Absurd v Absurd

small talk: Exam on Monday, Thursday, Friday. Stress sia.




How do you counter absurdity with absurdity? Sounds crazy? It's not if you're living in a little country where westerners still think you live up in the trees. I'm not crazy, ask any UK graduates and they will confirm my statement. A classical case of "absurd v absurd" surfaced yesterday on Malaysiakini.


Sarawak CM Abdul Taib Mahmud was threatening to sue Malaysiakini for the reasons stated by Jeff in his blog here. Apologies I don't subscribe to Malaysiakini and therefore couldn't view the full report. His request was to demand that 8 articles concerning accusations of corruption, involving RM32 million of logging kickbacks from Japan allegedly linked to him and his family, removed. The latest update is that he threatens to sue Sarawak PKR leaders too, and the story continues.

If I'm not mistaken, this is the same person who owns the majority in RHB until the recent EPF fiasco where EPF bought up a major chunk of the bank. Call me stupid if this isn't an obvious case of bailout by the CM. It's his right to sell his stake, I won't deny, the question should be where did he get the money to buy the bank in the first place. Fishy?

When one is accused to be corrupted, why counter by threatening lawsuit? That is just plain dumb and bring more spotlight to yourself. The sensible move is to shun all spotlights and hope people forget about it or do what our PM loves doing, play dumb. But fight back by threatening lawsuit? I quote Steven Gan saying

When we go to court, we have a long list of witnesses whom we plan to call - starting with the ACA and Japan’s tax authorities.

No joke, you're just asking for trouble.

If he's a UK politician, he would be instantly stripped of his job and he's already lucky if he doesn't end up in jail. Take David Blunkett's case here as an example.


I quote something interesting which I would love to share with all of you here:

Mr Blunkett admits he had been wrong to give a rail warrant intended for MPs' spouses to his married lover.

The home secretary's spokesman said he would repay the £180 cost of the train ticket to Doncaster, adding: "Having examined the detailed rules today he realises he has made a genuine mistake and will be repaying the cost of the ticket to the Parliamentary authorities and apologise for his mistake."

Hilarious isn't it, he has to repay £180 for giving his lover a ticket intended for MP's spouse. It's £180, compared to the sum allegedly taken in by Taib. Would really love to see kennysia write something about this(probably in a satirical manner too).

Allow me to drive home my point. People in the UK still think we live in trees, not quite so, but our mentality hasn't change much from out living-in-tree days.

Absurd v absurd, something that will only happen in a little country in the middle of nowhere which we call home.
Read Freethinker's take on this here.

Rinoa, you got a comment on this issue? Two lions or a wolf?

References:

1. Timeline: Blunkett Resignation, BBC News, 21 December 2004.