Planned International Internet Bandwidth for HSBB

Lim Kit Siang [Ipoh Timur]
 minta Menteri Penerangan, Komunikasi dan Kebudayaan menyatakan beberapakah jalur lebar Internet antarabangsa yang akan ditambah mengikut perancangan oleh TM untuk menampung HSBB dan penggunaan Internet Streamyx bagi setiap suku tahun (quarterly) mulai 2009 sehingga 2014.

Jawapan:

Untuk makluman, perancangan penambahan kapasiti jalur lebar pihak TM dibuat secara tahunan dan bukan mengikut suku tahun. Sehingga 2 Jun 2009, jumlah kapasiti jalur lebar Internet antarabangsa adalah sebanyak 112.0Gbps. Bagi tahun 2009, kapasiti jalur lebar Internet antarabangsa yang dirancang adalah sebanyak 149.4 Gbps dan dijangka meningkat kepada 715.0 Gbps pada tahun 2013.

Jumlah anggaran perancangan kapasiti jalur lebar Internet yang akan ditambah untuk menampung keperluan perkhidmatan TM mengikut tahun adalah seperti berikut :

Tahun

Kapasiti

2009

149.4 Gbps

2010

190.1 Gbps

2011

405.8 Gbps

2012

547.6 Gbps

2013

715.0 Gbps

Selain itu, perancangan ini akan turut disokong beberapa insiatif lain seperti pemusatan kandungan (content hubbing) dan peningkatan hos tempatan (mirroring site) agar penggunaan kapasiti antarabangsa lebih efisien di samping mengurangkan pengaliran keluar trafik.

Related Post :
Malaysia in unchecked plunge in IT international competitiveness as illustrated by another adverse global study – the 2009 Oxford/Cisco Global Broadband Quality Score (2 Oct. 2009)

                This entry was posted on Wednesday, 21 October 2009, 10:15 am and is filed under
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Porntip expert testimony at TBH Inquest

Twitter

10/21/2009 11:57 AM

inquest adjourned till 2pm

10/21/2009 11:37 AM

Coroner taking over questioning of Porntip after Selangor govt counsel Malik Imtiaz

10/21/2009 11:26 AM

In Porntip’s opinion cause of TBH death is 20 percent suicide 80 percent homicide

10/21/2009 11:22 AM

TeohBengHock inquest Thai Porntip expert testimony TBH injury compatible with manual strangulation TBH landed on his feet while unconscious

                This entry was posted on Wednesday, 21 October 2009, 12:46 pm and is filed under
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First week of budget meeting of Parliament does not show that Najib has the political will to effect the far-reaching changes he promised in his “1Malaysia. People First. Performance Now” slogan

Apart from the announcement that Sept. 16 will be a public holiday from next year, the first week of the budget meeting of Parliament does not show that the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has the political will to effect the far-reaching changes he promised in his “1Malaysia. People First. Performance Now” slogan.

This week has turned into a week of horrors, not least, the annual horror tales of the bottomless pit of government extravagance, waste, abuse of power and corruption in the 2008 Auditor-General’s Reports, which caused nation-wide shock and outrage for a few days, which will then be  forgotten until a year later when  another new round of revelations of government financial excesses and abuses are exposed.

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has come out with a very guarded response stating that it is studying the Auditor-General’s Report 2008 to see if there are elements of corruption, misconduct and abuse of power in the management of public funds.

This is a far cry from the quite “gung-ho” response of the  Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) two years ago to the tabling of the  Auditor-General’s 2006 Report, with the ACA  Director-General Datuk Ahmad Said Hamdan proclaiming that the ACA had begun investigations into some of the alleged wrongdoings in the AG’s report long before it was tabled in Parliament – as the agency had received copies of the Auditor-General’s Reports  “some time ago”.

Why is the MACC, which has taken over ACA to become more effective and successful in the war against corruption, proving to be the opposite – when it should be now  full steam to investigate into the financial improprieties and irregularities as exposed by the Auditor-General’s 2008 Reports as it  would have received them  much earlier  as is the practice?

Is this because the MACC has nothing much to show for its investigations into the shocking exposes of financial improprieties, irregularities and malpractices of past Auditor-General reports and has learnt the lesson not to raise false hopes?

Other events in the past week, both inside and outside Parliament, which do not contribute to public confidence that Najib has the political will to effect far-reaching reforms despite his “1Malaysia. People First. Performance Now” slogan are:

The RM12.5 billion Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) scandal – no political will to give full accountability and transparency when  my question of the PKFZ scandal on the first day of Parliament on  Oct. 19 was taken off for six weeks till Dec. 3, which has never happened before in 52 years of Parliament;

Renewal of  Tan Sri Musa Hassan as IGP – the ridiculous parliamentary  answer by the Deputy Home Minister, Abu Seman Yusup that  Musa’s term was extended for a year because of his “excellent performance”.

Closure of V.K. Lingam case, as revealed by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz that no legal action would be taken despite the recommendation of the Royal  Commission of Inquiry into Lingam Tapes that action be taken.

Teoh Beng Hock’s mysterious death at MACC Hqrs in Shah Alam on July 16, 2009, and the expert testimony by Thai forensic pathologist Dr. Pornthip Rojanasunand of 80 percent  probability of homicide and only 20 per cent suicide.

These events all point to one direction – that the Najib premiership has no political will to effect far-reaching reforms to restore national and international confidence in the key national institutions in the country, in particular the judiciary, the Attorney-General’s Chambers, the Police and the MACC and to declare an all-out war against corruption.

                This entry was posted on Thursday, 22 October 2009, 1:26 pm and is filed under
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Parliament should repay Karpal and Fong Po Kuan for illegally withholding their parliamentary remuneration when they were previously suspended from Parliament respectively in 2004 and 2001

Kuala Lumpur High Court judge, Justice Mohd Ariff Mohd Yusoff today ruled that it has no jurisdiction to challenge the 12-month suspension of DAP MP for Puchong, Gobind Singh Deo from Parliament, but ordered Parliament to pay Gobind his parliamentary remuneration as it does not have powers to withhold it.

Gobind was suspended for 12 months from Parliament without remuneration in March this year when he linked the then Deputy Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak with the murder of Mongolian Altantuya Shaariibuu.

Parliament should repay DAP MP for Bukit Gelugor Karpal Singh and DAP MP for Batu Gajah Fong Po Kuan for illegally  withholding their parliamentary remuneration when they were previously suspended from Parliament respectively in 2004 and 2001.

                This entry was posted on Thursday, 22 October 2009, 5:08 pm and is filed under
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THE CIVIL SERVICE – a Malaysian perspective.

By
Hussein Hamid

The Civil Service assist the business of Government with the ruling party of the day. The Civil Service has in the past recruited its employees based on the principle of selection on merit and on the basis of fair and open competition. With the British the key element of the Civil Service is its political impartiality. The Civil Service administrative impartiality in Malaysia has been brought into question by UMNO’s distinctive approach to Public Administration. We need to examine what is the nature and impact of political involvement by the political elites on the Civil Service of our country.

When we first got our independence the Politician makes the policy and the Civil Servant execute it. There was no corruption and everything was accountable and transparent. To buy a small item one must have a quotation. The more expensive item has to be tendered out and the development project was carried out by the JKR.

But things slowly began to change, as UMNO wanted politically a committed Civil Service because they perceived that Party allegiance is important to those who were going to implement their policies. UMNO embarked on a strategy to enhance their control over the Civil Servants to ensure bureaucratic compliance with their way of doing things e.g. the award of tenders to preferred contractors and cronies, divide and rule of the people based on race, selective prosecution of the opposition, a Police Force that will do their biddings etc etc.

The appointment of political appointees to “advise and to oversee’ the Civil Service and the appointments of preferred top civil servants by the politicians was done on the mistaken premise that this would energize a normally neutral Civil Service into a “Committed Bureaucracy!” Political influence over appointments in Public office – especially at senior levels – became more pronounced. This in turn resulted in the pervasiveness of patronage by these Civil Servants to the Politicians.

We should give thought to not only how these Senior Civil Servants were appointed but also in the manner of their leaving. Some are transferred laterally, some are put in cold storage and some will have their retirement postponed and their tenure extended on a contract basis at the pleasure of the Barisan Politicians/Ministers. All this is indicative of the politicization of the Civil Servants.

So what now defines the career of a civil servant – merit or political patronage? And what is the impact of these changes?

As Barisan Nasional tighten its control over Government and the Civil Service, did it actually make any difference to the implementation of Government Policies or was it done more for the maintenance of the Political elites and the elites within the Civil Service?

Let us look at the coming of Daim. When Daim became the Finance Minister, with a view of political expediency, the whole system was changed. The Ministry of Finance took over the tender part from the JKR on major projects. In some projects there was not even a tender process – direct negotiation with the contractor or the supplier was conducted. The line continued to blur and accountability and transparency was not heard of anymore. The Government officer followed the orders of his Ministers and other political appointees. And since there was no change of political party for the last fifty years this became the accepted norm throughout the Civil Service. The KSU and his Department became an extension of his Minister’s ‘team’. The Civil servants continued to become the yes man to the politician whether they like it or not. The Barisan Nasional politician was all-powerful that they could make the job as a government officer miserable if you did not do their biddings.

Remember all government money is given to the Head of Department via an Allocation Warrant and politician cannot spend the money without the approval of the Head of Department. So to play safe Government officer just play along with the politician and execute what the politicians decided. Thus the Malaysian Civil Service became a mirror of what was happening within UMNO – or to be more brutal, more often then not colluded with the politicians and too often became willing participants of the politics of patronage. A number of KSU were beneficiaries of political patronage and retired wealthy beyond their means! Some even joined business that they had ‘assisted’ during their KSU’s tenure – compromising not only their personal integrity but also that of the Civil Service.

The March 8th 2008 election changed the status quo of a number of states. The difference is that in some states like Selangor, Penang, Kedah the Barisan Nasional was no longer the Policy maker. The Pakatan Rakyat party replaced them. It looks like the Government officer are learning and adjusting to the situation well. Of course there are government officers who are loyal to the BN and that is where the problem start but I think eventually the government officer would all wake up from the BN spell and be a truly executive power. It is only natural that the ruling party  would want officers who are loyal to them. But I think the Government officer are learning fast and would be loyal to whatever government is in power be it BN or PR.

It must be noted that the extension of the service of senior civil servants beyond the mandatory age of retirement is detrimental to the morale of those in the lower echelons and should be discontinued. Nobody is indispensable. However the retirement age of 56 yrs and is too young for the present generation whose life expectancy is 72. The British did the pension law during a different era. Now folks are healthier and will live up to 70. Singapore has increase the retirement age to 60 years. There are good officers that should be retained – especially the professional one – but the law has to be changed and the retirement age be raised as in the advanced countries. Possibly 56 is too young to retire.

We are a changing society and the government officer as well the politician is learning as well. But this is a capitalist Democracy and the party in power surely want to exploit the monetary benefit of being in power. That is the reality and we all have to live with it. But what the rakyat want now is simple. Accountability and transparency.

The lack of succession planning in the civil service has reached serious proportions. If the Malayanisation policy has worked before where our officers were groomed to take over the reins from the expatriates, I do not see why we could not emulate this now. All I can say is that it works to the advantage of politicians rather than the civil service, whereby the “Contractors” are beholden to them by virtue of such extensions and completely owe their loyalty to the Members of the Administration instead of to the King and Country.

In conclusion it must be said that the Civil Service is a loyal servant of the Government of the day. Our problem is that when a Government takes it upon itself to compromise the Civil Service for its own end, not for the Rakyat, then a conflict of interest will arise. The Rakyat now knows more about the success and failures of Government initiatives. Ultimately Government and the Civil Service accountability is to the Public – the Public will want to know what are the benefits they  derived from these public expenditures. Are their needs being resolved or are the Civil Service becoming increasingly distanced from the voting public? Are the demands of the Political elites being met at the expense of the Rakyat?

We have seen what happened in Selangor with the SELCAT inquiries. The Politican leaves but the civil servant remains. All KSU and PTD are loyal to the government in power. Actually the relationship of Government officer and Politician is a Love and Hate relationship. In creating project most of the input are from government officer. Only the big project come from their political masters but the working paper are still done by the government officer. Actually the country could run without the political leadership. Our administration that we inherit from the British is good and we could do better with educated KSU and Heads of Department. This is happening now. Soon we would be like Japan where the change in leadership does not make much difference. For now the Civil Service serves two masters. The Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat. It will evolve to meet the expectations and aspirations of their Political Masters. We wait to see which Master will put the aspirations and expectations of the people ahead of the interests of their Political parties.

                This entry was posted on Friday, 23 October 2009, 9:46 am and is filed under
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Three MCA factions of Ong, Liow and Chua re-assembled as “1MCA” under Najib’s “1Malaysia” dictate with RM12.5 billion PKFZ scandal as the greatest casualty as it has disappeared from the radar of the MCA leaders

The three MCA factions of  Ong Tee Keat, Liow Tiong Lai and Chua Soi Lek have re-assembled as “1MCA” under the dictate of  Prime Minister Najib Razak’s “1Malaysia” but the “mother of all scandals”, the
RM12.5 billion Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) scandal
 is the greatest casualty as it has disappeared from the radar of the MCA leaders.

When the Ong faction split asunder at the MCA central committee meeting of Oct. 14 following Ong’s refusal to resign as MCA President despite the passing of a motion of no confidence in his leadership at the Oct. 10 MCA extraordinary general meeting (EGM), Ong wrote in his blog to justify his decision:

“I still have a long list of unfinished business involving Party and public interests, like the direct election of the MCA presidency and the Port Klang Free Zone issue. It is my wish to see such issues be addressed without any abrupt disruption.”

Yesterday, Ong conspicuously omitted any mention of the PKFZ scandal when he reiterated that he had “unfinished work” as reasons for the reconciliation with Chua and Liow to reassemble the ill-fated and short-lived “1MCA-1Team” which he had launched on the eve of the Oct. 10 EGM but had not survived for more than 48 hours.

Is  full accountability and transparency for the RM12.5 billion PKFZ scandal a casualty of the latest MCA “greater unity plan” of the Ong, Liow and Chua factions?

Clearly, it will not be the only one.

For some two months in the run-up to the Oct. 10 MCA EGM, the over 2,300 MCA delegates, the Chinese community and the Malaysian people were told that great issues of right and wrong were involved but they have  proved to be, as Shakespeare would describe it, “A tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing”.

The roiling MCA crisis provide many salutary lessons why statements by  political leaders cannot be taken at their face value. For instance,  while Deputy Prime Minister and Deputy Umno President, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin was saying publicly on Tuesday  that Najib will not intervene in the MCA leadership crisis unless asked to do so by all members of the MCA Central Committee, top MCA leaders were already trooping into Najib’s presence for a “peace pow-wow” without the knowledge or consent of the MCA central committee members.

The Oct. 10 MCA EGM proved that there were  not just two factions –  Ong and Chua factions –  in the MCA, but also a “third force” causing the EGM to end  with a most unprecedented and completely unexpected result, rejecting both Ong and Chua.

But hovering over them is a  more powerful force – the  “super force” of Umno, as personified by Najib.

The MCA central committee members, the 2,300 delegates, the Malaysian Chinese community and the entire Malaysian people have all been taken for a ride!

                This entry was posted on Friday, 23 October 2009, 11:37 am and is filed under
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Idealism: The heartbeat of a nation

By
Augustine Anthony

There are those who subscribe to the principle that to live is everything and by this they  believe that we are all here to survive and in order to survive we just have to be practical (realism). On the other hand there are others who subscribe to the principle that a life without idealism is devoid of greatness thus such existence means little. Both are acceptable principles depending on the tint of the glass through which we look at things.

Idealism

The greatest of the leaders who have had captivated and captured the imagination of any movement or nation with their idealism are people with an aura of simplicity of life and a complexity of mind. In these leaders idealism manifested in all the greatness and glorious honesty to the point where people were passionately attracted to and magnetically drawn to these leaders to  wholeheartedly support their cause even to the point of great cost to the personal well being of people .

But in our country today, what kind of leaders are we blessed or cursed with? Far from the simplicity of life and complexity of mind, these leaders manifest the blemished opposite which is a caustic complexity of life and simplicity of mind where superfluous needs takes center stage.

The fact is, many of these leaders are children in grown up bodies. It is for this reason we can see that they so willingly trade their ideals for bangles, beads and baubles. Throw the cry babies a toy and savor the serenity of their silence, such has become the cynical riposte. Toys remain toys whether it is Barbie dolls and lightsabers for children or the latest and the newest sports cars, limousines, expensive show off watches, private yachts, private jets or the second holiday villa amassed through ill gotten gains.

To maintain these unnecessary needs at the expense of great sufferings to the people, the leaders particularly the politicians (except for a few notable and dedicated ones in service to our nation) , are prepared to be glib tongued imposters, violence inciting mobsters and messengers of hate who do not seem to understand that a nation without common idealism is like a ship that drifts in uncharted waters without continuity of purpose and direction.

These selfish politicians are very “practical” people. They are masters in the art of personal survival albeit a survival without a legacy for the future generations to put on a pedestal. Their existence is without idealism. They rarely ask themselves the personal question of how they wish to be remembered. In death their memories will be instantly forgotten.

Practicality for them provides instant intoxication but conveniently forgetting that idealism is the heartbeat of our soul that breaks new thresholds in every field. An embryo in gestation within the womb of idealism will in birth reveal men/women in grace who will die for a cause.

A national idealism that can draw everyone to a common platform is a must. Every nation and every discovery and every field that had been touched by the force of idealism had propelled all of them to greatness beyond the imagination of most intelligent practical thinkers.

History is witness to every conquest that was only possible through idealism.

Idealism is Sports

For more than a century in the field of athletic prowess, no man could break the record of running below 4 minutes in the one mile race. In fact all practical sports experts, analysts and commentators were of the conclusion that it is humanly impossible to do under 4 minutes in the one mile race.

Roger Bannister an athlete just like any other but with ideals of doing what others could not do. He thought beyond the practicality of just winning the race. He had the idealism of being the first man to do under 4 minutes. In May 1956 Roger Bannister broke the meet record and clocked 3.59.04 and simultaneously broke the human mental block. And within less than 2 months another athlete broke the under 4 minute’s impossibility. Then under 4 minutes was being achieved more frequently the ever. If today an athlete cannot do under 4 minutes, he better not compete because college students are easily achieving it. All it took was one man with ideals to triumph over the mental block brought about by the practicality of a mere winning of the race.

In later life Roger Bannister went on to accomplish many great things in the medicinal field of neurology.

In a video recording, a young and very poor 13 year old boy from a shanty town was asked, what his dreams were and he answered, firstly to play for his country and secondly to carry the Football (FIFA) World Cup. That poor boy with idealism went on, not only to play for his country and carry the Copa Mondial but also became the greatest footballer with the greatest solo goal ever. Diego Armando Maradona!  He may die one day but because of his ideals, football will live.

Idealism in Science

Bedtime stories for children of  mermaids diving the depths of the Ocean yet able to breathe fresh air by the beach and Peter Pan flying in the sky like a bird yet walk like any other boy were not acceptable thoughts in a real world then and were dismissed by ‘intelligent practical thinkers’ as humanly impossible. They argued that only demented children could entertain such thoughts that existed in story books.

But relentless scientific discovery firmly footed on the foundation of idealism now witness seafaring and ocean floor discoveries of organisms of various species that are changing our understanding of life on this planet. Submarines are cruising under water like giant monsters ever so often and divers with new diving gear are doing better, far better than mermaids.

The story of flying Peter Pan is no longer impossible for those who dare to dream a dream. Planes breaking the speed of sound, skydiving in marvelous and mind boggling formations and paragliding spectacles are now common occurrences and heart stoppers no longer.  Only the mediocre practical thinkers with their mental block now remain a stumbling block to what people and a nation can achieve as a whole.

Idealism  In Religion

Dead men cannot die again. It is not real and not a practical thought. But perhaps not for the Christians who believe in the idealism spread by Jesus Christ. Christians not only believe that the dead can be brought to life through resurrection but human beings are a creation that could live forever.

This belief is so unshakeable that early Christians were prepared to die for it in the most gruesome ways. Christian women and children were tossed into the Roman Coliseum and while the helpless believers were devoured by hungry lions to the toxic cheers of spectators intoxicated by the madness of entertainment, idealism firmly footed on faith was the only sustenance for these dying ones who believed that there is a second and a more meaningful life that await them. And that idealism was written for future Christians to bear witness in the Gospel of Matthew.

That idealism saw young Christian men and women, giving away their possessions, emptying their pockets for their faith, crossing oceans, trekking mountains and vast lands to spread the message of idealism. In their endeavors many died in the oceans, of deadly diseases and through violence but their deaths were not in vain.

Christians believe that they may not have seen God in visible form but his work is seen all around. One example is the education system through mission schools that was spread around the world by these idealists. Many without educational opportunities were given the most important gift of knowledge through structured education. Knowledge based society based on sound education is the real work of God, some Christians argue.

The successful spread of other religions like Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism are also through idealism.

Idealism In Philosophy

The French Revolution did not attain success just because peasants became hungry and planned the overthrow of the then unworkable system of governance of a medieval absolute and tyrannical monarchy.

The people were convinced and were able to immerse themselves in the idealism of the philosophy of Voltaire, Rousseau and Montesquieu. Within these philosophies they saw an ideal system of good governance. These Philosophies revealed the tyranny of absolute monarchy and offered a viable solution in the relationship between the State and its citizen through a power balance mechanism. Today, the world over people are talking and pursuing the ideal power separation policies. These ideals have not given in to practical survival. Not yet and never will.

Idealism In Politics and Nation Building

Nelson Mandela spent 28 years in prison for what he believed in. In the book “Long Walk To Freedom” it was apparent that the Apartheid Regime incessantly persuaded him to be a practical man and give up his cause. The terrible cruelty he suffered in the hands of his tormentors, one cannot describe in words. That idealism saw his comrades blazed with conviction in pursuit of the noble cause to free their country from unjust minority rule that saw it fit that some were more equal than others.

Walter Sisulu suffered so much for Mandela’s beliefs. Oliver Thambo went into exile for 30 years, so far from his home to rally support from around the world, that apartheid has no place in any principled governance  that believed in  common decency.

There are other exemplary characters whose pursuits were fueled by nothing other than idealism. Such is the greatness of leaders like Bhagat Singh in India, Dr. Sun Yat Sen in China, Aung Sang Su Kyi in Burma. And in Malaysia, the late Abdul Razak (Tun), whose National Economic Policy if properly implemented would have remarkably reduced the inequality between the poor and the rich but sadly his intentions were hijacked by other competing interests and the political party that he once helmed has now lost its soul.

Idealism in Human Rights/ Civil Rights Movement

The Proclamation of Emancipation that declared freedom for slaves did little to save the Negro slaves held by the curse of captivity until the birth of sons and daughters of Negro slaves who believed in the idealism that free men /women are no man’s slaves. (
The word Negro is intentionally used here
)

The Negro slaves who believed in the idealism of freemen and freedom suffered terrible consequences. They were imprisoned in tiny boxes for days, tortured and lynched, their daughters raped, their sons starved but as the siren of idealism stayed, the bells of freedom rang across the country.

So when Martin Luther King Jr. said that “I have a dream”, it was not the words of Martin Luther King Jr. alone that reverberated at Lincoln’s Memorial but the Idealism of the sons and daughters of Negro slaves that one day the evils of racial discriminations will evaporate and sons of slaves and sons of slave owners will be able to sit down together at a table of brotherhood.

That idealism gave birth to an American dream from entertainment to sports, national defense and politics in the persona of Michael Jackson, Tiger Woods, General Colin Powell, Condoleezza Rice and now the ultimate realization of that dream in Barack Hussein Obama.

Idealism In War

The Persian Army under Emperor Xerxes I son Darius the Great mounted a campaign to expand its empire to the autonomous Greek city states. The Greeks particularly the Spartans were people who believed in the ideals of free Greeks and were not willing to live in submission to the Persian Empire. In what will go down as  the  most famous battle of ancient European history,  the  battle at  Thermopylae  saw the Spartan King Leonidas leading a small army   numbering less than 10 thousand men against  Xerxes I  who was commanding almost 300 ,000 men (some put the figure beyond a million). Practical war strategy would have seen the necessity of total withdrawal but King Leonidas was not a practical man.

A few days of fighting saw the Greek army losing about 2,500 freemen and the Persian war casualties more than 20,000.  But on the last day of battle, King Leonidas having ordered the retreat of rest of the Greek army remained in the battle field with 300 Spartans and a few hundred other Greek soldiers to take on the mighty Persian army.

King Leonidas believing in the ideals of freemen of ancient Greece saw certainty of death with no chance of success but that ideal spread to all corners of Greece and in less than one year in the battle at Plataea, the Greek army numbering 40,000 led by the Spartans won decisively against the Persian army of 120,000 men and effectively ended the Persian threats of Greek invasion.

Doomed heroism of bold King Leonidas and the brave 300 more than 2,400 years ago remains till today as an inspirational theme for freemen.

Conclusion

A national idealism drawn from the inspiration of a common certainty of purpose could conquer the odds of impossibilities against a global threat to enslave our nation but we continue to struggle with basic questions that still bamboozle the nation.

We still wonder why the roads are generously spread with potholes, why buildings collapse, why bridges crack, why the huge financial losses and scandals, why the deepening of racial and religious differences, why our education policies continue to be flipped, see it flop and await another flip in a matter of few years with parents disappointed and children raised with feelings of dejection and many other failings that could be easily avoided.

And to the burning question of why after all these years many politicians still remain con men, incite hatred and sow conflicts amongst the races, we disappointedly go home with an irresistible conclusion that practical survival for a short term gain (an more importantly pecuniary gain) by these selfish people far outweighs shaping a nation on the principle of idealism for a long term greatness.

To these mediocre politicians and leaders, I can only quote that
 “
the glory and memory of men will always belong to the ones who followed their great visions
”…….. (Quote from the Movie Alexander)

Idealism survives death

The Glory and Memory of Men

                This entry was posted on Saturday, 24 October 2009, 6:29 pm and is filed under
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MCA leaders as great a focus as Najib in the 2010 Budget presentation in Parliament

MCA leaders were as great a focus as the Prime Minister and Finance Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak in yesterday’s 2010 Budget presentation in Parliament – the visibly uncomfortable MCA President Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat and the forlorn MCA Deputy President Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai.

This was a departure from the Budget Day in Parliament in previous years when the budget for the new year had no competitors for attention and would be the cynosure of all eyes and ears.

This distraction is highly pertinent to the relevance of theme of Najib’s first Budget, viz: “2010 Budget – 1Malaysia, Together We Prosper”.

The question that immediately comes to mind is how there can be a 1Malaysia Budget when it is founded on such shaky foundations like “1MCA”, with all top MCA leaders totally discredited after treating the MCA Central Committee members, over 2,300 MCA delegates, the Chinese community and the Malaysian people as “suckers”.

Does Najib’s 2010 Budget qualify to be described as a 1Malaysia budget? Using the term 1Malaysia for various programmes and proposals do not
ipso facto
 make them “1Malaysia” – when there is even now a “1Malaysia Toilet”!

Najib has proposed a new maximum income tax rate of 15% for Iskandar Malaysia compared with 26 per cent for the rest of the country. The rationale is to attract local and foreign talent as well as intensify the development of Iskandar Malaysia, with the tax treatment eligible for those engaged in qualifying activities such as green technology, biotechnology, education services, healthcare, creative industry, financial advisory and consultancy services as well as logistic services and tourism.

How can this new tax incentive qualify to be 1Malaysia, when it discriminates against the other four development corridors and the rest of the country?

If Najib’s 2010 Budget is to be a 1Malaysia budget, then such a special tax rate to promote high-level knowledge workers should not  be discriminatory in its application at all.

Malaysia is already divided into too many “Malaysias” without the creation of new dichotomies, which can only take the nation further away from  the goal and objective of “1Malaysia”.

                This entry was posted on Saturday, 24 October 2009, 1:01 pm and is filed under
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End the 50-year New Economic Policy if Najib wants to lay claim to innovation or shift to a new economic model as the NEP had stunted Malaysia’s economic growth and prevented the nation from becoming a high-income country

In his first budget, the 2010 budget, presented to Parliament on Friday, the Prime Minister and Finance Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak  claimed that he is laying the foundation for the development of a new economic model to become a high-income economy.

He stressed that the new economic model must be based on innovation, creativity and high-value added activities so that Malaysian can remain relevant in a competitive global economy.

Najib announced that his government “will transform Malaysia through a comprehensive innovation process, comprising innovation in public and private sector governance, societal innovation, urban innovation, rural innovation, corporate innovation, industrial innovation, education innovation, healthcare innovation, transport innovation, social safety net innovation and branding innovation.”

So far, Najib’s most successful innovation in his First Two Hundred Days is “branding innovation”, as never before has a Prime Minister’s slogan, “1Malaysia”, been promoted so blatantly, not only during by-elections but there is even a 1Malaysia Toilet in Terengganu,
 putting the previous Prime Minister’s slogan of “Islam Hadhari” to shame – all thanks to the tens of millions of ringgit spent on public relations companies, in particular the US-based Apco Worldwide PR firm to promote the new Najib brand at public expense.

As for “innovation” in other important sectors of national life, Najib has got very little to show.

Najib said the focus of his budget will be on the well-being of the rakyat, with particular emphasis on advancing the role of the private sector as the driver of economic growth and developing high-skilled human capital and enhancing the efficiency of the public service.

This is nothing new as it is said in every budget speech in Parliament as far as I can remember, but they have not been able to stop the significant decline of private investment to below 10 per cent of GDP, with total domestic direct investment decreasing from RM72 billion in 1997 to RM56 billion in 2008, while total net foreign direct investment (FDI) plunged from RM19.7 billion to RM3.6 billion.

Najib should end the 50-year New Economic Policy if he wants to lay claim to innovation or shift to a new economic model as the NEP had stunted Malaysia’s economic growth and prevented the nation from becoming a high-income country.

Ad hoc and half-hearted measures tinkering with the NEP will not take an innovation economy very far. Let me just give two examples from Najib’s list of  budgetary proposals announced on Friday:

RM10,000 for each approved permit (AP) to open AP holders from 2010, with a portion of this collection to be channelled to the bumiputra development fund in the automotive sector.

If the Najib government believes in accountability, transparency and integrity, all APs should be put up for open tender.

Award National Scholarships to 30
crème de la crème
 students strictly on merit for educational studies in world renowned universities.

This is a paltry and most ridiculous figure. In March this year, the then Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Tan Sri Bernard Dompok announced that out of 2,000 Public Services Department scholarship scheme for foreign degrees, 20 per cent or 400 scholarships would be for excellent students, 60 per cent or 1,200 scholarships for bumiputra and non-bumiputra SPM leavers; 10 per cent for 200 scholarships for Sabah and Sarawak bumiputra SPM leavers; the remaining 10 per cent for disabled students who excelled in their studies.

What is another 30 when 400 of the 2,000 PSD scholarships are already meant for “
crème de la crème
” – or has the Barisan Nasional government again been misleading the people about the award of the 400 PSD scholarships based on “merit”?

[Speech by DAP Parliamentary Leader and MP for Ipoh Timor Lim Kit Siang at the opening of the DAP Negri Sembilan State Convention held in Port Dickson on Sunday, 26th October 2009 at 10 am]

                This entry was posted on Sunday, 25 October 2009, 11:17 am and is filed under
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To restore public confidence in Pakatan Rakyat, PR component parties should make a 10 or 20-year commitment to abide by the PR common principles and impose discipline among their leaders to uphold and protect PR image and integrity

The Prime Minister-cum-Finance Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak could not have a more disastrous end for his two-hour long speech for his first budget for 2010 in Parliament on Friday, as he said: “Our recent success in Bagan Pinang has sparked our zeal to embark on this journey of transformation to lift our beloved nation to greater heights.”

Najib’s last two sentences in his speech were virtually drowned in the shouts  by Pakatan Rakyat MPs with their spontaneous chant of “Rasuah” – which was a dubious parliamentary record in the past five decades, not only for a maiden budget speech but also for any budget presentation by former Finance Ministers.

Najib had earlier failed to make any impression on MPs when he devoted two cursory paragraphs of his budget speech to “Combatting Corruption”, but which did not evince any political will on his part to break the back of the problem of rampant corruption in Malaysia.

When Najib compounded this failure with his reference to Barisan Nasional victory in Bagan Pinang by-election at the end of his budget speech and tried to bask in the glory of the by-election result, the customary sense of courtesy of PR MPs during such an occasion was strained and then broken that it resulted in Parliament being drowned in the chant of one word “Rasuah”!

This should be salutary reminder to Najib that there is nothing honourable or proud for Umno and BN about their victory in the Bagan Pinang by-election, as it was a major setback in the battle against corruption with the huge majority won by the Umno/BN candidate Tan Sri Mohd Isa Samad.

Although the Bagan Pinang by-election was a victory of corruption against integrity, the Pakatan Rakyat component parties – PAS, PKR and DAP – cannot take the setback lightly and must not be in denial about PR weaknesses and faults as Isa’s landslide majority of 5,435 votes was completely unexpected though not his victory.

Pakatan Rakyat had been suffering a prolonged and unceasing bout of loss of public confidence in the past eight months because of the failures of Pakatan Rakyat leaders to exercise responsibility and discipline in their respective parties to convince the Malaysian electorate in its credibility, cohesion, integrity and common sense of purpose.

To restore public confidence in Pakatan Rakyat, PR component parties should seriously consider making a 10 or 20-year commitment to abide by the PR common principles and to impose discipline among their  leaders to uphold and protect PR image, credibility and integrity.

[Speech (2) by DAP Parliamentary Leader and MP for Ipoh Timor Lim Kit Siang at the opening of the DAP Negri Sembilan State Convention in Port Dickson on Sunday, 25th October 2009 at 10 am]

                This entry was posted on Sunday, 25 October 2009, 11:18 am and is filed under
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Malaysia Hanya Berjaya Menjadi Ekonomi Berpendapatan Tinggi Dengan Mendemokrasikan Ekonomi, Reformasikan Perkhidmatan Awam Dan Membebaskan Daya Kreativiti Dan Innovasi Sumber Manusia (Bahagian 1)

Ucapan Belanjawan Setiausaha-Agung DAP Dan Ahli Parlimen Kawasan Bagan
Lim Guan Eng
 Di Dewan Rakyat Pada 26.10.2009 (Bahagian 1)

Malaysia hanya boleh berjaya menjadi ekonomi berpendapatan tinggi dengan mendemokrasikan ekonomi, reformasikan perkhidmatan awam dan membebaskan daya kreativiti dan innovasi sumber manusia. Syor-syor mendemokrasikan ekonomi telahpun dibukukan awal bulan ini oleh DAP dalam Belanjawan Alternatif DAP yang menggariskan strategi untuk menjana transformasi kepada ekonomi berpendapatan tinggi.

Refomasi perkhidmatan awam adalah perlu dengan ratio 4.68% anggota perkhidmatan awam dengan penduduk paling tinggi berbanding dengan Jepun 3.23%, Thailand 2%, Korea Selatan 1.85%, Filipina 1.8% dan Indonesia 1.8%. Emolumen sebanyak RM38 bilion pada tahun ini telah meningkat kepada RM42 bilion tahun depan ataupun meningkat 23.7% kepada 30.5% perbelanjaan mengurus. Sekiranya pencen ditambah adalah RM46 bilion pada tahun ini telahpun meningkat kepada RM53 bilion ataupun meningkat daripda 28.8% kepada 38.3% keseluruhan perbelanjaan mengurus.

Emolumen dan pencen merupakan komponen paling besar dalam perbelanjaan mengurus. Itu tidak menjadi masalah sekiranya kita dapat hasil atau imbuhan balik daripada perbelanjaan RM 53 bilion. Yang diharapkan ialah menjadi penggerak dan pemangkin ekonomi dan bukan sebaliknya. Di antara masalah ialah sikap acuh tak acuh, silo mentaliti yang menggagalkan etika kerja berpasukan, amalan kerja yang tidak sihat dan tidak berintegriti, fikiran jumud yang tidak mahu berubah serta juga menghalang penjawat kerajaan muda yang bermentaliti antarabangsa.

Bila proses pengswastaan diperkenalkan pada tahun 80an telahpun dijanjikan bahawa ia akan membantu mengurangkan perbelanjaan emolument dan bilangan anggota perkhidmatan awam pada masa itu 600,000 orang. Dua puluh lima tahun kemudian bilangan anggota perkhidmatan tidak kurang sebaliknya telah bertambah kepada 1.22 juta orang tahun ini.

Apakah langkah yang diambil oleh Pemudah dan Pemandu untuk mengatasi masalah ini? Apakah guna Pemudah sekiranya syor mereka tidak diambilkira. Contohnya Pemudah pernah dua tahun lepas nyatakan bahawa rasuah menyebabkan kerugian kepada Malaysia sebanyak RM10 billion setahun atau 1% GDP. Keadaan bertambah buruk lagi bila hari ini di suratkhabar The Star adalah dianggarkan bayaran lebih untuk perbekalan dan kontrak untuk semua keperluan kerajaan seperti terowong air, IT dan komputer menyebabkan kerajan pusat kehilangan RM28 bilion setahun. Tidak menghairankan keadaan tidak bertambah baik bila kedudukan Malaysia di bawah Corruption Perception Index terus jatuh ke tangga 47.

Kegagalan pihak Ketua Peguam Negara mengambil tindakan ke atas mereka yang terlibat dalam skendal pita video V.K. Lingam sungguhpun Suruhanjaya di Raja telah menimbulkan beberapa seksyen dan akta yang terbabit amat mendukacitakan. Macam mana hendak jawab soalan rakyat biasa apakah perlunya bukti yang mencukupi bila sudah ada pita video yang merakamkan kesalahan terbabit?

Malaysia tidak boleh bergantung lagi kepada sumber semulajadi dengan sumbangan 42% kepada hasil Negara untuk tahun 2009 dan 40% untuk 2010. Kita harus membebaskan potensi, daya kreativiti dan innovasi khususnya dalam sektor komputer, ICT dan berteknologi tinggi. Tembusan jalur lebar sebanyak 25% berbanding dengan Korea Selatan (95%) amat membimbangkan tetapi Malaysia boleh kejar dengan free wifi. Tidak perlu belanjakan RM11.3 bilion untuk projek High Speed Broad Band, RM6 bilion pun sudah cukup untuk buat free wifi dengan kerjasama sektor swasta.

Sudah sampai masanya kita memberikan kepercayaan dan keyakinan kepada rakyat Malaysia khususnya orang Melayu, Iban dan Kadazan untuk berdaya saing diperingkat antarabangsa. Saya yakin mereka boleh menjadi ahli profesyenal dan syarikat perniagaan yang sama baik ataupun lebih baik tanpa dikongkong oleh mentality subsidi sekiranya kita pilih yang cemerlang tanpa kira kabel politik, bangsa agama dan latar belakang. Lihatlah YB Ketua Pembangkang anak Melayu jati, di mana kebolehan dan bakatnya diakui umum di peringkat antarabangsa bukan sahaja jaguh kampong menjadi jemputan rebutan persidangan antarabangsa sampai menjadi associate professor di university unggul Amerika Syarikat John Hopkins University. Kalau dasar berdasarkan warna kulit dan kabel politik ini diteruskan maka, yang mahu dibantu untuk diberikan menfaat akan terus terpinggir.

Kita boleh lihat pengalaman negeri Cina yang pada satu masa mengamalkan masyarakat sama-rata tanpa melihat kemampuan yang membunuh daya inisiatif. Ini merupakan punca utama Cina terus jadi mundur dan miskin sehingga dipersendakan sebagai Pesakit Ekonomi Asia pada tahun 60an dan 70an. Tetapi selepas dasar liberalisasi dan mementingkan sumber manusia diperkenalkan maka dalam satu generasi negeri Cina telah menjanakan transformasi yang membolehkan Cina menjadi ekonomi kedua besar di dunia pada 2010, melebihi Jepun. Perkembangan serupa pun wujud di India yang mempunyai kadar pertumbuhan yang lebih tinggi daripada Malaysia.

Apabila ekonomi dunia berada dalam prestasi mendatar, kerajaan perlu menjana permintaan dalaman serta meningkatkan daya saing. Namun begitu, di sebalik keperluan mendesak untuk kerajaan meningkatkan perbelanjaan, kerajaan BN terpaksa menerima hakikat kekurangan dana untuk berbelanja dan terpaksa berhempas-pulas membiayai kos pentadbiran kerajaan.

Apa yang lebih memburukkan keadaan ialah harga minyak menjunam ke paras bawah harga yang dianggarkan iaitu US$125 setong pada tahun 2009, bermakna kerajaan tiada tambahan pendapatan untuk membiayai perbelanjaan kerajaan pada tahun 2010.

Sumbangan pendapatan minyak dan gas kepada Kerajaan telah meningkat daripada RM19 bilion pada 2004 kepada RM70 bilion tahun 2009 namun begitu, semua pendapatan itu telah dibelanjakan. Bukan sahaja kita tidak menyimpan untuk hari-hari gelap di masa hadapan, kerajaan meminjam secara meluas dalam tempoh itu sehingga menyebabkan negara menanggung defisit bajet 12 tahun berturut-turut, dan hutang persekutuan terus menimbun sehingga RM 363 bilion meningkat 18.3% tahun ini atau 52.4% KDNK berbanding dengan 41,5% tahun lepas tanpa mengira sama ada ekonomi tumbuh atau mengalami kegawatan.

Keadaan mungkin berlainan jika perolehan umpama durian runtuh ini dilabur atau dibelanjakan untuk projek pembangunan. Walau bagaimanapun, sebahagian besar lebihan pendapatan ini dibelanjakan untuk operasi kerajaan untuk menambah bilangan pegawai kerajaan, bayaran pembekalan dan penyelenggaraan perkhidmatan selain urusan luar biasa untuk pampasan kepada syarikat pemegang konsesi tol yang kaya-raya. Ini belum termasuk bayaran dalam pelaburan penuh skandal seperti RM12.5 bilion Port Klang Free Zone, jutaan ringgit yang lesap dalam anak syarikat Kementerian Pelancongan, Pempena dan harga tinggi dalam bayaran belian alat tulis dan barangan harian lain seperti pen, kamera digital dan kertas.

Antara tahun 2003 hingga 2009, perbelanjaan operasi kerajaan meningkat secara mendadak daripada RM53.4 bilion tahun 2000 kepada RM80.5 bilion apabila Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi mengambil alih tampuk pemerintahan sebagai Perdana Menteri tahun 2004, kepada RM154.2 bilion tahun ini. Walau bagaimanapun, perbelanjaan pembangunan yang mempunyai kesan gandaan ekonomi paling berkesan hanya meningkat daripada RM29 bilion pada tahun 2004 kepada RM50.5 bilion tahun ini.

Pengurusan yang cuai Barisan Nasional dalam kekayaan negara dan lebih pendapatan sejak beberapa tahun lalu mengakibatkan ekonomi negara menjadi lemah berbanding negara serantau dan kelalaian ini mesti diperiksa bagi mengelakkannya berlaku lagi. Jika kerajaan terus mengumpulkan hutang untuk tujuan yang tidak berasas untuk jangka masa beberapa lama lagi, anak cucu kita akan terpaksa membayar kegagalan itu di masa depan.

Sebagai tambahan, pengalaman kita di peringkat kerajaan negeri selama lebih 18 bulan yang lalu memberi pemahaman yang lebih baik dalam isu praktikal melibatkan pembangunan ekonomi di Malaysia yang memerlukan peralihan besar dari segi dasar awam dan sistem pengurusan ekonomi negara. Perancangan dan pengurusan ekonomi telah menjadi berpusat sejak dua dekad yang lalu dan terlalu biroktatik sehingga menyebabkan ia menjadi tidak berkesan untuk melaksanakan inisiatif ekonomi.

Sebagai contoh, di Pulau Pinang dan Selangor, kami mendapati segala usaha disia-siakan ekoran kegagalan mengawal dana projek dan pembangunan yang disalurkan mengikut kepentingan dan pilih kasih kerajaan Persekutuan. Walaupun Selangor dan Pulau Pinang masing-masing menyumbang RM16 bilion dan RM3 bilion sebagai cukai pendapatan kepada kerajaan Persekutuan, dua negeri ini hanya menerima geran Persekutuan masing-masing sebanyak RM247 juta dan RM127 juta sahaja.

Oleh itu, dalam cadangan Bajet Alternatif, kami senaraikan dasar dan program bagi menimbal balik kelalaian dan salah pengurusan duit rakyat oleh kerajaan BN dengan pada masa yang sama, mengurangkan perancangan berpusat birokrasi dan seterusnya membenarkan kerajaan negeri membuat keputusan dan mengurus kewangan untuk meningkatkan keberkesanan dan kecekapan pentadbiran kerajaan.

                This entry was posted on Monday, 26 October 2009, 6:10 pm and is filed under
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Merakyatkan Ekonomi Malaysia – Pembinaan kapasiti (Bahagian 4)

Ucapan Belanjawan Setiausaha-Agung DAP Dan Ahli Parlimen Kawasan Bagan
Lim Guan Eng
 Di Dewan Rakyat Pada 26.10.2009 (Bahagian 4)

Teras III: Pembinaan kapasiti

	Akhir sekali, DAP sangat menitik-beratkan pembangunan dan usaha menggalakkan bakat-bakat tempatan untuk membantu negara mencapai status negara maju. Sebagai tambahan, bagi meningkatkan daya tarikan Malaysia sebagai destinasi pelaburan global, beberapa rangkaian pendekatan akan diambil dalam sektor pendidikan, penjagaan kesihatan, pengangkuran, kewangan, teknologi, keselamatan, tenaga dan alam sekitar untuk meningkatkan daya saing di peringkat serantau dan global.

	Kelemahan daya saing negara kini sangat ketara. Sikap kerajaan yang terus mendabik dada dengan kejayaan lalu akan menyebabkan kerosakan yang teruk kepada ekonomi dan daya saing negara. Walau bagaimanapun, jika kita menerapkan unsur-unsur ketahanan dan peningkatan daya tahan, kerja keras dan inovasi, Malaysia akan mendapat kedudukan lebih baik untuk merebut peluang pertumbuhan ekonomi dunia. DAP mahu membangkitkan semula semangat daya saing kepada ekonomi negara menerusi penerapan daya juang lebih tinggi, lebih bertanggungjawab dan peningkatan tahap ketelusan.

Oleh itu kita harapkan Belanjawan boleh bantu hapuskan miskin tegar samada yang dilakukan di Pulau Pinang yang telah menjaminkan sekurang-kurangnya RM500 setiap keluarga sebulan. Bantulah juga mereka yang perlukan kredit kad untuk “roll over” lebih baik daripada pinjam daripada Along. Sekiranya ingin kenakan caj, RM 50 terlalu tinggi ia harus dikurangkan kepada RM10. Cukai keuntungan hartanah atau RPGT sebanyak 5 peratus yang dicadangkan juga harus dibatalkan.

Tuan Yang di Pertua,

Saya ingin bertanyakan bahagian Pulau Pinang dalam Bajet 2010 Kerajaan Persekutuan berjumlah RM191.5 bilion yang merangkumi RM138.3 bilion untuk perbelanjaan mengurus manakala RM53.2 bilion adalah untuk perbelanjaan pembangunan.  Saya harap pecahan terperinci ikut Kementerian dan sektor boleh diberikan. Adalah diharapkan unjuran ekonomi GDP mengikut sektor, kadar inflasi dan pendapatan isirumah boleh diberikan.

Negeri Pulau Pinang adalah di antara negeri yang paling pesat membangun dan penyumbang terbesar kepada ekonomi Malaysia. Kadar purata pertumbuhan tahunan KDNK sebenar yang dicatakan dalam tempoh 1990-2000 ialah 8.2%. Adalah dijangkakan dalam tempoh 2001-2010 akan mencatatkan pertumbuhan KDNK melebihi 6.5%.  Bagaimanapun ekoran daripada kemelesetan ekonomi global telah memberi kesan ketara ke atas kadar pertumbuhan ekonomi negeri Pulau Pinang di mana anggaran KDNK bagi tahun 2009 menyusut sehingga -3 peratus berbanding 3.3 peratus pada tahun 2008.

Sebagai negeri yang bergantung kepada sumber manusia, kita perlu membangunkan insan kreatif, inovatif dan pintar. It has been said small minds discuss people, average minds discuss events and great minds discuss ideas. We want to grow great minds with new ideas that makes your dreams come true.

Pulau Pinang berhasrat untuk menjadi sebuah  negeri bertaraf antarabangsa yang menjadi pilihan utama para pelabur, pelancong dan mempunyai kehidupan yang mapan (sustainable living). Kita perlu pengiktirafan antarabangsa dan urus tadbir CAT – Competency, Acountability and Transparency. Cekap, Akauntable dan Telus telah berjaya memerangi rasuah dan penyelewengan serta menjimatkan wang sehingga mendapat pujian Transparency International dan Laporan Ketua Audit Negara. UNESCO pun telah memberikan pengiktirafan kepada George Town sebagai Tapak Warisan Dunia yang menjadikan Pulau Pinang suatu pilihan pelancongan utama.

Di bawah Wilayah Ekonomi Koridor Utara (NCER) di mana Pulau Pinang dikenalpasti sebagai hub logistik. Oleh itu perlu peruntukan sebanyak RM800 juta bagi mewujudkan Integrated Cargo Terminal (Terminal Kargo Bersepadu) di Pulau Pinang bagi mengendalikan perkhidmatan kargo di bawah satu pengurusan kargo yang berkesan, pembinaan 2nd runway kedua dan LCCT di Pulau Pinang.

Kerajaan Negeri amat berharap agar siling peruntukan asal RMKe-9 sepertimana yang telah diluluskan untuk Projek Menaik Taraf  Infrastruktur Asas Kawasan Perindustrian Sedia Ada Pulau Pinang  berjumlah RM128.0 juta dapat dipenuhi semula oleh Kerajaan Persekutuan. Sehingga kini, jumlah keseluruhan peruntukan yang diterima ialah RM71,797,000.  Tambahan peruntukan yang dipohon adalah sebanyak RM56.2 juta bagi menampung keperluan pelaksanaan projek di Kawasan Perusahaan Perai I, II, III, IV dan Zon Perindustrian Bebas Perai serta  Kawasan Perindustrian Bayan Lepas. Peruntukan ini adalah untuk melaksanakan projek infrastruktur asas seperti perparitan dan jalan ban bagi mengatasi masalah banjir di kawasan ini.   Sekiranya dibiarkan berlarutan akan menjejaskan imej negeri Pulau Pinang terutamanya dalam usaha Kerajaan Negeri untuk menarik pelaburan asing ke negeri ini.

Penyenaraian George Town dan Melaka sebagai Tapak Warisan Dunia oleh UNESCO pada 7 Julai 2008 merupakan suatu yang yang amat membanggakan rakyat dan negara Malaysia.  Pengumuman pemberian peruntukan sebanyak RM25 juta  oleh Kerajaan Persekutuan masing-masing kepada George Town dan Melaka bagi tujuan pemeliharaan dan pemuliharaan tapak warisan sehingga kini masih belum disalurkan kepada Negeri Pulau Pinang. Adalah tidak adil Melaka disalurkan RM30 juta sedangkan tidak ada sesen pun diperuntukkan kepada George Town bila ia mengharumkan bukan sahaja Pulau Pinang tetapi juga Malaysia di pentas antarabangsa.

Kerajaan Negeri  sentiasa memberi komitmen dalam pembangunan perumahan terutamanya perumahan kos rendah dan sederhana rendah untuk golongan berpendapatan rendah. Usaha dan komitmen kerajaan ini telah membolehkan seramai 30,829 pemohon  ditawarkan rumah manakala 14,139 pemohon lagi masih dalam senarai menunggu untuk ditawarkan rumah.  Sehubungan itu, kerajaan Negeri amat berharap agar 3 buah tapak cadangan bagi pembangunan PPR Dimiliki yang telahpun dikemukakan kepada Kerajaan Persekutuan diberi pertimbangan sewajarnya.

Di dalam menyelesaikan masalah projek terbengkalai pula, Kerajaan Negeri harap peruntukan daripada dana RM 200 juta boleh diberikan kepada 8 buah projek terbengkalai rumah awam di Pulau Pinang bagi menjamin kepentingan pembeli-pembeli perumahan tersebut.

Di bawah Rancangan Bandar Selamat, Kementerian Perumahan dan Kerajaan Tempatan telah membuat janji pada tahun 2007 untuk membekalkan 48 CCTV untuk di pasang di kawasan-kawasan hitam yang telah dikenalpasti oleh pihak Polis.  Tetapi sehingga kini pemasangan CCTV tersebut masih belum dilaksanakan. Memandangkan Kerajaan Negeri amat peka dengan isu keselamatan dan sebagai langkah untuk mencegah dan  membenteras jenayah, pihak MPPP telah memasang 31 unit CCTV dengan peruntukan sendiri untuk memastikan rakyat Pulau Pinang bukan sahaja selamat tetapi merasi selamat juga.

Dalam membantu usahawan kecil dan sederhana mempromosikan hasil keluaran mereka, Kerajaan Persekutuan melalui Kementerian Pembangunan Usahawan dan Koperasi  (MECD) ketika itu telah meluluskan peruntukan berjumlah RM9.0 juta. Peruntukan ini bertujuan menaik taraf Tapak Ekspo di Seberang Jaya yang telah berusia melebihi 10 tahun sebagai sebuah Pusat Pameran Perdagangan dan Pertanian di Pulau Pinang.  Namun begitu projek ini juga mengalami nasib yang sama kerana ditangguhkan pelaksanaannya oleh MECD.

Melalui Kempen “Malaysia Cergas’, rakyat di negeri ini digalakkan agar bergiat cergas di dalam bidang sukan dan rekreasi bagi mewujudkan komuniti masyarakat  yang mengamalkan gaya hidup sihat, cergas dan berdisplin. Kerajaan Negeri ingin merayu agar projek-projek yang telah ditarik balik kelulusannya dan ditangguhkan pelaksanaannya  oleh Kementerian Belia dan Sukan diaktifkan semula. Ini merangkumi Projek Pembinaan Dry Gym di Pusat Arena Sukan Antarbangsa Pulau Pinang (PISA) dan Projek Menaik Taraf Kompleks Sukan Bertam masing-masing diluluskan peruntukan berjumlah RM3.5 juta dan RM3.6 juta.

Penempatan semula pendudukan terlibat bertujuan memastikan Projek Menaik Taraf Sungai Pinang beratus juta di bawah Rancangan Tebatan Banjir Sungai Pinang dapat dilaksanakan dengan segera memandangkan masalah banjir kilat merupakan suatu fenomena yang tidak dapat dielakkan setiap kali hujan lebat, RM2.4 juta untuk tujuan pembaikan dan pembinaan rumah di bawah Program Pembangunan Rakyat Termiskin, RM 3 juta untuk menaik taraf persimpangan Jalan Jarak-Padang Menora di kawasan YB Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri..

Sebuah kerajaan berjiwa rakyat  adalah berlandaskan prinsip 3P:-

Perkasakan Rakyat dengan ilmu pengetahuan, pendidikan dan kepakaran yang memberikan peluang yang sama untuk mewujudkan kemakmuran;

Perkuasakan Rakyat dengan hak-hak asasi, kebebasan dan kebertanggungjawaban yang membela martabat insane; dan

Perkayakan Rakyat dengan berkongsikan hasil ekonomi bagi mencapai keadilan sosio-ekonomi

Adalah diharapkan tema Kemakmuran Bersama dalam Belanjawan ini boleh dilaksanakan dengan memastikan semua rakyat diberikan layanan yang sama sebagai warganegara yang bermaruah. Jangan hanya sebut RM20 juta untuk skim Tekun bagi kaum India bila yang diharapkan ialah layanan yang adil kepada semua. Apa itu RM20 juta berbanding dengan keseluruhan Belanjawan RM191.5 bilion? Sepatutnya disebutkan berdasarkan keperluan bukanlah warna kulit.

Sekiranya 1 Malaysia yang didokong, mengapa cukai untuk knowledge workers di Iskandar dikurangkan kepada 15% bila di Malaysia masih dikekalkan 26%. Macam mana ini boleh selaras dengan semangat satu hati untuk satu Malaysia bila ada diskriminasi terhadap negeri selain daripada Johor. Saya harap semua negeri boleh menikmati insentif cukai 15% untuk mengelakkan gambaran Satu Negara, Dua Sistem!

Saya ingin akhiri ucapan saya dengan serangkap pantun :

Malaysia Tercinta Negara Kita

			Adil Ditegak Rakyat Dijaga

			Anak Malaysia Harapan Bersinar

			Amar Maaruf Nahi Mungkar

                This entry was posted on Monday, 26 October 2009, 6:12 pm and is filed under
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Merakyatkan Ekonomi Malaysia – Penstrukturan dan pengagihan semula (Bahagian 3)

Ucapan Belanjawan Setiausaha-Agung DAP Dan Ahli Parlimen Kawasan Bagan
Lim Guan Eng
 Di Dewan Rakyat Pada 26.10.2009 (Bahagian 3)

Teras II: Penstrukturan dan pengagihan semula

	Amalan dasar yang lemah dan hilang hala tuju serta salah guna kuasa oleh kerajaan semasa telah menyebabkan berlakunya agihan tidak betul dalam sumber negara yang terhad dengan menumpukan kepada pemberian manfaat kepada mereka yang mempunyai hubungan serta kaitan politik, sementara kebanyakan rakyat  yang lebih memerlukan terus diketepikan. Dasar Ekonomi Baru (DEB) yang berdekad lamanya diamalkan dengan tumpuan pengagihan ekonomi berdasarkan kaum sambil megenepikan aspek keperluan dan merit, telah menyebabkan kelemahan struktur utama dalam sistem ekonomi negara sehingga menghukum kebajikan rakyat dan kecekapan sistem ekonomi. Di sebalik itu, agihan tidak betul ini telah menjana kekayaan beberapa individu yang berjaya mengeksploitasi DEB. Justeru, suatu usaha perlu dilakukan untuk menstruktur dan mengagih semula ekonomi bagi memastikan pembangunan lebih seimbang antara golongan miskin dan kaya, selain menambah kecekapan dan keberkesanan ekonomi dan daya saing.

	Dalam sebahagian daripada teras penstrukturan dan agihan semula, kami mahu usaha dilakukan ke arah pelaksanaan sistem kebajikan yang berkesan untuk memastikan rakyat yang lahir dalam keadaan miskin tidak terus terperangkap dalam kitaran tersebut. Kebajikan harus diberikan mengikut keperluan dan bukannya berdasarkan kaum seperti yang dizahirkan dalam DEB. Rakyat yang mempunyai kekuatan
ekonomi yang lemah sepatutnya mendapat bantuan daripada kerajaan. Dalam pada itu, mereka yang telah mewarisi kekayaan dan menjana ekonomi yang produktif tidak layak untuk mendapatkan bantuan, tidak mengira kaum. Strategi DAP dan Pakatan Rakyat antaranya termasuklah pengagihan semula – bantuan secara langsung kepada miskin tegar dan warga emas – pembinaan kapasiti menerusi peningkatan tahap pendidikan, pengangkutan dan penjagaan kesihatan bagi membantu individu bekerja untuk memajukan dirinya.

Dalam pengagihan pendapatan, Malaysia telah mencapai salah satu kedudukan yang paling teruk di Asia. Koefisien Gini Negara pada 0.441 berkedudukan nombor 99 daripada 126 tempat (lebih tingginya indeks Gini, maknanya lebihnya ketidaksamaan.) Ketidaksamaan pendapatan negara kita boleh dibandingkan dengan Negara-negara Afrika sub-Sahara seperti Cameroon (0.446) dan Nigeria (0.437). Negara-negara jiran kita, iaitu Thailand dan Indonesia, lebih berprestasi berbanding dengan Negara kita dari segi ini, walaupun mempunyai Indeks Pembangunan Insan yang lebih rendah.

Laporan UNHDP juga menunjukkan bahawa 10% rakyat Malaysia yang terkaya mengawal 38.4% pendapatan ekonomi berbanding dengan 10 peratus termiskin yang mengawal 1.7%. Ini cuma menunjukkan hakikat bahawa kekayaan negara semakin tertumpu di tangan golongan yang kaya. Malaysia mempunyai pusat pameran Ferrari yang terbesar di luar Italy sedangkan 45,000 keluarga miskin tegar masih hidup dengan pendapatan yang kurang daripada RM 500 sebulan.

Tambahan pula, kami berpendappat bahawa kita mestilah menaikkan Garis Kemiskinan Pendapatan untuk mencerminkan kesulitan sebenar rakyat supaya kami dapat membuat dasar yang betul. Lebih-lebih lagi, kita tidak harus terlampau asyik dengan mengendalikan perbezaan pendapatan antara kaum, tetapi harus memberi lebih perhatian dan membuat strategi untuk menangani perbezaan pendapatan antara kawasan dan perbezaan pendapatan sebenar. Dengan mengurangkan perbezaan pendapatan tanpa mengira kaum, isu perbezaan pendapatan antara kaum akan diselesaikan dengan sendirinya secara otomatik.

Isu ketidaksamaan ini tidak akan diselesai melalui pendekatan perkauman seperti Dasar Ekonomi Baru. Koefisien Gini kita yang tinggi secara konsisten sejak dua dekad yang lalu menunjukkan bahawa dasar ini telah memperuncingkan isu ketidaksamaan kerana ia mengalihkan perhatian dan tenaga kita daripada masalah pokok isu ini. Pembincangan yang lazim tentang isu kemiskinan kini yang dipenuhi oleh retorik perkauman telah menggagalkan semua perbahasan dan penyiasatan yang rasional bagi mencari penyelesaian yang berkesan dan berlanjutan untuk membasmi kemiskinan.

Pendapatan garis kemiskinan, atau (PLI), dengan izin, didefinasikan sebagai “pendapatan yang cukup untuk membeli seperaga makanan minimum untuk mengekalkan ahli-ahli sekeluarga dalam keadaan sihat dan mendapatkan keperluan dasar seperti pakaian, sewa, bahanapi dan tenaga, pengangkutan dan komunikasi, perubatan, pendidikan dan rekreasi”. Definisi ini telah dirobah pada 2004 hanya dengan perubahn minimal, untuk mengambil kira perbezaan harga antara kehidupan Bandar-luar Bandar, antara negeri dan dalam ahrka makanan dan lain-lain.

Purata PLI untuk tahun 2007 adalah RM720 di Semenanjung Malaysia , RM960 di Sabah dan RM830 di Sarawak. PLI tegar adalah RM430, RM540 dan RM520, mengikut rentetan. Set PLI yang berbeza digunakan untuk kawasan Bandar dan luar Bandar.

Pertama, banyak ketidakpastian timbul bahawa RM720, iaitu PLI,adalah perbezaan antara kelestarian dan kemiskinan untuk sebuah keluarga dengan 5 ahli. Tambahan pula, amat sukar membayangkan bahawa sekeluarga 5 orang boleh hidup danmakan cukup dengan hanya RM430 sebulan.

Kedua, tidak wujud perbezaan sebenar antara Bandar dan luar Bandar dari segi PLI ini. Sebagai contoh, untuk semenanjung Malaysia dalam tahun 2007, garis kemiskinan Bandar adalah RM740 dan luar Bandar RM700. Perebzaan RM40 adlah tidak mungkin dan tidak benar. Kelurga miskin di kawasan Bandar menghadapi kesukaran yang lebih kerana kos hidup tidak nampk di Bandar seperti tol, tambang bas, harga makanan yang lebih tinggi dan lain-lain yang tidak diambil kira dalam pengiraan PLI.

PLI yang rendah dan tidak realistik ini bermakna ramai keluarga miskin sedang menghadapi kesushan yang teruk untuk hidup sempurna dan secara teknikal, mereka tidak layak mendapat bantuan kerana tidak didefinisi sebagai ‘miskin’, contohnya, dengan pendapatan serendah RM800 sebulan untuk sekeluarga 6 orang. Ini memberikan ahli politik dan perangka polisi gambaran yang salah tentang masalah sebenar kemiskinn yang melanda rakyat Malaysia.

Berdasarkan pengiraan kami yang konservatif, nilai PLI dan PLI tegar harus dinaikkan sehingga RM1200 dan RM750 untuk Bandar, dan untuk luar Bandar pula, harus dinaikkan kepada RM800 dan RM550, secara berperingkat.

Sebagai tambahan, penggunaan elektrik luar Bandar di sabah dan Sarawak hanya 74.7% dan 84.1% dalam tahun 2007, manakala penggunaan air luar Bandar pula hanya 65% di Sabah dan 92% di Sarawak. Pada masa yang sama, Sabah dan Sarawak adalah Negara mempunyai kadar kemiskinan dan kemiskinan tegar tertinggi di Malaysia. Adlah sngat memeranjatkan bahawa rakyat maalysia di Situ tidak langsung mendapat kemudahan asas seperti air dan elektrik.

	Maka dengan itu, memperbaiki infrastruktur, selain daripada pembinaan dan pembaikpulih rumah di kawsan luar Bandar di Sabah dan Sarawak, bukan hanya patut dilakukan sejak lampau, malah adalah langkah yang sangat perlu untuk merendahkan jurang pendpatan antara Malaysia timur dan barat. Usaha kerajaan persekutuan kini serta kebertanggungjawaban politik untuk mengatur masalah ini adalah sangat diperlukan. Kami meminta dan memanggil kerajaan persekutuan untuk memperuntukkan sekurang-kurangnya RM9 bilion untuk projek yang disebut selama 3 tahun.

	Kami juga ingin menerapkan unsur-unsur kebertanggungjawaban dalam pengagihan kekayaan minyak negara.

Malaysia diberkati dengan kekayaan sumber asli. Kita terutamanya syukur kerana negara ini kaya dengan minyak dan gas yang telah melahirkan wakil tunggal Malaysia di dalam senarai Fortune 500, Petroliam Nasional Berhas (PETRONAS). Semenjak pensyarikatan kumpulan PETRONAS 35 tahun yang lalu, kumpulan tersebut telah menyumbangkan sebanyak RM471 bilion kepada Kerajaan di samping menanggung subsidi gas kumulatif sebanyak RM 97 bilion.

	Malaysia telah menikmati sumber petroleum yang banyak dan menjana pendapatan kepada kerajaan Malaysia menerusi kutipan cukai pendapatan, royalti, dividen dan jenis cukai dan yuran selainnya. Walau bagaimanapun, di sebalik pulangan menguntungkan daripada industri minyak dan gas, rakyat masih tidak dapat menikmatinya dan negara pula menanggung hutang yang kian bertambah. Dalam jangka masa 12 tahun, di sebalik lonjakan harga minyak global, Malaysia tidak mempunyai rizab atau lebihan untuk dipamerkan sebagai hasil kekayaan minyak negara.

	Kami mahu menstruktur dan mengagihkan semula kekayaan minyak negara bagi memastikan ia akan dilaburkan untuk mengekang masalah yang bakal timbul apabila simpanan minyak telah kering menerusi pelaburan strategik dalam pembangunan keupayaan baru seperti tenaga boleh diperbaharui dan teknologi hijau serta pembangunan modal insan.

Tambahan lagi, sewaktu ditemuduga oleh Bernama dalam bulan Jun 2008, Tan Sri Hassan Marican, selaku Presiden dan Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif kumpulan PETRONAS telah berkata “ kami akan meneruskan penghasilan selama lebih kurang 20 tahun yang akan datang”. Dalam erti kata yang lebih jelas, “ Malaysia akan menjadi Negara pengimpot ‘net’ apabila keperluan domestik, yang pertumbuhan kini adalah enam peratus setahun, akan melebihi penghasilan Negara dalam tahun 2011.”

Seterusnya, globalisasi yang semakin meningkat telah menambahkan daya saing di kalangan PETRONAS, pengeluar minyak mentah dan syarikat-syarikat  minyak Negara. Ini telah mendatangkan impak yang ketara kerana operasi antarabangsa merupakan penjana pendapatan utama kumpulan (PETRONAS) serta segmen yang paling tinggi pertumbuhannya dalam dua tahun kebelakangan. 42.1% hasil pendapatannya pada tahun fiscal 2009 adalah daripada operasi antarabangsa, berbanding kepada 35.4% dalam tahun fiscal 2005. Untuk mengekalkan daya saingnya sebagai pemain global di pasaran minyak, adalah sangat penting untuk kumpulan PETRONAS ini menyalurkan keuntungan dan pelaburan supaya jumlah simpanan minyak dan gas dikekalkan, menyerlahkan kadar pemulihan dan memperbaiki kebergantungan dan produktiviti infrastruktur.

Namun, kebolehan pelaburan kumpulan ini dan lestari jangka masa panjang mungkin berkurangan disebabkan penyusutan keuntungan untuk pelaburan semula dan pembayaran balik kepada kerajaan. Secara khusus, keuntungan sedia ada untuk pelaburan semula oleh PETRONAS jatuh dari 42.5% dalam tahun fiskal 2005 kepada hanya  21.1% dalam tahun fiskal 2009. Dalam kata nilai mutlak, agihan keuntungan kumpulan PETRONAS yang diperuntukkan untuk kerajaan persekutuan telah meningkat dari 44.1% ke 65.4% pada jangka masa yang sama.

Untuk mengolah kebergantungan kepada pendapatan hasil minyak dan gas, kami sarankan agar kumpulan PETRONAS meletakkan suatu target supaya bayaran tidak lebih 50% dari keuntungan sebelum cukai, serta duti dan royalty dibuat kepada kerajaan persekutuan bermula tahun 2012 dan seterusnya. Dengan pengekangan atas jumlah bayaran dari keuntungan kumpulan kepada kerajaan persekutuan, Negara kita akan dapat mengekalkan peratusan ekkayaan minyak untuk pendapatan kerajaan persekutuan dalam lingkungan 35%, yang berkadar dan sejajar dengan tujuan strategic Negara kita untuk mempelbagaikan ekonomi dan sumber pendapatan.

Pengekangan ini tidak akan menjejaskan kekuatan fiskal untuk merangsang ekonomi Negara. Fakta menunjukkan bahawa Negara Norway meraih lebih kurang 30% dripada pendapatan Negara dari hasil industry minyaknya walaupun ia merupakan Negara pengeluar minyak ketiga besar di dunia memberikan gambaran jelas suatu contoh model yang boleh Negara kita ikuti.

Pengekangan ini juga bukan hanya akan merubah trend kebergantungan melampau Negara atas sumber tenaga minyak dan gas yang tidak boleh diperbaharui dan menjadi pemangkin pertumbuhan sector produktif Negara yang lain, malah akan membolehkan PETRONAS memperluaskan kadar pelaburan semula. Keuntungan disimpan oleh PETRONAS akan memberikan lebih fleksibiliti dan kapasiti untuknya meningkatkan keuntungan dari pelaburansemula sehingga 40%. Ini akan mengurangkan jurang pelaburan semula antara PETRONAS yang melabur semula 57.1% dari keuntungan purata tahun fiskal 2009, dan syarikat minyak yang lain yang menyalurkan purata 72.9% dari keuntungan purata mereka untuk tahun fiskal yang sama.

	Bagi sumbangan hasil yang diterima daripada sektor minyak dan gas, kami menyeru supaya kerajaan memaktubkan penggunaan lebihan pendapatan minyak dan gas dengan

sekurang-kurangnya 20 peratus daripada lebihan bayaran disalurkan kepada Khazanah Nasional Berhad untuk tujuan kapasiti baru dan pembinaan keupayaan dalam sektor utama antaranya Tenaga Boleh Diperbaharui dan Kecekapan Tenaga (RE&EE) dan Teknologi Hijau;

sekurang-kurangnya 20 peratus lebihan bayaran akan dimasukkan ke dalam Dana Stimulus Nasional yang bertujuan melonjakkan perbelanjaan fiscal dan menyediakan bantuan kewangan kepada rakyat semasa kegawatan ekonomi di bawah skim baru, Malaysia Reversed Bonus dan Special Risk-sharing Initiative (SRI).  [Dalam tahun-tahun perkembangan ekonomi pesat dan pendapatan yang diperolehi secara ‘durian runtuh’, bayaran terlebih PETRONAS sepatutnya disimpan dalam Dana Rangsangan Negara, atang akan memfokuskan pelaburan risiko rendah yang mendatangkan kadar hasil yang mantap. Lngkah ini bukan sahaja akan menyediakan Negara kita sekiranya berlaku apa-apa keberangkalian yang tidak diingini dan ketidakpastian akan dating, tetapi juga mengelak dari senario inflasi melampau dan ‘over-heating’ sewaktu ekonomi berada dalam keadaan baik. Kami percaya pendpatan minyak ‘durian runtuh’ sepatutnya dikongsi bersama oleh semua rakyat untuk menanam sikap setia dan menghargai titik peluh semua rakyat. Perkongsian pendapatan ini dapat paling dirasakan dengan member bantuasn kewangan kepada rakyat terbanyak ketika berlaku krisis ekonomi malap yakni sewaktu rakyat paling memerlukan.

dan sekurang-kurangnya 20% daripada lebihan bayaran akan dilaburkan dalam pembangunan sumber manusia, terutama dalam Pendidikan dan Latihan.

	Pada masa yang sama, DAP mahu mensturktur semula semua konsesi yang tercetus dari dasar Malaysia Inc di bawah pemerintahan Dr. Mahathir semasa era 90an yang menyebabkan hanya beberapa kerat orang menjadi kaya-raya, melemahkan kewangan negara dan mengurangkan daya tahan serta daya saing untuk Malaysia bersaing di peringkat global. Kontrak seperti ini, terutama Pengeluar Tenaga Bebas (IPP), lebuhraya bertol dan konsesi air tidak sepatutnya jatuh ke tangan pemegang konsesi yang mengaut kekayaan melampau hasil kerja dan usaha rakyat biasa.

Kami mencadangkan agar suatu Akta Perjanjian Awam Tidak Adil digubal dan suatu badan suruhanjaya bebas dikenali sebagai Suruhanjaya perjanjian Awam ditubuhkan untuk mengkaji konsesi yang berat sebelah yang dilihat sebagai bercnggah dengan hak kepentingan awam.

Akta seperti ini sepatutunya termaktub dalam rangka persekutuan seperti Akta Pengambilan Semula Tanah 1960 (Land Acquisition Act 1960) yang membenarkan kerajaan mengambil alih sebarang tanah persendirian untuk tujuan awam, dengan syarat pampas an yang cukup diberi.

Akta sedemikian tidaklah asing, di mana kita lihat domain yang setara (Amerika Syarikat), pembelian wajib (UK, NZ, Ireland) penerusan dan pengambilan semula wajib (Australia) dan rampasan (system common law Afrika Selatan dan Kanada) adalah contoh jelas kuasa segenap negeri untuk mengambil tanah persendirian dengan syarat pampas an cukup dibayar. Adalah nyata bahawa pemilikan persendirian tidaklah mutlak dan tidak boleh dicabar, seperti juga konsesi lebuhraya dan utiliti.

	Dengan itu, kami menyerukan kerajaan supaya memperuntukan sebanyak RM25 bilion secara “off-budget”, iaitu tanpa mengenakan tanggungan tambahan kepada kerajaan bagi membeli semula PLUS Expressways dan pemegang konsesi lebuhraya bertol yang mengaut keuntungan melampau dan tidak berpadanan dengan risiko dan modal yang dilaburkan. Pembelian semula itu akan dilakukan menerusi penggubalan Akta Kontrak Tidak Adil untuk memastikan ketelusan proses, di samping menilai semula konsesi lain seperti Pengeluar Tenaga Bebas (IPP) , konsesi air, perkhidmatan pengurusan hospital, penswastaan stor perubatan kerajaan dan ujian perubatan pekerja asing.

                This entry was posted on Monday, 26 October 2009, 6:12 pm and is filed under
Budget Debate
,
Lim Guan Eng
,
Parliament
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Merakyatkan Ekonomi Malaysia – Penyahpusatan fiska (Bahagian 2)

Ucapan Belanjawan Setiausaha-Agung DAP Dan Ahli Parlimen Kawasan Bagan
Lim Guan Eng
 Di Dewan Rakyat Pada 26.10.2009 (Bahagian 2)

Tema bajet alternatif kami iaitu Merakyatkan Ekonomi Malaysia bukan sahaja untuk memenuhi keperluan politik untuk demokrasi yang lebih besar malah mahu menjamin perbelanjaan kerajaan mampu dinikmati oleh rakyat yang membayar cukai sambil mengekang dasar kerajaan yang memihak kepada mereka yang mempunyai kepentingan politik sahaja sedangkan rakyat biasa berhak menerima bahagian masing-masing sejajar dengan sumbangan mereka dalam ekonomi dan keperluan kewangan rakyat.

Kami percaya dengan merakyatkan ekonomi Malaysia, kami mampu bukan sahaja membawa Malaysia ke tahap yang lebih baik malah menetapkan dasar dan institusi yang boleh menjamin hak ekonomi rakyat negara ini walaupun siapa juga kerajaan yang memerintah. Dengan Merakyatkan ekonomi Malaysia, kami menggalakkan pencapaian matlamat membina kerajaan yang Cekap, Amanah serta Telus (CAT).

Bajet alternatif Merakyatkan Ekonomi Malaysia bermatlamat memastikan dana awam dan pendapatan kerajaan disalurkan secara berkesan dan efektif bersandarkan kepada keperluan rakyat, memastikan projek awam disusun dan distrukturkan dalam mekanisma yang boleh menguntungkan rakyat berbanding pengendali yang mempunyai hubungan serta kaitan politik di samping membolehkan rakyat Malaysia menikmati lonjakan kebebasan ekonomi. Oleh itu, proses Merakyatkan ekonomi akan menumpukan kepada tiga teras utama iaitu :

Penyahpusatan fiskal

Penstrukturan dan pengagihan semula

Pembinaan kapasiti

Teras I: Penyahpusatan fiskal

	Ekonomi Malaysia sekian lama mengamalkan pendekatan pemerintahan birokrasi dan ditadbir secara keseluruhan oleh kerajaan pusat dengan peranan kerajaan negeri yang semakin berkurangan. Perolehan rakyat dan pendapatan cukai korporat dikutip oleh kerajaan pusat dan seterusnya pendapatan ini diagihkan kepada pelbagai kerajaan negeri menerusi geran per kapitan berasaskan perlembagaan serta pengagihan geran secara tertutup.

	Malaysia ditubuhkan sebagai suatu Negara persekutuan yang menjamin hak-hak negeri bersekutu, tetapi, setelah 50 tahun berlalu, kita lihat kuasa politik dan kewangan semakin memusat di tahap kerajaan persekutuan. Dasar semasa telah mengakibatkan berlakunya ketidak seimbangan ketara antara bajet perbelanjaan kerajaan pusat berbanding kerajaan negeri. Sebagai contoh, pada tahun 1990, bajet perbelanjaan negeri yang digabungkan memberi tambahan sebanyak 25 peratus kepada perbelanjaan kerajaan pusat. Pecahan ini terus menurun dari tahun ke tahun selama lebih 20 tahun kepada 9 peratus pada tahun 2007.

Memandangkan bagaimana pendapatan dan perbelanjaan kerajaan negeri keseluruhan adalah dijana dan dicarum dari 13 negeri kesemuanya, adalah jelas bahawa perbelanjaan am rakyat bergantung tinggi kepada kerajaan persekutuan. Kerajaan persekutuan mempunyai bajet lebih RM200 bilion dalam tahun 2009, walhal rangkaian bajet negeri adalah kurang dari RM200 juta (Perlis) dan tidak mencecah RM3 bilion untuk negeri Sabah.

	Dasar pemusatan dan keputusan membuat dasar tertutup itu boleh juga menyebabkan ketidak seimbangan antara kerajaan negeri di Malaysia. Sebagai contoh, agihan kepada kerajaan negeri dibuat berdasarkan dasar pilih kasih kerajaan pusat mengakibatkan hanya beberapa kerajaan negeri menikmati pengagihan lebih besar manakala beberapa negeri lain mendapat bahagian yang tidak adil.

	Akibatnya, pelaksanaan dasar kerajaan dan ekonomi menjadi kurang berkesan dan tidak cekap ekoran tabiat birokratik pemindahan dana oleh kerajaan pusat kepada pembangunan tempatan sebenar. Perancangan berpusat juga menunjukkan kelemahan ketara dalam pembuatan keputusan yang lemah ekoran kegagalan untuk memahami keperluan dan keadaan sebenar soal pembangunan tempatan. Sebagai contoh, Kementerian Pengangkutan yang mengamalkan dasar pemusatan berlebihan gagal untuk melaksanakan polisi pengangkutan awam yang berkesan lagi cekap di peringkat bandar dan daerah di seluruh negara.

	Justeru, bagi memperbaiki sistem penyampaian kerajaan, keberkesanan dan kecekapan perbelanjaan, pelaksanaan dasar pembangunan dan ekonomi yang meluas perlu diserahkan kepada kerajaan negeri mengikut keutamaan, keperluan dan situasi unik masing-masing. Dengan itu, kerajaan negeri berada dalam kedudukan terbaik terbaik untuk menentu serta melaksanakan strategi sosio-ekonomi. Antara sektor yang mandapat manfaat daripada cadangan penyahpusatan dasar fiskal ialah pengangkutan serta keselamatan dalaman.

	Dalam perkara ini, kami mencadang supaya perjanjian perkongsian cukai pendapatan dengan 20 peratus individu dan cukai perolehan korporat yang dikutip di negeri akan menjadi hak negeri. Bagi Selangor dan Pulau Pinang, perjanjian perkongsian pendapatan ini akan membolehkan masing-masing mandapat RM 3.2 bilion dan RM 600 juta.  Formula geran pembangunan dan kesamaan berdasarkan factor populasi, kadar kemiskinan, kawasan pembangunan, kos, pembangunan modal insan dan indeks pendapatan kasar per kapita akan turut diberikan bagi memastikan negeri yang miskin tidak ketinggalan.

	Negeri juga perlu diberikan hak untuk meminjam sehingga 50 peratus daripada pendapatan tahunan yang dijana daripada sumber sendiri, iaitu pendapatan yang diperolehi secara langsung oleh kerajaan negeri.

	Cadangan kami untuk merakyatkan ekonomi menerusi penyahpusatan dasar fiskal boleh mendorong kepada perubahan teknikal dalam kerangka ekonomi Malaysia yang menjurus kepada lonjakan kecekapan ekonomi dan produktiviti menerusi peningkatan tahap kecekapan dalam perbelanjaan selain kesan gandaan yang meningkat hasil perbelanjaan kerajaan dalam ekonomi negara. Penyahpusatan fiskal juga akan memastikan pembangunan kawasan yang lebih seimbang berbanding Lembah Klang sahaja pada masa ini, sekali gus mencipta bandar sekunder yang produktif di seluruh negara.

	Untuk menyediakan langkah permulaan ke arah pendemokrasian ekonomi menerusi penyahpusatan fiskal, kami menyeru supaya kerajaan pusat mula mengorak langkah kepada penganjuran sistem pilihan raya di peringkat kerajaan tempatan menerusi pindaan perlembagaan persekutuan bagi membolehkan perkongsian kuasa fiskal yang lebih besar dengan kerajaan negeri. Ini akan memastikan pengagihan fiskal dan penggunaan oleh pihak berkuasa tempatan sementara kerajaan negeri akan terus bersikap telus dan bertanggungjawab sebagai oleh wakil yang dipilih secara demokrasi oleh rakyat.

                This entry was posted on Monday, 26 October 2009, 6:11 pm and is filed under
Budget Debate
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Lim Guan Eng
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Parliament
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Praising Our Leaders Too Soon and Too High

By
M. Bakri Musa

Malaysians are generous to a fault. We are too charitable especially to our guests and those new to us, without pausing to consider the significant burden it imposes upon us and those we love. This is best captured in our saying,
Kera hutan di tetekan, anak di riba mati kehausan
 (We breastfeed monkeys in the jungle while our infants die of thirst).

            We are also treating our leaders as
kera hutan
, indulging them only too readily.  We are overly charitable to and very forgiving of them, especially our new leaders. I can understand the rationale for such a sentiment; we desperately want our leaders to succeed. By praising them so soon and so highly we hope to inspire as well as encourage them to lead us to greater heights.

            The adulation of followers can indeed be a tonic to leaders, invigorating them to redouble their efforts; likewise with prestigious awards and public recognition. The Nobel Committee in awarding its Peace Prize to President Obama so early in his tenure is clearly expressing the hope of many that he would indeed bring about a more peaceful world.

            There is however, a dangerous flip side to that hope. Effusive praises, especially when clearly out of proportion or yet to be deserved, risk swelling these leaders’ head. Even if they do not have mega-maniacal tendencies initially, such incessant drumbeat of praises would inflate the ego of even the humblest of leaders.  They would then think that they are destined by God to lead us. From there it is but a few easy and enticing steps away from asserting that they are indeed God.  Then no one could or would dare question them. There are many ready examples of such inept but egotistical leaders at home and abroad, now and in history. The ravages they inflict far outlive them.

Praising Najib Early and Excessively

Mohd. Najib Bin Abdul Razak has been Prime Minister for barely six months; he delivered his first presidential speech to his party only last week. As Prime Minister he had initiated only a few not-so-major policy shifts thus far, such as liberalizing a small sub-sector of the economy, the effectiveness of which has yet to be ascertained. Yet the high praises are already pouring in by the torrent.

            In describing his performance at the recent UMNO General Assembly, one commentator in the mainstream media described it as “one of his best off-the-cuff speeches that many in UMNO had witnessed.” She went on describing Najib as a “thinking president,” gushingly concluding that the meeting he chaired “as one of those special moments in UMNO’s history.”  Special moments!  Wow!

           Another concluded with undisguised “astonishment at the remarkable ability of the country’s premier political party to renew, reform and reinvent itself after the severe setback it suffered in the 12th general election.” All in the few months since Najib took over!

            There was no shortage of superlatives to describe the new Najib, with terms like “transforming leader” and “thinking leader” liberally thrown in, based simply on that first address he gave at the UMNO Assembly.

            Now that Najib had presented his first budget, dubbed “People first; Performance now!” expect even more extravagant praises. I do not however, share much of the artificially generated enthusiasm. At least not yet.

            It is a measure of our ‘progress’ that in discussing the economy in his budget speech Najib was giddy that it was contracting less severely now. I can see being exuberantly excited if it had actually expanded, however slim. On another item, he proudly announced the establishment of 30 “merit” scholarships for our students to attend top universities. I would be more impressed if, after over 50 years of independence, those scholarships were for sending our students to top doctoral or MBA programs, not for undergraduate studies.

Art of Making Dim Candles Appear Brighter

Such embarrassingly embellished praises from established sycophants and would-be supplicants, as well as blatant favor seekers, are to be expected. After all, old habits are difficult to break, even if you are committed to doing so. More problematic however, are the uncritical rave reviews from otherwise seasoned observers.

            This is not a new phenomenon or unique to Najib.  When Abdullah succeeded Mahathir, there were similar early outpourings of uncritical praises for Abdullah. One otherwise solid scholar, undoubtedly desperate to ingratiate himself, unabashedly described Abdullah as a “social engineer par excellence.”

            Those commentators were not content with merely praising Abdullah. To make him look even better, they resorted to actively denigrating Mahathir. They must have felt that Abdullah’s dim candle could only appear brighter by snuffing out Mahathir’s.

            When I took those commentators to task for their nauseating praises, they were furious, accusing me of being unnecessarily negative and not missing any opportunity to denigrate our leaders. How could I possibly know about Abdullah with my being away for so long, they sneered.

            I wonder if those who were so enthusiastic about Abdullah so earlier on now feel they bear some responsibility for his subsequent failure. Perhaps if they had been more restrained, Abdullah’s ego would not have been so swollen. Who knows, his basic humility may have taken hold of him and he would have sought wider counsel. His tenure then might have lasted longer and would not have been the colossal waste of opportunities, for him and for the nation.

            At the UMNO Assembly, Najib paid tribute to Abdullah for not criticizing Najib, a pointed reference to what Mahathir did to Abdullah. Both Najib and Abdullah are deeply mistaken in this. For had Mahathir not been relentless and even unmerciful in his criticisms of Abdullah, the latter would remain Prime Minister today, and we would all be still enduring that terrible burden.

            There is one positive aspect to the current orgy of praises on Najib; at least those commentators are not running down his immediate predecessor. I am uncertain whether that is necessarily a compliment to Abdullah.

            Najib should welcome and actively encourage criticisms not just from Abdullah and Mahathir but also from others. That would be the best assurance that Najib would avoid grievous errors in his administration.  Even a gifted and charismatic leader as Barack Obama, with an overwhelming mandate from the people, welcomes criticism. As he said in a White House Correspondents’ dinner, “I may not agree with everything you write or report. I may even complain, … but I do so with the knowledge that when you are at your best, then you help me be at my best.”

            Like others, I want Najib Razak to succeed, less for his sake but more for our nation. I fear that these uncalled-for and overly generous praises so soon in his tenure might just go to his head, tempting him to rest on his laurels (slim as they are right now) instead of striving harder.

            We must not treat our leaders like our pet monkeys; we must never indulge them. Instead we must subject them to the toughest scrutiny and not be afraid to criticize them. And do so early and fiercely. By all means, when Najib proves himself, then we can all be generous to him.

                This entry was posted on Monday, 26 October 2009, 9:35 am and is filed under
Bakri Musa
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Najib Razak
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