Religion grew out of superstitions, that grew out of medieval fears, fears that peddled difference rather than sameness. It grew out of politics, territorial politics to be sure, and how priests then usurped the political space created by politicians to preach or, better, indoctrinate the ignorant, masses of them, about what a non-existing god would do to those who were non-conformist and those who sinned when priests themselves were first-class rogues, paedophiles, womanisers, corrupt, who lied and cheated, who siphoned off “temple funds”, but the ignorant masses, fearing “god’s” wrath, feared standing up to those who preached BS for fear of death and zero afterlife, who clutched to unscientific superstitions and related mumbo-jumbo. Christopher Hitchens et al were right: god is not great … because god does not exist, or has ever existed. Religion is used as a form of imprisonment of the mind, its closing, perpetuating even more difference, hatred, territoriality, racism. Religion is repressionism.
If Anwar Ibrahim came out of the state elections in Malaysia as a "winner", then, concomitantly, so did Perikatan Nasional, most especially the Islamic extremist PAS, which now has the Malays heartland by its shorthairs, enough to further brainwash the Malays with PAS fundamentalist-extremist Islam. In my opinion, Anwar Ibrahim came away from these elections results with more than egg on his face: in fact, he would be seriously concerned if he will be nothing more than a one-term prime minister wonder -- a prospect not at all unrealistic, given the results.
The Chinese-dominated DAP came up trumps but predictably, given the Chinese would never have voted for Malay parties. Racism plays a humungous role in Malaysian politics and none more so among Chinese Malaysians. Only a denier would deny this as a fact. In any case, I do not expect the DAP to play any major role in the Anwar Ibrahim regime in terms of progressive governance and policymaking, both of which has been proved to be duds under Anwar Ibrahim.It's what people in that country like to call "same old, same old". The DAP is meek, weak and a pussycat, happy to play second or third fiddle in the Anwar regime while kissing Anwar's feet for the sake of so-called "racial harmony". But unadulterated racism continues to cut deep, very deep, in all racially-based political parties in Malaysia. Despite Anwar's harebrained and laughable mantra of Mandani, there is simply no room for compromise on racial equality in that country. Not one bit.
Anwar can't milk the results to his own ends. He started off as a crude populist and will end his tenure -- most likely as a one-term wonder who achieved bupkis -- as an even more desperately cruder populist to try to stay in power. Anwar does not govern; he's trying to ensure his name enters the history books of Malaysia (for what Malaysia's history is worth). He is largely unreliable, starting from his wild and woolly promises that he has the numbers for regime change, whether at state or federal levels. None of which he could prove and still has not. He's there as PM at the pitiful behest of the "king" who wanted a "coalition" (of sorts) to avoid another May 1969 bloodbath. Now he's sharing the bedlinen with the lying, thieving, corrupt Malay crooks of UMNO -- out of desperation (again).
What will Anwar do next to win the Malay heartland, now firmly in the grasp of the ever-grasping PN and, worse, the Taliban PAS? Nothing much. He's all spent or is shooting blanks. He can fatten the federal budget but with the world economy on a knife's edge, more so as result of thundering war-drums, the US's ballooning debts, and China's economy headed for the structural mire, he has his work cut out for him. Investments into Malaysia are about as predictable as Anwar's anti-corruption rants. Malaysia's corruption is embedded its political, economic and social systems. Even the religions practiced in Malaysia are corrupt. But these investments will turn away for cheaper production sites elsewhere in the region. Is Anwar willing to repress wages in Malaysia the way Rafidah Aziz had promised at the WTO in 1996, sanctioned by her then boss Mahathir Mohamad? He will have to because foreign MNCs will want that as much as local conglomerates who operate behind state protection. So much for free-market economics in Malaysia. He'll also have to offer huge tax-breaks that Malaysia can ill-afford, even if it climbs into bed with Chinese state-owned or state-backed firms.
Which leaves Anwar heading to Petronas and Khanzanah with bigger begging bowls and a big stick to state-owned companies to pay up as a form of protection racket that has operated in Malaysia since 1981 (if not earlier). But Anwar is playing the Mahathir with the poverty-ridden Malay states in the north. If he think he can have them coming to him with larger begging bowls for state money, then he's delusional. Now the hardball games begin, and Anwar has been weakened by the state elections results, not made stronger or a "winner" by any stretch of the imagination. Let's see what his next moves will be ... but don't hold your breath.
But from the start of history, spirituality of sorts and politics have always mixed. The beginnings of religion sprouted from politics and became deeply embedded with politics. Just as education and politics are not at all mutually exclusive. Even economics and money are not mutually exclusive from politics but deeply and inextricably etched in politics. But with more and more Malays brainwashed by Islam of the extremist brand more and more, Malaysia will come to look decidedly Talibanised in time, that even Anwar Ibrahim will not be able to counter it but give it some degree of succour. Why? It's obvious, isn't it? Has been for a very long time.
Religion isn't a necessity in human affairs any more (if it ever was). Religion sprang from fear of death and the unknown; most advanced countries (barring the US) are leaving it behind, recognising it as the atrophied emotional crutch that it is. Just as we have no use for an appendix now, we have no use for the archaic, childish notions that all religions engender.
The more religious Malaysia gets, the worse it will perform in *all* metrics.
Religion grew out of superstitions, that grew out of medieval fears, fears that peddled difference rather than sameness. It grew out of politics, territorial politics to be sure, and how priests then usurped the political space created by politicians to preach or, better, indoctrinate the ignorant, masses of them, about what a non-existing god would do to those who were non-conformist and those who sinned when priests themselves were first-class rogues, paedophiles, womanisers, corrupt, who lied and cheated, who siphoned off “temple funds”, but the ignorant masses, fearing “god’s” wrath, feared standing up to those who preached BS for fear of death and zero afterlife, who clutched to unscientific superstitions and related mumbo-jumbo. Christopher Hitchens et al were right: god is not great … because god does not exist, or has ever existed. Religion is used as a form of imprisonment of the mind, its closing, perpetuating even more difference, hatred, territoriality, racism. Religion is repressionism.
If Anwar Ibrahim came out of the state elections in Malaysia as a "winner", then, concomitantly, so did Perikatan Nasional, most especially the Islamic extremist PAS, which now has the Malays heartland by its shorthairs, enough to further brainwash the Malays with PAS fundamentalist-extremist Islam. In my opinion, Anwar Ibrahim came away from these elections results with more than egg on his face: in fact, he would be seriously concerned if he will be nothing more than a one-term prime minister wonder -- a prospect not at all unrealistic, given the results.
The Chinese-dominated DAP came up trumps but predictably, given the Chinese would never have voted for Malay parties. Racism plays a humungous role in Malaysian politics and none more so among Chinese Malaysians. Only a denier would deny this as a fact. In any case, I do not expect the DAP to play any major role in the Anwar Ibrahim regime in terms of progressive governance and policymaking, both of which has been proved to be duds under Anwar Ibrahim.It's what people in that country like to call "same old, same old". The DAP is meek, weak and a pussycat, happy to play second or third fiddle in the Anwar regime while kissing Anwar's feet for the sake of so-called "racial harmony". But unadulterated racism continues to cut deep, very deep, in all racially-based political parties in Malaysia. Despite Anwar's harebrained and laughable mantra of Mandani, there is simply no room for compromise on racial equality in that country. Not one bit.
Anwar can't milk the results to his own ends. He started off as a crude populist and will end his tenure -- most likely as a one-term wonder who achieved bupkis -- as an even more desperately cruder populist to try to stay in power. Anwar does not govern; he's trying to ensure his name enters the history books of Malaysia (for what Malaysia's history is worth). He is largely unreliable, starting from his wild and woolly promises that he has the numbers for regime change, whether at state or federal levels. None of which he could prove and still has not. He's there as PM at the pitiful behest of the "king" who wanted a "coalition" (of sorts) to avoid another May 1969 bloodbath. Now he's sharing the bedlinen with the lying, thieving, corrupt Malay crooks of UMNO -- out of desperation (again).
What will Anwar do next to win the Malay heartland, now firmly in the grasp of the ever-grasping PN and, worse, the Taliban PAS? Nothing much. He's all spent or is shooting blanks. He can fatten the federal budget but with the world economy on a knife's edge, more so as result of thundering war-drums, the US's ballooning debts, and China's economy headed for the structural mire, he has his work cut out for him. Investments into Malaysia are about as predictable as Anwar's anti-corruption rants. Malaysia's corruption is embedded its political, economic and social systems. Even the religions practiced in Malaysia are corrupt. But these investments will turn away for cheaper production sites elsewhere in the region. Is Anwar willing to repress wages in Malaysia the way Rafidah Aziz had promised at the WTO in 1996, sanctioned by her then boss Mahathir Mohamad? He will have to because foreign MNCs will want that as much as local conglomerates who operate behind state protection. So much for free-market economics in Malaysia. He'll also have to offer huge tax-breaks that Malaysia can ill-afford, even if it climbs into bed with Chinese state-owned or state-backed firms.
Which leaves Anwar heading to Petronas and Khanzanah with bigger begging bowls and a big stick to state-owned companies to pay up as a form of protection racket that has operated in Malaysia since 1981 (if not earlier). But Anwar is playing the Mahathir with the poverty-ridden Malay states in the north. If he think he can have them coming to him with larger begging bowls for state money, then he's delusional. Now the hardball games begin, and Anwar has been weakened by the state elections results, not made stronger or a "winner" by any stretch of the imagination. Let's see what his next moves will be ... but don't hold your breath.
Sad that Malaysia is so suffused with religious BS. Politics and religion should never be mixed, it only leads to misery...
But from the start of history, spirituality of sorts and politics have always mixed. The beginnings of religion sprouted from politics and became deeply embedded with politics. Just as education and politics are not at all mutually exclusive. Even economics and money are not mutually exclusive from politics but deeply and inextricably etched in politics. But with more and more Malays brainwashed by Islam of the extremist brand more and more, Malaysia will come to look decidedly Talibanised in time, that even Anwar Ibrahim will not be able to counter it but give it some degree of succour. Why? It's obvious, isn't it? Has been for a very long time.
Religion isn't a necessity in human affairs any more (if it ever was). Religion sprang from fear of death and the unknown; most advanced countries (barring the US) are leaving it behind, recognising it as the atrophied emotional crutch that it is. Just as we have no use for an appendix now, we have no use for the archaic, childish notions that all religions engender.
The more religious Malaysia gets, the worse it will perform in *all* metrics.