There are many politicians in Malaysia, who like to do the equivalent of “blinding us with science”. Their talks are presented in a complicated way, with a lot of name-dropping (philosophers, poets, writers, statesmen) and the use of technical jargon or long words.
With the right audience (meaning Malay/Muslim), out come the long Arabic phrases. Are these meant to impress us?
One such politician is the Opposition leader and prime-minister-in-waiting Anwar Ibrahim.
He has the habit of littering his speeches with a lot of unncessary quotes, and the long list of names, as if to show-off that he is well-read, or an intellectual. Why can’t he keep things simple?
More importantly, why did Anwar have to insult the rakyat’s intelligence, when he reviewed Tommy Thomas’ book?

The memoir written by the former attorney-general, Tommy Thomas, besmirched many reputations, but not his own. Those who claimed to be upset or sit on the fence, like Anwar, probably have something to hide.
On his Facebook page, Anwar begins his review by insulting the rakyat with his comment, that Thomas’ book, “…recently hit the streets and thanks perhaps to the public’s yearning for sensational news about anything other than the coronavirus or new SOPs, has been selling like hot cakes.”
No Anwar! You are clearly misguided or have misread the public. Malaysians are not looking for sensationalism. Malaysians want an honest account of the workings of the state, not more excuses.
Thomas made some interesting revelations about former judge Hamid Omar and proved Hamid’s damning role in the Constitutional Crisis of 1988. It was one of the darkest moments in Malaysian history. It also shows how easy it is to corrupt members of the judiciary. What has Anwar to say about this?
For several decades, Malaysia has been plagued by an inefficient government, corrupt politicians, mediocrity, a lack of transparency, cover-ups, threats and bullying. Affirmative action policies have given rise to a civil service which lacks integrity, and principle. Has Anwar forgotten that he was once part of the Umno hierarchy, until he was swept-off his pedestal?
Thomas is not stupid. Why would he make things up just to sensationalise his book? Perhaps Anwar is pandering to the Malays in his perpetual bid to remain a career politician.
Anwar’s verbose and lengthy criticism of the book, in his facebook page, is a novella in itself. What is the use of flowery fluffly language, and quoting the poets John Milton and Robert Frost? There is no need to impress us with his literary knowledge.
Can Anwar remember how we were embarrassed by the performance of government lawyers during the inquests for Teoh Beng Hock, fireman Adib Muhammad and Mongolian model Altantuya Shaarriibuu? Can he recall how the former AG Apandi Ali did not think the felon Najib Abdul Razak was guilty? Is Anwar not furious that former Sabah Chief Minister, Musa Aman, was given a full acquittal by the current AG, despite the allegations of large scale corruption?
Malaysians are not daft. They realise that Thomas did not insult all civil servants, as he was full of praise for his team and those with whom he enjoyed a working relationship.
Anwar may have forgotten that Malaysia is a multicultural country. He may have neglected to realise that many of our youth have seen that Malay leaders had brought the country to its knees, long before the Coronavirus pandemic.
To revive the economy, all Malaysians, from all sections of the community, must work together, and be helped by a clean, efficient, hardworking civil service. Thomas realises that race and religion are detrimental to the nation. Does Anwar?
The obsolete former PM and nonagenarian, Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Anwar, the current Attorney-General, the former AG, Apandi Ali, and a host of other Malay leaders, politicians and individuals have been upset by the revelations in Thomas’ book.
134 police reports have been lodge against Thomas. This is a waste of police resources, time and manpower.
Why don’t his critics work on the shortcomings mentioned instead of issuing police reports and law suits?
Thomas’ experience of the civil service is what most of us have experienced too. The only thing is that Thomas probably saw it in greater detail than some of us. More importantly, he put to paper what most if not all of us know, to be true. At least, Thomas has shown what areas could be worked on, or reformed. to show improvement. Will Anwar acknowledge this or will he continue to pander to the Malay masses, especially those in the civil service?
The country has yet to see a leader who is not afraid to speak the unvarnished truth. We are desperate for a leader who has the courage to say what has to be said, and is eager to make a difference, to effect real change and meaningful reform.
So far, we have had a succession of leaders who only show us that they have not lost their Umno genetic make-up
We expect Anwar to use ghost writers, but he should get better ones. This one has made a hash of the review of Thomas’ book.
For instance, Churchill’s original wartime quote during the Battle of Britain was, “Never was so much owed by so many to so few”, meaning that the general population owed so much to the Air Force pilots who fought off wave after wave of attacks from the Lutwaffe.
So, what did Anwar mean when he paraphrased Churchill’s quote, “… never in the field of memoirs have so much been written by so many about so few”?
Anwar continues to pander to the Malay masses, so he may as well say goodbye to his desire to be the PM of Malaysia.
A man, who cannot see how race and religious are driving the nation into the ground, is not fit to be an MP, let alone a PM.
(NB: Anwar’s Facebook with his review of TT’s book is at this link.)
Pandering to the masses to stay relevant in his numbers game at the expense of truth and justice.
Jawohl, ja freilich !
Nussbraun ist die haselnuss..!
Anwar has always been a pile of shiite of a sarabat stall big talker, he shouldn’t have come anywhere near paraphrasing Churchill, a racist colonialist who never liked any “brown” subjects of which Anwar makes a frightfully obvious target.
For a good long time now, anyone just reasonably read would have steered clear of anything to do with Churchill, except to slag him off and curse him. But then, Anwar is just a useless tosser and an utter fraud. Anwar claimed that, while in prison, he read all the great books. Yet whenever the cheap poseur opens his big mouth, there’s absolutely no evidence he’d even used those thick books to prop up his famous heroic bad back.
If anyone remembers, Anwar was terribly fond of the “Malay” Jose Rizal, whom he reminded Asians as “the renaissance man”. Anwar had wanted Asians to somehow see him as the second “renaissance man” when he was busy selling Rizal and dropping all the right droppings to hint it to sleepy Asians.
Until (yes, yours truly) pointed out Old Jose was as “Malay” as Anwar is a “wretched brown” Indian to Churchill, the Filipinos, especially the political elite, would always go to Mr Chua’s hometown in China to pay the Renaissance Man homage.
So Anwar was never the second coming, but just a cheap Malaysian longkang rogue who tried to pass himself off as “the goods” capitalising on Rizal’s fame.
Anwar always try to rub the greatness good or bad off someone and somewhere else. Remember that photo of him sitting next to Paul Wolfowitz? You see a brown stooge slave monkey barely able to contain himself with sheer glee being permitted to sit next to the massah. You could have sworn Anwar was doing mischief between his legs with his hands under the table!
Instead of owning up to his servile role for US imperialistic interest, Anwar would tell you he “predicted” colour revolutions across the world. That when most of us know that was something planned way back by the likes of international interventionist Wolfowitz, etc.
A shifty sneaky snake, one day Anwar is with the Brotherhood, the next day he’s with the other bunch just as eager to force regime change in Malaysia!
Now pull me another fast wan, didn’t somewan said Anwar is “God’s gift to Malaysia”?
Spare me, I want to return the “gift” to the shop, exchange him for couple rolls of recycled toilet paper!
What a filthy sewer rat, this Anwar!
And what a plantation niggah!
A person story
On account of his history
Of those events happened
During his watch or experiences
Many jumped the wagon
They didn’t understand a person story
What they felt was their race
Drawing on the bad light
It is in public domain
Nothing is acted to conclude a tale
Some stories may not find the ending
Because the truth is still suppressed
But the story may spook up
The decades long history
“Who is responsible?
The persons in the shadows”
A person story
Let it stay the way it is
Many reports are in public domain
Why need to chase the story teller?
Because of the truth?
A race feels it should be in lock and key
The truth will crawl out eventually
For lies will be exposed
Please note the correct spelling of Luftwaffe as spelt and not as written. It is encumbent on us all to spell correctly.
…as it will be incumbent on us, as writers in English, not to use the word encumbent.
Holy Heinkel!
“Encumbent” doesn’t even exist in English or Manglish.
Or Singlish.
Or has an equivalent in German, be that high or low German.
I’ll hold back on striking with them Stukas, polish me English first lest I get shot down and captured by them Englanders in the Bottle of Britain, mine’s a Guinness, Bless Me!
Jawohl, ja freilich !
Schwartzbraun ist die haselnuss .!
(click heels…)