Historic mission to end Umno political hegemony and make Malaysia a normal democratic country

Fifty-three years after Merdeka and 47 years after the formation of Malaysia, Malaysians are at last within reach of a historic mission – to end Umno political hegemony and make Malaysia a normal democratic country where change of government through the ballot box is accepted as a healthy democratic process and not one to invite threats of man-made disasters.

Three years ago, before March 8, 2008, Malaysians would not dare to think or dream of this possibility in their lifetime – but now it is not only a realizable dream but one which could be accomplished in the next general elections expected to be held in the first half of next year.

This is the magnitude of the change in the political landscape brought about by the political tsunami of the 2008 general elections less than three years ago.

This is also why the Selangor DAP State Convention today is taking place at a historic moment in the nation’s history and why it is attracting national attraction well beyond its state boundaries.

Recently, after the Galas and Batu Sapi by-elections, former Prime Minister Tun Dr. Mahathir said Barisan Nasional is capable of wresting one or two states from Pakatan Rakyat as the opposition is in disarray, although he is of the view that BN would likely fail to regain its two-thirds parliamentary majority despite being returned to power in Putrajaya.

It is no secret that Mahathir meant Selangor when he mentioned “one or two states” which Barisan Nasional could wrest from Pakatan Rakyat in the next general elections.

Can Umno and Barisan Nasional win back Selangor in next general elections? Is Pakatan Rakyat government in Selangor impregnable and invincible?

I know there are people who believe that Pakatan Rakyat cannot lose control and power in Selangor in the next general elections.

In the 2008 general elections, Pakatan Rakyat won 17 out of 22 parliamentary seats in Selangor and 36 out of 56 state assembly seats (losing one as a result of defection).

Eight Pakatan Rakyat parliamentary seats in Selangor were won with less than ten  per cent majority, namely Hulu Selangor, Kuala Selangor, Hulu Langat, Kuala Langat (these won with less than five per cent majorities) and Selayang, Gombak, Ampang and Kelana Jaya. In a recent by-election, PR lost Hulu Selangor, which was won with the slimmest majority of 0.4% in 2008.

For the state assembly seats, ten were won by  Pakatan Rakyat with less than ten  per cent majority, viz Sekinchan, Bukit Melawati, Cempaka, Damansara and Teluk Datuk (these five won with less than five per cent majorities) and Ulu Kelang, Bkt Antarabangsa, Lebah Jaya, Kota Anggerik and Selat Kelang.

Taking into account that Barisan Nasional had also won three parliamentary seats and 12 state assembly seats in Selangor in 2008 with less than 10 per cent majorities, is Pakatan Rakyat invulnerable, invincible, impregnable and unconquerable  in Selangor?

We should not only take heed of the warning “Pride comes before a fall” but also learn from the lessons of history.

In the 1999 general elections, PAS had never expected to win power in Terengganu state but it swept the state with a landslide 28-4 victory in the state assembly seats.

In the 2004 general elections, PAS never expected to lose power in Terengganu but it lost in a reverse 4-28 sweep by Umno and Barisan Nasional.

Can what happened in Terengganu in the 1999 and 2004 general elections happen in Selangor in the 2008 and next general elections – capturing power in Selangor although never expecting to win before the 2008 general elections, and losing the state in the next general election although never expecting to lose?

This is why the  Selangor DAP Convention today is important, as it will help determine whether Pakatan Rakyat in Selangor will repeat or avoid the Terengganu example in the next general elections.

I spoke of the “two fatal political assumptions” – one for BN and the other for PR – in Kota Kinabalu last week:

•	That it is a great mistake for BN to believe that its hold on Putrajaya is secure and that it could win back the Kedah and Selangor state governments from PR based on its victories in the Galas, Batu Sapi, Hulu Selangor and Bagan Pinang by-elections.

•	An equally great mistake for Pakatan Rakyat to believe that it is embarked on an unstoppable movement to capture federal power in Putrajaya with invincible control of its present state governments, particularly Kedah and Selangor.

I know that I have caused upsets with my “two fatal political assumptions” statement, but I prefer to be proven wrong in the next general elections rather than proven right!

The Selangor DAP State Convention today can be  a major political milestone for Pakatan Rakyat to ensure that Selangor in the next general elections will not be a repeat of Terengganu in 2004.

But even more important, the Selangor DAP State Convention can help to end the crisis of confidence in the Pakatan Rakyat and restore the political momentum for democratization created by the March 8 political tsunami by giving new hope and inspiration to all Malaysians that the historic mission to end Umno political hegemony to make Malaysia a normal democratic country where change of government through the ballot box is accepted as a healthy democratic process and not one to invite man-made disasters remains on track.

How can the Selangor DAP State Convention  today become a major political milestone in the historic mission of Malaysians of all races from all over the country to make Malaysia a normal democratic country, which is a prerequisite to save Malaysia from becoming a bankrupt nation in 2019 as warned by a Cabinet Minister and lay the basis for building a new Malaysia which is democratic, just, inclusive, prosperous, internationally competitive,  a magnet for global talents and FDIs where every Malaysian has an equal place under the Malaysian sun.

Firstly, by ensuring that Selangor DA State Convention contribute to the solution and not aggravate the crisis of confidence in Pakatan Rakyat by avoiding any action or statement that could be exploited to undermine public confidence in Pakatan Rakyat.

Secondly, sending out a clear and unmistakable message of a single-minded unity of purpose to ensure that Selangor will not repeat the lessons of Terengganu of 2004 and full endorsement for national political change in Putrajaya. This message will be marred if key DAP leaders in the Pakatan Rakyat Selangor state government do not receive full mandate and support from the Convention.

Thirdly, also clear and unmistakable message that DAP stands constant and consistent  for honest, clean and incorruptible politics whether at the national, state or local government level.

There is a place and role in DAP for every leader and member to contribute to the historic political changes awaiting the country. For DAP, just as for Pakatan Rakyat, united we stand, divided we fall.

Let us therefore venture forth to make this Selangor DAP State Convention a historic milestone to ensure that Pakatan Rakyat can retain power in Selangor and the other Pakatan Rakyat states of Penang, Kedah and Kelantan, recapture Perak state government which was “robbed” from Pakatan Rakyat illegally, undemocratically and unconstitutionally, take the offensive to  Johore, Negri Sembilan, Pahang, Sabah and Sarawak as the front-line states and most important all, to make a successful bid for power in Putrajaya.

(Opening speech at the Selangor DAP State Convention 2010 held at  Sunway Convention Centre, Subang Jaya on Sunday, 27th November 2010)

                This entry was posted on Sunday, 28 November 2010, 2:07 pm and is filed under
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Malaysia in the Era of Globalization #42

By
M. Bakri Musa

Chapter 5:  Understanding Globalization (Cont’d)

Maximizing the Benefits and Minimizing the Downside of Globalization

Understanding the consequences of and the forces driving globalization would help us maximize its benefits and minimize the risks.  Globalization has its own dynamics, and like the mighty Mississippi, there is no point in trying to stop it and getting swamped in the process.  Malaysians would be better off trying to channel and tame the beast to benefit them.  Levees along the Mississippi created vast expanses of rich fertile farms while at the same time controlling the floods.  Channels and locks converted the river into an efficient and vital transportation artery.  Likewise, damming provided cheap hydroelectric power as well as vast recreational lakes.

Thus instead of bemoaning the erratic cycles and the seemingly overwhelming power of globalization, Malaysia would be better off preparing her citizens to meet this new challenge and making it benefit the nation.  Malaysians should concentrate on building the equivalent of channels, levees, and dams to tame and exploit globalization so it could benefit Malaysians by taking advantage of this massive global flow.

            To pursue my earlier metaphor of a tidal wave, Malaysia should train its citizens to be skillful surfers so they can ride the crest.  Failing that, we should teach them to be swimmers so they would not be drowned.  At the very least we should instruct them on how to build their own kayaks and personal flotation devices so they could stay afloat and not be swamped.  Preparing and adapting are more productive than wasting energy at thwarting the inevitable.  We only hurt ourselves by striking out at phantom enemies.

            The government has a duty to prepare its citizens for this new reality and to ensure that no one will be swept away.  The second part of this book explores the various avenues and mechanisms to achieve this goal of reducing the social price of globalization and maximizing its benefits.  With any change, there will be those who are dislocated, and the government must be prepared with the necessary programs to take care of them.

            Americans are already paying some of the stiff price for their government’s lack of preparation of its people to face globalization.  Highly paid unionized factory workers are being laid off by the thousands, their jobs permanently exported to Mexico and China.  Similarly, with computerization and the diffusion of information, layers of middle managers are made redundant.  Many of those laid-off have been successfully re-trained, but many more for a variety of reasons could not make the necessary adjustments.

            America has a variety of generous social safety net programs like taxpayer-supported training schemes, unemployment insurance, food stamps and welfare, and social security.  Despite that, many still could not bear the burden or slip through the system.  In my suburban medical practice in California I see these casualties.  They are real and not just some statistics. Viewed on a broader scale however, for every American worker thrown out of a job, many more Mexicans are taking his place.

            A few years ago Dysan, a major computer disc maker in my California town, closed down its factory and moved to Malaysia.  There was an uproar locally as hundreds of well-paying jobs disappeared forever.  I sympathized with those workers (many are my patients) but at the same time, California’s loss was Malaysia’s gain.  To its credit, instead of lamenting and railing against the inevitable loss, my city reacted proactively.  Today the site of the old factory is now a major shopping outlet.  I meet more Malaysian tourists there than anywhere else.  Perhaps some of them are employees of Dysan Malaysia!

            I disagree with those who characterize globalization as a “race to the bottom.”  To those workers in Malaysia and Mexico who has benefited tangibly from globalization, it is a race to the top.

            Globalization may be the only means of dealing with such emerging transnational issues as pollution, terrorism, natural disasters, transportation safety, and international crime.  These issues are beyond the control and reach of individual states.  Malaysia was reminded of this not too long ago with the smog emanating from neighboring Indonesia.  Transpolar airline routes are made possible only through international collaboration.  Such co-operations are greatly facilitated through globalization.

            Contrary to Mahathir’s understanding, globalization does not guarantee “good for everyone, at all times, [and] in every way.”  No system can promise that.  There is no “truth deficit” in the message of globalization.  Its message is simply this:  those who adapt thrive; those who cannot will be left behind.  This applies to any major social change; there is no mystery to that.

            The alternative to not embracing globalization would be to insulate oneself a la Myanmar, Libya, and North Korea.  True, the recent economic crisis hardly affected them, but then not too many Malaysians would want to trade places with the citizens of those pathetic nations.

            There are of course many negatives and imperfections with globalization.  For one, America and Western European nations, despite their commitment to globalization, still have significant tariffs and subsidies, for example, in agriculture and steel.  Malaysia should challenge them to dismantle those barriers.  With our warm climate, year-round growing season, and cheap labor we can be competitive with them in agriculture.  Tell the Americans that if they were to buy our natural rubber they would not only get a superior quality product but also spare themselves the pollution from their synthetic rubber industry.  Besides, doing so would make Malaysians wealthier so they could in turn buy American software, attend American colleges, and buy Boeing planes.

            Globalization is a win-win proposition.  Yes, there are shoals and sand traps along the way towards achieving its lofty goals.  We avoid them by being better prepared and vigilant.  The flaws and inequities of globalization are being addressed to by many able minds.  The fact that they have not come to an agreement suggests that the problems are either not easily solvable or that there is no consensus as to the appropriate remedies.  There is no need to ascribe sinister motives to anyone.

            American trade unionists, its Ralph Naders and Pat Buchanans, are as much against globalization as Mahathir.  Rest assured that Nader’s and Buchanan’s preferred remedies would not be to Malaysia’s liking.

            Malaysia benefited immensely by welcoming foreign investments and joining the global mainstream.  This is not the time to retreat.  In the ensuing chapters I will elaborate on the necessary strategies for Malaysia in preparing for globalization.

            Malaysia’s future lies with her rejoining the global mainstream.  Globalization does not mean cultural homogenization or even Western cultural hegemony.  Quite the contrary!  If Malaysia is successful and thriving, then we are more likely to maintain and be proud of our national identity and heritage.  Imagine what it would do to our literature and culture if more Malaysians could afford to buy our books and attend our cultural shows and concerts!  American artists and writers are successful because affluent Americans can afford to do those things.  In contrast, many gifted Indonesian artists and writers are starving simply because their poor fellow citizens cannot afford to buy or patronize their creations.

            It is fashionable with many Western leftist and Third World intellectuals to belittle economic growth and prosperity, equating material comforts and affluence with spiritual poverty.  I argue the very opposite.  It is easier to be generous and tolerant when you are prosperous and comfortable than when you are poor and struggling.  In poverty, you would be fighting over little bits of scrap, and life becomes very cheap indeed.

            We are more likely to have a civil society if we are prosperous and economically successful than if we are starving and struggling.  As for the spiritual aspect, Malays have an apt saying, Kemiskinan mendakiti kefukuran (Poverty begets impiety).  A visit to neighboring poverty-stricken Indonesia will convince anyone of the wisdom of that ancient observation.

            The surest and best way for Malaysia to get out of economic stagnation is to enthusiastically embrace globalization.  Malaysia should concentrate on preparing its people and institutions for this new reality, and to build the necessary safety net for the few who would inevitably be dislocated.  As a prelude to this, we must first take stock of the nation and assess its strengths and weaknesses.  That will be the gist of the next chapter.

Next:   Part II:  Transforming Malaysia

                This entry was posted on Monday, 29 November 2010, 10:21 am and is filed under
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Patriotism in perspective

By
AB Sulaiman

Defence Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi stated recently that there have been too few non-Malays serving in the armed forces because “they lacked patriotism”. Malaysian politicians are not renowned for coining any worthwhile wisdom, and this one may prove hard to beat.

Sure enough this statement angered the public. But it’s so very odd. Where else have we heard an incumbent defence minister claiming his own illustrious soldiers and pool of citizens as not patriotic enough? In this writing I am trying to have a modicum of understanding to this bizarre situation.

Thanabalasingam, the former Navy chief, and Goh Seng Toh, a retired general, came up with their disappointment and anger, the former describing the minister’s remark as “it hurts,” and the latter with “unfair, stupid and racist”.

D Swami, a retired officer, then wrote on CPI of many cases of (non-Malay) military officers showing patriotism in warfare both within the country and abroad. They have clearly denied the ministerial accusation.

I am in full agreement with these individuals, basing my judgment from their straight- from-the-horse’s-mouth accounts above and from my personal experience in life. I came from the Royal Military College, with many ex-school and classmates joining the armed forces. Many of them left when they realised that their dedication, competency, loyalty, professionalism count for very little in their career development; but race and religion do.

But they can’t help being born (in this case) to the non-Malay ‘race’, and religion is very much a matter of personal faith and belief, of choice. So they left.

Yes, they left the military disappointed, disillusioned, and frustrated. Until today they voice their unending sorrow. And now their patriotism is doubted. To them this is like putting salt to a wound. I should know this for I meet with many of them regularly.

To come back to the issue, obviously patriotism among the non-Malays is alive and well now and as it has ever been. Obviously too, this minister has made an error or blunder of high proportions. If it is a bomb, it could equal C-4 explosives.

Patriotism defined

Where has the minister gone wrong? For this let’s explore what patriotism is all about. It is akin to nationalism i.e. one’s feeling of love and loyalty to one’s country and its way of life. But one’s feeling of love and loyalty for one’s country would yield at least four varieties:

a) Loyalty to the country, its peoples and their ways of life; also known as nationalism.

b) Loyalty to the country and its people, and going all the way to protect the country’s prestige and reputation. This is patriotism.

c) Loyalty to the government running the country (e.g. Loyalty to Barisan Nasional).

d) Loyalty to the individuals running the government running the country (e.g. Loyalty to Najib Abdul Razak, the Prime Minister).

This categorisation has some credibility. The Malaysian Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) has unwittingly touched upon it recently. It defined its role by fusing (a) and (c) together.

Witness what its commissioner Mahmood Zuhdi A Majid (right) said on human rights: “The commission took a careful approach to strike a balance between government and public interests.” Whether or not Suhakam is justified in adopting this middle road is a potentially contentious issue, and would merit some scrutiny. But I won’t delve any further into it at this time.

Unlike nationalism, patriotism indicates a person’s dedication and commitment to the protection of the welfare and prestige of his country. He is ready, willing, and able to go the extra mile in terms of personal sacrifices (including his life) he has to make and to withstand any discomfort this may cost him.

It is different from one’s loyalty to the government of the day.

Today the Barisan Nasional is in power. This does not mean that a PAS, DAP or PKR man is un- or non-patriotic. Nor does it mean that a person with no party affiliation is non-patriotic either.

It is certainly not one’s loyalty to the political party in power.

Certainly patriotism is not loyalty to the individuals holding the country’s rein of power.

With this initial definition, let’s see where to slot Ahmad Zahid. He was not even talking about nationalism or patriotism. He is way off course. I am inclined to think that he has demonstrated items (c) and (d) above. He is showing loyalty to his party and to Najib Abdul Razak.

Sentiments of the romantic past

He might have been echoing the sentiments of the romantic past, like during the Malacca sultanate days. This was when society was generally agrarian in character and the population number very small.

Tribal warfare was more or less the norm and national defence was then a question of collective responsibility. Each member of a tribe would be required to ‘Mempertahankan negara dari musuh-musuhnya’ or to defend the nation from its enemies each time the society was under attack. At this time, patriotism was demanded and expected.

This must have been the case when the Portuguese came calling in 1509 and 1511. Likewise during the time of British rule when there appeared many Malay warriors daring to rise and challenge the colonisers. The fact of the matter would be that it was every person’s patriotic duty to defend his country.

But times have changed. Today we all live in a post-modern democratic society, and our total number come to nearly thirty million. We live in a world with modern economy, with its individual-oriented social norms. Mainly we live in an era of specialisation where we do one tiny bit in one big economic machine. National defence would be handled by the professional soldiers organised by his Defence Ministry.

With changing times come changing attitudes. In any case we humankind have developed independence of thinking. We have a growing concern over our government putting dominance over our lives as individuals. The sense of the individual or individualism has entered our domain.

Also the rules of engagement of warfare have also changed: In the past we were using bows and arrows, kris and swords, lances and machetes. Combat was essentially one-to-one. But today warfare invariably makes use of modern weapons of war, which means guns and bombs, tanks, rockets, jet bombers, warships and submarines.

Put all this together – the sense of the individual, the large number of population, the huge economic machine, the specialisation of functions, and we see the need for the state to plan, budget, set up, train, maintain and manage a war machine. There is need for a technically savvy and professional and permanent bureaucracy to ensure continuity, growth and development of the national war machine.

This means there is an absolute need for specially and professionally trained members of the armed forces to man a nation’s defence mechanism. Professional soldiers would mean the setting up of a good and clear path for career advancement for the individuals who have chosen soldiering as their profession.

Now, a word about the modern professional soldier. The modern soldier to begin with is a modern individual. The sense of the individual in him is strong. He joins the armed forces out of his free will, after having discarded other alternative careers he might have chosen.

He does his job with a sense of duty, integrity, competency, and professionalism, as provided by his training and skill, all in order to gain the satisfaction of a job well done. He is there to satisfy his own inner self, and if in his career he has to undergo sacrifices then he is ready to do so.

Sweep it under the carpet

But inasmuch as the minister has made a boob, the government reaction has been wanting. In other countries the minister would have been made to apologise and or resign. But here in our country of supposedly high morals and integrity it is business as usual.

As the Star puts it Ahmad Zahid had explained his claim to Najib.Apparently the prime minister had described this case as a mere polemics and asked not to discuss the issue openly. Zahid said Najib wanted a stop to any open discussion on the issue as ‘nothing would be achieved from it.’

In other words sweep it under the carpet, and nobody is the wiser.

But there is this adage of psychology or philosophy stating a person can make one mistake and he can be forgiven, but he should learn from it. He would be a fool if he repeats his (first) mistake. The moral is that we have to learn from past mistakes.

I see this wisdom being side stepped by Najib. Zahid will not open his mind and learn the fact that he might have said something troublesome (and even bordering on treasonous), so there is no guarantee that he will not repeat this same mistake again. Nor will other members of the cabinet learn from this one mistake and stopping them from repeating the same or a variation of the same mistake again.

It’s good to ask why Najib elects not to give Zahid a tougher reprimand. There can be many reasons. I’d hazard one guess – perhaps not to show or expose any weaknesses in his cabinet team. If this hunch is true, then how unpatriotic of him for not making use of this window of opportunity to improve the intellect and open the mind of Zahid and his other cabinet members.

——–

AB SULAIMAN is an observer of human traits and foibles, especially within the context of religion and culture. As a liberal, he marvels at the way orthodoxy fights to maintain its credibility in a devilishly fast-changing world. He hopes to provide some understanding to the issues at hand and wherever possible, suggest some solutions. He holds a Bachelor in Social Sciences (Leicester, UK) and a Diploma in Public Administration, Universiti Malaya.

                This entry was posted on Monday, 29 November 2010, 4:15 pm and is filed under
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‘Shooting’ in Parliament

By
Mariam Mokhtar

During a parliamentary session last week, Deputy Foreign Minister A Kohilan Pillay called vocal overseas Malaysians “traitors” and said they had “breached loyalty to the King and country”.

He told the Dewan Rakyat: “The ministry monitors the behaviour and actions of not only people from the opposition parties but also tourists and those who reside abroad.”

Kohilan Pillay accused these Malaysians of giving foreigners the “wrong perception” of Malaysia.

But hasn’t he shot himself in the foot with his ludicrous charges?

Malaysians need not bother dishonouring the good name of the country and its leaders. Kohilan Pillay need only search in his own backyard and judge for himself how his government, principally the Umno faction, has tarnished Malaysia’s good name, both within and outside Malaysia.

But he is right. Malaysian missions overseas have an important role in fostering positive relations and promoting Malaysian interests.

In addition, the Prime Minister’s Office would elevate the national agenda, uphold the government’s stand, provide clarification on current political, economic and social developments and rebut any unfounded negative perception of the country.

Kohilan Pillay then revealed how the ministry would monitor foreign media reports and correct any unfounded allegations. If they’re already doing that, why worry?

Even if Malaysians choose not to berate their ministers for corrupt practices, irresponsible behaviour or unfair policies, there is plenty of non-political fodder for citizens who question the morality and poor judgment of their politicians.

A woman was flogged for drinking beer whilst children have been seized because one of their parents converted to Islam. The desecration of the cow’s head, the banning of Bibles, the ‘illegal’ use of the word ‘Allah’, journalists who violated the sanctity of the Catholic mass and the coerced conversions of some of the Orang Asli are a few of the religious injustices.

Men who abandon their wives and who refuse to pay child maintenance need not act responsibly. Their ex-wives can apply for financial aid from a RM15 million state-sponsored slush fund.

Errant husbands who wish to marry again, but without their wives’ permission, may take advantage of a loophole in the Syariah law and re-marry in neighbouring states.

A child as young as 10 is caned for eating the wrong kind of sausage, whilst under-aged teenagers are allowed to marry just so the statistics of illegitimate children and abandoned babies can be kept low.

The rape of Penan women arpenan baram women sexual abuse by loggers ignored and the true original peoples in Peninsular Malaysia – the Orang Asli – are not accorded full bumiputera rights.

The ancestral lands of indigenous folk of Sarawak and Sabah have been seized to make way for monuments to vanity like the Bakun Dam. This and other projects have all but destroyed the biodiversity of the land, caused massive pollution of land, water and air from the activities of mass-logging and oil palm planting. Our rainforests are depleted, risking climate change on a global scale.

People who dared to protest against illegal seizure of their lands have been threatened by thugs or arrested by the police.

Hundreds, including teenagers have been victims of police brutality or have been shot dead, or have died in detention. The public remains helpless.

Even learning institutions are not spared when school heads fail to lead by example and shamelessly espouse racist views.

Malaysia disgraced abroad

If Malaysians abroad are warned about making unfair comments, then the government should also tell certain prominent families that they should also behave properly when in the casinos of London, Monaco and Las Vegas. They should not expect to be bailed out from the public purse.

How about the seizing overseas multimillion-dollar assets and properties of well-connected people who paid for these in money siphoned off from public funds?

How is the Malaysian to defend his or her country when told that members of the Malaysian UN peacekeeping force had disgraced themselves by trashing and vandalising their quarters and desecrating religious symbols in eastern Europe?

How does the ordinary Malaysian feel about having to save hard to take his family on a ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ foreign holiday, when those whose job it is to promote Malaysia as a tourism destination, clock up several thousand air-miles and spend a few million ringgit within a matter of months?

In their book ‘Small Acts of Resistance’, ex-journalists and human rights campaigners Steve Cranshaw and John Jackson show how courage, tenacity and ingenuity of ordinary people have managed to change the world.

The book describes how those suffering under repressive governments have managed to effect change, by simple individual actions.

For instance, Radio Solidarity picked up popular support that swept across Poland, by broadcasting ‘illegal’ news bulletins which countered official propaganda. What could the Polish government do? Arrest all the inhabitants of a town or a city?

The Turkish writer Yasar Kemal who wrote an article about brutality against Kurds, found himself charged under the anti-terrorism laws. When authors and publishers came to his defence and produced books and articles in support of Kemal, the authorities found the task of prosecuting hundreds of prominent intellectuals too cumbersome, politically embarrassing and idiotic, so the trials were abandoned.

To rid Peru of corruption and brutality, the public engaged in the mass public laundering of the national flag. Peru’s unpopular president Alberto Fujimori was soon toppled and he was later jailed for his brutal, corrupt rule.

Who knows? Zunar (left) and Radio Free Sarawak might be featured in the next edition of this book.

Kohilan Pillay’s veiled threat is a sign that the government is panicky about the increasing rumblings from citizens.

Perhaps, he should read the book and realise the impact on public lives by the small acts of ordinary people. Will his leaders change their ways? Or will they continue to betray the country and continue the mass theft from the nation and subjugation of its peoples?

The government’s attempts to monitor the actions of its citizens are an ill-use of resources. It may try to jam the airwaves and halt the flow of digital information.

But how will it extinguish the flame of courage, or destroy the human spirit, or quash the tiny acts of bold defiance or witty disobedience in Malaysians who value the ideals of living in a democratic and free society?

                This entry was posted on Monday, 29 November 2010, 6:25 pm and is filed under
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1 Malaysia – A blurred and confused concept

By
Ahmad Mustapha Hassan

November 30, 2010

NOV 30 — 1 Malaysia was announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak on September 16, 2008. It is now over two years since that announcement but till today no one is clear of what 1 Malaysia is all about.

According to the 1 Malaysia website which is the personal website of Najib, it is stated that: “1 Malaysia is intended to provide a free and open forum to discuss the things that matter deeply to us as a nation. It provides a chance to express and explore the many perspectives of our fellow citizens. What makes Malaysia unique is the diversity of our peoples. 1 Malaysia’s goal is to preserve and enhance this unity in diversity which has always been our strength and remains our best hope for the future.”

And with that mission statement, a slogan was also created — “People first, performance now.”

The stress is on unity but there is no forward-looking objective as to what the future of Malaysia and Malaysians will be. Will there be a Malaysian nation or will the country plod on in status quo? Without a long-term objective on how the future will be, it will be difficult for all communities in Malaysia to work together. Each will simply continue to be inward looking and try to preserve their own interests.

The 1 Malaysia booklet stresses civic consciousness which should be included as a syllabus in schools. But regrettably in some school texts children are already taught to be racial in character, teaching them to identify the racial group they belong to.

This was not the case during the colonial days. The racial aspect was never emphasised and thus all were treated as one and all believed they were one. The racial aspect never surfaced at all. Even teachers were never identified according to their ethnic group.

We are now told that that unity and harmony has been presumably lost due to policies that were implemented by the government itself.

We have to start all over again, from the beginning. We now have to inculcate values that will create unity and harmony in the country. After more than 50 years of independence, we are now told that we have to practise values that will instil unity and harmony among the people, in order to achieve progress.

If truly unity and harmony is to be achieved it is imperative that the current structure has to be set anew. All the elements that have caused the disunity have to be got rid of. Very forward-looking and bold measures have to be adopted, and a no-nonsense approach.

But will the government be brave enough to do this?

After two years into 1 Malaysia, elements of fear abound, creating tensions and suspicions. There is nervousness in the air. Unity has to be based on equality. If there is a feeling that some sections of the population are not enjoying fully what the country has to offer, then that unity will not be a reality.

It is significant to note that even among the members of the Cabinet; there are divergent views on unity. Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yasin has again and again stressed on the unity of the Malays as a prerequisite and to him, he is Malay first and whatever else comes after. In the case of Minister Datuk Nazri Aziz , he proudly says that he is Malaysian first while another minister has questioned the level of patriotism of the non-Malays. In such an atmosphere, can the 1 Malaysia concept take root and achieve the unity that the nation and its people now crave for.

The intention is noble, but the objectives and goals of 1 Malaysia have to be spelt out clearly. And there must be proper follow-through to achieve these objectives and goals. This has not happened and instead each community is looking towards creating unity within itself.

The Malays, for whatever reason, are afraid to lose what they have not possessed. And in forcefully demanding that this apparition of unity among themselves be retained has caused the others to feel suspicious. Thus the chasm and division among the races has become wider.

Even during the recent Umno general assembly, none of the delegates had come out forcefully to defend the 1 Malaysia concept, a brainchild of their president-cum-the prime minister. Most felt that 1 Malaysia would threaten their economic and political interest.

It does not augur well. The country cannot progress to be a truly united nation and a high-income nation if there exists impediments to achieving this progress.

Even the mainstream media, controlled and owned by the government parties, have not been of help. Some tend to foster division rather than unity. This should not have been allowed at all but unfortunately they have been given carte blanche to behave in whatever way they like.

If ever there actually exists a desire to achieve 1 Malaysia, several bold steps need to be taken. The BN government should try to amalgamate all the parties in the coalition and form them into a single non-racial political party. Thus politics of race can be weeded out. It has been more than 50 years that the BN is in government; no marked effort has ever been made to eliminate race politics.

Laws and Acts that impede the achievement of 1 Malaysia have to be repealed, thus giving more freedom and democracy to the people. There should be free flow of information, so that the people will be more knowledgeable of what is happening in the country.

There should be complete democratisation of all institutions and meritocracy should become all important for achieving success.

Naturally, these first steps need to be implemented, negative elements scrapped before new, innovative and visionary steps are implemented.

1 Malaysia cannot be done through patch work. As it is the ingredients for the cake have yet to be sourced and already icings have been made.

1 Malaysia clinics and such likes will not create 1 Malaysia that is permanent and progressive in nature. Bold and progressive measures will.

*
Ahmad Mustapha Hassan is the author of “The Unmaking of Malaysia” and a former general manager of state news agency Bernama. He was also the press secretary to Prime Minister Tun Abdul Razak Hussein and the then-Deputy Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

                This entry was posted on Tuesday, 30 November 2010, 4:15 pm and is filed under
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Pakatan still alive and kicking, says Kit Siang

By
Boo Su-Lyn

November 30, 2010

The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 30 — DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang has proclaimed Pakatan Rakyat (PR) to be alive and kicking despite internal strife wracking its component parties.

PKR’s recently-concluded direct polls were plagued with allegations of vote rigging that were mostly highlighted by the losers in the election, while Selangor DAP went through one of its most divisive elections last weekend.

“We are more than alive and kicking and we propose to go forward in our political struggle for Malaysia,” said Lim in his closing speech at the PR mentris besar and chief ministers summit in Shah Alam yesterday.

“According to the mainstream media, there are negative reports about what is happening in Pakatan component parties, and that we are neither dead nor alive,” he added.

Lim stressed that it was crucial to acknowledge the drop in public confidence towards the opposition coalition.

“We do not deny that lately, we have faced problems… like a crisis in public confidence towards us. We have to admit this to turn around our political situation,” said the Ipoh Timur MP.

“This summit is important for a turnaround of Pakatan to restore our political momentum for change,” he added.

Yesterday, Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng had told PR state leaders to stop acting as the opposition in governing states under their control.

Lim said PR leaders needed to change their mindsets and focus on administering their respective states well, amid intense speculation that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak may call for snap polls as early as the first quarter of next year.

Kit Siang further rallied PR leaders to not only retain their states in the upcoming general election, but also to capture other states.

“More importantly, we must go on the offensive. Johor, Negri Sembilan, Pahang, Sabah and Sarawak must be our frontline states in the next general election,” said Kit Siang.

Barisan Nasional (BN) for the first time lost its two-thirds majority in Parliament in 2008. The loose opposition pact of PKR, DAP and PAS won four more states — Selangor, Penang, Kedah and Perak — as well as 82 parliamentary seats.

Today, Kit Siang claimed that the only way for Umno to “reform” was for the country’s largest Malay party to be booted out into the opposition.

“Najib has said Umno will reform. But the only way for Umno to reform is… by sending Umno into the opposition in the next general election,” he added.

Guan Eng, who is DAP secretary-general, also underscored the importance of wooing civil servants in PR’s efforts to run the state.

The Malaysian Insider understands that 30 per cent (420,000) of the 1.2 million in the country’s government service are not registered as voters.

This segment, should they be registered, would be significant in whether BN or PR would form the next administration.

Recently however, Kit Siang warned Selangor DAP that PR might lose Selangor in the next general election if it was not united, reminding the state party convention to learn from PAS’s 2004 loss in Terengganu.

PAS had lost Terengganu in a 4-28 sweep by Umno and BN, reversing its 28-4 victory in the 1999 general election, he said.

Meanwhile, PKR’s fractious polls had culminated with the exit of Datuk Zaid Ibrahim from the deputy presidential race and his resignation from the party.

He had accused the party leadership of condoning electoral fraud and malpractices.

“Only when there is a change of government, can we see a new Malaysia,” said Kit Siang today.

“The next election will be a very important point in the history of Malaysia… when a change of government is accepted as a normal democratic process,” he added.

                This entry was posted on Tuesday, 30 November 2010, 10:59 am and is filed under
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Promote ‘ketuanan rakyat’, Anwar tells Pakatan leaders

By
Boo Su-Lyn

November 30, 2010

The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 30 — Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has urged Pakatan Rakyat (PR) leaders to spread a “ketuanan rakyat” (people supremacy) message to voters in states under their control.

The opposition leader said the Malay supremacy concept has been “twisted” by some Malay elites, echoing his wife Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail’s rejection of the concept that led Perkasa Youth to label her a “political prostitute”.

“The responsibility of the states is to affirm their stand on ketuanan rakyat,” said Anwar in his closing speech at the PR mentris besar and chief ministers summit in Shah Alam yesterday.

“The polemic of ketuanan Melayu (Malay supremacy) has been twisted by a group of rich and powerful Malays. They got rich based on so-called pro-Malay policies,” he added.

The summit was attended by PR state administrators Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim, Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, Kedah Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Azizan Abdul Razak and Kelantan Mentri Besar Datuk Nik Aziz Nik Mat.

Yesterday, Perkasa Youth chief Arman Azha Abu Hanifah described PKR leaders as desperate for non-Malay votes and called Dr Wan Azizah a “political prostitute” for rejecting the concept of Malay supremacy.

He also likened Dr Wan Azizah’s remarks to an attack on the constitutional position of the Malays.

At PKR’s annual congress last weekend, PKR president Dr Wan Azizah described Malay supremacy as a slogan used by a small group of Malay elites to cheat others.

She also called on the Malay community to become a dignified race and not to be obsessed with being a “master”.

Anwar, however, said that PR was not effective enough in reaching out to the masses with its messages.

“We are not so effective in explaining our stand and actions to the rakyat,” said the Permatang Pauh MP.

“Internet penetration is located in urban or suburban areas, not the rural heartland,” he added.

PKR leaders have voiced such concerns about the obstacles in disseminating party policies to the public, especially after the ban on the party weekly newsletter Suara Keadilan.

Anwar noted that an effective media machinery was crucial in establishing the “facts” among the people, especially after he and PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang had been accused of betraying their race.

“You have seen the incessant propaganda. We have been called traitors to the Malay race. It is therefore a major challenge to… disseminate information effectively and to go to the ground and launch an effective campaign based on facts,” he said.

Analysts have said PR faces greater difficulty in capturing semi-rural seats that suffer a communication vacuum from the opposition coalition and are more concerned about economic prosperity.

Anwar has also reiterated DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang’s call for PR leaders to close ranks, amid widespread speculation that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak may call for snap polls as early as the first quarter of next year, ahead of the end of his government’s mandate in 2013.

“I agree with Kit Siang that it’s time to ensure consensus and unity,” he said.

“We will be at risk if there is suspicion within the party. So, we call for a spirit of consensus in Pakatan state governments,” he added.

PKR’s recent fractious polls culminated with the exit of Datuk Zaid Ibrahim from the deputy presidential race and his resignation from the party.

He had accused the party leadership of condoning electoral fraud and malpractices.

Selangor DAP went through one of its most divisive elections last weekend, involving a faction aligned to then-state chairman Ean Yong Hian Wah and another team led by State Assembly Speaker Teng Chang Khim.

Lim had also recently warned the Selangor DAP that PR might lose Selangor in the next general election if it is not united, reminding the state party convention to learn from PAS’s 2004 loss in Terengganu.

PAS had lost Terengganu in a 4-28 sweep by Umno and BN, reversing its 28-4 victory in the 1999 general election, he said.

Anwar also claimed that PR state administrators were prohibited from entering schools.

“He may be mentri besar, but he’s not allowed to enter any educational institution or any school,” he said.

He further lambasted the federal government for refusing to disburse funds directly to PR state governments.

“The federal government does not disburse funds through state agencies, but through certain apparatuses,” said the 62-year-old PKR de facto leader.

                This entry was posted on Tuesday, 30 November 2010, 11:55 am and is filed under
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Time for Pakatan to Go Guerilla

By
Kee Thuan Chye

A LARGE part of politics hinges on perception. And the public perception of Pakatan Rakyat, especially of its component party PKR, is currently negative or one of scepticism. This is due in part to Pakatan’s own doing – as is evident in recent instances of major in-fighting among party members – and in part to merciless mainstream media spin.

Pakatan itself cannot counter the spin. It does not have a well-organised spin machinery of its own, and it does not have its own newspapers, radio and TV stations that reach out nationwide. Countering spin is also something that needs to be done on a daily basis. If a spin is not nipped in the bud and is allowed to grow instead, it will be that much harder to debunk it later.

In Selangor, Pakatan has been bringing out Selangorkini, a weekly rag in Bahasa Malaysia that is supposed to provide some profile to the Pakatan-led state government’s activities and achievements, but this is not well-distributed. Many Selangorians are not even aware of its existence. In late November, the English-language Selangor Times was launched, but its target readership is mainly urbanites. Pakatan needs more than the votes of the urban areas to win the next general election. In fact, it needs a lot more to win the next general election. As it is, it cannot match what the BN Government is touting – a brighter future, a Malaysia with high-income status by 2020, through projects under the Economic Transformation Programme. Never mind that this is actually still a dream, an illusion; BN has been selling it on a grand scale to make it seem real. And the irony is, people are actually buying it.

As we know, the key to persuading buyers is marketing. It is just as important in politics as public relations, and BN is savvy about this. That’s how it manages to hoodwink the masses into buying its product. Pakatan, on the other hand, hasn’t done much by way of marketing and public relations. And that’s putting it mildly. When the last general election came around, the electorate was faced with a BN government that was bereft of marketing ideas to take the country forward, and allegations were flying about of BN corruption and malpractices. As a result, many gave their votes to Pakatan. Even though BN is still associated with corruption and malpractices, Pakatan cannot merely bank on this again at the next general election. This time, the electorate will also want to see Pakatan’s performance record.

Talk to anyone with sense in their heads and they’ll say they want to see Pakatan fulfil the promises they made prior to March 8, 2008. Quite a number will say some of these promises have so far not been made good. Just the other day, someone said to me he was unhappy about the low number of scholarships given out by the educational arm of the Selangor government to non-Malays. He felt the Pakatan-led government was no different from its predecessor. I had to ask him why he was emphasising the issue so much when non-Malays by and large had not got federal government scholarships for decades. Why make a big case of this now just because it happens to involve the Pakatan-led Selangor government when the BN-led federal government has been doing it for far much longer?

I also had to point out that we should cease looking at the issue from the perspective of race, and that the overriding criterion for giving out a scholarship, apart from scholastic merit, should be need. It doesn’t matter which race the recipient of the scholarship belongs to as long as he or she needs financial help to attain further education. This does not deviate from the economic agenda that Pakatan has been proposing, which, admittedly, is a logical and sensible one. Only a person who is deliberately contrarian would say it’s not.

But is Pakatan going around explaining to the disgruntled that they should not be harping on an issue that has actually been with us for decades and instead accept that we should look at needs rather than race when it comes to welfare considerations? If it is, how effectively is it doing so? Is its counter-spin done in a concerted manner?

There may not be much time left before the next general election is called. Until then, Pakatan not only has to undo the damage wrought by its internal bickering and the allegations of PKR’s party elections fraud; it also has to make the public feel confident that it is first of all effective and united as an alternative political coalition, and, more importantly, that it has the ability to govern the nation. So what can it do to pull this off in the short time it has? It is not in a position to hawk dreams and illusions like BN can because it doesn’t have a whole government machinery behind it to launch massive programmes and public relations exercises. It doesn’t have the mass media as an ally. It cannot tell Malaysians how efficient it can be as the next government and what its policies will be. What are its options?

Basically, it needs to learn from the wars in history in which the Davids managed to defeat the Goliaths. It needs to learn from the North Vietnamese who brought the mighty Americans almost to their knees. Its political tactics may have to be of the guerilla type – working hard on the ground, using unconventional methods to influence the voters, unleashing attacks that hit the enemy with surprise.

For starters, it needs to penetrate the rural masses, especially the Malay heartland, to disabuse the readers of Utusan Malaysia and viewers of TV1 and TV3 of the BN propaganda they are getting relentlessly on a daily basis. These are the people who will need to be won over if Pakatan hopes to conquer Putrajaya. And it will not be easy because they have long been indoctrinated by the BN-controlled media.

Since Pakatan does not have its own media outlet, and since the rural electorate is not well-connected to the online media which provides alternative news and views, one thing Pakatan could do is organise its own “guerilla media”.  This could be in the form of daily news sheets that serve as Pakatan’s print alternative to the mainstream media. They would counter accusations against it by BN; give the alternative spin to news in the mainstream media that glorifies BN’s actions and supports the BN cause; expose the shenanigans and corrupt practices of BN politicians. To be effective, these news sheets would have to be distributed to as many rural households as possible. And with lightning speed.

The whole operation would call for highly organised planning and execution, and the guerilla media would have to be manned by professionals who know what they are doing and can do it well. It calls for funding, but, above all, it calls for the will to get it done. Pakatan needs to find that will, if it doesn’t have it already. We have seen how media spin, marketing and public relations have worked wonderfully for BN. If Pakatan doesn’t get down to playing that game to enhance its own cause – and with immediate effect – half the battle for Putrajaya could be lost.

                This entry was posted on Wednesday, 1 December 2010, 3:36 pm and is filed under
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Wan Azizah has a dream of a ketuanan rakyat to build a united progressive Malaysia

By
Dr Chen Man Hin
, DAP life advisor

Wan Azizah policy speech at the recent PKR congress was a breath of fresh air into politics in the country. She did not introduce some policy of the nature of 1 Malaysia. What she gave was a dream of building a united and progressive Malaysia with a policy designed to change the political landscape.

Wan Azizah has a dream for Malaysia where all Malaysians whether Malays, Chinese, Indians or Kadazanas are considered as masters and equals in their own country. Her dream is to spread the concept of KETUANAN RAKYAT which means that all Malaysians have the same status and equal opportunities in all the fields of human endeavour.

This is a bold step by Wan Azizah, and just as Martin Luther King had a dream which unleashed a new era for the blacks of America, so will Azizah’s dream open up a new world for Malaysia to be as progressive, compeitive and a high income economy as the tigers of Asia like Singapore, Hong Kong, S Korea and Taiwan.

Wan Azizah does not believe in ketuanan Melayu (Malay supremacy) as espoused by Umno and Perkasa. A policy which has divided the people and imprisoned the poor whether Malays, Chinese or Indians in the world of poverty and backwardness.

Four decades of Malay supremacy and the New Economic Policy have caused the economy to stagnate compared to the tiger economies whose per capita income range from US$18,000 for Taiwan to US$34,000 for Singapore compare to a per capita income of US$8,000 for Malaysia.

40 years of Malay supremacy have kept kampong Malays poor, uneducated, uncompetitive and their youths ill prepared for the competitive era of a global world. Admittedly, the ones who benefitted from Malay supremacy were Umno cronies, rent seekers who made millions from negotiated tenders, APs and land concessions.

It is cruel for Umnoputras to insist on Malay supremacy and corrupt practices just to make cronies into millionaires while the poor in the kampong stay poor, uneducated and not adaptable to the modern world.

All these have to change, and it is up to leaders like Wan Azizah who will make the change with her dream of ketuanan rakyat where opportunties are given to all, and by their own initiative, dedication and hard work, they will become rich and prosperous in a high income economy on the same level as the Asian tiger economies.

The three partners of PR have given full support to article 153 of the constitution which gives guarantees to uplift the economic status of Malays and natives. PR have our plans that they will receive the best education and financial asistance to top education, acquisition of technoloy and the know how to be successful professionals, entreprenurs and successful businessmen.

                This entry was posted on Wednesday, 1 December 2010, 12:13 pm and is filed under
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Councils save millions in managing waste disposal

By
Susan Loone

Dec 2, 10

Malaysiakini

Just by renegotiating with the contractor to reduce the cost of transporting solid waste within the state, two local councils in Penang have saved RM33 million of the people’s money.

The money, in the form of surcharge payment to the contractor, will be reclaimed by the two municipal councils – Penang Island and Seberang Perai.

“Imagine how much Umno cronies had profited before this and caused a burden to the people,” said Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng at a Seberang Perai Municipal Council function today.

He said following the Auditor-General’s advice, the municipal councils were tasked to reclaim the surcharge money paid to the contractor , which amounted to RM222,880.

If the contractor does not return the money, its monthly payment will be reduced, he added.

The contractor, who had been transporting solid waste for the municipal councils before March 2008, when Pakatan Rakyat took over the state , has amicably agreed to repay the surcharge incurred from 2008 to 2009 (21 months), Lim (right) said.

“The renegotiation with the contractor resulted in the reduction of the cost (of transporting solid waste) by about 40 percent and saved us RM33 million in three years,” he said, commending the municipal councils for bringing their accounts back into the blue.

Lim was referring to a recent reminder issued by the Auditor-General on surcharge payments to contractors for the service of solid waste transfer, which amounted to RM222,880 a month from January 2008 to last year.

The surcharge was due to the different weighing methods for the waste at two landfills – Ampang Jajar and Pulau Burung.

The Seberang Perai council managed to salvage the situation by signing a new contract with the contractor in December last year, under which the garbage collected must now be weighed at the Pulau Burung landfill, not at Ampang Jajar.

“This not only resolved that issue of extra payment to the contractor but was also commended by the Auditor-General as to be the right and accurate decision to make,” said Lim.

He did not provide details on the Penang Island Municipal Council’s handling of the issue.

                This entry was posted on Thursday, 2 December 2010, 3:04 pm and is filed under
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Ketuanan Rakyat to empower Malays and Malaysians

By
 Dr Chen Man Hin, DAP life advisor

Anwar Ibrahim by pushing ketuanan rakyat as a top objective of the PR agenda has show that he is a man of vision and a born leader.

Soon after the announcement, he immediately summoned a meeting of all heads of the five PR states for a discussion of the plan to tell the people of the importance of a ketuanan rakyat for the country.

Anwar is a man of principles and he practises what he believes in.

Critics say that this move was calculated to gain support in preparation for the coming general elections. This is not quite true, as the principle of ketuanan rakyat was proposed by PR some two years ago as a counter to Umno’s ketuanan melayu.

It is also an idea which is not familiar yet with the Malay community, and it will take patience and lots of explanation to win the people over. There is big task ahead to win support from the kampongs and rural areas. Umno will mount an attack on ketuanan rakyat. The battle in the kampongs will be intense.

However, Anwar will not be deterred. He believes in KETUANAN RAKYAT. It is his vision. He has a cause to achieve a better, just and prosperous Malaysia.

He really believes that ketuanan rakyat will be the political key that will  inspire the people to be more united and struggle for a more progressive and prosperous society. He wants the people to know that they belong in this country, and they are all Malaysians.

Equally important, is his confidence that ketuanan rakyat will uplift his fellow comrades in the kampongs, urban towns and rural areas, and bring them into the modern global society. Through ketuanan rakyat, the Malays will be better educated, gain merit and competitiveness and ready to take on the world.

They will have more self-confidence and will not be dependent any more on the handouts given out by Umno. With ketuanan rakyat they will no longer be exploited by Umno putras.

50 years of Umno rule, forty years of the 30% bumi equity of New Economic Policy have not really helped the poor in the kampongs and rural areas. Half the households of Malays, Chinese and Indians earn less than RM3,000 a month. Rural homes are even poorer.

Umno wants a ketuanan Melayu policy so that Umno putras can enrich themselves. A recent analysis showed that Umno putras enriched themselves to the tune of RM60 billion or even more from the 30% bumi equity. No share for the kampong people. To continue the ketuanan Melayu policy would be disastrous. A government officer has predicted that with present policies, the country is heading for bankruptcy.

The time has come for a change. Our born leader, Anwar will lead PR to make the change. Embracing ketuanan rakyat will be the beginning of the change for a united, progressive and prosperous Malaysia.

                This entry was posted on Thursday, 2 December 2010, 3:03 pm and is filed under
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Anwar to be suspended without his defence heard

Anwar to be suspended without his defence heard

By
Hafiz Yatim | Malaysiakini

Dec 3, 10

Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim today accused Parliament’s rights and privileges committee of pushing for his suspension without hearing his defence on his allegations about US-based consultancy Apco.

Bukit Gelugor MP Karpal Singh, who is a member of the powerful committee, said today’s meeting was called without any fixed agenda.

Karpal said the committee members were given a letter from Apco, dated Aug 19, at the meeting.

“Suddenly, Muar MP Razali Ibrahim moved a motion that the matter be heard and the motion was seconded by Alor Gajah MP Dr Fong Chan Onn,” he said.

“R Sivarasa (Subang Jaya MP) was also there, and we protested against the hearing of the matter. I questioned the hurry, and Razali asked, ‘why not?’,” added Karpal.

Following this, Karpal said that he and Sivarasa walked out of the meeting in protest.

“The meeting went on without our presence,” he said. Karpal and Sivarasa said they had no idea what transpired at the meeting after they left.

Anwar: Decision is totally outrageous

Anwar, who was also present at the press conference, described the process as “totally outrageous”.

“When I was referred to the committee, the speaker had promised a proper hearing where documents will be presented, and I will be able to defend myself,” he said.

“However, this is not being done. This is unfair, and a black mark in Parliament’s history,” he added.

He showed the Parliament Hansard dated April 22, where Ipoh Timor MP Lim Kit Siang had raised the issue, and the speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia’s (left) reply which stated the rights and privileges committee will call whomever witness to testify and important documents will be tabled.

“We will call anyone who is needed and documents wil be tabled. The committee will then make its recommendation and decide on the proper punishment,” Pandikar was quoted as saying.

Anwar’s lawyer, Ambiga Sreenevasam (right), said the Parliament had acted against the rule of natural justice by having the rights and privileges committee meet without calling Anwar.

“This has never happened before in courts where a person is at least given his right to defend himself, but this was not done,” she said.

Anwar said if he was to be called he had prepared his defence, showing the file which he had with him.

“I have all the evidence to rebut all the allegations and denial but I was not given the right to defend myself.

“They are merely taking the words from a document (Apco) and not from other witnesses including me. This is truly unfair and undemocratic and violates the rules of natural justice,” he said.

Despite the adversities he faced, the Permatang Pauh MP is prepared to face the music when parliament resumes on Monday.

The powerful rights and privileges committee, which is tasked to discuss the 1Malaysia and One Israel issue, comprised of House speaker Pandikar Amin, deputy speaker Ronald Kiandee, Karpal Singh, Sivarasa, Nancy Shukri, Dr Fong Chan Onn and Razali Ibrahim.

Committee had made a decision

When contacted later, Pandikar Amin, who chaired today’s meeting, said that the committee had made a decision.

However, he declined to reveal its decision and said the matter will be finalised on Wednesday.

The decision will then be tabled to Parliament for further action.

Anwar was also asked whether such actions directed to prevent him from coming to Parliament are signs that the general election is approaching, and to this Karpal responded he believed it is so.

“Such a move done by the committee is unwarranted,” he said, adding that despite being faced with the prospect of suspension Anwar was still eligible to contest.

“This does not affect his rights but it will only hinder Anwar’s presence in Parliament if he is suspended,” he said.

——-

Anwar barred from testifying over APCO accusation

By
Adib Zalkapli | The Malaysian Insider

December 03, 2010

PETALING JAYA, Dec 3 — Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim will not be allowed to testify over his remarks linking Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s 1 Malaysia to One Israel, Parliament’s Rights and Privileges Committee decided today.

The committee’s decision was seen as an attempt to hasten Anwar’s suspension from Parliament, said DAP chairman Karpal Singh (picture) today.

The Bukit Gelugor MP said the powerful committee decided to rely solely on a letter from public relation consultancy APCO and not to call other witnesses and Anwar to testify.

The decision prompted Karpal and Subang MP R. Sivarasa to leave the committee meeting.

“Me and Siva have no alternative but to withdraw,” Karpal told a press conference.

He also complained that APCO’s letter, which he refused to disclose, was only submitted to the committee this morning.

The powerful committee is chaired by Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia. Karpal and Sivarasa are the only opposition MPs in the committee. The other members are Deputy Speaker Datuk Ronald Kiandee, Muar MP Datuk Razali Ibrahim, Alor Gajah MP Datuk Seri Dr Fong Chan Onn and Batang Sadong MP Nancy Shukri.

“In my view the Rights and Privileges Committee has abdicated from its responsibilities,” said Karpal.

He revealed that Razali suggested that the committee continue its proceedings without calling witnesses or Anwar to testify, and this was supported by Fong.

“The issue needs to be investigated, cannot be based on a letter and without calling witnesses and not allowing Anwar to testify,” said Sivarasa.

“Given what has happened, we can expect the impending punishment,” he added.

Meanwhile, Anwar described the decision today contradicted Pandikar’s assurance when allowing the motion to refer him to the committee.

“The Speaker had given an assurance that when an MP is referred to the committee, the member would be called to testify,” said Anwar.

“APCO is very powerful that one letter can overturn all our testimonies,” he added.

The Malaysian Insider had reported last month that Anwar would likely be suspended from December 15 following recommendation from the Rights and Privileges Committee for his remarks linking the Najib’s 1 Malaysia to former Israel Prime Minister Ehud Barak’s One Israel.

The move is believed to be a strategic attempt by the ruling BN coalition to throw the opposition momentarily off guard ahead of an expected general election, believed likely to be held in the first quarter of next year.

It is also believed to be a form of reprisal by the federal government after similar moves by Pakatan Rakyat administrations in Selangor and Penang to suspend BN opposition leaders from their state assemblies.

Anwar had initially been summoned to face the House committee on June 8 after he claimed that the supposedly Israeli-linked APCO Worldwide employed by the Najib administration was behind both the 1 Malaysia and One Israel concepts.

His remarks had dominated the previous parliamentary session earlier this year and had been used incessantly by opposition leaders as campaign fodder during the Hulu Selangor and Sibu by-elections.

Anwar’s hearing before the committee was, however, put off when the leader insisted on being accompanied by legal counsel — former Bar Council president Datuk Ambiga Sreenivasan.

He was later allowed to be accompanied by Ambiga under strict instructions that the latter would not be allowed to speak during the proceedings.

Despite this, Anwar’s hearing was put off and the matter had not been raised until this morning.

Any decision made by the Rights and Privileges Committee is subject to the endorsement of the Dewan Rakyat.

                This entry was posted on Friday, 3 December 2010, 6:07 pm and is filed under
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McKinsey paid RM36 million to set up Pemandu

By
Regina Lee
 | Malaysiakini

Dec 3, 10

The government think-tank – Performance Management on Delivery Units (Pemandu) – is said to have come at the mind boggling price tag of RM66 million – even before it got down to work, with foreign consultants enjoying the biggest chunks.

Several documents obtained by Malaysiakini reveal that the spending last year, prior to the Pemandu launch, was mainly on “external consultants”, including American consultancy firm McKinsey and Co, which took the lion’s share of RM36 million.

The documents also reveal that among the other foreign and local consultants hired to set up Pemandu included Hay Group (which was paid RM11 million), Ethos & Co (RM1.5 million) and Alpha Platform (M) Sdn Bhd (RM1.5 million).

A mysterious “external consultant” named “Tarmidzi” also received RM3 million for work done in setting up Pemandu.

The documents noted that the government’s investment holding arm, Khazanah Nasional Bhd, had proposed to foot RM21 million of the bill, specifically for McKinsey’s engagement from April to September, 2009.

Meanwhile, the operations of Pemandu is estimated to take RM65.1 million for the whole of 2010, which includes more strategic and communications consultancy costs, and event management programmes for its open days.

Pemandu was set up on Sept 16, 2009 to oversee the implementation of the Economic Transformation Programme (ETP) and the Government Transformation Programme (GTP), the two key pillars of the government’s New Economic Model (NEM). It is now headed by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Idris Jala.

RM60 million for ETP

Other documents show that the ETP unit of the think-tank has gobbled up RM60 million of government funds.

The ETP project was originally estimated to cost RM78 million, but it was revealed that the Finance Ministry only approved RM60 million for its implementation.

This include RM16 million paid to consultants for the seven National Key Result Areas laboratories, as previously announced by Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.

Cost projection for the ETP unit for 2011 and 2012 averages RM53 million a year, according to the documents.

While the bulk of the expenditure goes to the labs, it is revealed that a sizeable amount is also paid out to the directors, who are part of the 60-strong Pemandu staff.

The wages of the eight directors average about RM39,000 a month, while associate directors take home an average of RM23,300 monthly.

It has been reported that the prime minister only gets a monthly salary of RM22,800.

When contacted, a senior Pemandu representative said that she was unable to comment.

Najib will be announcing the concluding part of NEM in Putrajaya at 5pm today. The NEM, the first part of which was announced in March, aims to more than double the per capital income in Malaysia by 2020.

                This entry was posted on Friday, 3 December 2010, 2:09 pm and is filed under
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Daulat Tuanku!

By
Tunku Aziz

My Sinchew

3.12.10

In an article I wrote recently, Rulers for all Malaysians, I had suggested, in a spirit of helpfulness, that their highnesses the rulers should drop the word “Malay” and instead use the more commonly understood title Sultan, for example, of Selangor or Sultan of Kedah as the case may be.

Continuing to describe themselves as Malay Rulers at a time when inclusiveness is what is required as part of the process of integrating our disparate community of races seems to be a little perverse.

His Highness the Sultan of Selangor, in decrying the suggestion I had made in my article, has, I fear, got the wrong end of the stick. Even a cursory reading of the article will show that the position of their highnesses in the constitutional arrangements of our nation remains inviolate, and Malaysians do not want it any other way.

We recognise the crucial importance of stability in the life of a nation. Stability is inherent in the system of constitutional monarchy. Rulers in today’s terms must be forward looking and open to ideas. It is no longer appropriate, at the drop of the hat, to invoke the divine rights of kings, used in the past by kings and emperors the world over, to legitimise absolutism. Nothing in the nature of things is permanent and if we cannot adjust to change, we are doomed to extinction.

Of course, we respect the institution of rulers because we respect our Constitution. We believe the institution represents all that is noble; the fountain of honour and justice for all. It would be senseless to replace an institution that has worked well.

The post-Hindu Kedah Sultanate, for example, goes back to 1136, making it arguably the oldest ruling house in the world. This is history, not fiction. It has survived to this day because it has changed with the times. There will always be a role for relevant institutions, and we have opted for a system of constitutional rulers instead of other forms of government. That we will always protect.

The Sultan of Selangor has been less than fair to suggest that I am less Malay for submitting, humbly, that the term “Malay Rulers” be dropped altogether and refer to themselves as sultans. I know this could give rise to some confusion because there are Mamaks who use “Sultan” as part of their names.

We want our Rulers to identify themselves with all Malaysians and for all Malaysians to accept that our Rulers are their Rulers as well and, in this way hope that they will learn to embrace and understand the system employed in governing this, their country. The position of the Rulers will be greatly enhanced.

I am proud Malay, as proud as the next, in fact, prouder than most because I can trace my genealogy, in an unbroken line of recorded history, spanning a thousand years. I am not a Malay come lately.

History is important, but I do not let it stand in the way of my concern for national unity. The Malays must not allow the notion of Malayness blind themselves to the demands of the new social, political and economic reality. We and our Rulers will always have an important role to play in the future development of this country, but it will have to be a role we will share with the other citizens of Malaysia.

I have lived long enough to understand, though I do not always agree, with the basis of the Malay suspicion of the so-called non-Malay, particularly, the Chinese agenda. They point out that while the non-Malays are as quick as a flash claiming their rights, they drag their feet when it comes to fulfilling their duties and responsibilities.

Generalisations breed irrationalism and distort our sense of justice and fair play. These are long-held views, and sadly have become dangerous combustible tinder that, if not stopped, and allowed to ignite, could engulf this nation we are all trying to build, in flames of irreversible destruction to benefit only those on the lunatic fringe.

Not working toward a common goal grounded in fairness and equal opportunity is not an option for Malaysians of all racial and cultural stripes. In this great Malaysian endeavour, all of us have to subordinate our prejudices, often born of ignorance, in the greater interests of a Malaysia that offers a rightful place for all. The Rulers who are natural leaders have a particularly important role to play.

Daulat Tuanku!

                This entry was posted on Saturday, 4 December 2010, 3:22 pm and is filed under
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NEM hot potatoes to test Najib’s resolve

By
 Lee Wei Lian

The Malaysian Insider

December 04, 2010

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 4 — The final filtered New Economic Model (NEM) report released yesterday spoke out strongly against many issues plaguing the economy including rent-seeking, and abuse of affirmative action but will be meaningful only if acted upon.

The distinct lack of excitement that greeted the report however reflected general public fatigue due to previous government attempts at reform which eventually fizzles out.

While the National Economic Advisory Council (NEAC) running the NEM is supposedly independent, the need for Cabinet approval prior to public disclosure of its recommendations casts doubts on it independence.

The Malaysian Insider understands that the Cabinet had crossed out the more controversial parts of the report including those touching on political funding and timelines for affirmative action.

Nevertheless what has survived in the final report could still turn out to be meaningful if acted upon and given full backing by the Najib administration.

Among the more interesting recommendations are right-sizing of the public sector to lower wage expenditure,  ensuring government contracts reserved for bumiputeras are awarded to small and medium size enterprises only and a re-engineering of GLCs so they support and not compete with the private sector.

The government has in the past resisted calls to reduce the size of the public sector which is seen as among the largest in the world on a per capita basis and the civil service is also often perceived as a vote bank for the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition.

Previous administrations had also awarded government contracts to large Malay companies in the hope of building up Malay “champions” and no longer affording preferential access to large Malay companies could signal a shift that the government is serious about fostering performance and merit.

The report also said that government reservations for bumiputeras will be reduced gradually as expenditure decreases due to the need for tighter fiscal control.

“The eligibility criteria, processes, procedures and monitoring mechanisms should be strictly transparent, market friendly and based on needs and merit,” said the report.

The NEM also said that programmes to assist the bottom 40 per cent of households shall be “ethnically blind” and without any market distorting elements such as quotas or preferences or entitlements to access to financial resources, jobs, contracts and licences.

The NEM also recommended that the government end preferential access to contracts for GLCs which means they will no longer be able to rely on public largess and also means increased opportunities for the private sector.

“The Government should refrain from providing automatic guarantees for GLC liabilities,” said the report.

“Barriers, both formal and informal, in government procurement processes which accord GLCs preferential access should be removed. To ensure operational independence, political and ministerial interference in the day-to-day management of GLCs should be met with stiff sanctions.”

The NEM also recommended that GLCs that own infrastructure adopt the service competition model which effectively means that companies like

Telekom Malaysia will be split into two — one that owns and rents out the physical cable network and another that provides services and competes with other service providers, a move that was previously considered unpalatable by previous administrations although proponents of such a move said that it would boost quality of service.

Then there is the recommendation for tax and revenue reforms including the implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) which was delayed again this year ostensibly due to concerns over public understanding of the issue but widely perceived to be due to a need to preserve popularity ahead of general elections.

The NEAC also recommended setting aside all petroleum related revenues as designated revenue into a special account/fund.

It said that the draw down from this account will be at a strictly rule-based, sustainable rate and starting from the 11th Malaysia Plan, the funds from this account should not be used to finance current expenditure.

“This mechanism will impose fiscal discipline,” said NEAC.

Currently more than 40 per cent of the government revenue comes from petroleum derived revenues, mostly dividends and taxes paid by national oil company Petronas which has said that the high dividend payout ratio of 74 per cent of profits is hurting its ability to reinvest for the future.

It is unclear how far the recommendations will be carried out but the outcome will decide whether the Malaysian public becomes even more jaded and cynical due to failure in implementation or whether the prime minister emerges triumphant due to the success of his brainchild.

On his part, Datuk Seri Najib Razak appeared to lend his full backing to the NEM saying in his remarks at the NEM report launch yesterday that “implementation (of the NEM) will follow and must be executed effectively if this nation is to progress.”

                This entry was posted on Saturday, 4 December 2010, 11:32 am and is filed under
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NEM (Part 2) cannot mark beginning of quantum leap for Malaysia when country is drowned by divisive cacophony like Ketuanan Melayu (Malay supremacy) calls contradicting Najib’s 1Malaysia concept

The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak said yesterday that with the New Economic Model (NEM) Concluding Part released by the National Economic Action Council (NEAC), Malaysia is all set to make the quantum leap into the future and realize its goal to emerge as a high-income, developed, sustainable and inclusive nation.

If so, yesterday should be one of the major milestones in Najib’s premiership and the event would have been marked with unprecedented fanfare.

But this was not the case, for the simple reason that NEM (Part 2) cannot mark the beginning of a quantum leap for Malaysia to become a developed, high-income, sustainable and inclusive nation especially when the country is drowned by a divisive cacophony like Ketuanan Melayu (Malay supremacy) calls which stands in contradiction to Najib’s signature concept of 1Malaysia.

In its chapter on “From Vision to Results”, the NEM Part II stressed that an important prerequisite for the success of the national economic transformation blueprint is for all Malaysian citizens, “irrespective of race, ethnicity, religion or gender…to look past what sets Malaysians apart, focus resolutely on our common interests, and work together with determination towards the success of this transformation and our collective prosperity”.  But these are just words without meaning.

Tomorrow, the Barisan Nasional is holding its national convention.  Can it set an example of this national consensus which is an essential prerequisite for the success of the national economic transformation blueprint by reaching a consensus and accord on the democratic vision of “Ketuanan Rakyat” (People’s Supremacy) for Malaysia based on the 1957 Merdeka and 1963 Malaysia Constitution principles of constitutional monarchy rather than on “Ketuanan Melayu”, “Ketuanan Cina”, “Ketuanan India”, “Ketuanan Kadazan” or “Ketuanan Iban”?

The very fact that the NEM, whether Part I or Part II, was never presented to Parliament for debate and endorsement, is indicative that Najib has no confidence that it is capable of capturing the imagination of Malaysians by inspiring new hopes that the country can make the quantum leap to become a developed, high-income, sustainable and inclusive nation.

There is little public interest in the NEM Part 2 not only because of the failure of political will and leadership of the Najib administration in the past 20 months to give full endorsement to the initial NEM report when it came under attack by political extremists, but also because the Malaysian public is suffering from a great  fatigue of Najib’s reform rhetoric not backed by implementation and deeds.

The NEM2 could only reiterate the importance of the Government Transformation Programme (GTP) initiatives on fighting corruption and support the National Key Results Areas (NKRA) to have zero corruption but was conspicuously silent at the worsening corruption in the country as evident from:

•	2010 Transparency International (TI) Corruption Perception Index (CPI) which highlighted the failure of the key NKRA in fighting corruption which targeted to increase the CPI score from the new low of 4.5 in 2009 to 4.9 by 2010. In actual fact, Malaysia’s CPI score in 2010 sunk to the lowest in 16 years, registering 4.4. In his 20 months as Prime Minister, Najib presided over the worst single-year plunge in TI CPI ranking and score, i.e. a nine-placing fall from No. 47 in 2008 to No. 56 in 2009, with the score plunging to the lowest ever of 4.4 for 2010.

•	Despite the GTP and NKRA talk of fighting “grand corruption” or “political corruption”, not a single political “big fish” had been arrested or prosecuted for corruption in the past 12 months.

The NEM Pt II’s emphasis on the importance of public sector governance and civil service accountability to reinvigorate private investor confidence in the Malaysian economy wears thin when issues continue to multiply unanswered in the public domain raising fundamental questions about the independence, integrity and professionalism of key national institutions.

The latest example pertains to the Attorney-General, Tan Sri Gan Patail, not only with regard to the issues I had raised in the recent Parliament over allegations by the former Kuala Lumpur Crime Investigation Department (CID) chief Datuk Mat Zain Ibrahim that Gani had fabricated evidence in the Anwar Ibrahim black-eye investigations in 1998, but also questions raised by member of the Malaysian Anti- Corruption Commission’s (MACC) consultative and advisory panel, Tan Sri Robert Phang referring to several allegations and adverse public speculations about the Attorney-General’s relationship with Shahidan Shafie, the proxy of former Malaysia Airlines Chairperson Tan Sri Tajuddin Ramli.

These developments detrimental to public confidence in the independence, integrity and professionalism of key national institutions in the country will bulk large and impact adversely in any blueprint to transform Malaysia into a developed, high-income, sustainable and inclusive nation and merit immediate attention and action.

                This entry was posted on Saturday, 4 December 2010, 2:44 pm and is filed under
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