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Floods: The real heroes and the ugly Malaysians Posted by: superadmin - 12-27-2021, 03:16 PM - Forum: Local News - No Replies You can say what you like, one Taman Sri Muda flood victim told me. “The real heroes are the ones who came to rescue us when floodwater was rising and even after the floodwater had risen.” Saying he was not belittling or diminishing the contributions of those who had offered assistance in the form of food and cleaning-up service, the long-time resident added: “They risked their lives and got wet to help us. They came when we most needed them.” This was a common sentiment expressed by Taman Sri Muda residents I spoke to on Christmas Day. Another was their unadulterated praise for all the NGOS and individuals who had provided them food and other basic necessities, and who were helping them clean their houses and clear the mess left by the floodwater. Residents were also dismissive of government rescue assistance, saying it came late. One said: “Look at the number of government officials swarming this place today. Where were they on Dec 18 or Dec 19 or Dec 20 when we needed them most?” I learned much about what happened during the massive floods of Dec 18-20 as I walked around Taman Sri Muda in Shah Alam, Selangor, one of the areas most affected by the floods, and talked to some people. I learned, for instance, that while the Beautiful Malaysian rose to the occasion to help rescue or provide assistance to flood victims regardless of race and religion, the Ugly Malaysian also made an appearance. Let me start from the beginning. My son and I went to Taman Sri Muda on Dec 25 to distribute floor cleaning liquid, pails and scrubbing brooms to a few residents before stopping at one house to help with the cleaning. - More -   Surprise! They Do Not Blame China For the Bridge Collapse This Time! Posted by: superadmin - 12-26-2021, 08:50 PM - Forum: Politics - No Replies   Mmm... The US To Send Officials To Beijing Winter Olympics 2022? Posted by: superadmin - 12-26-2021, 06:54 PM - Forum: Politics - No Replies   Outcome of Sarawak election could have been different – Stephen Then Posted by: superadmin - 12-26-2021, 06:36 PM - Forum: Politics - No Replies IT has been eight days since the conclusion of the 12th Sarawak state election that saw the ruling Gabungan Parti Sarawak’s (GPS) return to power by winning 76 of the 82 state constituencies in this vast state. The last column I wrote around this time was whether the manner in which GPS won the state polls will see Sarawak going forward in a better or worse direction. I was hoping that politics would take a back seat after that, until a few days ago when a foreign-based political analyst called up. This person was very keen on the outcome of the election and how GPS achieved a landslide victory, but he had read reports that the election was not conducted in a regular democratic way, that there was no level playing field, that even before the election proper, the ruling regime had bent the scales in its favour. It is a usual practice for foreign agencies to show keen interest in local political events in Sarawak. In past state and general elections, I had personally met with foreign writers, political analysts, business and industry observers who came to Sarawak and spent time talking to local reporters, politicians from opposing political divides, community leaders, business people and NGOs. The latest state election did not see any of them, probably because of Covid-19 restrictions, but they still kept in touch via phone and social media. The chat I had with the analyst last week rekindled my urge to comment on the things that took place during the recent state election. I will summarise the points raised in the chat, which all pointed to the possibility of a different outcome in the state polls: 1. If those in the Undi18 and automatic voters group were able to vote. 2. If the opposition parties of DAP, Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB), PKR, Parti Bumi Kenyalang and Aspirasi had cooperated or formed an alliance to fight GPS. 3. If GPS did not use enticement by allegedly handing out cash, cheques, and promises of project allocations to longhouses, the urban poor, community groups, and religious institutions. - More -   Recalling Bah Kuning tragedy: Kuala Krai volunteers on mission to return favour Posted by: superadmin - 12-26-2021, 06:24 PM - Forum: Inspiring Stories - No Replies KUALA LUMPUR – The Bah Kuning tragedy that befell the people of Kuala Krai, Kelantan in December 2014 seemed to repeat itself when most of Selangor was drowned in mud when it was hit by the floods that began on December 18. Besides claiming dozens of lives, the disaster also affected thousands of people who lost their homes and property. Recalling their own ordeal and the assistance rendered during their time of need, a large group of selfless individuals from Kuala Krai felt the calling to help those affected in the Klang Valley. According to the founder of Barracuda Adventure Team, Mohd Fadir Hazmi, 42, the aid mission to Selangor was launched in return for the kindness of those who had helped many flood victims in the Kuala Krai district in Kelantan about seven years ago. “When we saw what happened in Selangor, Pahang and Kuala Lumpur, the tragedy seemed similar to what we had gone through in 2014. “At that time, the people there helped us a lot. That is why we called to reciprocate their services. This is the Malaysian spirit,” he said when contacted by The Vibes’ sister portal Getaran, today. Fadir said that the initiative, known as the Selangor-Kuala Krai Balas Budi Relief Mission 2014, was joined by 250 volunteers with 103 four-wheel drives, 11 lorries and 23 civilian vehicles. - More -   The great flood: heroes in the water, washouts above Posted by: superadmin - 12-26-2021, 06:09 PM - Forum: Politics - No Replies The great flood of 2021 indeed. Most of us haven’t seen an inundation of our cities and villages of this order for a long while, if ever. It’s been called a hundred-year flood, though we may not have to wait for another hundred years to see another one. I was sheltering from the rain at a friend’s workshop where the water eventually rose though it quickly subsided. Enough to cause some damage certainly. But this was nothing compared to the devastation in many other areas, and the loss of life too. Apart from what we know about the situation in the cities, there are many rural areas which are terribly hit too. Two things stand out for me. One is the amazing reactions of the ordinary Malaysians towards helping each other and those in need. I know of many who dropped everything and are still hard at it even now, days after the initial flooding. Many of these people will still be at it weeks and even months later, when a lot of work will still be needed, long after the headlines have moved on. Sure, at times it appears like an unruly circus, but with nobody to coordinate things, that is inevitable. Overall, the volunteers did, and are doing, a lot of good helping their fellow Malaysians. - More -   Tense Umno-Bersatu ties hit by flood of criticism Posted by: superadmin - 12-26-2021, 05:57 PM - Forum: Politics - No Replies PETALING JAYA: The sentiment that Putrajaya has been slow in helping flood victims, particularly in the Klang Valley, can further strain Umno-Bersatu ties and change the timing of the next general election (GE15), analysts say. The government, led by Umno vice-president Ismail Sabri Yaakob, has been the target of criticism by Bersatu over its management of the flood response, opening yet another chapter in the uneasy relationship between both parties. This all comes less than five months after the withdrawal of support by Umno MPs toppled the administration led by Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin. According to Ahmad Fauzi Abdul Hamid from Universiti Sains Malaysia, Bersatu leaders may use the issue surrounding the floods to “get their revenge” on Umno for its role in toppling Muhyiddin last August. - More -   James Webb Space Telescope lifts off on historic mission Posted by: superadmin - 12-26-2021, 12:37 PM - Forum: Astronomy - No Replies The $10bn James Webb telescope has left Earth on its mission to show the first stars to light up the Universe. The observatory was lifted skyward by an Ariane rocket from the Kourou spaceport in French Guiana. Its flight to orbit lasted just under half an hour, with a signal confirming a successful outcome picked up by a ground antenna at Malindi in Kenya. Webb, named after one of the architects of the Apollo Moon landings, is the successor to the Hubble telescope. Engineers working with the US, European and Canadian space agencies have built the new observatory to be 100 times more powerful, however. "Lift off from a tropical rainforest to the edge of time itself, James Webb begins a voyage back to the birth of the Universe," said American space agency (Nasa) TV commentator Rob Navias at the moment the rocket left the Earth. - More -   Anger rises as flood waters recede Posted by: superadmin - 12-26-2021, 09:31 AM - Forum: Politics - No Replies Spirits were down, hearts were broken and the pain among Malaysians was palpable during the recent floods. It was not just the victims stranded on rooftops in the cold wet night who were dejected. Many others were reeling from the setback we experienced as a nation in what was probably the worst floods in 50 years. There has been anger too. People of all races are united in their rage as they witness the failures that the floods have laid bare. It took just a few days before Malaysians began to realise the mind-boggling extent of the damage. The lack of help or its late arrival from agencies that were supposed to have been there was unbelievable. But the reasons were quite clear. - More -   Vote by class, not along racial lines, says expert Posted by: superadmin - 12-25-2021, 09:41 PM - Forum: Politics - No Replies PETALING JAYA: If the public are to vote intelligently at the next elections, they must vote along class rather than ethnic or racial lines, says sociologist Syed Farid Alatas. Speaking at a forum titled “Islam, Capitalism and Socialism” today, he said the people have to realise that many of the country’s issues stem from class divides and not racial or religious differences. “The public must think along class lines to see that wealth inequality and the divide between low, middle and high-income groups have nothing to do with race or ethnicity,” he said. He added that the majority of voters are from the low to middle-income groups while the ruling elite are a minority, which should be an important consideration when voting. - More - Pages (865): « Previous 1 … 465 466 467 468 469 … 865 Next » Jump to page: