For the gullible: a newspaper, a “fighting cock” politician, a “has been” party, and a pseudo Datukship **

For a while now, the credibility of the mainstream media (especially the print media) has been pretty low. Everyone thought they had hit rock bottom around March 2008, as they tried to outdo each other, in blowing the BN trumpet in the most unabashed manner.

A few days before the Penanti by-election, I came close to throwing down the paper in exasperation. On the front page of the STAR was an earth shattering news item. Aminah, (huh?) the independent candidate for Penanti was jubilantly holding up a CD. She claimed that it contained a recording of evidence that PKR leaders met up with her, and offered her:
the Deputy CM’s post if she won the by-election
The Penang Municipal President’s post if she withdrew. On top of this, she would also be compensated RM 80,000 for her expenses so far.
Then, on Page 15, poor Jocelyn tried to please the powers that be, by making a brave attempt to play up Aminah, as a “fighting cock”.

The results came in, as everyone was yawning. And Aminah managed a few hundred votes, while losing thousands of ringgit as she lost her deposit. And she claimed to have proven that PKR had lost its popularity. How pathetic can you get?

Then, a news item about the fighting clowns in PPP. Murugiah was sacked from the PPP, a mosquito party to begin with, although it claims to have a half million members. Then Murugiah did a Zambry. He gathered a crowd and got them to “Crown” him President. Poor chap did not realise that Presidents of political Parties (even a “massive” Party like PPP) do not wear Crowns. In the meantime, supporters of Kayveas were angry. One of them said Murugiah’conduct was giving the BN a bad name. But BN got Zambry to do a worse stunt in Perak, crowning the joker Ganesan? And speaking of bad names, PPP itself is one. But that was not all. Mr Baradan, that fearless epitome of press freedom spoke of the looming PPP court battle as though this was an event of great National significance. Interestingly he came close to comparing the circus put up by Murugiah to the Perak circus. But he ducked at the last instant, comparing it to the “under the tree” Assembly Meeting. Well saved.

And finally, the Chairman of the Malaysian Council of Datuks slammed the door on “foreign” Datuks. Apparently some enterprising characters had set up a Sultanate in Southern Philippines and for a fat donation, were dishing out Datukships. And gullible local rich folk were flocking to these pseudo Sultanates.