I used to think that Hishammuddin was a relatively intelligent fellow, in spite of comments by various friends to the contrary. Well, I was duly shocked when he waved around the keris in 2007 proclaiming Malay supremacy. With the new year barely begun, this scion of a proud aristocratic family is again demonstrating his idiocy by calling for demonstrations against the US and Israel. I'm not in support of what Israel is doing, but isn't it hypocritical to ban demonstrations by students when the issues are domestic (and against the ruling coalition), while simultaneously organizing it when it's about the affairs of other nations?!!



NST 2009/01/09
Gaza Under Siege: Ministry plans huge protest by schoolkids By : Regina Lee

PUTRAJAYA: Nearly all schoolchildren in the country will be mobilised to protest against the Gaza offensive by Israeli forces.
Education Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said about five million pupils and 360,765 teachers from more than 10,000 schools would be involved. "This is to create a wave of pressure for the Israelis to stop their violence and oppression of Palestinian civilians." He said the ministry would be working with the Information, Foreign, and Youth and Sports Ministries, as well as Peace Malaysia, to expand the campaign to a mega scale."When we protested against the US invasion in Iraq, we managed to get 200,000 people into Putra Stadium, Bukit Jalil.
"We are confident that youth leaders from political parties, including those in Pakatan Rakyat will join us in this fight against the Zionist regime," he said after his ministry's New Year gathering at Putrajaya International Convention Centre here yesterday.Hishammuddin said the directive was passed in the cabinet meeting on Wednesday. Asked on the danger of exposing children to such atrocities, the minister said: "When they grow up, they will have to face global issue like peace, environment and the economic crisis."He said he would be using the Unesco platform, of which he is an executive board member, to voice out Malaysia's concern over the Gaza crisis.