en-us https://www.intensedebate.com/users/1480979 Comments by walski69 http://www.themalaysianinsider.com//malaysia/article/dont-repeal-sedition-act-yet-wanita-umno-tells-najib#IDComment908387786 Oh I see what you did there... perpetuating the myth that DAP and PAP are part of the same whatever it is you think they are a part of. Seriously, the stuff you're smoking, I could really use some. Pretty please? Sun, 9 Nov 2014 14:46:15 +0000 http://www.themalaysianinsider.com//malaysia/article/dont-repeal-sedition-act-yet-wanita-umno-tells-najib#IDComment908387786 http://www.themalaysianinsider.com//malaysia/article/negri-religious-law-violates-rights-of-male-muslims-rules-court-of-appeal#IDComment906722037 While it's good that you feel sorry for transgender persons, it appears you have no inkling about what being transgender is all about. And "some men could take advantage of this judgement and will dress like a woman and use women's public toilets" is really venturing into the realm of the utterly ridiculous. Fri, 7 Nov 2014 06:15:05 +0000 http://www.themalaysianinsider.com//malaysia/article/negri-religious-law-violates-rights-of-male-muslims-rules-court-of-appeal#IDComment906722037 http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/to-be-a-reformer-one-must-reform-and-not-conform#IDComment823262741 "A reformer behind closed doors is not a reformer at all." Agreed. At best, I would call someone like that a performer. Like the ones you'd find in a circus. Mon, 28 Apr 2014 06:41:02 +0000 http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/to-be-a-reformer-one-must-reform-and-not-conform#IDComment823262741 http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/sideviews/article/on-the-impracticalities-of-hudud-in-malaysia-nicolei#IDComment820981245 Hudud aside, let's talk about Sharia law, hypothetically it being applied as 'law of the land'. Ask yourself: which countries/territories in the world exclusively use Sharia as the law? Then ask yourself: would you aspire Malaysia to be like those countries/territories? Wed, 23 Apr 2014 09:07:59 +0000 http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/sideviews/article/on-the-impracticalities-of-hudud-in-malaysia-nicolei#IDComment820981245 http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/dont-just-label-me-come-debate-with-me-kassim-ahmad-tells-muslim-critics#IDComment798251628 One question: IF the Hadiths are required to interpret the Quran, why is it that there are NO hadith-based explanations for approximately 28 surahs? Don't take my word for this. Check Volume 6 of Sahih Bukhary for yourself (which deals with tafsir). Not only are these 28 surahs not "explained", some of the surahs are only partially explained (example: Surah 2, al-Baqarah - only about a fifth of the entire surah has hadith-based "explanations"). In fact there are many verses in the Quran that indicate that the holy book is "complete and detailed", and many others stating that the holy book is self-explanatory, utilizing REASON that God has given us. Surah al-Qamar (Surah 54) makes the declaration "And We have indeed made the Qur'an easy to understand and remember: then is there any that will receive admonition?" a total of FOUR TIMES (verses 17, 22, 32 and 40). These are but some of the many reasons I personally find it very difficult to accept the notion that the hadith are "required" to understand the Quran. In fact, the Quran issues this challenge: "Such are the Signs of Allah, which We rehearse to thee in Truth; then in what exposition will they believe after (rejecting) Allah and His Signs?" (al-Jathiyah, surah 45, verse 6, Yusuf Ali translation). In the original Arabic, "exposition" as translated by Yusuf Ali is 'hadith'. Don't know about you, but I certainly could not ask for a clearer sign... Tue, 25 Feb 2014 08:28:04 +0000 http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/dont-just-label-me-come-debate-with-me-kassim-ahmad-tells-muslim-critics#IDComment798251628 http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/putrajayas-clampdown-on-freedom-of-expression-now-spreading-to-the-arts-say#IDComment794996500 What happened was the unilateral action of one high-ranking Balai Seni Visual Negara (BSVN) official, without informing the artists or the curators involved. I have it on good authority that the curators are not happy and feel that the action was unethical on the part of said official. It's a case of self-censorship on the part of an institution (more precisely, one individual within that institution) that has forgotten who the *real* Malaysian art stakeholders are. In all fairness, Putrajaya (or the Ministry) can't really be blamed directly for this. What I will say, however, is that the chilling effect we're seeing is symptomatic of the climate of fear that our government has cultivated. Worse, it's done by an institution that supposedly is there to promote visual art and creativity, not suppress it. But because BSVN ultimately reports to the Ministry of Tourism and Culture, in the present touchy socio-political climate, it is not willing to carry out its role objectively. Rightly or wrongly. Speaking with a few of the curators involved, the idea of an independent Arts Council once again cropped up. Malaysia doesn't have one at present, and frankly, sorely needs it. Like, yesterday. Ideally, it should be publicly funded, but operates at arms length of the government, with little or no direct involvement of the government. Perhaps that would be a positive step forward. IMHO. Sat, 15 Feb 2014 04:15:56 +0000 http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/putrajayas-clampdown-on-freedom-of-expression-now-spreading-to-the-arts-say#IDComment794996500 http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/opinion/zan-azlee/article/the-malays-have-been-circumcised-wrongly#IDComment746369594 And you know the number one reason why Malaysia will probably forever languish in the malaise of Could'veBeen Land? Because we've totally lost the ability to analyze beyond the surface of what's straightforward. Some of the comments here are a testament to that. The article, after all, is not really about circumcision. Nor is it about how to attain athletic prowess. Suprised? Fri, 8 Nov 2013 04:25:28 +0000 http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/opinion/zan-azlee/article/the-malays-have-been-circumcised-wrongly#IDComment746369594 http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/comango-report-to-the-un-criticised-in-mosques-today#IDComment736570393 Whenever there's an issue being championed by Muafakat, ISMA, PPMM, etc., which are all associated with the Pembela umbrella organization, a JAKIM-penned Friday sermon will not be far behind. Be it the so-called "Shiah virus", "threat" of human rights, LGBT "menace", or what have you. So what's the connection? Why is an agency under the purview of the Prime Minister's Department working with NGOs to drive this nation towards becoming a religious apartheid? Is that the real end-game, or is what we're seeing a coincidental perfect storm scenario? Fri, 18 Oct 2013 07:52:36 +0000 http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/comango-report-to-the-un-criticised-in-mosques-today#IDComment736570393 http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/allah-ban-only-for-herald-nothing-more-say-muslim-lawyers#IDComment736114265 Oh, now that you finally realize the REAL ramifications of the problem that YOU helped create, you think that simplistic statements like this can avert the REAL potential disaster that YOU have put this nation in? YOU are the LAST people I would ever trust. E-V-E-R. Thu, 17 Oct 2013 09:24:38 +0000 http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/allah-ban-only-for-herald-nothing-more-say-muslim-lawyers#IDComment736114265 http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/opinion/liew-chin-tong/article/what-utusan-doesnt-know-about-dap#IDComment731184824 So riddle me this: why is UMNO, through its media proxies, continually running down DAP on levels that make Liew Chin Tong's so-called running down pale in comparison? How many times has UMNO mandated that the President and Vice-President posts be uncontested, versus the same kind of mandate within the DAP? Perhaps in answering the two questions above, maybe you might get a clue that UMNO is not as 'democratic' as your imagination seems to tell you it is... Tue, 8 Oct 2013 06:28:44 +0000 http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/opinion/liew-chin-tong/article/what-utusan-doesnt-know-about-dap#IDComment731184824 http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/chin-peng-given-two-chances-to-return-to-malaysia-says-home-minister#IDComment724142123 "Zahid said the government has to consider the sensitivities of the armed forces and police veterans, saying 6,000 families were victimised by Chin Peng and his allies during the communist emergency." Did the Malaysian government EVER consider the feelings of the families victimized by the Japanese during World War 2 before embracing Japan full-frontal as part of this nation's "Look East" policy? This is the sort of lame excuse only to be expected from a government with little care except for its own popularity within its party membership, in particular the UMNO members of cabinet. They have no qualms about whitewashing history just so that they get to keep their cushy positions of power. If supplying backbones could be turned into a business, I'd probably be awesomely rich right now... Mon, 23 Sep 2013 09:48:51 +0000 http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/chin-peng-given-two-chances-to-return-to-malaysia-says-home-minister#IDComment724142123 http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/putrajayas-silence-on-calls-to-defend-islam-from-threats-and-insults-is-wor#IDComment717125461 Malaysia, a few days away from turning 50, has skipped mid-life crisis and gone straight to senile dementia... Tue, 10 Sep 2013 01:11:34 +0000 http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/putrajayas-silence-on-calls-to-defend-islam-from-threats-and-insults-is-wor#IDComment717125461 http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/ministry-has-pulled-out-controversial-painting-but-exhibition-can-continue#IDComment711869355 In all of this, the one party that has escaped scrutiny entirely is the person who made the police report, on behalf of the two organizations he represents. Why are we allowing one person to frame the reference of discourse and action? What gives him the right? This person has created his own interpretation, and everyone else - the ministry, Balai Seni, and the police - has taken his interpretation as "truth". This, in spite of the artist's own detailed explanation. The identities of said individual and organizations are at arms length - one only has to look at the individual's blog post proclaiming that he had filed the police report, and follow the cookie trails from there. This person has effectively tarnished, if not destroyed, the career of an esteemed Malaysian artist, and potentially jeopardized the careers of other individuals involved with the exhibition, not to mention bearing false witness in wrongly implicating those not involved. For any rational person, such actions are antitheses to a faith at whose core is 'peace'. If there is any party responsible for "insulting Islam" in the real sense, it is the individual in question - he has, in effect, proven his own accusation, vis-a-vis the religion he claims to protect and idiots. So why isn't ANYONE going after him? Sun, 1 Sep 2013 04:14:54 +0000 http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/ministry-has-pulled-out-controversial-painting-but-exhibition-can-continue#IDComment711869355 http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/sideviews/article/by-the-way...-the-devils-are-chained-up-muhammad-farid#IDComment680169439 The true "devil" is the devil within, and it is up to each one of us to ensure it remains chained. Not only during Ramadhan, but at any juncture in our lives... Mon, 15 Jul 2013 06:36:09 +0000 http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/sideviews/article/by-the-way...-the-devils-are-chained-up-muhammad-farid#IDComment680169439 http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/sideviews/article/daim-the-campaigner-and-complainer-the-malaysian-insider#IDComment650944186 LOL... Melayu UMNO mudah lupa... fortunately, many more Malaysians don't forget these days, and thanks to the Internet, which has a very, very long memory, many more after this won't either. Mon, 27 May 2013 12:21:36 +0000 http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/sideviews/article/daim-the-campaigner-and-complainer-the-malaysian-insider#IDComment650944186 http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/malaysia-ranks-64-in-human-development-same-as-libya-and-serbia#IDComment596130633 Sorry, but in which alternate reality is this happening? Fri, 15 Mar 2013 14:33:15 +0000 http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/malaysia-ranks-64-in-human-development-same-as-libya-and-serbia#IDComment596130633 http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/gangnam-style#IDComment573863245 Perhaps the UMNO/BN Cabinet should do their own Harlem Shake video, being that they're so into fads and all... Mon, 18 Feb 2013 07:45:12 +0000 http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/gangnam-style#IDComment573863245 http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/opinion/article/the-halal-cat-food-question#IDComment539196967 Well and good that now cats, too, can enjoy a righteous Halal lifestyle, but what if furrykins refuses to eat the Halal cat food, for whatever feline reasons best known to felines (you know cats)? Are there kitty rehabilitation centers set up so that kittypuss can return to the straight and narrow? And more importantly, are Muslim-owned cats bound by law to ingest only the officially Halal-stamped foodstuff? These are among the important questions that this opinion piece fails to address. Anxious Muslim pet owners would certainly want to know. Wed, 9 Jan 2013 00:29:41 +0000 http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/opinion/article/the-halal-cat-food-question#IDComment539196967 http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/najib-says-needs-public-mandate-to-reform-umno#IDComment512563521 Desperately clutching at straws this man is... To reform UMNO, you don't need a mandate from the people, you need a mandate from UMNO. And yes, UMNO needs to reform if it wants to survive. Unless Najib is deaf, blind, and most of all, dumb, he should know that by now. And he just lost the best opportunity to push through reforms within the party - the recent General Assembly. Clearly, the party itself is resistant to meaningful reform, and Najib can't do a single thing about it. In fact, the LOUDEST mandate for UMNO to reform, is to vote it out of government, not to give it a fresh mandate. It's simple logic, really. If UMNO/BN gets voted back in, it's a valid excuse for the party to say that it is fine as it is, therefore why change? If Najib really wants a cue from the people for UMNO to change, then the best way forward is for the party to totally get voted OUT. Fri, 7 Dec 2012 06:14:08 +0000 http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/najib-says-needs-public-mandate-to-reform-umno#IDComment512563521 http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/guan-eng-to-push-for-fixed-election-date#IDComment433259749 LGE is not the first to suggest this, but it is good that he's brought it up. A fixed cycle is much better than an arbitrary one, which will depend on the whims of the Executive branch in power. Mon, 3 Sep 2012 02:51:47 +0000 http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/guan-eng-to-push-for-fixed-election-date#IDComment433259749