We Are A Decade Old Today

A Kadir Jasin

TODAY, 24^th February 2016 is the 10^th anniversary of our blog. Praise be to Allah and a big thank to debaters and visitors for your support, understanding and camaraderie.

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A lot of water has passed under the bridge since we started this blog. Our blog is probably the earliest (oldest) by a journalist although I read somewhere another journalist had claimed that his blog had reached the 10-year mark although I remember that he started his blog after mine.

No matter. What counts is we are still here. We have not changed our independent stance. We have not been offered dedak and, God willing, we will not accept it even if we are offered by the lorry-loads.

Alhamdulillah setinggi kesyukuran kerana kita juga diberikan keselamatan dan perlindungan oleh Yang Maha Esa.

Banyak orang bertanya, adakah saya tidak berasa takut? Saya ada “bodyguard”? Bawa senjata api? Jawabnya tidak ada. Allah pelindung kita.

Apakah saya tidak berasa takut? Takut apa? Kita bukan melakukan jenayah. Kita tidak merompak dan mencuri. Bukan itu saja. Apa yang kita lakukan, kita lakukan secara terang-terangan.

Tidak seperti sesetengah blogger pemakan dedak yang baling najis sembunyi tangan, blog kita adalah blog bernama. We put our hands on the table!

Khairy Jamaluddin pernah memanggil blogger beruk

Banyak orang tahu siapa saya. Di mana saya tinggal. Di kedai kopi mana saya menulis. Siapa kawan saya dan siapa lawan saya.

Kita tidak tuduh orang itu dan ini bunuh dan letupkan sesiapa kemudian lari ke luar negara, tarik balik surat sumpah dan jadi pemakan dedak.

Fear Is Our Worse Enemy

The biggest enemy of men and the ultimate betrayal of a democracy is fear. I was born timid and sickly. My late father, Haji Jasin bin Tahir, taught me never to give up, never succumb to fear and never put the authority of men over the authority of God.

He forced me to cycle alone for five kilometres from our home to the bus station at 5am to catch a bus to school in Alor Star when I was 11 years old.

My father was a simple padi farmer, village trader and a grass root Umno leader but his worldview would easily surpass that of those who today call themselves leaders.

He introduced me to Gamal Abdel Nesser, Soekarno and Mohammad Hatta, Marshall Broz Tito, Mao Zedong, Xhou Enlai, Fidel Castro and to the Hikayat Seribu Satu Malam. May Allah bless his soul.

Sticks and Stones Don’t Break My Bones

I would like also to thank those who disagree with us or become the targets of our criticisms for leaving us alone.

Recently, one of them asked a friend of mine “why is Kadir so angry.” He was either pretending not to know the reasons for our rage or he had gone totally mad. 

I have always welcomed their response although that seldom happens. The right of reply is an inherent part of my journalistic practice and this is guaranteed in this blog.

Instead they decide to stay away. They do not want anything to do with me. For a long time now my SMS and Whatsapp messages have gone unanswered. Instead they choose to answer us in other sites and forums.

That’s fine. They can call me names. They can instruct their dedak-eating bloggers to malign and belittle me. But for as long as they fail to out-argue us, their howling will not bring down the hill.

Anjing menyalak, bukit tidak akan runtuh!

At least I can say that they know who I am and I am not about to run away to some faraway places for safety. This is my country and its here that I will stay and fight my battle with your help, insya-Allah.

The Burden of Knowledge

It is hard for me to give unqualified support to public figures or oppose them out right because I know more about them than I dare to publish or can publish without consequences.

The benefit of history is not always beneficial. It colours your opinion about a person. For example, I know who among the current Cabinet and Umno Supreme Council Members have Anti-Corruption Agency/Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission records.

I know who were supposed to be charged and when but were not. Instead the “files” were used to extract their loyalty and enslave them. Today, some of them are howling like rabid dogs.

I know who had sexual scandals and indiscretions. I know what past Prime Ministers said about their ministers in private.

There were several reasons why I started this blog. One of which was the freedom and ease the information and telecommunication technology (ICT) offers to a writer like me.

NST's disrespect for the Prophet (PBUH) provoked me

The provocation was the New Straits Times’ publication of a cartoon mocking the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH). The NST editors, led by (Datuk Seri) Kalimullah Masheerul Hassan was initially unrepentant.

Only after a swift global and domestic outcry that the government of (Tun) Abdullah Ahmad Badawi took step to suspend SarawakTribune but spared the NST of a similar punishment. Kalimullah was Abdullah’s appointee at the NST group.

My first article in this blog was in bahasa Malaysia entitled “Tanda tanya di sebalik mohon maaf NST” published on February 24^th, 2006. Since that date, 10 years ago, I had posted 1,082 articles, logged 9.4 million pageviews, 8.6 million visitors and attracted 1,357 followers. Topping pageviews are Singapore, Malaysia, the USA, Norway and Indonesia. Our articles are regularly quoted by news portals and newspapers.

For all these, I have you readers and debaters to thank. Your support gives us strength and purpose. Thank you a million.

Wallahuaklam.