The joint suit by the Federal government and the Penang state administration is related to ideas that were first registered by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng respectively.

The recently launched Apple iPad

Putrajaya and Komtar are claiming that the iPad, due to its position as a product in between the iPhone and the MacBook, is mimicking the 1 Malaysia and Middle Malaysia concepts, respectively.

This compounds Apple’s already tarnished image as being “copycats” after Nokia had in October filed a suit worth up to RM3.5 billion for patent infringements related to the all-conquering iPhone.

A statement from the Prime Minister’s Office said that, “Malaysia was the first and is unique in trying to put forward this idea of unity, that all you need is one, plain, dull, boring ol’ thing that combines all the best elements of Malaysia into one streamlined slogan.”

When reached for comment, Information and Culture Minister insisted that “this is Malaysian culture and we cannot allow others to steal it, just like how Indonesia stole our batik and Singapore, our Ampang Yong Tau Fu.”

Meanwhile, in a press conference a few minutes ago, Lim insisted that “we have painstakingly worked with lawyers and marketing firms to come up with an idea that was original and convincing, and now Apple has simply come in and stolen it.”

He added that disallowing Apple from using his idea was not acting like a “dictator, chauvinist or communist” but that Apple CEO Steve Jobs was “burning bridges” with the people of Penang and Malaysia, implying that Penang’s relationship with one of its most important foreign investors Intel, who are also Apple’s main chip producer, may have been jeopardised.

He also issued a statement explaining that Middle Malaysia “is about moderate, non-extremist Malaysians. They are not too big, not too small, not too hard, not too soft, not too hot, not too cold, but just nice for people like Goldilocks.”

This comes on the back of criticism that “nobody knows what the hell Malaysian slogans are about since Malaysia Boleh anyway.”

However, it is uncertain if such definitions will be enough to convince the courts in Delaware, where Nokia, whose handphone manuals make up 90 per cent of all Finnish literature, has also filed its suit.

As such, both the Attorney-General and state legal adviser have compiled reams of documents concerning the usage of 1 Malaysia and Middle Malaysia. As with most of these legal documents, they are so thorough and meandering that a Garmin could get lost in them.

Technology expert iVan eNg believes that if Malaysia wins the suit, it could be worth RM2 billion as “despite its obviously stupid, menstrually-linked name, we all know that people will still buy something from Apple even if it is Steve Jobs’ shit in a bag, so long as Apple puts an ‘i’ in front of it or ‘book’ at the end of it.”

And in fact, law experts in Malaysia are confident of victory and are already looking discussing how the award will be split between Putrajaya and Komtar.

“We know that the Federal government has been slow to release funds to Penang. But in this case, I guess they will insist Penang has no right to the cash as the suit is not within Penang’s territory or its state waters. So they will only offer it some ‘wang ehsan’ I believe,” said Bar Council president Left Right N. Centre.

Already, the spate of suits against Apple is drawing flak from previously hardcore Apple supporters such as celebrities like Bono of U2 and Kanye West.

“You know, this is like piracy and piracy is ruining the world. If there was no piracy in the world, then I would have enough money to single-handedly Drop The Debt and cure AIDS,” Bono said.

When quizzed about how Apple was in fact making tons of money from this “piracy”, he simply said, “Hello, hello, I’m at a place called Vertigo,” implying that this suggestion was as nonsensical as his lyrics.

West said that “I’m really happy for Malaysia, and I’ma let them finish. But Nike had one of the best slogans of all time!”

Source: TheMalaysianInsider.com

Naked-Malaysian: I don’t get it. Is this a joke or what?

Technorati Tags: 1Malaysia, Apple, CM Lim Guan Eng, iPAD, iPhone, Komtar, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia per capita, Malaysian Insider, Nokia, pattent infringement, Penang, PM Najib Tun Razak, Putrajaya

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In Malaysia, religions are not supposed to communicate with each other or all hell will break loose. Another religion or belief that has crossed into the Malay belief  in Malaysia is those practiced by the Chinese.

Wearing a Kopiah (head cap) and sarong and holding Keris in its right hand, this idol clearly depict a Malay

A majority of the Chinese in Malaysia claim to be Buddhist or Taoist, though the lines between them are often blurred and, typically, a syncretic Chinese religion incorporating elements of Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism and traditional ancestor-worship is practised, with the fact that each individual follows it in varying degrees. About 9.6% are Christian (Mainstream Protestants, Catholics and other denominations including a fast-growing number of Evangelicals and Charismatics) and a small number (0.7-1.0%) profess Islam as their faith.

To put it simply, other Asian religions is based on local belief and the nature to worship. Datoks could be remnants of pre-Islamic era in Malaysia. Before the Islamic religious authorities started to clearly define what Islam is and is not, the worship of Datoks and Keramats were widespread among Malay and Indian Muslims. By that time, Na Toks worshipping have taken root in the local Chinese spiritual beliefs. In Malay pagan spirits are usually called jin kafir while guardian spirits are called penunggu. Penunggu usually means watchman, guard or attendant. The worship of Datoks among Malays and Indian Muslims have declined steadily after the authorities clamped down on such activities and nowadays are secluded.

Datoks and Keramats were seen as an alternative power to help in spiritual healing and grant protection. Mediums (Bomoh) were engaged to enable communication between worshippers with the Datoks and Keramats. The Datoks and Keramats include spirits residing in trees, stones and even the spirits of well known local Muslim religious teachers (worshipped at their graves).

It is not clear why the Chinese, having their own earth deity can easily accept the Datoks into their religious pantheon. May be they need a local deity to gain more spiritual protection. Datoks are known to grant winning TOTO or lottery numbers to worshippers. That could be one reason Datoks were absorbed into the Malaysian Chinese religious pantheon.

Malaysian Chinese’s definition

To most Malaysian Chinese, the Na Tok Kong / Na Tuk Kong (Hokkien : Da Tok Kong) is a local guardian spirit that resides in trees, ant hills, caves, riversides and in strange stone formations. A Na Tok Kong worship usually begin after a person is granted vision of the Na Tok’s spiritual form. Some common forms are a white tiger and the form of an old man dressed in white. A Na Tok Kong can also be ‘invited’ to reside outside (never indoors) a family home for spiritual protection and luck. Some people build small shrines by the road for this deity.

Strictly Local and Halal offering for a Muslim Deity

Dato Haji Keramat

The local Malay word ‘Datok Keramat’ means deity of the shrine, translated to Chinese as Na Tok Kong (Datok; Chinese pronunciation Na Tok and Kong is a call of respect). Datok Haji Keramat is believed to be a very powerful local earth deity that help many people who sincerely pray for him and known to hate any form of liquor.

There are various Na Tok Kongs. Datok Panglima Hitam is associated as a fierce guardian of villages. A Datok that resides in trees is called Datok Hijau. Some Datok even have their own personal names, which are revealed to worshippers during trance session. Their identity can be ascertained by looking at the banner at the shrine. Usually, the Datoks’ name and the shrine’s date of establishment would be stated there. Among other known Malay Na Tok Kongs in Malaysia are Datok Ali and Datok Samsuri.

Worship

The Na Tok can be worshipped on any day. The basic offerings are a pair of white candles, 3 joss sticks and burning gum benjamin (kemenyan). Na Tok worshippers prepare special offerings for the Na Tok on Thursday evenings. A set of betel nut leaves complete with lime (kapur), sliced betel nut (pinang), Javanese tobacco (tembakau Jawa) and palm cigarette leaves (rokok daun) are offered together with fruits and the basic offerings.

Every Na Tok has different individual feast days. In the Northern States (Perlis, Kedah & Penang), worshippers usually slaughter chickens, and sometimes goats to honour the Na Tok on the feast day. The chickens and goats MUST be slaughtered by a Muslim so as to make the offering allowable for the Na Tok. The meat is later cooked in curry and offered to the Na Tok together with turmeric rice (nasi kunyit). This offering is also done when worshippers get their wishes granted (e.g. winning lucky numbers requested from the Na Tok previously).

Offerings

Worshippers can place offerings of shredded tobacco, areca nut flakes, betel leaves with lime paste and fruits. Strictly no pork, beer, wine and alcoholic products (due to the Islamic nature of the Datoks, although Datoks has been incorporated into the local Chinese belief system, which has nothing to do with the Islamic religion whatsoever).

Naked-Malaysian: This post’s title itself is in contradiction to everything’s that is Islamic. In Islam even the great prophet Muhammad PBUH is only regarded as a messenger and not to be worship. To look at this at from a Chinese political angle would equal to blasphemy at the highest order since the Chinese are known to be anti Ketuanan Melayu (Malay superiority), as to worship the Malay deities would equal upholding Ketuhanan Melayu (Malay Godship). To be in Malaysia is to be in the most ironic country in the world.

Technorati Tags: Bomoh, chinese, Islam, Kedah, Keramat, Ketuanan Melayu, Malay, Malaysia, Malaysian, Na Tok Kong, Na Tuk Kong, Penang, Perlis

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Not one but two jet-fighter engines, each worth RM50 million, were stolen from the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) base in Sungai Besi. Both engines served as powerplants to the F-5E Tiger II fighter and RF-5E Tigereye reconnaissance jets. Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail said the two engines were discovered stolen in May last year. RMAF had lodged a report with the police on Aug 4 last year.

He said the first engine was transported out of RMAF’s Butterworth base to the Sungai Besi base in June 2007 while the second engine was moved out five months later in November. Both engines were to be kept in a warehouse at the Sungai Besi base before being taken out for maintenance. The engines were taken out of the Butterworth base by the same private defence contractor handling its maintenance.

Both engines were only discovered stolen along with their maintenance records when RMAF officers wanted to service them in May last year. RMAF lodged a report with the police after searching for the engines at all its airbases.The case was later handled by the PDRM Federal Commercial Crime Investigation Department in Bukit Aman. It was learnt that the engines were sold to arms dealers on the black market.

Armed Forces chief Gen Tan Sri Azizan Ariffin said although the jet was discovered missing in 2007, the case could not be made public as several actions, as well as internal investigations which also involved the police, had to be conducted. “Investigations are still being carried out by the police and the outcome will be announced soon. We are leaving the investigation to the police and will not interfere,” he added. (Resource: NST Online)

RMAF Northrop F-5E Tiger hawks over Malaysia air space

F-5A/B Freedom Fighter and F-5E/F Tiger II is widely used as a “light supersonic fighter aircraft”, designed and built by Northrop in the United States, starting in the 1960s. There are hundred of units that are still serving in the air force around the world in the early 21st century. Production stopped in 1972 for the type of F-5A and 1987 for the upgraded version of F-5E.

In 1975 Malaysia received 14 of F-5E units and 2 units of F-5F (training version) for Royal Malaysian Air Force to replace the F86 Saber Avon that had served since 1969. Malaysia F-5E/RF-5F’s are among the most advance jet fighters in Asean region during its era and has served in the Royal Malaysian Air Force successfully as the main fighter craft for more than 20 years. Its roles in the air was then taken over by the A4 Skyhawk in the 1980s.

Originally served as a jet interceptor, it was later also used for ground attack, to bomb PKM camps and hideouts during insurgency era. RMAF F-5E’s were operated by 11th. and 12th. Squadron in Butterworth, Penang. Among its most memorable tasks was intercepting unauthorized entrance of Vietnamese MiG’s into Malaysia air space. The 11th. Squadron was later disbanded and absorbed into the 12th. Scorpion Squadron. Current operational status of F-5E is somewhat vague but it was reported that 7 aircraft have been restored with enhanced capabilities. Other report suggest that it now serves mainly for tactical reconnaissance.

Later on, in an effort to minimize the number of unoperated military assets, the Royal Malaysian Air Force and the Malaysian government have agreed to reactivate 7 nos. F-5E units as second line fighter starting late 2006/07. Although not the best in terms of capacity compared with Mikoyan MIG-29N Fulcrum, Sukhoi SU-30MKM Flanker, McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet or the BAE Hawk Mk108/208 but it’s still a significant threat to whoever tried to provoke the country air space.

NEWS UPDATE
A brigadier-general and 40 armed forces personnel were sacked over their alleged involvement in a fighter engine missing case, a local newspaper said here on Monday. An internal inquiry has found the brigadier-general and the 40 personnel were involved in several other logistic irregularities amounting for several million ringgit, the newspaper quoted a source as saying. RMAF spokesman however denies this news is related to the missing jet engines case. (Resource: NST Online)

The RMAF F-5E fighter jet missing engines was found sold to an international company based in South America, said Defence Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi. He said the company was believed to have hired an agent to bring the engine out of the country because the price was cheap, as it was a spare part categorised as faulty and would be repaired. The Defence Minister said his ministry will take legal action at the international level to charge the company involved. (Resource: Bernama)

Technorati Tags: BAE Hawk Mk108/208, Butterworth, F86 Saber Avon, Malaysia, Malaysia News, Malaysian, McDonnell Douglas F/A-18, Mikoyan MIG-29N, Northrop F-5E, Penang, RMAF, Royal Malaysia Air Force, Sukhoi SU-30MKM, Sungai Besi, TUDM

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