Copyright Notice

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other non-commercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, write to the author, at the address below.

Sakmongkol ak 47

ariff.sabri@gmail.com

Wednesday 29 April 2009

Not the X-Factor

Before readers continue reading this article, I wish to say a few things about the last article I wrote. I stated cleanly that it was intended as a rib tickler. I don't mind being called names of this and that. But there was one particular blogger who irked me greatly who termed me a bingai. I don't mind being called a senduk but not bingai. Bingai as the blogger defines it is a derivative of bahlul. Now, bahlul where I come from is a genetically inherited mental trait. Being genetically determined, such mental state comes from our parents. You pick out issues with me, but to cast aspersions of my parents is another matter. I responded deservedly. I too have the liberty to call him out by whatever name which I think he deserves. I have also responded to his veiled threat of wanting to do what if he meets me or in his street language- nasib baik gua tak jumpa lu.... I have stated a long time ago, if you pick a fight with me, I get you in a cul-de-sac; I take out my knuckle dusters. Call me anything, but don't abuse my parents.

Now, the main story.

A few years ago, The Star newspaper was one of the most strident critics of Mahathirism. The term is used loosely to signify anything; policies and projects that were associated with Dr Mahathir. Whatever Mahathir did and accomplished were regarded as baneful for Malaysia.

Bold business decisions were taken as cronyism, vision 2020 regarded as wasteful personal dreams, development taken as ecological disaster, assertive foreign policies regarded as quarrelsome. Accordingly, to be associated with Mahathirism is an unforgivable sin.

I remember reading Star editors who were among the most virulent and contumelious of critics. Sometimes they were openly contemptuous. And not one Malay writer worth his salt defended Mahathir. Certainly not those who now jump and go berserk whenever disagreeable comments are made on Dr Mahathir or on the greenhorn Mukhriz Mahathir.

Every major newspaper editors and lesser writers acted in unison in condemning Dr Mahathir. After 2003 until the exit of Pak Lah, Mahathir was treated almost like a pariah.

Now The Star is singing a different tune. Its chief spokesperson, Jocelyn Tan is saying Dr Mahathir is the X factor in the government. Usually one treats an X factor as the determining factor that ensures success. Like many people, I am puzzled. How can a person who was treated for a number of years as an untouchable now becomes the X factor?

Sometimes people subscribed to the existence of an X factor when they do not know what the crucial element determining success is. That unexplainable factor is assigned an X. Adopting an X can also be a sign that you are clueless and lost. Hence the slain Black American leader, Malcolm X was said to have adopted the 'X' in his name because he was a lost child.

In many ways, the adoption of 'X' by J Tan a well known journalist at The Star seems to be a fitting description. She hacks her way clueless. J Tan is a chameleon herself. She blends according to her surroundings. She was singing praises for KJ then when Abdullah Badawi was in power. She obviously knows which side of her bread is buttered. She even knows who butters it. She has earned many nicknames. In 2007 when I wasn't even blogging yet, she earned the moniker of UMNO media mistress. I have even heard her being called a whore.

But she seems to have her admirers deep inside the PM's office. Why is that so? That would suggest one of two three things. First she is regarded as best in her field. Two, those press people in the PM's outfit suffer from inferiority complexes. Finally, she is admired simply because DS Rosmah has a special place for J.Tan.

And so, she becomes a most admired media notable by the PM's press people. The adulation even if false confers a sense of invincibility which at times can be used to demolish others. J Tan has demonstrated that power when she contributed to the successful halt to the progression of one ex journalist as Press Sec to the DPM.

The admiration which I find unreasonable is nonetheless understandable. If you have people within the PM's press setup who cant even respond with a decent answer to the accusations by RPK, the adulation and even respect accorded to someone regarded as the belle of Journalism, is understandable. Those guys were probably besotted with her or were practical enough not to offend the PM's wife's pet.

I have said and will say it again. Her prowess as a journalist is vastly exceeded by her close relationship with Datin Seri Rosmah. As a journalist she is a paper tiger, undeservedly venerated during an age, when the internet wasn't around. At that time, what a journalist says was almost a monologue and opinion shaper. When the internet age came, when people can talk back, the shallowness and flimsy premises on which opinions were formed are easily undone. With that, comes a sobering realization that journalists like J Tan for instance is just another conjurer with words. Mesmerising for a short time, but unreal.

If you keep changing positions, something is bound to give in. That something, without which a journalist worth his /her salt cannot survive, is credibility. You can only conclude as losing any semblance of credibility of someone who said A was a pariah at one time, now that we have a new master, A is a darling. As Karpal Singh once used to say- you can't be two extremes at any given time. If you are to change positions, you could have hedged your bets the last time by straddling the middle road.

That should be an apt description of J Tan's journalistic behaviour. Suddenly as J Tan says TDM is back in the loop. Dr Mahathir has always been in the loop whether one likes it or not. TDM is an institution unto himself. He says what he wants and provides reasons therein. One disputes him by building a better mousetrap and it is no skin of his nose, if people disagree with him.

Whether he PM approves or otherwise, Dr Mahathir will say what he thinks is right such as insisting that UMNO must battle in Penanti. Or that DS Najib's cabinet has unsavoury characters. Or saying that the foreign press is ganging up on the PM.

As J Tan admitted, TDM did not ever stop- but newspapers like Star and people like J Tan, made sure what he said did not make it into the mainstream media. It was the Fourth Estate after all who created its own Berlin Wall keeping away dissenting voices.

Now Dr Mahathir, once reviled and abused is regarded as the X factor, treated as a returned hero, one in a million and indeed rarer still. The once derided Mahathirim is now re-christened as Guided Democracy. The suffix Democracy is at least palatable.

Those days when Mahathirism held sway were actually, it is indirectly claimed, our temporary displaced glorious path. The message is unmistakably clear- that if DS Najib were to emulate the style of Dr Mahathir, that is acceptable. Actually it is not Mahathirism we are hankering after but renewed leadership which has been forfeited since 2003. This was what JT missed out.

But when we pressed for resurgent leadership during PakLah's years, JTan and the Star enjoined the other MSM media doing a Berlin Wall on valid criticisms on weak leadership. Indeed strong leadership exemplified for example by Mahathirism was fashionably denounced. Dr Mahathir himself was exiled into the media wilderness, forced to reach the masses through his own blog. The more than 18 million readership is now finally accepted as very credible.

What are the hallmarks of Mahathirism that may supply DS Najib, content to his leadership? They include like what the Blogger Bigdog listed as "policies like Look East, Vision 2020, privatisation and Malaysia Inc. It was about big ideas and projects, bold decision-making, and the public and private sectors working to achieve economic growth."

But wait- JTan is not unlike the proverbial Greek bearing gifts. The gifts being in the form of grudging acknowledgements and even acceptance of Mahathirism. Whether this changing position by JT is a product of enlightened awareness is debatable. Maybe, her changing position is dictated by reasons of self preservation and a need to reinforce her presence as unsolicited adviser to the PM's team.

She's sending the message that Najib will ensure that Mahathirim will not be entirely discarded. On what is the guarantee given? That guarantee says JTan is given because of the existence of certain dynamics between the two men. When I was reading the romanticizing of the bonds between DS Najib and Dr Mahathir, I asked myself, were the many heart warming behavior described artfully by J Tan, a product of J Tan's wet dreams? I am not going to reproduced it here. Readers can read it in her article.

What should interest us is the use of Dr Mahathir in her scheme of things. Just like what she was doing during the Abdullah and KJ years, she is now placing an insurance factor for Najib's success. Mahathirism will no longer to be mistreated, but it will not enjoy prominence still. It's put on reserve as the X factor that can be called up assist Najibism.

Hence even though she hacks her way clueless, J tan has finally got her own X factor. If during the Abdullah years, she saw it fit to reject wholly Mahathirism and even demonising Dr Mahathir, this time, just to reinforce awareness of who butters her bread, she quickly elevates what was totally discarded as the X factor.

I for one will not steal her thunder and won't be in the way to ensure the PM succeeds in leading Malaysia even if the path leading to it is created in such a seductive way as done by J Tan. After all she is the UMNO media mistress.

37 comments:

Wah Al-Subangi 29 April 2009 at 09:05  

dato,

i worry for the guy who try to physically pick fight with you what with your tomoi, ak47 and stuffs :D

Anonymous,  29 April 2009 at 10:05  

Dato?
Pure Shiite threaten to wallop you?
Then get KJ's boys and Rashid's friends to whack him hard!
Since when is blogging a way to 'cari makan'? He is worried somebody cannot 'cari makan' because that fella's anonimity has been exposed!
Now Pure SHITHEAD is really the smelliest shit walking around!
Too bad.Tabur pasir into Rashid's periuknasi and cepat Allah SWT balas.
Tunjuk gambar KJ macam monyet at the Husin Lempoyang blog and now cannot tahan when others ridicule his photo?
So be it! Those fellas reap what they sow!
Hope they realise their own dosa!

Idzan Ismail,  29 April 2009 at 11:04  

I think you are rather harsh on THE STAR.
It irks me because it's the place where i cari makan for years before i opt to be an idle mother.
I never believe in bad-mouthing my other place of work - Bernama and Utusan.
I will not be where I am if I do not graduate from these three Universities since I refused a college education, much to the chagrin of my parents.
Alhamdulillah, with my clear conscience in my work, my two kids graduated with world-class British and US degree and the youngest now a sophomore in a world class university.
Most times the press are dubbed BN dogs or anti this and that personality.
Faced it, the reality is we are all beholden to out political masters.
We have to work within the paramater.
Alway in a Catch-22 situation. Damn if you do, damn if we dont.
The Star you described was before its closure during Operation Lalang.
Yep then the paper was seemingly anti-Mahathir.
I was heavily invclved in the reporting of the banning of Umno.
When Umno baru reverted back to Umno, the editors then kept reprimanding me to use Umno Baru.
Then there was undercurrent of being anti-Umno and Malays.
But that was long ago.
All of them have fled. But they are good journalists.
Star now is in good hands and some view it as more Umno than the NST.
P.S. I do not have the privilege to know Jocelyn who joined Star from NST after I left.
Another P.S. Why must you be worked up about the term bingai. If you speak the same Pahang lingo as I do, it means rather stubborn or not listening to others.
My Aki used to call me bingai and I am proud of it.
Also be cool towards your critics. Isn't blogspheres, a free conduit to express opinions, be it lies or truths.

satD 29 April 2009 at 11:18  

well Senduk since u really didnt get what i said...let me explain it to u in English

"nasib baik gua tak jumpa same lu" means that u might just expose who I am without my consent just like what u did to AVoice...imagine the fate of his informers now....

I smell a more sinister intention to shut him up done under the guise of a tak kelakar langung post.....

U wanna fight with me ka...for real senduk?

Take a good look at yourself or take a good look at your feet(if u still can).....last i check i could still kick above my shoulders

Tara class la lu senduk...

Anonymous,  29 April 2009 at 11:25  

Idzan Ismail
Congratulations for your children's great success.
Intelligent mothers are always blessed with very successful children.
Dah masuk rumah orang makihamun tuanrumah dan selepas itu meminta layanan yang sabar dan baik.
Itu bukan adab Melayu kita.
And most of them are very foul-mouthed.

I do not agree with some of Dato's views but I do believe strongly in courteous language.
Please remember that everyone has his patience limits.
Maybe yours is supremely high.

Ron Jeremy, Jr.,  29 April 2009 at 11:43  

My oh my .... part II of a cybersinetron coming live into your cheap PC.

What next?

I guess we need to Hayun a few Mangkuks before this is over.

Chill out guys.

Oh, didn't we all know, politicians make damn bad bloggers. What more a failed one.

Unknown 29 April 2009 at 12:14  

dont worry bro.. we will help u up.. just give us a light warning then we will come.. setiakwan bro..

mamasita 29 April 2009 at 12:16  

Ron Jeremy, Jr.

Thank you.Yes I do agree he is a failed politician if not being a state-assemblyman anymore is the measure of a failed one..Thank you so much for the reminder.
But he is not complaining about that Sir.
And thank God he has so many other good points.Thank you again.

Anonymous,  29 April 2009 at 13:38  

fullback, bukan Setiakawan lah bro, it is SetiaKatWang.

Anyway, whatever happened to the two fat asses? That part I must agree. Funny.

Sak, relax and don't lose your composure. I still want to read your writings. But how come the quality of your commenters are crap at best? Why those thinkers who convene on the major blogs don't come here? Maybe need to brush up on your PR.

Thats just my opinion.


OtherAnon

Sikhin Harun,  29 April 2009 at 14:23  

Dato,

I think JTan is not sincere in giving her comments and she is only creating disruption among the politicians.

I urge JTan to be like a cat,to be competent and rationale towards all politicians.Tak kira kucing itu hitam atau putih..asalkan pandai tangkap tikus...!!But not that C.A.T yg LGE punya!!

Hey,stop name-calling please!!

Fullback...light warning huh?..ok l'll be with you!Setiakawan..

Idzan ismail,  29 April 2009 at 15:49  

Anonymous 11.25 am
Thanks. Praise be to Allah.
Like all mothers, if our kids are happy and successful, we are happy.
Always tell our kids with the halal money we earned, God willing they will be successful.
Yes. Datuk has every right to be angry with the comments critical of him.
It is his blog anyways.
We are here by his permission.
Wonder why are they personal in attacking Datuk as a failed politician.
Good of his wife to come to his defence.
It's what your family thinks of you that is most important.

Ree,  29 April 2009 at 15:56  

Where can I read this JTan's article?

band aid,  29 April 2009 at 16:07  

JTan ni memang journalist flip flop. dulu bukan main up KJ dan Hisham. lepas tu u-turn baik punya. she thinks she is an important chess piece in the media game.

Muhammad Firdaus Christopher,  29 April 2009 at 16:48  

Brother,

Are we on for teh tarik today ? Dropped you a mail but didn't see your response...

Be blessed,

Muhammad Firdaus Christopher

P/S : By the way, JT all along was a laptog to KJ & UMNO and Idzan does not know shit as she does not personally know her. In fact, I've never missed her articles previously but now have stopped even buying the Star for the past year

Anonymous,  29 April 2009 at 17:06  

MF Christopher A/L Cheenatamboopillaykuppusamy

Dey, you don't have Y.Bhg. Dato' Sak's phone no. ka?

Why advertise your private engagement with Y.Bhg. Dato' here?

He didn't reply to your email becos he dont wanna see you lah. Tadak paham ka?

This is a forum abt the posting. Who cares abt your teh tarik needs and such. Pigidahhhh!

Muhammad Firdaus Christopher,  29 April 2009 at 17:16  

Haha, another dog bites the dust ! Firstly, if I had his number I would have called him lah. Secondly, you must be another mongrel who thinks that you're HOLIER THAN THOU.

What a piece of shit you really are, mind guessing Dato.. Haha, could you have read that but then again, mongrels like you takde teluq nak put your name in your comment. Well, maybe just maybe you were not given one :-)

Anyway, this blog is not yours and you can either join or get lost.

Lastly, I sense that you really were not given a name by your parents cause you just envy mine and decided to add your grand dad's name at the end.

Anonymous,  29 April 2009 at 17:31  

Why do we wanna believe that a mere reporter can influence our top leadership?Don't we value the intelligence,networking,experience of our leaders?not to forget the resources available to them to countercheck any allegations..to do backgrounders etc...

Truly,a lot of people have lost faith in so many things government not only the judiciary.

Please...we do hv sincere,genuine and capable leaders..pls do not denigrate that institution,

Eyes Wide Open 29 April 2009 at 17:46  

Dato

Can Malaysian journalists really dictate a paper's political stance? I doubt it la.

This is not the US or UK, where politicos live in fear of investigative journalists who are given a free hand to write anything they like, and editors live in fear of losing their star writers (no pun intended!)

Malayisan "journalists" like JTan are merely paid hacks. I doubt many of them have the opportunity to write from conscience. If they did, many will be out of a job quicker than you can yell "deadline!"

You're right to point out that JTan knows which side of her bread is buttered. She's merely doing her job. "Menurut perintah" perhaps.

If anyone is to be assigned responsibility for the Star's op-eds it's the people controlling the rag.

Anonymous,  29 April 2009 at 18:01  

apa kata letak gambar wenger khairy pulak di apit oleh EWO.. pastuh letak gambar anwar kat tgh tgh..

kita bikin caption.. nak jugak tgk muka wenger n ewo ni camana pulak..

Eyes Wide Open 29 April 2009 at 20:52  

Anon 18:01

Cheh wah...tak sangka awak fanboy kami ya? Nak tengok muka saya, sila berlayar ke sini:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2135/2177296503_85236d4c3f.jpg

Amacam? Hensem tak?

Anonymous,  29 April 2009 at 21:14  

ewo.. tau pun tak berani tunjuk muka... hehhehe

EWOke,  29 April 2009 at 21:15  

EWO, yes that is indeed YOU. We are glad you finally admit it.

That's what you've become after being thrashed to a pulp at another blog that you chicken shit don't even dare go near anymore.

Mannn, look at the spaghetti brain of this loser. Utter devastation.

katdog,  29 April 2009 at 23:27  

"Dr Mahathir himself was exiled into the media wilderness, forced to reach the masses through his own blog."

Would like to point out that this statement is incorrect. Mahathir only started his blog in 2008 after the stunning gains made by PR in the Mar 2008 elections.

Mahathir did not create his blog because he had been cast out in the media wilderness but his blog was created to counter the growing popularity of electronic media by PR parties.

Prior to Mar 2008 Mahathir had never bothered to think about a blog because he had actually been given reasonable access to traditional media, especially through newspapers like the Star. Though this access was still of course much less than he would have liked.

The Star has actually been pretty amiable to Mahathir. Mahathir's daughter got a job at the Star. And the Star even published Mahathir's open letter criticising Abdullah after Mar 08.

Peter,  30 April 2009 at 00:11  

Sak ... good writing.

when you get 7 to 12 months' bonus etc etc you dont criticise those in power. JTan to us, are just one of those who "cari makan".

If the Japanese takes over Malaya again , such kind of people will be praising these conquerers.

Anyway ... I have not bought Star for a long long time.. cant even remember when the last time I bought one. Prefer not to waste money reading rubbish.
Internet much much better.

Anonymous,  30 April 2009 at 00:52  

Wooit,
The identity of Wenger Khairy is a closely guarded state secret, as the revealation of who I, Wenger Khairy, is will be a big shock. Suffice to say - read my articles and you can figure out my background.

Interesting point what Dato is mentioning. JTan to me is just another bloggerish journalist - what she spouts is perhaps a dressed up version of what pro DM and Mahathir blogs sprout. Of course it is an embarrassment to the country as a whole that our journalistic calibre is so low that the Star finds it fit to give so much prominence to this person. What Dato says is spot on - You cannot be blowing hot, cold and hot again and expect to have any credbility. People will see that you are a just another propaganda agent.

As to all those dato bashers who take offence at Dato's commentary (not even criticism) of Tun Mahahtir , Mukrhiz and Mahathirism , I welcome you to my blog. Its always fun to expose your single digit IQ, but you can always hide your shame behind the cloak of anonymity

Muhammad Firuz Cristobal,  30 April 2009 at 01:11  

Wenger said: '...you can always hide your shame behind the cloak of anonymity'

Yup Wenger, we understand. There is no way YOU would have the balls to come out of your karong and face the world in shame.

Quantum Metal Consultant 30 April 2009 at 02:14  

Ini Wenger just like chicken !!! KFC

Anonymous,  30 April 2009 at 02:27  

SAKMONGKOL AK47,
Habis sekarang siapa yang x-factor?

dolah? badawi? pakLah? hadhari?
atau
nazri? shahril? musa? kuLi? zaid? stabery? kj? mukhriz?
atau
anwar? nikAziz? hadi? kitSiang? karpal? najib?
atau
obama? osama? castro? mugabe? jawsbush?
atau
TDM? DrM? chedet? mahathir?

nampaknya penulis semakin seronok menjolok-jolok minda pembaca, yaaa?
Teruskan.. Kita lihat apa kesudahannya.

-azienmat-

Anonymous,  30 April 2009 at 02:29  

SAKMONGKOL AK47 is a real X-factor!
yes.. yes.. yes..

-azienmat-

Anonymous,  30 April 2009 at 06:31  

Why do the Nobel Prizes exist today? What was it that made Alfred Nobel create the Prizes which honour the efforts made in the sciences and medicine, literature and lastly Peace?

I will tell you why.

Alfred Nobel was the inventor and manufacturer of dynamite. The dynamite he invented was essential in mining but it was also used extensively during the many wars which caused so many to perish.

Nobel was fortunate in that a mistake was made during his lifetime, enabling him to read HIS OWN obituary! He was blamed for all the lives the dynamite had ended prematurely. To undo the perception that Nobel had forsaken his duty to humanity to do good, he left in his will for the creation of a foundation which funds the Nobel Prizes. Today, millions around the world associate the name Nobel with these great gifts he bequeathed to the world.

I hope DSN will take a moment to consider if he had a "Nobel" moment what his obituaries will read. Will the Perak episode be the one that stains his obituary? If UMNO looses GE13 because of Perak, what will UMNO write of DSN? What will this JTan write then?

DSN, the future is yet to be lived.

I beg of DSN to safeguard his legacy. Be noble. Bequeath the gift of democracy to the people of Perak.

Anonymous,  30 April 2009 at 11:51  

BRAVO, DATO.

Well said on that typically opportunistic woman.

I can't say more for now as it would eat into my ovedue coffee break.

Anonymous,  30 April 2009 at 22:28  

'allo...this spat between your goodself and some bloggers only show your immaturity and boundless egos...hell! actually, the others don't give a shit what you do...have a good life.

Anonymous,  1 May 2009 at 02:24  

dato,

bingai = nerd,
bingai bukan bahlol

*rpk-bodo*

PARPUKARI 1 May 2009 at 03:33  

YO MUTHAFUCKA, KJ ASS LICKER! I KNOW UR GETTING A LOT OF MONEY FROM THAT ASSHOLE, BUT DON'T YOU HAVE ANY DIGNITY, YOU MUTHAFUCKA?

I CAN PUKE WITH UR WRITING MAN!

WHAT THE FOOK UR TALKING ABOUT!

MEMANG POKEMON LA LU PENJILAT KJ!

MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Anonymous,  1 May 2009 at 10:16  

Parpu Kari,

Well said..

U have exposed the true orang Melayu!
Pu Pu..yaaah..carut!!


Maggi Kari

zorro 1 May 2009 at 10:42  

SAK, only one comes into blogs and shouts (in caps). In a discourse when one SHOUTS, we only remember him shouting, we don't remember what he wants to convey, if any. Blog on Brother.

Eyes Wide Open 1 May 2009 at 17:41  

EWOke said..."That's what you've become after being thrashed to a pulp at another blog that you chicken shit don't even dare go near anymore."

Funny...I don't see any of the jaguh kampung from that "another blog" who have the testicular fortitude to come over to my blog to debate me properly. At least I debate you guys at your turf and I stand my ground.

Lu? Mana?

And I don't even moderate my blog comments, so you are free to say anything without censorship. Unlike that "another blog" who tried to hide my comment but had to quickly write a childish, reactionary, foul-worded, off-point, abusive and clearly low-class "rebuttal" (I'm using the loosest interpretation of that word here) 3 days after I exposed him for his cowardice in the face of a real debate.

In fact, I still have 2 comments that "another blog" has not approved yet. You can read it on my blog - I posted it there for all to read and debate the moment I wrote it. Unlike that "another blog" that is so "jaguh" but still too chicken to publish a reasonably argued comment!

And those that do litter my blog's comments section with their poopinions - nothing but mere hit and runs. No substance and just wild rhetoric. Pfah!

For all your elevated opinions of yourselves, guys like you are nothing more than "jaguh kampung". Don't even dare to debate someone properly, even when protected by cyber-anonymity!

So go ahead and syok sendiri on that "another blog". I got no time to play with rude little children.

  © Blogger templates Newspaper III by Ourblogtemplates.com 2008

Back to TOP