Political satire may be off-limits in this country as far as televisions and newspapers are concerned. But our humour has nevertheless found expression in cyberspace.

Take, for example, Friendster.com, a website which allows netizens from all over the world to connect, and interact, with one another.

The popular site, which has more than 27 million members worldwide, allows users to upload photographs as well as personal and professional information of themselves.

A random check revealed that some of our political leaders - both from the Barisan Nasional and the opposition - have their own pages, complete with photographs, and some rather hilarious information.

Search for 'Pak Lah' and Friendster will cough up, not one but several different accounts. One of them, which listed his occupation as prime minister, stated that he would like to meet US president George Bush and Osama bin Laden.

Hobbies and interests: Politics, Wawasan 2020, membanteras rasuah di kalangan kakitangan dan kementerian-kementerian Malaysia (to eradicate corruption among civil servants and government ministries).

Favorite Books: The Malay Dilemma, Dummies Guide to be a PM, Manifesto of Barisan Nasional.

Favorite Movies: Independence Day, Leftenan Adnan, Hidup Seorang Perajurit.

Favorite TV Shows: Interview with the PM, Jendela Dunia TV1, Berita Terkini, Hiburan Sendiri, Selamat Pagi Malaysia.

About Me: Bersih, Cekap dan Amanah (Clean, efficient and trustworthy)

Samy's hometowns

Another political veteran with several Friendster accounts was MIC president and Works Minister S Samy Vellu. His listed hometowns ranged from Sungai Siput, the Johor-Singapore bridge, MRR2 and even Putrajaya lake.

Some of his pages contained rather unflattering remarks such as listing kementerian projek tidak siap (ministry of uncompleted projects) under his 'affiliations' category and describing him as a closet opposition Keadilan supporter.

His favourite music ranged from 'Penang bridge is falling down' to the MIC anthem and toll jingles, while his favourite movies were those from Bollywood.

The minister's interests, on the other hand, were listed as 'building roads' and 'collecting wigs'.

According to these pages, he would also like to meet people who could 'repair his hair as well as Malaysian roads' and Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan.

Samy Vellu's accounts also contained testimonials penned by 'friends' such as former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad, his estranged former deputy Anwar Ibrahim, opposition leader Lim Kit Siang, PAS spiritual adviser Nik Aziz and former MCA president Dr Ling Liong Sik.

Here are some of their comments:

Kit Siang: Sini tol. Sana tol. Mana jalan tak ada tol? (Here toll, there toll, which road does not have a toll?)

Nik Aziz: Kepong Bridge is falling down, falling down, falling down...

Anwar: Aku kat lock-up untuk enam tahun, keluar dah kena bayar tol (I was in the lock-up for six years, I come out and have to pay toll)

Mahathir: How come everyone angry with you about the toll prices?

Siti Nurhaliza fan


Meanwhile, Mahathir's page depicts a photograph of him raising his fist, captioned: "With this fist alone, I will crush Singapore." He is also apparently a big fan of Siti Nurhaliza.

Here's the rest:

Occupation: Retired

Hobbies and Interests: Criticising the political affairs of United States, the ignorance of its people and all its western counterparts

Favorite Books: On Facing Challenges, The Malay Dilemma, Voice of Asia, Malays Forget Easily - but of course, I wrote all those myself. I do read a bit of Sydney Sheldon sometimes.

Favorite Movies: Farenheit 9/11

Favorite Music: Joget Inai, Dangdut Kebaya, Kompang Kebangsaan. I'm a big fan of Siti Nurhaliza too.

Favorite TV Shows: I love reality series, watching stupid Americans make fun of themselves and I love P Ramlee classics.

Mahathir also apparently wants to meet George Soros, George W Bush, Anwar Ibrahim and 'all sincere Malaysians who supported my dictatorship'.

Anwar too had his fair share of accounts, some containing photos of his infamous 'black eye' and jabs over his homosexuality allegations.

One of the pages also featured a testimonial from Mahathir, which among others, read: "I will never believe you are straight".

Occupation: Politician

Companies: Cannot tell, later kena corruption again

Affiliations: Last time Mahathir, now my wife

Hobbies and Interests: Reformasi and illegal assembly

About Me: I used to be the deputy prime minister. Then I argued with my boss about some money issue, so he fired me and told everyone that I was gay. Now, I'm thinking of going into politics again but it'll take some time. But honestly, I ain't gay.

Who I Want to Meet: Those who said I was gay.

'Hard-headed'

Lim, a veteran opposition leader, also apparently has a Friendster account. According to the page, his favourite movie is Shaolin soccer and the person he wants to meet are 'phantom voters'.

His hobbies, were not surprisingly, listed down as 'debates', while the 'about me' section read, 'I am hot'.

Kit Siang's page also had testimonials from Samy Vellu, who asked how he won the Ipoh Timor parliamentary seat, Ling chiding him for 'always making noise in Parliament' and Nik Aziz describing him as 'keras kepala' (hard headed).

On the other hand, Nik Aziz's page reads:

Occupation: Chief Minister

Affiliations: PAS

Hobbies and Interests: Praying

Favorite Books: Quran

Favorite Music: Raihan

Favorite TV Shows: Forum Perdana

He, too, had testimonials penned by the usual suspects:

Mahathir: Dah sembhayang ka? (Have you prayed)

Ling: Nanti gua latang sama lu punya tempat wa telefon sama lu wooooo.... (Once I get to your place, I will give you a call)

Kit Siang: Kawan, aku tadak mau gaduh sama you. Tapi you punya kawan, itu Hadi suka tikam aku (My friend, I don't want to fight with you, but your friend [PAS president Abdul] Hadi [Awang] likes to stab me.)

These are just some of the leaders one would stumble upon on the Friendster site. Let's hope that there's no crackdown following this report.