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Malaysia Loses a Founding Father |
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Written by Our Correspondent
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Tuesday, 26 January 2010 |
 Ghazali Shafie, aged 87
Tan Sri Mohamad Ghazali Shafie, universally known simply as Ghaz, who
died January 24 at 87 in his home in Kuala Lumpur, was one of the last
surviving integral players of Malaysia's independence era. But he was
neither a Malay aristocrat leader in the early days of UMNO and the
independence movement nor a grassroots politician in the style of
Mahathir Mohamad or Musa Hitam. Ghaz made a transition from
intellectual civil servant to politician but always seemed more at home
in the kind of ruthless internal politics of institutions than arousing
the passions of the kampongs.
As a young man, originally
educated at Raffles College in Singapore, he is believed to have played
some role for the British during the Japanese occupation. After the war
he got an education in the UK then joined the civil service. On
independence he joined the foreign ministry and at the age of 35 became
its top permanent official, a position he held until 1970, playing a
particularly key role during konfrontasi and the subsequent formation
of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
However, his
ambitions could not be contained by the civil service. He entered
politics in the wake of the 1969 riots and as a protégé of Tun Razak,
father of the current prime minister, became a minister and later Home
Minister. Despite his lack of an UMNO grass roots base he set his hopes
on becoming prime minister. During the tenure of the honest but
sometimes naïve Hussein Onn he abused his position as Home Minister by
arranging the jailing of senior figures associated with rivals.
Ghazali's
most prominent victims were Abdullah Ahmed, Abdullah Majid and Samad
Ismail, three high profile UMNO figures who were accused of promoting
communism. This was at a time when, in the wake of Communist triumphs
in Indochina and a revival of the Communist Party of Malaya activities
in Malaysia an anti-communist drive seemed to have credibility.
Although Samad and Abdullah Majid had been linked to the communists
during the 1950s independence movement, the assertion 20 years on that
the three were in league with the Soviet and/or China was a brazen
fabrication. Ghazali even tried to implicate both Mahathir and Musa in
similar subversive activities but could not produce enough evidence to
convince Hussein Onn.
On the latter's death and Mahathir's
succession, Ghazali was moved to the Foreign Ministry, a position of
some prestige but no political power. His successor in the Home
Ministry, Musa Hitam, soon released the above three persons and various
others detained under the ISA as part of Ghazali's scheme to maneuver
himself into the top office on the back of a supposed anti-communist
drive.
His final claim to fame was surviving a helicopter
crash in the jungle near his home town of Kuala Lipis which killed his
copilot and aide-de-camp. The local newspapers devoted pages of
coverage to his death, "Ghaz Lives!" was the memorable headline when he
was walked out of the jungle.
But his political career was
already on its last legs. Mahathir dispensed with his services in 1984.
Thus ended the career of a highly intelligent and often charming man
who contributed much to Malaysia and to regional peace. But he was also
one, like too many others in UMNO, who would use trumped up charges and
lengthy prison terms against rivals in his own thirst for power.
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Coal surge is unabated, raising environmental concerns
And are the newcomers hammering the lifestyles of the locals?
When Hishamuddin was drinking Anchor Beer with his wife-all of us Malaysian saw it -I am sure MI_%, KGB and CIA will have better photographs, why he is not whipped by the Shariah Court? Why arrest someone who tells the truthj-This young Malay boy is telling and doing the right thing-why punish someone who has done no wrong and NOT PUNISH some one who has????
The answer is simple-the Malaysian ELITE are making money $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$-they need the Royalty ! Hishamuddin is helping the Royalty because both PAKAT and make money. The Royalty cannot lead the Muslim Faith-they are the Devils. Its better to belive the honest Imamns in the Mosque than the Royalty and Elite!
Are the Royalty leading the Muslims-What did the Sultan of Johor do-He KILLED TWO INNOCENT PEOPLE, he Tortured so many people, he lied, cheated, drank alchol and corrupt;y colluded with the DEVIL Mahathir and SACKED the NO 1 Judge of Malaysia.
Dont allow the Elite and Royalty to take over Malaysia-We need to work harder andget more Malaysians to be rid of UMNO, MCA and the Royalty!!!