My conversation with ChatGPT about China and the US

Just how "intelligent" is ChatGPT? The following is a Q & A session I had with ChatGPT to find out a bit about how it works. My ultimate goal is, of course,  to determine how CharGPT can be used as a tool to enhance teaching and learning. Looks like I need to do much more testing to come up with a workable model for this purpose. 

For starters, the prelim test of a simple Q & A was done to set the parameters within which ChatGPT works:  

Q: What is China's 12 point peace plan for Russia-Ukraine war in 2023?

I'm sorry, but as an AI language model, I do not have access to current events beyond my knowledge cutoff date of September 2021, and I cannot predict future events. It's best to consult reputable news sources or diplomatic channels for information regarding any developments related to the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

And now, here's my  Q & A session with ChatGPT: 

One China Policy and the US

Q1: Does one China policy mean that US recognise Taiwan as an integral part of China?

Yes, the One China Policy is a diplomatic policy in which the People's Republic of China (PRC) asserts that Taiwan is an integral part of China. As a result, countries that adhere to the One China Policy do not officially recognize Taiwan as a separate sovereign state but instead recognize the government of the PRC as the sole legal government of China. The United States recognizes the One China Policy and officially acknowledges the government of the PRC as the only legitimate government of China, including Taiwan as part of China.

Q2: If the US adheres to the One China Policy, doesn't it mean that it should not interfere if China takes over Taiwan to rule it as a province of China?

The One China Policy does not imply support for any specific actions or policies regarding Taiwan, including the use of force by China to take over Taiwan. The policy is primarily a diplomatic stance that acknowledges China's position that Taiwan is a part of its territory, and it does not prejudice the U.S. position on the future status of Taiwan.

The U.S. has long supported a peaceful resolution to the Taiwan issue, calling on both sides to engage in constructive dialogue to find a peaceful solution that is acceptable to both parties. The U.S. has also maintained its commitment to the Taiwan Relations Act, which provides for the U.S. to supply Taiwan with defensive weapons to help maintain its self-defense capabilities.

In summary, while the U.S. recognizes the One China Policy, it does not necessarily imply that the U.S. will not take action to defend Taiwan or support a peaceful resolution to the Taiwan issue.

Q3: Isn't it interference of China's sovereignty and internal or domestic governance if US insists on preventing China from re uniting with Taiwan, a part of China?

The issue of Taiwan is a complex one, and the question of whether it is a part of China or an independent sovereign state is a matter of dispute. While China claims Taiwan as part of its territory, Taiwan operates independently and has its own government, military, and economy.

From the perspective of the U.S. government, the question of Taiwan's status is a matter of international peace and stability. The U.S. recognizes the importance of maintaining peace and stability in the region, and any unilateral attempt to change the status quo, including the use of force, would be a serious concern for the U.S. government.

The U.S. has a long-standing policy of supporting a peaceful resolution to the Taiwan issue through dialogue and diplomacy, and it has made clear that any resolution must be acceptable to both sides. The U.S. also maintains its commitment to the Taiwan Relations Act, which provides for the U.S. to supply Taiwan with defensive weapons to help maintain its self-defense capabilities.

In short, while the U.S. acknowledges China's claim to Taiwan as a part of its territory, it also recognizes the importance of preserving peace and stability in the region and supporting the democratic values and human rights of the people of Taiwan. As such, the U.S. may take actions that it deems necessary to protect those interests.

Q4: Why should US protect the democratic rights of Taiwan people if it recognises Taiwan as a part of China? 

The U.S. government recognizes Taiwan as a vibrant democracy with a strong commitment to human rights, civil liberties, and the rule of law. Taiwan is a valued partner of the U.S. in the Asia-Pacific region, and the U.S. has an interest in ensuring that Taiwan remains a peaceful and stable society that is able to exercise its democratic rights and freedoms without interference from outside forces.

The U.S. has a long-standing policy of promoting democracy and human rights around the world, and it believes that these values are essential to maintaining peace, stability, and prosperity in the international system. As such, the U.S. may take actions to protect the democratic rights of the people of Taiwan and support their ability to participate fully in the international community.

While the U.S. recognizes the One China Policy, it does not preclude the U.S. from taking actions to support the democratic values and human rights of the people of Taiwan, or to defend Taiwan from external threats. The U.S. has a responsibility to protect its interests and those of its allies in the region, and this may require the U.S. to take actions that support the democratic rights of the people of Taiwan.

Q5: I think your views about US protecting Taiwan against PRC are warped and rather illogical....

As an AI language model, I do not hold opinions or views, but rather provide information based on available sources and facts. I strive to present a balanced and objective perspective on the topic at hand.

Regarding the question of the U.S. role in protecting Taiwan, it is a complex issue with differing perspectives and opinions. The U.S. has a longstanding commitment to peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region and has maintained close ties with Taiwan since the establishment of the Taiwan Relations Act in 1979.

While the U.S. recognizes the One China Policy and acknowledges China's position on Taiwan, it also has an interest in maintaining a peaceful and stable environment in the region, which includes protecting the democratic values and human rights of the people of Taiwan. The U.S. has stated that it does not support unilateral changes to the status quo, including the use of force, and that any resolution to the Taiwan issue must be peaceful and acceptable to both sides.

Ultimately, the question of the U.S. role in protecting Taiwan is a matter of international relations and diplomacy, and it will continue to be debated and discussed by experts, policymakers, and stakeholders on all sides.

So, what have you learnt about the limitations and strengths of ChatGPT based on the prelim simple test above? 

                                                         AN APPEAL TO THE PM TO REVISE THE NEP

by Tan Sri Ramon Navaratnam

Chairperson Asli Center of Public Policy Studies

June 27th , 2018 

Most Malaysians , especially the Bumiputras, will welcome the statement made by the Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad , in the Channel NewsAsia  interview recently that the  - `Affirmative Action is still needed to bridge the gap and avoid  conflict between Bumiputras and other races`.

This has  been the  policy adopted  in our  socio economic planning and implementation since the New Economic Policy was introduced in 1970 .

However , the socio economic scenario  has improved considerably over time . The Affirmative Action has  significantly reduced the risks of conflicts that can be caused by socio economic and wealth  disparities .Today the gaps between the Bumis and Chinese and many  others  have  been largely narrowed . 

The greater challenge now is the growing gap in incomes and standards of  living  and the quality of life of the rich and poor  Malaysians of all races between and also within   ethnic groups . There are very poor Malays, Chinese , Indians and other Minority Groups all over Malaysia  ! Its more  a national issue and not confined to any racial group as such !

Appeal to PM

Thus many Malaysians , regardless of race , l therefore Appeal to the Prime Minister and his able Cabinet and wise the Council of Eminent Persons (CEP) ,  to review and revise the NEP , to adopt and adapt to  the new socio economic and political realities   , after their most impressive  and welcome electoral GE 14 victory !

Currently , the economic  disparities or socio economic gaps ,  are  based  more on income disparities, rather than race differences . Since we are  blessed with a New Government after 61 years of the same Government , this  is the New Malaysia Era  (Malaysia  Era Baru ) . Therefore  we will need to express the  vast  political tsunami, and sea change in more practical socioeconomic terms for a better future . 

Hence , the New Government  will need to adopt more socio economic policies that are  income based and  related to fulfilling the basic needs and human rights of all Malaysians . our new policies need to be founded on our  sincere conscience and religious values of fairness and fraternity , for all Malaysians .

We can no longer afford to be exclusive , but have to be inclusive  in all our policies and implementation , for all Malaysians  and not only to some exclusive  groups to benefit  from our future national development . We have now to be much more Inclusive in all our policies and practices or we will revert to past policies and practices which were rejected by the voters ! 

New Malaysia Economic Policy (NMEP)

Indeed the New Government  in the New Malaysia,   could  devise and introduce a New Malaysia Economic Policy (NMEP)  that   will contribute to more genuine and sustainable  national unity.  The previous NEP had unfortunately  and regretfully caused much national division , disparities and disunity  , not only  between our races, but also within the Bumiputra/ Malay  and other Racial  and Minority groups , all over the country .

While we would follow the advice of the Prime Minister to accept that  Affirmative Action is still needed in Malaysia   , we  fervently hope  that our new Government will now  ensure  ,more than ever before , that all Malaysians , regardless of Race , who deserve  Affirmative Action  treatment , will enjoy  the new Affirmative Action . This New Affirmative Action should   be meant  for all deserving Malaysians , based on Basic Needs and not Race. Most Malays /Bumis would also gain by this Needs Based Affirmative Action Policy , while the  poor  Non Malays would also benefit  from the new and revised  NEP  !!.

This New Malaysia Economic Policy  is essential , in order  to promote greater national unity  and a more peaceful , prosperous , progressive and Happier New Malaysia (Malaysia Baru ) 

We pray that the Almighty , will Bless and Guide the New Government Leaders , to be Fair to all Malaysians and especially all the poor and underprivileged Malaysians .

Welcome to a study tour on Hudud‧歡迎參加伊刑法觀摩團

The following is a translation of an article by Mr  鄭丁賢,  Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Sin Chew, published on Sunday, 11 May 2014: 

Malaysian government and political parties are generally very enthusiastic about study tours to investigate, and/or observe whatever…. For example, a study tour to Antarctica to visit penguins. Ooops, I mean to study climate change. Thus, there has been a constant stream of visits to Europe, the U.S., China, Japan, and Australia. Such investigation is almost a routine, must go on…..

Curiously, we rarely hear of such visits to certain Middle East and North African countries. If we want to implement Islamic criminal law, how can we not visit these countries? Somalia, Pakistan, Nigeria, Iran, Saudi Arabia , or Indonesia's Aceh, each and everyone should be worth a study tour.

Hadi Awang is so passionate and confident about Islamic criminal law, keeps urging people to believe and to accept it. For real action, why not organize tours to learn about Islamic criminal law in Islamic States? Lead us to the Middle East and North Africa to see how the implementation of Islamic criminal law has brought about a peaceful society, developed economy, and purity of minds.

Are there readers interested to participate? It will certainly be very exciting.

For example, going to Aceh in Indonesia, one can examine woman- caning. Recently, a local woman accused of having an affair was raped by eight men as a punishment for violation of her religion. Later, she will also have to face the punishment of caning.

Going to Pakistan, one can visit the women's prison, where one thousand women accused of adultery are imprisoned. Curiously, only two men were accused of adultery. Could it be that only two men committed adultery with a thousand women?

Similarly, in the Taliban -controlled areas in Pakistan where women are prohibited to pursue education, a disobedient girl like Malala was even shot! Today, fundamentalists are still threatening her.

In Nigeria, the militant Islamic group "Boko Haram" kidnapped 200 female students, barred them from schools, and threatened to sell them into slavery. But their leaders claimed possession of two girls, a 9 -year-old and a 12- year-old, all these are done in the name of religion.

If you go to Somalia, be sure to visit the "Somali Youth Party" controlled central and southern regions, where you can witness the implementation of Islamic criminal law, including the amputation of hands and stoning. From terrorist attacks in Uganda to explosion in the malls, all these are worth “observing”.

If the Islamic criminal law can solve our many problems in Malaysia as claimed -- such as putting an end to the crime of corruption -- then go to these countries mentioned above to see if they have indeed become a paradise, or hell on earth .

Someone said that if hudud law doesn’t work, we can always go back to the civil law.  

In the 1970s, during the era of Iran's Pahlavi Dynasty, this country promoted modernization based on Western model, adopting capitalism. However, its relatively closed political system and government resisted democratic reforms. Wealth was under the control and monopoly of capitalism, resulting in huge growing gap between the rich and poor.

Iranian people’s discontent rose, they were bent on overthrowing the Pahlavi regime. However, they did not use the means of modifying capitalism and promoting democracy and freedom, but chose to align themselves with radical religious forces, with the elders of Ayatollah Khomeini as co- leaders.

Finally, under a series of demonstrations and protests, the Iranian government was paralysed, the King became a common enemy, and ultimately the Pahlavi regime was overthrown. Led by Ayatollah Khomeini, theocratic politics came into power, and the world's first Islamic republic was founded.

Soon, Iran's economy began to decline, and political freedom was further curtailed. Even though Iran has one of the largest oil reserves on earth, and despite the good foundation laid down by the economic modernization policy during the Pahlavi era, Iran degenerated into an even more impoverished and corrupt country, all within a very short time.

A theocratic utopia thus built, was based on mere ideal that was never verified. Nor was there ever any successful precedent of such a system. It lacked effectiveness in terms of actual operation.

For decades, many Iranians wanted to change, to revert, and wrest back power from the hands of the theocratic government. Through election, they managed to elect a relatively liberal president. However, from Rafsanjani to Khatami, they have failed to change the system of theocratic supremacy. The most powerful in Iran is not the elected president, but the supreme religious leader of the country. The supreme leader controls the executive, legislative, judicial and military sectors, including tight control over all civilians in Iranian society. There is no turning back again in today’s Iran.

Many naïve people gamble with luck when they think that temporarily accepting theocratic rule is a way of using its power to change the status of their discontent. Once their purpose is achieved, they think election can be deployed to oust theocratic power. This article hopes to provide a history lesson for them. 

A Tribute to YB Karpal Singh (1940-2014)

The voice of Justice

Opposition MP extraordinaire

The Tiger of Jelutong......

His untimely demise is a big loss to all Malaysians who believe in Justice! 
May he RIP...amen.

This is a photo of him and me taken at the American Independence Day celebration party in July 2013.
He is one person who truly deserves to be addressed as YB, Yang Berhormat.

The Magical Power of a Flying Carpet

The following is what I translated from an article by the Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Sin Chew Daily, published on 8 January 2012:  

I am not sure if Deepak is a carpet merchant, or a businessman who flies in on a carpet. (Gan SL: Maybe a carpetbagger from somewhere?) 

On the surface, he appears to be a carpet merchant, involved with the import and sale of carpets from the Middle East, nothing unusual.

However, his “experiences” are quite extraordinary, as manifested by exceptional maneuvering achievable only if one rides on a flying carpet!  

He admitted to his involvement in the Mongolian woman case, even claimed to have influenced investigator Bala in his second statutory affidavit, with the latter overthrowing his own first affidavit. To date, the exact whereabouts of Bala is still unknown.  

Deepak claimed to have close ties with certain "powerful people", enjoying and maintaining such contacts because of some mutual business interests.   

He also said he wanted to publish a book to expose BIG secrets. The result was an e-book titled "The Black Rose". (Gan SL: Ask me and I shall send an e-copy to you.)  

This eBook did not live up to expectations, as there is no real big expose or insider story. (Gan SL: At least not stuff that most people don’t already know). Perhaps he lacks the skill of a writer? But the more likely reason is: He only wanted to create a smoke screen, holding back something with the intention of just conveying a veiled message, a cliffhanger of sorts, for better and bigger show to come…..

Deepak’s efforts so far have not been in vain. He gained fame (Gan SL: Or infamy?) overnight, enough to hog the Malaysia New Year's Eve spotlight for a while.  

In fact, his words and actions have been well-planned. Letting go and withdrawing them at will, just like maneuvering a flying carpet: He disappeared after throwing a shocker, waited for the message to “ferment”; then he re-appeared to throw another shocker, creating another fresh topic for more speculations.  

Media were all drawn to him, with no shortage of online publications keen to co-operate with and support him. In addition, he also attracted the interest of the opposition parties, all in hot pursuit of him. Yes, Deepak is certainly useful to all of them!   

Of course, they are all being used by Deepak, too.   

Question is: Why is Deepak doing all this? Obviously, he is NOT advertising to sell carpets, neither is he aspiring to become a writer.   

The real story is gradually emerging…….  

Deepak and Wanita Umno Selangor Chairman Raja Ropiaah are business partners. Ropiaah’s company Awan Megah and the Department of Defense has a privatization deal. Awan Megah is responsible for the construction of a defense research center in Putrajaya, in exchange for 200 acres of land in Klang owned by the Ministry of Defence. (Gan SL: FYI, her mentor is said to be none other than the Cowgate scandal ex-minsiter.)

Deepak and Ropiaah had an agreement: Deepak’s company Astacanggih will develop this piece of land.     

For some reasons, this agreement later “turned sour”. Awan Megah did not give the development project to Astacanggih, but instead, sold the land to the listed company Boustead; whose major shareholder is the Armed Forces Fund Board (LTAT).  

With this turn of event, Deepak saw the appetizing roast duck flying away! He threatened Ropiaah and her company with legal action for breach of contract. At the same time, he started blowing whistle on various political inside stories.  

So, the flying carpet magic comes from both political and economic connections.  

After some hullabaloo, Boustead proposed a business scheme: The company will pay 130 million ringgit to Awan Megah for the acquisition of that piece of land, and another 30 million ringgit for a 80% stake of Deepak’s Astacanggih share. 

If the three parties are all satisfied with the deal, Deepak will no longer blow the whistle or break BIG news. (Gan SL: So, not all whistle-blowers are selfless, public-spirited beings.)  

I am thinking aloud: Deepak has made use of the media and the opposition, but has he really achieved his original goal?   

Sharp observers, however, will ask: Where now is the much talked about National Defense Research Center? Will it still be built? If yes, it will be funded by whom?  

How come the government's privatization policy can be at the beck and call of the fairy tale flying carpet? And, obscured by so many clouds?  

Our bewilderment aside, shouldn’t the truth be told?  

More update here: http://www.mysinchew.com/node/81776?tid=12

DAP Fund-raising Dinner

Ooops! Sorry, I made a slip in my previous posting "Winnable Candidate": The three "frogs" which were won over by money politics to party-hop and change the Perak state government are ADUN's, not MP's.

Here's the info about the upocoming event:

Date: 19 January 2013

Time: 7.30pm

Venue: MBPJ Hockey Stadium, Jalan Selangor, Seksyen 3 Petaling Jaya 

The distinguished speakers at this fund-raising dinner will feature Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, Parliamentary Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and PAS Deputy President Mat Sabu. 

Other speakers include Tony Pua, Lau Weng San, Kasthuri Patto and Yeo Bee Yin. 

Silver tickets are available at RM60 each or RM600 per table. Gold and Platinum tables are also available at RM1,500 and RM3,000 respectively.

For tickets, please email dapdinner@gmail.com or call Chew (016-8782472).  

 

Alternatively, if you are not able to make the dinner but would like to donate to the cause, you may write the cheque to “DAP Damansara Branch” or deposit to “Maybank a/c: 514196342008”

 

Lynas Issue (Comments in Nanyang Siang Pau)

The Kuantan/Pahang/Malaysian people want to stop Lynas’s operation in Malaysia, period. But the government keeps harping on looking for a “suitable” way or place to dispose the waste! So, will there be a win-win situation eventually? We need not gaze into a crystal ball, writing is on the wall…

Frustrated and anxious Malaysians await the outcome of this whole intriguing saga with bated breath. Meanwhile, let’s just see things from a more international or “interesting” perspective…as expressed by a columnist/political commentator in the Nanyang Siang Pau 2012-03-05 17:06

BTW, this column is named慢又不准, literally translated into “Slow and yet Inaccurate” J A little tongue-in-cheek…

The following is my own translation, as Google’s master piece is, as usual, simply incomprehensible!  

The West applauds Malaysia for the production of rare earth ● Wong

Deng Xiaoping once said: there is oil in the Middle East, there is rare earth in China. (GSL: 20/20 foresight!)

The importance of rare earth in today’s advanced technology cannot be overstated. The value of rare earth will continue to skyrocket in the many years to come.

Since the nineties, the price of rare earth has risen at least tenfold, but this is just the beginning. Advertisements on the Internet abound that rare earth price is really rock-bottom right now, almost like the low pricing of pork a decade or two ago. I am sure in time to come, it will be better to invest in rare earth rather than in gold or stocks! So, come, come, let’s jump on the bandwagon, and invest in rare earth now! There are experts to help you. You do not have to hoard rare earth in your backyard, just swipe your plastic card, and voila! The experts will do the rest. You can just watch online how the value of your investment soar day after day, and year after year, while you sit back, relax and collect interest or dividend……....

No production of rare earth, therefore no waste

Years ago, both the US and France mined rare earth. However, such activity has been discontinued because their mining and production technologies, so said pundits, have since lagged behind those of China, the newcomer. Although the US is said to still have a rare earth capacity of 13 million tons, accounting for 13% of the total rare earth stock worldwide, their production is now zero. The Malaysian Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Seri Mustafa remarked recently that if the Malaysian government cancels Linus's license, it will be the joke of the international industry. Well, maybe it’s true. But to say that the US disposes their rare earth plant waste directly into the sewage drains is a bigger joke - the US is not even producing rare earth, where does the waste come from?

Going back to Deng Xiaoping’s famous words about rare earth in China, one can see that the Chinese people over the past years have been acting like the Arabs. The Arabs were once sitting blissfully on their oil wells, not knowing how to manipulate oil prices to their advantage. But everything changed after the oil crisis of the 1970s….. God’s gift of black gold is no longer cheap these days, as oil prices have since soared from a few US dollars a barrel to hundreds today. The Yankees crank their printing press for endless supply of green notes, but rare earth, like oil, will definitely be exhausted one day. Exchanging a limited resource for unlimited green notes? How can anyone continue to foolishly sell rare earth cheap?

China’s big rare earth reserve

Right now, China’s 36% of the world’s rare earth stock is monopolizing more than 90% of the world market. Countries in the West like the US (13%), Russia (19%) and Australia (5%) have zero output. Are they just hoarding and waiting for a better time in the future?

Other than the high cost of production and the wait for a “better time”, zero production may well be a calculated move to avert mass destruction of their environment and jeopardizing their citizens’ precious health and lives. If Third World factories are sweatshops, rare earth plants definitely involve more than sweat, there are tears and blood! (GSL: ...if not lives!)

After thirty to forty years of “blood, sweat and tears”, China has made some money. They no longer need to foolishly trade 8 tahils of work without getting back half a kati of reward. Look at the West, Apple is a shining example of trading one tahil of effort for tens of thousands of gold in return! (GSL: So is the Third World’s pirated software trade that unforgivable?) Now the well-fed Chinese can see all this quite clearly, even with their drunken eyes. Rare earth can no longer be sold cheap. 

Don’t even think about polluting the Australian Environment

The Chinese want to up rare earth price, the rest of the world can’t say no. So, what’s the way out? Break China's monopoly! But, who would do it?  

The Yankees and the Russians are not budging, so this leaves Australia to play hero. Australia has the rare earth to mine, but is averse to polluting their environment. So, FDI-hungry 1Malayisa and even hungrier Pahang are their ideal partners, or targets!   

This is why in response to Linus setting up a plant here in Malaysia, we have the hopping-mad Himpunan Hijau 2.0, but the contrasting Western media’s loud applause! Yes, applause for Malaysia’s sacrifice of its environment and national health, to break the Chinese monopoly! 

The Chua-Lim Debate on 19 Feb 2012

There are many different formats for a debate, but the different formats do have many features in common. For starters, all debates are formal contests of argumentation between two teams or individuals. Debate requires more than mere verbal or performance skills, as it embodies the ideals of reasoned argument, tolerance and some semblance of respect for divergent points of view. Above all, it is a platform for those who hold opposing views to discuss controversial issues without descending to personal attacks or insults. So, did the much publicized debate between Dr Chua Soi Lek and Mr Lim Guan Eng last Sunday meet these basic criteria? Sadly, IMHO, probably not …...

As is common knowledge, in a typical debate, the two positions taken by the two individuals or teams are the affirmative (pro) and the negative (con). The "pro" side in a debate argues in favor of something while the negative or "con" side argues against something. Given that the debate topic is “Will a two-party system in Malaysia become a two-race system?” there is no clear cut way of assuming a pro or con positions. This being the case, each side should simply present his views as to why it will be “yes” or “no”, and substantiate them with logical arguments, existing or future party/government policies. For instance, one might argue that the two-party system will NOT become a two-race system if BN continues to be the government, but will if Pakatan rules, and then go on to state why. If Chua and Lim have both argued along these lines, it would have been a real debate enlightening all of us about what the stances and policies of BN or Pakatan are in steering a healthy two-party system away from an undesirable two-race system. Unfortunately, the debate ran off on a tangent, with little reference or relevance to the debate topic at hand. The debate literally morphed into a forum with the two speakers merely delivering speeches.    

What is most disappointing and perhaps damaging to the spirit of a healthy debate is the beginning or constructive speech by Chua. It certainly set the wrong tone for the ensuing debate. Not only did he NOT present the basic construct of his argument with regard to the given topic, he stunned me and perhaps many others by a direct personal attack on Lim, almost too early in his opening speech! In the rest of the so-called debate after that, both parties more or less traded barbs, with Chua even taking an unwarranted swipe at his arch rival Ong Tee Kiat who is from  his own political party! There was no winner in this debate, but Chua definitely won hands down for the number of personal attacks he fired. However, criticism aside, both parties must be commended for their proficiency in Mandarin and their courage in using this language in the debate, given that both are supposedly English educated.

Needless to say, I cringed in my seat throughout most parts of the “debate”. I did find some gems, one of which worthy of a special mention came from the moderator Mr Tan Ah Chye, who said the following for noise/audience control: “We must not only have the courage to speak our minds, we must have the grace to listen to others”, or something to this effect, translated from Mandarin. Yes, the audience was quite boisterous at times, and some of them were overly emotional and even belligerent during questioning time, embarking on personal attacks of the two debaters. In this respect, one particular woman must take the cake. I heard that by lambasting Guan Eng and his policies in Penang, she gained “infamy” of sorts on FACEBOOK almost overnight, and was conferred the moniker 拖车姐, roughly translated as “tow truck woman”. It seems she even had to shut down her FB account for a while, presumably due to overwhelming number of expletives and brickbats hurled at her. It is anybody’s guess now if  she will still be fielded as a BN/MCA candidate in the upcoming GE13, as has been widely speculated earlier in the MCA circle.

Now that the dust of the “debate” has settled down, my fervent hope is that all Malaysian politicians participating in future debates – and I heard many are in the pipeline -- will take a lesson from this first one. BTW, it is definitely NOT too late for some of them to view or review a recording of the last US presidential debate, a copy of which should be readily available in the Lincoln Resource Center of the US Embassy in Kuala Lumpur.  

Latest News From the East-West Center:

Malaysia's Political Awakening: A Call for U.S. Leadership

Former U.S. Ambassador to Malaysia John R. Malott writes about the internal political changes unfolding within that country that culminated in the large "Bersih 2.0" democracy rally on July 9

http://www.eastwestcenter.org/publications/search-for-publications/browse-alphabetic-list-of-titles/?class_call=view&pub_ID=3906&mode=view

Dr. Sun Yat Sen a U.S. Citizen?!

Oh My God! The Founding Father of Republican China (國父　孫中山先生)was a U.S. citizen! This is really interesting and intriguing news.

According to recent news reports, The American Institute in Taiwan will, for the first time, on 4^th July, make public an official document to prove that Sun Yat-sen was a U.S. citizen. 

This official document was issued in 1904, at a time when Sun Yat-sen was actively campaigning to call on all overseas Chinese to overthrow the Qing Dynasty. However, whenever he tried to enter into the U.S. for this campaign via San Francisco, he was continuously being blocked and harassed by the Customs & Immigration officials. To facilitate his multiple entries into the country, the U.S. government released documents to prove that Sun Yat-sen was born in Hawaii, and therefore he was a U.S. citizen; and that he was only temporarily residing in China. Actually from history, we all know that Sun was born in Zhongshan county of Guangdong Province, China. This fact is NOT disputable. However, he did spend some years in Honolulu when he was a teen and studied in Iolani School and Oahu College (now known as Punahou High School.) BTW, Obama also spent a few years as a student at Punahou.   

After a long history of animosity and distrust towards the Americans, today, the Father of Republican China is revealed to be a U.S. citizen, and just as China is celebrating the centennial of the Red Revolution. This new revelation is best considered a beautiful joke in history, but it is quite certain that the angry youths of this huge nation are not likely to be amused by this “announcement”.

Sin Chew Daily's Jing Ma Awards (Part 2)

A Shocking Sunday Special (Part 2)
(the Happy Sunday supplement of Sin Chew, differently titled on 1/1/2011)

Best producer: Tun Dr. Mahathir
Giving out the award is Steven Spielberg of Hollywood fame

Our esteemed former PM was one of the most vocal against “The Big Capitalist” cum “World Policeman” during his tenure as PM of Malaysia. After retirement, he has not forgotten his prior pre-occupation. So, while watching “Avantar” one day, it suddenly dawned on him that “if the US has the ability to produce “Avantar”, they must be capable of orchestrating “911”!!!”

We hereby assume that if Tun Mahathir has watched “2012”, he must surely think that the Americans are now planning the destruction of planet earth!

Dear Tun, you must really take care of yourself. When you are free, why not just visit your office at the twin tower, or go to your bakery to taste some oven-fresh bread? Please don’t watch too many exciting Hollywood movies, it’s not good for your heart. If you really wish to produce BIG movie, why not have a serious discussion with Najib? You should continue to be the producer of the movie “2020” which you have neglected for a while, but has since been taken over by Najib.

And if you so wish, based on your close association with Petronas and the oil-rich Gulf countries, you won’t have a problem getting the necessary investment to produce “Mavantar”. Rest assured that the 20% entertainment tax will be exempted! BTW, Ah Niu has yet to be reimbursed the 20% tax rebate for his Ice Kacang Puppy Love.)

Best screen dialogue: “Balik Cina!”
Giving out the award is Hongkong’s Steven Chow

Everyone who respects history is grateful to those pioneers and early immigrants who had made great contributions to the nation and country. It is common knowledge that many of the pioneers who landed in Australia were convicts from the then Great Britain. After a few centuries, mind you, the present day Australians are not thinking of buying cheap plane tickets to go back to jails in England, just because they have learnt of this not so glorious past. Neither do they think of themselves as squatters or even “penumpang” in Australia.

Respecting your country’s history means respecting yourself. So, after Nasir from the PM’s Dept. uttered monumental words like “Chinese came to sell their bodies, Indians came to beg”, he had to resign. Likewise, the principals from a school in Kulai and another one in Sungai Petani were both “transferred” for using words like “penumpang” and “balik Cina” on fellow Malaysians.

These interesting utterances would not have a chance to rise to such prominence if not for the relentless and overt support from PERKASA. To stop Malaysians who lack creativity and persist on using these utterances frequently and indiscriminately, Nasri from the PM’s department has issued stern warning: Those born in Malaysia are Malaysians, talks of “balik Cina” and “balik India” will not be tolerated!

Best science fiction: Space Travel Extravaganza
Giving out the award is none other than ET!

Our first “astronaut” has not succeeded in engraving the word “Malaysia” in the minds of all world citizens. So….we now must send a second “astronaut” to space. According to the director of our National Space Center, the value of this “second astronaut project” cannot be measured in monetary terms. (Er? Are we in the Stone Age of measuring value with quantities of rice or domestic animals?) This is because all developed nations must have astronauts.

Oh, is that so? But we heard developed nations all have nuclear power plants, impeccable MRT systems, lots of facilities for environmental protection…….and their city streets are clean and well maintained, security is tip-top, they have many cultural/ performance centers, WIFI and broadband coverage for almost the whole city……plus they have excellent health care plans, welfare plans for senior citizens…..

Even our first “astronaut” opined that our National Space Center has lost its direction in wanting to send a second “astronaut” into space. Don’t they know that sending up one “astronaut” costs as much as MYR 92,680,000?

“To carry out more large scale experiments, we will definitely send another man into space,” so said this director of our National Space Center in reply to dissenting voices of the rakyat and the ungrateful first “astronaut”. He knows jolly well that in this age of high tech, there is no need for small talks or niceties. However, for us citizens who have the right to information, we can’t help but venture to ask: what are these large scale experiments? To prove that we can eat satay, fish head curry or whatever else in space?

Malaysians must learn sign language!

Why ? Why? Why?

For a clearer and more readable picture, double click on image, and press [F11] for a full screen display.....Enjoy!

LEMBUcracy vs Democracy

This article is contributed by Steven Chen Lee, my fellow
East-West Center alumnus

Is our present Parliament a cow shed or is it an epitome of democracy? If it is to be the latter then our parliamentary system must change. All voting in Parliament especially on major issues must be by secret balloting instead of by show of hands or shouting of ayes. Only then can our MP’s vote with their conscience without fear or favor. They can vote according to what they perceived their constituents want and NOT what the PM/CM/MB wants. Our MP’s must be reminded that they are in the august house as the people’s representatives and NOT the PM’s or the Party’s representatives.

Although our parliamentary system is modeled after the U.K. Westminister’s system, it is still not perfect. There are ample rooms for improvement. The West still can learn from the East for true democracy. The Parliaments of Malaysia, U.K. and the Commonwealth countries are like slave galleys with the Party whip as the slave masters. The whips can dictate how the MP’s / ADUN’s vote. This is made worse when the ruling Party has more than 2/3 majority or when the people voted along the Party line like in Malaysia instead of voting for the individuals. Here like in the past before the 2008 general election the ruling Party (BN) which translated to the PM ruled supreme. The PM can dictate and cow Parliament into submission by threatening the MP’s with dismissals from the cabinet or other governmental positions. Worse he can drop them in the next coming election by not nominating them to contest. This way the MP’s have to toe the PM’s line all the time and behaved like cows or yes-men of the PM in the Parliament. Our MP’s / ADUN’s were being led by the nose like cows in the Parliament and the state assemblies respectively. Hence we have LEMBUcracy rather than democracy in our parliamentary system.

To aggravate the matter Malaysian voters tend to vote along the Party line rather than voting for the individual candidate based on the candidate’s own capability. The voters voted for the Party rather than for the individual candidate. So if a popular Party were to nominate even a monkey to contest under its’ ticket the useless monkey (candidate) would still win because the people voted for the Party regardless of the capability of the candidate.

During the time of Aristotle the councilors or senators could debate, discuss and voted freely in the council house or the senate. There was no Party whip to dictate to them on what to say or how to vote. There was true democracy then. Our parliament should be in this state of affairs where our MP’s can debate and vote freely with their conscience and without fear or favour with no one to dictate to them.

In the previous Penang state assembly where the two state assembly men (ADUN ) voted against the CM’s proposal to implement the PORR project and they were sanctioned and suspended from the Party for that. They had to sit with the opposition bench. At that time the ruling BN party was controlling more than 80% of the seats/ votes in the state assembly. Therefore the two dissenting votes were not even crucial or critical to the government. Instead the two ADUN’s merely wanted to register the displeasure of their constituents against the project. They were only carrying out their responsibilities and duties to their voters as expected of them. Instead the then CM wanted to fool the people into thinking that the state’s PORR project had the full and majority supports of the people when the truth was the people were against it.

What Pak Lah should do before leaving his office (Premiership) is to institute a parliamentary reform by introducing secret balloting in our Malaysian parliament. This form of voting is more dignified rather than the thumping of tables like school children. Let this be his legacy as the Premier who brought true democracy into the Malaysian parliament as well as the British , the Commonwealth and the world parliaments. I am sure all the MP’s in the world would want freedom to choose and to vote independently without any constrains according to their conscience.
Ps.
I will elaborate more on the OSA where the MP’s had to vote against their will during the discussion.

Sin Chew Daily's "Jing Ma" Awards

A Shocking Sunday Special (Part 1)
(the Happy Sunday supplement of Sin Chew, differently titled on 1/1/2011)

My Preamble:

There is this famous annual Taipei Jin Ma Film Festival and Awards (Jin means golden and Ma means horse) for the Asian film industry. This year, Sin Chew gave the Jing Ma awards to deserving personalities and events in Malaysia for the year ending 2010. This is a clever and humorous play of words and homophones in Mandarin, where “Jing” means “shock” and “Ma” refers to an abbreviation for “Malaysia”. The following is my translated and slightly modified version, with abridged explanations.

Prelude:

Looking back on 2010
That year, as intriguing as ever—politicians took turns to present their shows, lots of dramas and disasters (mostly man-made) continued…..
That year, not sure if we should count lecherous heads, or just scum
That year, should we be thankful for it, or loathe it?
Whatever….day after day of “shocks”, a year did pass us by…
This issue of our supplement now brings to you a record of shocking news in 2010 in the form of Jing Ma (Shock Malaysia) awards:

The most intriguing drama:
“Hero turned Villain”
Giving out the award is Wu Song, the tiger-killing hero in the Chinese classic “Water Margin” 水滸傳, also known as “Outlaws of the Marsh”.

The drama whereby an Orang Asli was first hailed as a hero for killing a “menacing and dangerous” tiger, mind you, bare-handed! We thought he was Wu Song reincarnated in Malaysia Boleh Land. But after all the songs and praises, what a turn of event, this hero was later found to be a tiger poacher! That’s only one of many reasons – both known and unknown -- why our tiger population is dwindling, a sad year for the tiger(s) indeed, in the Year of the Tiger 2010!

Other nominations:

The body of a handicapped girl was found, cut into pieces! This bizarre and grotesque case was closed after “investigation”. Reason: autopsy confirmed that she died of pneumonia! No need to investigate anymore? Intriguing……

Gambling license for the World Cup suddenly transformed into a business approval letter which only means: “we will consider your application for business”….. All the bookies in Malaysia cheered and heaved a big sigh of relief! How intriguing…….

The drama of “My God, the real culprit got away!” by the Selangor State Council Speaker.

The Best Box Office Buster:
“The Social Network”
Giving the award is Mark Zuckerberg

Facebook is the third largest “kingdom” in the world, in terms of population, just behind China and India. The meteoric rise to this honorable status is both amazing and intriguing….. This is the age where dual-nationality is permitted, as Najib is also a FB citizen!

Other nominations:
Youtube, everything can be shown to the rest of the world, including gangsterism in schools, who slept with whom etc. etc. You have youtube, I have youtube, now that all of us are in the tube….. so much pressure!

“1Malaysia” is more popular than KFC
According to Najib, the fame of “1Malaysia” is akin to that of KFC, Milo or Maggi Mee. Now that it’s a brand name, “1MalysiaCakehouse”, “1MalaysiaNasiLemak”, “1MalaysiaTehTarik” etc. etc. are aplenty..….Slogan is HOT, food may not be as good!

Best Actor Award
Lawyer Abdul Razak
Giving out the award is actor Tony Leung of Hong Kong

Abdul Razak, who? Oh, that attorney who represented MACC in the Teo Beng Hock case!
To be the best actor, one must be able to play every role from emperor, to beggar, to scholar, to clown etc. etc. For best effects, one must have the proverbial “7 expressions on one’s face”, must “use both mouth and hands”. For example, try strangling oneself using one’s own hands to act out the most innovative method of suicide. Another example, shoot one’s mouth, unabashedly with no sense of shame, saying things like “I can sit down, but you can’t stand up!” One more example: lose our face to the rest of the world by screaming “… court of inquiry lets the minority overrule the majority!” etc. etc…The best part was when he asked the defense lawyer: “Do you have the experience of jumping down from a tall building?” We will certainly remember his stellar performance for many years to come…..

The most popular actor award
Lim Guan Eng
Giving out the award is the most popular actor from Taiwan, Jerry Yan

Whoa, Lim Guan Eng hogs the newspaper headlines so very often! No one can surpass his popularity. Utusan Melayu loves him, gave him headline status even on the first day of Chinese New Year! Ministers, high level government officials all love to invite him for practicing their debating skills, calling him “communist’, accusing him of frequent travelling to Singapore & Hong Kong, selling national intelligence to other nations, calling him the “most kurang ajar chief minister” etc. etc……Since he is a “Chinese” CM, whether or not he really marginalizes other races, he is the first to be finger-pointed when it comes to getting a scapegoat for issues, real or imagined, such as: state government bans Malay wushu, Penang victimizes Malay hawkers etc. etc….Then there is the celup Lim Guan Eng on the net spewing forth racist slurs and remarks….so much so that as busy as he is as the CM of Penang, he is required to cooperate as a “suspect”, frequently going in and out of the police stations to “help in investigations”!
This head of a state has to endure so much pressure. Maybe that is why when people asked: if you make it to Putrajaya……his spontaneous reply is “I only want Penang, NOT Putrajaya!” Oh, such endearing words to the ears of Penangites, difficult NOT to be popular, eh?

Other nomination:
Karpal Singh
A total of 109 police reports against him in barely more than a year! This highlights his popularity with certain political parties and personnel. Other than being ridiculed for his handicap by that best actor award winner, record shows that from Jan 2009 till April 2010, Karpal was the subject of 109 police reports, filed mainly by UMNO youths. This works out to roughly one report every 4 or 5 days! At this rate, not only the one being reported is worn out; those who make reports, the police, and the wallets of taxpayers must all be drained too! No wonder Karpal’s desperate appeal: Please do not regard making police reports as a game!

To be continued in Parts 2, 3, 4…..