YOU OK BERNARD?

"You OK Bernard?" That was last night at the Eurasian Club where I was invited to celebrate Diana Gregory' 70th birthday. I got one call from a nephew, and three from readers....all because I did not put up a posting on Saturday......this later.

At my age there are certain things that I must abstain from.....like stretching nights into early mornings four or five nights in a row. Last Thursday was one such day where I abstained from fishing at the Wharf because Friday was going to be another marathon night. A Malaysia Today supporter was sponsoring a la carte dinner and whatever follows with good food. I was tasked to invite bloggers. I text the alpha ones and told them to pass the word around....but I particularly I wanted new faces to meet old faces. New faces came and asked where were the old faces and I dived into my bags of excuses ..........and was quite convincing I tell ya.....I always have an excuse for my friends.....because I know that they will have in store their recipe of excuses for me. For those who felt left out, here is the excuse.....the baton was not passed to you by the relay team. Go for their throats.

Over dinner, barrels of beers, 1 bottle of Blue Label and two bottles of Dimples, all donated....... remember all bloggers are un-employed.) we watched enthralled by the Beijing spellbinding razzmatazz. After that we were entertained by a live-band also courtesy of sponsors. Martin (currently playing his gigs in HongKong got hold of his old Headwind buddies and belted out some good heavies. Everybody let their hair down except RPK!

08-08-08 was auspicious. It was the day, we will hear that familiar word: Let The Games Go On. I was elated by the contents of Anwar's mid-morning Press Conference on that day. This gripped me, this announcement at the PC:

I promise that under a Pakatan Rakyat government Malaysians will never again be subjected to such gross abuse of executive power as we are again witnessing today. Arbitrary arrest and detention, frivolous investigation and malicious prosecutions shall be a thing of the past. Police officers and prosecutors who launch conspiracies to defame and humiliate the innocent will be severely punished. The use of police powers as well the office of the Attorney General to persecute political opponents will be criminalized so as to ensure a healthy and vibrant democracy where dissent is not only tolerated but nurtured.

In this regard every Malaysian’s fundamental liberties will be treated as sacrosanct and safeguarded by a truly independent judiciary guided by principles of utmost integrity and an adherence to the spirit of the federal constitution.

The politically motivated trial launched against me will, Insha’Allah, be the last of its kind. No Malaysian will suffer from this cruel injustice ever again.

"ensure a healthy and vibrant democracy where dissent is
not only tolerated but nurtured."

SO WHAT'S SO DISTURBING?

Escorted by the police interrupted the forum thus:“I represent Umno. Stop this forum” declared the unidentified individual who also uttered “Don’t insult Islam” and “You! Chinese, Indians, go to hell!”.


Malaysiakini reported:

The individual’s tirade however earned him a loud reprimand from renowned International Islamic University law lecturer Dr Mehrun Siraj (pic above) who took to another microphone.

“Open discussion is the way to discuss the issues between Muslims and non-Muslims. Don’t insult Islam,” she said amidst the shouts of the protesters.

"ensure a healthy and vibrant democracy where dissent is
not only tolerated but nurtured."

PKR Kulim-Bandar Baharu MP Zulkifli Noordin however broke ranks with his opposition colleagues when he called on the crowd to storm the building should the forum continue.

“If you don’t hear from us at 10am, you should all storm the building,” he said, before he led a four-member delegation representing the protesters to state their position to the forum organisers.

NOW THAT IS REALLY DISTURBING!


BUT I AM ALWAYS THE ETERNAL OPTIMIST....BECAUSE I BELIEVE IN HOPE.