Bad MP Get Out!!!

Who is Keng Sky-kick? Keng is a nickname of Karun Hosakul, PPP’s most well-known MP and Sky-kick is given to him after his kick-boxing with a Democrat MP at the Parliament over a month ago. I thought I would not like to write anything about Thai politics unless and until there is a change of a government. But then this Keng Sky-kick story is too annoying and too irritating to ignore.

It was the right decision of the Democrat MPs to walk out of the field before the 1st half of the friendly football match between the governing parties and the opposition yesterday when this ugly MP Karun Hosakul or Keng Sky-kick walked in to the field. However, it was sad to hear that there was a few members of the old lady club shouting their support for the undeserved MP.

After expressing his sincere appreciation towards his old lady supporters, Karun walked into the changing room and challenged the Democrat MPs that “if you want to ask the parliament to withdraw me from my position, let’s do it as you wish”. He will never resign from his position and noone will ever be able to force him to comply even if the committee found him guity as initiated the fight in the parliament against a Democrat MP.

PPP who selected this person to contest and the old lady club who voted him in must be reponsible to a monster they created in our society. Why do they need to keep this monster walking in the parliament? Is it just only because he can sweet talk? I wonder if he knows what his role is as a people representative. I do not think he ever cares to know what he has to do in his constituency and in the parliament. It is time for PPP to consider this seriously whether to keep him in or let him out.

Thai Parliamentarian boxing: electorates are to blame

People Power Party MP Karun Hosakul (left) and Democract Party MP Somkiat Pongpaiboon (right) are facing a house inquiry for an alleged fight at parliament on Wednesday 2 April 2008. Deputy House Speaker Apiwan Wiriyachai will chair a panel to look into the matter. The process will take about 2 weeks.

Mr. Somkiat claimed that Mr. Karun kicked him while he was having a meal with his Democract colleagues at 2nd floor of the parliament building. Mr. Karum denied he tried to commit a physical attack and said the room in which the incident took place was full of Democrat MPs.

Mr. Karun was and still is a controversial member of parliament. He was well known among electorates in Don Muang constituency as a handsome MP. But for people outside his constituency he was and still is considered as a village headman. Mr. Somkiat was and still is involved with the People’s Allaince for Democracy (PDA) whose demonstration had caused the departure of Thakisn government. Mr. Somkiat’s involvement annoyed Mr. Karun. A member of parliament should not be involved with an anti-government organisation, Mr. Karun said.

Mr. Somkiat was voted in the parliament due to his involvement with PDA and the electorates were the one who decided. He can be a member of parliament and be involved in PDA. Mr. Karun’s entry into parliament was decided by the electorates who adored his charm. Before his entry into parliament, it was known that he beated his wife and hit a policeman when the latter made an attempt to destroy the cockfight that was owned by Mr. Karun.

The electorates who voted Mr. Karun in parliament are to blame. They should have voted for a people representaitve who can resolve conflict through dialogue - not with a physical attack.

Fitna - a film from one point of view

If Fitna is only a 2008 short film by Dutch parliamentarian Geert Wilders and does not emphasise Qur’anic motivation for terrorism, Islamic universalism in the Netherlands, it would not have been rated as the most controversial short film in 2008. If it has not crossed the limit of freedom, its brief release would not have led to the boycott of Dutch products in Muslim majority countries.

One may argue that the making is justified based on freedom of expression. But one must remember that freedom has its limit. The film was based on one personal view from one interpretation. Perhaps a strategy to counterbalance this is to produce a film that shows another side of a story - from another perspective from a different voice.

Dear Prime Minister Samak, I am bored!

I consider myself as one of TV addicts. It was until after the latest general election held in Thailand that I harldy look for current news on television. This is simply because there has been nothing in every morning programme except what our prime minister has to say! I was so bored last weekened and tried to look for good programme on TV but what i found was only our prime minister face on all channels.

Since he was elected by PPP to lead the country, he was rated “the most ugliest prime minister in Thailand political history”. This has made him very popular in cafe forum. Such an outspoken and vocal like Prime Minister Samak, he can criticise in every aspect of politics in Thailand. Before he was chosen by his invisible boss, people were curious why him? But now, people seem to have an answer…this type of leadership is so unique and rare in Thailand. Whatever he says will be difficult to level with especailly by current opposition leader who is an Ox-bridge graduate.

kuasa rakyat, makkal sakthi, people’s power

 

 

 

Makkal Sakthi and Kuasa Rakyat are still loud and clear in my head, though it was almost two weeks after my observation in the 12th General Election in Malaysia. So it seems “People have spoken!”, Barisan Nasional won with less than two third majority and lost control in five states - people say it was the worst result faced by BN in 50 years after independence.

I had a chance to travel around Malaysia a little since the nomination day on 24th Febraury 2008 up until the election night on 8th March 2008. On nomination day, i was in Penang to observe the nomination process in Batu Kawan constituency where a Chinese candidate of Barisan Nasional (BN) was contesting against an Indian candidate of the Democratic Action Party (DAP). It was interesting to see the procession of supporters of both sides and how they cheered their candidates. Even more interesting was conversation I overheard among Indian voters in such constituency. I sensed their sympathies for an Indian candidate although they supposed to be supporting BN. Many were saying that by voting for an Indian candidate, and if he won, that would bring a new hope to the ethnic Indians. I was saying to myself, “it would be a tough fight for BN.”

 

Just a few days prior to polling day, I went to Johor Bharu, Kuala Lumpur and Klang to observe election campaigns and what I found was quite astonishing! The Opposition and the Barisan Nasional had resorted to different campaign tools and styles. While the traditional media channels were limited for the Opposition, they were forced to rely more on e-media i.e. blog, Youtube, facebook etc. BN had an organised stage show for their political rally, whereas the Oppostition were using car-boot or small stage. I was saying it to myself, “how come it is so different!” One could not even see any tv promo of the Opposition. If one wanted to know about the Opposition, the only channel is the internet….

On election night, i received so may phone calls and sms from people in various states and they were telling me that the Opposition is forming a government in a few states…that was unexpected! Then I switched on television just to check the official results and i waited and waited until almost late…the results still did not seem to be announced officially…i went out to Malaysiakini office and that surprised me as they were updating up to the minute results. It proved true that the Opposition managed to take control of five states and denied the two thirds majority that BN enjoyed since 1969. I asked people, “what made change?”. They said, “its people’s power”. It is still loud and clear….and I quietly asked myself, “can this kind of change happen in Thailand?”