Steven Gan's From Asia Hotel to police cell: Apcet II revisited was a refreshing reminder of the realpolitik of Malaysian governance and sensibilities.

Apcet was about something that was happening in some other country. It really had nothing to do with Malaysia or its policies. Yet, Umno found it objectionable enough to resort to violence and riot.

I suppose that conference being about East Timor - rather than Palestine - may have had something to do with Umno's inability to tolerate it. It did not matter that in both cases, the circumstances were almost similar with a foreign power having occupied another's territory.

Why cannot they find in their minds the same level of abhorrence for the thought of Israel occupying Palestinian lands as well as Indonesia occupying East Timorese land?

This contradiction in terms is what makes Malaysia a laughing stock in the eyes of the international community. This is why Malaysia cannot be a honest broker between two opposing people.

As for the pending suit by the NGO detainees against the government and police - well, you have some people who have already withdrawn their names from this suit.

I have never really cared for or applauded any NGO types. For them, it is more often just a matter of building or finding their own platform to vent their own frustrations.