What's in a name ?

A lot apparently.

A recent Cabinet ruling has meant that the word Allah can only be used in reference to God according to the Islamic faith. No one else can use Allah to refer to God. While some may ask what the big deal is about, after all a god by any other name is still a god now, isn't it ?

While the Constitution guarantees us the right to practise the faith of our choice, it apparently does not give us the right to call our deities by a name we choose. Especially since Allah has been used to reference the god of the Abrahamic faiths, Christianity and Jewism, since pre-Islam times. One wonders if this ruling by the cabinet is a prelude to G.O.D., a Government Ordained Deity ? Are we moving from one nation under God to one God over the nation ?

Coming as it is so close to the general elections, this then becomes a political minefield which candidates from both sides of the fence will have to grapple with. A minefield because some may perceive this line of questioning to questioning the position of Islam as the national religion. It may also reopen the earlier debate on whether Malaysia is a secular nation.

SiPM believes that everyone has a right to practise his own faith, and everyone has a right to call his deities by any name he chooses be it Allah, God, Jesus, Krishna, Vishnu or just Bob. We shouldn't be legislating these things for religion is a personal and spiritual thing to each individual and people tend to take these things, well, quite religiously.

In fact, some members of our original people in Borneo have used organic methods to spiritually bond with their god. Mydeen has faith in these things, because as we all know, Mydeen uses some high quality organic greens in his fish curry to complement the underwear.

So let's all sit back, practise our faiths in any form which we need, and lets all call a God a God.



P.S. The original video in its released form is here.

In Camera

One would have hoped for better things to come from Chua Soi Lek's confession and apology, but no, its more of the same shenanigans from all and sundry.

Ng Yen Yen would like us to throw away any copies of Chua's sex DVD while Opposition taikoh Lim Kit Siang has castigated deputy prime minister Najib Abdul Razak for asking political leaders to behave and not embarrass the ruling coalition.

Well, at least only Chua's political career was killed outright from this episode, not some Mongolian model. Talk about blowing up an issue.

Enough said.

Interestingly, what happened to Chua Soi Lek, and even D.P. Vijandren or recently the case of the correct! correct! correct! senior lawyer is an interesting twist to the Latin term in camera.

Yes, something that happens in chambers and away from the prying eyes of those not concerned with the matter.

Sorry! That happened but in the modern context of a camera, everyone else gets a peek of it.

What is more interesting is that Chua himself does not feel remorse for what he did, after all if one does get a chance to view the said DVD, one would notice that a laptop is featured prominently suggesting that the couple were watching themselves coupling.

And unknown to them, others were capturing the coupling too.

The crux of the matter is, like in the case of the senior lawyer and even the former deputy speaker of the Dewan Rakyat, that this is an invasion of privacy and the perpetrators caught and brought to justice.

The police would do well to forget regaining the videos of either Chua, Vijandren or even the senior lawyer in the market. Is that as important as ensuring that what happens in camera remains private and not in any camera for public viewing?

We in the Siber Party of Malaysia (M) don't think so. Their indiscretions and lack of remorse show them for what they are but more importantly, privacy has to be maintained and respected. That is our basic right!

Let's not have The Big Brother in the system to keep watch over us or tell us the name of our Supreme Maker!

A New Hope for Malaysians ?

Hot on the heels of the former Deputy Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat, comes the latest DVD blockbuster for Uncle Ho and his minions to distribute. Yes folks, it's now the turn of former Minister of Health, Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek to have a starring role of his own. And what a role it was.

A personal friend, he says she was. And it does seem like all's well in Casa Chua, as his wife and family will stand by him. But all's not well in the MCA.

No, not well at all. A quick presidential council meeting, and before you can say "Correct, correct, correct", the man has resigned from all government, party and Parliamentary positions, including as the MP for Labis. A by-election perhaps, or will this force Pak Lah's hand in calling for that January elections everyone thinks he'll be doing ?

But hey, the election rhumba has already started. Over at MIC HQ, the man himself has promised a revamp of the MIC. Of course, with the brickbats he's been getting at his public appearances, Datuk Seri S Samy Vellu must be courageous to face the global conference for People of Indian Origin while the 5 chaps who started Hindraf are still under ISA detention. Definitely no beer drafts for them over at Kamunting.

But what's happenning at UMNO, the largest of the BN component parties ? Pak Lah's elegant silence has worn off its elegance, and the infighting for positions has already begun for the next elections. One wonders, if the chaps over at the fourth floor are planning something. Or not.

All in all, it will turn out to be an interesting year ahead indeed. As Malaysians wonder if we will get a New Hope for the coming year, or if the Jedi will finally triumph over the Sith and their minions, let's throw on some oversized pants, lots of bling and party like there's no tomorrow.