Rudyard Kipling"
“When you're left wounded on Afganistan's plains and
the women come out to cut up what remains, Just roll to your rifle
and blow out your brains,
And go to your God like a soldier”
General Douglas MacArthur"
“We are not retreating. We are advancing in another direction.”
“It is fatal to enter any war without the will to win it.” “Old soldiers never die; they just fade away.
“The soldier, above all other people, prays for peace, for he must suffer and be the deepest wounds and scars of war.”
“May God have mercy upon my enemies, because I won't .” “The object of war is not to die for your country but to make the other bastard die for his.
“Nobody ever defended, there is only attack and attack and attack some more.
“It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God that such men lived.
The Soldier stood and faced God
Which must always come to pass
He hoped his shoes were shining
Just as bright as his brass
"Step forward you Soldier,
How shall I deal with you?
Have you always turned the other cheek?
To My Church have you been true?"
"No, Lord, I guess I ain't
Because those of us who carry guns
Can't always be a saint."
I've had to work on Sundays
And at times my talk was tough,
And sometimes I've been violent,
Because the world is awfully rough.
But, I never took a penny
That wasn't mine to keep.
Though I worked a lot of overtime
When the bills got just too steep,
The Soldier squared his shoulders and said
And I never passed a cry for help
Though at times I shook with fear,
And sometimes, God forgive me,
I've wept unmanly tears.
I know I don't deserve a place
Among the people here.
They never wanted me around
Except to calm their fears.
If you've a place for me here,
Lord, It needn't be so grand,
I never expected or had too much,
But if you don't, I'll understand."
There was silence all around the throne
Where the saints had often trod
As the Soldier waited quietly,
For the judgment of his God.
"Step forward now, you Soldier,
You've borne your burden well.
Walk peacefully on Heaven's streets,
You've done your time in Hell."
This year's AGM, MCA's death knell? By Hazlan Zakaria
Sunday, October 21, 2012
COMMENT
As the MCA general assembly (AGM) drew to a close at its national
headquarters in Kuala Lumpur today, what was supposed to be a triumphant
concerto, seemed to play discordant notes instead.
At least, to
this observer of Malaysian politics, in place of an uplifting confident
symphony, the sounds of violent thrashing and ear-splitting keening
fills the air. As if a monster, mortally wounded, is about to die. And we all know, attested by countless Ultraman episodes and Godzilla movies, monsters in their death throes will thrash about violently, and let out a loud death knell, before dying.
The
gyrations of the soon-to-expire creatures, oft translating into a whole
lot of damage, as it tries to either claw its way out of its
appointment with death via some lifeline, or avenge itself and injure
the one that have dealt it the mortal blow. Observing
what came out of the Chinese party's AGM, I wonder if the same thing
that happened to dying monsters is happening to the BN component party.The
gathering started on a sharp note, as banners adorning the venue, and
T-shirts issued to delegates, portray statements that claw at the
opposition Pakatan Rakyat.
Singling out Pakatan components, the
MCA printed matter stuck daggers into PAS for its "hudud policy”, PKR
for their economics that "will bankrupt the nation" and the DAP for
"inciting hatred" as well as sleeping with the Islamic party which is
its "ideological" nemesis. 'BN-blue theme an offering to Najib?'
Similar stinging statements were printed on BN-themed blue T-shirts handed out as part of a new look for the party delegates to wear, in place of their once white uniforms. The BN-blue T-shirts are an offering perhaps, to Prime Minister Mohd Najib Abdul Razak who came a-calling. A
huge banner reading "MCA can deliver" was also installed in San Choon
Hall where the AGM was held, facing the podium where Najib gave his
opening speech.
The statement appeared next to a large 1Malaysia logo, while delegates also held up "I love PM" placards. This
may have worked its magic for in his speech, Najib thanked the Chinese
party for standing by Umno and promised that the Malay party will also
stand by MCA, though he said that they can stand "with" and "by" him,
but not "behind" him, in a poorly-hidden attempt at taking a swipe at the sodomy-accusations which plagued opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim.
But
if one were to think that Najib's sodomy-inspired humour were crass,
one certainly had not observed the goings on at the MCA AGM closely
enough. Something more off colour and off kilter shot out of MCA Wanita vice-chairperson Heng Seai Kie's (right, in photo) mouth as she accused PAS spiritual leader Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat of urging Muslim men to rape non-Muslim women.
What more, her claims were defended by no less then MCA president Dr Chua Soi Lek (above) himself. Chua,
who once resigned all his party post after admitting to being the
person in a sex video allegedly shot by an MCA snoop team before
re-taking the presidency, also defended his claim that PAS-imposed hudud
is backward and will spell doom for 1.2 million workers in the tourism,
F&B, entertainment, hospitality and gambling sectors. Chua also reasoned that the stabs against Pakatan is MCA's way of being on a war footing to face the coming polls.
Such paraphernalia and thrashing about setting the tone of Pakatan-bashing and BN-kissing that took centre stage all throughout the two-day event. No counter-arguments to opposition policy ideasOne
has to wonder if MCA is hitting out with no holds barred at Pakatan
that had savaged them in the 2008 political tsunami, and looking to Umno
for a rescue, perchance? While MCA deputy president Liow Tiong Lai (right)
had claimed that the Chinese party is not resorting to attacking
Pakatan out of a dearth of policy ideas, we have to wonder why the party
came out bristling with long-knifed attacks, and not counter arguments
to the policy ideas of the opposition.
It is as if, while Pakatan
is trying to deal with policy issue in order to prepare for becoming
the next federal government, MCA is sharpening its claws and daggers in
order to prepare to become an opposition party. After all, like other BN component parties, they have already experienced it at the state level in the Pakatan-ruled states. Liow, however, insists that the party will make a comeback despite "doubts" about its future being raised by certain quarters.
His confidence was shared by MCA Youth chief Wee Ka Siong (left) who told party members that if they act like superheroes in the Marvel-comics inspired Hollywood blockbuster Avengers, the party will persevere. What
the MCA will be in the coming years will be determined in the ballot
boxes of the upcoming 13th general election, as the voters will
determine whether the Chinese party will be a superhero, or a monster's
corpse. If this year's AGM is any indication, one would feel that the vote will most likely be for the latter. Malaysiakini