A Moment with Kim Quek

Last 26th August, I was with Kim Quek, a well-known political writer.

He announced joining KeADILan in a simple press conference attended by some 37 supreme council members of the Party including the de-facto leader, Anwar Ibrahim.

I have read his book, "Where to Malaysia?" when it was published in 2005.

As what Anwar said in his forward note,

"What your collection of articles provides to the reader is a narrative of events just a narrative, but a counter narrative, the much needed corrective rendition to the official versioon that is full of distortion on a grand scale in a manner unpresedented in our country."

You can also view the conference here.




Media statement by Kim Quek upon joining Parti Keadilan Rakyat

When Datuk Seri Abdullah Badawi took over as Prime Minister in November 2003, he promised to carry out sweeping reforms to rid Malaysia of the excesses perpetrated during the autocratic rule of Tun Mahathir Mohamad. Pak Lah vowed to wipe out rampant corruption and restore democracy and good governance to the people.

Almost four years later, we are convinced that Pak Lah's promised reforms are mere fallacies. Corruption has worsened, crime rates have become unbearable, economy is stagnant and scandals abound reflecting failures of both political leadership and civil administration.

To make up for this failure of leadership, UMNO leaders have resorted to stirring up racial and religious issues to further divide the people, plunging the nation into unprecedented turmoil and disunity.

With our house in such disorder, under the unrelenting impact of globalization, we are already in a state of national regression.

Every Malaysian must wake up to this threat to the nation and realize that it is only through political struggles that we can save our nation from calamity.

It is for this reason that I am joining Parti Keadilan Rakyat (People’s Justice Party).

I believe KeADILan’s ideology and programs are right for this country. Its advocacy to stick steadfastly to the Constitution as the rock foundation for furthering our nation building is the correct approach to overcome the chaotic state created by UMNO's abuses and misrule.

Our Constitution is the social contract entered into by our founding fathers. By steering our nation in accordance with the egalitarian principles expounded by the Constitution, we will surely return to racial and religious harmony, and thereupon with unity of purpose, the country will once again march forward as one nation.

KeADILan has rightly decided to scrap the much abused NEP, for it has been hike-jacked by the ruling power to indulge in rampant corruption and cronyism, which is now the main scourge bedeviling the nation.

I believe that through restoring social justice and democracy to the entire population regardless of race and religion, the nation will once again find its vitality through a system of governance, cleansed of corruption and discriminations. We will then see greater excellence in education, higher productivity of our working population, return of social order, surge of investor confidence and higher economic activities.

I believe that these ideals are shared by the other opposition parties DAP and PAS, as well as by most NGOs and the civil society at large.

I have full confidence in Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim leading a concerted effort of the forces sharing these ideals to mount a meaningful challenge to the corrupt and antiquated ruling power in the coming election. I believe truth and goodness will eventually triumph over deceit and evil in this country.


Kim Quek 26 August 2007, Headquarters of People’s Justice Party, Kuala Lumpur




Km Quek’s Biorgraphy

Yong Thye Chong, better known among the public and his cohorts as Kim Quek, the famous author of Where to, Malaysia? A Future with Anwar's Reformasi or Back to Mahathirism? (Kuala Lumpur, SIRD, 2005) with a forward written by none other than Anwar Ibrahim himself, is a Malaysian political commentator, who has written extensively on the Malaysian political scene since the watershed event of the sacking of Malaysia's former Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim in 1998, in the height of the Asian financial crisis.

His writings are analytical, perceptive and typically unsparing in his criticism of the rampant corruption and abuse of power that has been raging in Malaysia. Through such writings, he has brought rationality to bear on many important political and economic issues of the day.

Most notably his frequent articles have unmasked the façade orchestrated by the Barisan Nasional-controlled local media to whitewash a blundering and plundering regime. Kim Quek may therefore offer invaluable insights to those who wish to gain a more in-depth understanding of the true state of governance of Malaysia.

Political analyst James Wong said:

“Kim Quek's prolific writings had kept many Malaysians, including this blogger, sane or psychologically healthy during those years when the war-like propaganda - black, gray and white - churned out by the Umno-dominated regime and its many mouthpieces nearly succeeded in turning black white and white, black. In other words, Kim Quek has provided us with a powerful antidote to the anti-Anwar propaganda.”

Kim Quek's writings have been regularly listed in the local websites such as Malaysiakini, Malaysia Today, Bungaraya (DAP), Harakahdaily, Laman Marhaen, etc. His articles and letters have also appeared in local and foreign publications such as HARAKAH, Seruan Keadilan, Aliran, Today (Singapore newspaper), Asian Wall Street Journal, etc.

Born in Singapore 1938, Kim Quek completed his higher education in University Malaya as Bachelor of Engineering in 1965. Kim Quek is a retired Chinese Malaysian accountant in his 60s. He is also very well converse in English and Chinese.

Kim Quek was married to Kew Man Noi in 1970. The couple has four daughters and a son. They are presently staying in Johor Bahru.



NEWS REPORT FROM HARAKAH

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 26 (ES) - Political commentator Yong Thy Chong or better known as Kim Quek has joined Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) after he coming to the conclusion that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah reform promises were "mere fallacies".

"When (Abdullah) took over as Prime Minister in November 2003, he promised to carry out sweeping reforms to rid Malaysia of the excesses perpetrated during the autocratic rule of (his predecessor) ," he said.

"(Abdullah) vowed to wipe out rampant corruption and restore democracy and governance to the people," he noted.

"Almost four years later, I am convinced that (Abdullah) promised reforms are mere fallacies," he concluded.

"Corruption has worsened, crime rates have become unbearable, economy is stagnant and scandals abound reflecting failures of both political leaderships and civil administration," he noted in a statement released at today press conference here.

The press conference was also attended by PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and deputy president Syed Husin Ali.

Kim Quek believed that PKR ideology and programs are "right for this country".

"Its advocacy to stick steadfastly to the Constitution as the rock foundation for furthering our nation building is the correct approach to overcome the chaotic state created by UMNO's abuses and misrule," he said. – Saadon Aksah

Anonymous merepek ... permalink ... 8/28/2007 02:47:00 am ...