Get it right, it’ll speak volumes for
our English” in The Star, April 6 in which he says, “The best, practical and
cheapest way to teach or re-teach our students the English language at primary and secondary schools, colleges and universities is to bring back retired British-trained English teachers.”
What about British-trained Malaysian teachers or even Malaysian students who
have been trained in Britain or those who have been trained by the
British-trained Malaysian teachers?
There is a plethora of English language expertise that the Government can tap on.
It is difficult to comprehend why the Government is turning to Australia for
help with the English language in Malaysia.
The Australians speak English with an accent which is difficult to understand.
They use slang and idiomatic expressions which are not commonly heard of in the rest of the world.
Can you imagine how a person from China would sound if he had learnt English
from a Frenchman?
That is exactly how out-of-place our Malaysians would feel if they learnt
English from the Australians.
English has become a foreign language in Malaysia.
To learn English in Malaysia, however, Malaysians are fortunate to have an abundance of resources for all ages, especially in the form of entertainment.
Our local English language teachers should make use of all these resources like
websites, TV shows, radio, newspapers and magazines, and not depend fully on the textbook and workbook with the sole aim of getting students to score As in the
examination.
Making use of the listening skill is imperative, too.
Give students practice so that they are aware of how words are strung together
and pronounced.
I think that getting British trainers to teach the trainee teachers to use these
resources will see better results in the long run than getting a few Australian
teachers to teach a handful of students on a short-term basis.

Jaydee,
Ipoh,
Malaysia

Population growth Survival strategy for US The Southeast Asian Times, Friday 9 April 2010

On the one hand, Western pundits warn us about the dangers of an impending "population bomb" brought about by overpopulation.
We are told that the planet is being overwhelmed by the sheer number of people on it and will soon be unable to supply us with sufficient food, water, shelter, and energy and so we must do everything we can to control the population growth rate.
On the other hand, we find that the Western nations themselves are scrambling for population growth to the point that the United States is now counting on a vigorous fertility rate to boost its population to 400 million by the year 2050 as a way of gaining economic advantage against nations with more stable populations in 'America will be just fine', in Bangkok Post, April 7, 2010.
We thus find that the same nations that fund anti-fertility programs to limit population growth in Asia and Africa are, at the same time, gloating about their ability to increase fertility and growth rate of their own populations.
These contradictions raise serious questions. Is population growth good or bad?
Is the population bomb a global problem or a localized one?
To protect the planet from the population bomb should the population growth in some areas be restricted while that in others encouraged?

Cha-am Jamal,
Thailand

Chicago tactics offered For Thai protesters Bangkok Post, Thursday 7 April 2010

A simplistic solution to avoid protester disruptions of whatever shirt colour is
simply to adopt the tactics of my hometown Chicago.
If you were to attempt to block a road or occupy the airport in that city you
would promptly have your skull cracked before being taken to the nearest
precinct to get a beating you would never forget.
All justified for resisting arrest. Hence the origin of the saying:
''How many Chicago cops does it take to throw someone down a flight of stairs?
None, they must have slipped.''
This is all well known and why this city has not had any major disruptions in
over 40 years.
Mr Abhisit should ''grow some cojones'' and stop being such a ''girly man''.

Bill F,
Bangkok,
Thailand

Tear gas and water cannons For London protesters Bangkok Post, Thursday 7 April 2010

How can this be allowed to happen?
The law is being broken and nobody is doing anything.
If this happened in Oxford Street in London or on Fifth Avenue in New York, there would be tear gas, water cannons and it would be over before it even started Amazing Thailand for sure.

Outraged,
Bangkok,
Thailand

Romanian in Singapore hit-and-run Hides behind diplomatic immunity The Star, Wednesday 7 April 2010

I refer to “A grave injustice” in Sunday Star, April 4 which argued that “... it
is high time that the international community take a hard look at the 1961
Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations to curb further abuse of this ancient principle of immunity”.
The writer was disgusted that in two road accident cases, diplomats in the
receiving countries - a Romanian in Singapore last year and an American in
Vladivostok, Russia, in 1998 - claimed diplomatic immunity, and that the sending
states refused to waive immunity.
It is possible for the officials’ home country, even though a signatory to the
Vienna Convention, to waive immunity; this tends to only happen when the
individual has committed a serious crime unconnected with his diplomatic role,
or has witnessed such a crime.
Many countries, nevertheless, refuse to waive immunity as a matter of course.
Alternatively, the home country may prosecute an offending individual.
Malaysia is one country that does not take lightly any crime committed by its
diplomats in the host country.
Usually the officer will be seriously reprimanded by the Foreign Ministry or may even be called home.
By and large our diplomats do carry the Malaysian flag with pride and maintain
the good name of the country.
Road accident involving serious injuries or death is a different thing and must
be viewed on a case by case basis.
But to waive diplomatic immunity for an officer to stand trial in the host
country has never been done by Malaysia for obvious reasons.
In foreign relations, the sovereignty of the country comes first.
No country, no matter how right it is, can with impunity call upon and demand the sending country to extradite the official concerned to stand trial under the host
country’s law.
It is a question of pride, image, and territorial integrity.
It is all about the spirit of the 1961 Vienna Convention.
I agree with the writer that “... in this age when human rights, fairness and
justice override everything else, innocent victims must be accorded recourse
against personal abuses of immunity ...”.
Unless all countries are civilised enough and respect the rules governing a
diplomat, diplomatic immunity is subject to one’s interpretation.

Hassan Talib,
Gombak,
Malaysia

Thaksin congratulates Red Shirts For bringing Bangkok to a standstill Bangkok Post, Tuesday 6 April 2010

Never have I seen bullies able to bring the whole Bangkok central business
district to a standstill by closing the traffic flow at the heart of the city,
Ratchaprasong junction, which is the point where the distance of the main roads
in Thailand is measured from.
With hundreds of millions of baht in losses, yet all the important individuals
interviewed by you lament the obvious but none dare to condemn the reds and
their absent leader directing the operation from overseas.
One industrialist dared to say that everyone suffers but would not mention some
exceptions - specifically that absent leader and his proxies.
That leader even had the audacity to congratulate the mob for causing inconvenience to the whole city, hinted that victory is near through this despicable pressure against this government.
Now I know the meaning of Machiavellian - the ends justify the means, go for
your goal in gaining back your political clout in order to set yourself free from accusations and jail terms irrespective of how the innocent suffer.
I can see incidental benefits from the reds' position that closing the rich and
poor gap has to be on the agenda of all future governments and the elite and
privileged have to climb down from their high horses and be accountable, just
like ordinary folk.
However, sadly, in this war-like atmosphere, the reds have thrown away good
sense and are now leading our society to an atmosphere of McCarthyism as
experienced in the States when no one dared to challenge the unreasonable
accusations and vile remarks of Senator McCarthy and his cronies in the 1950s
(see the fear at a prestigious learning centre on Friday which succumbed to the
reds' threat).
In the minds of the majority, the latest bluff of the red shirts at
Ratchaprasong leaves no choice for Abhisit Vejjajiva but to break up this
gathering in order to tell the absent one that he has now risen to the occasion.
Though they are large in number, for certain they do not represent the majority
of Thai citizens who in their independent minds can never acquiesce to causing
trouble to others.
Prayer is in order for the damage and loss of life of unavoidable action Mr
Abhisit will have to take even if the reds agree to open limited lanes.
This is intolerable and one just has to cry ''enough is enough''.

Songdej Praditsmanont,
Bangkok,
Thailand

Philippine security guards and tricycle drivers Want to participate in congress The Philippine Inquirer, Monday 5 April 2010

The colossal stupidity of the view recently aired by the Commission on Elections on the party-list system is dumbfounding.
Chair Jose Melo opined that in the case of Ang Galing Pinoy, an organization supposedly of security guards, it is all right to have someone like Mikey Arroyo - eldest son of President Macapagal-Arroyo- as its nominee so long as he is accredited as a member thereof; or, for that matter, one like Angelo Reyes - president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s former energy secretary- as nominee for a tricycle drivers’ group.
For practical purposes, how on earth can you expect a mere security guard or a tricycle driver to participate in legislation in Congress, Melo asked.
Thus, even mere advocacy is enough, he concluded.
This bias or prejudice against the “marginalized” members of society is precisely what is being addressed by the constitutional provisions on the party-list.
They need to have their voices heard in Congress.
To say that they are good-for-nothing ignoramuses has got to be the most reckless and bigoted official statement ever heard in this country.
We know some security guards or tricycle drivers who have finished college but for want of better-paying job opportunities, have to settle for what is available to make both ends meet.
They certainly speak and understand English more than we had hoped Sen.
Lito Lapid could, he who was reportedly too shy to open his mouth in the Senate except, perhaps, to say “present” (thus giving rise to the impression that he had absolutely no idea what was going on or what he was doing there).
To reason that these “marginalized” sectors can only be represented by the likes of Mikey Arroyo or Angelo Reyes is so typical of the arrogance and hubris afflicting most bureaucrats appointed by GMA.
Besides, commonsensically, doesn’t it strike the Comelec as a travesty that the most privileged should be representing the least privileged?
Go figure!

Stephen L. Monsanto,
Manila,
Philippines

 

The Government needs to do more To save Papua New Guinea The National, Sunday 4 April 2010

The lack of Government services in rural villages has resulted in the complete breakdown of law and order problems with an escalation in violent crimes.
Tribal fights and payback killings are very common with sorcery and witchcraft-related killings increasing.
The Government seems to only care about what is going on at Waigani and
does not have the time for the rural people.
In cities and towns, squatter settlements are mushrooming, becoming breeding grounds for street mangis looking for any opportunity to survive.
Taking another person’s life is like survival of the fittest as long as they get to live for another day.
There is no control over the influx of illegal immigrants into the country, taking away business and employment opportunities.
Worse than that, there is a rise in the smuggling of counterfeit goods into the country.
The number of illegal businesses (brothels, pornographic movies and gambling) has increased dramatically over the years.
On the other hand, the Papua New Guinea Government accepts them as part of the civilisation process.
When you start looking into these problems, you become aware that corruption plays a direct and prominent role in many of the problems the country is now facing.
Corruption is a serious problem and it is slowly creeping into the homes of many Papua New Guineans, escalating the deteriorating human values and morals.
It is becoming acceptable as a norm and a traditional way of doing things.