即時評論：戴志強‧不聽老人言
霹靂變天 評論 2009-02-07 19:06
http://www.sinchew-i.com/sciWWW/node/74127?tid=288
有一句老話：不聽老人言，吃虧在眼前。民聯如今陷入困境，正是不聽老人的話。
民主行動黨主席卡巴星現年68歲，是行動黨創黨元老之一，也是國內最著名的資深律師。卡巴星35年法律與政治生涯，跨越了3任首相，即敦拉薩、敦胡先翁及敦馬哈迪，吃鹽多過我吃米。
卡巴星當上全國主席的象徵意義大過實質領導的意義，因為行動黨現在是年輕人的天下，連“老佛爺”曾敏興也不再垂簾聽政，讓年輕人去發揮。
在年輕人眼中，卡巴星是食古不化的老人，而且不識時務之極。他不怕得罪任何人的牛脾氣，連法官也敢頂撞，就算形勢不妙，老人家還是捉住中指永不讓步。
巫統州議員那沙魯丁跳槽到公正黨時，民聯一片歡騰，就是不識趣的卡巴星在潑冷水，堅持認為跳槽違背民意，應修憲判跳槽違法。
民聯的年輕人都不爽老人家只會掃興，因為年輕人都希望安華能進一步奪下中央政權，大家就有機會當部長。
霹靂州一朝變天，卡巴星並沒有落井下石。他看到霹靂州政權被人搶走，就像看到孫兒的玩具被鄰家的孩子搶走，老人家大罵鄰家壞孩子，還罵別人的家長不會教孩子，縱容孩子做壞事。
卡巴星直言無忌認為可以民聯起訴霹靂州蘇丹違憲，他是從法律角度作為出發點，但敵對陣營立即捉住這句話大作文章。
安華撇清說，這是卡巴星的個人觀點，但電視台和馬來報章不間斷重覆這一句話。民聯為了擺脫背叛君主的指責，可能須要和老人家劃清界線。
這就是老人家常受到的對待，他擇善而固執，毫無保留傳授經驗，也毫不保留地護短。不過，年輕人未必領情，還會覺得老人家太多嘴，對於年輕人來說，我自己闖的禍我會自己揹，無須老人嘮嘮叨叨。
老人家沒有錯，有錯也是太寵愛孩子，因為孩子還沒長大。民聯只是未斷奶的孩子，依然須要老人家的提點。
家有一老，如有一寶，可惜年輕人都不喜歡這種寶，只喜歡跳草裙舞，想要一步登天，失足摔倒了，還要嫌心痛的老人家太囉嗦。
所以，許多老人家都學會閉嘴，明哲保身，但我希望卡巴星堅持他的理念和鬥爭。試問，大馬還有幾多政治人物能夠像卡巴星這樣，35年始終如一？
光明日報‧2009.02.07
308以来，巫统不但没有挽回非马来人选民的心，反而倒行逆施，让阿末依斯迈（右图）、慕克里斯等人的言论、加剧的警方暴行，使他们更加对国阵离心离德。因此，国阵不可能期待瓜登补选中华裔选票原封不动的形势会在霹雳州重演？I'VE not had the pleasure of meeting Israel's foreign affairs spokesman Yigal Palmor but he became my favourite diplomat after describing recent criticism of Israel as "unqualified bullshit". I wonder what he really thinks?
Since Israel decided that 60 rockets a day was more than any country should have to tolerate, the global media has accused Israel of every evil imaginable. They have been aided and abetted by, supposedly, non-political UN Relief and Works Agency officials who are more extreme in their anti-Israeli venom than Hamas terrorists.
The "bullshit" is exemplified by a Sydney Morning Herald headline from last week: "Israel kept UN aid out of Gaza." Israel has been accused of crimes against humanity for refusing to permit the passage of food, medical supplies, oil, electricity (used to make rockets) and other essentials required to destroy Israel.
The precedence, undoubtedly, was that set by Britain and the US during World War II. We all know how accommodating they were in ensuring Germany and Japan were well supplied with food and fuel.
There are times when one fears for one's sanity when listening to such rubbish. How many thousands more rockets must Israelis endure before they are permitted to defend themselves? What happens as the rockets become bigger and more accurate?
The few who concede Israel has the right to defend itself then argue that the rockets aren't very accurate. Some consolation if you have to run for air-raid shelters 60 times a day. Unlike Hamas, Israel protects its citizens by building air-raid shelters.
Imagine for a moment the reactions of the good burghers of Canberra, Melbourne and Sydney if rockets were fired into their neighbourhood. Contemplate what they would say to Kevin Rudd. "Wipe the bastards out" for openers. That has not been Israel's response. After 10,000 rockets over eight years, it has been remarkably restrained. However, when Hamas resumed attacks Israel decided enough was enough.
When three years ago Israel unilaterally handed Gaza over to the Palestinian Authority, Hamas and Fatah had the opportunity, once again, to negotiate a permanent peace with Israel and the creation of a Palestinian state. Hamas preferred war, bloodshed and martyrdom. Having been democratically elected Hamas claimed a mandate. Israel, it appears, was expected to endorse the mandate that called for its own destruction.
To understand the minds of those Israel is dealing with, consider the statement of Hamas supremo, Khaled Meshaal. From the safety of Damascus, he described the recent war in which 1300 Palestinians and 13 Israelis died, as an "unequivocal victory". And a defeat?
The word in vogue to describe Israel's destruction of rocket sites, weapons stores and Hamas terrorists has been "disproportionate": a word not much used during the London Blitz, which resulted in the deaths of 67,000 British civilians. Arthur Harris, commander-in-chief of bomber command, decided to "proportionally" flatten German cities: 600,000 German civilians died.
In the Pacific the US lost 1700 civilians, mostly at Pearl Harbor, while Australia lost 700, primarily in Darwin. The US response was to "proportionately" bomb Japanese cities killing 580,000 civilians. Tokyo, Hiroshima and Nagasaki remember it well.
Had Hamas decided not to deliberately place their civilian population, arms and combatants inside schools, hospitals and mosques, far fewer innocents would have been killed and injured.
What happens now? Hamas claims it will continue to bombard Israel while one Israeli soldier remains in Gaza, ignoring the fact that three years ago Israel unilaterally withdrew from Gaza. The rocket attacks increased.
So where to now? The most oft repeated cliche regarding the Israel-Palestine dispute is that it's a very complex matter. I beg to differ. The Islamic world and the Palestinians in particular must accept that Israel will always exist. Not through the next truce or ceasefire but forever.
Israel's critics demand that it negotiate with Hamas, Hezbollah and Fatah, to create a Palestinian state, conveniently forgetting that Israelis have tried repeatedly to do so without success. How do you negotiate with those who, at the end of the negotiations, say:"No matter what we agree to we will destroy you"?
It's a cliche to say that the Arabs can lose a hundred wars and survive while Israel cannot lose one. If the Palestinians are encouraged to believe that eventually they will triumph no one should be surprised that after each defeat they regroup, rearm and plan the next onslaught.
Yasser Arafat taught the Palestinians to believe that even if they lost a battle they would win the propaganda war. With their friends in the left-liberal media how could it have been otherwise? They must be convinced they can never destroy Israel.
Since its founding in 1948 Israel's proud boast has been that it has never asked any other country to fight its battles. It has had considerable support from the US but that support has not been one way. Israeli intelligence, military technology and scientific know-how has been Israel's payback. Israel is also the US's only reliable ally in the Middle East. It is almost certain that if Israel were under savage attack and in danger of going under, the US would come to its aid. There is, however, no formal agreement, pact or treaty to support that unstated undertaking. Which suggests the question, "Why not?"
The only way, to deter Israel's enemies is for the US to say unequivocally that it would never allow Israel to be destroyed. Most Westerners find it impossible to comprehend the mind of those Islamic fundamentalists who welcome death and martyrdom, particularly if it is achieved in an attempt to destroy Israel. On the assumption that not all Palestinians want to go to Paradise before the last possible moment, a declaration by the US and a formal agreement that it would intervene if Israel was under serious threat would have sane Palestinians looking for a peaceful solution. It's an idea the 44th President of the US might consider.
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