DAP stung by deathwish?

  24/12/11 – 6pm

http://twitter.com/limkitsiang

@limkitsiang

Landed @LCCT from KK 2news of another Karpal-Ramasamy blow-up.We must learn hard way BN mainstream media coverage serve BN political agenda

@limkitsiang

As Nik Aziz told PAS leaders: “Selesaikan perselisihan pandangan melalui mekanisme dalaman parti dan tidak memberikan peluru kepada musuh”

@limkitsiang

Ppl asking whether DAP leaders stung by death wish with 13GE around corner. We must respect these feelings if DAP is 2deserve popular trust.

@limkitsiang

Call on all DAP leaders x 2fall into trap of BN mainstream media n 2pursue/resolve all differences in party channels and not outside.

                This entry was posted on Saturday, 24 December 2011, 7:03 pm and is filed under
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Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas

                This entry was posted on Saturday, 24 December 2011, 5:52 pm and is filed under
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What’s fair?

—
Hussaini Abdul Karim

The Malaysian Insider

Dec 24, 2011

DEC 24 – The headline in The Star’s report by Nurbaiti Hamdan, Friday December 23, 2011 read, “Khir Toyo gets 1 year jail for graft”

Former Selangor Mentri Besar Dr Mohd Khir Toyo was found guilty by the High Court here Friday of knowingly purchasing two pieces of land and a bungalow in Section 7 at a much lower price than its original value from Ditamas Sdn Bhd director Shamsuddin Hayroni in 2007.

He was sentenced to one year in jail from Friday and Justice Mohtarudin Baki ordered his land and bungalow be forfeited.

However, the judge granted him a stay of execution of jail time and forfeiture of the properties pending an appeal after his lawyer M. Athimulan made the request.

The lawyer said the appeal would be filed Friday evening.

The properties involved were purchased at RM3.5mil although Ditamas had bought it for RM6.5mil on Dec 23, 2004.

The court found that the defence had failed to raise reasonable doubt in the case.

On Saturday November 12, 2011, The Star also reported that

Man jailed for stealing shampoo

A 31-year-old man was jailed eight months for stealing eight bottles of shampoo worth a total of RM119.56.

Mohamad Fazlee Zainuddin, 31, was charged with committing the offence at a supermarket at Jalan Gambang here on Nov 10.

Magistrate Nurunaim Abdullah sentenced Mohamad Fazlee to eight months jail and fined him RM2,500 in default two months jail after he pleaded guilty.

What is RM119.56 compared to RM6.5mil?

Just look at the sentences, the former gets 12 months jail for a RM6.5 million offence and the latter, eight months jail for a RM119.56 offence. It is grossly unfair!

Khir Toyo should be sentenced to jail for a longer period that is commensurate to the seriousness of the offence that has been proven guilty of committing, regardless of who he was or who he is.

                This entry was posted on Saturday, 24 December 2011, 7:33 pm and is filed under
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1Care: Prioritise, not privatise patient care

Dr Ng Swee Choon | Dec 24, 2011

Malaysiakini

We refer to the letter from the Director-General, Ministry of Health:
‘Gov’t not abdicating responsibilities thru 1Care’
 on Dec 17.

We fully agree with the need to improve the quality and delivery of health services for the rakyat, provide more choice to patients and preserve the strengths in our current health system.

Our pubic healthcare system has been inherited from what the British left behind but it is historically not the NHS of the UK

Over the years, Malaysia has improved its own system and adapted it to cater for our needs.

Our robust one-stop GP clinics are the backbone of our primary care system providing basic medical care for more than 60% of outpatients in the nation.

Unlike in the UK, Malaysian patients can walk in to see their GPs without appointment and be attended to in a reasonably short time.

In the UK, to see a GP requires prior appointment which can be two or three days later even if you are down with fever.

To see a specialist in the UK NHS often requires waiting time of up to two months. This is not so in Malaysia. Thus, the Malaysian healthcare system today and the NHS UK are poles apart.

However, the concept paper of reforming our Malaysian HC system (1-Care) tells us that the proposed system is a mirror image of today’s NHS which is a system that have failed to deliver and also failed to contain cost.

It has resulted in serious accessibility issues at primary and secondary care. Even the British citizens themselves are upset over the inadequacies of their system.

They are travelling to Europe and even as far as South Africa and India for treatment and surgery.

The proposed transformation will greatly affect the patients and the rakyat and we are naturally deeply concerned with its implications.

The current UK NHS itself undergoing more reforms upon previous reforms.

We have asked many times, why are we heading that way?;

•Reforms but at what cost?;

•How much will this whole 1Care for 1 Malaysia cost the rakyat?

•How will it be financed?;

•Will it mean more taxes, direct or indirect ( as in GST / VAT) ?; and,

•Will the government still be responsible for Healthcare or will it be privatized to government linked companies?

These are all important questions that must be openly addressed.

Past experiences at privatization in Malaysia have been not particularly encouraging. Naturally we are very fearful when it involved healthcare.

Representation of Stakeholders

The Federation has indeed been invited to sit in on the Technical Working Group (TWG) meetings. TWG, as the name suggests, does not deal with the big issues but on nitty gritty details.

The terms of reference TWGs involving the doctors are very limited, and deal mainly with clinical governance, how to charge and what to charge and operational issues of clinics and doctors.

The fact is that the proceedings of the TWGs will be part and parcel of the final blueprint of the proposed system which we believe has already been decided, contrary to what we are told.

Moreover, TWG meetings are often called at short ( sometimes one to two days) notice, making it virtually impossible for many to attend.

However it does give the public the impression that we were invited but did not bother to attend

On the other hand, there are also the TWGs deciding on this healthcare transformation on which conflicted stake holders like private hospital chains, pharmaceutical manufacturers, insurance companies and MCOs meet and decide on the “big money issues”.

These meetings are not privy to the patients, doctors, public and the taxpayers.

1-Care will cost more

We expect the cost of proposed reformed healthcare system to push up costs because of the increased administrative cost at the expense of patient care cost.

The 1-Care concept paper has already allocated 5% of the expected total healthcare cost of RM 44.24 billion as administrative cost.

This comes up to a whooping RM2.2 billion each year on administrative costs alone. As doctors we believe that this money should be better spent directly for patient care.

Dr Ng Swee Choon, Medical Affairs Committee Member

Federation of Private Medical Practitioners’ Associations Malaysia.

                This entry was posted on Sunday, 25 December 2011, 7:43 pm and is filed under
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Celebrating hope in Penang by establishing a people-centric government based on integrity, good governance and letting the people realise their full potential

— Lim Guan Eng

Chief Minister, Penang

Dec 25, 2011

DEC 25 — Christians celebrate not just the birth of Jesus Christ but also hope on Christmas Day. We pray for peace, joy and goodwill to all. Penang also celebrates hope by establishing a people-centric government based on integrity, good governance and letting the people realise their full potential.

Penang has benefited from a clean government. It is not just praise for good financial management from the Auditor-General or from Transparency International for implementing open tenders and fighting corruption. Penang has recorded budget surpluses for the state government, MPPP and MPSP since 2008.

This has enabled social programmes and cash handouts to the elderly, disabled, single mother, new-born babies and students. Penang became the first state in Malaysia to wipe out hard core poverty by 2009. For 2012 the minimum income has been increased to RM600 monthly per household, where the state government will top up any difference to ensure that each family receives at least RM600 monthly. Penang intends to also be the first state in Malaysia to wipe out poverty by 2015.

Penang has also benefited from good governance through building institutions based on freedom, justice, truth and democracy. Freedom of speech and peaceful assembly is observed in Penang with the first Speakers’ Square in Malaysia and weekly protests held in the streets. There is a Freedom of Information Act and implementation of open tenders to ensure the best price, quality and management. CAT governance of competency accountability and transparency has ensured a more responsive, accessible and effective government delivery system. There is also freedom of worship where respect not tolerance is encouraged.

As Penang has no natural resources, building and developing human talent is the only way forward for Penang’s success and prosperity. Schools are given annual allocation to assist in their development needs. The establishment of a Penang Science Council(PSC) Is an important critical step to transform Penang into a centre of excellence of science and technology. The astounding success of the Penang International Science Fair at PISA, the first science event held in a stadium in Malaysia, has not just inspired innovation but also inspired many young students to consider science as their career choice.

Integrity and good governance are key to building, retraining, retaining and attracting new human talent. Penang may be without natural resources of land, timber, gas and oil but there is no corruption driving away our human talent. The highest investment in Penang’s history last year when Penang topped the investment charts for the first time ever with RM 12.24 billion shows the confidence of not just foreign but also local investors with this approach. Let us remain united, respect our freedom of worship and stay focused on preparing our children to face the challenges of the future.

                This entry was posted on Sunday, 25 December 2011, 12:39 pm and is filed under
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Syria: bloodshed in Damascus

The Arab spring is at a crossroads; if Assad falls and the country avoids civil war, the revolution may move eastwards

Editorial

guardian.co.uk

23 December 2011

It is an unseasonably gloomy thought, but nevertheless a true one: all the aspirations, the sacrifice and the triumphs of a momentous year of revolution and upheaval in the Arab world hinge ultimately on events taking place in Syria. The Arab spring is at a crossroads. If Bashar al-Assad’s blood-stained regime falls, and the country stays in one piece and avoids a sectarian civil war, there is nothing to stop the revolution moving onwards and eastwards. The next stop could well be Iran, but none of the monarchies of the Gulf states are secure either. But if Syria disintegrates, it would quickly become a regional battlefield, fed by the rival interests of its neighbours – not unlike Iraq was in 2006 or Lebanon was during its civil war. And then the Arab spring would well and truly have come to a halt.

On Friday a blood-strewn week reached its apogee with a twin bombing of security and intelligence buildings in Damascus, killing at least 40 and wounding 100. The regime pointed the finger at al-Qaida and the state news agency quoted analysts who included US, Israel and Europe in the list of the bomber’s puppet-masters.

The Free Syria Army denied involvement and voiced scepticism.
 Residents of the heavily guarded neighbourhood of Kfar Sousa noted that the streets had been cleared just before the bombings, that agents stationed near the building did nothing when the bombs detonated, and that the state media was extraordinarily quick off the mark with footage and graphic pictures of the atrocities. The bombings also occurred hours before protesters were due to demonstrate against the arrival of mistrusted delegates from the Arab League who are due to monitor the government’s promise to end its violent suppression of the uprising. Had the security forces lost control in a key area of the capital, to the extent that al-Qaida could walk in and place two bombs next to vital government installations? Perhaps. But it must also be admitted that Assad’s cause would be helped if he could claim that his is a fight against terrorists, not large parts of his own population?

Either way, the bombings mark a new and dangerous phase in the conflict. First, the jihadi websites in Anbar province, in neighbouring Iraq, have been full of calls to go to the rescue of their Sunni brothers in Syria. Those parts of Iraq which are moving out of the control of a dictatorial Shia-dominated government in Baghdad could easily form a human reservoir for the conflict in Syria. Second, if the bombings were the work of Syria’s security services, we can expect more of them. They have every interest in generating panic among Syrians, and support for the continued crackdown.

                This entry was posted on Sunday, 25 December 2011, 6:03 pm and is filed under
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Christians urged to rejoice in hope amid adversity

Terence Netto | Dec 25, 2011

Malaysiakini

Catholic Bishop Dr Paul Tan Chee Eng called on Christians “to put two years of foreboding caused by corrosive doubt over their fidelity to constitution and country behind them and embrace the hope of change and national renewal.”

In a year-end message to Christians celebrating Christmas and New Year, the head of the Catholic Church in the Melaka-Johor diocese, said:

“Christmas is the season of hope which is why though Christians feel that their loyalty to the constitution and country has been unfairly questioned over the last two years, I pray their predisposition to hope will overcome the challenges posed by political demagogues and religious charlatans.”

The Jesuit-trained prelate has been vocal on issues affecting Christians in the year drawing to an end after his assumption of the presidency of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Malaysia on Jan 1, 2011.

Catholics number 927,000 in a Christian population that is slightly over 9% of Malaysia’s total of 27.5 million people.

Bishop Paul observed that the last two years have been particularly trying for Christians as, first, the Catholic Church was at odds with the authorities over the right to use the term ‘Allah’ in their Bahasa Malaysia publications; and, later, Christian groups were accused, on dubious grounds, of proselytising among Muslims and of working to dethrone Islam as the country’s official religion.

“The combined effect of the two issues has left Christians with the feeling that they are a sinister and alien presence in this country when the truth is more nearly that in the education, health, and welfare fields, their contributions have been and continue to be of great benefit to the nation,” said Bishop Paul Tan.

Troubling times for Christian community

He urged Christians to imbue themselves with the spirit of Christmas which he said was to “cherish peace and goodwill, and to be plenteous in mercy.”

“A Christian is a person of hope, which means he or she believes in being patient in times of tribulation while persevering in prayer and redemptive effort.

“These are troubling times for the Christian community and the country at large, but because of a star that rose in Bethlehem two millennia ago, Christians nurture the hope that its gleam will redeem not only themselves but also the world,” said Bishop Paul Tan.

He reminded Christians that more than gifts and feasting, Christmas “holds its place in the hearts of humankind because they know that love is the greatest thing in the world.”

                This entry was posted on Monday, 26 December 2011, 5:48 pm and is filed under
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FGV listing: Corporate vs. peasant settler

— Sakmongkol AK47

The Malaysian Insider

Dec 26, 2011

DEC 26 — Two upcoming events are being awaited with great anticipation:

(1) The outcome of an injunction application by a few settlers to stop the Felda Global Ventures listing, and;

(2) the January 5 extraordinary general meeting of Koperasi Permodalan Felda (KPF).

The outcome of the second event is a foregone conclusion. Chairman Isa Samad will get elected as the KPF chairman despite not having the qualifications to become an office bearer. He is not a settler nor is he a Felda employee. But the minister in charge of Felda has given his approval; what can people do? The minister is also the prime minister. He is lord over whoever lives in this land.

We must not be sidetracked by this sideshow involving the two-bit actor Isa Samad. The more pressing matter concerns the listing exercise.

Why the injunction? Why should four people extend energy and time and assume the risks of being called traitors and all that, to apply for an injunction? Greed can’t be the overriding objective. If it is, it’s more profitable for the four people to side with chairman Isa, who can be generous if he is pleased.

The object of the injunction is to stop FGV from taking over assets and shares belonging to KPF in Felda Holdings. These people believe that the 350,000 hectares of land that Felda took was actually meant for settlers.

All the assets owned by KPF in Felda Holdings will be leased to FGV for the next 99 years. They will no longer exercise control over the assets as their interests are all converted into shares. Felda Holdings is 51 per cent owned by settlers and 49 per cent owned by Felda Global.

They are willing to risk it all, because they believe settlers are being sold out.

This listing is the ultimate shortchanging of settlers. The first occurred when Felda withheld more than 300,000 hectares of land from being given to settlers. By assuming ownership of the land, Felda was able to become a planter itself.

So we have the peasant settler and the corporate settler. The corporate settlers have moved on to becoming fabulously rich while the peasant settler (Tun Razak’s regimented landless and jobless) has remained relatively behind. They get to enjoy the trickle down effects defined and determined by Felda who practically run the business on behalf and for the benefit of settlers.

The corporate settler sells CPO and busies itself in a wide range of downstream manufacturing and marketing activities. They were even able to go into various businesses out of the capital created from ownership of the land which was supposed to go to the landless and jobless.

The second took place, when Felda listed its sugar refining business. It made over RM 800 million out of that IPO. How much did KPF make by virtue of owning 20 per cent of the business? On paper it made, RM300 million?

How did Sabri Ahmad cull this figure? If KPF makes a paper gain of RM300 million and RM300 million is 20 per cent, then the whole gain is RM1.5 billion. But Sabri says Felda made RM800 million. Maybe it’s just a figure of speech. The point is, he wanted to say KPF made money albeit on paper. Does that raise the share value of KPF in Felda Holdings now that it made RM300 million paper gain?

If the injunction is successful, the proposed listing of Felda Global will be delayed. The listing will see the merger of Felda Holdings with Felda Global. The smaller partner in terms of equity, Felda Global is buying out KPF who has 51 per cent.

How is the nature of the transaction? Does it involve an offer by FGV to buy out KPF at a certain price, or will it involve just a share swap? You priced it with premium, fella; that’s why KPF is getting 61 per cent.

But the share price of the newly-listed entity is also at a premium. You can easily inflate the price of the would-be listed entity, paint glossy pictures, introduce exotic phrase such as unlocking value and so forth. With these, you will probably induce KPF representatives to believe they are getting a good deal.

KPF will get 61 per cent. That’s good, you say. Isa Samad goes around berating ungrateful settlers — apa lagi awak semua mahu, dari 51 per cent jadi 61 per cent?

But we ask in return: 61 per cent of how much? If 30 per cent of the shares are sold to the public, the settlers end up with 61 per cent of the remaining 70 per cent of the business.

That’s not all. Thirty per cent will be held by the public; the interests of settlers are converted into shares that are tradable in the market place. As with the track record of Bumiputera-held equities, you can bet that, chances are, the shares will be sold.

We have to go back to the primary source of dissatisfaction. The peasant settler has remained more or less the same. The corporate settler has made it big. The peasant settlers get palliatives, bonuses here and there. RM1,200 as a yearly bonus translates into RM100 per month. RM400 per year translate into RM30 per month — not even enough to buy a T-bone steak at Meatworks.

The peasant settler gets MRSM colleges, indoor stadiums, futsal stadiums and other social amenities but the value of these pale in comparison with the amenities and wealth-enhancing resources obtained by the corporate settler.

The corporate settler has moved on into oleo chemicals, downstream activities, hotels, sugar business, etc; why can’t the peasant settler be organised that same way?

The fundamental reason why this listing is being vehemently opposed is that people believe it’s a sellout and it’s the culmination of unconscionable acts by Felda. — sakmongkol.blogspot.com

* Sakmongkol AK47 is the nom de plume of Datuk Mohd Ariff Sabri Abdul Aziz. He was Pulau Manis assemblyman (2004-2008).

                This entry was posted on Monday, 26 December 2011, 4:58 pm and is filed under
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Is the Dewan Negara another government department churning out bills?

Dewan Negara speaker ticked off the 8 Pakatan Rakyat Senators for calling for a division in voting for the employment act 1955 after the debate on the bill on 22/12/2011 afternoon.

Earlier during the sitting two others bills, Kampong Baru Development Bill and Peaceful Assembly Bill out of 14 bills tabled so far, were also called for division in voting.

The speaker reprimanded the 8 PR senators for wasting time and that it becoming very frequent. He added that he knows what to do the next time a bloc vote is asked for and that he will not allow it.

He forewarned that hereafter anybody wanting to speak, need not give your names but just stand up and I know whom to call to speak. It seems a veiled warning that unless you guys are subservient and follow my dictates, you will not be allowed to speak. It is very sad that the speaker who is supposed to uphold the dignity and legislative role of the Dewan is instead stifling and strangling the legislation process of the upper house.

The Dewan Negara standing order clearly stipulates that a minimum of 8 Senators can call for a division in voting. The PR Senators acted well within the provisions of standing order and yet the speaker can reprimand and tell them off. He seems more concerned and interested in getting the 24 bills that will be tabled this sitting, rushed through because the prime minister’s office wants it so. This action of the speaker makes the Dewan Negara another department in the prime minister’s office churning out bills that will be used to perpetuate the BN rule forever. Dewan Negara has become a rubber stamp and a waste of public fund.

 On Wednesday night (21/12/2011) at 11 pm the bill on housing developers act was tabled by the deputy minister of housing and local government. 8 speakers wanted to speak but only 5 speakers were given about 5 minutes each to wrap up and 3 other speakers were told to write directly to the minister to get his reply by the speaker. The housing developer’s bill was rushed through because the deputy minister is leaving for overseas the next day. The employment bill on 22/12/2011 was also rushed through by giving 10 to 5 minutes each to 13 speakers who commended on the bill. If this is the way bills are enacted by Dewan Negara, do we really need the upper house in the parliament?  The speaker keeps repeating and reminding the members of senate that the bills have to be rushed through because there is not much time left. Instead of extending the dewan Negara sitting for another day, the speaker choose to rush through all the bills.

We the 8 PR senators call upon all leaders of PR component parties to voice their concerns over the developments in Dewan Negara.

Senator Dr. Syed Husin Ali

Senator Dato’ Johari Bin Mat

Senator Tuan Haji Muhamad Yusof Bin Husin

Senator Puan Hajah Mumtaz Binti Md. Nawi

Senator Mustafa Kamal Bin Mohd Yusoff

Senator Saiful Izham Bin Ramli

Senator Tunku Abdul Aziz Bin Tunku Ibrahim

Senator Dr. S. Ramakrishnan A/L Suppiah

                This entry was posted on Monday, 26 December 2011, 11:26 am and is filed under
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Numb and dumb no more

Dean Johns | 12:15PM Dec 21, 2011

Malaysiakini

When I asked a young and beautiful pro-democracy activist at dinner in Bangsar the other night how she felt about the latest antics of Malaysia’s ruling regime, she shocked me with her initial single-word response: “Numb”.

But, as she quickly went on to explain, she is vividly aware that numb and dumb is precisely how Umno/BN want Malaysians to feel, and keep on feeling, so they’ll keep tolerating the ruling regime’s regimen of repression and robbery.

And that she knows, as I do, that her momentarily depleted emotions and energies will soon be re-charged by her passion for participating in the massive awakening and spirit of change that is sweeping Malaysia.

Unhappily, however, there are still far too many Malaysians who remain politically naive or napping, having been lulled into slumber by Umno/BN’s endless litany of lies.

And then there are the countless hardcore cases; cronies and supporters of the regime so hopelessly narcotised by regular fixes of patronage, power and loot, that they’ll do anything to help sustain the dopey status quo.

The end is finally in sight

But it seems to me that an unstoppably growing majority of Malaysian citizens is wide-awake to the fact that Umno/BN has degenerated from a formerly respectable political coalition into nothing more than a criminal conspiracy.

And they’re increasingly politicking, blogging, protesting, walking, talking, calling and above all yearning to vote for honest, transparent and truly progressive government.

And now that I’ve seen and felt some of the power of this popular movement in an up-close and personal way, everywhere from the coffee-shops to the recent Anything But Umno (ABU) rally, I’m convinced that the end of Umno/BN is finally in sight.

Especially convincing to me is the fact that the regime appears panic-stricken at its evident powerlessness to turn back the tide of revulsion and revolt that could soon make the ‘tsunami’ of 2008 look like a ripple.

In fact, every counter-move that Umno/BN makes seems to do nothing but evoke bigger and more threatening waves of derision, dissent and determination to achieve its political extermination.

The more Najib Razak and his partners in grime and crime trumpet their rallying-call of “1Malaysia. People first. Performance now”, the more nakedly it is revealed as numbingly dumb and duplicitous.

This gruesome government’s every deed clearly demonstrates that “1Malaysia” is nothing but a mask for a two-faced system in which there’s one Malaysia for the Umnoputras and another for the rest of the people.

One law for the Umnoplunderers of projects like the Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ), National Feedlot Corporation (NFC) and countless other massive, unsolved and even un-investigated scams, and another for opposition figures like the endlessly-prosecuted and persecuted prominent opposition figure, Anwar Ibrahim.

One law for the killers of Altantuya Shaariibuu and ‘suspects’ in the custody of the Umnoputras’ lapdog police and Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), and another law altogether for ‘common’ criminals.

Two or more kinds of lifestyles

One permissive attitude to protest by Umno/BN-sponsored rabbles abusing a severed cow’s head at a Hindu temple, or against false allegations of attempts by Christians to proselytise Muslims, and quite another response altogether to people rallying to call for clean and fair elections and harmlessly banner-defacing students.

One kind of lifestyle, RM15,000 Birkin handbags, RM60 million diamond rings and all, for the Umnoputras, and another for the peasants, to whom Kedai Rakyat 1Malaysia (KR1M) stores have committed the KRIME of selling not only mislabelled foodstuffs to needy families, but also peddling sub-standard milk powder to the parents of babies.

One standard for the proprietors and operators of upmarket bars-cum-brothels like the Beach Club and Thai Club off Jalan Sultan Ismail, and another for more down-market “massage parlours” and prostitutes lacking high-level protection.

One system for those who display giant posters and pictures of their political icons that arguably contravene the belief that such idolatry is haram in Islam, and another, contrary system for those legitimately displaying non-Muslim religious symbols or even publicly singing Christmas carols.

In short, it’s clear by now to every Malaysian who’s not totally numb and/or dumb that the “1Malaysia” slogan signifies at the very least two Malaysias: one for the Umnoputras and their families, cronies and supporters, and quite another for the rest.

Lording over KL‘s night sky

And as if the “1Malaysia” part of Umno/BN’s false and self-serving slogan wasn’t making the populace feeling sufficiently insulted, the “People first. Performance now” part is driving many of those I’ve spoken to into a veritable frenzy of resentment.

Perhaps, the most vivid reaction I’ve seen in this regard has been the disgust by so many people I’ve met at the arrogant, overbearing way the Umno building has been lit so as to lord it over KL’s night sky.

This domineering display of both sainted and living Umno/BN prime ministers in a celestial blue glow is a glaring symbol of the fact that Umno/BN considers itself first, and puts the people swarming below dead last.

Especially considering that these people are endlessly stuck in monster traffic jams caused by decades of ‘people-last, performance never’ Umno/BN governments that have overseen poor planning and traffic-engineering, pathetic traffic and illegal-parking policing, and toll roads cleverly designed to line the crony contractors and operators.

And those of us who choose to walk instead of drive are confronted by footpaths that, where they exist at all, are often obstacle courses if not outright death-traps cluttered with poles, broken pavement, parked vehicles, piles of rubbish or manholes with missing covers.

So much, then, for putting people first and performing now, if ever. Thus, it’s small wonder that so many Malaysians feel a tad numb in the face of the shocking contrast between the 1Malaysia portrayed by Umno/BN and its public relations flacks and media hacks, and the stark reality of 1Malaise, ya!.

But just as my young activist friend’s innate fire and life-force will soon overcome her current emotional numbness, so will more and more of her formerly numb, dumb or glum fellow Malaysians regain their true feelings and voices.

And the rakyat will finally have both the will and the numbers to say “no more” to the numb-nuts of Umno/BN.

 ——————————————————————————–

DEAN JOHNS, after many years in Asia, currently lives with his Malaysian-born wife and daughter in Sydney, where he coaches and mentors writers and authors and practises as a writing therapist. Published books of his columns for Malaysiakini include ‘Mad about Malaysia’, ‘Even Madder about Malaysia’, ‘Missing Malaysia’ and ‘1Malaysia.con’.

                This entry was posted on Monday, 26 December 2011, 11:14 am and is filed under
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Barisan National’s early elections plan in disarray

by Dr Lim Teck Ghee

CPI

27 December 2011

Commentary

During the last few months, Prime Minister Najib Razak has been pulling out one pre-election carrot after another from his inexhaustible supply of goodies aimed at persuading the electorate to vote BN’s way in the coming general election (GE).

These range from indefinite postponement of the long delayed goods and services tax to financial grants and other handouts to Chinese, Tamil and Islamic religious schools as well as politically strategic groups including Felda settlers, Indian small entrepreneurs, low income communities, and imams and Kafa (religious) teachers.

Najib’s backroom boys must have been supremely confident that this mass saturation of money and handouts – so effective in past elections – would pave the way for a resounding victory as they plotted the timing of the next GE.

Unexpected road blocks

Two recent developments appear to have now derailed the BN’s plans for an early election to take advantage of the ‘feel good’ sentiments generated by the deluge of monetary incentives disbursed under the glare of fawning media coverage.

One is the spreading cloud of corruption and political irresponsibility associated with the National Feedlot Corporation’s (NFC) scandal-ridden project.

This is not only likely to result in Minister Sharizat Jalil’s resignation very soon but is also causing consternation and reverberations among Umno’s grassroots members and supporters in the Malay heartland. The arrogance and contempt displayed by Shahrizat, who received loud applause from Wanita Umno delegates for her bellicose speech, will not be easily forgotten.

If the elections are called during the next several months when the cattle-gate case reaches its expected climax, Malaysians going to the polling booths will not only have indelible ink on their fingers; they will also go in with the overpowering and indelible stench of the NFC fiasco influencing their choice of parties.

The other development is one which the Prime Minister’s think tanks and cronies high up in the civil service must be kicking themselves over. The introduction of a new improved salary scheme for the country’s 1.4 million civil servants was to be the main ‘game changer’ in the 13th GE.

With a majority of the country’s voters coming from civil servant or ex-civil servant households – perhaps 60% or more of the electorate – it is easy to understand why the roll-out of the new scheme was timed to take place just before the election. Its successful implementation would reinforce the BN’s image as a government with the best interests of the civil service constituency at heart.

It is possible that if given the thumbs-up by the majority of civil servants, the new salary scheme could have affected the outcome in many marginal constituencies where the civil service vote is critical to tilt in favour of the BN candidates.

It is no exaggeration to say that civil service voters comprise the kingmakers in the country and that any aspiring government has to pay special attention to courting and winning this massive block of votes.

Devil in the SBPA details

The new public service remuneration scheme (SBPA) is to take effect in January 2012. The Public Services Commission rushed its introduction without providing full details of the SBPA key components and without adequate consultation with stakeholders.

It was not surprising that the civil service trade union Cuepecs initially refused to be bulldozed into accepting what is now clearly emerging as “a half baked cake” with the icing of 7-13 percent salary increases prominently displayed but resting on a soggy base.

Among the scheme’s shortcomings is the lopsided salary increase that favours the top echelon.

One civil servant compared the impact of the new scheme on lower and higher rank staff. According to him:

“I am a civil servant at Grade E48, and reached my ceiling 5 years ago. Under the proposed new scheme (SBPA), I am told I will get 7 % increase. Overall, the quantum of increase is from 7-13 %. Now, the question I want to ask is: why do those in the Jusa [Jawatan Utama Sektor Awam] category get up to 100 % increase? They are already enjoying super-high salaries plus very generous allowances. Under the existing scheme, they are getting no less than RM13,000 (salary + allowances) and the move to increase their basic salary by 100 % (or even more in some of the Jusa grades) will mean their take-home pay + allowances will exceed RM20,000. And most of the time, these super-duper civil servants only act as ‘postmen’ in passing all the hard work and report-writing to their juniors. It is not fair at all. The Jusa people at PSD are rewarding themselves and throwing crumbs to the rest of the lower echelons of the civil service.”

Other concerns relate to the lack of consistency in grade improvement under the new scheme; lack of transparency in promotion exercises; and risks to civil service tenure arising from the implementation of KPIs.

In the latest development, the government has agreed to a two-week postponement in the implementation of the new scheme. Following the prime minister’s intervention, the Public Services Department and Cuepacs met on Dec 23.

Cuepacs president Omar Osman has since gone on record that all outstanding concerns involving SBPA have been resolved.

Earlier, according to Bernama, the Cuepacs president had stated that some civil servants were unhappy with the upgrading and the salary increase because they claimed that the hike was too small. Omar was also reported to have queried: “The grade improvement under the SBPA scheme is not consistent. There are improvements in some grades but not in others. Why is there an increase for some but not for others?”

Further details of how the contentious issues have been resolved are still to be unveiled. It is surprising that the Cuepacs leadership has been able – in the course of a single meeting – to resolve all concerns.

This, however, will not quell the resentment amongst the lower level staff on their small quantum of salary increment and the growing income inequalities between themselves and higher level officers.  Such discontent is bound to simmer and may boil over during the coming GE.

Both Cowgate and the salaries issue are likely to send Najib’s political strategists back to the drawing board in terms of picking a date for the polls.

We can expect a barrage of political corrective actions to pacify the electorate, and a delay in the elections. With an increasingly sophisticated electorate that is cynical of political spin and dirty tricks, whether this delay will make any difference to the voting outcome is the burning question.

                This entry was posted on Wednesday, 28 December 2011, 1:47 pm and is filed under
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Encouraging Entrepreneurialism

by
Bakri Musa

Chapter 11:     Embracing Free Enterpriseby

Encouraging Entrepreneurialism

            A decade ago there was not much interest in teaching entrepreneurialism at business schools as the perceived wisdom was that it could not be taught. Today it is a hot elective for young MBAs. Many top line business schools trumpet their entrepreneurial studies program. It is not accidental that most graduates of American universities aspire to work for the private sector or start their own businesses. Their models are their professors starting new ventures or becoming consultants to industry. In my graduating class, only a few considered a job with the government. The vast majority opted for starting their own medical practices. In contrast, in Malaysia most graduates, especially Malays, look to the government for employment.

            The culture and the social environment can do much to foster entrepreneurialism, especially the attitude towards failure and risk taking, as well as the reward system.

            The stance towards failure is particularly instructive. As Scott McNealy of Sun Microsystems observes, if you do not have failures, you do not have winners. And if you do not have winners, you do not have a market economy. Part of what makes America great is that there is little stigma attached to failures. The recent Dot.com crash may have dampened but did not destroy the Silicon Valley spirit. Granted, million-dollar homes were not selling fast and there were fewer sleek Porches on the streets of Palo Alto, but the area is still bustling with entrepreneurial activities.

            For Malays, the trauma of failure is a double burden. In addition to the deep personal disappointment, they would now be portrayed as yet another example of the inadequacies of their race. This is a major psychological load. Unfortunately the government and specifically Malay leaders, by continually harping and criticizing on the failures of Malays, only aggravates the problem.

            There is nothing wrong with failure as long you learn and benefit from the experience, and be a better person for it. But before one can learn from one’s failures, one must first acknowledge them. This is where Malaysians, in particular Malays, come out short. The typical tendency is to pretend that everything is fine, or worse, to hide the failures for fear of embarrassment. Or perversely, to claim that those failures were actually victories! To this day there is no real acknowledgement or proper accounting of why Bank Bumiputra failed. Was it a failure of policy or of personnel? Was it the result of an honest error of judgment – bad business decision perhaps – or was there fraud and criminality? There are hosts of other questions that demand answers. Until they are satisfactorily looked at and analyzed, the lessons of that massive and very expensive corporate fiasco will never be learned and Malaysians risk repeating the same mistakes.

            Contrast that to the recent failure of Enron, America’s biggest corporate failure. The dust had barely settled and already Enron’s senior executives were hauled before Congress to face a grilling scrutiny, and Enron’s auditing firm, Arthur Andersen, indicted. And Management professors were fast examining the case, and ready for their class discussions.

            Such close scrutiny of Enron is not lost on other executives and company directors. They are now being more careful and prudent. Investors too are taking note and pummeling the stocks of companies with opaque financial statements. As a result, many companies are now voluntarily revising their financial statements and annual reports to make sure that they are more transparent and do not contain any potential financial time bombs or hidden off balance sheet liabilities a la Enron.

            Tax laws, bureaucratic barriers, and the general business climate have also a lot to do with stimulating business activities. Despite the overall favorable atmosphere in America, there are still significant hindrances to new businesses. The most critical and whose effects are not readily recognized because the dangers they pose are more surreptitious, is the tort climate. Many new businesses could not start or have been forced to close because of the punitive American liability laws. In the state of Georgia, there were so many lawsuits arising from horse-related injuries that the entire horse recreation industry was threatened as nobody could afford the insurance. The state had to intervene with special legislation declaring that being kicked by or falling from a horse is an acceptable risk and that neither the horse owner nor trainer could be sued for such events. In the mid 1970s California surgeons literally went on strike to protest obscene malpractice insurance premiums. Again the state had to intervene with liability insurance reforms and award caps.

            In many Third World countries there are similar hindrances to new business. The most obvious is the need for permits and with that, the expected bureaucratic obstacles and of course the widespread corruption. Of these corruption is the most pernicious hurdle. It acts as a cancer, sapping at the vitality of the body of business and could eventually kill it. Corruption acts as a hidden tax in inhibiting business. Indeed economists have empirically shown that that 2.4-point decline in the Corruption Index (1-10) equals a 4 percentage basis point increase in the per capita growth rate – very significant and direct impact.

            Trading and other capitalistic activities have been with man for a very long time, but the modern version of capitalism is a relatively new concept. The Protestant reformist John Calvin is widely credited with his novel interpretation of Christianity that led to the birth of modern capitalism. Previously the Christian attitude towards and understanding of business and trading were similar to that of many present-day Muslims. Calvin’s novel re-interpretation of the concept of predestination changed everything. As understood then (a belief also shared by most Muslims today) is that one’s fate is predestined by God. There is nothing that one can do to alter this. Or as Muslims would say, “Our fate is written in the book! (Al Qadar)” This belief is also typical of all feudal societies, as Europe was at Calvin’s time.

            Calvin reaffirmed the concept of predestination. But then he suggested that God in His wisdom would give hints of whom He favors. That is, God would give a preview of those He would favor in the Hereafter by giving them success in the present world. As a consequent of this new theology, people would now work very hard to succeed in an effort to show the world that they were the favored ones in God’s eyes. Sounds very logical to me! Success and its accouterments were no longer disparaged but were now seen as signs of God’s favor. Poverty and destitution were now no longer seen as God’s benediction (as encapsulated by the biblical saying that the meek and poor shall inherit the earth), rather a preview of God’s wrath. Thus was born the work ethics that is the basis of modern capitalism. John Calvin’s genius was not to invent a new or revolutionary philosophy, rather to give a new twist or interpretation to an established belief. Or to use the language of today’s political operatives, put a fresh spin to an old assumption.

            With this new interpretation, hard work and the consequent wealth accumulation were looked upon very favorably – a sign of God’s favor. At the same time, being a loafer and generally non productive were looked upon negatively, a reflection of divine disfavor. The legendary Protestant work ethic is attributed to this new theology. Unlike Christianity, the Muslim Holy Book is replete with praises for hardworking traders and businessmen. Thus Muslims need not put any novel spin on our belief, all we have to do is merely understand the original message of the Qur’an. Capitalism, more than any other economic system, is in tune with the essence of Islam.

            One of the basic objectives of Malaysia’s New Economic Policy (NEP) adopted in 1970 was the eradication of the identification of economic activities with race. As part of this strategy the government was heavily involved in the private sector primarily because it was the only entity that was able to open up the economy from its closed shop system. At the same time the strategy was to establish a core or a critical mass of Malay entrepreneurs. This critical core of successful businessmen would in turn spearhead a chain of reaction through their suppliers, subcontractors, and various vendors that at each level would augment the number of additional entrepreneurs. It is akin to the multiplier effect when the government infuses funds into the private sector through the banking system. Alas, the results of the NEP were far short. While the government was expecting a numerical target of 30 percent Bumiputra participation in the private sector by the end of the NEP period (1990), the actual results were nowhere close (less than 20 percent). Even that low figure was artificially inflated by the inclusion of assets held under the various statutory bodies.

            The NEP succeeded in one remarkable aspect. It managed to open the cartels of the colonial firms on one hand (primarily at the wholesale level) as well as the stranglehold of the ethnic “mom and pop” retailers. The NEP succeeded in pushing Malaysia closer to the free market ideals. But it fared badly in trying to create of class of Bumiputra entrepreneurs. Although much has been written on the NEP, this particular failure has not received much scrutiny and analyses.

Next:   NEP’s Failure to Nurture Malay Entrepreneurs

                This entry was posted on Wednesday, 28 December 2011, 12:29 pm and is filed under
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A change is gonna come

by
Praba Ganesan

The Malaysian Insider

Dec 29, 2011

DEC 29 — An important time is arriving in Malaysia, and it does not matter if you are for it or not; that’s not material anymore. The growing fear is that the nation is about to enter this phase without a seat belt.

History students in the distant future will love 2011. When in doubt in a class history quiz, 2011 is, as they say in basketball, a high percentage shot (or guess in that situation). The world has plenty of discussion points from this year, with the death of Kim Jung-il tipping the year to epic proportion.

However for Malaysians, despite its share of watershed moments this year, 2012 will be the one that is monumental.

Two inevitable events in 2012 will dictate life in Malaysia for some time.

A general election and a court verdict.

He will go to jail

With his declaration from the defendant’s dock of his innocence and that Sodomy II is an elaborate political attack, Anwar Ibrahim has announced his disbelief in the country’s justice system under Barisan Nasional.

Legal minds are divided on the strategy, but still it did more than suggest that the leader of the opposition is readying himself for what seems like a predictable verdict. Few of those legal minds, outside the employ of the Malaysian government, disagree with Anwar.

On January 9 when the verdict comes out, there will be a reaction. Not rage, but a quiet shrug of the shoulder by millions of Malaysians. This disgust may translate to votes in the coming general election.

The column is mindful that there will be many other developments between that January week and the general election, but none will capture the collective imagination of Malaysians as much as this. The spectre of a grandfather going to jail six months after Prime Minister Najib Razak promising to reform the country’s arcane and oppressive laws removes any semblance of reform from the present administration.

The administration’s fear of a free Anwar in an election year may be its undoing.

General election

This column made the prognosis last year that there will be no general election this year. It has been vindicated on that score.

Six months ago it would be outright optimism bordering on blind faith to expect Pakatan Rakyat to exceed its Election 2008 results.

Today, there is talk in saner political corners of a possible election upset.

Najib has a large party, but most are in for what Umno can give them and are led by very few charismatic leaders. It is a party of money, not a party of ideas.

It can only rely on the following: a good economy, the buzz of 1 Malaysia, mainstream media and its election machinery.

The economy is strong, and the planned handouts leading to the election will affect votes. Still, decades of poor wealth distribution are starting to bite all over, the emerging scandals are only confirming allegations of an elitist system run to please one class, not any race, religion or state.

Mainstream media has been less dismissive of Pakatan Rakyat, even if they’d rather have dead air than say salutary things about the coalition. Some of the commentaries have given way to doubt.

The buzz of 1 Malaysia is the random factor. No poll can gauge it. Only a fair election will. It is conceivable that this administration is leaking support.

The BN machine is a money machine. It is less incisive in a general election than in a by-election. It is about pump-priming activities based on money. The question remains, how many Malaysians are keen on appearing to openly support the BN in the coming election, even if the money is good?

There is an air of change in the country, and an Anwar conviction will electrify the country more and convince them that if they let this moment slip, then a reversal will occur.

The electoral maths then…

The dwindled support for BN’s Chinese parties will start to tell. The Indian votes are divided at best, not in Najib’s bag necessarily. It is curious to note that Najib, not the MIC, holds sway with the community.

It is the young vote which will determine the result. Anwar does not poll that well with women, but that does not discount Pakatan’s overall appeal to women.

Penang is destined to stay with Pakatan. The parliamentary seats will be status quo.

Kedah will copy Penang, and Perlis is on a knife edge.

Pundits will not be surprised if the northwest turns into a Pakatan surge.

Kelantan is a safe seat, and the vagaries of Terengganu Umno politics does leave more questions than answers. Umno may keep the state, but only a two-seat majority in the parliamentary count.

Pahang will be Peninsular Malaysia’s battleground. There were urban wins for Pakatan, but it is the reach to Felda areas that will be telling. Umno to keep Pahang, but to lose more ground.

Perak and Selangor will go Pakatan, the first is a bigger call but a call has to be made.

With the expectation of a slim Pakatan win in Negri Sembilan, that leaves Malacca and Johor as solid Umno states.

All eyes will turn to Borneo. It is a mighty ask to expect a lion’s share of the parliamentary seats there, but Pakatan might broach the 20-seat mark, though it might end up being 15. That would reduce BN’s majority from Borneo (31 seats in Sarawak, 25 in Sabah) from 54 in 2008 to a manageable 26.

A national electoral win is possible, even if quite challenging, if the above inroad is achieved in Borneo.

Unlike Pakatan’s leadership conviction that the right candidates will win Putrajaya, this column is ready to call that it will be the national mobilisation of hundreds of thousands of Malaysians wanting a new Malaysia which will secure the change.

Side shows without Bob

Klang Valley residents will be in a “reign of fire” as MRT work goes warp speed in 2012. Prasarana’s failure to announce any adjustments, reroutes and realignments in bus transportation, and Selangor and KL traffic cops’ attitude of responding as necessary, together spells disaster.

There is no temporary transportation plan as the valley goes into construction mode.

Lynas starting Gebeng operation. The prime minister’s home state, Pahang, is fairly lackadaisical about the rare earth refinery, but Kuantan MP Fuziah Salleh is thriving in the situation. Najib can only lose if things persist at the present rate.

Porn in the mail then. The election year will bring with it pornography. Since in Malaysia, there is no sex education in public schools, let alone educational videos, a nation has to rely on politicians to sate any need for graphical images. Trust more videos to emerge to tarnish the usual and not usual suspects.

Living with less. Not sexy, but quite pressing, the rising cost of living with no economic policy to stem it will bite more than the analysts in government think. Probably because over time it seems, they’ve actually started to believe their own spiel.

Brave new world

At the end of 2012, a different Malaysia might stand.

As tyrants around the world fall, die or assume a cheerful personality to the Western democracies they used to openly loathe, Malaysia will become a standout case if it remains in this political rut.

Even opposition politicians are puzzled by this column’s prediction, saying they don’t think they are worthy of the adulation.

Actually, the adulation is for the people of Malaysia long denied a government worthy of their aspiration and hope.

Time, technology, history and opportunity are actively conspiring to give, not to politicians but a larger Malaysian population, real voice for the first time.

It’s time they took it.

                This entry was posted on Thursday, 29 December 2011, 6:56 pm and is filed under
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All I want for Christmas

Mariam Mokhtar | Dec 26, 2011

Malaysiakini

The spirit of Christmas lives on in Malaysia, regardless of race or religion. I know of several non-Christians who have not forgotten the joy of giving and thinking of others before themselves. Some find solace in singing carols in a group. Others delight in thinking about what to get for friends, family or colleagues.

A few join in the season of goodwill by the simple act of volunteering, while others help relieve Christian colleagues who want the day off to celebrate Christmas. Perhaps, there is something about the magic of Christmas, which even diehard Muslim extremists will never destroy.

When I was in primary school, Lembaga Letrik Negara (LLN), the pre-cursor of Tenaga National Bhd, used to hold Christmas parties for children, principally of its employees.

It was an event that every child looked forward to eagerly. As Christmas fell during the school holidays, it was another happy occasion that children and parents found welcoming.

It did not matter if the child was Malay, Chinese, Indian or Eurasian. No one bothered if the child who went was Christian or not. It wasn’t just the children who were excited. The accompanying parents enjoyed the get-together, which was always held at the Kilat Kelab.

Every child looked forward to receiving a present from Father Christmas. Newcomers would feel intimidated at first, but their shyness would melt away once they were told that Santa was approaching. His noisy arrival was not by reindeer and sled. LLN’s Santa came in a bright red “cherry picker”, garlanded with tinsel.

The cherry picker would be lowered and Santa would exit with his big sack of goodies. The children would crowd around Santa before rushing off to open their presents.

I believe those care-free days are gone now.

A young relative whose birthday falls on Christmas day always persuades her parents to buy a Christmas tree to place her gifts under it. It is all harmless fun but the vitriol she received from social network sites when she proudly showed her decorations online last week, has caused her to question why people can be so nasty, to accuse her of “going against Islamic teachings”.

Similarly, a Malay friend who tweeted to his Christian friend “Merry Christmas” received abusive and threatening responses from others who charged him with deviating from Islam.

I’ll not be cowed by bigots

Once, when I played Handel’s carols on the piano at a friend’s house, I received a telling off for playing “Christian” music. I carried on regardless, I refuse to be cowed by a narrow minded bigot.

Although many of my Malay friends and family happily go about celebrating Christmas with our Christian friends, it is alarming to find that in 21st century Malaysia, there are many insecure Muslims. Do they believe that a Muslim who enjoys singing ‘O Come All Ye Faithful”, who relishes turkey and stuffing, or the child who delights in decorating Christmas trees, has all but embraced Christianity?

If Muslims who choose to celebrate Christmas with their friends are given a hard time, the Christians in Malaysia must be going through a trying period. They have suffered “persecution” in one form or another, despite Article 11 of the Constitution which guarantees religious freedom for all Malaysians (bar Muslims).

Earlier this year, a furore erupted when Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak attended the Archbishop of Kuala Lumpur Murphy Xavier Pakiam’s Christmas (2010) tea party. Prior to the PM’s arrival, church officials had to remove crucifixes and other religious symbols, and told not to sing hymns or pray, in Najib’s presence.

In the following months, two consignments of 5,100 and 35,000 copies of the Bible, which were confiscated at Port Klang and Kuching, respectively, in 2009 were released after much wrangling and publicity.

Although Najib ordered Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein to release the copies of the Bible, the Holy Books were defaced, to satisfy two conditions set by the government.

Had the boot been on the other foot…

If the boot had been on the other foot, would the Muslim backlash have been as controlled as the one from the Malaysian Christian community? Would Perkasa have run amok?

There have been other incidents directed against the Christian community, such as the ban on the word “Allah” and the torching of churches.

In this year’s Christmas message, Najib reminded Malaysians to “spread goodwill and cheer, just in time to usher in the New Year and make a fresh start” and added that “We could all use a little reminder….”

He told Malaysians to “seize every opportunity to forge better understanding between Malaysians of different cultures and faith”.

Describing his courtesy visit in July to Pope Benedict XVI at his summer residence at Castel Gandolfo, Najib hoped that the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Vatican City and Malaysia, would forge “closer links and inter-faith dialogue”.

Najib’s Christmas message further described his commitment to “strengthen the interaction that has long exists (sic) with the Christian community. I have always made a special effort to meet with people of all faith (sic). I look forward to continue this practice to seek your ideas and hear your thoughts for the betterment of our society.”

The PM said that Malaysia’s celebrations were “specific to cultural and religious communities” such as the “gift-giving custom commonly practised during Christmas”. He described his fascination with how “the nation’s multi-cultural…. multi-religious practices blend into the society”.

Najib encouraged fellow Malaysians to understand one another better, and to “appreciate them for the diversity and strength they contribute to our beloved nation”.

Perhaps Najib’s new attitude in the Christmas message is the result of a blessing from the Pope?

Despite all the trials that Malaysian Christians have undergone in recent times, what they do not lack is the spirit of forgiveness.

Events in Malaysia have tested the patience of the rakyat. The faith and trust that we placed in the leaders has been abused and lost.

The bond among the races is strong despite the attempts of the Umno/BN politicians to break it.

But like the message of goodwill, we have not lost the hope that a better Malaysia will evolve.

——————————————————————————–

MARIAM MOKHTAR is a non-conformist traditionalist from Perak, a bucket chemist and an armchair eco-warrior. In ‘real-speak’, this translates into that she comes from Ipoh, values change but respects culture, is a petroleum chemist and also an environmental pollution-control scientist.

                This entry was posted on Thursday, 29 December 2011, 10:34 am and is filed under
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Berdayakah Najib dan kepimpinan Umno mengenepikan Shahrizat?

—
Aspan Alias

The Malaysian Insider

Dec 28, 2011

28 DIS — Isu Shahrizat Jalil dan NFCnya masih tidak terlerai dan tidak ada apa-apa keputusan. Ia tidak akan terlerai dalam masa yang singkat ini kerana yang terlibat ialah seorang Menteri Kabinet kerajaan persekutuan. Di Malaysia seorang menteri itu bukan senang hendak diketepikan kerana menteri itu merupakan orang yang sangat besar dalam masyarakat kita terutamanya orang kita Melayu ini.

Etika kepimpinan kita sangat rendah dan moral kepimpinan memang tiada. Lima tahun dahulu seorang ahli Kabinet Britain, Blankett ,telah hilang jawatannya semata-mata kerana beliau telah mempercepatkan proses permohonan teman wanitanya untuk mendapatkan permit kerja untuk “maid”nya. Beliau telah dikatakan telah menggunakan kuasanya sebagai menteri bertanggungjawab kepada permit pekerjaan mempercepatkan pemohonan teman wanitanya yang memerlukan permit kerja untuk “maid”nya itu.

Apabila diketahui umum, maka beliau telah meletakkan jawatan kerana beliau telah bertindak secara tidak beretika dalam meluluskan permohonan permit itu. Itu sahaja sebabnya. Begitulah tingginya etika kepimpinan di negara itu.

Sebaliknya di negara kita perkara-perkara yang tidak beretika itu berlaku tanpa hadnya dan jika semuanya mengambil tindakan ke atas mereka yang melakukan kerja-kerja yang tidak beretika itu hari ini, tidak ada seorang pun yang kekal dalam Kerajaan Persekutuan pada hari ini.

Kes NFC dengan Shahrizat tidak langsung menjadi apa-apa kepada Shahrizat. Tetapi sebaliknya beliau masih berada di dalam Kabinet sehingga hari ini, malah beliau telah menyatakan bukan beliau sahaja yang bermasalah dalam Umno, semua menteri-menteri lain pun juga bermasalah.

Maksud Shahrizat itu jelas. Maksud beliau kenapa beliau sahaja yang hendak dimangsakan, bagaimana dengan yang lain? Saya tidak nampak Shahrizat akan dikeluarkan oleh Najib dari Kabinet kerana masing-masing ada rekod yang sama.

Jamil Khir Baharom, seorang Menteri yang bertanggungjawab terhadap agama telah terlibat dengan menggunakan wang zakat untuk membiayai kos guaman dalam saman Anwar Ibrahim dalam kes Qazaf, ketua umum PKR itu yang juga ketua pembangkang. Saya tidak nampak yang kes ini termasuk dalam aznaf yang lapan itu kerana beliau adalah seorang Menteri. Wang zakat hanya boleh digunakan jika ianya termasuk dalam aznaf yang lapan itu.

Kita tidak layak untuk menasihati Jamil Khir kerana beliau adalah seorang yang mengetuai agama dan dibanggakan oleh Najib kerana telah memberikan khutbah dalam bahasa arab mewakili seluruh umat Islam di musim haji baru-baru ini. Tetapi apa yang dilakukannya amat mengelirukan orang ramai. Apakah beliau mempunyai “immunity” dari dosa dan noda kepada agama dan Tuhannya. Kalau pemimpin yang mengetuai agama melakukan kerja hina ini, pada siapa lagi dalam Umno yang kita boleh yakini lagi?

Ini kah kumpulan pemimpin yang berucap dengan berlakon dengan hebat dengan mengatakan agama kita akan tercemar jika Pakatan Rakyat memerintah negara kita? Saya ingin memberi nasihat kepada Jamil Khir, dari saat ini janganlah kamu bercakap tentang agama lagi dan mengaku sebagai pejuang agama di dalam Kabinet kerajaan pada hari ini. Mungkin ini semualah yang dikatakan oleh Shahrizat yang tidak ada pemimpin yang tidak bermasalah itu.

Pada pertengahan tahun sembilan puluhan dahulu, Pemimpin Utama negara telah menggunakan wang rakyat untuk membiayai untuk melaksanakan “bail-out” terhadap anaknya yang telah kerugian besar dalam perniagaannya. Jumlah wang rakyat yang digunakannya melebihi satu setengah billion ringgit. Sekarang ahli perniagaan itu telah membeli kilang arak yang terbesar di rantau ini di Filipina.

Sebelum itu Pemimpin Utama ini juga telah membuatkan Bank Negara kerugian sebanyak RM36 billion dalam pasaran wang antarabangsa. Saudara Nor Mohamed Yakcop yang ketika itu menjadi Ketua Jabatan Treasury Bank Negara telah melaksanakan urusan jual beli wang antarabangsa yang akhirnya telah merugikan negara sebayak RM36 billion. Akhirnya BNM terpaksa menjual harta bagi mengurangkan angka kerugian bank pusat itu dan BNM akhirnya telah mengumumkan kerugian itu hanyalah RM9 billion.

Nor Mohamed Yakcop akhirnya di lantik sebagai Penasihat Ekonomi kerajaan setelah melakukan tindakan yang merugikan negara itu dan sekarang ini menjadi Menteri Kanan dalam Kerajaan Persekutuan kita. Awal tahun lepas setiausaha politiknya pula tertangkap dengan tunai sebanyak RM2 million di rumahnya di P Pinang. Tetapi Nor Mohamed Yakcop masih di dalam Kabinet persekutuan kita. Di mana kah etika kepimpinan kita? Apa semuanya ini?

Pemimpin ini selalu mengkritik orang Melayu kerana Melayu hanya mampu jika diberikan tongkat untuk berjaya. Katanya selalu, orang Melayu tidak pandai memajukan diri kalau tidak ada tongkat. Tetapi orang yang berfikir suka hendak bertanya, bagaimana dengan anak-anak beliau yang terpaksa menggunakan wang rakyat untuk merawat kegagalan dalam perniagaannya. Seperti yang saya sebutkan di atas tadi pengaruh politiknya dalam negara inilah yang membolehkan menggunakan berbillion ringgit wang rakyat untuk menyelamatkan perniagaan anaknya.

Oleh yang demikian apa yang di sebut oleh Shahrizat itu ada benarnya: tidak ada pemimpin Umno yang tidfak bermasalah. Kenapa hanya tumpukan kepada isu beliau? Bezanya Shahrizat dengan pemimpin lain yang sama rekodnya ialah, Shahrizat tidak pandai menyorokan kesalahannya dan kesalahan keluarganya.

Yang lain pandai menyorokan kesalahan mereka. Pak Lah pandai menutup apa yang beliau lakukan, Muhyiddin Yassin pandai menutupi apa yang beliau lakukan semasa menjadi MB Johor misalnya. Namakan yang lain dan pasti senarainya amat panjang. Tetapi mereka pandai menutupnya sedangkan Shahrizat tidak pandai menutup perlakuan sumbangnya.

Itulah sebabnya susah bagi Najib atau sesiapa pun untuk mengambil keputusan tegas terhadap Shahrizat. Masing-masing ada lubang besar untuk ditutup. Oleh kerana semuanya bermasalah maka tidak ada siapa di kalangan pimpinan boleh bertindak terhadap Shahrizat dengan mudah.

Kalau rakan-rakan dalam majlis tertinggi dan Kabinet nampak kurap di badan Shahrizat, Shahrizat pun nampak juga perkara yang sama di badan rakan-rakan beliau dalam kerajaan kita. Itulah sebabnya Muhyiddin dan Khairy Jamaluddin dengan pantas mempertahankan Shahrizat semasa awal isu ini timbul. Sekarang Khairy dan Muhyiddin namapaknya diam sedikit tentang isu ini.

Yang boleh bertindak dengan mudah ialah rakyat. Jika rakyat yang bertindak, bukan sahaja Shahrizat akan mampu di ketepikan malah seluruh jemaah yang menyeleweng semasa mentadbir kita akan dapat di ketepikan.

Rakyat kini mahu hidup dengan selesa tanpa dikelirukan oleh pihak yang memerintah. Cukuplah dengan apa yang dilakukan oleh BN khususnya Umno selama ini.

Isu Shahrizat ini merupakan cebisan dari cerita besar penglibatan penyelewengan yang dilakukan oleh pemimpin-pemimpin kita selama ini. Rakyat sudah terhidu semuanya. Sampai masanya terbongkarlah segala-galanya. — aspanaliasnet.blogspot.com

                This entry was posted on Thursday, 29 December 2011, 11:13 am and is filed under
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Messing around with Malaysian higher education

—
Zaharom Nain

The Malaysian Insider

Dec 28, 2011

DEC 28 — In Malaysia, politics has been central to many academic matters for a pretty long time, from as far back as 1971 at the very least, when the University and University Colleges Act (UUCA) was introduced.

The UUCA, like other legislation such as the Internal Security Act (ISA) and the Printing Presses and Publications Act (PPPA), is an obscene piece of legislation which really has no place in a democracy.

Two recent controversies highlight the extent to which politics has virtually swamped Malaysian academia and the resultant mess that has emerged. First has been the on-off suspension of Professor Abdul Aziz Bari by the International Islamic University (IIU) and the accompanying police investigation. Second was the recent Appeal Court verdict on the UKM4 and the judgment given on Section 15(5)(a) of the Universities and University Colleges Act.

Aziz Bari case: In a pickle

If we were to look at Aziz Bari’s case, in mid-October 2011, this outspoken professor of constitutional law was suspended by his university. Until today, he is apparently still being investigated under the Sedition Act by the police and under the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC).

And all because of an opinion he expressed in the web-based news portal, Malaysiakini, regarding an earlier decree by the Sultan of Selangor over the controversial Jais raid on the Damansara Utama Methodist Church a while back.

Indeed, it has been widely and freely reported that Aziz had described the decree as “unusual” and “inconsistent”, stating that any such royal intervention must abide by the principles of Islam. The man, after all, is an acknowledged authority in his field, an expert in a profession (and country) renowned for its ever-present “kangkungs”. He writes — and speaks — critically, many say without fear or favour.

His suspension has thus far sparked a signature campaign among concerned academics supporting him and defending academic freedom, student protests, Facebook pages being set up supporting him, and open support from some lawyers and fellow academics from his university and even Universiti Malaya.

But perhaps more telling is that the deputy minister of higher education himself has come out in support of Aziz, advising the university rector to retract the controversial suspension of the law professor. His comments do seem at odds though with those of his superior, the minister himself, who is of the silly opinion that Aziz should resign his post for being critical of authority and, evidently, Barisan Nasional (BN) policies.

Be that as it may, the actions against Aziz seem to indicate that the university authorities appear to have acted rather hastily and now find themselves in a bit of a pickle, reportedly making wildly contradictory statements.

All of which not reflecting very nicely on the university, of course.

While all this was going on, the instantaneous action of the students and the mobilisation of support by Malaysia’s civil society evidently indicate a unified belief in taking a principled stand.

People, mainly Malaysians, some having not read any of his writings or comments, have freely come out in support of a professional — and human being — who they believe has been wronged.

It is this development that is refreshing and encouraging, indicating there is a growing number of Malaysians who will not simply lie back and let a fellow human being be harassed and bullied.

Malaise and mediocrity

Yet, despite all this, it is sad to observe that the very people who see themselves as the “vanguard” of the academic profession, “professors” who not so long ago set up their own “council”, have remained rather silent on this matter. Indeed, aside from a terse statement from one of their ilk that they will not comment on the controversy, these brave members of such an ‘august’ body have kept themselves “clean”.

If anything, this privileged group merely represents the top of a rotten pile of fat cat academics, more concerned about getting ahead in life, about climbing up the Malaysian social ladder, than they are about upholding principles, about fighting a cause.

Which really brings us to the heart of the matter — the malaise and mediocrity in contemporary Malaysian academia.

There are, of course innumerable reasons — many related — we can put forward to explain the woes besetting local universities:

• a school system that encourages rote-learning;

• ongoing political interference that, among other things, results in an ethnically-biased university selection system (for staff and students) that, in turn, really doesn’t favour merit over everything else;

• a university structure, headed by vice chancellors and their deputies who are political appointees, that more often than not leads to the levelling down of standards, rather than the attainment of gold (international) standards; and

• of course, the UUCA.

There is, of course, another related factor that any candid and rational discussion of the problems faced by local universities cannot ignore: the quality of local academics.

Indeed, a perennial refrain is that standards have dropped primarily because of the “brain-drain” — where many of our best academics have left Malaysian universities for better paid jobs elsewhere.

This is an oversimplification. As the case of Aziz Bari indicates, there certainly remain many good local academics of international repute from every discipline who have opted to stay in academia — and in local public universities — in spite of the possibilities of getting better remuneration elsewhere.

These scholars can hold their own anywhere. They diligently conduct original research, are invited and funded to deliver papers at local and international seminars and conferences, and publish in respected local and international publications.

Pride in their profession, and not financial rewards, is what drives them on.

Slackers and deadwood

Equally — and unfortunately — as with any organisation, there are the slackers, the deadwood: those who came into academia without any worthwhile vision of what education — and educating — entails. Those who initially were just looking for a job, any job. Those who see working in public universities as being akin to joining the laid-back Malaysian civil service.

Within this group, there are also those whose already-limited ideals and commitment have waned further over the years, as age — and administrative positions — catches up with them, and their bank balances become healthier.

The problem, it would seem, is that this group is increasingly becoming dominant in our campuses. Graduating from mediocre departments in local and overseas universities of dubious quality, they often have no inkling how to write a decent research proposal, let alone conduct research.

For them, the Malaysian university structure being the way it is, there is security of tenure, irrespective of their lack of quality publications or the lack of research done and published or patented.

They tend to believe that having obtained a doctorate is enough. They show their faces on campus, conduct the required classes, sometimes based on outdated notes they scribbled down in graduate school, knowing that a virtual pay increment is theirs for the taking at the end of each year.

There also exist senior academics who feel they have done it all and have no wish to push themselves further intellectually.

In other words, and as illustrated by our remarkable Council of professors, we have professors who really have nothing new to profess.

Some are harmless, principally because they know their limitations. But others, frustrated with and insecure about their inability to overcome their limitations, pick on the younger faculty, those with potential, trying to break through in the profession. They continuously take it upon themselves to dissuade younger colleagues from conducting worthwhile work — from going to prestigious international conferences , for example, because they deem them “inappropriate” and unimportant. It is not surprising that they do so because they themselves hardly get invited and are simply envious that junior colleagues, on the other hand, get such invitations.

The problem with such faculty is that not only have they been found wanting as intellectuals, but they are also spoilers, not wishing the younger faculty to do any better. Blindly jealous of the potential and achievements of others, they do as much as they can to impede the progress of individuals and, in turn, the overall organisation. And, unfortunately, this has become the culture in some university departments in Malaysia.

And the problem is further heightened when it becomes the norm for this type of academic to head important academic committees and supervise postgraduate students. When a supervisor has done no quality research beyond her/his PhD, nor published extensively, one can imagine the type of “expert” on whom the poor candidate has to depend to get her/his studies successfully completed. It becomes a case of the blind being led by the equally blind.

Radical re-examination needed

Granted, some universities are now taking steps to purportedly correct the situation. Cynics and sceptics continue to point out, however, that this has more to do with being embarrassed at finding themselves located in the lower rungs of international rankings yearly than with a genuine desire to overhaul the rotten system. If they are even mentioned in the rankings at all, that is.

Hence, sceptics argue, such reform cannot be led by the very people who screwed up the system in the first place. That is, those with dubious track records who managed to weasel their way up the academic ladder through, among other things, their ethnic background, political connections and, of course, through extensive apple-polishing

It should be all too obvious to everyone concerned by now, especially given the Aziz Bari case, that these problems require a radical re-examination of the policies and structures which underpin our system of higher — especially university — education.

It requires, first, the de-politicisation of university academic staff recruitment and similar de-politicisation when appointing key university administrators, such as vice chancellors, deans, directors and their deputies. Hence, the UUCA has to go.

Indeed, as long as the rigid, feudal, politically and racially-tainted civil service structure determining the development of our universities and our academics is not initially dismantled and replaced with a more enlightened one based on genuine talent and creativity, no amount of patching up of the rot that has set in will change things.

A genuine, thorough and unbiased re-examination would require respected individuals at the helm; those dedicated to academic excellence in its truest sense, not merely in the sense of pleasing certain groups — especially political parties like Umno — individuals and tendencies in society.

The alternative, of course, is unrelenting and unrivalled mediocrity. — aliran.com

* Zaharom Nain, an Aliran member, is currently teaching at the Malaysian campus of a foreign university.

                This entry was posted on Thursday, 29 December 2011, 1:56 pm and is filed under
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Happy 2012 to all!

                This entry was posted on Friday, 30 December 2011, 6:47 pm and is filed under
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2012 NY message – Year to make Malaysians proud of being a Malaysian and motivate Malaysians to achieve greatness

As if further reminders are needed, the closing month of the year have provided further proofs that the country has never been so polarised both on grounds of race and religion in the nation’s 54-year history than in the 32 months of Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s premiership, viz:

The irresponsible incitement and exploitation of the 3R cards of race, religion and Malay Rulers at the UMNO General Assembly;

The Prime Minister’s pandering to the 3R rhetorics at the ensuing Perkida general assembly;

The extremist reaction to a  moderate and reasoned appeal for a fair and even-handed interpretation of Article 153 made by the chairperson of National Evangelical Christian Fellowship (NECF) Reverend Eu Hong Seng at a Christmas hi-tea on Christmas eve; and

The unjustified response by Deputy Prime Minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin to Reverend Eu’s speech at the national Christmas open house in Kajang on Dec. 26, warning against attempts to undermine the country’s unity “which the BN government has painstakingly built”.

Why has racial and religious polarisation in Malaysia worsened in the 32 months of Najib’s premiership when Najib had launched from April 2009 his signature policy and slogan of “1Malaysia. People First. Performance Now”, focussing on the core concepts of social cohension, unity in diversity and inclusiveness, social justice, excellence and integrity?

There can be no doubt whatsoever that if an independent and dispassionate study is made as to who must be held responsible for the worsening racial and religious polarisation in the past 32 months with their incessant incitement of race rhetoric and religious tensions, undermining the Prime Minister’s signature 1Malaysia policy, the culprits were the UMNO leaders themselves, UMNO mouthpieces and their proxy organisations.

This is a triumph of Muhyiddin over Najib, as the DPM had  expressed his reservations about the 1Malaysia policy right from the outset, when he refused to endorse the 1Malaysia policy of being “Malaysian first” by declaring he is Malay first and Malaysian second!

UMNO and Barisan Nasional are incapable of effecting national and institutional changes to prepare Malaysia to face the challenges of globalisation and international competitiveness.

Only the Malaysian people themselves can make these changes possible.

2012 is the year to make Malaysians proud of being a Malaysian, check racial and religious polarization, motivate Malaysians to achieve greatness and save the country from corruption, abuses of power and socio-economic injustices.

Prepare for the 13th General Elections.

Happy New Year 2012

                This entry was posted on Friday, 30 December 2011, 4:51 pm and is filed under
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Malaysia CBN finally gets head of choice

By
Debra Chong

The Malaysian Insider

Dec 30, 2011

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 30 — SMK Convent Bukit Nanas (CBN) has a Christian headmistress again, after the Education Ministry caved in to the wishes of school’s Catholic owners following a highly-publicised row.

“Yes, the candidate we named, Mystrical Rose Fernandes, reported for work last week,” Sister Rosalind Tan, the mother provincial of the Sisters of the Infant Jesus (IJ) Convent who own the prestigious mission school, told The Malaysian Insider today.

Fernandes, who is a Catholic, previously headed SMK Convent Sentul, which is also owned by the IJ Sisters, and SMK St Gabriel’s in the city, which is owned by the Anglican Church.

She replaces Datin Seri Zavirah Shaari, who was also newly posted to head CBN. Zavirah was taking over from the previous principal, Ann Khoo, who has since retired.

Tan, who is also on the school’s board of governors, said she had not received any letter from the Education Ministry informing them of the latest switch.

She found out only because Fernandes stopped by the Malaysian Catholic Education Council (MCEC) office to inform them of her new posting.

A spokesman from the MCEC, who asked not to be named, confirmed that Fernandes had reported last Friday.

“As their ‘norms’ go, the candidate receives the letter of appointment; we hear nothing, see nothing, and if it suits them, we (MCEC office) get a call. This is very, very seldom,” Tan said.

“Upon receiving their letter of appointment, they report for work in the school. If it is our candidate they will come by and see us. If it is their candidate, we will only know if someone in the school informs us,” she added, referring to the communication between the Education Ministry and the Catholic mission authority.

Fernandes, who was most recently posted to SMK Seri Ampang as its new head, was redeployed to CBN effective December 20 following a public furore raised by the Archbishop of Kuala Lumpur, Tan Sri Murphy Pakiam earlier this month.

In an open statement published by Catholic newspaper The Herald, Pakiam highlighted that Zavirah had not been on a list submitted early this year by the mission school authority. He said the decision breached a previous government policy in the 1970s for “maximum consultation” with Christian mission schools nationwide in a revised report by the Royal Commission on the Teaching Services, West Malaysia.

The archbishop added that former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who was the education minister in 1976, had repeated and affirmed the pledge in 1998 in a trip to Kota Kinabalu, to consult mission school authorities over the choice of school heads and teachers.

There are over 400 Christian mission schools nationwide.

Catholics, who make up nearly one million of the country’s 28 million total population, have founded some 250 such schools, including Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s alma mater, St John’s Institution, which neighbours CBN.

                This entry was posted on Friday, 30 December 2011, 3:49 pm and is filed under
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Merdeka sudah, tapi jiwa masih terjajah

—
Aspan Alias

The Malaysian Insider

Dec 30, 2011

30 DIS — Rakyat sedang menghadapi terlalu banyak masalah yang berat akibat kelakuan dan sikap pemimpin kerajaan kita yang tidak mempunyai disiplin kepimpinan serta pemikiran. Sebagaimana yang telah selalu saya katakan masalah yang kita hadapi ini berpunca dari masalah kepimpinan negara.

Sekarang ini kepimpinan negara sedang menghadapi krisis keyakinan yang paling getir dalam sejarah kemerdekaan negara. Krisis ini sudah lama menular tetapi kerajaan dan parti yang memerintah masih boleh menyangkutkan kesinambungan kuasa yang dipegangnya melalui saki-baki sokongan dan kuasa yang masih berada di tangan mereka.

Umno tidak lagi mempunyai kepimpinan yang jitu kerana akhir-akhir ini krisis keyakinan ini ditokok dan ditambah oleh isu-isu baru, kesemuanya berkait dengan salah guna kuasa dan rasuah. Tidak ada pertembungan di antara dua atau lebih dalam Umno berkaitan dengan perjuangan. Semuanya kena-mengena dengan wang ringgit dan laba harta yang tidak berkesudahan.

Selepas isu NFC dengan Shahrizat Jalil, timbul pula isu Awang Adek dan sebelum itu isu menteri yang menjaga agama yang tidak amanah menggunakan wang zakat untuk membayar kos guaman peribadinya. Shahrizat pula menambah lagi dengan berkata tidak ada pemimpin dalam Kabinet atau parti yang tidak bermasalah. Ini semua berlaku dalam beberapa minggu ini dan jika hendak diluruti sejarah satu dekat yang lalu timbul pula wang rakyat dan negara telah dilarikan keluar negara sebanyak RM1 trillion.

Sekarang ini kita tidak lagi menyebut jumlah yang berbillion. Kini kita menyebut jumlah kecurian yang berjumlah trillion-trillion ringgit. Masyaallah, rupa-rupanya negara kita negara kaya sehinggakan dalam tempoh sepuluh tahun sahaja sebanyak RM1 trillion telah dibawa lari ke luar negara oleh mereka yang tidak bertanggungjawab kepada negara.

Bila berfikir tentang isu satu trillion ringgit yang dilarikan keluar negara ini, saya teringat kepada gerakan mencapai kemerdekaan negara dulu. Pemimpin-pemimpin kita dahulu telah berusaha untuk melepaskan negara dari cengkaman penjajah British. Tidak payah kita ulangi proses dalam mencapai kemerdekaan itu.

Tetapi apa yang hendak saya sentuh ialah salah satu matlamat penjajahan British dahulu ialah kerana British telah mengaut kekayaan negara kita untuk di bawa ke Britain dan Britain telah dapat membangunkan negaranya dengan menggunakan hasil mahsul tanah-tanah jajahannya termasuk Persekutuan Tanah Melayu.

Kita menuntut kemerdekaan dari British dan kita berjaya mendapatkannya. Setelah merdekanya negara salah satu yang pimpinan kita lakukan ialah untuk membawa kembali syarikat-syarikat perladangan, perlombongan serta semua syarikat-syarikat besar-besar ini yang telah mengalirkan sumber kekayaan negara kita ke Britain. Itu dasar kerajaan kita untuk mempastikan hasil mahsul negara berkisar di dalam negara ini.

Pada penghujung pimpinan Tunku Abdul Rahman , dan seterusnya semasa pimpinan Tun Razak serta Tun Hussein Onn pimpinan-pimpinan ini telah membawa masuk Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah sebagai arkitek dan pelaksana kepada proses mengembalikan harta kekayaan negara yang mengalir ke luar negara terutamanya ke Britain kembali ke negara kita dahulu

Semasa bangsa Melayu dan bangsa-bangsa lain di negara ini masih tidur lena dalam isu ini, Tengku Razaleigh dengan kebolehan teknokratnya telah membawa kembali syarikat-syarikat ini bermula dengan membawa balik Tradewind Bhd, Harrison and Crossfield yang sekarang ini di beri nama Golden Hope, Sime Darby (perladangan) London Tin (sekarang MMC) serta Guthries pada 7 septembar 1981.

Kejayaan cemerlang Tengku Razaleigh inilah yang menyebabkan politik beliau dimalapkan oleh pemimpin yang cemburukan kebolehan beliau itu. Zaman itu jugalah zaman pemimpin berkelibar dalam Umno dikuburkan oleh kerana keenakan kuasa yang sedang dirasakan oleh setengah pemimpin yang rakus dalam Umno.

Itu usaha kerajaan kita dengan semangat kebangsaan pimpinan negara kita. Tetapi sejak itu kepimpinan negara tidak memberikan keutamaan kepada mengekalkan kekayaan negara kita untuk berada di dalam negara. Sebaliknya melalui kerja hina rasuah dan menyalah gunakan kuasa keadaan telah terbalik.

Sejak dari itu di atas nama membangunkan negara maka pimpinan kita telah membiarkan kegiatan merompak harta kekayaan negara oleh kaum kita sendiri dan sejak sepuluh tahun yang lalu, sebanyak RM1 trillion telah di curi dan dibawa keluar negara. Sebenarnya kerja ini telah berlaku sejak pertengahan pimpinan Mahathir pada penghujung tahun lapan puluhan dahulu.

Apabila kerja membawa ke luar negara wang dan asset negara ini, ia tidak ubah seperti tindakan penjajahan British dahulu. Bezanya hanya kalau zaman penjajahan orang Inggeris yang membawa kekayaan kita ke Britain, tetapi bemula dari pemerintahan Dr Mahathir Mohamad kerja memunggah kekayaan negara ini keluar ini dilakukan oleh bangsa kita sendiri. Orang kita sendiri secara salah telah memunggah kekayaan negara kita keluar.

Oleh yang demikian kita sekarang seperti berada di zaman penjajahan dahulu. Harta kekayaan negara kita di sorok keluar negara dalam jumlah trillion ringgit. Kalau dahulu British membawa kekayaan negara kita secara sah melalui syarikat-syarikat gergasi ini, sekarang orang-orang kita yang menjadi kroni membawa wang dan kekayaan negara secara haram, Sejak 10 tahun dahulu sebanyak RM1 trillion telah di angkut keluar secara haram dan angka ini tidak termasuk angka bagi tahun-tahun sebelumnya.

Justru kita ingin bertanya, jika ini yang berlaku benarkah kita sudah merdeka? Kalau negara kita sudah merdeka kenapa wang kita sebanyak itu dicuri dan dibawa ke luar negara dengan cara yang salah ini. Nampaknya kalau dahulu kita dijajah oleh orang Inggeris kini kita dijajah oleh orang kita sendiri. Bukankah tindakan mencuri wang takyat dan negara ini merupakan tindakan pengkhianatan kepada negara?

“Penjajah” Melayu inilah yang sedang menekan kita untuk terus menyokong mereka supaya mereka boleh meneruskan kegiatan haram mereka terhadap harta benda kita semua. Mahukah kita terus diperbodohkan terus menerus sebegini?

Sekarang “penjajah baru” ini sedang melakukan apa yang cuba dilakukan oleh Malayan Union British dahulu terhadap kita semua. Bukankah orang Melayu tidak menerima cara Malayan Union ini?

Kalau dahulu Malayan Union di tolak oleh Umno (asal) dahulu maka kita harus menolak pentadbiran ala “Malayan Union” yang dilakukan oleh Umno yang baru ini. Cara untuk melakukan penolakan ini macam mana?

Caranya ialah ABU! Bukan ke? Apa lagi cara lain? Kita hendak lakukan melalui Umno juga? Tidak mungkin kan? Nanti ada yang kata kita tidak laku dan bangkrap politik pula.

Dan yang bercakap kita bangkrap politik ini adalah orang yang masih “bercabang kencingnya”… yang masih belum kenal yang mana tangan untuk menyuap nasi dan tangan untuk beristinja selepas membuang air besar.

Astagfirullah!! — aspanaliasnet.blogspot.com

                This entry was posted on Friday, 30 December 2011, 4:13 pm and is filed under
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Scandals, real or imagined?

—
The Malaysian Insider

Dec 30, 2011

DEC 30 — When it comes to scandals of the financial variety, Putrajaya seems to have only one answer: blame the opposition.

Fair enough; the opposition does the same when it gets caught. Sometimes both sides are no better than the other.

Yet, what happens to the scandals? The National Feedlot Centre (NFC) “mess” was first revealed in the Auditor-General’s Report for 2010.

It blew up with further revelations from a few whistleblowers via PKR. Anti-graft officials passed the matter to the police. And over month later, it remains under investigation.

As is the matter of a man now held for attempting to “settle” the matter for those in the NFC. But Barisan Nasional (BN) has been quick to say it is an opposition plot to smear Datuk Seri Shahrizat Jalil.

And that the NFC has nothing to do with her, as the project is undertaken by her family. Not her.

It remains that the Auditor-General was the first to raise alarm bells about the NFC. Just as he and his team did with the Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ).

We now have a similar situation with the minister in the Prime Minister’s Department who is in charge of Islamic religious affairs, Senator Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom, whose legal fees were paid using zakat funds.

Is this an opposition plot too?

Come on. Datuk Seri Najib Razak came in with the promise of reforms and cleaning up the system.

It appears that despite setting up corruption courts and putting in other measures, nothing is being done about financial improprieties.

The government must be seen to be doing something about this. There is no use talking up efforts to fight graft if nothing is being done beyond making speeches and blaming the opposition.

Most, if not all, Malaysians want a clean, efficient and trustworthy government. Do we need to remind BN that the phrase used to be its motto?

Or is it leaving it to the voters to decide to bloody its nose again at the ballot box?

These are real scandals that need immediate action. Not denials, defensiveness and blame.

                This entry was posted on Friday, 30 December 2011, 4:46 pm and is filed under
Corruption
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Good Governance
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