Sex, Lies and the SMS Got Mr Kilpatrick Into Trouble
A Kadir Jasin
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AS we brace ourselves for September 16 – the day that the chips are supposed to fall on Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Anwar Ibrahim will rise as the proverbial phoenix – let us take a break and talk about Mr Kwame Malik Kilpatrick.
If you are of my generation, you’ll almost certain to identify Kwame with Dr Kwame Ngkrumah, the Ghanian freedom fighter and President of the West African country from 1952 to 1966.
Mr Kilpatrick was a rising star until a newspaper in his town published an SMS message he sent to his former female chief of staff Christine Beatty (note the words former, female and chief of staff).
The mildly amorous message reads: “And did you miss me, sexually?” “Hell yeah!”
But it wasn’t the message that got Mr Kilpatrick into trouble. It was lying to the court about the message and the affair that landed him in trouble.
And the trial had nothing do with Mr Kilpatrick’s passionate affair with his former female chief of staff.
It must be pretty common for a young powerhouse like Mr Kilpatrick to have an affair with his female chief of staff. After all Mr Kilpatrick is a man and his former chief of Staff is a woman.
Even the former US President Bill Clinton succumbed to temptation. Remember Monica? Yes Monica Lewinsky the While House intern. Clinton too lied about it and was nearly impeached.
Mr Kilpatrick lied about the affair when testifying in a lawsuit filed by policemen against a city. The US$8.4- million settlement in which Mr Kilpatrick was a party, included a side deal that that was supposed to keep the affair hidden.
Since then Mr Kilpatrick has been in and out of court and jail on charges marital infidelity, conspiracy, perjury, skipping bail and even murder.
On last March 24, Mr Kilpatrick was charged with eight felony counts, including perjury, misconduct in office, and obstruction of justice.
If he is found guilty, Mr Kilpatrick could lose his job and be jailed for up to 15 years for each of the charge. That’s a very long time.
What make Mr Kilpatrick’s saga worth telling is because he is a public figure. Born in 1970, he won his first election at the age of 26.
In 1996 he was elected to the Michigan House of Representative (DUN in Malaysia) after his mother, Carolyn Cheeks-Kilpatrick vacated the seat to campaign for a position in the US Congress.
At the age of 31 he was elected the Mayor of Detroit, making him the youngest mayor of the automobile capital of the world in the history. He’s an African American.
But he now has the distinction as the only mayor in the history of Detroit and the only current mayor of any major U.S. city to be charged with a felony while in office.
He may lose his post and go to jail. The recent controversies have prompted calls for his resignation, an ethics probe, and a recall election (like a by-election) campaign to have him removed from office.
On May 13, 2008, the Detroit City Council approved a resolution requesting the Michigan's governor, Ms Jennifer Granholm to remove Mr Kilpatrick from office.
On August 7, 2008, he was incarcerated in the Wayne County Jail upon an order issued by Judge Ronald Giles for violating the terms of his bond (by traveling to Canada without notify the court), becoming the first mayor in Detroit's history to be ordered to jail while in office.
On August 8, 2008, Michigan's Attorney General, Mike Cox, announced two new felony counts had been filed against Kilpatrick for assaulting and interfering with a law officer.
On August 26, 2008, Gov. Jennifer Granholm announced that she would subject Kilpatrick to a hearing on whether to remove him from office.
Sounds familiar? Well, our own politics are beginning to sound as sensational, conspiratorial and litigious as that of America.
Remember Steven Soderbergh’s 1989 movie Sex, Lies, and Videotape that told the story of a man who filmed women discussing their sexuality, and his impact on the relationship of a troubled married couple?
On a personal note, I must immediately state that it’s good to be home. While it was enjoyable being in other people’s country and being showered with the rain of gold, it’s nothing like being in one’s own country and be pelted with hailstorm.
I had been back a week now and heard that Barisan Nasional MPs are making a hurried study tour abroad as Sept. 16 approaches.
See what fear and uncertainty can do to people? And here I am thinking that Ramadhan is the month when MPs spend more time in their kawasan.
http://pkrpasdap.blogspot.com
ReplyDeleteKENA KACAU, kena usik, jadi lari lagi baik.
hijrah dari gangguan 'makhluk halus' yang menyuruh supaya lompat ke kerajaan katak.
Here we arrive at a stage, where distinguishing between good and bad, is not always as clear as stealing is bad and donating is good.
ReplyDeleteStories abroad and local are in abundance to shed light on the point " what is a good government".
Somehow trips everyone has taken in schools are rarely remembered and refered to.
A good teacher is always one that manage to exercise some control that will in the end allow meaningful teaching and learning to take place.
A poor teacher is the one that fail to put fear and reprimand.
An excellent teacher will be the one who push us through drills to the limit. In most cases, students emerge as champion out of this excellent class control with clear target to achieve.
How could we forget the roads we have taken.
A good classroom is like a good little kingdom. Guru adalah pembimbing, murid adalah rakyat yang setia.
Sekarang Malaysia diletakkan dalam kelas yang corot. Tidak ada kawalan kelas. Murid tidak faham target yang ditetapkan. Dalam kelas ini ada pengacau. Murid tidak dapat belajar dengan baik. Homework sudah berbulan tidak diperiksa.
Adakah murid gagal lagi? Murid hanya mahu belajar untuk jadi manusia dan lulus dengan jayanya. Tidak adakah guru yang lebih baik boleh mengajar.
Kabarnya guru yang terdahulu, garang dan tegas. Tetapi dia sudah bersara. Difahamkan dia tahu kemelut dalam kelas ini.
Datuk,
ReplyDeleteAH AHHAHAHHAHHAHAHHAHHAHAHHAHHA
Good one.
Much needed break.
Selamat berpuasa.
Dato AKJ,
ReplyDeleteSalam and good morning. Are u hinting something new that we dont know?
Desparate men do desparate actions. They just made a joke of themselves. A bunch of political novices who can not trust themselves. How do they intend to convince the rakyat that they can with stand pressure of being the MP. Another clear cut example set to our younger generation, that when you face the challenge do not face it but run and hide with your tail between your ass. Jokers of the century.
ReplyDeleteSdr. A Kadir Jasin,
ReplyDeleteI am not a fan of U.S. of America but their system does work when it comes to impeaching or putting on trial a public figure. Once the person is impeached or found guilty by the court, the person is removed from office and sent to prison for the crime if tried before a court.
No one would point a fingure at the party the person is associated to. Interesting? I think so. The person's party (whether Republican or Democrate) would not be scambling to back the guilty person nor would the public panelise the party either. Even person's of the highest authority is not immune to impeachment or charge in court. Remember President Nixon and watergate? The whistleblower codename deepthroat?
Nonetheless the US system do have flaws too. No manmade system is perfect or foolproof. So manmade systems must always change for the better. What works 10 years ago may not work today so change it. The quota system introduced by UMNO may be appropriate before may not be appropriate now. So change it!
Ramadhan
- My other significant apolitical Minang half made a comment when she read about the hastily proposed trip for BN MPs. She has always thought that Ramadhan would be a month where the MPs could be in their respective constituency and meet to people for "berbuka Puasa" and "tarawih". An ideal time to "campaign" and help out especially during these difficult times. Instead of doing the "right thing", they are hurried off for some "flimsy excuses". BN is making one mistake after another simply because they are no longer interested in serving the voters! Only interested in keeping power for themselves!
Interesting comment from an apolitical person, don't you agree?
Sekian.
Dari Borneo ke Minang
Ada yang tersirat dan tersurat ke Dato'. Dah terlampau banyak terdedah isu politik ni, kiri kanan nampak ada percaturan.Actually I am tired too and its time to go for study tour but nice to do it after Ramadhan, Insy'ALLAH. Mudah-mudahan ibadat dan do'a umat Islam diterima dan di berkati. Semoga Dato' sehat dan terus rajin menulis. dh9753
ReplyDeleteWill history ever repeat itself?
ReplyDeleteWell, only time will truly tell
How often do we take things off the shelf
To make good use of them or to simply sell?
(C) Samuel Goh Kim Eng - 080908
http://MotivationInMotion.blogspot.com
Mon. 8th Sept. 2008.
...sedap ayat tok..
ReplyDelete"Barisan Nasional sudah lari dari menjalankan tanggungjawab mereka tradisi membela rakyat. yang ada hanya mengikut rentak anwar punya muzik politik.
Orang kita pun takut sangat mengatakan yang mana HAK yang mana Batil.
Kita terlupa .. Bahawa Yang Batil pun di beri kemenangan bila mana mereka berkerja dengan terperinci.
Kita sudah masuk ke fasa kedua dan fasa terakhir selagi Pemimpin kita asyik nak bersumpah..asyik merebut jawatan dalam permilihan..
masalah pokok tak di huraikan..dan di pertanggungjawabkan..
masalah 2
1. masalah air negara
2. kelengkapan PDRM
3. PATI
tok.. kita sudah mula rasa bahang bahang BALA yang turun.
salam
YB Datuk,
ReplyDeleteThey put a stop to RPK's website because they cant stand the chillies dished out on RPK's web.
You of all person ( with your network and experience in the media circles ) should know that DS Abdullah is just being stubborn to the point of moronic proportions. Thats to put it in accurate elegance of course.
Can you comment on where this 'moronic stubborness' of his originated from?
I simply cannot see find how he can be such an ignoramus of situations and the scenarios around him.
Hope you can enlighten us Datuk...
YBhg Datuk
ReplyDeleteJauh Datuk bawa kami kali ini. sampai ke Detroit. Bagus jugak kerana baru hari ini saya tahu keluarga Pak Itam jauh melebihi keluarga Pak Uteh di Detroit. Mengapa jadi begini. Jawapan sebenarnya ambil masa untuk buat rujukan tetapi jawapan leluconnya ialah kerana asap kendraan dan minyak hitam kereta mempengaruhi warna kulit warga Detroit.
Kwame Malik Kilpatrick masuk penjara berkali-kali atas pelbagai kesalahan Namun demikian dia tetap menjadi pujaan hati majorit rakyat Detroit sehingga terpilih sebagai Datuk Bandar Detroit. Hal ini mungkin ada kaitan dengan falacy politk global. Falacynya ialah ,lebih kerap seseorang itu merengkuk dalam penjara bererti lebih komited. lebih berani. lebih semangat perjuangan dan segala macam lebih dalam perjuangan politiknya.
Teringat pesan pejuang-pejuang politik haluan kiri kepada pejuang muda. Kata pejuang atau yang mengaku pejuang , jika takut masuk penjara jangan main politik. Dalam masyarakat Melayu ada ungkapan yang mengaitkan penjara dan bertunang. Puas saya cuba mengingatkan ungkapa penuh ini tetapi tidak berjaya. Ini satu bukti tentang falacy ini.
Tekejut jugak saya akan cerita Kilpatrik ini. Orang Detroit tidak ambil pusing dan tidak hairan dengan skandal Kilpatrik. Mereka mungkin berpendapat perkara skandal seperti adalah peribadi ini tidak boleh ada kena mengena dengan politik. Kebetulan hal ini juga berlaku di pekan kecil saya.
Semalam saya bawa laptop ke kedai mamak yang biasa saya dan isteri saya makan. Tujuan saya ialah untuk membuka surat khabar on line dari Tamil Nadu untuk budak-budak dari Tamil Nadu pekerja kedai mamak ini. . Budak-budak dari Tamil Nadu ini baik-baik semuanya. Penuh sopan santun, maklumlah baru datang ke Malaysia. Isteri saya cukup berkenan perangai sopan santun budak-budak dari Tamil Nadu ini. Mereka terpisah dari keluarga dan tanah air mereka. Kerana belas kasihan saya bawakan akhbar versi internet kepada mereka untuk mendekatkan mereka degan keluarga dan tanah ar mereka. . Budak budak pakat kerumun saya. Maklumlah pekan kecil seperti ini jarang ada orang bawa broadband ke kedai mamak.
Perkara yang saya ingin sampaikan dalam cerita saya ini ialah reaksi seorang pelanggan cina. Dia pun pelanggan tetap di situ tetapi saya tidak pernah berbual dengannya. Dia tanya saya sama ada cerita baru tentang Anwar. Saya geleng kepala kerana tidak mahu layan cerita politik di tempat awam. Saya tahu cerita seperti ini akan menjadi isu perkauman dan saya tidak layan pelanggan cina itu. Dia terus bercakap dengan kuat. Macam-macam perkara yang disebutkan tetapi perkara yang relevan dengan cerita Kilpatrik ini ialah tentang pandangannya terhadap kes anwar. Dia kata, soal itu soal peribadi Anwar dan tidak ada kaitan dengan politik negara.
Selepas berjaya memesongkan topik perbualan, dia menceritakan yang dia menunggu di kedai mamak untuk menanti keputusan nombor ekor. Dia kata setiap tahun menang pertaruhan 4 nombor. Orang seperti ini semuanya boleh. Bolehland kata suku sakatnya. Kemudian dia pun beredar dari situ dengan gerakan melompat kerana di kedai mamak itu tiada lagi kepentingan baginya.
Nampaknya pendapat pandangan pekan kecil saya sama dengan pandangan penduduk Detroit.
Malayssiaku Gagah Gemilang.
Salam Datuk,
ReplyDeleteWelcome home to the land where puasa or no puasa, politics and mud slinging continues.
BTW, do catch up with some expose courtesy of the Sun on land deals in Selangor. Yang terbaru..
I recall one such occassion when I was still with the MM whereby we were told one evening when we had finally gathered enough to expose a huge story on land deals gone awry, complete with multi million JVs to make ordinary kg folks overnight millionaires, to "drop the story".
No such thing now it seems, kudos to the Sun.
Selamat berbuka puasa di tanah air di mana queue untuk bubur lambuk percuma lebih panjang dari saf sembahyang jemaah asar.
Totally agree. since they are out of their job as a MP for half a month, can we cut their allowance by the same quantum? Dun give shit about studying about agriculture. They might just be oogling the pah ling mei ( bettle nut beauties) in Taiwanese towns.
ReplyDeleteThe planner did not take into consideration the risk to BN if anything happen to the 50 MPs at one time. stupid idea.
Datuk kadir,
ReplyDeleteMemang lumrah manusia alah pada sex and lies.
Biasa juga manusia dinilai dari keteguhan prinsip dan morality.
Sangat tepat dan bagus contoh yang datuk berikan tu.
Cuma adat bangsa kita ni mengutamakan kesusilaan dan peradaban. Juga tuntutan ajaran Allah.
my name is andy lim
ReplyDeleteDato hows this for a story :
Anwar's Trojan Horse
The Real Judas
Anwar Ibrahim wants BN to think the defections before 16 September are going to come from Sabah and Sarawak. This explains the focus and frenzy surrounding MPs from East Malaysia. Their movements are being monitored, text messages have been swirling about en bloc defections and some, like Yong Teck Lee and Bernard Giluk Dompok, have been dropping broad hints about wanting to abandon the BN ship.
But the unsuspecting BN leadership is completely unaware of Anwar's actual game plan. Sabah and Sarawak are the great diversions - Anwar's red herrings. Sure, he may eventually end up with some defectors from East Malaysia, but the real trigger that he wants to pull will be right under UMNO's nose. For Anwar, he needs to start with a bang. Something that will cause all other smaller component parties to tremble and quake in their boots leaving them with little choice but to jump en masse.
What Anwar wants to do is to show that he can go for the big scalps. Not your SAPP or UPKO small number of MPs, but from the senior UMNO front bench. What better way of triggering a mass exodus from BN than to show that you have top leaders from BN's biggest party crossing over into PKR? This is the big bang that Anwar has been working on. Two or three front benchers from UMNO plus five other second tier leaders will be enough to precipitate chaos and panic within the BN ranks. It will be the catalyst of a free-for-all ship abandonment as though sailors have spotted a plague-infested rat on deck.
So, who has Anwar marked as the real Judas in this most audacious of power grab in the history of Malaysian politics. Its not that difficult to answer. Think of someone most hard done by Abdullah Badawi and Najib Razak's gentleman's agreement to transfer power in 2010. Someone who had political wind in his sails after the March election only to now see his future in doubt as UMNO gets ready to pick younger leaders in its annual congress. Someone who way back when, had the most coziest of cozy relationship with Anwar.
Yes, Anwar is targeting Muhyiddin Yassin to be the Judas. Muhyiddin is said to have lined up at least three other front benchers and a handful more from the back benches. Many of these MPs are fed up of both Abdullah and Najib, and see the grass being far greener with Anwar. Many of them were also ardent Anwaristas when the Opposition Leader was climbing up the greasy pole of UMNO politics.
These crossovers are said to be mutually beneficial in more ways than one. Anwar knows that the current composition of Pakatan MPs in Parliament is almost half Malay and half non-Malay. If he only manages to woo non-Malay BN MPs to defect, he will effectively head a non-Malay dominated government. This would be hard for the Malay-majority electorate to accept not to mention institutions like the royalty, military, armed forces and civil service. Anwar, therefore, desperately needs Malay MPs to defect from BN. In order for this to happen, he needs a Malay BN leader with enough seniority to attract others to follow suit. Hence, Muhyiddin.
But that's not all. Anwar has already over-promised his buddies in DAP. He knows that he has to make Lim Kit Siang one of his Deputy Prime Ministers. That's not going to sit well with Malays, whether they are UMNO, PAS or PKR supporters. Regardless of the muhibbah rhetoric coming out of Pakatan and its acceptance by the Bangsar Starbucks Melayu, the heartland and grunt Malays cannot stand Kit Siang. To them he and his party stand for everything that is anti-Malay.
That being the case, Anwar has to counter-balance Kit Siang's appoitment as DPM with a heavyweight Malay politician as another deputy. Of course he could appoint Hadi Awang and complete the unholy trinity of Pakatan parties as PM and two DPMs, and he probably would offer Hadi the post anyway. But he knows that Hadi cannot be trusted. After all, it is Hadi and Nasharuddin Mat Isa that almost tore PAS out of Pakatan with their secret rendezvous with Abdullah. Anwar has neither forgiven nor forgotten this act of betrayal by Hadi. He also knows that during the Permatang Pauh by-election, it wasn't Hadi that came to pinch hit for him in the last few days to turn Malay opinion around in the light of Saiful Bukhari's religious oath that he was buggered by Anwar. Hadi came briefly, gave a 10 minute speech complaining of a cough and hot footed it out of there. Instead it was Nik Aziz Nik Mat that came to Anwar's rescue, using his aura as a pondok alim to persuade the faithful in Permatang Pauh not to believe Saiful's oath.
Anwar's preferred choice as DPM from PAS is not an MP. He is the man that whispers instructions into Nik Aziz's ear and he was the most senior PAS leader present when Anwar was declared winner after all the votes were tallied. Husam Musa cannot, for now, join a federal government because of state duties in Kelantan, but he is very much the bridge that Anwar wants to cultivate in PAS.
So with the bad blood between Anwar and Hadi, even if Anwar offers Hadi a DPM post it would be out of courtesy to keep Pakatan together. Which means he would need another senior Malay leader to be a third deputy and the de facto most senior deputy with Anwar's full confidence and trust. He could appoint Azmin, but many would be uncomfortable with that prospect. So who better than Muhyiddin - a senior cabinet minister with experience in government. An UMNO warlord who can attract support from UMNO Malays and prevent Anwar from looking too dependent on non-Malay support. And most crucially, someone who Anwar trusts because back in the days of Anwar as DPM, when he said jump, Muhyiddin jumped.
If BN leaders are looking at East Malaysia for potential jumpers, they are looking far away from where the threat really is. Anwar has secured Muhyiddin and its merely a matter of timing. Muhyddin has to deliver Anwar a handsome number of MPs in return for being made DPM under Anwar. That, according to sources, is underway and the count is increasing by the day.
The plan is simple yet clever. Obvious yet deceptive. BN is about to lose the kingdom from right under its nose.
Sorry datuk..
ReplyDeleteTahun Melawat Taiwan,
Tahun Meliwat Malaysia.
Period!
Dato', orang Kedah ni memang suka tulis berkias-kias. Saya tak mahu komen, bimbang batal puasa!
ReplyDeletenobisha
kurang manis la pergi ke taiwan dalam bulan puasa. tapi memang dia orang ini tak prihatin sangat dengan rakyat. kata dah plan awal awal tapi tax tahu nak kemana.apa punya cerita ini.Ingatkan kita orang in bodoh.
ReplyDeleteapa nak jadi....haprak punya BN!!
Saudara berita dari gunung,saya tertarik dengan komen anda.Perbandingan yang sangat mudah untuk memahami maksud tersirat.Sama juga dengan pengetua yang lemah pentadbirannya,guru-guru ponteng kelas,murid huru-hara tidak berdisiplin...
ReplyDeleteSalam Dato',
ReplyDeleteKita semua tahu bahawa politik itu satu landasan perjuangan untuk satu bangsa utk apa agenda sekalipun. Dan politik pula hidup atas tiket populariti @ persepsi popular. Kita sedar bahawa yg popular itu tidak semestinya betul tapi satu yg popular itu biasanya tak terlalu jauh dari yg betul. Ambil contoh, kalau seorang peragut kena tangkap pandangan popular ialah melepuk dia tapi yg betul ialah menyerahkannya ke pengadilan. Pemimpin yg cerdik tak buat kecoh fasal lepuk melepuk tapi akhirnya dia bawa siperagut tu ke pengadilan. Dia memberikan "double satisfaction" kpd khalayak yg hendak dipimpinnya. Secara moralnya sang pempimpin ni sebenarnya melakukan kesalahan tapi jika dia hendak mengubah mindset khalayaknya dia perlu memenangi hati mereka dulu. Itulah yg dinamai kebijaksanaan. Memang benar, tujuan yg murni tidak menghalalkan kaedah yg batil, tetapi apalah gunanya skrip yg baik jika tidak berpeluang dilakonkan? Kita ketandusan pemimpin tulen yg benar2 faham matlamat perjuangan bangsa.
Pah Hj JB
Assalamualaikum Dato'
ReplyDeleteNi lah penyakit org. Umno yang umpama "dengar guruh di langit..." Bagaimana rakyat tak percaya kpd.pembangkang,sedangkan tindak tanduk Umno dan sekutunya jelas meniyakannya.
Belum pun 16 sept. Umno and the gang dah pun berangkat....takut betul pada angka 16.Jangan la asyik nak menipu rakyat lagi...be gentleman.
Kalau ditakdir tumbang pada 16 sept. ni,belajar terima dengan hati tenang dan terbuka.
5 tahun lagi buat pulak comeback...
Salam Dato',
ReplyDeleteApa saja boleh berlaku dalam politik.
Dalam dunia saya (membaca carta pergerakan harga pasaran hadapan) ada satu frasa yang merupakan antara prinsip utama : "WHAT IS TRUE IS NOT IMPORTANT. WHAT ACTUALLY IMPORTANT IS WHAT PERCEIVED TO BE TRUE".
Mungkin dalam realiti politik di Malaysia, Anwar dilihat sebagai lebih bersih daripada Pak Lah dan Najib.
Persoalannya adakah Anwar benar-benar bersih? Allah lebih mengetahui.
Sebagai penganut agama islam, kita hanya boleh membuat keputusan dan penilaian dari apa yang kita nampak. Selebihnya kita berserah kepadaNYA.
p/s bajet lawatan tu mana puncanya Dato'? Besar belanjanya tu. Alangkah manisnya jika dana tersebut di bawa balik ke kawasan masing-masing untuk membantu pengundi-pengundi yang kurang berkemampuan dalam mempersiapan hari lebaran dan persekolahan anak-anak di tahun hadapan. Sekurang-kurangnya membantu dalam tuisyen tambahan menjelang peperiksaan UPSR, PMR, SPM dan STP.
KENAPA PENDEKATAN "BALIK SEMULA KE AKAR UMBI / BACK TO THE ROOTS" TIDAK PERNAH DIFIKIR DAN DIUTAMAKAN!?
Datuk, as a banana Chinese, I wonder why make a study tour of Taiwan? I think better China. China is the new tiger of Asia. Even Taiwan is acknowledging this.I think it is not very sensitive to visit Taiwan but not China.
ReplyDeleteAlso it's not timely because BN MPs must be at home to defend against any threat by Anwar Ibrahim.
The visiting MPs can still jump to Anwar's side if they want even when they are in Taiwan. In this modern day they can can send letters, fax or SMS to Anwar to say they are joining him from Taiwan. I think it's not very responsible for Pak Lah to use taxpayers money to defend his government.
I think BN MPs should not jump. They are voted on March 8 as BN candidates. If they don't agree with Pak Lah or Najib they should remove them. They should not become traitors to the voters by changing ship.
Banana Chinese