Azeez, Donald and Marine

Over BFM radio this morning, overheard a spokesman from the flotilla humanitarian mission to Myanmar urging the public to not be prejudicial and think positive as their effort is part of nation building. 

The exact reply whenever anyone voice their scepticism of Dato Paduka Azeez Rahim. At times, things need bulldozing to get things done. 

If it is not Azeez, who else are willing to do the humanitarian efforts that he has been doing over the years?

Yes, there is also Yayasan Salam, done quietly and without any publicity. Sometimes it is hoped that Azeez would adopt more Islamic (or other religion too) approach for left hand not know what the right hand is doing.

It would be perceived as more sincere. It avoid accusation of publicity seeking and politicising leveled against him. 

Whatever past cynicism against Azeez, he has earned the respect from many veteran politicians and his own cynics.

But, publicity has its role to propagate the message and attract support for continual effort. 

Azeez passion to help his kinfolk at the Bay of Bengal is understandable. Tamil is a second language at home. Only this time it has to be treated differently.

Yes Rohingya, but No Trump

Not that there will be the recurrence that led to the death of Nurfarizam, but there has to be respect for international diplomatic practise and the rule of law. There are ways on how to get things done.

When it was first mooted that Malaysia send a humanitarian aids and a communique was issued by Foreign Minister, Dato Anifah Aman to push an OIC resolution for access to aids, Myanmar's response was to oppose and not allow. 

So it was worrying to hear Azeez was adamant to go on February 3rd with a big send off by Prime Minister Dato Najib and PAS President Dato Seri Haji Hadi Awang. 

Azeez statement to say Myanmar gave assurance was not sufficiently comforting. Having followed UN's OCHA tweeter, they too were denied access.

But all prayers was for his safe passage and hope the cargo reached the Rohingya. 

There was a bad news of a Ko Ni, a Muslim constitutional lawyer close to Aung Sung Suu Kyi and NLD, killed in broad daylight at the Yangoon Airport.

For Azeez, there was a glimmer of hope as Suu Kyi seemed to make a U-turn. She urged the majority to protect minority. The worry on the rise in sectarianism in Myanmar remains.

On the day Azeez was leaving Port Klang, Anifah was meeting the Bangla Deshi High Commissioner at Putrajaya to seek explanation for their refusal to allow the flotilla to port in Bangla Desh.

In his statement, he express regret with their decision. Bangla Desh had closed their border to not allow Rohingya to enter their border or any humanitarian aids to Rakhine state allowed.

Maybe Malaysia has to stopped being generous to Bangla Desh and replace their labourer with Rohingya.

What was surprising is Azeez-led flotilla insisted to port at Teknaf. The Kelab Putra 1Malaysia advanced team earlier suggested Chittagong.

Shouldn't they consult Wisma Putera first. One can't simply land at any port. There must be Visas to be obtained first. Most importantly, can the smaller port take in such size a ship?

Nautical Aliya could not dock in the relatively shallow port.

However, the ship arrived at Yangoon port on February 9th to hand over 500 tonnes of aids to Myanmar’s Minister of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement Win Myat Aye.

Not only they were made to wait almost 12 hours before allowed to dock, they were received by a NO ROHINGYA protest. A Buddhist monk claimed the protest was merely against the use of the name Rohingya.

Myanmar public do not acknowledge Rohingya as minority. The aids could reach Rakhine state but what chance will it reach the Rohingya?

The team should have note the softer tone in PM's speech at the OIC meet in Kuala Lumpur. The final communique mentioned to "develop and implement inter-faith and inter-communal dialogues".

Any effort will be under the auspices of international bodies like UN and OIC and done accordance to international law and protocol.

Jangan main redah saja, brader. Malaysia took the lead in this effort and all eyes are on our conduct. Let's not embarass the country.

Trump and Le Pens

Only Donald Trump is thick skinned to any embarassment to do things not according to normal practices of governing. In public at least but not sure in private.

During campaign, Hillary Clinton claimed he is thin skinned and easily excitable with his Tweeter.

The US Court had halted his "Muslim ban" to stop travellers from seven Muslim majority nations. The latest news received reported that Trump lost at the Court of Appeal too.

He is furious and claimed national security is at risk. Expect him to make a legal challenge all the way to Supreme Court.

But will he be successful after his tirade with the judges. He lashed out at Judge Jason L. Robart, the federal judge in Washington State who issued a temporary hold on the President’s anti-Muslim travel ban.

Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) said Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch relayed in a private meeting that Trump’s comments on the judiciary were “demoralizing” and “disheartening.”

Trump's natural retaliation was to do a personal attack with the hope it will discredit his statement. His own nominee to the Supreme Court told many others too. Read here.

Trump's attention must be taken away byNordstorm departmental store decision to take off Ivanka's clothing line from its store. It could be business reason or to avoid future conflict of interests.

His master spinner, Kellyanne Conway urged the president's supporters to buy Ivanka's line of clothing and acessories. That is in violation of government's ethics rule!

And, a senior adviser backs her?

Guess Malaysiakini is right to headline an article only Mahathir can do a Trump. The resemblance is uncanny.

For Trump, the Court of Appeal decision must be an embrassment for him in his meeting with Airlines.

They have been asking government to improve the airports. Trump himself have said during campaign that US airports are looking like third world country.

Congress did not give Obama the money to upgrade airport and infrastructure. Will they give it to Trump?

Still fresh on everybody's mind is FBI James Comey's last minute investigation announcement bomb on Hillary Clinton that handed Trump and Republican a whitewash victory. It continued the trend from Brexit to Trump-it.

In the same mess in France, it is Marine Le Pen rival, Francois Fillon being investigated for a 'fake job' scandal. His children is currently being questioned by police.

By the look of it, the far right candidate will win the first round by default.

Get ready for the same line of argument as Brexit with France opting out of Euro, even at the risk of a massive default.

Similar to Trump, Le Pen have been advocating to deport refugee. Le Pen is more brave. She called for French Jew to give up Israeli citizenship.

Unless the poll failed again, it will be a right turn for another French revolution.

Be it Trump or Le Pen, the telling signs that scroll in:

"Each combines disaffection from the established parties – all liars, damn liars – a sense of dispossession where one cannot separate economic and job safety issues from wider cultural insecurity, which leads to a reversal of attitude towards newcomers and foreigners."

It is tell tale sign to the Najibs, Annuar Musas, Habiburs, Media Primas, MyKMUs and various Strategic Communication Teams.

Populism politics is the flavour of the day even though the Malaysian version is out of touch with reality and both sides of the political divide can be deemed as liars.

Will the race be for the lesser liar, hypocrit and thieves? Will the one more astute in the game of  propaganda, cyber-viral, and publicity seeking strive?

Or it is just back to basic?