Wan Azizah: A Tragedy of a Woman?

Malaysian Insider today quoted Anwar questioning PAS, “Are you not ready to accept a woman leader?”  Ahah… I just need to say something as soon as I read that, and here it is:

I have no rights to answer on behalf of PAS but I do think this is quite an interesting topic to discuss because I do hear that UMNO too, make a fuss about having a female MB. 

Personally, I don’t see anything wrong with being led by a woman.  I had a female boss before, not very pretty though, but certainly very articulate and smart and she deserved all the respect from me. 

I think some of you might already know that I have been doing a little studying on Islam so I do know that Muhammad’s wife, Siti Khadijah was a great leader.  She was a businesswoman - a very successful and respectable one.  She couldn’t be one, if she was not a great leader.  I also know that the Prophet did seek advices from her, asked for her opinions and discussed matters with her.  He wouldn’t do so if she was not a woman with great leadership skills. 

So I take it that a woman may not lead the prayers in Islam, but she can lead or rule as well as men should she had the right quality. 

Other wives of the Prophet were also politically active. Umm Salamah was instrumental in advising the Prophet during the crisis of Hudaibiyah. Her advice prevented disunity and prevailed over the advice of other men including Omar ibn Al-Khattab.  

And Aisha was a rich source of religious knowledge and the first Muslim woman to lead men into battle in Basra (656).  

If women were not meant to be leaders, why are some of the Prophet’s wives so politically inspiring?

Do you know that one of the earliest Muslim woman actually hold a governmental position was probably Al-Shafa bint Abdullah ibn Abd Shams whom the second Caliph appointed Manager of the market at Madinah. She supervised men and women and had authority over both.

I believe that Islam is not a chauvinistic religion; it never was and never should be.  The Malays in UMNO or PAS who take it otherwise must have read a different Quran. 

However, to compare Selangor and Madinah would be the most ridiculous thing, and to compare Wan Azizah to any of the Prophet’s wife is, of course, unspeakably insulting. 

So, let’s just go straight to the point that the problem with Wan Azizah is not her gender, and I think even Anwar knows that. 

The problem with Wan Azizah is her inability to lead.  She has failed the party, her constitution and herself for she couldn’t even become a stay-at-home grandmother like she said she wanted. 

She is always being led, forced and pressured to do something, anything and everything to keep her husband in power.   She is never a leader, neither a follower.  She is merely a slave to Anwar Ibrahim.

Again, the situation in Selangor is not a gender-related-crisis - or at least, I hope so.  I refuse to believe that Malaysians are that shallow.  I believe that should Wan Azizah proved to be a better leader, then people, even PAS supporters will have problems saying ‘no’ to her as MB regardless of her gender. 

We have seen many capable female leaders – Muslims and non-Muslims.  Some are far more capable than men.  However, one thing many men don’t know is that women usually prefer to lay low and let the men do the show.  Oh yeah, trust me. 

You know why?  Because women don’t have that much ego, thus makes them much wiser.  They don’t need the limelight or the bragging.  All they need is for the things to go their way or the right way. 

For that, these wise women know that they don’t even have to be in front to lead. Instead, they just whisper the directions from the passenger’s seat. 

Too bad that this is not the case for Wan Azizah for she is being pushed to the front seat and expected to drive with grace while her hands and legs all tied up to the back.  She is dragged over to the stage like a ventriloquist’s puppet.  She has no voice of her own and no hands or leg to walk-off. 

I must admit that I feel sorry for her.  I’m surprised that even her daughter puts power first, before her mother.  I mean, we all can see how uncomfortable Wan Azizah is when on stage, in parliament, in front of the lights and cameras and microphones.  She looks tense and confused.  

Therefore, I must say that if there is anyone who does not have any respect towards women, it is Anwar Ibrahim for he does not seem to even respect his own wife.   

My point here is that, women are humans too, just like men.  Some of us are great leaders, some of us even suck at driving.  So, respect women just like how we want them to respect us.  In fact, they deserve more respect from us, as they are, in fact, our mothers. 

Isn’t this what Islam taught you?    

17 August 2014: The End of Pakatan Rakyat?

Pakatan Rakyat has always been an unlikely alliance.  Three parties with three different principles and objectives are never meant to be together.  The only way for the alliance to work is to have mutual respect for each other and to acknowledge Anwar Ibrahim as the ultimate leader. 

However, this simple condition is just too much for all the three parties.  None of them respect the other and all of them want to be the ultimate leader. 

PKR sees the alliance as a vehicle to get Anwar Ibrahim to the Prime Minister’s seat in Putrajaya while DAP sees Anwar Ibrahim as a tool for the Chinese to rule Malaysia.  None of the two pay any attention to PAS but expect the party to just tow-the-line and follow orders. 

There was never so much problem with the arrangement, though there have been disputes over Hudud and Negara Islam and things like that.  But PAS has always been the obedient dog and Anwar is always ready to play any part at all, as long as he remains in the limelight.  Both PAS and Anwar were always happy to kow-tow to DAP, even when ‘Islam’ is at stake.  So, there was no problem that the alliance could not handle then.

It is clear to the people that in Pakatan Rakyat, Anwar may be the ultimate leader, but DAP has always been the boss.  The crazy part is that, both DAP and Anwar Ibrahim wants to play ‘dictator’.

This time, Anwar and DAP are in agreement that they need to change the Chief Minister of Selangor.  One of the main reasons to oust Khalid is because he has failed to get JAIS to return the bibles to the Bible Society of Malaysia.

And so, the mission to replace Khalid Ibrahim is carried out fiercely and mercilessly.  It is now no more a dispute or a little internal problem, but a ruthless war.  Khalid is accused of being corrupt, weak, incapable, even disloyal. No more talks about his credibility and valuable experience as a corporate figure that we used to hear in the last election.  Khalid is now the worst person ever lived in this world.  Khalid needs to be replaced with Anwar Ibrahim’s wife! 

It doesn’t matter that Anwar Ibrahim’s wife, the Puppet President of PKR doesn’t perform.  It doesn’t matter that PKR is in haywire and need her attention and action.  It doesn’t matter that she is proven to be far worse a leader than Khalid Ibrahim. 

All that matter is that Anwar will have a hand in Selangor’s administration while DAP pats his shoulder.  

Anwar and DAP could have things go their way even if the majority in their parties do not agree with them.  However, things just blow out of proportion when PAS chooses to ‘disobey’ their orders and defend Khalid. 

For that, DAP gives PAS a warning and harsh words are said.  Just like Khalid, PAS is also accused of disloyalty. 

DAP’s message to PAS is so far very clear, that the only solution in this situation is for PAS to come to its senses and know its place in Pakatan Rakyat.  PAS must understand that going against DAP and Anwar’s wish is unacceptable because PAS is just a dog and is in no position to talk, what more disobey.

PAS managed to pull its strength and insisted on having a meeting to discuss the matter further. 

The meeting that was first set on 10^th August was postponed to 13^th August and then again to 17^th August.  Looks like choosing a meeting date is a big problem too. 

PAS is in great pressure as can be seen in its official portal, Harakahdaily whereby the President is being attacked by the members openly.  This, I heard from a friend of mine just over breakfast this morning.  Gone are the days where the ‘Ulamas of PAS’ cannot be criticized.  Today, PAS members call their Ulamas names just because they do not kow-tow to DAP and Anwar. 

This morning, Lim Kit Siang posted in his blog that this meeting is not so much about Khalid’s fate, but more of Pakatan Rakyat’s. 

There is no doubt that there can only be two options for Khalid and PAS, that is, the DAP’s/Anwar’s way, or get out of the way. 

Either way, the Selangor people will still lose. 

Teresa Kok, a Heroic Villain?

Amidst Teresa Kok’s ‘heroic’ stunt by mocking the PM in her Chinese New Year’s video, a blog, (DAPInsider.blogspot.com), exposed what a ‘villain’ she is.

In DAP’s moral standard, making fun and mocking others of different races are considered ‘heroic’. And in DAP’s moral standard also, giving contracts and awarding projects out of ‘direct negotiation’ is considered ‘transparent practice’.

According to DAPInsider, this is what Teresa Kok the ‘hero’, had done in Selangor that is, awarding projects by direct negotiation.

The project is said to be on a “2 piece of land in Dengkil and Kuala Kubu Bahru located at Sepang and Hulu Selangor district.

Selangor Foundation known as Yayasan Selangor owned 2 piece of land in Dengkil under Sepang district and Kuala Kubu Bahru under Hulu Selangor district. Land in Dengkil , PT. 39693 with size of 15.17 acre were rented to private religious school with RM25k/month renting fee. Land in Kuala Kubu Bahru, PT. 521 rented to PLKN (Pusat Latihan Khidmat Negara) consist of 2 camps on it with renting fee of RM700k which is the highest contributor/income to Yayasan Selangor. Both land total size approximately 40 to 50 acres.”

It was said that, Goldsino Investment Development Ltd., a company from Zhuhai China was eyeing for the land to put up a Solar Photovaltaic Power Plant project. Apparently, the contact person was Teresa Kok whom was mentioned directly in the LOI from Goldsino to Yayasan.

Goldsino’s proposal was to lease the land for 25 years for the project that is estimated to worth up to RM1 billion.

What is amazing about this whole deal is that it was wrapped-up in less than a month. The LOI by Goldsino was sent on 14 December 2011 and an MOU for the project was signed on 27 December 2011.

I have experienced dealing in FDI and I have never come across such a ‘smooth’ and ‘speedy’ deal. The usual process of meeting up, negotiate, study, LOI, MOU and all would take months if not years. A project worth a billion would surely take a long time to sort out and getting a mutual agreement on every aspect of such a big project would be the most difficult process, not mentioning the bureaucracy.

If the federal government is trying to attract investment through less bureaucracy, DAP is doing it with absolutely no bureaucracy.

I don’t know how such deal is made in such a short time with very few people involved. And these are the people who talk about transparencies and open tenders. These are the people who talk about anti-corruption and good governance.

Anyway, you can read the details in DAPInsider yourself.
All I can say is that, unless you were born yesterday, you must sense that there is something fishy about the whole deal. If you are 20 years old or older and insist that DAP is clean even after reading this, then you must either be the biggest hypocrite or the biggest idiot in the country.

So, it’s time to wake up and say the truth, people! You may support any party you like in the name of ‘freedom to choose’ but you should never say what is wrong as right. You wanna make a change in the country? Then start with the man in the mirror! You cannot be screaming out for others to do good when you can’t even say the truth.