Rulers for all Malaysians

By
Tunku Abdul Aziz

NOV 2 — “RESPECT CONSTITUTION” screamed the New Sunday Times front page. There is really no need for the “Malay rulers” to have undue misgivings about their humble subjects occasionally dipping into the Constitution and questioning some aspect or other they do not fully understand.

Common, ordinary people like me are not Constitutional experts, unlike at least one of their Highnesses. Fear us not because we are not thinking even remotely of storming the Bastille. Such an unworthy thought has never crossed our minds, and certainly not mine.

We only want to know, as citizens, where we stand in Constitutional terms. It is our right to be enlightened. In other words, what are our Constitutional rights and obligations?

I can understand the rulers’ unease and apprehension after what Mahathir did to denigrate and run their institution into the ground, spewing filthy lies and uncharitable innuendoes against them individually and collectively. And, generally, he succeeded in causing public disaffection. Why was he not charged?

The rulers seemed, at that time, to have accepted Mahathir’s lese majeste without a murmur and Umno, now their avowed protectors, went along with, and did nothing to restrain, Mahathir’s megalomaniac excesses against their own rulers.

The rulers now tell us to respect their position. They can count on us to do that but it has to be on a quid pro quo basis. I am sure their royal highnesses have no problem with that.

The rulers also exhort us to understand history and, from what I understand, Umno under Mahathir certainly dealt their royal highnesses a cruel hand and reduced our rulers to contempt and ridicule. That is a historical fact. Yet, Mahathir got away without being held to account.

It does seem an awful pity that their royal highnesses are apparently quite happy to describe themselves as “Malay Rulers.” Does this not jar on the ear, I wonder? Since when in the post Merdeka period has the palace become an exclusively Malay institution?

The customs and traditions of the Malay court themselves, for a start, predate the arrival of Islam in the peninsula, and there is little or no substantial element of “Malayness” for example, in the installation ceremony of the rulers and other ancient court ceremonial rituals.

May I humbly and respectfully suggest to our rulers that they drop the word Malay and refer to themselves, much more accurately, in my view, as the Sultan of Kedah, Perak, etc as the case may be? That would be a gesture of inclusiveness, reflecting the reality on the ground and in keeping with today’s mood.

I am no respecter of institutions that cannot justify their existence, especially those rendered dysfunctional on moral or ethical grounds. I am afraid many of the institutions of government put in place as part of the Constitutional arrangements to protect us, the citizens, have been systematically interfered with and cynically exploited and viciously compromised during the long Mahathir years of impunity. He had them reduced into dens of iniquity to serve his unbridled personal and political ambitions.

Mahathir has the gall to spout the somewhat spurious standby mantra of all corrupt politicians which goes something like, “Whatever I have done, I have done in the national interest.” With that we are expected to burst into Negara-ku.

With the collapse of nearly all of the crucially important national institutions, the institution of rulers takes on a new aspect in a country whose government, for decades, has sleaze for constant companionship.

It is our last hope in a country totally bereft of moral and ethical values, with little left of the core values that once featured so proudly in our Constitution. Years of tinkering with the Constitution according to Mahathir’s version of the “national interest” has but disembowelled the heart and the essence of a once great Constitution.

The skeletal remains must be given a new lease of life and more flesh so that it will once more be the anchor of the nation’s legitimate hopes and aspirations. This will be given practical effect when Pakatan Rakyat accepts the unconditional surrender of Najib’s heavily defended fortress.

It will fall because the voters will ring out the old, and ring in the new in the next general elections. They want change. Putrajaya, that symbol of all that is squalid, will fall because corruption has weakened the government’s legitimacy to government; the moral fabric is in tatters.

While I do not expect our rulers to interfere in the political process, I do however expect our much loved and respected rulers of ALL Malaysians to help in protecting the integrity of the Constitution. After all, they occupy a central place in our Constitution.

They can use their considerable influence and leverage as Constitutional rulers to protect the citizens by defending the Constitution. It is their duty.

                This entry was posted on Tuesday, 2 November 2010, 7:36 pm and is filed under
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The real power behind the throne

By
Mariam Mokhtar

Tuesday, 02 November 2010 13:00

Malaysian Mirror

Malaysian Prime minister Najib Abdul Razak’s illness with chicken pox on the eve of the visit of two foreign dignitaries – Australian Prime minister Julia Gillard and US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, is unfortunate but not as awkward as how events have unfolded whilst he is recuperating.

Najib first showed symptoms of illness at the 17th Asean Summit Meeting in Hanoi and according to his wife, Rosmah Mansor, has been asked to rest by his doctors.

Whilst at the Kuala Lumpur Hospital, where she paid a visit to the accident victims of the Genting bus crash, Rosmah was reported to be in ‘high spirits standing in for Najib at functions’.

Rosmah appears to be taking her role a bit too seriously.

Is she not overstretching her responsibilities when she says she will stand in for the PM by ‘officiating on Najib’s behalf’ at the ‘1Malaysia Deepavali Carnival’ at Little India in Brickfields a few days ago?

Yesterday, she repeated this prime-ministerial role at Sri Perdana for Julia Gillard.

Malaysians are confused for they would tend to believe that when the Prime minister is incapacitated or on holiday, it is his deputy, Muhyiddin Yassin who takes over.

People will start to make comparisons and say, when Barack Obama is ill, Michelle does not stand in for him. When Julia Gillard is ill, her partner Tim Mathieson does not take over. When the British monarch falls sick, Prince Philip her consort, does not take over, but  Prince Charles, the heir apparent to the throne, assumes her role.

There is speculation that Najib is not really ill but wants to avoid the two dignitaries, who are probably the two most powerful women in the world.

Does Najib not want to be pressured into concessions with both Clinton and Gillard? Or is his ‘sickie’ just him ‘playing hard to get’?

Clinton will meet civil society groups and also leaders of the opposition. Is Najib ‘upset’ and so snubs her because of this?

One of the major topics to be discussed by Gillard is about human-trafficking. Recently, seven Malaysian immigration officials were arrested for the part they played in people-smuggling.

Australia is the final destination for asylum seekers, principally from war-torn Afghanistan who fly into Malaysia before taking a boat to Indonesia and thence, to Timor Leste and Australia.

This year alone, over 5,500 refugees have ended up in Australia.

Is Najib reluctant to support Australia in setting up a processing centre for asylum seekers in Timor Leste, because he does not want to risk upsetting his counterparts in Timor Leste and Indonesia? Is he afraid to say ‘no’?

Is he also fearful of telling Gillard that human-trafficking is a rampant problem and that with high levels of corruption in the country, which his government appears not to deal with effectively, it is therefore impossible for him to tackle the issue?

Did he send his wife out to ‘soften’ both these women so that they would accept his views? He realises that Clinton and Gillard are both professionals in what they do but if Rosmah engaged them in small talk, he effectively employs delaying tactics to important issues  present on their busy schedules, which only a decision from the Malaysian Prime minister would suffice.

Whatever the true reasons, Rosmah should never have assumed the PM’s role in public. It is highly unprecedented.

The image projected worldwide must be one of confusion. Does protocol not mean anything in Malaysia? Even if Rosmah was not in any formal discussion but was merely present in an ‘entertainment’ capacity like in a banquet or similar, it is awkward for the main players involved.

The mixed messages to the public, when Rosmah takes centre stage standing in for PM are confusing and damaging.

For the visiting dignitaries, they are not accorded the due respect which should be reserved for people of their seniority and importance.

Gillard and Clinton are important world players. Has Najib an ulterior motive for staying away and is using the chicken pox as a convenient excuse?

For Muhyiddin, people will wonder why he is perceived to be of lesser importance and not worthy of his deputy premiership. Has Rosmah usurped him?

For Rosmah, the people will think that she has delusions of grandeur. They will ask why she is ‘standing in’ when she is not even an elected person. She is only the PM’s wife.

They may well say she is not even the wife of an elected PM; nor is she a civil servant.

They might even suggest that if she fancies herself as PM that she should offer her candidacy at the next General Election.

Maybe these conjectures are all wrong and that she is truly the power behind the throne.

                This entry was posted on Tuesday, 2 November 2010, 4:49 pm and is filed under
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Why Umno so desperate? Losing Galas?

Tweets:

11/02/2010 07:25 P
M

Tindakan Kit Siang tuduh UMNO kafir melampau (BH) http://bit.ly/dAULXk PemudaUMNO buat lprn polis trhdp Kit Siang (BH) http://bit.ly/cCZr6I

11/02/2010 07:35 PM

My attn just drawn 2Berita Harian rprts – Mcca CM AliRustam accused I had “mencampuri urusan agama Islam dng menuduh orang UMNO kafir”. (2)

11/02/2010 07:37 PM

I was accused of saying this at Galas ceramah in presence on TGNA n Anwar at Rancangan Pemulihan Tanah (RPT) KESEDAR Sungai Terah. Big lies.

11/02/2010 07:42 PM

Police rprts 2b made agnst AliRustam BHarian n naibketua PemudaUmno Putrajaya (4lodging false report). Y Umno so desperate? Losing Galas?

—–

Tindakan Kit Siang tuduh UMNO kafir melampau

2010/11/02

Berita Harian

GUA MUSANG: DAP semakin berani mencampuri urusan agama Islam dengan menuduh orang UMNO kafir dalam siri ceramah untuk menarik sokongan pengundi Melayu menyokong PAS pada pilihan raya kecil Dewan Undangan Negeri (DUN) Galas.

Pengerusi Badan Perhubungan UMNO Melaka, Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam, berkata tindakan itu adalah hasil ajaran pemimpin PAS yang menjual agama dan tidak menghalang apabila bukan Islam menuduh orang Melayu tidak menyokong PAS sebagai kafir.

Katanya, kenyataan Penasihat DAP, Lim Kit Siang itu dibuat di hadapan Mursyidul Am PAS, Datuk Nik Aziz Nik Mat dan Penasihat Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim pada ceramah di Rancangan Pemulihan Tanah (RPT) KESEDAR Sungai Terah.

“Yang kita sedihnya apabila Lim menuduh orang Melayu parti UMNO kafir disambut dengan laungan takbir ‘Allahuakhbar’ oleh pemimpin PAS bersama penyokongnya yang dianggap menjual agama Islam kepada kaum lain.”

“Inikah parti yang melaungkan perjuangan Islam yang patut kita sokong dan sudah jauh terpesong akidah sebenarnya,” katanya ketika berceramah kepada pengundi di peti undi Kampung Baru Hulu, dekat sini, petang kelmarin.

Mohd Ali yang juga Ketua Menteri Melaka, berkata mungkin pengundi di DUN Galas baru sedar tindakan Kit Siang yang mengutuk orang beragama Islam tetapi pada masa sama ia halal di sisi perjuangan PAS demi kepentingan politik pembangkang.

Beliau berkata, gelagat pemimpin DAP mencampuri urusan agama Islam sejak bergabung dalam pakatan pembangkang kerana mendapat restu PAS untuk mengutuk orang Islam yang tidak sokong parti itu.

Katanya, pengundi di DUN Galas patut mengambil ingatan dengan sikap melampau DAP itu yang menuduh orang UMNO kafir dan perbuatan itu pula seolah-olah direstui PAS.

Pemuda UMNO buat laporan polis terhadap Kit Siang

2010/11/02

Berita Harian

PUTRAJAYA: Pemuda UMNO Bahagian Putrajaya hari ini membuat laporan polis berhubung kenyataan penasihat DAP, Lim Kit Siang, yang menuduh UMNO kafir.

Wakil pergerakan itu, Mohd Hisamudin Yahaya, berkata menuduh orang UMNO kafir adalah sangat melampau dan satu tindakan provokasi.

Akhbar hari ini melaporkan Lim membuat kenyataan itu pada satu ceramah di Rancangan Pemulihan Tanah Kesedar Sungai Terah, Gua Musang, Kelantan. – BERNAMA

                This entry was posted on Tuesday, 2 November 2010, 7:58 pm and is filed under
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In TI CPI of past 16 years, Malaysia is perceived by the world as becoming more and more corrupt while other countries have become less corrupt

Despite the “1Malaysia People First Performance Now” slogan and the alphabet soup of GTP, NKRA, MKRA, SRIs,  ETP etc and one Roadmap after another of Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak and the  National Integrity Plan of former Prime Minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Malaysia is the worst country in the Asia-Pacific in Transparency International (TI) Corruption Perception Index (CPI)  in past 16 years since the start of the annual ranking in 1995.

In the first TI CPI in 1995, Malaysia was ranked No. 23 out of 41 countries or the 6th highest-ranked nation in the Asia-Pacific after New Zealand -1, Singapore – 3, Australia – 7, Hong Kong – 17 and Japan – 20, with a CPI score of 5.28.

Sixteen years later, after numerous anti-corruption campaigns, two major anti-corruption legislation and “transformation” of the former Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) into Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) with massive infusion of public funds and increase of staffing, Malaysia has continued to remain  in the lowest TI CPI ranking of No. 56 as last year but with the lowest CPI score of 4.4 – falling to No. 11 country placing in the Asia-Pacific.

In the past 16 years, Malaysia had lost out to five other countries in the Asia-Pacific, namely Taiwan now ranked No. 33 with CPI score of 5.8; Bhutan (No. 36 –  5.7 ); Brunei (No.38 – 5.5); South Korea (No. 39 – 5.4) and Macau (No.46 – 5.0).

Even more serious, other countries which had been down on the list of the TI CPI ranking are fast catching up while Malaysia is fast falling down!

Thailand, China and Indonesia are three examples in Asia. China was ranked No. 40 with a CPI score of 2.16 in 1995. In 2010, China is ranked No. 78 with a CPI score of 3.5.

At the annual average rate of China’s improvement and Malaysia’s regression of their CPI scores in the last 16 years, China will not only catch up but will leave Malaysia behind in the TI CPI, both in ranking and in score in a matter of six years – come 2017!

Another Asian country set to overtake Malaysia is Thailand, which  was ranked No. 34 with CPI score of 2.79 in 1995, and is now ranked together with China at No. 78 with CPI score of 3.5.

Breathing down Malaysia’s neck in the TI CPI is India (No. 87 – 3.3), having climbed from No. 35 with CPI score of 2.78 in 1995.

Even Indonesia is making significant strides in the anti-corruption front.  Ranked at the very bottom of No. 41 in 1995, with CPI score of 1.94, Indonesia is now ranked No. 110 with a CPI score of 2.8 in 2010.

Malaysia is the worst country in the TI CPI in the past 16 years, falling from No. 23 with CPI score of 5.28 to No. 56 with CPI score of 4.4 in 2010.

Malaysia is also losing out to other countries in other regions. For instance Turkey, which was ranked No. 29 in 1995 with CPI score of 4.4 has caught up with Malaysia in 2010, equally ranked No. 56 with 4.4 CPI score.

It is heart-rending  to see Malaysia losing out to Middle East countries. Jordan was ranked No. 30 with CPI score of 4.89 in the 1996 TI CPI when Malaysia was ranked No. 26 with CPI score of 5.32.  In TI CPI 2010, Jordan has shot ahead of Malaysia, ranked No. 50 with CPI score of 4.7.

Saudi Arabia, which was first ranked No. 46 with CPI score of 4.5 in 2003 (when Malaysia was ranked No. 37 with CPI score of 5.2) is now ahead, with ranking of 50 and CPI score of 4.7.

In the past 16 years, Malaysia is perceived by the world as becoming more and more corrupt while other countries have become less corrupt!

The NKRA on “fighting corruption” had set the target to increase the TI CPI score from 4.5 last year to 4.9 this year, but the reverse has taken place, falling to a new national low of 4.4!

What is most unacceptable and reprehensible is the attempt by the Minister for NKRA Datuk Idris Jala, Pemandu (Performance Management and Delivery Unit) and the MACC to whitewash the shocking failures of anti-corruption measures this year by claiming that the TI CPI ranking and scores are not correct or reliable.

Pemandu claimed that in the past year, Malaysia had bettered the graft score from 5.2 to 6.3 in the IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook, from 3.6 to 4.6 in the Political and Economic Risk Consultancy’s (PERC) Asian Intelligence Newsletter and from 4.5 to 4.6 in the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Global Competitiveness Report – and that based on the “average score of the four surveys, it is clear that Malaysia’s index has improved from 4.45 in 2009 to 4.975 in 2010”.

Pemandu, which is being staffed by highly-paid consultants and professionals, is being  most dishonest, unethical and unprofessional in  trying to engage in an  unacademic PR exercise to gloss over the abject failures on  the anti-corruption NKRA front as TI CPI had not changed its methodology from previous years.

Malaysia’s CPI 2010 is calculated by TI using nine sources by six independent institutions – the same as in previous CPIs. Unless Pemandu challenges the validity of previous CPI scores, it cannot selectively dispute the validity of the 2010 CPI.

The worst TI CPI score for Malaysia in 2010 should be a top issue in Parliament for the government to explain in the 2011 Budget winding-up stage of debate. Instead, this subject has been avoided like the plague, although many MPs had spoken about it in the debate.

The  two Ministers in the Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz and Tan Sri Dr. Koh Tsu Koon studiously avoided the subject of Malaysia’s worst TI CPI in 16 years in their winding-up, further undermining public confidence in the political will and commitment of the Barisan Nasional government to declare war on corruption, particularly grand corruption of the “Ikan yus” as distinct from “ikan bilis”, as well as the real worth and utility of expensive Government Transformation Programme run by  highly-paid  professionals and consultants with their NKRAs, MKRAs, SRIs, etc.

                This entry was posted on Wednesday, 3 November 2010, 11:12 am and is filed under
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DAP: To sue Melaka CM, Berita Harian over sedition accusation

By
Shazwan Mustafa Kamal

November 03, 2010

Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 3- The DAP said today that it will initiate legal action against Melaka Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam as well as Umno-owned daily Berita Harian for making false allegations against DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang.

DAP national chairman Karpal Singh demanded that Ali Rustam as well as Berita Harian “ retract and apologize unconditionally” for claiming that Lim had uttered seditious remarks during a PAS ceramah in Sungai Terah, Gua Musang.

“In lieu of the seriousness of the allegations made against Lim Kit Siang, I’ve been instructed as the party legal advisor to take action against Berita Harian and the CM of Melaka, Ali Rustam. It’s a very serious matter in that it adverts to something is very sensitive and something which can be abused… Berita Harian should be responsible. In fact a police report will be lodged against Berita Harian for publishing false news. This is an offence under the Printing Press and Publications Act (PPPA) 1984,” Karpal told reporters today.

Umno-owned daily Berita Harian, in a news report dated yesterday had accused Lim of saying “orang Umno kafir” (Umno members are infidels) during a PAS ceramah in Sungai Terah, to “influence Malays to vote for PAS” for the Galas by-election.

The article quoted Melaka Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam as saying that Lim’s alleged remarks were made in the presence of PAS spiritual advisor Datuk Nik Aziz Nik Mat and PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim during a ceramah in Sungai Terah.

Lim had earlier this morning denied uttering the remarks, and maintained that he was not even present at the function.

“This is a slanderous accusation…I never said this and I was not even there (at the ceramah). This is a twisted and irresponsible plot to spread racial and religious hatred,” Lim told reporters earlier.

Besides that, Karpal added that he was preparing a writ summons to be served to Ali Rustam as well as Berita Harian in the “next few days.”

He said that even if the Malay daily or Ali Rustam came out with an open apology, legal action would still take place.

“If they retract or apologize, that does not mean an action cannot proceed in court. It can. Damages, the retraction and apology will be taken into account. If they don’t apologize, then the damages will be increased.

“Their retraction and apology is not a defense. It is only taken into account in assessment of damages, it is not a defense. In fact it is an admission,” said the lawyer-cum-politician.

It is understood that Putrajaya Umno Youth had lodged a police report against Lim over the Berita Harian report.

“I also want to take the opportunity to warn UMNO Youth not to lodge reports that are false. In fact the police should take action against UMNO Youth for lodging false reports,” said Karpal.

The DAP lawyer said that the party did not want a precedent set whereby individuals would be able to get away with making defamatory allegations.

“It’s not so much the damages, it’s a matter of principle. We don’t want a precedent set where with impunity, people can make statements that are defamatory towards leaders in Pakatan Rakyat,” said Karpal.

                This entry was posted on Wednesday, 3 November 2010, 6:47 pm and is filed under
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Kit Siang denies ‘Umno kafir’ remark

By
S Pathmawathy
 | Nov 3, 10 1:45pm

Malaysiakini

DAP stalwart Lim Kit Siang has denied a news report that he had dubbed bitter rivals Umno as kafir (infidels) during a ceramah (political talk) in Gua Musang, pointing out that he was not even present at the event.

“It is a slanderous report… I have never been there. This is very irresponsible and they are doing it to propagate hatred,” Lim told a press conference at the Parliament lobby today.

Malay-language daily Berita Harian had claimed that Lim made the remark during a ceramah on Monday in Kampung Baru Hulu, Sungai Terap while campaigning for the Galas by-election in Kelantan.

PAS spiritual leader Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat and PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim were said to have been at the event as well.

Yesterday, the daily quoted Malacca Chief Minister Mohd Ali Rustam (left) as saying that Lim had been coached by PAS leaders to speak in that manner.

Mohd Ali further claimed that what made matters worse was that the crowd had chanted ‘God is great’ after the remark was made.

Retraction, apology demanded

On a police report against him by Putrajaya Umno’s Youth wing, Lim said the movement had acted on information in a report which was “clearly fictitious”.

He said DAP will lodge a police report in Gua Musang today over the report and that his lawyers have also been instructed to take legal action against Ali Rustam.

Party secretary-general Lim Guan Eng, who was at the press conference, demanded that Berita Harian withdraws the report and issues an apology.

“No DAP leader has ever said Umno is kafir. We are not Muslims, so how we say someone is kafir?” he noted.

Police reports against Ali Rustam

In another development, at least three police reports have been lodged by DAP representatives against Mohd Ali over the Berita Harian report.

The reports were lodged by Thomas Su, DAP’s election director for the Galas by-election, DAP Youth secretary Teo Kok Seong and DAP women’s wing deputy secretary Leong Mee Meng.

In the report the three said that Mohd Ali’s statement contained elements of slander and was done in bad faith to incite hatred among different ethnic and religious groups.

                This entry was posted on Wednesday, 3 November 2010, 6:32 pm and is filed under
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Kit Siang rejects Gua Musang ‘sedition’ accusation

By
Shazwan Mustafa Kamal

November 03, 2010

Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 3 — An outraged Lim Kit Siang denied today uttering seditious remarks during a ceramah in Sungai Terah, Gua Musang, saying that he was not even present at the function.

“This is a slanderous accusation…I never said this and I was not even there (at the ceramah). This is a twisted and irresponsible plot to spread racial and religious hatred,” Lim told reporters.

Umno-owned daily Berita Harian, in a news report dated yesterday had accused Lim of saying “orang Umno kafir” (Umno members are infidels) during a PAS ceramah in Sungai Terah, to “influence Malays to vote for PAS” for the Galas by-election.

The article quoted Malacca Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam as saying that Lim’s alleged remarks were made in the presence of PAS spiritual advisor Datuk Nik Aziz Nik Mat and Pakatan Rakyat (PR) spiritual advisor Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim during a ceramah in Sungai Terah.

“What is said is that when Lim accused Umno Malays of being “kafir” PAS members greeted his remarks with shouts of “Allahuakbar”..Should we support this party which has deviated from Islam’s true teachings,” said Ali Rustam during a function in Kampung Baru Hulu.

Lim said today that since the “false” news report, Umno Youth Putrajaya had lodged a police report against him.

“I myself will lodge a police report in Gua Musang and will instruct my lawyer to take action against Ali Rustam for defamation,” said Lim.

                This entry was posted on Wednesday, 3 November 2010, 1:20 pm and is filed under
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Ku Li caught in an Umno trap?

By
Philip Bowring

Malaysiakini

The result of the 12th by-election since the tumultuous general elections in 2008 is in practical terms irrelevant. Whether or not PAS retains the state seat of Galas in tomorrow’s by-election will make no difference to the Islamic party’s control of the state legislature. (PAS captured 38 of the 45 state seats in Kelantan, while ally PKR picked up one and Umno, six)

But it will be a test of the influence of Umno’s most distinguished internal dissident, Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, and his calls for sweeping reform of Umno. Galas is part of Razaleigh’s federal parliamentary constituency and is centred on his hometown of Gua Musang in the south of Kelantan. And, together with a federal seat by-election on the same day, the election is expected to play a role in whether Prime Minister Najib Razak will go to national polls in early 2011.

But interpreting the Galas result will not be easy. The 73-year-old Razaleigh, usually known as Ku Li, is between a rock and a hard place. On the one hand, the Kelantan aristocrat knows that his calls for reform of Umno are unlikely to make much progress if the erosion of support for the Umno-led BN ruling coalition that was seen both in the 2008 federal election and in subsequent by-elections is stemmed or reversed.

On the other hand, Razaleigh has no choice but to support his own party and the candidate he himself chose in this local election. Recognising his difficult position, Razaleigh has been playing down the significance of the election. But there is little doubting the attention it has been getting in the media because of him.

Ministers in the government that Razaleigh relentlessly criticises have been trooping to Gua Musang to kiss his hand and try to shore up BN support among the voters. They too doubtless have mixed feelings, one the one hand needing to show Umno making a comeback, on the other worried about the enhanced reputation Razaleigh may acquire should Umno poll well here but not elsewhere.

Odds are stacked against Razaleigh

Razaleigh, once billed as ‘bapak ekonomi’ or ‘father of the Malaysian economy’ for his role running Pernas, which was created to encourage Malay-controlled businesses in 1975, as well as creating the national energy company Petronas and then as finance minister, but who has been out of power since narrowly losing to Mahathir Mohamad in 1987, may have little clout in today’s Umno or following in its higher echelons.

But his stinging criticisms of corruption in the BN and of Umno’s hypocritical attempts to compete with PAS on religious issues have found a ready audience in a wider community.

For all of Najib’s talk of his 1Malaysia slogan, many in Umno continue to pander to more extreme views of Malay and Muslim supremacy that are being peddled by the chauvinist Perkasa movement and aided and abetted by former prime minister Mahathir. Razaleigh’s criticisms of the BN have been getting plenty of media coverage, a privilege not so available to opposition parties.

The odds are certainly stacked against a national comeback by Razaleigh. Yet in the event that Anwar Ibrahim ends back in jail at the same time the opposition still does well in the election, moderate elements from all races might look to him as representative of an older and more tolerant version of Umno as existed, at least in many minds, before Mahathir’s reign.

What is far from clear is whether the voters in Galas, and particularly the Chinese (20 percent) and Orang Asli (16 percent) who deserted the BN in the last election come back to it.

On the one hand both are known to respect Razaleigh personally and like his inclusivist views on racial and religious issues. On the other hand the Chinese may have yet to be convinced that at the national level the 1Malaysia slogan is more than rhetoric, or that MCA is a credible member of the BN.

As for the Orang Asli, traditional BN supporters, they have been wooed by a state government which promises to prevent further shrinkage of their traditional lands as a result of acquisitions by members of the Kelantan royal family and other well-placed persons.

As it controls the state government, PAS itself has been buying loyalties through grants of state lands and has been vigorously attacking the federal government for its denial of the Kelantan state government’s proper share in oil royalties.

This ill-conceived Mahathir-era punishment for electing an opposition government does Umno no favours. But at least Razaleigh is not tainted by it. As the author of the 1974 legislation that provided for a royalty to the states, he has backed Kelantan’s claim against the federal government.

The Ku Li factor

However, tomorrow will test whether support for Razaleigh overrides deep national dissatisfaction with BN, which Razaleigh himself believes shows no signs of abating. Indeed within Umno there are now those who think that it could lose control of the majority of state governments.

But others believe that Najib has sufficiently steadied the Umno/BN ship that he can look to an election in the first half of 2011, perhaps to coincide with state elections due next year in Sarawak.

The economy is doing well enough thanks to high oil, rubber and palm oil prices – and government spending. There have been no major racial incidents such as Hindu temple destructions and cow-head displays to upset minorities.

Anwar is preoccupied with his legal problems and without him the opposition has no unifying focus. So the issue is whether people will just vote against the BN rather than for the opposition. An election two years before one is due would be a risk for Najib, but even modest success would strengthen his position in Umno and in particular make it less difficult to translate the One Malaysia slogan into policies.

However, reading the results of the by-elections will not be easy given the Razaleigh factor in Galas and that politics in ethnically diverse Sabah, as in Sarawak, are not necessarily a guide to what happens in Peninsular Malaysia.

So whatever the result, the significance of a by-election involving just 11,553 voters may be debated long after Thursday.

                This entry was posted on Wednesday, 3 November 2010, 1:25 pm and is filed under
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An unconvinced Kit Siang to sue Berita Harian

By
Shazwan Mustafa Kamal

The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 4 — Lim Kit Siang is going ahead to sue Berita Harian for saying he remarked “orang Umno kafir” or infidels, saying he remained unconvinced with the Umno-owned Malay daily’s admission of error.

The DAP adviser claimed that the “correction” by the Umno daily did not amount to any apology but instead added “insult to injury”.

Berita Harian admitted today that it had made an error over remarks which it had attributed to Lim (picture) during a PAS ceramah at Sungai Terah, Gua Musang on Monday.

The daily, under the vast Media Prima Berhad group, had yesterday accused Lim of saying “orang Umno kafir” (Umno members are infidels) to “influence Malays to vote for PAS” in today’s Galas by-election. The results of the by-election will be known tonight.

“I cannot figure out how ‘silap tulis’ can be used as a defence, excuse of justification for such a malicious, irresponsible, defamatory and seditious report, seeking to incite racial and religious hatred in a multi-religious and multi-racial country.

“Berita Harian has not made any apology and has added insult to injury by implying without producing any proof that Ali Rustam was right in accusing a DAP national leader of having called Umno Malays as kafirs,” Lim told reporters today.

The Malay daily quoted Malacca Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam as saying that Lim’s alleged remarks were made in the presence of PAS spiritual adviser Datuk Nik Aziz Nik Mat and PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim during a ceramah in Sungai Terah.

However, in an about-turn today, Berita Harian claimed the Malacca chief minister’s remarks were taken from his speech during a ceramah, and that Ali Rustam’s remarks was not made in reference to the DAP adviser.

“The speech by Malacca Umno liaison chairman Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam, where he said that DAP was becoming bolder in interfering with Muslim affairs in Kampung Gua Hulu, Gua Musang was not referring to DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang,” said the one-paragraph correction on page 8 of the daily today.

The DAP said yesterday that it will initiate legal action against both Ali Rustam as well as Berita Harian for making “false allegations” against Lim, maintaining that the action would proceed even if both parties came out with a public apology.

Lim has denied uttering the remarks, and maintained that he had not been present at the function.

Today, Lim demanded that the Malacca chief minister be suspended from his official duties as he had shown to be “unfit and unworthy” by disseminating racial and religious “ill-will”.

When asked whether the DAP had contacted Ali Rustam to verify the remarks made by him, Lim said that it was “not necessary”.

“On the part of the Prime Minister and Umno president, Datuk Seri Najib Razak, he should immediately suspend Ali Rustam as Malacca CM… Ali Rustam has kept quiet for 48 hours since the Berita Harian article came out, he has not said that he was misreported.

“Right now we will sue both Berita Harian and Ali Rustam, should he come out and say that he was misquoted then he can sue Berita Harian also,” added Lim.

Lim’s lawyer Karpal Singh said a writ of summons against both parties will be filed at the Kuala Lumpur High Court on Monday at 2.30pm.

“If they want trouble, they have come to the right place,” said Karpal.

Ali Rustam could not be reached for comment.

On another matter, Lim said he filed two notices in Parliament today to move a motion next week to deduct the salaries of Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail as well as Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief commissioner Datuk Abu Kassim Mohamed.

“Minister in the Prime Minister’s department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz said yesterday in Parliament that the government has closed the case of private investigator P. Balasubramaniam. The action of the A-G raises questions on his professionalism, and whether he discharges his duty in acting fairly and impartially.

“When Parliament resumes its debate on the committee level on Tuesday, I will move a motion to deduct RM10 cut from his salary,” said Lim.

The Ipoh Timur MP said he was also moving the same motion against Abu Kassim for Malaysia’s poor performance in Transparency International (TI)’s Corruption Perception Index (CPI), where Malaysia dropped from 4.5 to 4.4 in ranking this year.

“TI’s ranking has shown that Malaysia’s ranking in terms of CPI has sunk to its lowest levels,” the DAP veteran added.

                This entry was posted on Thursday, 4 November 2010, 7:39 pm and is filed under
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Berita Harian admits error over Lim’s ‘seditious’ remark

By
Shazwan Mustafa Kamal

The Malaysian Insider

November 04, 2010

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 4 — Berita Harian admitted today that it had made an error over remarks which it had attributed to DAP’s Lim Kit Siang during a PAS ceramah at Singai Terah, Gua Musang on Monday.

The Umno-owned daily had yesterday accused Lim of saying “orang Umno kafir” (Umno members are infidels) to “influence Malays to vote for PAS” during the now ongoing Galas by-election.

The article quoted Melaka Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam as saying that Lim’s alleged remarks were made in the presence of PAS spiritual advisor Datuk Nik Aziz Nik Mat and PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim during a ceramah in Sungai Terah.

However, in an about-turn today, Berita Harian claimed the Melaka chief minister’s remarks were taken from his speech during a ceramah, and that Ali Rustam’s remarks was not made in reference to the DAP advisor.

“The speech by Umno Melaka liaison chairman Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam, where he said that DAP was becoming bolder in interfering with Muslim affairs in Kampung Gua Hulu, Gua Musang was not referring to DAP advisor Lim Kit Siang,” said the one-paragraph correction on page 8 of the daily today.

The DAP said yesterday that it will initiate legal action against both Ali Rustam as well as Berita Harian for making “false allegations” against Lim, maintaining that the action would proceed even if both parties came out with a public apology.

Lim has denied uttering the remarks, and maintained that he had not been present at the function.

The Malaysian Insider now understands that Lim as well as DAP national chairman Karpal Singh will be holding a press conference later today to decide on the party’s next course of action.

“Well, I saw the apology, I just do not know how they can misquote someone like that, especially the Melaka chief minister.

“We will leave it to the press conference later to address our next course of action,” Lim told The Malaysian Insider today.

BH makes one-para correction over Kit Siang

Malaysiakini

Nov 4, 10

Berita Harian today made a correction over a report which appeared in the daily on Tuesday. It had quoted Malacca Chief Minister Mohd Ali Rustam as saying DAP stalwart Lim Kit Siang had called Umno kafir (infidels).

The daily’s page 8 carried a one-paragraph correction which said a speech quoting the Umno Malacca chief at a talk in Kampung Baru Hulu, Gua Musang, where the chief minister said the DAP is becoming braver and is seen as intervening in Islamic affairs, does not refer to Lim.

“The error is regretted,” the daily said.

Yesterday, Lim said he was expecting an apology from Berita Harian which carried the contentious report on Tuesday alleging he had branded Umno as kafir.

Lim said the DAP complainants who lodged police reports over the article had been informed over this by the police.

The three complainants were Pasir Pinji state assemblyperson Thomas Su, who is also DAP’s campaign coordinator for the Galas by-election, DAP Socialist Youth (Dapsy) secretary Teo Kok Seong and DAP women’s wing deputy secretary Leong Mee Meng.

Following the Berita Harian report, Umno Youth had lodged police reports against Lim.

Lim had denied making the remark at an alleged ceramah with Kelantan Menteri Besar Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat, and PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim at Kampung Baru Hulu, Sungai Terap while campaigning for the Galas by-election.

Lim had also denied he had addressed the crowd there.

DAP chairperson Karpal Singh said despite whatever happens today, he was preparing a writ of summons to be served on Mohd Ali and Berita Harian in the “next few days”.

                This entry was posted on Thursday, 4 November 2010, 2:41 pm and is filed under
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Happy Deepavali to all Malaysian Indians

Wishing Happy Deepavali to all Malaysian Indians.

Despite obstacles and setbacks, the battle of  good against evil and light against darkness must be unremitting and unceasing.

Take courage for the  night is darkest before dawn

                This entry was posted on Thursday, 4 November 2010, 9:06 pm and is filed under
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Broke and broken – should P. Ramlee have come back?

Letters

by
The Ampas Man

Question:        Di Mana Kan Ku Cari Ganti?

Answer:          Not in Malaysia

Those who watched the heart-wrenching P. Ramlee documentary on the History Channel on 31st October 2010 must have gone to bed with a heavy heart. It transpires that Malaysia’s one and only film icon had died penniless and shunned by the public including his own colleagues. And the way it was done appears to have uncanny resemblances to what’s happening today in Malaysia, almost 45 years after Ramlee returned to Malaysia.

The documentary, narrated by British actor, Timothy Watson and 12 years in-the-making included precious interviews by some of his friends, actors and actresses who had passed on. The underlying tone was one of profound melancholy.

Ramlee, born out of poverty along Caunter Hall Road at an Achenese community in Penang , had to endure a brutal Japanese occupation whose schools incidentally inculcated a certain discipline in him. In his formative years then, this discipline proved crucial as a founding platform for his eventual brilliance, creativity and innovation in film and music.

He subsequently gained phenomenal success at Shaw Brother’s Jalan Ampas studios in Singapore. His success at Jalan Ampas was the apparent result of the studio’s incredible milieu of experienced film crew, choreographers and directors which the Shaw Brothers had assembled from India, Hong Kong and Indonesia. With the load of management and finance off his shoulders, Ramlee was able to thrive and focus on his talent of creating music, acting and eventually direction, screenplay and editing.

The Shaw Brothers invested and created such a conducive environment at Ampas that Singapore became the mecca for the Malay film industry for an entire genre of actors and actresses from the whole of the Malay Archipelago from Pontianak, Penang to Medan. Apart from Ramlee, Ampas provided careers for other actors and actresses like Nordin Ahmad, S. Kadarisman, Ahmad Daud, Normadiah, Saloma and Saadiah.

But this talent could not have been developed without the expertise of directors such as B.S.Rajan, L. Krishnan and Phani Majumdar. Directors such as Majumdar already had something like 15 years’ experience in directing films in various languages in Calcutta and Bombay before they came to Singapore. It was on this wealth of experience that the Malay film industry flourished.

Majumdar directed Ramlee in “Anakku Sazali” which won Ramlee Best Actor in 1956. And when Majumdar returned to India, he discovered another great Indian actor, Feroz Khan and directed Khan in his first big hit “Oonche Log” in 1965. Yes it was happy times then at No.8 Jalan Ampas and Boon Kheng Road. But it had to end. Or so it seems.

Things appear to have taken a turn for the worse during the confusion of the Malaysia-Singapore separation in 1963 when Lee Kuan Yew had trouble reining a tight leash on trade unions involving Lim Chin Siong, and his own PAP leaders led by Che’Awang and Devan Nair.  Ramlee appears to have been an inadvertent victim of the unions’ unreasonable demands leading Shaw Brothers to call it a day at Jalan Ampas when they couldn’t keep up with union demands for higher pay.

Other views suggest that Ramlee was poached and enticed to return to Malaysia which he did in 1964. Wrong step it seems. All promises “back home in Malaysia” were not kept by his new masters. Sounds very very familiar here. Merdeka studios was poorly equipped and its rookie staffing meant the legend had to multitask which ended up eventually in him churning out shoddy movies. All 18 movies he directed in Malaysia flopped. Sounds like the same stories we hear from some of our Malaysians “trying” to return home from overseas.

Ramlee lost his glitter, his money and apparently also his fame. His partner and colleague, H.M. Shah, tried to form a company called PERFIMA to enable Ramlee to relaunch his career and produce his dream of colour films. But PERFIMA apparently ended up in the hands of inexperienced and connected cronies leaving the talented Ramlee then, as in now, even as a Malay, blatantly unrecognized, ignored and out in the cold.

The documentary brutally exposes how Ramlee tried in vain to set up P. Ramlee Productions, but was again shut out by this country’s media and entertainment industry including RTM. He had to sit in the canteen at Ankasapuri while Saloma had her own show in RTM! He could not secure any government aid, grants or “Private Financial Initiatives” despite his passion for Malay music and culture.

He tried to reinvent himself and sought a bank loan – but was rejected! With his wealth of experience and in his early 40s then, he should have easily qualified. Poor Ramlee didn’t know that in Malaysia it is the “know who” that counts then the “know how”. If he had known George Tan from the Carrian Group then, Ramlee may have received a few millions from BMF without even having to pay back. Or he should have “nurtured” some connections like how Daim, Halim Saad, Tajuddin Ramli, Syed Mokhtar and Amin Shah did.

Ramlee by now, tragically stressed out, overweight, dishevelled, completely down and out with passion and spirit broken, had to now do almost any job he could including running mahjong tables and singing at weddings and other functions to put food on the table for his family. He had to live on rice and eggs. It was truly Air Mata di Kuala Lumpur for Ramlee. A court summons a day prior to his death for being a guarantor finally tipped the balance and done him in when he suffered a massive heart attack and he died on 29th May 1973 at the age of 44 years.

On the day he died, there was no rice in his house. And Saloma had no money for his funeral. The man and legend, P. Ramlee paid a very heavy price returning to Malaysia. The country just did not have the infrastructure, manpower and expertise to accommodate his enormous talent. He would have been better off in Singapore even with the unions there. He would not have gone broke in the club and wedding scene there and perhaps Singapore TV could have given him a break as compared to our own RTM. All the belated accolades and titles were a waste of time as far as the man himself was concerned. He died hopelessly broke and broken.

The documentary is not only an eye opener but a very good case study for anyone contemplating returning home to Malaysia. Whether you are a scientist, engineer, accountant, doctor, etc beware of the conditions enticing you to return. If your kid is an aerospace engineer, a naval architect or a transplant surgeon, it’s a no brainer that he /she should not return at all unless you are absolutely sure the country has the infrastructure and skilled manpower to support these fields. Don’t believe in these stories that you should come home to “help” and “develop” your areas of expertise. That’s not going to happen. That sort of thing will only go to the chaps who have the connections. Assess any offer carefully and do not trust anyone including this government. Make certain all agreements are enforceable in Singapore and the UK .

In retrospect P. Ramlee, with no formal education but was able to compose more than 360 songs and 66 movies, probably returned to a society that was not developed nor had the brain power and skills to match up to his vision. In short he was just surrounded with a whole lot of officials and journalists with serious hang-ups who were not interested in the industry itself. There was no driving force like another Shaw Brothers.

And the prevailing attitude at that time and probably even now was and still is a third class mentality. In an environment such as this, no one with creativity, innovation, skills and brains can ever hope to survive let alone thrive. Its better they stay back where they can develop and nurture their talent. If a star as bright as Ramlee could be extinguished with such impunity, the rest are nothing. Ramlee and his entire family had been wiped out financially despite his immense talent. But he remains still tall this day, the Malay Archipelago ’s cinematic legend. With apologies..

Hancur badan dikandung tanah

Budi baik dikenang juga

Biar alam hancur dan musnah

Jasa mu tetap dikenang juga

                This entry was posted on Friday, 5 November 2010, 12:52 pm and is filed under
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Eight reasons why Pakatan lost

Bridget Welsh

Malaysiakini

Nov 5, 10

The BN deservedly should claim and savour yesterday’s victories. The combined gains in Galas and Batu Sapi show significant swings across ethnic minorities, which proved to be decisive in determining the final outcome.

This is the first major turning point in the political stalemate between the BN and Pakatan Rakyat among all of the 13 by-elections since March 2008.

From the ground, it was clear that the BN had the advantage in both seats, and I expected both wins. The results, however, are even larger than expected.

What happened?

It is important to understand that these two seats typify a particular form; they are mixed semi-rural seats, like Hulu Selangor. They represent the opposition’s political periphery – places where the opposition won unexpectedly in 2008 – and, importantly, are the current battleground for national power.

The BN’s double victories showcase their ability to win this type of seats and hold onto its dominant national position in government.

Allow me to elaborate some factors that shaped the results in what I have grouped under the ‘semi-rural’ category combined with some changes in the national political landscape.

1) Machinery and the personal touch

The BN was ready for these two battles. They had, as one party worker described, the “guns and bullets” to deliver the results. The preparation for the campaign began early and unlike the opposition which did not develop momentum until days into the campaign period, the BN was off and running from the onset.

The opposition was stretched and imported their party workers from nearby, as they lacked effective local networks. The fact that the two by-elections occurred on the same day weakened the collective Pakatan effort and points to the weakness of Pakatan nationally.

What is particular to semi-rural seats is the presence of the personal touch. BN’s strong local networks provided voters in these areas with people whom they could connect to and trust. The grassroots house-to-house approach worked well in these semi-rural areas.

In contrast, the deluge of Pakatan ‘outsiders’ did not translate into effective machinery on the ground, particularly since most came for only a few days and campaigning lacked the needed personal touch.

2) Political infighting

What weakened the opposition further was infighting, especially in Sabah. Granted, both sides had divisions, but Umno and BN were able to manage them better. They focused on their target – victory.

Cooperation was noticeably missing in the opposition, with people staying away from supporting the team. This was most obvious in Batu Sapi, where physical violence occurred at the start of the campaign, but this occurred as well in Galas, where PAS was internally conflicted about the need to win Galas and expend resources.

The divisions in the opposition extended beyond internal component parties to the relationship among the opposition actors, as tensions simmered over the choice of contesting in Batu Sapi and dissatisfaction over the pace of the campaign in both places.

One factor in particular that overshadowed the contests was PKR’s party polls. The Batu Sapi contest showed the negative impact of non-consultative decision-making. Many in PKR are still smarting from the perceived bully tactics of the West Malaysian party leaders. The failure to put aside personal ambitions and build bridges for the good of the party contributed to the losses in both places.

The electoral contest was a proxy arena for the internal party fight between an approach that is exclusionary and one that is more inclusive and decentralised. In order to win the political periphery, the opposition needs to be united. The unity in the BN made their victories decisive.

3) The role of local warlords

BN gains should also be credited to the local warlords – Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah and Musa Aman. These leaders reinforced the personal touch and provided the organisational base and local understanding for effective campaigns. They minimised infighting. What is striking here is the deficit of local leadership on Pakatan’s part.

The BN has returned to its approach of working effectively through decentralised decision-making and it earned dividends.

4) Limited appeal of national leaders

The crucial role of local intermediaries stands in contrast to the minimised impact of national leaders.

While Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin was on the ground, and should be credited for his success in the campaign, the absence of Prime Minister Najib Razak due to chicken pox was striking. He won by not going to the ground and making the campaign about the BN as a whole, not his persona or personal leadership.

For Pakatan’s national leaders, their presence did not yield the expected results. This was most obvious in Batu Sapi and for PKR leader Anwar Ibrahim, who was not able to move the party’s vote share to striking distance of victory as the BN won three times more votes.

While these leaders did win support, the contests showed that they cannot do it alone. The two by-elections are a wake-up call to Pakatan leaders to move beyond focusing on their own personal successes and issues and to lay out the policies and platforms to address the needs of the electorate.

Voters are rightly concerned that for Pakatan – with the slogan ‘The road to Putrajaya’ – the focus is on winning personal power for themselves, as it remains unclear exactly how supporting them will benefit voters.

5) Better multi-ethnic messaging

This issue connects squarely with the need to have consistent and clear messages. The ‘change’ rhetoric has lost its appeal, not only in Malaysia as Tuesday’s US election results show. Now it is more about the delivery and the content of the change.

One area in particular involves multi-ethnic cooperation. Pakatan’s approach has been to showcase individual leaders from different ethnic groups as a symbol of their ability to work together across races. Yet, Pakatan has not laid out a clear multi-ethnic platform that addresses the concerns of all groups in areas of rights and religion.

A focus on personal relationships is not enough. In Galas, questions percolated about Malay rights, for example, and PAS was not able to effectively address the concerns of voters who are less politicised and less familiar with the debates.

In Batu Sapi, the concerns of older generations of Sabahans regarding the new citizens were not adequately addressed, and in fact the focus on winning the support of the new Filipino voters backfired in a reduction of support among Chinese and Malays.

In the racialised polity of Malaysia and in mixed seats, appeals to individual groups need overarching platforms on how groups can co-exist peacefully. BN’s 1Malaysia rubric – although also limited in actual substance – provided much greater security to voters. This framework provided some traction in semi-rural areas, as it did in Hulu Selangor.

Another dimension on the messaging in these two seats is the fact that many voters in semi-rural areas do not read this article. They do not use online media and are less politicised. The BN’s use of the mainstream media gave it an advantage, and allowed it to reinforce its more accessible multi-ethnic framework and slogan.

Yet, this highlights the fact that connecting to the semi-rural periphery is a challenge for Pakatan.

6) Relative economic prosperity

It is particularly a challenge given that economic conditions in many of these semi-rural areas have changed. The issues of inflation and decreased commodity prices are no longer as salient.

Palm oil, rubber and logging provided relative gains for voters in these seats, as most – except the hardcore poor – believed that conditions had improved economically and credited the BN – and Najib – with these gains. Bread and butter issues are the main concern of voters in semi-rural areas.

The Chinese swing-back to the BN, estimated at 5% in Galas, can in part be contributed to better economic conditions there. A similar swing among Batu Sapi voters did not occur, as 3% more supported alternatives in Sabah, but these votes were split and the BN won the lion’s share of 42% of the Chinese vote.

The opposition faces an uphill task winning national power when economic conditions favour the incumbent government.

7) Young generation swing

This dynamic played out especially among younger voters, who did not support Pakatan to the same level as before. There was understandably lower turnout among younger voters who did not come back to vote, given that this election happened on a weekday. Yet, even among those who voted, BN support increased.

This was most obvious in Galas where an estimated 7% of younger voters moved toward BN. In Batu Sapi, younger voters moved to BN by an estimated 5%. This is an important national trend, given the large number of younger voters nationally. They want jobs and better wages. BN has capitalised on this more effectively.

8) Goodies

This brings me to my last point, intentionally placed last. There is a tendency to focus on the ‘goodies’, and excuse losses due to the uneven playing field in the allocation of resources.

This is always a factor in by-elections and clearly took place, although many voters are still waiting for their promised items. This support only goes only so far, and cannot exclusively explain the comparatively large gains that the BN made.

Winning the political periphery

The two by-elections show that the BN is gaining ground, and Najib’s policies are having an impact. They, however, are more effective in semi-rural areas – where development concerns, comparative economic prosperity, less political engagement and information, and less machinery and connections for Pakatan are present.

The victories cannot be extended to all seats, especially in the urban areas, and they are not a national phenomenon. Yet, they do suggest that the BN’s hold on national power is stronger and gaining. The momentum for the opposition has stopped as they have failed to win the political periphery of semi-rural mixed seats.

The BN was noticeably breathing easier – Batu Sapi and Galas have given them good reason to smile. But Sarawak – with its mix of seats – will provide a much better national test.

Special thanks to Tan Seng Keat for his insightful reflections in discussions after the by-election results in Batu Sapi and Malaysiakini reporters on the ground in both by-elections for their excellent reporting. Happy Deepavali to all.

DR BRIDGET WELSH is associate professor of political science at Singapore Management University. She was in both Batu Sapi and Galas to observe the two by-elections. Welsh can be reached at
[email protected]
.

                This entry was posted on Friday, 5 November 2010, 5:40 pm and is filed under
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The prerogative of choice

by
Goh Keat Peng

This we have to admire about the more established democracies: that there is no monopoly about which party will form the government of any level. The two or more main parties or coalitions of parties have reasonable chance. The people are not saddled effectively with just one choice. In recent times, the world has witnessed a change of government in Britain and just days ago, the House of Representatives in the US has changed hands. Just two years after a very popular president was swept into office, Congress is now in the hands of the opposition.

This should be the case in most things in life. An exception being family. We can of course choose who to marry or whether to marry at all. But we cannot choose which family we wish to be born in. This is of course because you can’t make choices before you have come into existence in the first place!

You go to a neighbourhood grocer’s and there is not just one brand of toothpaste or,  for that matter, toothbrush. With multiple choices for any product or service, an alternative is available. So a  decision becomes necessary on your part. It could be that you walk into a megastore of today with ten choices of anything and still only stick to one brand of anything. That’s your prerogative.

Choice is on the whole healthy for human beings. To have the prerogative of choice is what you and I must have.

Such a prerogative is not always extended to all. In fact, choices are limited and sometimes not possible for certain sections of the human race for reasons of poverty, for example. Having spent time working alongside poor communities, I have been able to witness for myself how and why poor people have few options in life let alone worry about what brand of toothpaste to use. Children of poor family walk to school on an empty stomach, arrive in school about two hours late and make little progress through tiredness and hunger. For them, which school to go to isn’t an option nor will it be their primary concern. Under such circumstances, parents will already do well if they can find a way to feed their children, put clean clothes on them and walk them to the only school for miles around just to arrive a little earlier.

In a consumer society like ours, we who can afford to care about multiple choices must also be circumscribe about what things and issues are more important than others. I won’t suffer much, for example, if my favourite brand of toothpaste, soap, soup, toilet tissue, instant noodles, shoes or socks isn’t available at times. I won’t die for lack of choices in such things for the simple reason that the differences between brands are not always very wide. Food is food, clothes are clothes, toothpaste is toothpaste and hopefully the gaps between branded goods are closing. For such everyday things and needs in life, the enterprising among us have found that sometimes the brandless, cheaper stuff turn out to be better. So among the choices we have, we can now also choose between the really expensive and the less expensive without too much loss of quality.

The prerogative of choice is important to human beings. This is especially true in the matter of choice of government.

Choice of government is very much more important.  My branded toothpaste may last two weeks if I am sparing in my use of it. If I am not happy with this particular brand, I can change brand the next time I go to the store. With government, change is much more diffuclt and complex. The opportunity to change a government is not as easy as going to the nearest convenience store.  An elected sitting government can by constitutional provision keep the power to govern for five long years at state or federal level. In Malaysia, for lack of alternative given the weakness of opposition fare, essentially the same party coalition has been in power for 53 years!

Nobody is suggesting that the Malaysian situation is like Myanmar or North Korea but, over the many years, we have been saddled with the same ruling coalition since independence and independence has become dependence. The message is that “You can’t trust anybody else but us” and “Change ruling party at your peril”. Never mind how this 53-year rule has in many instances and in many ways impacted the country and culture and business in negative ways! There is no choice so “Better stick to the devil you know than the devil you don’t”.

Moreover, and even more important than the 53 years of continuous rule under the same party coalition, the tactics, antics and stunts used to ensure that power stays only with one team continues unabated and unashamedly. The same pattern remains every election: liberal use of catchy slogans, promises, liberal payouts of goodies up to the eve of polling day. It seems that an unfailing formula is working and winning regardless of what happens or not happen between elections.

Come on Malaysia, even in sports, Tiger Woods, Roger Federer, Chicago Bulls and Manchester United are no longer Number 1!  Yet the game goes on in better state. It is because of higher standards of play, genius and fitness that the monopoly has come to an end and now that the stranglehold that former champions had on the prestigious titles have been loosened, we the sporting spectators can expect to see better matches and better returns for tickets we paid to enter the stadiums.

Time has come for change. Time to establish a two-party or two coalition system to provide Malaysians the preogative of choice they deserve. Time to show the powers that be that we cannot and will not depend only on them forever.

                This entry was posted on Friday, 5 November 2010, 1:12 pm and is filed under
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When the people are high on peyote…

Kee Thuan Chye

Nov 5, 10

Malaysiakini

COMMENT

The results of the two by-elections yesterday are portentous. No matter what analysts may say of their being isolated cases, or their being local stories with no bearing on the national saga, the implications could be deeper than some would care to admit.

Despite the decayed and fallen bridges in their villages, Sabahans stood squarely behind BN and returned its candidate to the parliamentary seat of Batu Sapi with an even bigger majority than in 2008.

They rejected the opposition candidates, one of whom was a former Sabah chief minister. He came off with the least number of votes and ended up a poor third to the PKR man. His Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) hoped to be a viable challenger to BN at the next general election, but after this defeat, it looks pretty unlikely.

It didn’t seem to matter to the Sabah electorate that the rotten bridges might reflect a rotten system. They were happy with the status quo.

And from the way it looks, they’ll be happy with it too at the next general election. By then, you can bet that those bridges would have been repaired.

In Kelantan, PAS lost its state seat of Galas to Umno, and that result was a definite letdown. Losing by a margin of 1,190 brought it close to a disaster. It looked like the Malays were flocking back to Umno, thanks perhaps to the rhetoric of the recent Umno general assembly. And the Chinese too, which was rather unexpected.

It appears the people are generally losing faith in Pakatan Rakyat. And for that, PKR has to accept the main responsibility.

First of all, Anwar Ibrahim failed to deliver his promise to take over the government on Sept 16, 2008. Then elected representatives from his party, PKR, started to leave and become independents friendly to BN. Its decline was concretised in its loss of the parliamentary seat of Hulu Selangor in the April by-election.

Lately, the poor image it created of itself in its party elections – marred by accusations of manipulation, unfair tactics, the washing of dirty linen in public by its own party leaders – has made it look like an amateur out of place in a professional theatre.

The real pros, meanwhile, like ‘best actor contender’ Najib Razak and even Muhyiddin Yassin, with help from ‘best supporting actress nominee’ Rosmah Mansor, have been treading the boards with confidence. They put their company in order and they showed it proudly to their audience.

Unwittingly, ‘foreign pro actress’ Hilary Clinton, the US secretary of state no less, helped give the ruling regime a boost by showing up in these parts just at the right time and commending Najib and Malaysia for calling for a global movement of moderates.

She even said Malaysia was recording the “right kind of growth”, probably after having been briefed on the Economic Transformation Programme (ETP). Voters looking on must surely have been swayed by her endorsement.

BN to remain in power

The writing is on the wall. BN will win the next GE. It’s now a matter of whether it will be a landslide. At the very least, BN should win back its two-thirds majority. Najib’s cunning will make sure of that. He needs a two-thirds to seal his hold on the Umno leadership, and he will get it, willy-nilly.

Najib has cleverly taken care of things. He’s winning over the Chinese gradually with his 1Malaysia and New Economic Model sleights-of-hand and apparent attempts to take Malaysia to high-income status.

Galas is a good indication of how the Chinese have been sold on this hype. He’s also promised sweeping reforms to retain skilled workers, to persuade Malaysian talents to return from overseas, and to make it easy for foreigners with expertise to work here, including providing permanent residence.

The Indians are already enamoured of him, going by the Merdeka Centre surveys earlier in the year and by BN’s win in the Hulu Selangor by-election when it fielded an MIC candidate. His recent appearance in Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur, with another ‘foreign actor’, Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh, has simply reinforced his good standing with them.

And he’s galvanised his own party – and race – with his pro-Malay speech at the recent Umno general assembly. He assured them that no one could ever take away their rights as these are enshrined in the Federal Constitution, and any amendment to the relevant article needs the consent of the Conference of Rulers.

It didn’t matter that this contradicted the spirit of his plans to liberalise the economy in order to make it more attractive to local and foreign investors; he knew he could get away with it – and it seems he has.

He’s a tricky politician, that one. Groomed by years of experience and perhaps tutelage under his father, plus advice from his public relations consultants, he knows how to push the right buttons. And so far, it’s working like a dream for him.

If all goes well, he should call for elections in the early part of next year before the global economy takes a dip, as some analysts expect it to in the later part of 2011.

With the Malaysian economy going well for him and the investments in the ETP he can boast of – even though quite a bit of it is window dressing – he will create a false sense of things being well. This will entice the electorate to fall for it as they have done so for the last five decades – so, whether you like it or not, BN will be returned to power.

Can Pakatan reverse the tide?

What can Pakatan Rakyat do about it? If the general election is called early next year, very little. The coalition has left it rather late to consolidate its position and prove its worth as a government-in-waiting.

Its lack of attention to its own public image has worked severely against it. Even if it stopped its internal bickering and went all out from now to turn voters to its cause, it will be hard to persuade people who have been fed Najib’s peyote. What feel-good counter-fix can Pakatan Rakyat top that with?

What Pakatan should have learned from observing Najib since he took over as prime minister is that you don’t really have to deliver the goods to make people believe and throw their support behind you; you only need to come up with dreams and get them excited over the possibility that these dreams might someday be achieved.

That is essentially what Najib has conjured, and even though he has not yet made a single dream come true, it sure as hell is making some kind of an impact.

KEE THUAN CHYE is the author of ‘March 8: The Day Malaysia Woke Up’, which just won 3rd prize in the Popular Readers’ Choice Awards. It has also been translated into Chinese.

                This entry was posted on Friday, 5 November 2010, 4:38 pm and is filed under
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I am a Malaysian first, second, and last

Letters

by
Dr Kamal Amzan

We are a nation that defines race in our constitution. Well, there is nothing wrong with that. But we should know that we are in the league with countries like South Africa and Israel.

Other countries have their own definition of race, but very few take pride enshrining it in their constitution.

Whatever your stand on that, let us admit one thing, we are not in the best of companies.

Religion teaches us that God created us as equals, and some even say that we are all related (albeit distantly). Say what you want, twist and cite all the verses in every holy scriptures you can, but the crux of the matter is that we are all the same before Him, we are all related even.

Yes people, that makes us brothers, sisters, first cousins, second cousins and distant cousins if you must.

In my opinion, 1Malaysia was a long and overdue call. A battle cry, after years of trouble. However, being a sceptic that I am, it was a call that sounded too good to be true.

And i didn’t wait long to be proven right. The first crack was when the government ministers hesitated to declare themselves a Malaysian first vis a vis their race. I assure you their silence (elegant or not) speak volumes, and is more deafening with each passing day in the eye of the Malaysian public.

Second was when an independent member of parliament from Pasir Mas (who later had a heart attack) started ranting on and on about a topic that would have landed anyone else into ISA. Surprisingly a statesman followed suit. Mind you, this statesman was the first to introduce the term ‘Bangsa Malaysia’ in the 90’s and the idol to millions including myself at one point or another.

Third was when government servants, I repeat ‘servants’ made seditious, racial remarks in school, and in government run camps. They seem to forget they are paid by the Malaysian public – brown, yellow, green, red and black people combined. Worse was when our leaders said they didn’t have the power to do anything about it. I couldn’t believe my ears because if they don’t, who does?

Fourth was when they called a rapper to give his statement for voicing out his anger, due to the fore-mentioned injustices online. A hint, this rapper was first famous for his one-hit ‘negarakuku’.

I pity him. I really do and my heart goes to him, his family and friends for speaking up. They cannot be blamed for emulating and taking cues from the MP of Pasir Mas.

But that was the last straw for me.

Don’t get me wrong, I am proud to be a Malay and all that it entails, but being Malaysian is always first, and everything else comes second.

It is always about putting the national interest before oneself, before society and community. And when you do that, you automatically become a Malaysian first.

People look hard for reasons to disunite, even when there’s none. At the end, the winner will be a powerless master in a broken country from disunity.

It is not wrong to say that we would fare better without politicians fanning the flames. As far as i’m concerned, most of them are hypocrites. They demand one thing and request another. They speak like they own the world and preach us to sacrifice what we have, when they themselves are reluctant to sacrifice an iota of their common sense for the benefit of the masses.

Not to say they have a lot of common sense to begin with.

To all my brothers, sisters, cousins, whoever you are, wherever you are, whatever you are, we are all Malaysians in the eyes of the world, and we are a sight and strength to be reckoned with, together.

Similar to a combination of colors forming a rainbow or pieces of jigsaw puzzle that is priceless together, but worthless apart.

Let us not tear this magnificent rainbow away.

As we move towards the year end, our resolution must be to put this country first before any man, woman or child. That our differences should and must be our strength, not weakness and that we should build the future by graduating from the past.

Our children should thrive in an environment that promotes respect, tolerance, and celebration of each other’s differences, not antagonize, suspect and oppress one another. They should stand equally tall, speak equally loud and strive equally hard to realize each and every one of our dreams.

They should all be Malaysian first,second and third and none else in between.

Then and only then will we truly live the spirit and virtue of 1Malaysia.

I offer no apology for saying all this and more.

                This entry was posted on Saturday, 6 November 2010, 8:57 pm and is filed under
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Ku Li delivers, what has Umno to offer?

Free Malaysia Today

05 Nov 2010

GUA MUSANG: Gua Musang MP Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah believes that loyalty has no expiry date so long as the candidate does not go back on his promises.

This was reflected in Galas when Barisan Nasional (BN) wrested the state seat from PAS by a bigger majority of 1,190 votes, nearly double the majority PAS won in the 2008 general election.

Leading the charge was Razaleigh, fondly known as Ku Li, who is no alien to the voters in Galas, which comes under his Gua Musang parliamentary seat.

He has proven to the BN, particularly Umno, that the party need not spent money to win votes, need not promise the stars and the moon to convince the people, and need not show its power by implementing projects.

Razaleigh showed that the only way to win over the hearts and minds of the voters is by being loyal and sincere to the people.

When he became the BN election director, he crafted a strategy that paid off: no new buildings, no new schools or projects, no resurfacing roads and repairing bridges, no handing out of cash.

He also made sure that no ministers came to officiate at functions as their convoy of flashy and expensive cars would put people off.

It was a also gentlemanly campaign: both rivals avoided “hitting below the belt” such as character assassinations and making derogatory comments.

Charm offensive

Razaleigh proved that a battle could be won without making any fuss, or hurting each other’s feelings.

He charmed the people with his warm and friendly personality but, most importantly, he showed that he had never lost the trust of the people whom he had loyally served the past 40 years as an MP.

There had been some minor bumps on the Galas road when former assemblyman Mohd Soufi Deraman and Wanita chief Wan Huzani Mohd Nor created some stir with their plan to boycott the election. But Razaleigh decided to lie low as he went about from house to house to strengthen ties and renew old contacts.

Voters in this remote constituency have known Razaleigh since 1971 and have stayed faithful to him through his ups and downs.

Even when he formed Semangat 46, a splinter party of Umno, the voters did not abandon him.

Yet again they rallied around his banner when they voted out PAS yesterday. The Chinese, Indians and the Orang Alsi delivered the votes without seeking any funds or gifts.

Such was the pulling power of Ku Li that even PAS speakers did not go out of the way to run him down. And Umno must surely be sitting up and taking notice of this old warrior who still has the gumption and fire in his belly to take up the cudgels for Umno.

In short, BN’s victory in Galas is Ku Li’s victory.

The prince has delivered Galas to BN. Now what has Umno to offer him?

                This entry was posted on Saturday, 6 November 2010, 5:21 pm and is filed under
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Send In the Datuks

By
Kee Thuan Chye

Malaysian Digest

 04 November 2010

I HAD a good cackle the other day – over a caption that appeared in an article of a mainstream newspaper. It was for photographs of four Malaysian singers who had appeared as the opening acts for George Benson when he performed in Kuala Lumpur on Oct 29.

The caption named them as “Datuk Sheila Majid, Datuk Siti Nurhaliza, Datuk David Arumugam and Datuk Khatijah Ibrahim”. Another one whose picture was not included but mentioned in the article is “Datuk Yusni Hamid”.

Five datuks performing as a prelude to Benson’s entrance. Wow! He might have been bowled over if he had known. But then again, it might not have mattered a mite to a citizen of the American republic that upholds egalitarianism.

To him, it might have seemed that datuks in Malaysia are a dime a dozen. And that only Malaysians seem to take such titles seriously. If Cliff Richard, Elton John, Paul McCartney and Mick Jagger performed on the same stage and their photographs appeared in a British newspaper the next day, the caption would not read: “Sir Cliff, Sir Elton, Sir Paul and Sir Mick.” You can bet they would be simply referred to as Richard, John, McCartney and Jagger. Or just by their first names.

Hey! If you’re an artist, you don’t need to be referred to as “Sir”, right? It’s your art that defines you, no? And those fans out there watching the concert – would they care a hoot if you’re a Sir or Datuk? Does having the title make your voice sound better? Hmmm… maybe to Malaysians, it does.

A couple of months ago, I had to cackle too when I read that Melaka had created a new datukship that is lower in class to the existing one.

Called Darjah Pangkuan Seri Melaka (DPSM), it is given to people in government positions that are lower than those of the people receiving the Darjah Mulia Seri Melaka (DMSM). So if your boss is a director-general, he’ll get the DMSM but you are entitled only to the lesser DPSM. Cackle out loud!

Other states, it seems, also have such a classification for the datukships they give out. They call these ‘Class I’ and ‘Class II’. Imagine that, even datuks fall into Class I or Class II. Cackle out louder!

But not to worry. As the Melaka Chief Minister quipped, they are still called Datuk anyway.

Hey, but next time someone tries to be pompous and says, “Do you know who I am? I’m a datuk”, you can ask them, “Class I or Class II?”

Still, it must be grand to be a datuk since so many people want to be one. Some would even pay good money to get the title. In a recent report, the purchasing fee for one case was quoted at RM300,000. That’s quite a sum to pay. Or maybe not if you can afford it. I wonder if you could write it off as business expenses.

It seems Malaysia has so many datuks now that the joke going round has been modified. It used to be that if you were to throw a stone in Bukit Bintang, you would hit a datuk; now if you were to throw one in Oxford Street, which happens to be in faraway London, you would hit a datuk too.

What would happen if in the near future, there are so many datuks that the title becomes devalued? If we can see it happening on a concert stage, why not in a wider context? Then datuks would come to be taken for granted. And once they reach critical mass, their significance – God forbid! – might even disappear. They might come to be treated like one of us.

Not so much prestige, status and recognition as before. Not so special any more the feeling of being a datuk. Everyone around the wedding dinner table is one. Imagine the dinner conversation:

“Datuk, please have the last piece.”

“Thank you, Datuk, you go ahead. I’ve had enough.”

“So have I, Datuk. Perhaps the datuk beside you would like to have it?”

“Datuk Apanama, would you like to have it?”

“No, Datuk, I’m superstitious, I don’t want to end up an old maid.”

“Oh, of course, Datuk, I’m sorry. I keep thinking of datuks as men.”

“I beg your pardon, Datuk! Can’t you tell from my looks that I’m a woman?”

Suddenly, there’s a commotion at the next table. The real identity of one of the guests has been exposed – he is not a real datuk! Horror of horrors! What’s worse, he has been masquerading as one for years – and fooling his business associates, some of whom are now seated at that table!

“You are worse than scum, Datuk!” yells one of the business associates furiously.

“He’s not a real datuk, don’t call him that!” yells another.

“Oops, sorry, habit laa.”

“Let’s throw him out for deceiving us all these years!” yells yet another business associate.

“Yes!” yell several business associates.

A well-built young man in a suit and bowtie saunters by. One of the business associates calls to him, “Hey, waiter.”

The young man glares back and replies, “Excuse me, I’m not a waiter. I’m a datuk!”

“Really?” said the business associate, surprised. “You’re so young, you don’t even look 30.”

“So what? I’m 28. And I’m a sportsman.”

“Why are they giving out datukships to people so young?”

“Hey, at least I got mine for serving the country. How did you get yours?”

“Are you insulting me, you young ciku?”

Before you know it, the whole wedding ends in pandemonium! The poor couple who are getting married will remember it as the Dinner of Duelling Datuks. So will the bride’s parents, who are both datuks, and the bridegroom’s parents, who are also both datuks.

How wonderful it is that we have a class of people who are higher than us commoners. Without them, life would be so much duller, and certainly less funny. Even with a “Datuk” to his name, David Arumugam sounds much cooler. And now when he sings ‘Dapatkah?’, it sounds so much more meaningful. Not bad for a kucing lorong eh? Kakakakaka …

                This entry was posted on Saturday, 6 November 2010, 12:29 pm and is filed under
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The Corollary to Globalization

by
Bakri Musa

Chapter 5:  Understanding Globalization (Cont’d)

The Corollary to Globalization

A corollary to globalization is the development of a common acceptable standard, or to use the language of computers, a common platform, or at least a compatible operating system.  In the computer industry, a common platform enables my computer to link and communicate with thousands of other computers.  One of the common platforms of globalization is language.  There is a need for a common language to facilitate communication.  By default English is now assuming that role.  This is not a dictate from Britain or America but simply the result of an evolving pattern.

            Another imperative would be a common currency.  At present there is no single currency that has successfully assumed the role of a global currency.  In pre-Breton Wood days when the dollar was tied to gold, it could probably be acceptable as a world currency.  And indeed it was.  Currently the dollar is like any other currency, backed only by the confidence consumers and investors have on the underlying American economy.  When that confidence is high, the value of the American dollar shoots up; when America runs chronic deficits and its financial house in disarray, the dollar plummets.  It has ranged from over 300 yen to under 80, all within a few decades.

            It is more likely that eventually the world would settle into a few major currencies, with the others tied to one of them.  Western Europe has dispensed with its multitude of currencies into the euro.  The dollar is fast becoming the currency of choice in the Western hemisphere.

            Panama and more recently Ecuador have dollarized their economies, dispensing with their own currencies.  The more currencies there are, the more exchange rates there will be, and more opportunities for currency traders to exploit.  The best way to put these traders out of business is not to rant and rave against them or label their activities “unnecessary, unproductive and immoral” (Mahathir’s phrase), but to have a single world currency, or at least only a few.

            In the Caribbean and Mexico, the dollar is the de facto marketplace currency; only government employees are paid with the national currency.  Everyone else, especially taxi drivers and airport porters, insist on the dollar.  Before Ecuador dollarized its economy in January 2000, its sucre was gyrating from 14,000 to 26,000 to the dollar.  Ridiculous!  You would need a wheelbarrow full of notes to execute even a single transaction, reminiscent of pre-Hitler Germany.  With dollarization, confidence was immediately restored and Ecuador’s GDP, which contracted by 8 percent in 1999, was poised to expand by an impressive 4.5 percent in 2001.  Meanwhile inflation dropped from a dizzying 90 percent in 2000 to the mid teens in 2001.

            Dollarization brings its own peculiar and unanticipated problems.  In Ecuador, airport porters who once were gleeful with a few hundred sucres in tips (pennies in US currency), now belittle “only a dollar” tip!

            Illiterate peasants who once could value paper money by its size and color are now easily confused by the similarity of the various dollar denominations.  Many Ecuadorian retailers now refuse to accept denominations over $20.00 for fear of counterfeit notes.

            Adopting the dollar means more than just simply replacing worthless local notes with the greenback.  It commits the nation to some very profound economic and non-economic changes.  Henceforth that nation would be linking its economic and other fates with America.  The Federal Reserve Bank and Washington, DC, would determine its monetary and other policies.  For most Third World countries, seeing how incompetent their leaders are, that would represent a significant improvement.

            Dollarization or even strict dollar linkage is no economic panacea.  Argentina gave up its peso-dollar linkage recently because the stronger dollar made its exports more expensive and thus less competitive vis a vis its neighbors.  Even though Malaysia is not dollarized, nonetheless by pegging its ringgit to the dollar, she would also be made similarly vulnerable.  The current major economic threat to Malaysia is if China in particular were to devalue its yuan, then Malaysian exports would be at a significant disadvantage price-wise.

            Mahathir never fails to rail against currency speculators whom he blames for the economic crisis of 1997.  There is another simple and effective way to prevent speculations on the ringgit.  Get rid of it, by dollarizing the economy.  No one will miss the ringgit.  There are plenty of other places where we can put the picture of the king’s head.

            This idea that every little nation should have its own currency, central bank, and even airline is nonsensical.  Were California to be an independent state, its economy would be the fifth largest, yet it does not have any of those expensive state symbols.  When Malaysia imposed capital controls in1998, Bank Negara had to recruit hundreds of new workers.  But they were not employed to monitor wayward banks but to check on travelers entering and leaving the country, and to process the now voluminous paper work necessary for routine foreign fund transfers.  Totally nonproductive work, essentially paper pushing activity!

            Had Malaysia adopted the dollar, Bank Negara would be relieved of these tedious non-productive chores.  It would then be able to concentrate on doing what central banks are supposed to do – keep close tabs on local financial institutions.  Had Bank Negara been diligent in its primary function, Malaysia would not have had the Bank Bumiputra debacle or the massive dud loans now strangling the Malaysian banking system.  The incompetence if not malfeasance of Malaysian bankers was what aggravated (or even contributed to) the economic crisis.

            By adopting the dollar or any other major currency, Malaysia would be demonstrating its commitment to embracing globalization.  I prefer the dollar for many reasons.  One, Malaysia’s foreign trade is already 80 percent dollar-denominated anyway.  Two, we are more familiar with it than with the yen or euro.  Last, and most important, I have more faith in the American economy than that of the European or Japanese.

            Mahathir’s proposal for an ASEAN currency has no merit.  Not many Malaysians would trust the central bankers of Indonesia, Thailand, and Philippines to maintain the value and integrity of their hard-earned money.  Mark Mobius of Templeton Fund had a similar idea, but he added the important proviso that such a currency be backed by gold to prevent those bankers from printing money at will.

            The Islamic world had a universal currency based on gold (dinar) and silver (durham) that Muslim enthusiasts are now trying to resurrect.  In concept this is commendable but beyond academic seminars and political posturing, there is not much being done to bring the idea to fruition.

            Having a gold-backed currency alone is not enough.  There must also be trustworthy and reliable banking systems to go along with it.

Next:  Correlates of the IT Revolution

                This entry was posted on Saturday, 6 November 2010, 1:16 pm and is filed under
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