Comment written by Li Xiang Lan, February 15, 2012 20:04:52
Dear YM RPK,
I don't think I have your courage (as a non-Malay) to write the way you did about civil liberties which are somewhat curtailed these days, more to come as the years go by. Nevertheless, allow me to join you in giving my little piece, having just returned from Jakarta 2 hours ago.
I read, and if I am not mistaken I "hear" your undertone apportioning the blame of the state of our country Malaysia today to what you term as Islamic taboos. Many years ago, a friend who was a Syed (he said all Syeds are descendants of The Prophet Mohamad) told me that all the so-called taboos were created because during the Prophet's time, there was no mass media like TV, or even Radio. Therefore when there was an outbreak of swine fever, and many people died, so the only way to tell the faithfuls not to eat pork, was to ban it via religious sermons. Likewise, when dog starting to foam in the mouth, the same method was used to disseminate the news; don't touch the wet mouth of the dogs. Consuming alcoholic drinks of course was bad if one did not know when to stop (and most drinkers then never practised restraint); when a person was drunk, he would lose control of his senses and began committing sins such as rob and rape. Same principle used to prevent alcoholic boozing. As for gambling, what form that activity took in the days of the Prophet, we do not know. Gambling nevertheless, ruin families and would lead to crimes like robbery.
You mentioned about the Malay lady who was caught drinking beer in a pub somewhere in Pahang, and was to be punished with jail sentence and caning. Do I remember right that she appealed to Royalty (being the Head of Religion in the State) and the Tengku Mahkota spared her the caning. The TM must have felt a bit of guilt too for owning the Chilli chain of pubs scattered over in KL and Selangor via their company TAS.
Now, YM RPK, if you had been a traveller in the 1960s and 1970s, all flights from here or Singapore to London or Europe had a stopover either in Dubai or Bahrain. I had on a number of occasion witnessed that once the flight took off again from Dubai or Bahrain, many Arabs joined the flight, and the first thing these Middle East passengers asked from the stewardess was beer, wine, whiskey or brandy, etc., and they would continue drinking alcohol until the flight touched down in Heathrow or Orley. These rich Arabs would usually check in to the 5-star hotels like Grovesner House London, or Ritz or King Gorge V in Paris. They would also be found at night at the Casinos. So, what have we got to say to this? Nothing, Civil Liberties.
You were absolutely right when you said that "In spite of what many, today, would view Tunku as a most immoral Prime Minister, Malaysia was a peaceful place. There was no racism and religious intolerance. In fact, the Tunku used to say he was the happiest Prime Minister in the world." How sad, he fought for Independence and was the Father of the Nation which later was destroyed beyond recognition by Leaders after him. So he drank a little (usually champange, no, never like a fish) socially and on occasions to celebrate something, not forgetting that he was brought up as a Prince. He was, to put it simply, a natural person like you and me. Was he ever drunk? His personal physician Dr. Pillai said, never! He played poker among friends, always wearing his lucky shirt, but the winner paid for the dinner next time. As a Prince studying in UK, he went to Race Courses at Epaom and Ascot, placing bets for the kicks of it. As Prime Minister, he shared mantaining a few Race horses under stable name "Intan Terpilih" with tin miner Lim Chooi Seng to whom he later granted the Empat Ekor 4D licence (now Magnum). He never fed and nursed cronies, and he never needed or asked for money from his friends. His son Tengku Nerang was an ordinary Liet. in the army, never possessed wealth like the sons of Dr. M who, (according to you YM RPK) together with Razak and Haun Idris kicked out the dear Tunku as Prime Minister.
Then came Razak who shared the same father-in-law as Hussen Onn. The father-in-law was Haji Noah, President of the Senate, and a great friend of Lim Goh Tong going back to the days when Haji Noah was District Officer of Segamat Johor, and gave land to Lim Goh Tong to start his Segamat Iron mines. Through his influence as President of the Senate, Hai Noor got the Casino Licence for Lim Goh Tong with Haji Noah as the first Chairman of Genting. The rest is history. What I want to say here is Gambling was the reason to kick the kind Tunku out, and yet here the father-in-law of 2 Prime Ministers could be the Chairman of Genting. Now, we hear Dr, M's son Mirzen has bought huge shares in San Miguel, a beer brewer.
I rest my case. Too tired to carry on. Someone can take over from me to continue.
~ Li Xiang Lan
I don't think I have your courage (as a non-Malay) to write the way you did about civil liberties which are somewhat curtailed these days, more to come as the years go by. Nevertheless, allow me to join you in giving my little piece, having just returned from Jakarta 2 hours ago.
I read, and if I am not mistaken I "hear" your undertone apportioning the blame of the state of our country Malaysia today to what you term as Islamic taboos. Many years ago, a friend who was a Syed (he said all Syeds are descendants of The Prophet Mohamad) told me that all the so-called taboos were created because during the Prophet's time, there was no mass media like TV, or even Radio. Therefore when there was an outbreak of swine fever, and many people died, so the only way to tell the faithfuls not to eat pork, was to ban it via religious sermons. Likewise, when dog starting to foam in the mouth, the same method was used to disseminate the news; don't touch the wet mouth of the dogs. Consuming alcoholic drinks of course was bad if one did not know when to stop (and most drinkers then never practised restraint); when a person was drunk, he would lose control of his senses and began committing sins such as rob and rape. Same principle used to prevent alcoholic boozing. As for gambling, what form that activity took in the days of the Prophet, we do not know. Gambling nevertheless, ruin families and would lead to crimes like robbery.
You mentioned about the Malay lady who was caught drinking beer in a pub somewhere in Pahang, and was to be punished with jail sentence and caning. Do I remember right that she appealed to Royalty (being the Head of Religion in the State) and the Tengku Mahkota spared her the caning. The TM must have felt a bit of guilt too for owning the Chilli chain of pubs scattered over in KL and Selangor via their company TAS.
Now, YM RPK, if you had been a traveller in the 1960s and 1970s, all flights from here or Singapore to London or Europe had a stopover either in Dubai or Bahrain. I had on a number of occasion witnessed that once the flight took off again from Dubai or Bahrain, many Arabs joined the flight, and the first thing these Middle East passengers asked from the stewardess was beer, wine, whiskey or brandy, etc., and they would continue drinking alcohol until the flight touched down in Heathrow or Orley. These rich Arabs would usually check in to the 5-star hotels like Grovesner House London, or Ritz or King Gorge V in Paris. They would also be found at night at the Casinos. So, what have we got to say to this? Nothing, Civil Liberties.
You were absolutely right when you said that "In spite of what many, today, would view Tunku as a most immoral Prime Minister, Malaysia was a peaceful place. There was no racism and religious intolerance. In fact, the Tunku used to say he was the happiest Prime Minister in the world." How sad, he fought for Independence and was the Father of the Nation which later was destroyed beyond recognition by Leaders after him. So he drank a little (usually champange, no, never like a fish) socially and on occasions to celebrate something, not forgetting that he was brought up as a Prince. He was, to put it simply, a natural person like you and me. Was he ever drunk? His personal physician Dr. Pillai said, never! He played poker among friends, always wearing his lucky shirt, but the winner paid for the dinner next time. As a Prince studying in UK, he went to Race Courses at Epaom and Ascot, placing bets for the kicks of it. As Prime Minister, he shared mantaining a few Race horses under stable name "Intan Terpilih" with tin miner Lim Chooi Seng to whom he later granted the Empat Ekor 4D licence (now Magnum). He never fed and nursed cronies, and he never needed or asked for money from his friends. His son Tengku Nerang was an ordinary Liet. in the army, never possessed wealth like the sons of Dr. M who, (according to you YM RPK) together with Razak and Haun Idris kicked out the dear Tunku as Prime Minister.
Then came Razak who shared the same father-in-law as Hussen Onn. The father-in-law was Haji Noah, President of the Senate, and a great friend of Lim Goh Tong going back to the days when Haji Noah was District Officer of Segamat Johor, and gave land to Lim Goh Tong to start his Segamat Iron mines. Through his influence as President of the Senate, Hai Noor got the Casino Licence for Lim Goh Tong with Haji Noah as the first Chairman of Genting. The rest is history. What I want to say here is Gambling was the reason to kick the kind Tunku out, and yet here the father-in-law of 2 Prime Ministers could be the Chairman of Genting. Now, we hear Dr, M's son Mirzen has bought huge shares in San Miguel, a beer brewer.
I rest my case. Too tired to carry on. Someone can take over from me to continue.
~ Li Xiang Lan
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There is a saying which I believe the Royalty, UMNO bastards and the Malay extremists can understand - Illness enters by the mouth, trouble exits from the mouth.
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