In a world gone bonkers, espionage takes precedence in topping the competition. Just look at the US and China today.

IF you grew up reading MAD, the classic American humour magazine, you’ll be familiar with the segment “Spy vs. Spy”, which features two agents, who in their desperation to outdo each other in the name of espionage, end up being a pair of comedians.

In the comic strip, the characters are drawn apart by their all-black and all-white attire, but they are virtually the same, typified by their bird-like heads.

They’re always at war and despite their colours, both are certified villains. There’s no black and white here, just grey matter for one’s own interpretation.

The original MAD magazine, which started in 1952, ended in 2018, though an online presence remains.

And to throw context into all of this, in recent weeks, Malaysia has unwittingly found itself in the world news as US and Chinese spies cross swords. The rivals have accused each other of spying games.

We’d be gullible to believe that only the Chinese – in the purported guise of being academics, diplomats and scientists – are involved in such cloak-and-dagger activities.

Yesterday, the South China Morning Post reported that Beijing has claimed that US Air Force had used fake identities – at least in 100 times this year – putting civilian airlines at risk.

The Americans, Russians and the British have been immersed in intelligence work for decades in formalised institutions such as the CIA, KGB and MI6. And of course, there’s Mossad, the Israeli spy network.

The rest of the world has certainly been shaken and stirred by them on many occasions.

They all do intelligence gathering, covert operations and counter terrorism. In Russia, political opponents even get poisoned. Of course, no one will admit to it.

It’s common knowledge now how North Koreans spies came to Malaysia to kill Kim Jong-nam, the half-brother of Kim Jong-il, the powerful leader of the country.

The agents poisoned him in 2017 and disappeared from our shores without being caught. It was a clean job in the world of espionage, where the bottom line is escaping capture.

Certainly, hacking and using more capable geeks has become routine for all intelligence networks, including those operating under the police.

Last week, the US Justice Department announced charges against five Chinese nationals and two Malaysians from Sitiawan, Perak.

They have been accused of running global hacking operations for at least six years to steal identities and video game technology, plant ransomware, and spy on Hong Kong activists.

It was reported that three of the Chinese suspects operated out of Chengdu 404, a Sichuan-based company that supposedly offers network security services for businesses.

They hacked the computers of hundreds of companies and organisations around the world to collect identities, hijack systems for ransom, and remotely use thousands of computers to mine cryptocurrency like bitcoin.

Two other Chinese nationals who formerly worked for Chengdu 404, and the two Malaysians, were indicted for hacking into major gaming companies to steal their secrets and “gaming artifacts” – likely tradable in-game chits and credits – and reselling them.

Together, the seven were long recognised by cybersecurity experts as the “APT41” hacking organisation, identified by their shared tools and techniques, according to media reports. While some suspect the group could be run by the Chinese government, the indictments don’t suggest a strong official connection.

It was widely reported that a Chinese company with links to Beijing’s military and intelligence networks has been amassing a vast repository of detailed personal information on thousands of Australians, including prominent and influential figures.

It is said a database of 2.4 million people has been leaked from the Shenzhen company Zhenhua Data, which is supposedly used by China’s intelligence service, the Ministry of State Security. Apparently, the People’s Liberation Army and the Chinese Communist Party are among its clients, too.

Interestingly, it was also reported on Sept 10 that a US airforce aircraft had electronically impersonated a Malaysian plane while flying over the South China Sea.

The RC-135W Rivet Joint reconnaissance aircraft flew off China’s Hainan island on Tuesday, coming within 55 miles of the Chinese mainland.

But the caper was exposed on Twitter by a think tank operated by the Chinese government, which provided enough details for independent verification.

The Twitter account of the South China Sea Probing Initiative shared a pair of screenshots revealing an RC-135W taking off from Kadena Air Base, a US Air Force base on the island of Okinawa. The plane flew south-west, following the Ryukyu islands chain past Taiwan, and loitered off the coast of Hainan.

Conveniently, none of the US and international media picked up on this news, which attests to the US and its allies being more adept at managing the media.

The Chinese are now seen as the bad guys and the only reason Hollywood hasn’t lumped them together with the Russians, Albanians, Arabs and Afghans, is that Tinsel Town knows it can’t afford to paint the Chinese as the enemy if it still wants to rake it in at the Chinese box office. The Western media knows how to use major languages such as English, French and Spanish in a more polished and subtle manner in conveying their messages. However, China, epitomised by its hawkish “Wolf Warrior” diplomats, has been using words that seem out of place in the modern world. So the republic continues sounding crude, assertive and leaves a pungent taste, especially when translated into English.

“Spy vs. Spy” isn’t just about planting booby traps but also about winning the hearts and minds of the international community, especially the young.

The Chinese, even with their wealth, don’t have think tanks such as those in the US, which have funded many groups in the name of promoting democracy and human rights, even if in truth, it is essentially to serve the interest of the US. At least, these think tanks are not known to those in the English-speaking world.

China’s Foreign Ministry hasn’t set up fellowships for young opinion shapers to take sabbaticals and study at their prestigious universities. Certainly, the country can’t rely on Global Times and Xinhua because their nationalistic tone won’t draw much international attraction. At least China Daily and the China Global Television Network have much greater appeal, where both have also hired foreign staff. Likewise, the Falun Gong-backed Epoch Times is just as bad as the pro-China nationalistic media.

But US spy involvement in China has existed for decades, even as far back as in the 1950s, during the time of the late Chiang Kai Shek under the Kuomintang.

There are plenty of declassified US documents, books and reports of CIA involvement in China, and this information is easily found online.

Hong Kong is an example where US involvement is suspected. There are many pictures of Westerners conducting training or openly taking part in its street protests.

None of them have been arrested or charged in courts, so it remains unclear and unproven.

It would be odd if there are no CIA agents based in Hong Kong because they will be safer there than in mainland China.

Last month, the South China Morning Post reported that for over five years, Kong Tsung-gan was a name that turned up regularly as a Hong Kong protest activist and writer quoted frequently by foreign media.

“Now, the revelation that ‘Kong’ is in fact a pen name of possibly an American named Brian Kern has ignited debate over the legitimacy of using a pseudonym in Hong Kong’s highly charged political environment.

“The controversy was sparked recently by an American alternative news website that accused Kern of adopting a fictitious identity as an ethnic Chinese grassroots activist as a ‘deceptive ploy’ to ‘disseminate anti-China propaganda’.”

“Kong” later responded to the article by admitting he had been using a pen name all along, though he didn’t confirm his true identity. His defenders claim he had to operate incognito for his own safety. He had 32,000 followers on Twitter, with a photograph of a Chinese man accompanying his anti-government tweets. “Kong Tsung-gan” has appeared in reports on Hong Kong by CNN, The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Agence France-Presse and The Guardian, among others.

In the run-up to the US presidential elections, the world can expect to read more of such Chinese espionage. But upping the ante negatively is how ethnic Chinese of other nationalities will also invariably get dragged through the mud.

It may not even end after the polls because US-China rivalry will continue, and even with a change in president, the stance will remain.

This time, the US has drawn in its Western allies and Asian partners to be on its side. The last thing the world needs is for China to start lining up its allies.

One thing’s for sure, China needs to be more persuasive in its narrative.

No one wants to take sides in this conflict, which began as a trade dispute but is now in danger of becoming a Cold War, which is a term used to describe a state of hostility, propaganda and threats. Does the world need another?

THE Sabah state elections has turned out to be a “numbers game” in every sense as the polls will see the most multicornered fights in the history of Malaysian elections.

This is one election where there are no straight fights, no unopposed victories and, most certainly, the largest number of eight-way contests the country has seen.

It has the most independents, newly-formed parties, breakaways and even contests between parties which supposedly share the same platform.

Sabah voters are notoriously indecisive – past voting patterns have proven that they seldom elect a strong government, and this has led to defections which caused past state governments to collapse, as what happened in the 2018 state elections.

The Barisan Nasional government fell apart when six of its state assemblymen jumped to Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal’s coalition, comprising his Parti Warisan Sabah, DAP and PKR.

The party hopping of the six state assemblymen from the United Progressive Kinabalu Organisation (Upko) and Umno helped to end Barisan’s 24-year rule in Sabah.

This time, Malaysians are watching if there will be another hung state government or one that has a razor-thin majority, which would only tell the same story.

The largest number of contenders indicates that the individuals wish to be spoilers, or perhaps they feel they could make a difference for themselves or Sabah.

There’s a word Sabahans use to describe the situation: “democrazy”.

I had completed this column late Friday night with a general analysis of what could take place in the state, but by midnight, my mobile phone was ringing nonstop. There were endless text messages from several candidates who wanted to update me with the latest information.

It was turning into a nightmare for them, especially those from the opposition, as last minute negotiations to work out straight fights had broken down.

While there were better results in reaching a consensus between Umno and Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia, it was a different story elsewhere.

In fact, Warisan and PKR kept their alliance intact despite earlier talk of a disagreement.

But the MCA, which is fielding four candidates, has to face Parti Bersatu Sabah, a friendly party.

In a nutshell, my original piece turned out to be outdated, and while we had expected plenty of candidates in the fray, it was more crowded than we had imagined.

Sabah’s politics have always been complicated, and despite having covered many past elections in the state, this is one campaign which my colleagues and I have found hard to read.

But it will be the most exciting ever because many variables will come into play as the daggers are drawn.

Party loyalty doesn’t exist in this town, where defections are an acceptable part of the political culture, and sabotaging comrades is common.

I’m not sure if you can believe politicians, especially when they put on their straight faces and “welcome” the involvement of new political parties and possibly independents, apparently embracing “the more the merrier” belief.

Political parties supposedly aligned could well be contesting against each other unless they come to an agreement.

Until last week, the media reported cracks were distinct in the opposition alliance of Sabah Perikatan Nasional, Sabah Barisan Nasional and PBS, when party leaders began naming candidates for the same seats on Thursday. The media revealed that it was clear open war had broken out on the opposition side, while fissures appeared in Warisan Plus where Sabah PKR initially held back its participation, only agreeing to a seat-sharing deal later in the evening.

But consensus worked out in most constituencies to ensure a more effective opposition,

Newcomer Datuk Seri Anifah Aman’s party, Parti Cinta Sabah (PCS), is contesting in all 73 seats.

Contesting in the Sabah polls is an expensive affair, but it has managed to raise funds in a short time. This former Umno MP and former Foreign Minister is also throwing down the gauntlet by taking on the parties of the ruling federal government.

He’s also the brother of former Sabah chief minister Tan Sri Musa Aman, who hasn’t been nominated by Umno to contest.

Without the ticket to contest a seat, it’s uncertain what kind of role – directly or indirectly – this powerful strongman will play in the elections.

PCS can certainly cause serious damage as a spoiler to Sabah Perikatan, Sabah Barisan and Warisan Plus if the margins are tight. Anifah, however, has indicated PCS is ready to be a kingmaker.

However, party observers say that’s simply because family members are contesting, including Aman’s relative and Musa’s son-in-law. Another seat is held by Musa’s senior aide when he was CM.

In the eyes of many, PCS has been formed to wreck Barisan’s plans and frustrate Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin, who is heading the coalition’s campaign.

However, Bung Moktar knows the political terrain like the back of his hand, even if he’s often perceived as crude.

I have visited his rural constituency of Kinabatangan, where most voters seem fond of him. That explains why he gets re-elected, to the bewilderment of urbanites on the peninsula.

Umno’s structure and machinery are strong in Sabah, so the party shouldn’t be underestimated.

The battle in the Sabah polls will be in the Muslim bumiputra seats, and Warisan is popular in the east coast areas, especially in Semporna (Shafie’s stronghold), Sandakan and in pockets on the west coast and on the northern side.

The west coast is made up of Kota Kinabalu, Ranau, Kota Belud, Tuaran, Penampang and Papar; up in the north, there’s Kudat, Pitas, Kota Marudu and Banggi.

The opposition, especially Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan, has made an issue of Shafie’s ethnicity, saying he’s a Bajau-Suluk, the same group of people in southern Philippines.

The accusation is that under the current government, illegal immigrants will flood the state, but Warisan has refuted this claim.

The key battles will also be in the Kadazan-Dusun-Murut (KDM) majority seats, where close fights are expected between Warisan Plus and the opposition.

In the last general elections, Barisan fared way better than Warisan, winning 15 KDM-dominated seats through Umno, PBRS and its then component parties PBS and Upko.

Warisan, now with Upko on its side, is hoping to do better than the three KDM seats it secured. Upko won five seats in GE14 in 2018.

According to a news report, 22 seats were considered as KDM majority areas from the 60 state seats contested in May 2018, but in the upcoming elections, there could be at least four more seats with KDM majority voters out of the 13 newly-created state seats. This means the KDM seats will represent over a third of the 73 seats up for grabs in the 16th state elections.

Much of the campaign will involve visits to the homes of the electorate. The campaign will be a quiet one because of the rural setting, as well as the absence of big gatherings due to Covid-19-mandated social distancing practices. So social media will play a huge role in areas with online access.

Given the unpredictability of this elections, voters could well return a hung government or a government with no clear majority, like in previous polls.

No wonder the frogs always have a place in Sabah politics. You can almost hear the croaking now in this wet season, well before even the first votes are cast.

Let’s be clear — defections are diabolically wrong. It’s perplexing how people can condemn the crossover to Barisan but cheer the leap into Pakatan. If this isn’t democrazy, then what is?

A PILGRIMAGE to Jerusalem, the holy land of Christians, wouldn’t be complete without visiting the Church of Cana, more popularly known as the Wedding Church.

Couples, be it pilgrims or just tourists, often take the opportunity to renew their wedding vows in this holy place.

It’s no ordinary church because it was during a wedding there that Jesus performed the miracle of turning water into wine, as depicted in the Bible.

As stated in the Gospel of John, Jesus’ mother and his disciples were invited to the wedding when the party ran out of wine. Mother Mary then told Jesus of the situation.

Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used for ceremonial washing, each capable of holding 20 to 30 gallons of water. Jesus told the servants to fill the jars to the brim with water.

According to the Bible, turning water into wine was his first miracle.

In Matthew 26:26-29, where the scene of the Last Supper was recorded, the Bible said: “As they were eating, Jesus took some bread and blessed it.

“Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, “Take this and eat it, for this is my body.

“And he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it.”

This is the Bible as contained in the New Living Translation version.

The scene is also similarly recorded in 1 Corinthians 11:23-26.

Apart from the verses from the gospels and 1 Corinthians 11, we must relate that this was the Passover meal. And traditionally, the cup at the Passover meal contained wine during this Jewish festival.

Regardless of which version of the Bible one reads, or in whatever language, the accounts are consistently the same.

My wife and I were among Malaysian pilgrims who visited the Church of Cana, renewed our wedding vows and bought a bottle of wine there.

In fact, you don’t even need to go to Jerusalem to buy the wine anymore because it’s now sold online.

Jesus then and Jesus today are the same. If he had disapproved of wine, he wouldn’t have chosen to turn water into wine, especially as his first miracle.

The Bible is full of attributes on the goodness of wine – which is, essentially, just another form of liquor.

Christianity has never banned wine or liquor, though there are many references in the Bible frowning upon drunkenness and debauchery, which are regarded as sinful.

Of course, excessive drinking can lead to negative consequences for individuals, families and society. In fact, even without drinking excessively, drink-driving has become a deadly menace.

But consuming wine doesn’t necessarily mean getting intoxicated.

There is a difference.

Most churches in Malaysia use Ribena for Holy Communion, but it’s still a practice in many Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches in other parts of the world to dip the bread in a chalice of wine during the Holy Communion ritual.

Some of these traditional churches even insist that sacramental wine be made naturally and derived and fermented only from grapes, sans extra ingredients. So that means 100% grape extract.

I’m speaking from experience, having visited such churches, I’m not reading from some source to fit my narrative.

Many Christians would echo my sentiments. One doesn’t need to be an expert in theology or schooled in comparative religions to vouch for this simple church practice.

There are even specific verses which encourage the drinking of wine, such as in 1 Timothy 5:23, where it says Paul advised Timothy to drink wine for medicinal purposes, and “stop drinking only water but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments”.

Psalm 104:14-15 paints a picture of how God has provided various types of vegetation for man and beast. “He makes grass grow for the cattle, and plants for people to cultivate – bringing forth food from the earth: wine that gladdens human hearts, oil to make their faces shine, and bread that sustains their hearts.” God provided these necessities for man to cultivate into three types of food: wine, bread, and oil. This verse iterates the reason that God gave grapes: to make wine.

But no matter how tempting, excessive food or beverage consumption is bad. That’s common sense no one needs to reference from holy scriptures.

Likewise, if we drink too much of that sugar-saturated bubble tea drink, we’d be harming our health even though no religion has forbidden consuming it. The point is, we need to exercise moderation.

Noah – the prophet recognised by Christians and Muslims – owned a vineyard but his excessiveness with wine led him astray, which is recorded in the Bible.

In Genesis 9:20, it states that “Noah, a man of the soil, was the first to plant a vineyard” but the drink got the better of him.

Wine has always played a big role in churches. In fact, visitors of churches in the Mediterranean will know these priests, popularly known as monks, make the best wines. Some in the Lerins Abbey, on a small island near Cannes, continue producing them.

These monks have been making wine since the Middle Ages, living in the monastery founded in 405 AD by Saint Honorat.

In fact, in medieval Europe, Benedictine monks were the biggest wine producers.

I have to figure out now how I can visit the church and show them a newspaper article on a Malaysian MP and purported Bible expert claiming the holy book bans drinking liquor.

I’m sure they’ll tell me drinking a little wine is harmless, though one who has little knowledge of a religion but presumes to be an expert is dangerous.

Perpetuating myths is also what theologian-proclaiming politicians are doing by dispensing judgement, especially distorted ones.

But no one – especially Christians – should continue grousing over this or turning it into a political issue for use in elections because the message is, those who are unaware of their actions must be forgiven.

The Bible is full of verses, too, on the importance of forgiveness for those who wronged Christians.

Today is Sunday, a ceremoniously holy day. Surely there are more important issues and concerns in life to contend with. A good meal with the family and a glass of wine should see the day through nicely, though.