Bye Bye Sang Kelembai, The Blogger Who Got The Sack

Blogger Zaharin Yassin who blog under the nickname of Sang Kelembai, has been sacked from Umno for criticising party leadership through his blog.

Zaharin should be counted as among the gentlemen bloggers -- those who blog using their real names for although he uses the nick of Sang Kelembai, he has also displayed his real name and picture in the biodata section of his blog. That's why they managed to get him.

In short, he is far from being the sniper, or bloggers who hide and shoot behind anonymity.

Bernama has the story, translation are mine:

Penulis Blog 'Sang Kelembai' Zaharin Yassin Dipecat Dari Umno

Penulis blog "Sang Kelembai", Zaharin Yassin, yang juga bekas setiausaha Umno Bahagian Bandar Tun Razak, dipecat daripada Umno kerana menulis artikel dalam webnya yang mengkritik kepimpinan parti, kata Presiden Umno Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi hari Khamis.

Perdana Menteri berkata Majlis Tertinggi (MT) Umno yang bermesyuarat di sini, membuat keputusan sebulat suara memecat Zaharin sebagai anggota parti selepas meneliti laporan Jawatankuasa Pengurusan dan Lembaga Disiplin Umno.

[Umno Sacks Blogger Zaharin "Sang Kelembai" Yassin

A blogger who blog under the nickname "Sang Kelembai", Zaharin Yassin, who is also the former Bandar Tun Razak Umno divisional secretary, has been sacked from Umno for criticising party leadership, Umno President Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said.

The Prime Minister said that the Umno Supreme Council who met here, decided unanimously to sack Zaharin as party member after going through a report submitted by the Umno Management and Disciplinary Committee]

That's the price of shooting and not hiding thereafter. As for me, I'll be the sniper for while. Shooting every now and then, although not as regular as other snipers.

"I Told Him Not To Bring In Outsiders"

Something about this quote is bothering the mind:

"I still remember telling them not to bring in outsiders to 'disturb' the Umno members or the Kubang Pasu division. This is Kubang Pasu affairs, let the Kubang Pasu Umno members make their decision," he added. [Source: Bernama]

I can't begin to explain it but it's there, like the low hum of an underground generator. I mean, does this mean that it has always been a practice to bring in outsiders to disturb Umno divisions?

Am I naive?

I Wish I Was In Kubang Pasu

I wish I was in Kubang Pasu. I wish I could know what's really going on... whether the fight had been clean, whether the defeat had been just that -- a defeat.

I wish I was in Kubang Pasu and be able to mingle around among the creme de la creme of the leadership there, be able to hear stories, eavesdrop into the conversations and be able to see if someone had slipped an extra card on the table, to be able to know whether I can take the defeat at face value.

I wish I could know; for if the defeat is genuine, then we can all finally tell The Old Man, that "look Old Man, accept it. You have done whatever is it that you wanted to do and now, it's the turn of the division to voice out whatever it is that they wanted to voice out".

I wish I could know; for not knowing is bad for my sleep wellness.

No Kasino In Danga Bay

No kaSINo in Danga Bay or anywhere in Johor, says the Johor state government. "Let Singapore build their casino, we won't follow suit," says Tourism and Environment Exco, Freddie Long, according to JB reporters.

For perspective and backgrounder, check out this Rocky's Bru entry yesterday.

Meanwhile in Putrajaya, Transport Minister Chan Kong Choy said, "No kasi turun saman trafik".

Miss England... It Should Be Just Miss England!

Ever heard of a Christian Miss England? A Buddhist Miss Universe? A Hindu Miss India? A Free Thinker Miss Something? No?

[Source: Dave Evans]How about a Muslim Miss England?

Yes... she is looking at you right now or rather, you are looking at her at this very moment.

This beauty just can't be the plain Miss England. She must become something else -- a Muslim Miss England would be nice, after all that's a fact. Nothing wrong in stating the fact. It's entirely accurate!

And because of that, we get to read the controversies arising from her remark about Tony Blair's policies towards the Muslims. Some of the gist of the issue can be found in this AFP report, dated Sept 1:

Muslim Miss England blasts Blair over 'stereotypes'

LONDON -- The first Muslim to be voted Miss England hit out at British Prime Minister Tony Blair Thursday, accusing him of fueling hostility toward Islam following last year's London bombings.

Hammasa Kohistani, 19, born in Uzbekistan after her parents fled the Taliban regime in Afghanistan, said that the lethal attacks had united British communities, but added that the government had created "negative stereotypes" of Muslims in the wake of the blasts.

Kohistani was speaking as she returned to resume her studies at Uxbridge College in West London after a year of traveling the world appearing in newspapers and magazines.

She said that the July 7 bombings, which killed 56 people including the four British Muslim suicide bombers, was a "reality slap" for those who thought that such attacks would never occur in Britain.

"I think in a sense it brought communities together," she told Britain's domestic Press Association news agency. But at the same time "there is this hostility," which comes "mainly from the government."

"Tony Blair addressed Muslims in particular, telling them that they need to sort out the problem within. That was a huge stereotype of the Islamic community.

"Even the more moderate Muslims have been stereotyped negatively and feel they have to take actions to prove themselves."

Kohistani's coronation as Miss England in 2005 sparked anger among some highly traditional Muslims who felt that she and other Muslims should not have competed.

Kohistani said that she would be selective about her modeling work as she completes the A-Level examinations that should enable her to study for a politics degree at university, with an eye on a political career afterwards.

She speaks several languages and will study A-Level politics, sociology, and media studies. She has already passed in English literature.

Kohistani said that she sometimes got annoyed about being asked about Islam and politics, given her coronation two months after the London bombings.

However, she admitted that it separated her from the pack.

"At first it was quite rewarding and I enjoyed it. But after the first 200 interviews, I realized that it was all about me being Muslim," she said.

"No one wanted to know my favorite movie or favorite food and other usual Miss England questions." -- AFP