Abhisit, Mahathir Offer Ideas On Bringing Peace Back To South

[Naam]

bring peace to the South...hmm, how about starting by GIVING THEM BACK THEIR LAND? and when you're done with that, Central Thai COLONIALISTS, give back the North to the Lanna people...and Isan to the Lao and Khmer people...hmm, what will you have left? the sinking swamp called Bang Kok? hmm, yeah...

Give it back to who? It was never Malaysia's. Maybe it should be given back to the Khmer's.

refreshing your history as well as geographical knowledge would be advisable

[AleG]

There's always a "but, Thaksin" button around when you need one

He's a useful distraction when we are not allowed to discuss the real issues!

The issue of the OP is the osmotic properties of racism?

Gee, I should get reading glasses.

[whybother]

bring peace to the South...hmm, how about starting by GIVING THEM BACK THEIR LAND? and when you're done with that, Central Thai COLONIALISTS, give back the North to the Lanna people...and Isan to the Lao and Khmer people...hmm, what will you have left? the sinking swamp called Bang Kok? hmm, yeah...

Give it back to who? It was never Malaysia's. Maybe it should be given back to the Khmer's.

refreshing your history as well as geographical knowledge would be advisable

From what I have read, the area became part of Thailand at the time that Malaysia was created.

As to the Khmers, they controlled parts of the area at their peak.

Of course, I could be wrong and would be happy for you to show me some info to correct me.

Sent from my HTC phone.

[chuang]

Birds of a feather flock together...

[MobileContent]

I keep hearing Mahathir is a racist.

I am seeing racist issues in Thailand too and when I look to Europe almost every country has racism in the government.

Corruption in Malaysia? Yes for sure as the Chinese are happy paying for contracts

and until recently stayed away from politics in Malaysia, except the DAP which was in fact the offspring party from the PAP in Singapore.

I disagree of course with the Bumiputra policy before in Malaysia but then again having a bumi partner in a company allows you to bid for government projects inside MALAYSIA.

I also disagree with the policies in Thailand to have a foreign partner that can only have 49% in shares but that the laws so we have to work with it.

Chinese in Malaysia have always being very much in the business sector active but not in politics. The parties that are now trying to catch up are the opposition parties headed by Anwar Ibrahim with a lot of Chinese, Indian and hardcore religious Malays.

BTW CHinese toolook down on Malays and find them lazy, etc but somehow they do live in harmony together.

Just my 2 cents

[jayboy]

Would appointing Muslim Governors of the southern provinces help? How about following the US pattern where individul states have a degree of autonomy? Just thinking, but not too deeply maybe.

Yes it would in a way but the key problem is the principle of appointment from Bangkok.Muslims who are seen as being stooges of the conservative Bangkok establishment are unlikely to be acceptable.But even better would be Chalerm's idea of elected governors in the southern provinces.I'm no more of a fan of Chalerm's than anyone else but for a change this seems very sensible.There is a remarkable editorial in the other paper today giving its approval and criticising the Democrats for taking a negative approach to it (though I don't think the party leadership has taken a view yet - let's see).Of course there is the risk that locally elected governors might end up with the "wrong" result but this is a risk worth taking.The way ahead is to take the responsibility for solving the southern problem away from the bone headed generals whose efforts under various administrations have failed badly and edge towards a more political solution which inter alia would give a more prominent official role to Phaasa Jawi.I don't believe there is a need to think in terms of secession from Thailand now but eventually (I'm talking 10 years +) a referendum should be held on this if there is an end of violence on all sides.As to discussions between Abhisit and Mahathir on the subject I fail to see how any sane person with a modicum of good will could consider this is other than helpful and constructive.

[Buchholz]

As to discussions between Abhisit and Mahathir on the subject I fail to see how any sane person with a modicum of good will could consider this is other than helpful and constructive.

knock me over with a feather

+ 1

.

[sunshine51]

@ Geriatrickid...

Great info for the masses geriatrickid...I'm glad you dug it up. I thought

about it then figgered...why should I bother.

However...AFP...got the info slightly wrong in their clip...

"Jun 1996: Prime Minister Mahathir aadmits that his goverment has

overt discriminatory policies. In a public event with Singapore,

Mahathir asserts that Malaysia does practice meritocracy, but

that it is based upon race as the ability of some ethnic groups

to compete is still questionable. Singapore, which was part of

Malaysia from 1963-65, was expelled for refusing to enact

preferential policies for Malays (Agence France Presse, 06/09/96).

Singapore was kicked out but the AFP failed to state the reasons.

Mr.Lee Kwan Yew wanted to remain part of "Malaysia" but under

advice went for the secession. Here's an excerpt from the Wiki

page....

"On 16 September 1963, Singapore became part of Malaysia.

However, the union was short-lived. The Malaysian central

government, ruled by the United Malays National Organisation

(UMNO), became worried by the inclusion of Singapore's

Chinese majority and the political challenge of the PAP in

Malaysia. Lee openly opposed the bumiputra policy and used

the Malaysian Solidarity Convention's famous cry of

"Malaysian Malaysia!", a nation serving the Malaysian nationality,

as opposed to the Malay race.

The 1964 race riots in Singapore followed, such as that on the

Prophet Muhammad's birthday (21 July 1964), near Kallang

Gasworks, in which 23 people were killed and hundreds injured

as Chinese and Malays attacked each other. It is still disputed

how the riots started, and theories include a bottle being thrown

into a Muslim rally by a Chinese, while others have argued that

it was started by a Malay. More riots broke out in September 1964,

as rioters looted cars and shops, forcing both Tunku Abdul Rahman

and Lee to make public appearances in order to calm the situation.

Unable to resolve the crisis, the Tunku decided to expel Singapore

from Malaysia, choosing to "sever all ties with a State Government

that showed no measure of loyalty to its Central Government". Lee

was adamant and tried to work out a compromise, but without

success. He was later convinced by Goh Keng Swee that the

secession was inevitable. Lee signed a separation agreement on

7 August 1965, which discussed Singapore's post-separation

relations with Malaysia in order to continue co-operation in areas

such as trade and mutual defence.

The failure of the merger was a heavy blow to Lee, who believed

that it was crucial for Singapore’s survival. In a televised press

conference on television that day, he fought back tears and briefly

stopped to regain his composure as he formally announced the

separation and the full independence of Singapore".....

Then Lee Kwan Yew continued to make Singapore into a viable

island nation where everything works efficiently and although

corruption is in Singapore too, it's not as blatant as in Malaysia

or Thailand because...Singapore is a fine nation...they have a fine

for everything...and strictly enforce the fines.

On the "Rubber City" Mahathir has been appointed to oversee

and since the Malaysian State of Kedah is his birthplace all

I can forsee is that the decrepit old geezer will fleece more

dosh into his pocket and a genuine Rubber City will emerge;

made entirely outta latex.