I refer to the Malaysiakini report Top 10 News of 2008.

What are news and issues if not for personalities that create them? Malaysians are known to have a soft spot for stories with a human angle.

Let's not forget those who get into the news for the wrong reasons. I hereby present the Top 10 Turkeys of the Year.

Christmas is over and we’ve had our share of turkeys. As we prepare for the incoming year, it is nice to ponder over news made by overstuffed, noisy and self-important creatures of another kind over 2008.

They are chosen, not so much for the issues they generate but for the indelible mark they make in our minds, at least for the next few years.

1 Datuk VK Lingam :

The release of the Lingam tape made a huge dent in the integrity of the judiciary with big names being dragged into allegations of judge-fixing. It even spawned the fast-tracked Judicial Appointments Committee (JAC) which received the green light by the Lower House recently.

Nevertheless, Lingam’s ‘Correct, correct, correct’ and ‘It looks like me and sounds like me’ phrases will remain in Malaysian mainstream political satire for some time.

2. Datuk Ahmad Said :

He may not be a new phenomenon in Malaysian politics but the racist-toned outburst of the former Bukit Bendera Umno chief epitomises the pompous and arrogant behaviour that plagues Barisan leaders.

This is believed to have alienated the people and supplied ammunition to the opposition, and may have contributed to the dismal Barisan campaign and eventual loss at Permatang Pauh. His subsequent chastisement by Umno top leaders did little to improve his reputation as a racist and bully.

3 Saiful Bukhari Azlan ;

Saiful’s swearing by the Quran that he had been sodomised by de-factor opposition leader, Anwar Ibrahim gripped the nation particularly since it was done in the run-up to the Permatang Paul by-election.

The unreal bordering on surreal allegations made it to the Top 10 simply because of the ripples it created. His claim led to Anwar’s arrest by balaclava-clad police before he was freed. There were also suspicions of invisible interference by Najib Tun Razak, although this was denied.

Saiful made it to the list by virtue of his tripping over by the imam who witnessed his oath-taking and revealing that he was instructed to do so, and the statutory denial by doctor who examined him that he was sodomised. Many Malaysians were ill-prepared to stomach another round of an Anwar sodomy scandal.

4 George W Bush :

The unpopular second-term US president, better known for his war-mongering ways, was unceremoniously ‘booted-out’ by an Iraqi newsman.

5 Bernard Madoff

Former Nasdaq chairperson accused of racking up a US$50 billion ‘Ponzi scheme’, one of the biggest fraud cases ever.

Aside from cheating high-profile investors, Madoff’s lavish lifestyle epitomises the greedy Wall-Streeters that had brought the world’s economy to a standstill. He was quoted as telling senior employees of his firm that ‘it’s all just one big lie’.

6 Thaksin Shinawatra

Convicted former Thai prime minister hogged the headlines for the wrong reasons. Aside from jumping bail and evading repatriation efforts from London, Thaksin also lost his grip on Manchester City football club, got involved with a girl young enough to be his daughter which led to his subsequent divorce from his wife.

However, many thought the divorce to be a convenient strategy to hang on to his vast wealth. The richest man in Thailand has since lost 90% of his frozen wealth.

7 Edison Chen

Internet websites featuring downloads of ‘Edison videos’ were jammed across much of east Asia. The 200 odd videos and pictures showing Chen engaging in various sexual acts with bevy of beauty queens and actresses electrified many and were a breather for the masses that were tired of political and economic scandals.

Chen subsequently fled to Canada but returned to Hong Kong to answer to authorities and his fans. The fans are still waiting with bated breath for news of unreleased videos and personalities, thought to be linked to the high and mighty of Hong Kong and China, including the fearsome triads.

8 Datuk Seri Chua Soi Lek

The start of 2008 was rocked by circulation of videos of rising star of Chinese Malaysian politics engaging in sex acts with a woman who was not his wife. The embattled Chua admitted that he was the man in the video and quickly resigned from all government and party posts.

His quick comeback into party politics nine months later when he was elected deputy president of MCA did little to erase the strong memories of the scandal which continue to thwart his return to the cabinet.

9 Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar

Pressure to amend or repeal the Internal Security Act continues to mount. However, the prime minister’s defence of the draconian act is not helped by the series of bumbling remarks by Syed Hamid Albar following the arrest of Sin Chew reporter Tan Hoong Cheng and opposition politician Teresa Kok.

The home minister was quoted as saying that the ISA was invoked against a clearly innocent Tan for her ‘protection’. That statement, alongside his ignorance of the power of the minister to issue the arrest warrant and extension adds to calls to review the ISA, which subsequently contributed to the resignation of law minister, Zaid Ibrahim.

10. Robert Mugabe

Zimbabwean head of state, Mugabe continues to bask in the world’s news headlines for the wrong reasons. His legitimacy as president has been called into question following the 2008 election, which he lost.

He subsequently orchestrated another election which was fraught with threats and intimidation culminating in uneasy power-sharing agreement with rival Morgan Tsvangirai.

The G8 collectively denounced the legitimacy of Mugabe’s government. The self-proclaimed ‘President for life’ continues to rule Zimbabwe with an iron fist, choosing to deal with the cholera outbreak which has plagued his country simply by declaring that ‘Zimbabwe is cholera free’.